IFF Issue 01

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

FIRE FIGHTERI N T E R N A T I O N A L

FIRE FIGHTERReporting Worldwide to Municipal, Industrial and Fire Training Professionals

An MDM PUBLICATIONIssue 1 – February 2004

www.iffmag.com

IFF Front Cover final 10/24/06 9:58 AM Page 1

Three global brands dedicated to your personal protection

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FinlandScott Health & Safety OyPO Box 501FIN-65101 VaasaFinland

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Customer Service Departments (Europe)

• Self Contained Breathing Apparatus

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• Head Protection

• Eye & Face Protection

• Hearing Protection

• Powered Respirators (PAPR)

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• CBRN Respirators & Filters

• Powered Respirators (PAPR)

• Face Masks

• Filters

• Gas Detection

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1www.iffmag.comINTERNATIONAL FIRE FIGHTER

CONTENTS

Front cover picture: courtesy of Fire Pix International

PublishersDavid Staddon & Mark Seton

Sales and Editorial Manager: Mark Bathard

Contributing EditorsPhil Gerace, Mark Whitcher, Nick Lacey,Nicky Probyn, Mike Willson, David Burton,Dwight Williams, Kelvin Hardingham,Kristian Johnson, David Carson, Bill Savage

IFF is published quarterly by:MDM Publishing Ltd 18a, St James Street, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5BWUnited KingdomTel: +44 (0) 1460 249199Fax: +44 (0) 1460 249292 e-mail: [email protected]: www.iffmag.com

©All rights reserved

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DISCLAIMER:The views and opinions expressed in INTERNATIONALFIRE PROTECTION are not necessarily those of MDMPublishing Ltd. The magazine and publishers are in no wayresponsible or legally liable for any errors or anomaliesmade within the editorial by our authors. All articles areprotected by copyright and written permission must besought from the publishers for reprinting or any form ofduplication of any of the magazines content. Any queriesshould be addressed in writing to the publishers.

Reprints of articles are available on request. Prices onapplication to the Publishers.

Page design by Dorchester Typesetting Group LtdPrinted by The Friary Press Ltd




An MDM PUBLICATION

Issue 1 – February 2004

www.iffmag.com

February 2004 Issue 1 MUNICIPAL SECTION

5-8 The Apparatus Decision

11-14 Rescue Tool Round Up

16 Melba Industries, ProductProfile

17-20 Vigorous Decon EquipmentMaintenance Programmes;An Essential Part OfHomeland Defence

21 KME Product Profile

23-26 What Personal ProtectiveEquipment?

29-31 Thermal imaging: twodecades of productdevelopments

32 Thermal Imaging Round Up

33 Bronto Skylift, Product Profile

INDUSTRIAL SECTION

37-40 Are “Environment Friendly”Foams Really Green?

42-43 Lightweight Portable Pumps

44 Hughes Safety Showers,Product Profile

45-48 Big Guns

49 SWIFT, Product Profile

50-51 Sirens and Sounders, TheSights And Sounds Of Safety

FIRE AND RESCUE TRAINING SECTION

54-57 Fire Safety EngineeringCollege Oman, FacilitiesProfile

58 Hale Europe, Product Profile

60-62 BA Training

63-67 International TrainingStandards

68-69 Hot under the collar

70-71 Product Update

72 Advertisers’ Index

INTERNATIONALFIRE FIGHTER

COMMENTWelcome to the very first issue of International Fire Fighter (IFF) magazine. I hope youenjoy the editorial content in this issue as well as finding the product and companyprofiles useful and informative. International Fire Fighter has been born from the needto produce an industry magazine covering the three main areas of fire fighting,Municipal, Industrial and Fire Fighter training.

To help you, and make the magazine more user friendly, it is split into threedifferent sections each section having a pictorial divider.

Please read through and pass it on to other people in your department and feel freeto pass on any comments you may have regarding this issue as well as any suggestionsfor content in future issues. Please also remember, to mention International Fire Fighterwhen responding to our advertisers. I look forward to hearing from you.

Mark BathardSales and Editorial Manager

P. 1 23/10/06 12:48 pm Page 1

April 26 – May 1, 2004Indiana Convention Center and RCA Dome ■ Indianapolis, Indiana

SERIOUS TRAINING FOR SERIOUS FIREFIGHTERS

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Municipal

P. 3-15 23/10/06 3:44 pm Page 3

Bronto – heading upwards, with its feet firmly on the ground.

Above all

Bronto Skylift Rescue vehicles

Bronto Skylift has createdreliable rescue vehicles for thefire brigades over 30 years.

The working height of Brontounits range from 16 to 88 m.Bronto Skylift offers a wideselection of rescue andfire fighting vehicles –from compact Allroundervehicles to giant hydraulicplatforms with 88 metresworking height.

Subsidiary of Federal Signal Corporation

Bronto Skylift Oy AbTeerivuorenkatu 28FIN-33300 TAMPERE, FinlandTel. +358 3 2727 111Fax +358 3 2727 300Email [email protected]

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Bronto Skylift AGIfangstrasse 111CH-8153 RÜMLANG, SwitzerlandTel. +41 1 818 8040Fax +41 1 818 8050


The purchase of new fire apparatusis not only one of the largestfinancial decisions made by a fire

department; it is also a decision thatwill affect the department’s operationalcapability for decades. That is why it iscritical that such a decision be made byusing a process based upon currentinformation rather than upon emotionor past practice. A small investment inapparatus research can pay off hugedividends for those organizations thatmake the effort.

The first task is to decide the generalcapabilities required of the apparatus.This is not a decision about how muchhorsepower is needed or how high thecrew roof should be. Instead it’s an hon-est accounting of what will be the mis-sion of the apparatus. Will it need tocarry rescue tools? Is foam capabilityrequired? In the case of an aerial, whatkind of access restrictions will beencountered within the Department’sprotection district? What challenges dolocal streets and inclines present? Inshort, what will be demanded of thetruck both today and in the future?

Once a basic agreement has beenmade as to the general capabilities, anapparatus committee is often formed.It’s a great system that should consist ofa variety of personnel with differentoperational backgrounds that includeindividuals with procurement, mechani-cal/service, and fire ground experience.The challenge is finding sufficient diver-sity without making the group larger

than about five people. Larger groupsare often burdened by spending moretime on the dynamics of working oncommittees than on the task itself.

If new apparatus hasn’t been pur-chased within the last five to seven years,when a Committee is assembled, it isimportant that some or all of themschedule visits with several fire apparatusmanufacturers. This will allow them tomake fair and accurate comparisonsbetween industry suppliers, but moreimportantly will provide the decisionmakers with important informationabout new technologies and popularoptions that can be included in the spec-ification that will be released by the firedepartment. Another alternative to theplant visit is a national tradeshow. Hereyou can speak with both apparatus man-ufacturers and component suppliers forthe most up to date information. A cur-

rent list of major fire service tradeshowscan be found on the Fire ApparatusManufacturer’s Association’s website athttp://www.fama.org/Site/Calendar/.

When the Committee has beenformed and they’ve made their visits,the next step is to begin writing a speci-fication. NFPA 1901, 2003 Editionincludes an Annex B entitled “Specify-ing and Procuring Fire Apparatus”. Theforms within this annex can be usefultools to make sure that all relevant areasof the apparatus are considered whenwriting the specification, as well asinsuring that the spec will result in atruck that meets the NFPA minimumstandards. The forms include procure-ment issues, apparatus dimensions,operational conditions, equipment,chassis components, electrical systems,crew areas, body compartments, firepump, water tank, aerial devices, foam


Municipal

The Apparatus DecisionBy Phil Gerace, Director of Sales andMarketing, KME Fire Apparatus

The Apparatus Decision

Pic courtesy of KME Fire Apparatus

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systems, command and communica-tions, air systems, and winches. Allmajor areas are covered, but the Appara-tus Committee must still decide theconfiguration to bid, the manufacturers’warranties being requested, special sup-port requirements, inspection trips, andthe specifics of the bidding process. It isimportant to note that the decisionsmade at this point have a significantaffect on the final price of the vehicleand the number of bidders.

As the Department configures theapparatus specification to meet theirneeds, how far they stray from theindustry “norm” and from the “stan-dards” of each manufacturer will affectthe overall bid price. For example, it’sfine to specify overall dimensions andplacement of components, but trying tomicromanage compartment dimensionsor trying to pre-plumb the pump bynoting overly specific plumbing restric-tions either increases the cost of thetruck or decreases the number of bid-ders. However, at the other end of thespectrum, following any one manufac-turer’s norms or suggested specificationstoo closely can often also lead toincreased prices and decreased bidders.When a department writes a specifica-tion that includes items like the numberof fins in a radiator, the exact alloy ordimensions of an extruded supportmember, or any other proprietary ver-biage from a specific manufacturer, it istelling all potential bidders that the bidwill somehow favor a particular bidder.This not only decreases the number ofpotential bidders, but of those suppliersthat do bid, they must increase theirprice to meet that particular spec item.

Areas like extended warranties or spe-cial service requirements should also beconsidered. While these requirementscan add significantly to the overall priceof the vehicles when the department isbidding only one or two trucks, on mul-tiple unit bids, the overall cost is usuallyheavily discounted. If you want a five

year bumper to bumper warranty or thetruck representative to transport thevehicle at no charge to his service centerunder warranty, now is the time to writethat into the spec. Remember, the FireDepartment has to live with these deci-sions for a decade or more, so they mustthink carefully about what’s best for thelong term.

Inspection trips are another factorthat contributes greatly to the overallacquisition cost. The Apparatus Com-mittee can choose to bid them as partof the overall price, bid them as options,or pay for them out of the Departmentbudget. If they’re included in the bid,make no mistake the Fire Departmentpays for these trips. The frequency andgroup size of these trips varies fromdepartment to department so there is noindustry standard. It is recommendedthat at least two (and usually three)trips take place. The first trip should bethe Pre-Engineering or Pre-ConstructionConference. This is a meeting in whichthe manufacturer discusses exactly howthey plan to implement the solutions toeach of the requirements in the bid.There are opportunities to get sugges-tions from the manufacturer aboutchanges that might better satisfy theDepartment’s needs. There are also usu-ally questions asked that the depart-ment might not have considered, soevery decision may not always be madeduring the meeting. The apparatus com-

mittee should also be aware that this isa meeting in which it’s important tomake any remaining changes to thespec. Cost changes at this point areminimal, however at future points dur-ing construction, changes may either bevery expensive or not even possible. Thesecond trip is usually a trip just beforethe unit goes into paint. This allows theCommittee to see a finished body, butstill allows for a moderate amount ofchanges. The last trip is usually either a90% or 100% final inspection. At thispoint the apparatus is painted, assem-bled, and all major components areinstalled. The unit is either done or hav-ing the last few trim items completed.Bring as many Committee members aspossible on this trip. Have everyoneeither agree that the truck meets specand will fill the needs of the depart-ment, or make whatever changes arenecessary (i.e. additional steps, lights, orswitches) so that when the apparatusarrives at the station, it receives the fullsupport of the committee. One of thebiggest mistakes made at this finalinspection trip is not allowing sufficienttime to review the apparatus. It is recom-mended that committee members goline by line through the specification,making sure that all items and changesare covered. Once the truck is in thestation is not the time to mention that the Fire Department thought therewould be an extra light in one of the

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7www.iffmag.comINTERNATIONAL FIRE FIGHTER 7

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P. 3-15 23/10/06 3:46 pm Page 7

compartments. Once again, attention todetail is important since what the com-mittee accepts at delivery will be part ofthe department for years to come.

The specifics of the bid processshould be carefully considered. At aminimum, a 100% performance bondshould be required to make sure thatmanufacturers without the financial sta-bility to stand behind their products andwarranties will not be considered. Bid-ders should be given at least four weeksto prepare a bid. If the Department isbidding multiple units, it might also payto have a mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting.This allows potential bidders to view thespecification ahead of time and airspecific questions or complaints aboutitems that in their view lack clarity, con-flict, or greatly favor another manufac-turer. This meeting will really help thebidding Department hone their specsand at the very least, helps to minimizeprotests at the time of award. It is alsocritical to make sure that all biddersclearly and explicitly state any and allexceptions to the specification at thevery beginning of their bid.

A specific date and time should beannounced for the receipt of bids. Howsuch receipts are handled should be upto the Department’s legal counsel, butto have a meeting to announce theresults of these bids is often a waste oftime. One should expect that bid num-bers will vary greatly and often becauseof the number of exceptions taken. If aparticular manufacturer has partially orcompletely ignored the department’sspecification, the department may notwant to give a “false impression” of thatmanufacturer being “low bid” to thedepartment, other bidders, or otherinterested parties. Unusually low bidnumbers may at times seem attractive incertain political agendas, thereby caus-ing pressure to purchase apparatus thatdoes not meet the needs of the FireDepartment. However, if the ApparatusCommittee has done its job, the spec

and compliant bids should be the onlyconsiderations and can be defended tothose with a financial concern as theirprimary interest. If this is a major con-cern however, the Fire Department maychoose to do a Request for Proposal(RFP) instead of a bid. Above is a com-parison chart of the major features ofeach.

Evaluation of the final bids or RFP’scan often be confusing because typic-ally, even when the Fire Departmentrequests it, bids are generally not insimilar order. One method to evaluatebids is a points system. Points are eitherawarded or deducted for spec compli-ance or lack thereof. Extra points maybe awarded for exceeding specifications.This point system is often weighted and

can be somewhat complicated. An easiermethod is to simply first, evaluate allbids for compliance. Remove any bidthat does not comply on a specificationthat is substantive. Then have everyoneon the Apparatus Committee review allremaining bids. Obviously the lowest bidwill receive the greatest attention, butremember low bid isn’t always the mostresponsible bid. Carefully consider thepast experiences or reputations of ven-dors in terms of quality, service, anddelivery. Look for a well prepared, logi-cal, and professional bid. If the vendorisn’t able to organize the bid properly,can they really build the truck properly.In short, find the bid that best meetsthe needs of the Department bothfinancially and operationally.


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Once the final award decision ismade a new process begins withboth opportunities and pitfalls inthe manufacture of the new appa-ratus. This process too should bedone with thoughtful research andthe ability to stay true to the statedneeds of the Fire Department. If theDepartment has done its homeworkup front though, they will be ade-quately prepared to face allremaining challenges.

A specific date and time should beannounced for the receipt of bids.How such receipts are handledshould be up to the Department’slegal counsel, but to have ameeting to announce the results ofthese bids is often a waste of time.

BIDSOpen at specified time and date,publicly read bidder’s name, price,items offered, F.O.B points, delivery, etc.No discussion with bidders allowed.

Evaluate against specifications.

Entire procurement public record.

RFPsClose at specified time and date; readonly the names of suppliers submittingproposals.Discussion with suppliers permitted withrestrictions specified prior to thesubmittals.Evaluate against evaluation criteria andagainst competing proposals.Awarded contract public record.

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T A P I N T O T H E P O S S I B I L I T I E SEdwards new turbine powered foam pumps are an ideal firefighting tool for installations where electrical power ordiesel engine energy sources are impractical or too expensive.They also offer a cost effective alternative to bladder tanks and are easily installed into smaller, more convenient areas.The Pelton wheel-driven pump lets you tap into your existingfire water supply giving you the flexibility you need for foam applications.

The next time you are looking for quality in a waterpowersource, look to Edwards the world's leading supplier of special-hazard gear pumps.

Edwards-driven to perform!

Tel: 503-654-4198 Fax: 503-654-3110 E-mail: [email protected] www.edwardsmfg.com

P. 3-15 23/10/06 3:46 pm Page 9

Partner Industrial Products, SE–433 81 Partille, Sweden

Tel: +46 (0)31-94 90 00. Fax: +46 (0)31-94 91 14. www.partner-industrial.com

Partner offers two powerful and reliable rescue cutters: The Partner K950 Rescue and the K650 Rescue. ThePartner K950 Rescue is our largest rescue cutter and has a higher power-to-weight ratio than any other rescue cutter on the market.

The Partner K650 Rescue is a smaller and lighter machinethat fits in most types of rescue vehicles.

Easy start and the specially designed starter handle withroom for heavy gloves make our cutters really easy to start.Reliability is increased considerably, since the Active AirFiltration System is protected inside the casing and thecutting arm has a sealed drive belt. The chromium platedblade guard, which is visible in smoke, steam and waterspray, makes operations much easier to control.

PARTNER K950/K650 RESCUEEngine Air-cooled 2-cycle engineDisplacement 94 cc/71 ccPower 4,5 kW/3,5 kWWeight, without fuel and blade 10,4 kg/9,1 kgCutting equipment, blade:Diameter 350 mm (14")/300 mm (12")Cutting depth 125 mm (5")/100 mm (4")

RAPID AND RELIABLE


AMKUS, INC.

AMKUS, Inc. was established in 1973 byGeorge and Margaret Weigand. AMKUS ishoused in a 40,000 square foot buildingin Downers Grove, Illinois USA. All corpo-rate functions, manufacturing, assembly,testing and servicing are conducted there.Through an extensive dealer and distribu-tor network, AMKUS operates in Europe,Asia, Africa and the Americas.

AMKUS, Inc. occupies a unique role inthe marketplace. We have become knowas the only company dedicated exclusive-ly to the manufacturing and marketing ofhydraulic rescue tools. At AMKUS, we are100 percent dedicated to the complexneeds of extrication, and maintain ourfocus on developing the finest hydraulicspreaders, cutters and rams. These toolsare used by fire departments, rescuesquads, civil defense, emergency medicalteams, etc. to free people who may betrapped in wrecked vehicles or under col-lapsed buildings and debris.

We are honored to be the rescue systemof choice for many auto racing bodiesand raceways. It is a testament to ourenduring product quality and customerservice that they have specified our toolsfor their demanding extrications. It is,however, an even greater honor when anindividual fire department weighs thefacts and judges our products superior fortheir needs and the people they protect.

We are proud to be involved in a lifesaving work.

For more information, please contact:Amkus, Inc.2700 Wisconsin AvenueDowners GroveIL – 60515, USATel: +1 630 515 1800Fax: +1 630 515 8866Website: www.amkus.com

HOLMATRO RESCUE EQUIPMENT

Dutch-based manufacturer Holmatro Res-cue Equipment is the world’s leading sup-plier of high-pressure hydraulic rescuetools. With production facilities in TheNetherlands and U.S.A. and dealers in morethan 120 countries Holmatro provides awide variety of extrication equipment tofire brigades, rescue teams, armies, navies,airforce and civil defence units all over theworld. The Holmatro® Rescue programmeincludes hydraulic cutters, spreaders, com-

bitools, rams, door openers, (wedge) jacks,a shoring system, many accessories andassist tools, various pumps and a series ofpneumatic lifting bags.

Being used for life saving operationsrescue tools should function optimally inany situation. It goes without saying thatgood product quality and periodic mainte-nance are of vital importance. Further-more, rescue tools should be able to offersolutions for the growing diversity andcomplexity of applications rescuers areconfronted with nowadays. Being an extri-cation specialist Holmatro pre-eminentlyknows and understands the situations res-cuers are faced with ‘in the field’. Thecompany gathers information on the latest(vehicle) extrication techniques andexchanges this knowledge with rescuetraining centres worldwide on a continu-ous basis.Thanks to close contacts withleading car manufacturers and the racingworld Holmatro also stays in touch withthe latest developments in vehicle con-structions and materials. All of this enablesHolmatro to design innovative rescue toolswhich are always one step ahead of theswift changes in rescue techniques and(new) car technologies: tools which per-fectly match the many different situationsrescuers come across in daily practice.

