Concept · Zone K · Shelter hazards
Space heaters, candles, cigarettes and cords: the usual shelter fire starters
Section 17 of the Study Material lists the typical causes of fire in homeless shelters, and section 18 lists common problems staff must prevent. Heaters, open flames, cigarettes and overloaded cords appear on both lists. Storage, fire doors and the rest are on the Zone K page (Shelter hazards).
Plan ref K1Updated October 25, 2026
Two lists that overlap
Section 17 is a list of causes. It names what starts fires in shelters, so that staff can spot it early (Source: Study Material §17). Section 18 is a list of problems found in shelters, from missing records to propped fire doors (Source: Study Material §18).
Read each list as written. Everyday words like heater, cord or lamp come with a qualifier in the Study Material, and the qualifier carries the rule.
The Study Material also shows why the list matters. It summarizes three shelter fires (2009 and 2012) and the lessons drawn from each (Source: Study Material §3).
Sometimes fires in shelters are started intentionally.
What you spot on the floor
Checkpoint round
0 of 6 checked · 0 cleared
Practice questions written for study, not taken from the test. The real F-80 is a multiple-choice test on a touch-screen computer at FDNY Headquarters.
Read all four options, then strike the ones that are true of shelters in general but are not what the Study Material says.
How the checkpoint round works
Read the options first and rule out the ones that break a rule, then pick from what is left. After you answer, the debrief explains every option and scores your strikes. Keys: 1–5 or A–E answer, Shift with a number rules that option out, the arrow keys move.
Checkpoint 1 of 6
Checkpoint 01
In a dorm room, a fire guard finds a power strip plugged into another power strip, running a fridge, a TV and a fan. Which fire hazard does this show?
Rule out what you can with the ✕ buttons, then choose. The debrief for every option opens here.
- ANothing here blocks a hallway or exit; the problem is the electrical load in the room.
- BCorrect: chained power strips feeding several appliances overload the outlet, one of the typical causes of shelter fires.
- CNo alarm device is involved; an impaired device would be a smoke detector, pull station or similar out of service.
- DMattress storage is a different hazard; this scene is about too many appliances on one outlet.
Checkpoint 02
On a cold night, a fire guard sees a resident using a personal space heater the shelter has not authorized. How does the Study Material treat this?
Rule out what you can with the ✕ buttons, then choose. The debrief for every option opens here.
- AStaying with the heater does not make it allowed; unauthorized portable heating appliances are not permitted.
- BA direct wall plug does not fix the problem; the unauthorized use itself is the violation.
- CWaiting for an inspection leaves a typical fire cause running; staff must act now.
- DCorrect: the coordinator and fire guards must make sure unauthorized portable heating appliances are not in use.
Checkpoint 03
Which pair of items does the Study Material list together as a typical cause of fire in homeless shelters?
Rule out what you can with the ✕ buttons, then choose. The debrief for every option opens here.
- AHair dryers and curling irons are not on the Study Material’s list of typical shelter fire causes.
- BCoffee makers and toasters are not on that list; the cooking items it names are microwaves, ovens, stoves and hot plates.
- CTelevisions and radios are not on the Study Material’s list of typical shelter fire causes.
- DCorrect: the Study Material lists candles and hot plates together as a typical cause of fire in shelters.
Checkpoint 04
In the August 2012 New York, NY shelter fire described in the Study Material, what started the fire?
Rule out what you can with the ✕ buttons, then choose. The debrief for every option opens here.
- ACorrect: a tenant left a lit cigarette unattended and it set a mattress on fire; the sprinklers put it out.
- BChildren with matches started the December 2012 Bronx mattress fires, a different case in the Study Material.
- CWiring was not the cause in this case; the Study Material names an unattended cigarette.
- DNo kitchen was involved; the fire began on a mattress on the fourth floor.
Checkpoint 05
Along with unattended and prohibited microwaves, which lighting item does the Study Material list as a typical cause of shelter fires?
Rule out what you can with the ✕ buttons, then choose. The debrief for every option opens here.
