Fire glossary
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59 entries in the Fire glossary beginning with "S"
Slopover
Fire spreading outside the boundaries of a control line.
Slug
Humorous pejorative term for those believed to be doing less work than you. Heli-slug" for helitack, "camp slug" for fire camp support personnel, "engine slug" for engine crew member, etc.
Slurry bomber
See Airtanker.
Small-diameter hose
Generally accepted to be fire hose 3 or less in diameter.
Smoke detector
(1) part of a fire alarm system that detects and signals presence of smoke; (2) self-contained household device for same purpose as (1) but with its own noisemaking device.
Smoke ejector
Powerful fan for moving large amounts of air and smoke as part of ventilation task while fighting fire in a burning structure. May be operated by electricity or gas motor for positive or negative pressure ventilation.
Smoke explosion
See backdraft.
Smoke-proof stairwell
Building structure which isolates escape stairwells with relatively fireproof walls, self-closing doors, and positive pressure ventilation, to prevent smoke or fumes from entering the stairwell during evacuation of occupants during a fire or other emergency.
Smokechaser
Colloquial term for a wildland firefighter. Now mostly archaic, except in Minnesota where state Department of Natural Resources firefighters are officially known by that name.
Smokejumper
A specifically trained and certified firefighter who travels to remote wildfires by fixed-wing aircraft and parachutes into a jump spot - that may include trees - close to the fire.
Smoldering
A fire burning without flame and barely spreading.
Soda-acid extinguisher
Weak water/acid solution inside a pressure vessel which activates bicarbonate of soda when triggered, expelling water" (mixture) under pressure from the resulting carbon dioxide. Obsolete and often replaced with an APW or multipurpose extinguisher.
Soft suction hose, soft sleeve
A short piece of fire hose, usually 10 to 20 feet long, of large diameter, greater than 2.5 inches (65 mm) and as large as 6 inches, used to move water from a fire hydrant to the fire engine, when the fire apparatus is parked close to the hydrant.
Solid Stream
A fire stream emitted from a smooth-bore nozzle. This fire stream has the greatest reach and largest drops of water.
Solid stream
Fire stream from round orifice of nozzle. Compare straight stream.
Spanner
Rigid tool for tightening or loosening firehose couplings.
Special egress control device
Locking device on doors used for delaying opening for short period (10-15 seconds) after release is pressed. Permitted as panic hardware in limited circumstances. May also refer to a security system that releases electronic door locks when a fire alarm is activated, such as in stairwells of a highrise building.
Spike camp
Remote camp usually near a fireline, and lacking the logistical support that a larger fire camp would have.
Spotting
Behavior of a fire producing sparks or embers that are carried by the wind and which start new fires (spot fires) beyond the zone of direct ignition by the main fire. A cascade of spot fires can cause a blowup.
Spray nozzle
See fog nozzle.
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59 entries in the Fire glossary beginning with "S"
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