Through the years Holmatro has devel-oped many innovative rescue tools. Anumber of quite recent examples include:

New Car Technology (NCT™) cutters.New car technologies – the application ofharder materials and reinforced construc-tions in modern vehicles – better protectthe lives of car passengers in the case ofan accident, but at the same time make itmuch more difficult to free entrappedvictims. A high theoretical cutting forcedoes not automatically mean that a cut-

ter is suitable to cut modern vehicles.That is why Holmatro introduced a seriesof NCT™ cutters with special bladesdesigned to deal with the new construc-tions and stronger materials as applied inthe latest car models. These special bladesoffer better grip on the material anddraw it into their central (i.e. strongest)cutting area where maximum perfor-mances can be achieved. As NCT™ cuttersmake use of their force effectively theyhave enough excess capacity left to cutfuture, even tougher, vehicle constructions.

Portable pumps. To improve a rescuer’smobility Holmatro developed a light-weight pump (only 15.5 kg) that caneasily be carried to the extrication sceneby one person, even when the location isfar away or difficult to reach. This portablepump functions independently from therescue vehicle and can power any type ofhydraulic rescue tool. In 2003 Holmatroextended its portable pump concept witha lightweight duo pump for the simulta-neous operation of any two types of res-cue tools. Weighing less than 25 kg thislightest duo pump in the world enablesone rescuer to carry it to the rescue scene.This also falls in line with the EuropeanNorm EN 1005 governing that one personis not allowed to carry loads over 25 kg.

New generation of battery-poweredrescue tools. Ultimate mobility is offeredby Holmatro’s battery-powerd cutters andcombitools. With full preservation offorce and performance these tools aretruly cordless thanks to integratedadvanced battery technology. Being self-contained, compact and extremely light-weight Holmatro’s battery-poweredrescue tools are designed for use in diffi-cult to reach areas or confined spaces –e.g. in collapsed buildings or deep downa ravine – where a maximum freedom ofmovement is required. A weight of only


MunicipalRESCUE TOOL ROUND UP

For years, rescue tools have been essential equipment in a fire fighters arsenal. Over the next three pages IFF takes a look at the current technology available from some of the worlds leading manufacturers.

P. 3-15 23/10/06 1:19 pm Page 11

15 kg (including battery!) allows rescuersto easily carry these tools over longdistances, even on rough terrain. Thebattery-powered cutters and combitoolsare not only suitable for urban search &rescue applications, but can also be usedfor victim extrication during rapid responseoperations following vehicle accidents.

Shoring system with hydraulic strutsfor lifting power. The PowerShore™shoring system from Holmatro® consists oflightweight components in various sizesthat can be coupled in a quick and easymanner. At the same time an automaticsnap-lock system guarantees safe use. Aunique feature of this system is that itincludes struts with very powerful inte-grated hydraulic cylinders which cannotonly hold the load, but also lift it to createpotentially life-saving ‘working space’.These hydraulic struts with 10 tonneslifting capacity are available next to com-ponents with integrated pneumatics forthe lifting of smaller loads and mechanicalstruts to just hold the load when creatingadditional space is not required. Withthe help of a swivel head the struts canbe positioned under almost any angle.Holmatro’s versatile PowerShore™ system issuitable for all sorts of shoring applica-tions, ranging from vehicle stabilizationto confined space rescue (manholes, col-lapsed buildings etc.).

Holmatro® rescue tools comply withall important national and internationalperformance and safety standards suchas the French NFS-61-571 norm, theGerman DIN 14751 norm, the Europeanpreliminary prEN 13204 norm and theAmerican NFPA 1936 norm. Moreover,Holmatro was the first rescue tool brandto be certified by UL (Underwriters Labo-ratories) in the USA back in 1993. Today,many years later, Holmatro® is still theonly brand that has been able to meetUL’s stringent performance, testing andquality requirements. The Holmatro organ-ization has the ISO 9001 certificate andworks in accordance with the correspond-ing quality procedures.

For more information, please contact:Holmatro Rescue EquipmentPO Box 334940 AA RaamsdonksveerThe NetherlandsPhone: +31 162 589 200Fax: +31 162 522 482E-mail: [email protected]: www.holmatro.com

LUKAS® LTR 3,5/820 ENTRIPLE TELESCOPIC RAM

Still World’s Only Triple Rescue RamThe weight of the LTR 3,5/820 ENCENtury version has been reduced to lessthan 18 kg.

With its push capacity of 24 t in thefirst stage and 12 t in the second stagethis ram is capable of carrying out eventhe heaviest rescue work.

Due to the telescopic design a strokeof 820 mm can be achieved while theretracted height is 480 mm only. Thisenormous working range allows to dorescue jobs in one step which would nor-mally require the application of severaltraditional rams one after the other. Thusthe duration of the extrication can beconsiderably reduced.

Further advantages:• small dimensions, light weight• high resistance against lateral load• precise control to the millimeter in any

position with the LUKAS star grip valve

The claw and the special designed footof the cylinder are providing a firm gripeven on flat or oblique surfaces.

The LTR 3,5/820 EN – excellent per-formance and technology for the future.

The rescue ram will be delivered withhydraulic oil and non-interchangeablequick-connect couplings.

Technical datatotal stroke 32.2 instrokes: piston 1 11.6 in

piston 2 11 inpiston 3 9.6 in

lifting forces: piston 1 53,950 lbspiston 2 27,000 lbspiston 3 7,900 lbs

length: extended 51.2 inretracted 18.9 in

dimensions w x h 4.4 x 8.3 inweight 38.6 lbsSubject to revision

LUKAS® CENturyTELESCOPIC SPREADER LSP 30 T

The new LUKAS telescopic spreader –superior technology for the challenges oftomorrow.The mobile spreader with telescopic armsis offering two features at a time:extremely high spreading force andextremely wide spreading distance. Andthat’s new compared with traditionalspreader designs: depending on the res-cue situation it is up to the operator to

switch either to “maximum force” or to“maximum spreading”.

Recommended applications:• Rescue operations in traffic accidents• Rescue operations in buildings or after

natural disasters• Mobile rescue after a building collapse• Confined space rescue e.g. in tunnels

Highlights:• innovative telescopic technology for

maximum mobility and multifunction• spreading force and spreading distance

can be chosen according to the specificrescue scenario

• easy adjustment of the arm length• low oil consumption – ideal for the

combination with a mobile hydraulicpump (e.g. LUKAS CP 100)

• short opening and closing times• only minimum storage space required• maximum handling comfort through

low weight, compact design and per-fect balance

• precise operation with your fingertip inany working position

Technical dataSpreading force up to 292 kN / 65,650 lbsSpreading distance (long arms) up to 625 mm / 24.6 inPulling force up to (short arms) 49,6 kN / 11,150 lbsPulling distance up to (long arms) 507 mm / 20 inWeight 17,9 kg / 39.5 lbsSubject to revision

For more information, please contact:LUKAS Hydraulik GmbHA Unit of IDEX CorporationPostfach 2560, 91013 ErlangenWeinstraße 39, 91058 ErlangenGermanyPhone: +49 (0) 91 31/698-0Fax: +49 (0) 91 31/69 83 94E-mail: [email protected]: www.lukas.de

OGURA & CO. LTD.

The Ogura range of battery-poweredhydraulic rescue tools fill the gap left bythe more traditional heavy-duty tools that,because of weight, access and other limi-tations, are not suitable for every situation.

The Ogura cutters, spreaders, and com-bination tools are designed to provide theEmergency and Security Services with aunique range of powerful, lightweight,and extremely portable tools for a varietyof rescue and extrication situations.


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(left) spreader with arms in home position,(right) spreader with extended arms

P. 3-15 23/10/06 1:25 pm Page 12


There is no set-up time so the tools areready for immediate deployment. Andonce in operation there are no trailinghoses or cables to get in the way or tolimit the freedom of movement.

The battery that powers these fullyhydraulic tool clips into base of the pistolgrip style handle where it is easilyremoved for charging or changing.Battery maintenance is made easy by theNi-MH batteries that have no memory so can be charged in any state and the “intelligent battery charger” thatmakes sure that they are never overcharged.

The year 2003 has seen continuingimprovement and additions to the Oguraproduct range with the introduction ofthe HRS-92 Rescue System and the BC-250 Combination Tool.

The HRS-92 is an improved version ofHRS-91. The weight of the tool headsand pump unit has been reduced and thetool heads now offer the choice of eitherdirect connection to the pump unit or viaan extension hose. In the pipeline areadditional tool heads, and a special sleevethat when fitted to the pump unit willallow underwater operation up to a depthof 10 m.

The BC-250 Combination Tool at13.5 kg (including battery) is the lightesttool in its class and, with a Cutting Forceof 27 t and Spreading Force of 10.6 t,one of the most powerful.

All the tools come in their own carry-ing cases with battery, battery charger,tools and manuals.

For more information, please contact:Ogura & Co. Ltd.2661 Hongo Ebina CityKanagawa Pref 243-0417JapanTel: +81 46 238 1285Fax: +81 46 238 4188Website: www.oguramulticutter.com

WEBER-HYDRAULIK KEEP THE “PRESSURE ON” WITH NEW HIGH

PERFORMANCE TOOLS

Following on from the success of thelarge supply contract for the ScottishExecutive “New Dimension”, Scotland,Weber-Hydraulik have developed a newgeneration of rescue tools in preparationfor the demanding requirements ahead.

These latest additions to the alreadycomprehensive range offer the ultimate in power and performance, yet maintain-ing Weber’s low weight, and perfectbalance.

The new ultra performance S 270-71Cutter is one of the world’s strongest,supplying up to 71 tonnes cutting force,and with a huge opening of 270 mm yet,some how, still weighing only 17.4 kg.

With the new SP 60 Spreader, Weberhave achieved extreme spreading force ofover 25 tonnes, combined with thelargest of spreading distance, whilst stillbeing under 25 kg.

You do not usually associate combina-tion tools with heavy rescue work, butWeber has set new standards with thenew SPS 400 Super Combination Tool.Where customers simply do not have thespace, or the budget for two dedicatedtools, then this new combination tool hasthe performance to tackle the toughestof commercial rescue work with a cuttingforce of over 50 tonnes, and over 70tonnes spreading force. In addition tothese benefits, the working tips of theblades/arms can be quickly removed toenable unrestricted and unhindered cut-ting.

Liaising closely with Europe’s leadingcar manufacturers, and relentless testingon the latest material sections, and safetysystems fitted within new automobileconstruction, Weber-Hydraulik ensures itstools are ahead of the game.

With continuous development of itsrange, Weber continues to offer its

customers the very best options available.

For more information, please contact:Weber Hydraulik GmbHHeilbronner Strasse 3074363 Guglingen GermanyTel: +49 7135 710Fax: +49 7135 71301Website: www.weber.de

ZUMRO RESQ Q-CUTTER

Confined space rescue is not only a special-ized piece of action, a very small cutter is afirst requirement as well as a rescuer mostlyneeds to cut material from spaces as largeas the fist. Therefore Zumro has introducedthe Q-Cutter; a very small and light weightcutter with a semi-remote thumb-controland a head which articulates 180 degrees.This Q-Cutter therefore is the ideal solutionfor cutting seat frames and pedals!

This compact cutter has a minimumcutting force of 149 kN and can cut 18mmround hot steel bars as well as a flat bar of50 x 6mm. Moreover the Q-Cutter has aminimum spreading force of 36 kN (3 ton)with only a weight of 7.4 kg.

Like all Zumro cutters, this Q-Cuttercan be ordered to operate on ANYhydraulic pressure system with the uniqueMPS system and also has the uniqueblade design for impact-free cutting.

For more information, please contact:Zumro B.V.P.O. Box 2152160 AE Lissethe NetherlandsTel. +31 0 252 419 002Fax +31 0 252 411 794 E-mail: [email protected]: www.zumro.nl


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P. 3-15 23/10/06 1:40 pm Page 14


The LUKAS LS 530 EN is offering the cuttingforce fire brigades have long been waiting for.Superior and uncompromising performancefor casualty recovery out of the most modern

cars, trucks and busses.Reinforced posts or strongest side impactprotections are no barreers for the LUKASPremium cutters with 70 tons cutting force.

More than 70 tons cutting forcefor casualty recovery

LUKAS Hydraulik GmbHA Unit of IDEX CorporationWeinstraße 39 · 91058 Erlangen · GermanyTel. +49 (0) 91 31/698-0 · Fax +49 (0) 91 31/69 83 94Internet: www.lukas.de · e-mail: [email protected]

Round bar up to dia. 38 mm

283 mm

�

�

P. 3-15 23/10/06 3:48 pm Page 15

The Australian textile market hasdiminished greatly over the past10 years. Once a significant

employer, textile manufacture is nowregarded as an endangered species. Aswith other developed markets in theworld, it has been extremely difficult tomaintain a viable local operation whenyour client base moves purchasing off-shore. This has resulted in a massivereduction in the number of textilecompanies operating in Australia.

Melba Industries has operated inMelbourne, Australia since 1934. Oncededicated to the manufacture of appar-el fabrics, this privately owned com-pany knew that product innovationand specialised market developmentwas vital to the future of the business.Melba has been one of the successstories of the Australian marketplace. Itis the country’s leading manufacturerof automotive, technical and seatingfabrics. This process of change has seenthe company become the first textilemanufacturer in Australia to be award-ed the automotive quality standard QS9000 and conforms to ISO 9001.

A major reason for this success hasbeen the development of a range oftechnical textiles, both woven and knit-ted, designed to offer a specific level ofperformance. These textiles are utilisedby a variety of markets – military, fireservices, police, mining, filtration,safety and medical.

An important point of focus for thecompany has been the development ofthe fire service and military markets.The Australian marketplace is sophisti-cated and both Australian and interna-tional standards are utilised to ensurethe safety and protection of the worker.Leading personnel in the fire servicesand military sectors have an intimateknowledge of these standards. The keyis for them to determine the level ofprotection required and what products

would best suit their needs.Melba Industries has designed a range

of products that reflect these needs yetalso honour the difficulties of the Aus-tralian climate. The aim of Melba’s tech-nical development team has been todesign the lightest, most breathable ‘fitfor purpose’ systems the market canoffer. They work closely with the rele-vant authorities to clearly identify theappropriate level of protection theyrequire and then manufacture a range ofproducts to reflect these needs.

Melba Industries manufactures arange of protective fabrics from Nomex111A, Nomex Delta C, various Nomexblends through to PBI Gold. Theemphasis is always on product weightand suitability. Australia can getextremely hot and humid. Incorrectattire can incapacitate a person veryquickly. It is no use wearing a systemthat may offer tremendous heat protec-tion yet results in heat stress to thewearer.

With this in mind the AustralianStandard AS 4967(Int)-2002 — ‘Protec-tive Clothing for Fire Fighters’ wasdevised. This standard reflects the vary-ing needs of the Australian fire fighterand allows each individual state agencyto determine the level of protectionrequired by the members. For instance,the Australian Standard AS 4967(Int)-2002 has two performance levels ineach test of thermal performance test –Heat Transfer (Flame) EN367 and HeatTransfer (Radiation) EN366. This dualsystem allows for each agency to accu-rately nominate their required level ofperformance for their turnout systemand yet be fully accredited to the Aus-tralian Standard. The needs of a firefighter in Southern Australia in regardto clothing will vary from a fire fighterin Northern Australia. This standardallows for such differences. Already themarket has witnessed certain agencies

deciding not to include a membrane intheir turnout system whilst othersmaintain the need for such membranes.

Melba Industries has worked closelywith the Australian marketplace todesign a multitude of systems to reflectdiffering needs. Melba not only offersthe latest technology in their outershells for the turnout coats but also hasdeveloped an extensive array of mem-branes and thermal layers. Whilst themain focus has been adherence to theAustralian Standard AS 4967(Int)-2002they have also designed systems tomeet the requirements of the EuropeanStandard EN469 and United Statesapproach of NFPA–1971.

Melba Industries has been able toapproach the Australian marketplace inan innovative manner to ensure thesystems they supply suit the individualrequirements of the fire service agen-cies. The same approach has alsoenabled them to export their fabriccombinations to a variety of countriesin the Asia Pacific region. The problemsassociated with heat stress for the firefighter is a world-wide issue. Melba’sinnovative fabric systems can beutilised by any fire service where gar-ment weight and breathability are aconcern. Combined with a focus oncustomer service and technical supportMelba has been able to solve the ‘prob-lems’ of many a client.


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MELBA INDUSTRIESInnovation and Service

For more information, please contact:

Melba Industries75 Heyington Avenue

ThomastownVictoria 3074

Australia

Tel: +61 (0) 3 9474 3000Fax: +61 (0) 3 9464 4114

E-mail:[email protected]: www.melbaind.com.au

P. 16-26 23/10/06 1:53 pm Page 16

Maintenance in particular is anissue because decon technolo-gy is essentially about a

defensive technology that in most caseswill never have to be used, save ofcourse for the smaller purpose builtunits deployed at events like hazmatincidents. Because of this there willalways be an understandable tendencyfor hard-pressed and over-stretchedemergency service personnel to margin-alize the need for regular checks on theincident-readiness of equipment in thiscategory, especially when they have somuch else that seems to be moreimmediate, if not more important, ontheir plates.

These checks can be likened tolifeboat drills and maintenance. Thefact that the ship will probably never

sink doesn’t mean that there is no needfor regular checks and maintenance toensure that the boats can be launchedif necessary. It is a programme essen-tially applicable to most decon units to

be found in service anywhere in theworld. It addresses maintenance indepth, putting the smallest detailsunder the microscope whilst also offer-ing depth in terms of time.

This maintenance programme isbased on a five-year life span forinflatable units and 10 years formechanical units. In fact applying thiskind of programme will prolong the lifeof either type of unit considerablybeyond those periods, but technologiesare changing rapidly and units now in


Municipal

Pic courtesy of PPS

Pic courtesy of PPS

AN ESSENTIAL PART OF HOMELAND DEFENCE

Vigorous deconequipment

maintenanceprogrammes

CURRENTLY, A GREAT DEAL of money is being invested by governments andother institutions throughout the world in terrorist response capability. A notinsignificant slice of this money is going on the purchase of decontaminationtechnology. For this investment to be effective it is axiomatic that emergencyservices personnel have to know how to se the equipment and how tomaintain it.

By Mark Whitcher,Managing Director,Professional ProtectionSystems Ltd.

Vigorous deconequipment

maintenanceprogrammes

P. 16-26 23/10/06 1:54 pm Page 17

service will probably be obsolescent ina decade.

Any viable maintenance programmedepends on a close co-operationbetween manufacturer and user. Practi-cally this means the end user has to beoffered some insight into the manufac-ture of the product, as well as hands-on experience of the equipment in itspre-delivery state. The aim is to developfamiliarity with the product in a hands-on way. This is of course not a substi-tute for operational training exercises,rather it is the up-stream part of these,where the user can learn to deploy theunits with the maximum of technicalaccuracy. It is only when operatives are

familiar with the possibilities of deconequipment that they can carry out themaintenance checks. In practice theseare slightly different for inflatable unitsand the new big mechanical homelanddefence mass decon units. For either tofunction however close attention has tobe paid to the accessories which bothtypes of decon shower enjoy in com-mon. Water and air heaters, generators,pumps and even non-mechanical itemslike raised flooring, waste water tanks,couplings and hoses, if they are notconstantly monitored, may have aneffect on the inherent operational lia-bility of the equipment.

As far as mechanical equipment isconcerned procedures must be providedfor inspecting all units for signs ofwear or damage. Also it provides forregular checks on items like oil levels,signs of fuel contamination, the stateof electrical cables and connections as

well as regular inspection of water con-nections and fuel lines for wear ordamage. An important part of the pro-cedure is to start up all units and con-firm that they are operational withintheir specified limits. Lastly, and mostimportantly, a worthwhile maintenanceprogramme must instruct, after clean-ing and testing and the fastening ofappropriate test labels, how equipmentshould be packed away in such a man-ner that it could spring into instant life.

