By Guy Colonna
For NFPA Journal

Every year, nearly 100 people across the country die in what are known as “confined spaces.” These are areas that can be dangerous because they possess limited means for entry and exit, have unfavorable natural ventilation that can contribute to the creation and buildup of atmospheric hazards, and are not intended for continuous human occupancy. Confined spaces span a wide range of industries and uses, including storage tanks, process vessels, hoppers, bins, silos, sewers, boilers, utility vaults, pipelines and pipe tunnels, and cargo spaces and holds on marine vessels. Steel mills, paper mills, chemical plants, refineries, public utilities, construction sites, recycling facilities, grain silos — they all contain confined spaces.

(more…)

Share |

By Arek Sarkissian II
for The Evansville Courier Press

VANDERBURGH COUNTY — The only device Vanderburgh County firefighters have had to empty an anhydrous ammonia tank at a methamphetamine lab scene was a drum full of water and plenty of experience from for error and injury.

Now, thanks to Perry Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jerry Bulger, there is the Methbuster.

The bright red device is a sealed chamber that can hold a vessel of anhydrous. The chamber is partially filled with water using a fire hose and a firefighter can manipulate the anhydrous using gloves attached through the wall of to the chamber while watching through a glass window.

(more…)

Share |

Did you know that  the 2012 edition of NFPA 1971 has incorporated a stored energy test?  This test evaluates the stored and transmitted heat energy in a turnout composite underneath a reinforcement material.  Is your department equipped to meet the standard?

William J. Gorak,  a product development engineer with W. L. Gore & Associates discusses the newly added stored energy test in a recent article for Fire Engineering Magazine.

After many years of research and discussion, a new minimum performance requirement to help prevent stored energy burns will be added to NFPA 1971, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, 2012 edition. Ensemble manufacturers will be required to perform stored thermal energy (STE) testing to ensure that turnout gear complies with the new performance criteria. What is stored energy, and how does it relate to the thermal protection performance (TPP) requirement already in NFPA 1971?

The NFPA 1971 Technical Committee on Structural and Proximity Fire Fighting Protective Clothing and Equipment has focused on firefighter burns caused by heat buildup under outer shell attachments. One study¹ indicated that many reported burns occurred on arms and shoulders, with many of them under nonporous materials attached to the outer shell such as trim, patches, logos, lettering, and so on. The burns typically occurred after minutes of thermal exposure without visible damage to the gear. Therefore, the 2012 edition of the NFPA 1971 standard specifically addresses burns under attachments located only on outer shell sleeves.

To read the full article, click here.

Share |

From NFPA Journal®, March/April 2012
By Fred Durso, Jr.

As lithium-ion battery use increases, so do the concerns related to the fire-safety hazards of these devices. Through a series of research efforts and partnerships, NFPA is analyzing storage and safety issues surrounding the power source fueling hundreds of millions of devices — from iPhones to electric vehicles — worldwide.

On a November evening in 2009, residents of Trail, British Columbia, were jolted by explosions that some people thought were part of a fireworks display. The bursts were actually the result of a fire at nearby Toxco Inc., a battery recycling facility that houses used lithium-ion batteries that previously powered an array of cell phones, laptops, and electric vehicles.

The explosions intensified as the fire ripped through the battery discharge building, and flaming projectiles from a bunker filled with batteries caused the fire to spread to the adjoining district recycling facility. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the fire was so intense that firefighters could only attempt to contain the blaze for several hours before letting it burn out. Since lithium is highly reactive to water, it was feared that attempts to douse the flames might have intensified the blaze. While there were no injuries or deaths, the fire destroyed the battery discharge building. A cause was never identified, but officials speculated that the fire was caused by an internal short in one of the stored batteries.

Click here to read the full article.

Share |

By Henry J. Costo
For FIREHOUSE magazine’s Tools & Technology feature

Change is an inescapable reality of our everyday lives and certainly the fire service is not immune to that reality. Sometimes, the need for change is recognized by an organization and generated internally. Other times, change occurs around us and we are compelled to adapt. Change and the consequences of change can at times be obvious – for example, when the fire service transitioned from long coats and rubber boots to modern-day fire-resistant bunker coats and pants. More often, the changes may be more subtle, yet the effects may be profoundly significant. Either way, the most successful and durable organizations recognize change as an opportunity to improve rather than as a burden.

(more…)

Share |

By Charles Bailey
For FireRescue1.com

Share |

Firefighter hand protection is critical, with the exception of the ears; the ratio of exposed surface area to volume of body mass is greater for the hands than any other part.