- ALED reading lamps are not on the list of typical shelter fire causes.
- BBattery lanterns are not named; battery-operated emergency lights are equipment staff must keep working.
- CCorrect: halogen lamps are the lighting item named, beside microwaves, on the list of typical causes of fire in shelters.
- DCeiling fluorescents are not on the list; the only lighting item it names is the halogen lamp.
Checkpoint 06
An FEP staff member notices a fire hazard in a shelter dormitory. According to the Study Material, whom should they inform immediately?
Rule out what you can with the ✕ buttons, then choose. The debrief for every option opens here.
- AThe director hears about uncorrected FDNY violations from the coordinator; a hazard is reported now, not at the end of a shift.
- BCorrect: the Study Material says FEP staff who become aware of a fire hazard inform the coordinator immediately.
- CThe central station receives alarm, supervisory and trouble signals from the panel; it does not take hazard reports from staff.
- DBuildings is an outside agency; inside the shelter, a hazard goes straight to the coordinator so it can be corrected.
The section 17 list, item by item
Typical causes of fire in homeless shelters, Study Material §17
| Cause on the list | What it can look like on a round |
|---|---|
| Overloaded extension cords | One cord feeding a heater and two other appliances |
| Portable heaters | A heater next to a bed or beside clothes on a chair |
| Unattended and prohibited microwaves | A microwave in a dorm room, or one left running |
| Halogen lamps | A halogen floor lamp close to bedding |
| Overloaded electrical outlets and power strips | Every socket in use, with adapters added |
| Candles and hot plates | A candle on a windowsill, a hot plate on a dresser |
| Unattended cigarettes | A lit cigarette left in an empty room |
| Unattended or improperly used ovens and stoves | A pot left on the kitchen range |
The left column is the Study Material list. The right column gives examples, not FDNY wording.
The August 2012 fire
In one of the three cases, a lit cigarette left unattended by a tenant ignited a mattress on the fourth floor of a New York shelter. The sprinkler system put the fire out, and one resident was treated for smoke inhalation (Source: Study Material §3).
The lesson the Study Material draws is short: ignition sources such as lit cigarettes should not be left unattended. Smoking is one of the unlawful activities that section 18 tells the coordinator and fire guards to stop (Source: Study Material §18, item 9). For buildings used as emergency shelters, the Study Material repeats the ban with the other rules on the Zone L page (Emergency shelters) (Source: Study Material §17.1).
If a fire starts anyway, the Zone I page (Extinguishers) covers which unit to use and when to leave it.
Who does what about it
Duties around fire hazards in the Study Material
| Who | Duty | Rule | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| FEP staff | Tell the coordinator immediately about any fire hazard they notice. | Source: Study Material §17 | A case manager sees a hot plate in use in a dorm and calls the coordinator from the floor. |
| Fire guard | Look for fire safety violations on every patrol, report them at once, and correct them when able. | Source: Study Material §4.1 | A guard finds a heater running in a room, reports it, and stays until it is unplugged. |
| Coordinator and fire guards | Make sure open flames, unauthorized portable heating appliances and smoking are not taking place. | Source: Study Material §18 | The night round checks rooms where candles were found before. |
| Coordinator | Make sure each reported violation is corrected. | Source: Study Material §4.1 | After the guard’s report, the coordinator confirms on the next round that the heater is gone. |
| All employees | Watch for suspicious behavior and tell the coordinator immediately. | Source: Study Material §17 | A desk officer reports someone collecting lighters near the stairwell. |
Item 9 of section 18 calls these activities unlawful. The examples are ours.
Where the rule is written
- Source: Study Material §17Typical causes of fire; tell the coordinator about hazards.
- Source: Study Material §18Item 9: open flames, unauthorized portable heating appliances and smoking.
- Source: Study Material §3The three shelter fire summaries and their lessons.
- Source: Study Material §17.1Emergency shelters: smoking prohibited inside (rev. January 2026, as of October 2026).
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