Inflatable units have their own spe-cial procedures. All equipment apper-taining to them needs first to bechecked against the inventory list thenthe unit has to be inflated and moni-tored out for obvious leaks Particularattention must be paid to weldedseams and the containment, doors andzips have also to be examined for dam-age or wear.

Features like loops, light port holes,groundsheets, water sumps and cur-tains must also be inspected for dam-age or wear. Water systems have to besubjected to similar procedures. Fea-tures like detergent injection systemshave to be inspected for blockages orsigns of damage.

The structures of the second-genera-tion Mass Decon units, because theyare mechanical and work on an articu-lated frame technology, are subject todifferent maintenance issues. They havean immediate advantage over the firstgeneration products as absolutely noair whatsoever is involved when theyare deployed. The strength of theinflatable, still the numero uno for


Pic courtesy of PPS

Water and air heaters, generators,pumps and even non-mechanicalitems like raised flooring, wastewater tanks, couplings and hoses,if they are not constantlymonitored, may have an effect onthe inherent operational liability ofthe equipment.

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Vigorous deconequipment maintenance programmes


P. 16-26 23/10/06 1:55 pm Page 18


Earthquakes, terrorist attacks, car crashes, trench collapses

Urban rescue equipment to save lives safely.Contact The Aire Group on 44 (0) 1484 646559,

e-mail [email protected] or visit our website at www.airegroup.com

Hughes Safety Showers Ltd.Whitefield Road Bredbury Stockport Cheshire SK6 2SS England

Telephone: +44 (0)161 430 6618 Fax: +44 (0)161 430 7928Email: [email protected] Web: www.hughes-safety-showers.co.uk

Selected by HM Government as the frontline general purpose decontamination showerfor chemical spillages and accidents

…also chosen for decontaminating the emergency services in case of CBRN incidents

• Designed for rapid deployment• Built to the highest standards• Robust and reliable• Proven track record

www.hughes-safety-showers.co.uk

For effective and efficient decontaminationcall the experts now on:

+44(0)161 430 6618

P. 16-26 23/10/06 3:49 pm Page 19

smaller scale situations, resides in thefact that it can usually be rapidly andrelatively easily repaired and madeready for action again. Whilst asecond-generation unit is unlikely topresent any serious maintenance issuesany problem with the mechanical struc-ture is going to need a professional

engineer to fix it. The solution to this isthat as soon as the problem is locatedthe defective unit is removed for repairand a substitute put in its place. Thesenew units, capable of handling 200ambulant and 20 plus non-ambulantcasualties per hour are becoming flagship units of the emergency services.Their metal frames are of enormouscomplexity and if they do requireattention it has to be from a dedicatedframe specialist. Fortunately because ofthe fine tolerances to which they aremade and the aircraft grade aluminiumfrom which they are manufactured thisis an unlikely event. Also they are sodesigned that they can remain in actioneven if 30% of the frame is damaged.It is essential however that even whenheld in store these units should be

erected from time to time and rigor-ously examined for any faults.

It will be clear from this that thedecontamination unit has evolvedrapidly into an infinitely more complexpiece of technology than the originalunits first introduced in 1996. For thisreason the future is going to meanmanufacturers working ever closer withend users. Also those manufacturers aregoing to have to be outfits with aninternational reach able to offer com-plex services as a matter of course. Thismeans the day of the cottage-industrysupplier has finally gone.

Besides the end user coming to themanufacturing unit this new dispensa-tion will involve the manufacturer incarrying out annual site inspectionsThis will be backed up by an accesscontrolled website containing down-loadable instructions for all productsplus advice on fault tracing. A 24-hourtelephone hot line for advice will alsobe part of the package plus a round theclock-call out service.


Pic courtesy of PPS

It will be clear from this that thedecontamination unit has evolvedrapidly into an infinitely morecomplex piece of technology thanthe original units first introducedin 1996.

Currently we are working on ratch-eting up this level of service by theintroduction of an on-going DeconUsers Forum. This will enable endusers to feed back information onall aspects of equipment use andperformance. This in turn gives themanufacturer the possibility tocontinually fine tune products andthus deliver ever-improving perfor-mance to our customers, the peopleat the sharp end. I hope this provesthat the need for a well thought outmaintenance programme for deconequipment is a very real and validone that is going to be at the heartof the best decon manufacturers’relationships with their customers.

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P. 16-26 23/10/06 1:55 pm Page 20

KME Fire Apparatus is an industryleading, custom manufacturer ofa full range of apparatus. The

Company began in 1946 and today hasgrown into the third largest U.S. sup-plier of fire apparatus. KME’s niche inthe market place is building truly cus-tom apparatus designed for the uniqueneeds of each fire department.

Fire Departments worldwide haverelied on KME to provide them withquality apparatus. Units are currently inservice throughout the United States,Canada, Mexico, Central America, East-ern Europe, Egypt, Turkey, South

Africa, and China. KME has depart-ments dedicated to both domestic andinternational business capable of meet-ing the needs of a variety of differentstandards.

KME’s product line is quite diverseand includes hundreds of configura-tions available on either a commercialchassis or one of KME’s 300 differentcustom chassis models. For over adecade, KME has been manufacturingAirport Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF)vehicles and Rapid InterventionVehicles (RIV) for airport firefighting.The KME Aerial line is the broadest

family in the fire service includingrearmount, midmount, and tractordrawn aerials from 55’ to 121’. AndKME is the only manufacturer in theworld to perform both UL and ProofLoad Testing on its aerials. KME haslong been recognized as a leader in themanufacture of pumpers and tankers.Styles include skid units, mini-pumpers,Class A pumpers, foam pumpers, indus-trial trucks, t-tankers, and ellipticaltankers. No manufacturer offers asmany plumbing, compartment, andbody style options as KME.

KME offers over 75 different rescueconfigurations in aluminum and stain-less steel for every function includingincident command, hazmat, rehab,air/light, paramedic, and confinedspace. Whatever the apparatus oroptions, all KME’s have reliability andquality built in from the start.


Municipal

P R O D U C T P R O F I L E

KKMMEE FFIIRREEAAPPPPAARRAATTUUSS


KME Fire ApparatusOne Industrial Complex

NesquehoningPA 18240

USA

Tel: +1 570 669 5200Fax: +1 570 669-5124

E-mail: [email protected]: www.kovatch.com

P. 16-26 23/10/06 1:56 pm Page 21


The date was the 20th August1998, and I was about to get myfirst taste of the Vietnamese

‘Safety culture’! I had to travel the two and a half

hour journey by road from Ho ChiMinh City to the southern most pointof Vietnam, a place called Vung Tau,which was to be the departure point tomy new home for the next six weeksoffshore. This was a Floating Produc-tion Storage and Offload facility, betterknown to those in the business as aFPSO (Pronounced Fipso). I was to findmyself forty minutes by Helicopter off-shore of South Vietnam. I still had myjourney by road to overcome first, andboy what an eye opener!

Teams of local roadwork ‘Specialists,’were busy repairing some of the manypotholes to be found en route. Some ofthese were over eighteen inches indepth! These workers were dressed inall their best Personal Protective Equip-ment (PPE). This consisted of vest,shorts and well worn “safety boots”.Better known to Expats as flip-flops.One worker was operating a pneumaticdrill, breaking up huge heavy chunks oftarmac whilst his colleagues were

removing them, also attired in their‘flip-flop safety boots.’ What PPE? Wasthis the standard of safety I was toexpect? Surely these workers were aone off; these guys cannot be for real;could they?

I was then treated to a spectacularshow of balancing skills, which theMoscow traveling circus would beproud to possess and all whilst ridingon a moped, as along with bicycles,this is the favored form of transport inVietnam and much of South East Asia.Of course the whole operation is carriedout, minus any head protection,leathers or protective clothing we areaccustomed to, and of course wearingthe standard ‘safety flip-flops.’ Iwatched amazed as two men carried aplate glass window, lodged betweenthem on a clapped out rusty moped.Then a man with an arm chair, part ofa three piece suite, which was strappedto his back with the sheer weight forc-ing his bony chin onto the handlebarsof the rickety rusty bike. Then to cap itall, a smiling family of six, completewith babe in arms and of course well-worn, designer ‘Safety Flops’. I neverdid get to see a party of seven! Just

what have I let myself in for? Surelythe locally employed work force off-shore would be more safety consciousthan this? Surely those guys offshorewill be totally different?

Looking back over the last 30 years, Ihave learned an awful lot about Safetyin general, and the various types ofPPE available.

Safety cultures differ dramaticallythroughout the countries of the world.Having worked in many areas of theglobe and currently in West Africa, it isclearly apparent that Internationalstandards and stringent regulations forthe wearing and use of PPE are notonly totally disregarded, but also com-pletely unheard of!

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS P.P.E.?

It’s a last line of protection, the verylast resort. The book definition of PPEis; ‘Any device or appliance designed tobe worn or held by an individual atwork for protection against one ormore health and safety hazards’.

PPE really is the last line of defense.The majority of employers know thatPPE, if worn correctly, can protectemployees from the risk of injury bycreating a barrier against workplacehazards. It is not a substitute for soundengineering controls and documentedworkplace procedures. It should beworn and used in conjunction withthese controls, if there is no other wayto protect the worker. We cannot pro-tect the workforce purely by providingthem with various items of PPE.

Which item should they choose?How should it be worn? Does it afford


MunicipalWhat PersonalProtectiveEquipment?IT SEEMS A LIFETIME AGO since I struggled through the teeming mass ofeagerly expectant taxi drivers, which were forming the running gauntlet fromTat Son Nhat International Airport, Vietnam.

I had finally arrived after my epic journey, jet lagged, bleary eyed anddishelved, only to be met by a torrential downpour. “Good Morning Vietnam”!But where’s the sun? I had imagined to be met with the warm embracing tropi-cal breeze of this far-flung country, not raindrops the size of golf balls leapingtwo feet into the air off the steaming tarmac. The whole scenario could nothave been further from my imagination.

What PersonalProtectiveEquipment? By Nick Lacey

P. 16-26 23/10/06 1:56 pm Page 23

suitable protection for the task inhand? Far too many employers stillbelieve “it is someone else’s problem”and “It is not my fault if the employeesdo not wear it, at least we provide it.”

I recently attended a safety seminarin Singapore, whilst assigned to a newFPSO conversion. During the course ofthe seminar, it came to light that afatality had occurred in the offshoreindustry to an employee who wasactually in the process of putting onan item of PPE. Inconceivable; yetnevertheless true. The protective itemhappened to be a safety harness, andthe unfortunate individual was in theprocess of donning the harness whilstwalking between rotating equipment.The harness became entangled in theequipment and pulled the unsuspectingindividual into the rotating component,resulting in fatality.

Many smaller incidents involving PPEspring to mind. For instance a youngVietnamese welder sustaining a superfi-cial burn on the back of his wrist, thesize of a watch face, as a result of a

hot piece of welding slag droppinginside his gloves. Was it incorrect PPEfor the job? Was he even aware that hehad the wrong gloves on for the taskhe was undertaking? He should havebeen wearing correct weldinggauntlets, but who should provide thisequipment? Who was responsible fortraining him? Who was his direct lineSupervisor?

SO WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES?

It’s not enough to merely provide PPEand expect employees to know how itis worn correctly. Management areaccountable and directly responsible forensuring a duty of care to theiremployees. The bad old days of “Butwe’ve done it like this for years!” arenow thankfully gone. The PPE at workregulations 1992 often referred to aspart of the “Six pack” clearly place aduty of care on employers and the self-employed to provide serviceable andsuitable PPE, at no cost to theiremployees. One only has to pick up thedaily papers to see that today com-panies are heavily fined if a breach ofthese regulations take place and thiscan also rise to civil claims against theemployer.

The Personnel Protective Equipmentat Work Regulations 1992, clearly out-line these requirements. A new regula-tion has recently been included toplace a duty on all suppliers to supplysafe PPE. Contravention of this require-ment is now an offence under the con-solidated regulations and extends tothe retailers and the suppliers of PPE.The design of equipment and clothingmust be of a safe design and construc-tion for the work to be performed andeasily maintainable. Various regulations

concerning PPE maybe country specificto the region you are working in, so itis worth ensuring that the regulationsyou are following are applicable to thecountry in which you are working.

So what exactly are the responsibil-ities towards PPE?

RESPONSIBILITIES

Employers – They have primaryresponsibility for the implementation ofthe PPE Program in their work place.This includes:

■ Conducting workplace Risk Assess-ments or Job Safety Analysis (JSA’s)to determine the presence of haz-ards, which necessitate the use ofPPE.

■ Conducting periodic workplaceinspections and reassessments ofhazards.

■ Maintaining documented records onall hazard assessments.

■ Providing training and technicalassistance to Supervisors on theproper use, care and cleaning ofapproved PPE.

■ Providing guidance to the purchaseror Supervisor for the correct selec-tion and purchase of approved PPE.

■ Periodically reevaluating the suitabil-ity of previously selected PPE.

■ Reviewing, updating and evaluatingthe overall effectiveness of the com-pany PPE program.

Supervisors – Have the responsibilityfor the implementation of the PPE Pro-gram in their designated work areas.This includes:

■ Providing appropriate PPE and mak-ing it available to their employees.

■ Ensuring employees are trained onthe proper use, care, and cleaning ofPPE.

■ Maintaining records on PPE instruc-tion and training.

■ Supervising their staff to ensure thatthe elements of the PPE program arefollowed and that employees proper-ly use and care for their PPE.

■ Notifying the authorities when newhazards are introduced or whenprocesses are changed or added.

■ Ensuring defective or damagedequipment is immediately replaced.


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The PPE at work regulations 1992often referred to as part of the“Six pack” clearly place a duty ofcare on employers and the self-employed to provide serviceableand suitable PPE, at no cost totheir employees.

What PersonalProtectiveEquipment?


P. 16-26 23/10/06 1:56 pm Page 24


Trelleborg Protective Products ABP.O. Box 1520,

SE-271 00 YstadPhone: +46 411 67940

Fax: +46 411 15285www.trelleborg.com/protective

[email protected]

Trelleborg S.E.A. Pte Ltd10 Toh Guan Road #03-06

International TradeparkSingapore 608838

Phone: +65 6 8989 332Fax: +65 6 8989 303

www.trelleborg.com/[email protected]

• Clothing to international performance standards

• Comprehensive range of accessories helmets, boots, gloves & tools

• Bristol Care – flexible solutions for garment care & maintenance

SEND FOR A FREECATALOGUE NOW!

PROTECTING THEWORLD’S FIREFIGHTERS

Bristol Uniforms Ltd.Wathen Street, Staple Hill,Bristol BS16 5LL

T: 0117 956 3101F: 0117 956 5927www.bristol-uniforms.come-mail: [email protected]

P. 16-26 10/24/06 9:52 AM Page 25

Employees – They also have responsi-bility for:

■ Following the requirements of thecompany PPE program.

■ Always wearing PPE as required.■ Attending required training sessions.■ Caring for, cleaning and maintaining

PPE.■ Informing the Direct line Supervisor

of the need to repair or replacedamaged or defective items of PPE.

TRAINING

Careful consideration should be given tothe comfort and correct fit of PPE inorder to ensure that it will be used. Pro-tective devices are usually available in avariety of sizes, so care should be takento ensure that the right size is readilyavailable and selected for use. Anyemployee required to wear PPE shallreceive training in the proper use andcare of PPE. This also includes the directline Supervisors. Training should include,but not necessarily be limited to:

■ When PPE should be worn.■ What PPE is necessary for the partic-

ular hazards in the workplace.■ How to correctly don, adjust and

wear the PPE.■ The limitations of the PPE.■ The proper care, maintenance and

useful life expectancy.

After training the employees shalldemonstrate that they understand, thecomponents of the company PPE pro-gram and that they know how to usethe PPE properly. Written records areessential and should include the type

of training provided, names of all per-sons trained and the dates the trainingoccurred. These records should be keptfor at least 3 years.

PEER PRESSURE VERSUS OPEN SHOP?

A problem still exists in many compa-nies, especially in third world locationsusing National staff, when individualsrequire PPE replacement or even initialissue. Employees are often reluctant toapproach their Supervisors or managersto replace defective items of clothing orequipment. In order to prevent highconsumption, and the associatedexpense to maintain stocks of replace-ment PPE, a fine line needs to bedrawn between an “open shop” policyand the ‘third degree’ in-depth scrutinyas to why the individual wants the PPEreplaced, without deterring them fromasking for replacement.

It is common in these situations formany companies to operate an open,no questions asked, “hand in” replace-ment program after initial issue. Thisallows better controls to be kept on theconsumption/cost of the PPE, thedefective or old PPE can be disposed ofcorrectly, and additionally as the usedor worn out equipment is collected itcan help with the analysis of how cer-tain types/models of PPE are actuallywithstanding the application duties inthe workplace.

RIGHT KIT FOR THE RIGHT JOB?

So how do we know that we have theright PPE for the task in hand?

Although PPE may be provided, it isessential that the Supervisor or personresponsible for issuing the equipment isaware of its limitations. As an examplethere are numerous types of glovesavailable in today’s market, but are theright type chosen for the correct task inhand? One type of glove will not workin all situations. Gloves that can protectagainst chemicals may afford littleprotection against abrasions, cuts,lacerations or punctures or harmfultemperature extremes. Fire suit glovesthat are used in a domestic capacitymight not afford suitable protection forcrash rescue purposes?

Many years ago in the mid seventies,during a training exercise, a colleagueof mine was burnt quite severely onboth hands during a drill. The gloves

he was wearing gave very little protec-tion for the situation he was facedwith. He was caught in a flash backresulting in burns to both hands.

So careful consideration is essentialin ensuring the right PPE is selected forthe task in hand. Consideration shouldalso be given to the comfort and fit ofPPE in order to ensure that it will beused. Protective devices are generallyavailable in a variety of sizes, so careshould be taken to ensure that theright size is selected.

If a Fireman is employed in a domes-tic role and is then switched to airportduties, does he need to also switch to aclose proximity suit? The answer ofcourse comes back to sound manage-ment, documented procedures andgood supervision backed up bymethodical training methods.


THE AUTHOR Nick Lacey has over 30 yearsexperience in fire fighting, fire pre-vention and aircraft crash rescueprocedures, having served in theRoyal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm for 23years as an Aircraft Handler. Duringthis time Nick was employed on Air-craft Carrier flight decks and shoreside in the Naval Air Command FireService, where he finished hiscareer as Fire Chief. On leaving theservice, Nick moved into a Healthand Safety role having studied theNEBOSH general Certificate inHealth and Safety and attendednumerous courses for the offshoreindustry.

Nick is currently employed as SafetyOfficer onboard a FPSO producingover 110,000 barrels of oil per day.He is responsible for all aspects ofsafety and training onboard and isalso the Helicopter Landing Officer(HLO).

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P. 16-26 23/10/06 1:58 pm Page 26

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In the early 19th Century, theastronomer Sir William Herschel triedto map heat given off by separate

colours of the rainbow spectrum pro-jected onto a table in a darkened room.The highest temperature, he found, wasbeyond the red end of the band. Thisheat he called “dark heat” and it was SirJohn Herschel – Sir William’s son – thatlater recorded rays of dark heat –terming the image a “thermogram”. Thisearly research laid the foundations foradvances that would come over a cen-tury later, with more sophisticated ther-mal imaging devices, then used in

military applications.1

Initial military thermal imagers –used in the mid 20th Century – hadbeen the preserve of high-end pro-grams. Devices used were heavy andinflexible – designed to be fixed tovehicles, aircrafts and ships, utilisingdetectors that had to be cooled downto very low temperatures to demon-strate optimum performance. In addi-tion, military thermal imagers wereextremely expensive, too expensive tobe used anywhere but in funded gov-ernment programs.