The hands, especially the fingertips, contain the densest areas of nerve endings on the body. Hand protection is not a commodity, yet of all the firefighter protective garments, gloves are the ones most considered a throw-away item.

Injuries to the hand represent a significant portion of all fire ground injuries; as a result, firefighters should use just as much consideration in selection of their gloves as the garments, helmet and footwear they use in firefighting and emergency rescue situations.

Gloves may be the last piece of PPE to go on before an incident and the first to come off when the work is done. But it’s important that the glove provides the comfort and dexterity in grip so that it stays on throughout the firefighting event.

We know that firefighters rely heavily on working with their hands in a variety of tasks. As a result, this imposes tough tradeoffs for permitting hand function while providing insulation from heat and protection from physical hazards.

Some things to consider when purchasing new gloves:

• Gloves must fit correctly to provide proper levels of insulation because the trapped air inside the glove is a good insulator.  

• Gloves must also conform to the hand and flex to allow good hand function. Conversely, excess bulk in the glove fingers spreads the fingers apart and diminishes gripping ability.

• Selecting a glove that is too small may impact thermal protection; and selecting a glove that is too large may impact dexterity and grip and may create threatening gaps in coverage. 

All gloves used for firefighting should be compliant to NFPA 1971 Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural and Proximity Firefighting but that does not mean that all gloves offer the same level of protection.

LION has put together a glove wear test evaluation form that highlights the key features to consider when purchasing new firefighting gloves. You can click here to download it.

Share |

By Andrew Duffy
For the  Ottawa Citizen

On May 19, 1983, a woman fell asleep while smoking in her bed on the seventh floor of a 20-storey highrise in midtown Ottawa.

She awoke late that evening with her bed in flames and fled the apartment. Minutes later, a ninth-floor resident saw fire and smoke outside the window and pulled the fire alarm.

Inside, the two main stairwells filled with smoke. Some residents made it out while others retreated to their apartments.

The Magqwala family, recent immigrants from South Africa, left their top-floor apartment and tried both stairwells, but were turned back by smoke. They climbed toward the roof only to find the exit door locked.

Calestina Magqwala, 23, and her one-year-old infant, Mkululeko, died of smoke inhalation.

Meanwhile, on the 15th floor, the Kaing family also tried to flee the building. They reached the 8th floor, but retreated when they were overcome with smoke. Firefighters found six members of the Cambodian family unconscious in the stairwell. Five were rescued, but the family’s four-year-old girl, Khim Khourn, died.

The fire triggered a coroner’s inquest and contributed to the launch of a public inquiry into highrise fire safety in Ontario, which reported in March 1984.

It also spawned a quest of sorts for Peter McBride whose father, Charlie, was among the firefighters who responded to the fatal fire.

McBride has spent much of his 24-year firefighting career pursuing ways to lessen the peril of highrise and wind-driven fires.

“They represent a very significant risk; they require tremendous resources,” says McBride, acting chief of safety with Ottawa Fire Services.

Read the full article here.

Photo Credit: Wayne Cuddington for the Ottawa Citizen

Share |

From USFA.FEMA.gov

Portable generators are useful when temporary or remote electric power is needed, but they can be hazardous. The primary hazards to avoid when using them are carbon monoxide poisoning, electric shock or electrocution, and fire.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) would like you to know that there are simple steps you can take to prevent the loss of life and property resulting from improper use of portable generators.

To Avoid Carbon Monoxide Hazards:

• Always use generators outdoors, away from doors, windows and vents.
• NEVER use generators in homes, garages, basements, crawl spaces, or other enclosed or partially enclosed areas, even with ventilation.
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions.
• Install battery-operated or plug-in (with battery backup) carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in your home, following manufacturer’s instructions.
• Test CO alarms often and replace batteries when needed.

(more…)

Share |

From NFPA.org:

Let’s celebrate fire and life safety educators! Educators are key to the success of NFPA’s programs. That’s why NFPA’s “Educator of the Year” Award is so important. It gives educators the recognition they deserve for playing the lead role in making their communities safer.

Apply for the 2012 NFPA Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year Award (PDF, 615 KB). Deadline is February 24, 2012.

We are looking for fire and life safety educators who:

• work for a local fire department.
• use NFPA’s  Risk Watch®,  Learn Not to Burn®,  Remembering When^TM or Fire Prevention Week materials.
• use NFPA materials in a consistent and creative way.
• demonstrate excellence and innovation, reaching out to the community with NFPA materials.
• view NFPA as the source for safety information.

(more…)

Share |