Fire Fighting Training: The Fire Tetrahedron Explained

Whether you are looking to become a professional firefighter or are simply wanting to be prepared to keep yourself, your loved ones, or your colleagues safe when you are faced with a fire emergency, you need to have a thorough understanding of the fire tetrahedron. The fire tetrahedron highlights how heat, fuel, oxygen, and an uninhibited chemical chain reaction all need to be present for a fire to be sustained. We explain everything there is to know about the fire tetrahedron so that you can sufficiently put out a fire when faced with one. Learn about the fire tetrahedron and other important theoretical and practical fire handling and safety skills in EMCARE’s fire fighting training.

The Fire Tetrahedron Explained:

The fire tetrahedron is an explanatory model for the properties required for a fire to occur. The fire tetrahedron uses the geometric shape of a pyramid as a representation of the four fire properties. The properties that must all be present for a fire to occur and be self-perpetuating are heat, fuel, an oxidizing agent, and an uninhibited chemical reaction.

Before the introduction of the fire tetrahedron, the fire triangle was used as an explanatory model for the essential ingredients needed to start a fire. The fire triangle is a simplistic representation that only lists fuel, heat, and an oxidising agent as the necessary ingredients for a fire to ignite. The fire tetrahedron is a preferred model for understanding fires as it is more a comprehensive model than the fire triangle, yet is still simple to understand.

The fire tetrahedron was designed as a clear and easy-to-understand model of how to successfully extinguish a fire when faced with one. Understanding the fire tetrahedron will provide you with the knowledge on how to stop a fire from burning or getting out of control. Understanding the fire tetrahedron is not only an important skill for firefighters, but is essential for everyone to safely handle an emergency fire. We take a deeper look into each of the properties in the fire tetrahedron.

1) Heat:

Heat is an important property in the fire tetrahedron as it is both the source of the fire ignition and is necessary to sustain the fire once it is burning. An ignition source for a fire can be caused by anything that has a flame or creates a spark, such as a cigarette lighter, a knocked-over candle, or a sparking electrical wire. The result of a fire caused by the ignition source is dependent on the fuel material that the ignition comes into contact with. For example, a bottle of alcohol has a faster ignition rate than a solid bed frame as alcohol has a lower temperature at which the liquid will ignite.

2) Fuel:

Every fire needs a fuel source to continue burning. Fuel for a fire is any item that can experience combustion, which is the high-temperature release of heat and light when the fuel comes into the presence of an oxidant agent. The sustained release of heat in the combustion of the fuel increases the temperature and the intensity of the fire. Different fuels have different combustion reactions, and thus will burn for different periods and have different heat temperature releases.

Our homes and workplaces are overwhelmed with items that can provide fuel for fires. Understanding the fuel source of the fire is imperative as it will inform you on the best way to handle the fire safely. We have listed the five classes of fire fuels with examples.

1. Solids: Woods, plastics, paper, and fabrics are examples of flammable solids.
2. Fats and Cooking Oils: Overheating fats and cooking oils on a stovetop or in an oven can result in ignition.
3. Liquids and Gases: Flammable liquids include gasoline, alcohol, and motor oils. Flammable gases are hydrogen, methane, and butane.
4. Combustible Metals: Combustible materials include lithium, sodium, and aluminium.
5. Electric: Electrical machines and equipment can overheat, broken wires can cause sparks, and malfunctioning can cause a fire.

You cannot extinguish all fires in the same way. For example, most solid fuels can be extinguished using water, but water is an insufficient and unsafe method to use when attempting to extinguish a fire fuelled by electrical items if the electricity source is not first turned off. Applying water to a fire fuelled by combustible metals can exacerbate the fire as certain metals react at a faster rate when exposed to water. Fuel materials are also the most difficult fire tetrahedron property to remove, therefore, any highly flammable materials must be stored correctly to reduce the safety risks.

3) Oxidising Agent:

All fires need an oxidising agent to sustain the chemical reactions of the fire. The oxidising agent will react with the vapours released by the burning fuel and thus continue fuelling the fire. The reactions that occur between fuel and the oxidising agent, most commonly oxygen, continuously generate energy and allow the fire to self-perpetuate. As long as there is a continuous supply of fuel and oxygen, the fire will continue burning.

Removing the oxidising agent from the fire will cease the oxidising agent reactions and begin to extinguish the fire. As most fires are sustained by exposure to oxygen, you need to deprive the fire of access to air. This can be done by smothering a fire with a fire blanket or by using a fire extinguisher.