The advent of thermal imaging forfire services came in the 1970’s, when aUK Government Central Fire Brigade

Advisory Council submitted a report onassisting the vision of firefighters insmoke. The report examined technolo-gies that could be used to aid the loca-tion of casualties and the seat of a firein thick smoke. The report correctlyidentified that long wavelength infraredradiation was almost unaffected by allclasses of smoke. It was found that asuitable thermal imaging camera wouldbe able to “see through” smoke almostas if it wasn’t there. The solutionfound, the only problem now lay infinding a device that was not onlysmaller and more flexible than currenttechnology options, but also far lessexpensive.

Enter the “pyro-electric vidicon” (Pevi-conTM trademarked by e2v technologies,then EEV). PeviconTM based thermalimagers were originally designed for mil-itary applications, but had never reachedthe required performance. PeviconTM

tubes were, however, both relativelycheap to produce and, more importantlydid not require cooling to operate. In the1970’s, at the time of the report, only asmall number of PeviconsTM were beingproduced annually and supplied to acad-emic and research bodies. Following the


Municipal

e2v technologies first thermal imaging camera – the NFTI (Naval firefighters thermal imager) used by Naval firefighters

Thermal ImagingThermal Imaging

MONITORING THE TEMPERATURE of objects has long played a role in every-day life. As early as 400 BC, Hippocrates (the Greek Physician) wrote: “Inwhatever part of the body excess heat or cold is felt, the disease is there to bediscovered.” Finding its origins in medical applications, thermal imaging – theability to detect heat, not light – has become an important part of civilisation.Firefighters use thermal imaging cameras to locate the source and spread of afire and for search and rescue operations, thermography plays an importantpart in engineering maintenance and doctors use the technology as a non-invasive method of mapping body temperature. But where does it come from?And where is it going?

Two Decades of Product Developments

Two Decades of Product Developments

1Source: http://www.thermology.com/history.htm

By Nicky Probyn

P. 29-33 23/10/06 2:05 pm Page 29

publication of the research report andrecognising a market for its technology,e2v technologies set about developing athermal imaging camera based on thePeviconTM and successfully trialled itwith a small number of UK fire brigades.The camera satisfied all brigade require-ments but, due to the relative lack ofknowledge of thermal imaging at thetime, the cameras were seen as some-thing of a novelty, rather than theessential firefighting and rescue toolthey were set to become.

CHANGING PERCEPTIONSIn 1982, the UK became involved in theFalklands conflict. Around 250 Britishand 750 Argentinean lives were lost2 –

most of them at sea. Images of RoyalNavy ships with thick smoke billowingform them were broadcast around theglobe. A shipboard fire is a catastrophefor passengers and crew. Multiple sealedcompartments can fill with smoke,making navigation through the vessel aslow process and impeding efforts ofonboard fire and rescue teams to locateand extinguish the seats of fires – usingtime that isn’t available. There is littlechance of escape from a shipboard fireand very little opportunity for the fireto burn itself out. More and more ves-sels were stricken with fire and it wasthis urgent operational requirement thatled the Royal Navy to deploy the firstthermal imaging cameras into its fleet.Thermal imagers subsequently rapidlybecame an invaluable tool, helping toreduce losses due to fire both in peace-time and battle situations. The trendset, many more European and Com-monwealth Navies followed suit, andfollowing serious damage sustained bythe USS Stark in a Gulf incident, eventhe US Navy and coastguard made Pevi-conTM based thermal imaging camerasstandard damage control equipmentthroughout the fleet.

At last thermal imaging had startedto become standard fire and rescueequipment – for military applications atleast.

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTThermal imaging cameras now havingbecome commercially available,technology had to develop in line withend-user requirements. In the mid1990s, an initiative funded by the USgovernment aimed at producing lowercost and more flexible thermal imagingsystems for the military resulted in theproduction of a Focal Plane Arraydetector. Although driven by militaryneeds, this program was funded on the“dual use” principle, meaning that


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2 Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/timelines/britain/post_falklands.htm)

P. 29-33 23/10/06 2:06 pm Page 30

usage for the detectors wasenvisaged both for militaryand civilian firefightingapplications.

This new detector typenot only enabled output offar clearer pictures than waspossible with vacuum tubetechnology, it also openedthe market to competition.Today, thermal imagingcameras for firefightingpurposes are manufacturedand offered by a variety ofdifferent companies – prin-cipally from the US, UK and France.Due to the new detector type havingbeen developed for military applicationsin the US, the sensors were heavilyexport license restricted, meaning theycould only be sold to certain countriesworldwide.

Increased competition and volumeshave also meant that the price of cam-eras has fallen substantially in realterms. This has resulted in ever increas-ing use of the technology worldwide.Coupled with the advent ofmicrobolometer sensors that deliver everbetter image quality, the global market-place is becoming increasingly competi-tive. Vast improvements in electronicswithin thermal imaging cameras allowmanufacturers to offer many additional

features, enabling them to become amore flexible and useful tool. Today,remote video transmission, temperaturemeasurement and digital zoom arecommon offerings.

BUT WHAT OF THE FUTURE?As with consumer electronics, the paceof development in firefighting thermalimagers seems to get faster and faster.In addition to firefighting, worldwideapplications for thermal imaging cam-eras are ever increasing. Today, thermalimagers are used in other markets, notonly for search and rescue operationsbut also as preventative maintenanceand condition monitoring tools, and

other industries are fast recog-nising the benefits of non-contact monitoring of heat –or cold. Buildings maintenancecan be carried out, monitoringheat loss from windows or therun of electrical cables in walls.This overall market expansion isfunding more and more detec-tor and electronics develop-ments and could see thermalimagers become increasinglymore versatile over the comingyears.


The SOLOvision is a fully operational thermal imaging camera with Virtual Reality Viewing Optics. The light weight and unique ergonomic design enables “hands free” operation.

The image is picked up through a centrally mounted camera. Even in the thickest smoke and with the face visor entirely covered, the image seen by the wearer remains undiminished in quality.

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Municipal

Image captured with the Argus®3 in afire scene Whilst firefighting will always remain

a difficult and dangerous job it is evi-dent that thermal imaging is one of themost significant developments in aid-ing firefighters and search & rescueteams since the advent of breathingapparatus. With more versatile cam-eras available, there is a real possi-bility that cameras could be small and light enough to be integrated intoone system – using a firefightersbreathing apparatus as a backboneand integrating all components of firefighting: vision, air, communi-cations and hazardous gas warnings.With this fully integrated system avail-able to all firefighters wearing breath-ing apparatus, thermal imaging willhave fully realised its potential –enabling smoke to become as normalas daylight vision.

P. 29-33 23/10/06 2:06 pm Page 31

BULLARD THERMAL IMAGER PRODUCT LINE OVERVIEW

Bullard T3Weighing in at21⁄2 pounds,the Bullard T3,introduced inthe fall of2001, is thesmallest, light-

est-weight firefighting thermal imager onthe market. Bullard recently expanded thecapability of our palm-sized units with twonew models: the enhanced T3LT™ and thehigh-performance T3MAX™.

With the same tried-and-true simplicityand durability of the original T3, theBullard T3LT incorporates an upgradedRaytheon Amorphous Silicon engine forimproved image clarity and picture defini-tion. The T3LT also incorporates a RelativeHeat Indicator (RHI) feature to provide on-screen temperature measurement.

The Bullard T3MAX offers the samedesign features as the T3LT and providescustomers with the clearest possible pictureand crystal-clear fire scene imagery. Theultra-high performance BAE Systems Vana-dium Oxide microbolometer engine providesheat indication features such as anadvanced Relative Heat Indicator (RHI™) foron-screen temperature measurement and aRed-Hot™ feature that colorizes high heatobjects.

For further information, please contact:Bullard1898 Safety WayCynthianaKY 41031, USATel: +1 859 234 6611Website: www.bullard.com

ARGUS®3 – THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED THERMAL IMAGING CAMERA

e2v technologies consistently strives torespond quickly to changing customerdemands with even greater technologicaladvancements within its camera. Customersneed apparatus to suit multiple applicationsand budgets: the Argus®3 comes with achoice of solid-state sensors – BST and ASi(microbolometer). The Argus®3 casing ismade from high quality Radel® R-5100,chosen for its strength, resistance to heat,water and impact. The camera is sealed toIP67, to withstand driving spray and short-term immersion in water to a depth of onemetre, and can tolerate temperatures of

60°C for one hour,with higher tempera-tures being toleratedfor shorter periods.

Additionally, theArgus®3 boasts aninfrared remote controland PC software,allowing end users toconfigure the camerato their specific needs;

no other control or adjustment equipment isrequired. A brigade’s own logo can beuploaded onto the Argus®3 splash screen,enabling improved asset tracking; the timeand date can be set and colour options canbe selected prior to entering a fire scene.Once all settings have been chosen, simplebutton operation allows the user to switchthe camera on and off, take pictures, acti-vate the digital zoom facility and remotetelemetry (if included). Ambient tempera-ture measurement as standard on all cameramodels (with spot temperature an optionalfeature) allows accurate reading of sur-rounding conditions.

For further information, please contact:e2v Technologies Ltd.Waterhouse Lane,Chelmsford, EssexCM2 2QU EnglandTel: +44 (0) 1245 453 443Fax: +44 (0) 1245 453 725Website: www.e2vtechnologies.com

FLIR SYSTEMS’ FIREFLIR 131 The FireFLIR 131 is a remarkable thermalimaging camera featuring a high definitionVOx Microbolometer detector, advancedsoftware features, glove-friendly push-but-ton controls, and the largest display screenin the market. The FireFLIR 131 is light-weight and well balanced, it supports 300pounds for crawling and is the mostdurable handheld available.

The FireFLIR 131’s customized MicroIRmicrobolometer detector provides unsur-passed thermal imaging quality with excep-tional resolution, fastest update rate, andwidest dynamic range in the firefighting

industry. Additionally, theFireFLIR 131 includesthru-the-lens digital

temperature measure-ment, exclusive colorpalettes, and features

InfoTherm™, an exciting

feature that

enhances situational awareness

by applying a

color palette to temperatures around thecombustion point of paper and woodproducts.

The FireFLIR 131 is ergonomically sound;when held at waist level it reduces shouldermuscle strain and fatigue, and the camera isnever positioned in front of the eyes so itdoes not block the user’s normal field ofvision.

For more information, please contact:FLIR Systems Ltd.2 Kings Hill AvenueWest Maling, KentME 19 4AQ EnglandTel: +44 (0) 1732 221 244Fax: +44 (0) 1732 220 014E-mail: [email protected]: www.flir.com

MSA’S SMALL, LIGHT EVOLUTION® 5000 TIC PROVIDES

HIGH-PERFORMANCE POPULARITY

The Evolution5000 gives fire-fighters a TICtool that is small-er, lighter, andless expensivethan most otherfirefighting TICs.It’s also the first“ h i g h - p e r f o r -mance” small-format TIC,giving firefighters

imaging clarity and definition previouslyfound only on large-format cameras attwice the price.

The breakthrough with the Evolution5000 came from its use of an Indigo Sys-tems sensor that delivers high-performanceimage quality and exclusive thermal imag-ing features – such as Quick Temp® andHeat Seeker®.

Quick Temp gives firefighters a tempera-ture scale measurement in unknown condi-tions. Heat Seeker allows firefighters tomore easily locate hot spots and the seat ofthe fire.

Together, MSA and Indigo Systems deliv-er a TIC like no other to the Fire Service.The Evolution 5000 TIC offers maximumvalue with rugged performance, outstand-ing durability, consistent reliability andbest-in-class technology.

For further information, please contact:MSA121 Gamma Drive, PittsburgPA 15238, USATel: +1 412 967 3354Fax: +1 412 967 3451E-mail: [email protected]: www.MSAnet.com


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THERMAL IMAGING ROUND UP

Argus® Trademark licensed from Argus Industries,Inc

P. 29-33 23/10/06 2:07 pm Page 32

Bronto Skylift is proud to present anew member of the popular rangeof rescue ladders: Bronto Skylift F

38 RL. The unit has a working height of38 meter. With a transportation height of3.3 – 3.7 m (depending naturally on thechassis) the unit is still very compact andeasy to use even in the city.

The main operating data:

Max. working height (depending on transportation height) 38 m

Max. height to working cage bottom (depending on transportation height) 35.8 m

Max. height to the top of the ladder (depending on transportation height) 36.8 m

Max. working outreach 21.6 mMax. working reach below

the ground level 5.0 m

Safe working load (without water discharge) 400 kg

Max. nominal water discharge capacity (with adequate supply pressure) 3800 l/min

Rotation, continuous 360°Transport height

(depending on chassis) 3.3 – 3.7mTransport length

(depending on chassis) 10 mTransport width 2.5 mTypical weight with

chassis, G.V.W. (standard specification) 26.0 t

The F 38 RL has two booms, the firstboom with telescopic extension providingdirect movement and the second boomwith vertical movement of approx.180 degrees. This configuration results in compact travelling dimensions yet inextreme versatility in operation. The

second boom provides an up-and-over capabilityof approx. 7.8 m through-out its vertical movement.The boom design permitsthe cage to be positionedup to 5 m below groundlevel – this providesadditional flexibility forrescues from rivers,embankments, canals,docksides etc.

The RL range covers now the workingheights from 23 to 53 meters. These aeri-al ladder platforms combine the benefitsof a conventional ladder and a platform.All Bronto Skylift RL units are more ver-satile than conventional ladders; they canbe used for continuous rescuing, there isa ready-to-be-used water line in it forfire fighting, the rescue cage can beequipped with fixed tools (for instanceflood lights, strecher carrier, cuttingextinguisher etc.). The unit is ready foraction once levelled, compared to ladders,where the equipment needs to bedragged up before taking into use. TheRescue Lift cage can also be used withoutmanpower in the cage which is not possi-ble with ladders. The dimensions of thecapacious rescue cage are 1.0 m (length)x 2.0 m (width) x 1.1 m (height). Thecage is fitted with an inward openingdoor located at the rear left side toenable safe access to the cage in travel-ling position.

Fast positioning and computer aidedoperations increase passive safety of thefiremen in extreme situations. All RL unitshave Bronto+electronic system. With theB+ system the cage load can be selectedas per desired outreach and outriggerpositioning. Or by choosing the cage loadthe systems shows the maximum out-reaches to all working sectors. The unit’sstabilizing system is automatic ”one but-ton” variable jacking type. This featuresubstantially reduces the width requiredfor setting up and operating the aerialyet it provides full working height andworking outreach depending on wherethe jacks has been placed. There are twoindependent automatically operating andself controlling safety systems to preventan unsafe configuration.

The first F 38 RL unit was delivered toMikkeli Fire Brigade (situated in EasternFinland) in the end of 2003. The unit ismounted onto Mercedes Benz Econic2628 NLA chassis.


Municipal

P R O D U C T P R O F I L E

For further information, please contact:

Bronto Skylift OY ABTeerivuorenkatu 28

TampereFIN – 33300

Finland

Tel: +358 327 27 111Fax: +358 327 27 300Website: www.bronto.fi

BBRROONNTTOO SSKKYYLLIIFFTTRRLL RRAANNGGEE

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P. 29-33 23/10/06 2:07 pm Page 33

page 34 advert 10/24/06 9:53 AM Page 1

Industrial

P. 35-51 23/10/06 4:13 pm Page 35

ANSUL and WILLIAMS FIRE & HAZARDCONTROL have teamed up to introduce theultimate firefighting foam for flammableliquids. THUNDERSTORM™ 1x3Alcohol-Resistant AFFF can be applied at a3% ratio for polar solvent fuels like acetoneand methanol – or at a very efficient 1% ratiofor hydrocarbons like gasoline and jet fuel.ANSUL is the global quality leader in"special hazard" fire protection technology.RED LINE® fire extinguishers, ANSULITE®

AFFFs, the original "twin-agent" system, andnow THUNDERSTORM 1x3 foam are amongthe many "firsts" developed at the AnsulFire Technology Center.WILLIAMS FIRE & HAZARD CONTROL isknown worldwide for its technologicaladvances in firefighting equipment andextinguishment methodology. WILLIAMS’strike force stands ready for virtually anychallenge with the flexibility offered byTHUNDERSTORM 1x3 foam.

24-Hour Emergency Numbers:409-727-2347 or 281-999-0276Non-Emergency Inquiries: 800-231-4613

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The two most trusted namesin petroleum-chemical fireprotection are striking back.

The two most trusted namesin petroleum-chemical fireprotection are striking back.ANSUL and WILLIAMS FIRE & HAZARDCONTROL have teamed up to introduce theultimate firefighting foam for flammableliquids. THUNDERSTORM™ 1x3Alcohol-Resistant AFFF can be applied at a3% ratio for polar solvent fuels like acetoneand methanol – or at a very efficient 1% ratiofor hydrocarbons like gasoline and jet fuel.ANSUL is the global quality leader in"special hazard" fire protection technology.RED LINE® fire extinguishers, ANSULITE®

AFFFs, the original "twin-agent" system, andnow THUNDERSTORM 1x3 foam are amongthe many "firsts" developed at the AnsulFire Technology Center.WILLIAMS FIRE & HAZARD CONTROL isknown worldwide for its technologicaladvances in firefighting equipment andextinguishment methodology. WILLIAMS’strike force stands ready for virtually anychallenge with the flexibility offered byTHUNDERSTORM 1x3 foam.

ISO 9001 Registered


HOW DO THEY WORK?Class A foams fall into two broad groupscalled wetting agents and emulsifiers. Wet-ting agents when added to water at verylow levels typically 0.1%–1%, reduce thesurface tension of water to allow betterspreading and penetrating ability into thecarbonaceous material. This is sometimesreferred to as “wet water”.

Emulsifiers are usually added to water inlarger quantities of 1%–6% depending onfuel type and also claim successful fire per-formance on flammable liquid fuels. Theseare applied vigorously to the hydrocarbonliquids to deliberately encourage mixingwith the fuel to form a non-flammableemulsion, breaking the fuel up into tinydroplets often referred to as “micelles”. Liq-uids frequently take on a milky appearanceonce emulsification takes place. Theseemulsifier products should only be pro-moted for shallow fuel layers as all the fuelis needed to mix with the emulsifier toachieve success – hence only very smalldemonstration fires are usually undertaken.In some instances the fuel (classed as a List1 hazardous substance under the UKground water regulations) is also very diffi-cult to separate from the emulsion, so itcannot always be salvaged later and socould potentially end up as an aquaticpollutant in the environment.

There is a tendency with some emulsifyingproducts for the hydrocarbon to separateout and float on top of the emulsion, witha resulting risk of sudden re-ignition.Emulsification does not occur on polarsolvent fuels such as Isopropyl Alcohol orAcetone, so these Class A products aretotally inappropriate for these hazards. It is

worth noting that emulsification requireshigh application rates on hydrocarbon fuelsbetween 4 and 8 times that required forClass B (flammable liquids) foams which aregenerally far more effective on flammableliquid hazards and offer superior post-firesecurity for shallow hydrocarbon spills anddeep seated fires.

HYPE A DANGER TO LIFE SAFETY Over-reliance on marketing hype is a dan-gerous trend which is capable of misleadingusers in a critical life safety area, and it canonly be a matter of time before someonegets badly hurt – or worse – as a result.Claims like “radical new technology”, “mostenvironment friendly product”, “revolution-ary performance”, “uniquely versatile”,“truly flexible”, “all purpose” are easy tomake but usually difficult to substantiate,so regrettably such phrases must be treatedwith caution, unless confirming hard data isprovided.

CLASS A FOAMS – NOTHING NEW?Lets face it there is nothing radically new inthis Class A foam technology. They are vir-tually all just basic Synthetic Detergent (SD)type foam derivatives (wetting agents andemulsifiers). These SD foams are fluorine-free and have been around for the last 50years or so. These SD foams are highlyeffective in forestry and structural firefighting applications, but with very fewexceptions they are generally poor at ClassB fire fighting. Some brands of SD foamlike Angus Fire’s Expandol are approved andused as the leading foam for specialisedClass B applications eg. ships engine roomsand the protection of Liquified Natural Gas

hazards. However all SD wetting agents areunsuited to modern forceful fire fightingtechniques at application rates which aremost widely used on flammable liquid haz-ards by industrial and municipal fire fightersthe world over.

