The specific heat capacity of water is extremely high. If it were much lower, say, one-fifth as large, what effect would this have on processes like fighting fires and cooling automobile engines?

This is what a calorimeter is used for simpler ex, to measure calories in food.

The radiation of the fire causes the saucepan to heat up. the conduction of the saucepan then to distribute the heat over the saucepan and to give heat to the water. the convection of the water distributing the heat within the water, till all the water is boiling