4) Uninhibited Chemical Chain Reaction:

Fire is ultimately a reaction between heat, fuel, and an oxidising agent. Once a heat source has been introduced to a combustible fuel, ignition will occur. The reaction between the ignited fuel and the oxidising agent will allow the fire to become self-perpetuating. The uninhibited chemical chain reaction refers to this process of the self-perpetuation of a fire based on the combustion capability of the fuel and the oxidising agent.

The uninhibited chemical chain reaction was included in the fire tetrahedron to demonstrate that a fire must be able to produce heat from continuous chemical reactions to continue burning. To extinguish a fire, you must break the uninhibited chemical chain reaction. This is done by either removing the fuel or the oxidising agent.

The Difference Between the Fire Tetrahedron and the Fire Diamond:

The Fire Tetrahedron is not to be confused with the fire diamond. The fire diamond is a diamond-shaped sign that is usually located on highly flammable or hazardous containers or buildings. The fire diamond is a warning sign to ensure cautious actions are taken around the building or containers. The fire diamond is made up of four coloured sections as listed below.

1. Red Section: The red section demonstrates the flammability of the material if exposed to heat and will be positioned in the top section of the diamond.
2. Yellow Section: The yellow section highlights the instability of the material if exposed to temperature, pressure, or water, and will be located on the right-hand side of the diamond.
3. Blue Section: The blue section is on the left-hand side of the diamond and showcases the health risks of the material if someone comes into contact with it.
4. White Section: The white section signifies special precautions that need to be taken around the material or building to ensure safety, and will be located in the bottom section of the triangle.

One the red, yellow, and blue coloured sections there will be a number that ranges between 0-4. This scale indicates the grading of the flammability, instability, and health hazard risks. The white section will not have a number rating but will have one of two symbols. The first possible symbol will be a W with a horizontal slash to indicate that the material reacts with water, and the second potential symbol will be an OX that indicates the reacts with oxygen.

EMCARE Fire Fighting Training:

EMCARE fire fighting training courses cover every important aspect you need to know about fires. From the fire tetrahedron to classes of fire to fire prevention to extinguishing fires, we cover every aspect of fire handling and safety. The theoretical knowledge and practical skills training in our fire fighting training course will allow you to walk away with the confidence to safely handle an emergency fire in any situation.

We offer a wide range of fire fighting training. Our fire fighting training courses include the Basic Fire Awareness Course, Basic Fire Fighting Course, and the Advanced Fire Fighting Course, which are ideally suited to individuals or businesses looking to improve their confidence and understanding of how to handle an emergency fire. Our Fire Fighter 1 & Hazmat Awareness Course and Fire Fighter 2 & Hazmat Operations Course are our fire fighting training courses available to enable you to become a professional firefighter.

Our fire fighting training courses are offered by qualified and trained professionals. We strive to provide you with the highest standard of fire fighting training, and thus only provide you with trainers that have all the relevant qualifications, have years of experience in fire fighting training, and are registered to provide you with fire fighting training. Our trainers are equally dedicated to imparting the skills and theory on how to protect yourself and others from a fire, and thus take every step to ensure that you walk away with a comprehensive understanding of firefighting.

Our high-quality and expert fire fighting training courses are available at all of our EMCARE branches. Our facilities are fully equipped to allow for safe, practical, and enjoyable fire fighting training. You can find an EMCARE branch located in Johannesburg, Polokwane, Hoedspruit, Cape Town, Durban, and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) to begin your EMCARE fire fighting training.

About EMCARE:

EMCARE offers a comprehensive range of courses for equipping you with health and safety skills. Our course options include fire and rescue training, first aid, emergency evacuation, emergency medical, health and safety, legal compliance, hand tool operation, and working at heights training. Through high-quality training, dedication to equipping students with essential health and safety skills, and consistent professionalism, we provide the best health and safety training for everyone.

Since 1997 we have successfully trained many individuals and businesses. EMCARE professionally trained individuals have gone into health and safety careers or upskilled themselves to keep themselves and loved ones protected. Many businesses have benefited from the increased safety and compliance of their workplace when they have enrolled their employees in EMCARE health and safety training.

We have positioned ourselves as an industry leader in health and safety training in our industry. If you are interested in enrolling in any of our courses, have queries about a relevant course for your career requirements, or are wanting to know course start dates, you are welcome to get in contact with us. We are contactable by email, phone call, on our website, and through submitting an enquiry form by which a friendly EMCARE assistant will get back to you.

Gain an in-depth understanding of the fire tetrahedron and other important fire fighting theories and practical skills with EMCARE’s fire fighting training.