CLASS B FOAMS FOR FLAMMABLE LIQUIDSAll the foam types used for Class B applica-tions from FluoroProteins (FP) to Film-Forming FluoroProteins (FFFP), AqueousFilm-Forming Foams (AFFF) and AlcoholResistant versions (AR-AFFF/AR-FFFPs), relyon varying amounts of fluorochemical sur-factants to achieve acceptable fire perfor-mance on modern hydrocarbons. TheAlcohol Resistant (AR) types also rely onsurfactants and water soluble polymers forpolar solvent liquid hazards.

WHAT DO YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY?The high prices charged for the more recentClass A foam offerings often imply com-plexity and innovation for what is still just abasic SD product – relatively cheap andeasy to make. High profit margins on thesenew “environmentally friendly” products aresimply funding high profits for the promoter/manufacturer who may not be around in 2,5, or 10 years time when you maybe facinga problem. Also the big full page glossyadvertising campaigns are no substitute forhard test data which is something youshould all insist on – before purchase.

The claimed emulsifying action andextreme wetting ability is achieved by asimple synthetic detergent base of hydro-carbon surfactants with various additives,sometimes unusual ones like clays andother stabilisers, which add little to perfor-mance. These products emulsify fuel but indoing so, they incorporate so much fuelinto the bubble blanket, that the resultingmix may ignite instantaneously when anignition source is present. Additionally thereis usually inadequate post-fire security.

EMULSIFYING AGENTS – DOWNSTREAM DOWNSIDES!Any emulsifying agents, by definition oncethey come into contact with hydrocarbon


Industrial

Pic courtesy of Angus Fire

Are “environmentfriendly” foamsreally green?THERE HAS BEEN a rash of new allegedly “environment friendly” foams in thelast 4 years particularly in the Class A (carbonaceous materials) foam arena.Many of these foams’ manufacturers claim much but struggle to provide hardindependent data to back up their claims! Caution is definitely needed whenassessing the suitability and performance of these foams for traditionalapplications, either as wetting agents or on the more difficult flammable liquidhazards. The marketing hype often exceeds the product’s real performancecapabilities.

Are “environmentfriendly” foamsreally green? By Mike Willson

P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:22 pm Page 37

liquids, will mix and carry them past fuel/oilwater separator systems which are designedto trap hydrocarbon fuels and oils to preventthem entering rivers and water courses.Allowing them past just adds to any potentialpollution problem by adding an iridescentfilm acting as an oxygen barrier across thewater surface. Not only is the SD foam itselfthe most highly toxic foam type to aquaticlife like fish and their food sources but alsokills off the vitally important bacteria whichlive and process waste water in effluent treat-ment systems. All this from a supposedly very“environmentally friendly” concentrate.

“ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY” HYPEThe easiest way to recognise such hype iswhen claims are being made without testdata to back them up. One emulsifyingagent claiming to be “environment friendly”has been independently tested by a respectedenvironmental test laboratory in Canada withshocking results. A staggeringly low 0.9 partsper million in water of emulsifying agent “F”poisons 50% of the Rainbow Trout test fishspecies. Incredibly low levels of this productin water courses will cause fish deaths, andcarry polluting hydrocarbons into rivers. Thisproduct’s manufacturer claims it to be “envi-ronment friendly” but avoids producing anyfirm independent data to substantiate it!

Other synthetic based foam manufactur-ers were facing a problem with their foambooster (di-ethylene glycol ether), which isclassified as a “hazardous substance” afterreview by the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) in USA. Some manufacturershave tried to clean up their products by re-formulating using various propylene glycolethers and called them “green foams” or“environment friendly” versions but this“second best” approach provides little if anyenvironmental improvement and may leadto reduced fire fighting performance. Thereis not as much scientific data available onthese propylene oxide based glycol ethersyet, to prove whether they are as badenvironmentally as the well documenteddi-ethylene glycol ethers, but everythingsuggests they are likely to be. Far better toselect a fire fighting foam which is com-pletely glycol ether free and Angus Fire’sTridol ATF 3-3 is one of the rare syntheticbased products formulated without anyglycol ethers or Alkyl Phenol Ethoxylates(often used as film forming agents inAFFF/AR-AFFFs) present.

Confused? Then always ask for proof oftoxicological and biodegradation data usu-ally found on the product’s material safetydata sheet (MSDS). If these sections areempty, then it is time to be suspicious!

ARE WETTING AGENTS REALLY FLUORINE-FREE?Many wetting agents/emulsifiers are, butsome are not. When analysed some of theseproducts whose manufacturers claim theyare free of fluorine additives have beenfound to contain significant quantities offluorocarbon surfactants. So instead ofbeing SD type foams they are in fact AFFFs.AFFFs incorporate fluorocarbon surfactantswhich have an important ability to reducethe surface tension of water. When mixedwith water, the fluorosurfactant in thesefoams allows the water to penetrate car-bonaceous materials very efficiently. It also

helps reduce the amount of hydrocarbonsthe detergent would otherwise incorporateinto the bubbles, yet it cannot stop thisemulsifying action completely so more fuelis picked up than if a completely detergentfree FFFP foam were used.

MULTIPURPOSE?Multipurpose is a term widely understoodto apply to Class B foams in the fire indus-try referring to an AR foam’s ability to beeffective on Class A materials, hydrocarbonfuels and polar solvent fuels when appliedthrough a range of application techniquesincluding non-aspirated attack, low expan-sion systems and deeper medium expansionlayers for rapid coverage of large exposedareas like bund/dike areas surrounding bulkstorage tanks.

Several Class A foam manufacturers havebegun using this multipurpose term toreflect their product’s supposed ability onClass A, Class B and Class D (metal) materi-

als and imply that it is in some way suitablefor a wide range of hydrocarbons and polarsolvent fuels. This is misleading and poten-tially dangerous as virtually all Class Afoams do not work on any polar solventsand should not be introduced on any metalfires. It is well known that water basedmedia are not appropriate for metal firesand can give additional “explosive” hazards,jeopardising fire-fighter safety. Only spe-cialised dry powders, sand or glass beads arethe appropriate methods of control andextinction of metal fires.

Class A foams have been shown torequire excessively high application rates of20 litres/min/m2 or more to be effective onhydrocarbon liquid fires – five times morethan the application rates required for ClassB foams. Water based products can causeexplosive results on metal fires. Several ofthese Class A emulsifiers have been foundto be foam destructive so they can collapseother foams or impair their performance bycontamination on the ground at the inci-


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Fire test

Applicationrate

Extinction time

Water used

Vapour sealtests

Burnback tests

Polar solventtests

Film-formingtests

Foam qualitytests

Induction tests

Foam drumtests

Foamequipmenttests

ULrequirements( NFPA18)Class A Wettingagents (GOHR)

2” layer n-heptane onwater4.65m2

(50sq.ft.)1min preburn8.15L/min/m2

(10USGPM/sq.ft)No time limit(pan must notoverflow).Fire test withfresh wateronly.None

None

None

None

None

None

None

None

UL 162 requirements(NFPA 11, 16, 16A)

Class B Foam liquidconcentrates (GFGV) (alsosuitable for Class A use).2” layer n-heptane on water4.65m2 (50 sq.ft.)1min preburn

1.63L/min/m2

(2 USGPM/sq.ft)

3 minutes or less for fullextinguishment.

Fire tests using fresh and saltwater.

2 seal tests during a 9minute waiting period.

Foam blanket must withstandflame attack for at least 5minutes after foam blankethas rested for 9 minutes fromfire extinguishment.AR type foams only for useon alcohols and other polarsolvent fuels.

AFFF/FFFP and AR typefoams only.

Extensive tests

At ambient and minimumuse temperature

Detailed tests to preventsplitting/leakage whendroppedFoam quality testsAir-oven ageing testsSalt-spray corrosion testsProportioning accuracy testsPlastic/rubber component testsPressure tests

Notes

Separate listings and test criteriaby UL confirms these are NOTcomparable agents. 55 US Galls (208 litres) fuel oneach test.

5 times higher application ratesfor wetting agents on the sametestUnlimited dilution of fuelproviding pan does not overflow.

Wetting agent foams work muchbetter with fresh water than saltwater.Confirms ability to seal againsthot metal and prevent vapourescape and risk of re-ignition.Critical for post fire security.

Oxygenated gasoline additives arepolar solvents, so special highperformance foams may berequired.Film-formation provides fast fireknockdown on shallowhydrocarbon spills.Similar foam quality thatextinguished the fire tests must bereproducible from commerciallyavailable foam equipment.Critical to ensure the foamconcentrate can be adequatelyproportioned, all year round.Critical to ensure foam is notwasted through poor quality drumsupply.Critical to ensure foam equipmentis fit for purpose and providesfoam quality capable ofextinguishing fires.

P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:23 pm Page 38

dent. If used first they could adverselyaffect the fire fighting ability of other ClassB foam applications, and if used eitheralongside or afterwards could breakdownthe protective foam blanket and increasethe risk of re-ignition potentially threaten-ing fire-fighter safety.

CAN YOU REALLY EXPECT CLASS B PERFORMANCE FROM WETTING AGENTS?Several wetting agents are being promoted asequivalent performance to Class B foams butlet us examine that in a little more depth.

UL has a standard for wetting agents andthere are perhaps a dozen products listed.These tests are largely focussed on a range ofClass A materials, but there is a Class B hep-tane fire test which is significantly differentto the fire tests in the Class B foam standardUL 162. The table opposite shows the keydifferences between the two standards:

It is therefore clear that the Class A wet-ting agent/emulsifier foams are not equiva-lent to Class B foams as they do not passany of the key criteria tests under UL 162. Ifthey did, they would also be listed as Class Bfire fighting foam concentrates and not justwetting agents. Angus Fire has recentlydeveloped a modern F3 Fluorine-Free Foamcalled Syndura, which is a true high perfor-mance Class B 6% foam concentrate with-out any Fluorine but with full UL 162listing. This product is aimed at the aviationand military sectors and can be used at just3% for training to further minimise theenvironmental impact.It has fast knockdownmimicing an AFFF with excellent burnbackperformance. It is also certified to ICAO levelA and has extinguished realistic fire scenar-ios involving 3,000 litres of Avtur in a280m2 bund with simulated crashed aircraftin under 50 secs with 90% control timesunder 30 seconds. Still it does not meetICAO Level B and any fluorine-free productsclaiming to do so should be tested at sum-mer ambient temperatures to verify suitabil-ity for year round performance, otherwisepassengers, crew and firefighters lives couldinadvertently be put at risk. It is certainlynot helpful to the foam user to purchase aproduct that only meets its certification levelin the coldest winter months!

FOCUS ON CLASS B FOAMS FOR PERFORMANCE AND INNOVATIONWithout doubt it is currently Class B haz-ards where the advances in fire fightingfoam technology is really taking place withexciting new cutting edge developments.

Although it is possible to reduce theharmful impact of synthetic based foams bydesigning out the nasties as far as possible,synthetic foams by their very nature havecertain immutable characteristics, like emul-sification with hydrocarbons. Synthetic basedfoams inevitably carry these fuels past theoil/water separators which are especiallydesigned to retain these pollutants. AngusTridol ATF is an example of just how far youcan take this process forward with syntheticbased foams, but using a natural protein basedproduct which is detergent free and conse-quently does not emulsify hydrocarbons yetoffers genuinely more environmentally gentleformulations, has to be the way forward.

Products like Angus Fire’s latest multipur-pose foam development Niagara, are nowforging a huge technological lead in this

field. This foam is widely applauded asa major step forward in overcoming one ofthe biggest drawbacks of existing AR foamtechnology. Niagara is the world’s first highfluidity AR-FFFP without a polymer barrierprotecting against solvent attack. This foamis also fully tested and listed by UnderwritersLaboratories Inc.(UL) under their UL 162tests, for application through portable equip-ment, fixed foam systems and foamenhanced bulb sprinkler systems for use yearround down to -18°C. Niagara is the first ARfoam to be UL listed below +1.7°C, andoffers environmentally gentle benefits fromits natural protein base material. Niagara hasalso been shown to work effectively as a wet-ting agent on Class A materials at just 0.8%induction rate – something beyond the abil-ity of any polymer containing AR foam. So ifyou need a truly multipurpose easy handlingfoam for Class A and Class B risks all yearround which genuinely has low environmen-tal impact, then look no further than NiagaraAR-FFFP 3-3 from Angus Fire, the worldleading innovators in foam technology.

Of course having the best foam concen-trate is one thing, but it does have to beproportioned correctly and reliably into thewater supply to achieve foam applicationonto the fire.

FOAM CONCENTRATE PROPORTIONING Foam concentrate induction and propor-tioning systems are the means by which anyfoam concentrate is introduced into themains water stream, to produce foam solu-tion. The foam solution is then supplied toa finished foam maker, generator or otherdelivery device before application onto anyfire. For this reason the induction deviceshould be considered the heart of anyportable fixed or semi-fixed foam system.Care must therefore be taken to ensure thatthe correct proportioning method is chosen.

There are a number of different ways inwhich foam concentrate induction can beachieved, each of which has its own advan-tages, limitations and suitability for particu-lar applications.

The different induction methods can be


Industrial

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Harness the breathtaking power of

nature with Niagara, the revolutionary new

Alcohol Resistant Film-Forming Fluoroprotein

(AR-FFFP) 3-3 foam from Angus Fire.

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Easy pouring and induction

Faster fire knockdown

Exceptional environmental credentials

Effective at low temperatures

Angus Fire, Thame Park Road, Thame, Oxon OX9 3RT, UKTel: +44 (0)1844 265000 Fax: +44 (0)1844 265156 web: www.angusfire.co.uke-mail: [email protected]

WOLF eht htiw oG

P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:23 pm Page 39

considered as being split into two distinctcategories:

A. CONSTANT FLOW This can be defined as the condition wherethe foam solution demand is constant, orcan be regarded as constant, so the flow iseither fully on or off. For example, where asingle fixed discharge device is being fedwith foam solution like a foam branchpipeor a foam monitor.

B. VARIABLE FLOWThis can be defined as the condition wherethe foam solution demand may vary acrossa wide range. For example, where a numberof discharge devices maybe required tooperate independently or simultaneously.This normally relates to vehicle systems andfixed foam systems, like tank protectionsystems, monitor systes and loading bays –where each one may be required to operateon any two of the three at one time, so theflow varies.

A. The most commonly found CONSTANTFLOW application systems are:

(i) Portable In-line inductors (eductors)(ii) Direct pumping(iii) Water motor systems(iv) Fixed In-line inductors (eductors)

(i) Portable Inductors (Eductors)Portable inductors are probably the mostwidely used form fo foam proportioningdevice. It uses the Venturi principle, a lowpressure area is created when the mainswater flow passes through the inductor noz-zle. Foam concentrate is drawn in at thispoint, and mixes with water to produce foam solution.

The best and most accurate of thesedevices have separate 3%AR and 6%ARsettings for the more viscous polymer con-taining AR type foams aswell as 3% and 6%settings for standard Newtonian foams.(alternative 1%AR and 3%AR versions arealso available for 1x3 foams).

(ii) Direct PumpingThe simplest type of pump system compris-es a pump designed to deliver the correctquantity of foam concentrate at a pressurein excess of that of the mains water.

It is common to use some type of posi-tive displacement pump, powered by anelectric or internal combustion motor toproduce a constant volumetric output at arequired pressured.

The foam concentrate is then pumpedthrough a constant flow valve or orificeplate directly into the mains water supply.

(iii) Water MotorSystemsThese are similar inoperation to (i) exceptthat instead of using anexternal power sourceto drive the foam pump,a water driven Peltonwheel motor is usedwhich is driven by asmall quantity of firemain water like theAngus Helijector for 1%induction systems on

offshore platforms.As such, they can stand totally indepen-

dently and require no secondary powersource.

(iv) Fixed In-Line Inductors (Eductors)These are probably the most commonlyfound units for constant flow applicationsand provide a cost-effective, simple andreliable method of proportioning, foamconcentrate. These are usually factory cali-brated to meet a specific flow and pressurerequirement with a non corrosive 316 stain-less steel body for long life.

Using the Venturi principle, a low pressurearea is created when the mains water flowpasses through the inductor nozzle. Foamconcentrate is drawn in at this point, andmixes with water to produce foam solution.

Advances in foam induction technologymean that inductors can now be factory-calibrated for a wide range of pressure andflow conditions within stated operating bands.

There are few restrictions on the down-stream conditions which means that thecommon problem of mis-matching canlargely be avoided.

The leading manufacturers have devel-oped computer programmes to facilitate thecalibration of these inductors. One of themajor benefits of this program to the fireprofessional is that the effects of changesto any of the operating conditions can beaccurately predicted. All the necessary infor-mation is provided to make the most effec-tive use of the water, pumping and foamresources available, whilst maintainingacceptable safety margins.

In-line inductors are:● Reliable● Cost-effective● Simple to install and maintain● Require no external power source

There is, however, typically a 40% pres-sure loss across each unit in the same wayas there is with the portable inductor units.

B. VARIABLE FLOW APPLICATIONSA typical situation might be, for example,where a number of foam cannons are locat-ed around an installation and may berequired to operate individually, simultane-ously or in different combinations.

The foam concentrate induction systemwhich can cater for this need for accurateinduction rates across large varying flows, isusually of the balanced pressure type, andthe key component is the Balanced PressureProportioner, normally made in gunmetal toavoid any corrosion from saline watersupplies or the more aggressive syntheticdetergent based foam concentrates.

The basic design requirement is toarrange the induction system so that foamconcentrate and mains water are delivered

to the proportioner at exactly the samepressure. By introducing the foam concen-trate, via a metering orifice, into the lowpressure area at the neck of the Venturi,foam concentrate and mains water aresupplied to the proportioner at the samepressure.

When the foam solution demandchanges, the pressure difference betweenthe water and foam solution will alter, butthe relationship between them will remainand be maintained.

The two most commonly-found ways ofachieving the required matching of formconcentrate pressure with that of the waterat the inlet of the proportioner are either abag tank module, or a balance valve.

BAG OR BLADDER TANKSWith a bag tank (or bladder tank), foamconcentrate is stored within a butyl rubberbladder which is fixed inside the steel pres-sure vessel. When the system is operated,water at fire main pressure, enters the tankbetween the vessel wall and the rubber bag.Foam concentrate is then expelled from thebag into the Balanced Pressure Proportioner.

As mains pressure is used as the powersource, the foam concentrate will always bedischarged at the same pressure, and anyvariations in flow will be automaticallycompensated for.

Features of the bag tanks include:● By virtue of the proportioner, foam con-

centrate proportioning over a wide andvarying range of foam solution demandscan be accurately maintained.

● Angus bag tanks can be refilled duringoperation and are designed in accor-dance with BS5500.

● They are self-contained and require noexternal power source.

● There is a minimal pressure loss acrossthe proportioner.

● They are simple to install and easy tooperate and they require minimummaintenance.

● We have a range of sizes 450, 1125,2250, 3375 and 4500 litre capacity.

BALANCE VALVEA dedicated foam pump supplies foam con-centrate at a continual over-pressure and abalance valve reduces this to the controlpressure, returning the excess flow to tank.

CONCLUSIONSIf foam proportioning systems are the “heart”of any foam system, then the foam concen-trate is like the “ blood” pumping round thesystem fighting off “external attack anddisease” from within. But like modernmedicines, the selection of the right foam iscritical to be able to control and “fight offthe disease” or fire attack expected.

Multi-purpose AR type foams are themost versatile and the leading polymer freetechnology products like Niagara canaddress many different types of hazardincluding 1% on hydrocarbon spills, 3% ondeep seated hydrocarbon and polar solventfires, 3% or 6% for vapour suppression ofunignited fuels or non-flammable haz-ardous liquids and just 0.2–1% for ClassA/wetting and compressed air foam systemcapabilities. All other foam types have vary-ing degrees of more specialised application,without this all purpose capability.


Pic courtesy of Angus Fire

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P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:24 pm Page 40

Peter Timm, 48, Training

Lea Timm, 7, Having Fun

Fire Fighting Isn’t a Child’s Play,

but It Can Be a lot Easier with the Right Equipment

Monitors – Versatile and PowerfulIn addition to a large number of portable and fixed monitors for different requirements we offer matching accessories suchas nozzles and branch pipes. A speciality of our monitors with oscillation: an integratedself-cleaning system preventsclogging of the valve.

Inductors – Effective and ReliableWe offer fixed and portableinductors which are adjustedperfectly to mix all requiredagents and the correspondingproportions.

Handline Units – Perfect PerformanceExcellent workmanship and an intelligent combination of high quality materials guarantee long durability, operational simplicity and reliability.

Foam Concentrates –Efficiency GuaranteedWith our broad range of synthetic and protein foamconcentrates we offer thebest choice for all purposes:high, medium, low expansion,or universal foams.

Extinguishing PowdersPowders are the fastest extinguishing agents. We offer a wide rangeof ABC and BC Powders.

TWFL offers comprehensivesystems perfectly adjusted to each type of fire. Our expertise meets therequirements of professionalfire fighting.

www.twf l .deTOTAL WALTHER Feuerschutz Löschmittel GmbH Industriestrasse 11 D - 68526 Ladenburg

Fon +49.6203.934.166 Fax +49.6203.934.150 E-mail [email protected]

L Ö S C H M I T T E L

TOTALWALTHER


There are also the forthcomingEuropean prEN standards forportable pumps to be considered,

these primarily address health and safetyaspects as well as important pumpfeatures, such as operator controls andinstrumentation.

Although lightness and compactnessare high priorities, durability and a highbuild quality are not to be compro-mised. Features such as wrap-aroundstainless steel frame and corrosion pro-tection for all parts in contact withpetrol, grease and water are essential.The power source for a portable pump istypically a lightweight petrol or dieselengine, reliable, air-cooled, 18 BHPoverhead valve engine, which is quiet,yet powerful. Servicing of the pumps

should be straightfor-ward and all the neces-sary spares inexpensiveand readily available.The Manufacturer’s war-ranty is expected to beat least 12 months dura-tion.

Safety is, as always, ahigh priority with partic-ular attention focusingon the engine exhaust.If possible, this must befitted with a guard toprotect the operatorfrom high temperatures.An easily accessed fuelshut off valve shouldalso be fitted to provide

a quick and safe method of stoppingthe unit and containing the fuel. Carry-ing handles attached to the frame areconsidered essential. The option to fitwheels to the pump frame is a simpleway of improving portability. Certainmodels incorporate engine oil cooling tosafeguard the engine in prolonged use.

Priming systems are an importantconsideration. Pumps are now availablewith piston prime, hand prime or thelong established exhaust gas ejector sys-tem. With the use of vacuum and pres-sure gauges to guide the pumpoperator, quicker priming and more effi-cient pump operation is possible.

In addition to these features portablepumps are now able to incorporatefeatures such as electric starting, vacu-um and pressure gauges and lighting.The 12 volt battery system can providethe power for a lighting mast andtachometer.

In the not too distant future portablepump design and manufacture will besubject to the European standardsdevised by the CEN (Comité EuropéenNormalisation). A technical committee,CEN/TC 192, comprised of leadingEuropean pump manufacturers has beendevising these standards, currentlydefined as prEN 1028. The definition ofa portable pump is defined as –“Portable pumps are motor pumpsdesigned for fire-fighting which can be


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THE LIGHTWEIGHT PORTABLE PUMP has always been an important part ofthe fire-fighter’s equipment, it is a versatile unit playing many roles –supplying water from open sources to the main vehicle pump, as a back-upto the main pump and as a pump to relieve flooding. There are increasingdemands for a portable pump to be lighter, more compact and still give apowerful performance, as the space available in appliance compartmentsbecomes more restricted, particularly with the deployment of PositivePressure Ventilation Fans (PPVs). A typical portable pump performance israted at 800l/min at 5 bar and capable of 1400l/min at 3 bar, but iscontained within a 520 x 490 x 584mm envelope.

Picture courtesy of Hale Europe

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Lightweight PoBy David Burton

P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:24 pm Page 42

transported by hand to the site of oper-ation and which are driven by a com-bustion engine. Portable pumps areintended to be not permanently mount-ed in fire-fighting and rescue servicevehicles. This European standard dealswith significant hazards, hazardous situ-ations and events, arising from portablepumps used as intended or arising fromconditions foreseen by the manufactureror the manufacturer’s authorised repre-sentative. It addresses the construction,setting, and operation of the portablepump.”

The CEN standards documentationthen proceeds to list the safety and pro-tective measures required, these aresome of the salient points –

5.1.2.1 TRANSPORTING DEVICES AND LOSS OF STABILITYThe portable pump shall have carryinghandles or an adequate frame design totransport it according to the manufac-turer’s manual. The handles shall bedesigned to withstand at least 2.5 timesthe mass lifted divided by the numberof carrying handles

Another area addressed is the capabilityof the pump to operate on an incline –

5.2.5.1 INCLINATION DURING OPERATIONAt nominal delivery rate the portablepump shall be fully operational in alldirections up to a slant of 15° from thehorizontal.

Other sections cover –

5.1.2.3 MANUAL STARTING DEVICEIf a manual starting device is used itshall be safe from kick back. If a handlestarting equipment is used it shall beaccording to EN ISO 11102

The noise factor is also addressed -

5.1.5.1 NOISE REDUCTION AT SOURCE BY DESIGNThe noise at the operating position shallbe as low as practicable by design . . .EN ISO 11688-1 applies.

5.1.5.2 NOISE REDUCTION BY PROTECTIVE MEASURESIf it is not possible to achieve the noisereduction at the source by design

methods, the manufacturer shall, when-ever practical, equip the machine withdevices such as noise enclosures,silencers etc.

5.1.6 ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY

5.1.6.1 GENERALElectromagnetic emission and immunityof the device shall be controlled so thatit poses no threat to the surroundingenvironment, furthermore the devicemust be immune to the environment ithas to function in.

5.1.6.2 RADIATED EMISSIONThe device shall not interfere with anyradio reception in the vicinity of thedevice, as the operator of the deviceshall be able to get information regard-ing the operation.

The standard addresses areas such asthe displays and controls –

5.1.83 ALL INSTRUMENTS SHALL BE VISIBLE FROM THE OPERATOR’S POSITION Manual controls and other operatingdevices shall be easy to reach and oper-ate without unreasonable effort.

5.2.14.1 OPERATING CONTROLSAll operating controls shall be capableof being operated from one position(operator position).

An adjuster for the engine speed.Advice for stopping the engine. Anactuator for suction (if required). A coldstart device (if required).

The fuel system for the pump must providesufficient fuel for one hours running atthe rated delivery performance –

5.2.11.1 INDEPENDENT OPERATIONIndependent operation at nominal deliv-ery rate shall be ensured with a perma-nently installed fuel tank for at leastone hour.

The maximum weight of a portablepump is defined as –

The maximum mass with the enginefully operational . . . shall not exceed200kgThe unit is required to be fully opera-tional from a cold start

5.2.6 COLD STARTThe engine shall be capable of operatingunder full load immediately after start-ing from cold conditions specified in EN1028.


DAVID BURTONHale Products Europe LTD

A unit of IDEX Corporation

Charles Street

Warwick CV34 5LR


IndustrialPortable Pumps

The standards also extend to coverthe documentation that should besupplied with each pump, the in-structions must cover transport andstorage, description of the pump,commissioning, startup, operationand shutdown. The instructions mustof course cover maintenance, servic-ing, faults, causes and remedies.

Of course, a great number of thesepoints are already being addressed bypump manufacturers as an integralpart of a continuous productimprovement policy. It is essential forthe pump manufacturer to consultthe end user from the early stages ofnew product development to ensurethe pump meets, and where possible,exceeds the fire-fighter’s requirements.

The performance and standard ofportable pumps available for fire-fighters continues to improve mainlydue to the combination of cus-tomer’s expectations, competingmanufacturers and the introductionof exacting European standards.

P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:25 pm Page 43

The threat of terrorist attack adds tothe potential hazards faced byemergency services and the public.

New decontamination techniques havebeen developed to compliment thosealready well practiced in industrial inci-dents. Equipment is constantly evolvingnot only to contend with the current sit-uation but to anticipate future threatsassociated with nuclear, radiological, bio-logical and chemical incidents.

Hughes Safety Showers has used its 35years experience in emergency safetyshowers and decontamination systems todevelop a new generation of decontami-nation shelters that take into account thepotential terrorist threat. Some aredesigned for mass decontamination ofthe general public, while others are foruse by the emergency services for de-contaminating their personal protectiveclothing and small items of equipment.

One of the latest mass decontamina-tion units introduced by Hughes is theCUPOLAdecon5. It has latitudinal accesswhich means casualties enter and leavethrough the sides of the unit. Once theyare inside, the entrance flaps are zippeddown to provide privacy and protectionfrom the outside conditions.

Casualties pass along one of five sepa-rate channels, which can be designatedfor men or women. In addition, internalpartitioning can be rearranged to accom-modate stretcher cases or members of theemergency services so that they canmonitor the decontamination process.Decontamination is carried out in threestages. In the first, casualties de-robe andshower with a detergent or additive inthe shower water. They then move intothe centre section where they standunder fresh water rinsing showers. Alter-natively, the rinsing showers can usewater, which includes a treatment addi-

tive. Male and female casualties then passthrough to the third and final sectionwhere they dry off and re-robe.

This unit has already proved to be verypopular, particularly in the USA, andincludes several important design featuresthat have evolved as a result of extensivetesting and trials in co-operation withcivil and military authorities. Three orfour channel variations of this basicdesign are also available

Decontamination shelters consist of aframe with removable lining and thechoice is usually between rigid or inflatedstructures.

From the outset, Hughes favoured theinflatable option and subsequent experi-ence has shown that shelters using thisdesign are much easier to erect, moredurable and require less training, further-more, they are infinitely more stable inbad weather and strong winds. Theystand up better to repeated erection anddismantling; something which isinevitably necessary when training. Bentor damaged rigid frames are notoriouslydifficult, if not impossible, to erect.

All joints are glued and taped ratherthan welded. This is another feature com-mon to the entire inflated Hughes range.Contrary to what may have been expect-ed before extensive trials were carriedout, this type of joint has proved to befar more durable and easier to repair thanthe welded alternative.

One of the less obvious features theHughes concept demonstrates is theattention to detail necessary if decontam-ination is to be carried out successfully.Floor panels within the shelter ensure thatcasualties are not standing in the contam-inated wash-off. Shelters should be posi-tioned on level ground but, of course, thisis not always possible and a slight inclinecan soon raise run off levels at one side of

the shelter above the top of the floorpanel. To combat this Hughes haveincreased the height of the floor panels toensure that casualties are protected.

Flexibility in the face of a continuouslychanging threat is clearly an advantage.The CUPOLAdecon1, for example, is verysimilar to the CUPOLAdecon5 but useslongitudinal access with casualties enter-ing and leaving through the ends of theunit. With this arrangement several unitscan be connected together on site toform a multi-stage mass decontamina-tion facility. One unit could be used forde-robing, one for showering and a thirdfor re-robing. This unit can also accom-modate members of the emergencyservices as well as the general public.

Although by no means the only consid-eration, cost is nevertheless important. Theability to get maximum benefit from anyinvestment can prove a strong argument;the Hughes CUPOLAdecon2, is a perfectexample. Although primarily intended fordecontaminating members of the emer-gency services, it is equally capable oftreating members of the public. Recent tri-als have indicated a potential throughputof 100 people hour, more than enough formany incidents and certainly not restrictedto countering the terrorist threat.

This no doubt explains why theHughes CUPOLAdecon2 is now the BritishFire Service standard decontaminationunit, with over 200 in active service and agrowing number being adopted aroundthe world. It is exceptionally flexible andcapable of responding to a wide range ofincidents. The ideal all round solution.

Continuing development of systemsand equipment will ensure that the emer-gency services are well prepared to pro-tect themselves, and the public. Designswill evolve through continued experimen-tation, experience and above all, closeco-operation with those on the front line.


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Hughes Safety ShowersWhitefield Road

Bredbury, StockportCheshire SK6 2SS, EnglandTel: +44 (0) 161 430 6618Fax: +44 (0) 161 430 7928

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.hughes-safety-showers.co.uk

SSTTAAYYIINNGG OONNEESSTTEEPP AAHHEEAADD

Hughes CUPOLAdecon1 massdecontamination unit decontaminate up to300 people an hour and ensures aspeedy, reliable and robust response toany incident.

P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:25 pm Page 44

Looking at this scenario one mightcall the 1,892 lt/m nozzle “Big”.On the other hand, if the fire pro-

fessional is faced with a full surface fireon a 76 m (250-ft) diameter storagetank, the same 1,892 lt/m nozzlewould only supply a fraction (5%) ofthe water/foam solution required –37,800 lpm based on 8.15 lpm per m2

(10,000 gpm @ 0.20 gpm/ft2). In real-ity, a master stream nozzle is not con-sidered a “Big Gun” if it’s volume is lessthan 25% of the total volume required;hence the term “Big Gun” is relative.The purpose of this article is to informthe fire fighting industry on the appli-cation of “Big Guns” and why theyshould be considered based on ahistory of success.

Looking at the Oil/PetrochemicalIndustry, it is apparent the hazards havegrown immensely. Fire fighting equip-ment, technology, and techniques arejust now beginning to catch up withthe hazards facing the Fire Professionaltoday. The table below is an example ofhow dramatically industrial fire protec-tion, equipment, and apparatus havechanged over the past 25 years relativeto the increase in hazard.

MISSION: EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, MINIMISE LOSS, AND MAXIMISE SAFETYIn order to be successful in the mission,many obstacles must be overcome.Large fires require large volumes ofwater. Establishing a fire water systemin the time of an emergency, is a

monumental task. To move copiousquantities of water from its origin tothe seat of the fire requires knowledge,equipment and resources. The use of“Big Guns”, in the event of an emer-gency reduces the logistical problemsthat will be incurred using many lowerflow volume monitors.

Example: 76 m (250-ft) Diameter Storage TankIn order to achieve the water/foamsolution volume using 1,890 lt/m (500gpm) nozzles, it would require a totalof 20 individual nozzles. However, if19,000 lt/m (5,000 gpm) nozzles werechosen (WF&HC 1x6 Gun automaticpressure control “Ambassador” Hydro-Foam™ Nozzle Technology), the taskcan be completed with two nozzles.The use of two “Big Guns” in place of20 smaller nozzles does not changelogistical problems associated withwater volumes, foam concentrate sup-plies, adequate hose supplies, etc.However, it greatly reduces the risk andexposure to personnel while simplifyingoperations because less equipment isinvolved, the distance from the hazardis increased, and more water/foamsolution is delivered to the surface.

The above paragraph states the obvi-ous differences between larger nozzles


Industrial

Pic courtesy of Williams Fire & HazardControl Inc.

By Dwight P. Williams, President, andKelvin M Hardingham, European, Africa& Middle East Manager, Williams Fire &Hazard Control, Inc.

Changes in Industrial Fire Protection over the past 25 years1976 2001

Storage Tank Diameters 38 – 46 m (125’-150’) +105 m (+345’)Foam Delivery Nozzles 1,890 – 3,780 lt/m < 53,000 lt/m

(500 – 1,000 gpm) (< 14,000 gpm)Fire Hose 65 mm (21⁄2“) 5”, 6”, 8”,10” & 12”

Standard Foam Pumpers 3,780 lt/m (1,000 gpm) – 7,500 lt/m (2,000+ gpm)

IN THE FIRE PROTECTION INDUSTRY, what does the term “Big Gun” mean? Ifthe fire professional were faced with a 12 m (40-ft) diameter storage tank fire,a 1,892 lt/m (500 gpm) master stream nozzle would be more than adequateto provide the required volume of water/foam solution for extinguishment. Infact, the nozzle would actually be more than double the minimum volumerequirement 760 lt/m based on 6.5 lt/m per m2 (201 gpm @ 0.16 gpm/ft2).

Big GunsBig GunsP. 35-51 23/10/06 2:27 pm Page 45

and smaller nozzle flows. Some of the not so obvious advan-tages include; effective range, application density, and foamruns.

EFFECTIVE RANGE A definite advantage in the utilization of “Big Guns” is theadditional range produced by higher flow master streamdelivery devices. 7,500 lt/m (2,000 gpm) delivery devices haveeffective ranges in excess of 76 m (250-ft) and the rangesincrease as the volume increases. For example a 12 m (40-ft)high, 76 m (250-ft) diameter storage tank in a 190 m (625-ft)square containment dike, the distance separating the tankshell from the 1.5 m (5-ft) high dike walls is approximately57 m (188-ft). This means that our nozzle must be able toprovide ranges exceeding 57 m (188-ft) at a height greaterthan 12 m (40-ft) just to reach over the tank wall. The foamstill has to travel some 76 m (250-ft) across the burning fuelsurface. One consideration would be to increase the size ofthe delivery device, however that may not be practical.Extending earthen work platforms into the containment areato be utilized for delivery device placement is an effectiveway to stretch potential and maximize the resources avail-able. Predominate wind direction is normally one of the pri-ority criteria for placement. Other considerations, like accessand water supply are equally important. This is naturally bestidentified and planned for prior to an incident during sitesurveys, risk analysis, and fire pre-planning, however, manywork platforms have been excavated during emergencies.

APPLICATION DENSITYOne benefit in utilizing “Big Guns” is the increase in applica-tion density over smaller nozzles. Application density can bedefined as the amount of water/foam solution being applieddivided by the surface area on which it is landing.

ExampleA 12 m (40-ft) diameter gasoline storage tank with a full sur-face fire would require an application of water/foam solutionat the rate of 735 lpm (201 gpm) based on 6.5 lpm per m2

(0.16 gpm/ft2). If the area of impact of water/foam solutionwas the entire surface of the tank, the application densitywould be 6.5 lpm per m2 (0.16 gpm/ft2). However if our735 lpm (201 gpm) water/foam solution was localized in a.93 m2 (10 ft2) area on the surface of the tank, our applica-tion density would increase to 817.5 lpm (20.1 gpm/ ft2 ).

In our example above, by focusing the water/foam solutionto a small defined area we were able to increase the applica-tion density 125 times. This increase will secure the .93 m2

(10 ft2) area rapidly. As the foam spreads across the fuelsurface it continues to secure and suppress vapors until theentire surface area is blanketed.

FOAM RUNSA Foam Run is the measured distance that finished foam trav-els across a fuel’s surface. A foam blanket should not beexpected to run more than 30 m (100-ft) from the point ofimpact on the surface of a burning fuel.1 Degradation of thefoam blanket due to intense heat, plunging, solubility of thefuel, and quality of the foam concentrate will effect thesefoam runs. One should consider prior to establishing a foamattack (preferably during pre-planning) the distance that the


Pic courtesy of Williams Fire & Hazard Control Inc.

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1Foam runs can be as low as 21 m (70-ft), on MTBE, MTBE blends, and HotCrude Oil

P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:28 pm Page 46

foam blanket would have to travel onceit is on the fuel surface. A patentedmethodology, coined The “Foot Print”™,has been developed by Williams Fireand Hazard Control, Inc. to assist indetermining these calculations.

THE “FOOT PRINT”™The terminology “Foot Print”™ isdefined as the measured area of impactof a given delivery device (length andwidth) on straight stream. The “FootPrint”™ methodology is as follows. Sinceit has been determined that a foamblanket (in most cases) will travel nofurther than 30 m (100-ft), the finishedfoam must be directed onto the surfaceso as not to exceed these distances.

First, one must determine the “FootPrint”™ of the selected nozzle to beused. Next, calculate the placement ofthe nozzle in relationship to the tank(distance from the tank), and thendetermine the placement of the “FootPrint”™ onto the surface area.

The outer perimeter of the “FootPrint”™ must be positioned where itwill not exceed the 30 m (100-ft) maxi-mum distance from any portion ofthe tank wall. If the distances exceedthe 30 m (100-ft) maximum and nozzleplacement cannot make up the differ-ence; additional or larger nozzles

must be considered. In all cases involv-ing storage tanks greater than 55 m(180-ft) in diameter the applicationrate increases due to the increasedflows necessary to create a “Footprint”large enough to facilitate “foam run”requirements.

SELECTION“Big Guns” are a necessity if one is tobe successful in combating large flam-mable storage tank fires. The reason forthe development of the 53,000 lt/m(14,000 gpm) nozzle is the same reason

for the development of the 1,890 lt/m(500 gpm) master stream. As hazardsincrease in size we must increase thesize of our delivery devices to assureourselves the greatest advantage overthe enemy . . . FIRE!

SELECTING A BIG GUNWhen selecting a “Big Gun”, range ofmotion is important. An example wouldbe a 7,500 lpm (2,000 gpm) nozzledeployed to a process unit fire. Thisselected nozzle must not only meet theflow and effective range requirements,


Industrial


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P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:28 pm Page 47

it must have the ability to reach high (nearly vertical) onto atower, below horizontal for ground spills and manifolds, andtraverse in excess of 45 degrees side to side. “Big Guns” ratedat higher flows (ie. 15,000 to 53,000 lpm [4,000-14,000 gpm])generally do not have the ability to go below horizontalbecause of the tremendous reaction-force created by suchlarge volumes. This should be considered when setting up ona large diameter >55 m (180-ft) storage tank fire involving amanifold and ground spill fire. The nozzle(s) needed to extin-guish the tank may not have the ability to go below horizon-tal enough in order to effectively cover the manifold andground fires; therefore a smaller “Big Gun” (ie. 7,500 lpm(2,000 gpm) may be the answer.

When manifolds are involved, they normally present anotherconcern; a “Three Dimensional Fire (3-D)” or “Pressure Fire”.Current technology has provided the answer to this problem

with the advent of the Hydro-Chem‰ nozzle. This end-of-line delivery device allows not only the foam concentrate tobe delivered to the self-educting nozzle remotely, >150 m(500-ft) but allows dry chemical to be delivered through thefire stream to the target. The water/foam stream actually car-ries the dry chemical as far as the nozzle’s effective range.

MTBE/BLENDED GASOLINEAnother “Special Hazard” has recently been the topic of dis-cussion; “MTBE/Blended Gasoline”. It is one more scenariothat “Big Guns” are not the total answer. Tests prove thatstorage tank fires involving this product and others like itreact much the same as the non-blended hydrocarbon fires upto the point of flame collapse. At that point, the characteris-tics change dramatically. What you can’t see from the groundis the faint blue flame (known as “ghosting”) dancing on topof the foam blanket waiting for you to get comfortable. Untilrecently you had a choice, continue foam application (plan fora minimum 3-hour attack) or loose your foam blanket!

Williams Fire & Hazard Control, Inc. has conducted large-scale fire tests on MTBE using the combination of “Big Gun”Technology and the newly released “HCAN”™ (Hydro-ChemAerial Nozzle™, in 2,800 lpm & 3,750 lpm (750 gpm &1,000 gpm). These tests proved that, the proper applicationof inner wall cooling (water/foam solution) and dry chemical“over the top” can successfully extinguish these exotic fireswithin a reasonable amount of time, thus reducing personnelexposure and preserving valuable resources (foam/$/R).Hydro-Chem™ nozzles are also available in a variety of ratedflows from hand held 225 lpm, 360 lpm & 475 lpm [60, 95,&125 gpm] Hydro-Chem™ Handguns are not self-eductingnozzles) to 7,500 lpm (2,000 gpm) trailer mounted monitors.


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e-mail: [email protected] www.albany-pumps.co.uk


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THE TOTAL PACKAGE

This article is the result of many years of research andexperience. Practically speaking, much of today’s technol-ogy as accepted by Industry as “science” is incomplete.Our experience has proven that a vital part of the equa-tion is “art”. It is the balanced combination of “Science”and “Art” along with our patented methodology of extin-guishment that result in the “Successful Extinguishments”Williams Fire & Hazard Control, Inc. is noted for.

In selecting components for your arsenal, consider yourwater supplies (pressure and volumes) compared to your hazards. If your water supply, and “proven foamsupplies” are inadequate, verify to make sure yourinsurance coverage is not!

Register now for the 11th Annual Les WilliamsAdvanced Flammable Liquid Firefighting Foam Technol-ogy Workshop, June 14-17th 2004 Beaumont, Texas.To Register, contact:Foam Technology Workshopc/o Creative Resource4855 Bluebonnet RoadBaton RougeLA 70809, USATel: +1 225 292 1199Fax:+1 225 292 7060Register on line at: www.williamsfire.com

P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:30 pm Page 48

Dr Ting Choon Meng, a GP by trade andalso a medical Officer in the rescue bat-talion of the Singapore Civil Defence

Force found himself wasting precious timesetting up mass casualty stations during histraining activities.

He thought that maybe this is only the casein Singapore. But after a lot of research heconcluded that this was the same the worldover and in fact even in the USA, mass casualtysituations are also still dealt with in this way.

Having concluded that there must be a bet-ter way, he sat down to develop a mobile baseunit, which could be deployed quickly andprovide more support for the medics at suchincidents. Hence SWIFT was born.

Since its inception, several major manufac-turers worldwide have expressed interest inpromoting the concept, with particular interestbeing shown by the Homeland Defence teamin the USA.

WHAT IS SWIFT?The SWIFT (Station with Immediate First-AidTreatment) is designed as a self propelledEmergency Medical Station (EMS) for manage-ment of casualties at the site of incidents. Dur-ing rescue missions, casualties at the incidentsite have to be treated and stabilized prior totransporting them for more definitive manage-ment at hospitals. During peacetime, thevehicle can also be deployed during civil disasteras a frontline Accident and Emergency Station.

CURRENT SITUATIONPresently, whenever the medical platoon isactivated, the medical platoon will draw outthe necessary tents and medical stores fromthe base camp and proceed to the incidentsite. Upon reaching the incident site, 10–12men are needed to unload the tents and med-ical stores to setup the First Aid Point (FAP).They will take approximately 20 minutes tocomplete the setup.

At the incident site, the Fire Fighting and Res-cue Troops will transport and place the first wavecasualties rescued at the Triage Area to awaitmedical attention from the Medical Platoon. Cur-rently, however, triage and treatment can onlycommence after the Medical Platoon has com-pleted the setup of the FAP. Precious time is lostat the setup of the FAP for the medical platoonto attend to the first wave casualties.

During treatment, the medical platoon willface difficulties in performing the tasks oftreatment as certain medical equipment is notavailable given the limited load they are able tocarry on the transporting lorry. Some medical

procedures, such as cardio-pulmonary resusci-tation are also performed under suboptimalconditions. There is a lack of water for clean-ing the casualties, oxygen to assist in theirbreathing, and adequate lighting when operat-ing in the dark. This mode of operation maybecome the bottle-neck and key determinantof all rescue efforts.

During peacetime emergencies such as trainor plane crash or multiple vehicle collisioninvolving mass casualties, currently, casualtyservices would deploy ambulances from differ-ent stations to attend to and convey the casu-alties to hospitals. Treatment time could bedelayed owing to the large number of casual-ties involved and pending traffic conditions forall the ambulances to reach the incident siteand the hospitals. Stabilisation of the casual-ties’ injuries, if not conducted quickly and intime, might result in loss of lives.

SOLUTIONThe SWIFT is specially designed to overcomethese operational problems encountered by theMedical Platoon. With ease of deployment, theself propelled vehicle could quickly arrive atthe incident site upon activation. The setup isdone by two men and it requires 5 minutes forsetup. Triage and treatment could as swiftlycommence as the setup of the vehicle as thisabbreviated period for the Medical Platoon tobe operationally-ready is critical. Medicalequipment and supplies are stored in a modu-lar format which can be supplied prior to theincident to handle different disaster situations.In addition, with built-in lighting, oxygen, suc-tion and water, it can provide better medicaltreatment for the casualties.

The advantages and values of the SWIFT are:a Quicker Treatment Time and Enhanced

Ability to save livesAs the setting up of SWIFT is mechanised, thetime required is minimised allowing more timefor the Medical Officers to attend to casualties.Key medical equipment is also made readilyavailable for treatment of casualties. In addi-tion, the medical supplies are stored in modu-lar form to facilitate rapid replenishment andmodification to attend to different types ofincidents, such as casualties with burns oraffected by chemical agents. These are criticalto the success of any rescue mission.b Creating the futureThe SWIFT will have a central monitoring sys-tem to perform some of the tasks of measuringheart rate and blood pressure that are currentlyperformed by the medical orderlies. With bar-coding of the casualties, the accountability of

individuals will be enhanced. This system couldbe linked to the hospitals through wirelessmeans, thus providing first hand medical infor-mation on the casualties to pre-empt the emer-gency departments of the injuries and necessaryfollow-up. This collaboration could lead to morelives being saved in a mass casualty incident.http://www.healthstats.com.sg/cgi-bin/WB_Validator.plc Other professional usages of the SWIFT The SWIFT could also be used by the militarymedical support for its troops. The ease andswiftness of deployment and redeployment ofthe SWIFT increase the mobility of the vehicle,appropriate for military purposes. Besides thearmy, the SWIFT could prove to be a usefultool for hospitals who require temporary A&Estations to attend to large influx of casualties.

THE SWIFTThe SWIFT is a transport based system, whichcan be mounted on a truck or could be modi-fied to be a demountable unit.

THE COMPARTMENTThe compartment is supported by the vehicleand is able to store and carry medical suppliesand equipment. Storage cabinets or containersare used to house these medical supplies andequipment and can be carried within the com-partment. They are firmly attached to thecompartment when the vehicle is moving. Theattachments can be easily removed so thatthe cabinet or container can be positioned inthe area of operation.

The side and end panels of the compart-ment are hinged to allow an opening to theenclosure of the compartment generated.Underneath the opened panels, personnel andequipment may be moved to manage casual-ties. In addition, on these panels, lights andmedical services, such as oxygen and suction,are readily available for the treatment of theinjured.

A water supply is required to connect theSWIFT for the water needed to clean casualties.

Centralised oxygen supply and suction areprovided by 2 high powered oxygen concentra-tors (instead of oxygen tanks now), and vacuumpump suction enable 8 serious casualties to betreated at any one time. Water for washing issupplied through a 400 litre tank and a pump.

A generator is installed to generate suffi-cient power for the proper functioning of theelectrical equipment.

THE MONITORING DEVICESThe SWIFT is equipped with monitoring devicesand a central station to record heart rate andblood pressure of casualties. To each moderatelyto seriously victim, a remote device (Mediwatch),like a wrist watch, will be attached. The device isable to determine the heart rate and blood pres-sure of the subject CONTINUOUSLY, as in ICU orOR, and transmit the information via radiofre-quency waves to the central monitoring station,which in turn could be linked to the hospitals.


IndustrialP R O D U C T P R O F I L E

For further information, please contact

[email protected]

The frontal, side and back view of thevehicle, SWIFT

SSWWIIFFTT ((SSTTAATTIIOONN WWIITTHH IIMMMMEEDDIIAATTEE

FFIIRRSSTT--AAIIDD TTRREEAATTMMEENNTT))

P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:30 pm Page 49

From 32 tone interior sounders towide area disaster signals, revolu-tionary directional sounders to state

of the art desktop evacuation software;there is certainly no question that a sys-tem for everyone is out there, though thequestion of what and where is not soclear.

EVOLUTIONIn the UK, the vast majority of alarms relyon rudimentary warning systems, oftenusing only simple bells or electronicsounders. Many of these basic productshave now been developed into moresophisticated units offering superior audi-bility and a wider range of tones. Due toconsumer demand, modern sounders havebeen designed to overcome the problemsof high current consumption that wereoften found with early electronic sounders.They now draw less than a tenth of thepower of their predecessors and manysounders are available with very low con-sumption, in the 3 mA to 5 mA range foroutputs of around 100 dB(A).

Products for both indoor and outdooruse are now widely available with rela-tively high sound output and a widechoice of voltages, often incorporatingup to 32 tones. Where a unit is requiredto perform in both indoor and outdoor

applications, appropriate weatherproofingis fitted. It is also possible for this type ofmulti-purpose product to be fitted with abeacon, should the need arise.

The introduction of multi-tonesounders as well as voice sounders hascome some way towards addressing theneed for alarms that are situation andeven country-specific, whereby a tailoredmessage can be emitted in place of astandard alarm tone. Many countries havetheir own specific, well-recognised alarmsounds and emergency evacuation signals,although this isn’t the case in the UK.Products aimed at international marketsneed to, and more often than not doaccommodate these differences to meetthe localised needs of many countries.

Where voice-enhanced sounders arespecified, they can provide the user witha clear and precise safety warning. Userrecordable sounders customise messagesas well as allowing users to record mul-tiple separate messages. These soundersare designed for use within the fire andindustrial sector to enhance safety andsecurity.

Many sounders are available on themarket, including those designed princi-pally as ceiling mounted units for use infire alarm systems in areas with lowambient background noise. Intended to

be installed under proprietary heat andsmoke detectors, a sounder and detectorcan be located at one point, saving timeand materials. Low current fire alarmsounders are ideally suited for long cableruns where a low current draw is required.

Powerful disaster warning soundershave been specifically designed to providefire alarm warning outdoors, particularlywhere a high ambient background noise isapparent. These units can have an outputof around 140 dB @ 1 m making themideal for the large industrial sites wherethey are often situated. Rugged by design,outdoor wide-area use sounders offerhigher audibility to enable the sound tocarry over large distances and they canoffer the facility of voice/PA capability.

SEEING THE LIGHTTo meet the demands of the market manysounders have been further developed totake their capability beyond that of a basicaudible warning device. Such products arenow available in the form of combinedmulti-tone audible/visual units. Sounder-beacon combination units are a necessityin many applications. In a smoke filledarea a guiding emergency light on its ownis insufficient, and in high noise environ-ments a sounder may not be heard. Themajority of security systems rely solely onaudible sounders, but often the ideal solu-


Kristian Johnson,Marketing Manager atKlaxon Signals, discussesthe developments made inalarm warning systemsand evacuation aids.

Pic courtesy of Klaxon Signals

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IN LIGHT OF THE impending DDA and EN54 directive, never before has itbeen more necessary to ensure safety and warning systems are up tostandard. Perhaps of greater importance is making certain that the rightsystem is specified for the right application, but the choice and versatility ofalarm warning systems available in today’s market make this no easy task.


The sights and The sights and P. 35-51 23/10/06 2:31 pm Page 50

tion should be a system thats acknow-ledges the need for and incorporatessounder-beacon combination units.

Regardless of the type of sounder usedthe unit must be installed correctly toensure maximum sound and light expo-sure. As sounders are designed to projecta multi-directional sound, the centre of aroom or wall is the most appropriateposition for installation, though this mayvary in areas with high noise hotspots. Tocheck that the sounder can overcome anyexisting noise, background audibilityshould always be assessed before com-mencing installation. Sounders incorpo-rating beacons must be visible to the eye;in contrast there are no real height issueswith audible sounders. Naturally, the unitmust be weatherproof if the sounder is tobe installed outside.

High current consumption has been anissue long associated with beacon use, withxenon beacons often drawing excessivecurrents and most taking large currentsurges after each flash. This effect is oftencompounded when many units are usedtogether: the cumulative effect can causeoverloads in power supplies and sometimesdisrupt other parts of the system.

It has been very important to find analternative way to accommodate visualsignalling. In security and fire installa-tions, for example, low current consump-tion, reliability and synchronised beaconflashing is paramount.

Now beacons are available which uselight emitting diodes as an alternative.LED beacons can produce light outputssimilar to that of their xenon equivalentsfor currents of around 3 mA. This allowsthe user to integrate these units withsounders, lowering installation costs andfinally making loop-powered sounderbeacons a real option.

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONDirectional sounder technology is a fur-ther extension, which makes use of soundfor evacuation rather than an alarm. Newtypes of fire alarm sounders which usedirectional sounder technology to guidethe occupants of a building to the emer-gency exits are helping to make escapeeasier. The new technology allows thosewith impaired vision, or any occupants ofa smoke-filled building, to make a saferand quicker exit in the event of an emer-gency. As fatalities in fires are oftencaused by inhalation of smoke’s poisonousgases, these sounders help to save lives byminimising evacuation time.

Conventional fire alarm sounders,using narrow sound frequencies whichthe brain cannot localise, merely alert lis-teners to the presence of danger, givingno information concerning the distancefrom or the location of the nearest emer-gency exits, and therefore relying onoccupants’ ability to exit using signs only.

In order for exit sounders to be locatedby the brain, the frequency content ofthe sound has to be as wide as possible(20-20,000 Hz). Sounders using direc-tional sounder technology emit a broad-band, multi-frequency sound, commonlyreferred to as white noise, whose direc-tion can be easily detected by the brain.Intuitively understood, a rising or fallingtone indicates whether to descend orascend any stairs.

Used in conjunction with modern ana-logue addressable fire detection systemswhich can determine the source of a fire,a preferred evacuation route can be setby triggering the appropriate directionalsounders.

Emergency warning computer softwareis a further step beyond the realms of thetraditional security system. Such softwarecan enable orderly evacuations by trans-mitting tailored instructions and exitmaps in front of each PC user exactlywhen they are needed; overriding what-ever is displayed on the screen. The sys-tems are designed to complement audiblewarning systems and can be configuredto warn of fire, security and other haz-ards. They can also be used to call indi-viduals to help, such as fire or evacuationwardens.

If fire breaks out and a building’s occu-pants need to evacuate, such systems candisplay maps, assembly points, soundsand animations to aid a swift and orderlyexit. The programs can also be customisedto display other messages for any need,

such as those to alert First Aid personnelto an incident within the building, or tosummon security staff discreetly.

LEGISLATIONLegislation plays a key part in keepingsounders and security/safety systems upto date. For example the ConstructionProducts Directive states that all firesounders sold in Europe after June 2005will have to comply with EN54. Theimpact on businesses in terms of timeand costs required for product testing,approvals and amendments is as yetunknown, but the impact is certainlyexpected to be significant.



Industrial

The Disability Discrimination Act(DDA), which should be in place inthe UK by October 2004, will havea massive impact on all businessesregardless of trade or industry. Itwill require modification, or in somecases a complete overhaul, of manypremises in order for them to becompliant with the act, with securitysystems falling within the guidelines.Products incorporating directionalsounder technology already acknow-ledge the need for security systemsthat cater for all, regardless of dis-ability. An obvious example is theway in which visually impairedpeople can be guided away fromdanger zones by white noise gener-ated by directional sounder technol-ogy. Visual warning systems alsoadhere to the DDA’s guidelines byoffering guidance to the hearingimpaired. Sounder-beacons cancater for many situations by offeringboth audible and visual warning.

sounds of safetysounds of safetyP. 35-51 23/10/06 2:31 pm Page 51


Fire and Rescue Training

P. 53-67 23/10/06 4:17 pm Page 53

1 INTRODUCTION TO THE COLLEGE1.1 The Fire Safety Engineering Col-

lege is a private joint stock com-pany owned by a consortium ofsponsors. It is registered with theMinistry of Commerce andIndustry and registered with andregulated by the Ministry ofHigher Education.

1.2 The College’s objectives are:1.2.1 To create in the Sultanate of

Oman a cost effective interna-tional centre of excellence forthe study of Fire Safety Engi-neering for public and privatestudents from the Sultanate ofOman, the Gulf Region andbeyond.

1.2.2 To create in the Sultanate ofOman a cost effective interna-tional centre of excellence forthe study of Oil and Gas Drillingfor public and private studentsfrom the Sultanate of Oman, theGulf Region and beyond.

1.2.3 To provide a progressive systemof education and training so thatstudent fire engineers are able toachieve appropriate vocationaland academic qualifications lead-ing to local awards at Certificateand Diploma levels and to theaward of degrees and higherdegrees in the United Kingdom.

1.2.4 To provide a progressive systemof education and training for oiland gas drilling personnel so thatdrilling personnel at all levelsare able to achieve appropriatevocational qualifications andprogress to programmes ofHigher Education.

1.2.5 To introduce additional programmesas required to meet the Sultanate’sneeds for a qualified work force,to meet the requirements of theMinistry of Higher Education, andto further the College’s profes-sional and business objectives.

1.3 The College brings together thebest purpose built facilities andstaff for fire safety, oil and gasdrilling training and educationwithin the Gulf Region and isone of only a few such establish-ments world wide.

3 COLLEGE RESOURCES

3.1 General Facilities3.1.1 The FSEC is located on a 100

acre site leased from the DirectorGeneral for Civil Aviation andMeteorology and is close to SeebInternational Airport.

The site includes a main teach-ing and administration block, a firestation, stores, workshop, prayerroom, shower and ablutions as

well as a lagoon and state of theart realistic fire and rescue train-ing rigs for civil defence, aviationand industrial fire services.

The main building and porta-cabin annexes seat approximately300 students in a total of twentyclassrooms and are equipped toenable the tutor to offer the verybest in presentation technology.Four additional classroomsaccommodating 120–150 stu-dents are ready for occupationfrom February 2003. Plans for anew teaching block comprisingadditional laboratories, lecturehalls, staff accommodation, anexamination hall and a multi-purpose hall are currently withMuscat Municipality for approval.

3.1.2 During the working day, a diningroom on the ground floor pro-vides hot meals, drinks andsnacks. All classrooms and move-ment areas are fully air condi-tioned. Male and female toiletsare located on the ground floorand chilled drinking water isavailable on all floors and at out-side areas.

3.1.3 The main building also providesreception and administrationoffices, with separate offices forsenior staff, whilst teaching Staffare located in a large open planworkroom. A reception areainside the main entrance providesa central focal point for studentsand visitors and also acts as aninformation centre.

3.1.4 A number of buildings have beenbuilt around the campus to housesupport facilities. These are:● A fully air conditioned chang-

ing room with locker, shower,drying and toilet facilities.

● Stores block where foregroundequipment is stored andserviced.

● Fire station to meet thedemand for training and engi-neering demonstrations (theFSEC has a fleet of eight firefighting vehicles which arekept under cover)

● Workshop and charging facil-ity to maintain the FSEC’sBreathing Apparatus equip-ment and cylinders.

● There is also a prayer room.


Fire

and

Res

cue

Trai

ning

The Fire Safety

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3.1.5 Because of the nature of thetraining, large amounts of waterare required. To enable thedemand to be met, water is sup-plied via a 600mm main to atank with a total capacity of150,000 gallons. In addition, athree million litre lagoon hasbeen constructed to supplementthe main supply. A water well hasbeen drilled on site with anextraction permit of 62000 litresper day.

3.2 Practical Teaching FacilitiesA great deal of research andstudy has gone into the provisionof equipment and buildingswhich will enable the FSEC toachieve its objectives. Currently,there are a number of steel rigs,purpose built structures anddemonstration facilities. Theseare aimed at providing the stu-dent with up to date technical,practical and realistic fire fight-ing training and to provide prac-tical examples of fire engineeringproblems. Four specialist areas offire fighting are catered for:Aviation Fire FightingFire and RescueIndustrial and CommercialWell Engineering.

3.2.1 Aviation Firefighting● Real fire simulation facilities

include a full size steel repro-duction of a large passengeraircraft with fuselage compart-ment, wings, engines andundercarriage. Internally thefuselage is fitted with twinaisle seating, a cockpit, galleyand toilet. All are fitted withreal fire scenarios. This mockup will train aviation fire-fighters and engineers forevery eventuality concerningpassenger aircraft fires anddisasters and is one of thelargest and most comprehen-sive of its type in the world.

● There is also a full scale steelreproduction of a large heli-copter. Fire scenarios arelocated internally, in theengine compartment and therotor head.

● There is a full scale steelreproduction of a military jetfighter. This type of aircraftpresents its own peculiar dan-gers when in a crash situation.The facility provides a learningenvironment to enable thestudent to understand theunique problems of militaryaircraft .

● A large investment has beenmade in the provision of threespecialist aviation fire fightingvehicles designed to theFSEC’s own specification.

These vehicles are at the lead-ing edge of aviation fire fight-ing technology and assist inboth vocational training andin the practical demonstrationof hydraulics and other fireengineering subjects.

3.2.2 Fire & Rescue● To enable students to under-

stand fully the problems asso-ciated with building designand management from a firesafety point of view and todeal with specific fire scenar-ios, specially designed build-ings have been or will beconstructed. They are uniquein this part of the world andthey can be used in a widevariety of ways.

● A smoke chamber, built onthree floors has been designedto provide instruction ondesign aspects of the controland management of smoke inbuildings, and advanced train-ing for fire-fighters in workingin smoke, darkness, heat andhumidity. The internal layoutcan be altered so that the stu-dents do not become familiarwith the arrangement. Thebuilding can be smoke loggedusing a smoke generator whichproduces non toxic smoke. Inthe event of an emergency apowerful ventilation systemhas been installed which willclear the building of smoke inunder thirty seconds. Extern-ally, the facility offers a numberof platforms from which dif-ferent types of rescue tech-niques can be rehearsed.



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● One of the most serious firesituations that can develop inmodern closed buildings is aflashover or backdraught. Thistype of fire is becoming morecommon and is very explosive,destructive, and very danger-ous both to building occu-pants and to fire-fighters.FSEC has developed and con-structed a simulator whichrecreates the flashover phe-nomenon repeatably. It willenable students from bothengineering design and opera-tional fire fighting back-grounds to understand the firedynamics involved.

● A fleet of modern fire fightingvehicles have been purchasedto enable the practical studyof both hydraulics and opera-tional techniques. Studentswill also be able to practicecommand and control proce-dures with the use of multiplevehicles and their crews.

● The modern day fire-fighter isincreasingly involved in therescue of persons from crashedmotor vehicles. To train forthis eventuality the FSEC hasconstructed a section of high-way which is located close tothe fire training area. Variousvehicles are positioned on thisto represent road accident sce-narios. Fire-fighters are giventhe opportunity to practicedifferent types of rescue tech-niques. In addition the facilityis used to demonstrate theproblems which can occurwith vehicles carrying haz-ardous materials.

● A Multi-purpose Multi Sce-nario “Fire House” has beendesigned. The building willoccupy an area 60 m x 60 mwith additional hard standingto allow free movement ofvehicles. One half of the build-ing will be five floors high andwill enable students to train

for fires which occur in highrise buildings. The internalarrangement can represent asmall warehouse, shoppingmall, airport terminal, officesor a residence.

This type of building willserve its purpose well into thetwenty first century as it canbe adapted to represent anybuilding in any emergencysituation. It will be used toteach good building design,smoke control and the use ofsprinklers and automatic firedetection systems in engineer-ing modules.

3.2.3 Industrial and CommercialThe major industrial activity inthe region is that associated withgas, petroleum products andother chemicals. The potentialfor disaster is therefore high.Good design, good managementpractice and sound planning mit-igate the risk considerably. Thedemand for training in each ofthese areas has, until now, beenmet by institutions outside theGulf Region. The FSEC isequipped with a state of the artfacility to provide this highlyspecialised training. The refinerycomplex can be used both for

Fire Engineering educationand/or operational fire fightingtechniques.● The refinery complex occupies

a site of 10,000 square metres.It consists of three levels witha petrochemical process plantand oil cracker unit, tank stor-age facility and tanker fillingdepot. In addition a numberof pipe and valve gantries arelocated around the rig whichare incorporated into differentscenarios. All fires are fired byLPG.

● Concern for the safety of stu-dents the fuel supply to anypart of the refinery can be iso-lated virtually immediately bythe operation of dedicatedsafety valves.

● The refinery complex can beused to simulate, stack fires,flange fires, burst lines, cargopump fires, pipe line fires, andfires in and around storagetanks. These can be simulatedon all levels of the refineryeither as single incidents or asfull process unit fires. There isalso a chemical storage area aswell as the capability to simu-late oil line fractures inground and overhead pipe-lines. The overhead pipe linesare pressure fed and are fittedwith full size process valveswhich can be used to demon-strate all forms of fires involv-ing valves such as packingfires, stem fires and, also, valvesplitting fires.

● The tank farm consists of sixstorage tanks which can beused either individually or col-lectively to create full tanksurface fires. The tanks canalso be used to simulate atank being overfilled. These 5metre high storage tanks areconnected by gantries to allowhigh rescue training.

● There is a full size pipe trenchwithin the tank farm wheretraining for fighting fires inpipe lines can be carried out.There is also a facility for con-fined space rescue and Hydro-gen Sulphide training. Theroad loading terminal hasroom for two full size tankersand can be used to simulate aterminal fire or fires in theroad tankers themselves. Inaddition to these many realis-tic fire safety and fire fightingscenarios the refinery complexcan be used for pollution con-trol training.


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● Two other rigs have been pro-vided; a split pipe flange anda vertical screen to demon-strate the problems associatedwith fires involving free flow-ing products.

● Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) isnow a major industrial fuelsource and by the year 2010will be a major part of theeconomy of Oman. The FSEChas installed a dedicated facil-ity which will demonstrate toemployees and fire-fightersthe characteristics and dangersassociated with LNG in bothfree and process environments.

● The Fire Safety EngineeringCollege believes that it hasdesigned and built the mostcomprehensive and advancedrefinery fire safety and firefighting simulations in theMiddle East.

3.2.4 Well EngineeringMoving upstream, the Fire SafetyEngineering College in co-opera-tion with a consortium of repre-sentatives of the Sultanate’s Oiland Gas Industry has drilled atraining well (TRAINWELL) toprovide realistic training for allthe functions and levels neededby the drilling industry.● As elsewhere throughout the

world there is a greater thanever level of concern about theneed for the oil and gas drillingindustry to train. Chronicreliance on the industry giantsto provide the skilled workforceneeded, the accumulativeimpact of layoffs, the age pro-file of the industry (the averageage on the North Sea rigs issaid to be 47), over dependenceon expensive expatriate labour,the requirement to meetnationalisation targets, wastagerates in professional examina-tions, and the arrival of gradu-

ate entrants without fieldexperience have all now cometogether to create a new impe-tus for systematic trainingwithin the industry.

● Courses include rig operations,rig maintenance, rig safety,basic and more advanced firecontrol, fire and explosionhazard management, workingwith breathing apparatus, con-fined space working, wellcontrol, well control refresher,advanced well control, hori-zontal well control, stuck pipe,first aid, manual handling,health, safety and environ-mental management. Whereappropriate, courses will beaccredited by the WellCap andRig Pass programmes of theInternational Association ofDrilling Contractors and theInternational Well ControlForum.

● This unique partnershipbetween the Oil and GasDrilling Industry and the FireSafety Engineering College,which is industry led, is pro-ducing training courses whichbring together competence in Drilling, Fire Safety and

Firefighting, and EducationalTechnology.

3.3 TRAINING EQUIPMENT 3.3.1 Breathing Apparatus plays a very

important part in the instructionof fire engineering and practices.The FSEC has thirty sets ofbreathing apparatus and sixtycylinders. A high volume aircompressor has been installedwhich will charge eight cylindersin six minutes. Classroom teach-ing is aided by the provision of arail ‘teaching wall’ system incor-porating white boards, angledscreen, flip charts, televisionmonitor and video player, and astate of the art computer mediapresentation system.

3.3.2 Fire Safety Engineering Collegestandard format student notesare issued to cover each of theobjective areas included in thecourse programme. Each courseis supported by a range of visualaids, e.g. overhead transparen-cies, computer generated power-point presentations and videos.All equipment necessary to sup-port the training being offered isavailable either from fire fightingstocks currently held by the FireSafety Engineering College, newpurchases to satisfy requirementsor in some cases will be hired inas required (e.g. craneage)



For further information on coursesavailable, please contact:

Fire Safety Engineering College ofOmanP.O. Box 2511PC 111Sultanate of OmanTel: +968 521 077Fax: +968 521 355Website: www.fsecoman.com

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Hale Products Europe is one of theworld’s leading providers of specialistfire fighting equipment. With extensive

manufacturing facilities in the United Statesand Europe, and distributors throughout theworld, HALE produces truck mounted, trailermounted and portable fire pumps. HALE isthe home of the internationally recognisedGODIVA brand of fire pumps, which are to befound in service in more than 100 countries.HALE is an independent manufacturer withdecades of experience in fine-tuning prod-ucts at the heart of the life-saving business.Hale also produce the Typhoon range of pos-itive pressure ventilation fans.

As a leading manufacturer Hale ProductsEurope are always pursuing new productdevelopments for firefighters worldwide.Some of the latest innovations are –

World Series Multi-pressure PumpThe Godiva World Series vehicle pump isproving a popular replacement for the pre-vious GM Range, itself a leading pump

which has given many years of service tofirefighters throughout the world. Key inno-vative features of the World Series include:

● Completely new design introducesimproved efficiencies with robustconstruction

● Full compliance with anticipated newCEN standards

● Optional control panel – incorporatingClass 1 instrumentation

● Self-cleaning filtration system● New automatic thermal relief and inter-

nal pressure relief systems● Low pressure water available to side

hose-reels as a standard feature● More compact design envelope and

reduced weight● Conforms to DIN and International stan-

dards as required● Light alloy and gunmetal versions ● Significantly reduced scheduled mainte-

nance requirements● Warranty extended to 2 years

The latest innovation for the WorldSeries pump is the all stainless steel version,which was recently introduced to the USmarket at the Fire Rescue InternationalShow 2003, Dallas. Stainless steel providesthe pump with life long corrosion resistanceand a guarantee of low maintenance costs.

Compressed Air Foam SystemsThe superior firefighting power of Com-pressed Air Foam systems is increasinglyrecognised. Hale has been a leadingdeveloper of CAFS technology for manyyears, and can now supply a range of inte-grated engineering solutions designed to

complement the equipment inventory ofany service. The range provides a variety ofinstallation options from OEM to retrofitand stand-alone, self-contained systems.

World Series Pump with IntegratedCAFSIn this configuration the CAFS unit is acompact package attached to the rear ofthe World Series pump “piggy-back” style,it comprises of a compressor, Hale Foam-Master V series foam induction unit andHale X-Mixer system. A solid-state electron-ic control provides a safety system and fulloperator control is provided at the pumpcontrol panel.

MiniCAFSA self-contained, retro-fittable system,assembled within a rigid frame, which willfit, into the space required for an 8 kVAgenerator. The foam mix rates for Class A firesare as low as 0.1% – 1.0%, resulting in moreefficient application of water and personnel,faster knock down times, reduced water andenvironmental damage. Water is suppliedeither by vehicle pump or portable pump,without any requirement for modification.

Power flow 8/5 Compact PortablePumpThe latest version of the Power Flow 8/5Compact is now the highest performing yetmost compact portable pump in its class. Itis also one of the quietest pumps availableproviding a discharge of 800 l/min at 5 bars.Key features include exhaust gas ejectoror hand priming versions, electric start asstandard with hand start back-up, wraparound stainless steel frame and a compact,lightweight design.

Class 1 RangeHale are also providers of electronic instru-mentation and control equipment fromtheir sister company in the Index corpora-tion – Class1 Inc. of Ocala, Florida.

The latest products include Smart Pro-grammable Switch panels and the “CommandMaster” – a complete pump and enginecontrol unit.


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For more information, pleasecontact:

Hale Products Europe LTD

A unit of IDEX CorporationCharles Street

Warwick CV34 5LRUK

Tel: +44 (0) 1926 623600 Fax: +44 (0) 1926 623666

E-mail:[email protected]: www.haleeurope.com

HHAALLEE PPRROODDUUCCTTSSEEUURROOPPEE

Innovation In Action

World Series pump – stainless steel model

World Series pump with Integrated CAFS

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The facilities available at the Collegeare second to none within the Unit-ed Kingdom and can provide realis-

tic training scenarios for a wide variety ofincidents: air, sea, rail, road, high rise, off-shore, commercial, domestic, industrial,domestic, environmental… to name just afew. College personnel are drawn fromFire Brigades throughout the UnitedKingdom and bring to the College awealth of experience and knowledge. Thelearning environment fostered by the Col-lege ensures that these personnel are ableto develop their chosen areas of expertisethrough study and research. A number ofareas relating to the development of BAtraining are currently being investigated.For the purpose of this article these devel-opments will be tied into the Fire Behav-iour Training Instructors course.

FIRE BEHAVIOUR TRAINING INSTRUCTORS’ COURSE

The Fire Behaviour Training Instructorcourse lasts for two weeks and was devel-oped five years ago, drawing upon expe-rience and expertise from throughout theworld. The course is designed to ensurethat a balance is struck between theoreti-cal and practical knowledge. In particularemphasis is placed upon the ‘instructor’

element of the course. To this end thetrainee instructors are required to acquirea high degree of technical knowledgewhich they can combine with the experi-ence and competence gained in the real-istic conditions achieved on the course.Time is spent in the excellently equippedchemistry laboratories studying the sci-ence of combustion, pyrolysis, limits offlammability, flashover, backdraughts andfire-gas explosions. As much use as pos-sible is made of small-scale demon-strations. Equipment used includes‘Aquariums’, ‘Bang Boxes’ and ‘WendyHouses’. Students are required to presenta number of lectures on Fire Behaviourthereby demonstrating their grasp andunderstanding of the theory and theirability to successfully use the laboratoryequipment.

Another area of the course that hasbeen developed is the use of ‘case stud-ies’. There is concern throughout the UKFire Service that Fire Behaviour Trainingis not being effectively applied to actualoperational incidents. The College libraryholds hundreds of reports on fire inci-dents, which have occurred in the UK andthe rest of the world. College instructorsand students can use these reports andthe photographs that they contain to tryto ascertain the likely fire development,

it’s ultimate effects and any relevantlearning points that can be gleaned forfuture use. By this method the classroomand practical based learning can be com-pared to and reinforced by such studies.Students, acting within syndicates, arerequired to make a formal presentationbased on a ‘case study’, which they haveselected, so that any learning points canbe highlighted. Part of the course requiresstudents to submit a two thousand fivehundred word assignment on any topicconcerning fire behaviour. Individuals canselect a case study of an incident, whichhas occurred within their Brigade, for thisassignment.

HEALTH AND SAFETYIn recent years more emphasis is beingplaced upon the command and control ofBA at operational incidents. This is main-ly due to injuries caused to operationalpersonnel at incidents where the controlof BA wearers has been found to be inad-equate. The United Kingdom TechnicalBulletin 1/97 on BA Command and Con-trol provides guidance on the above.Training at the College emphasises, tostudent incident commanders and teamleaders, the importance of proper com-mand and control and the need for thecorrect command structure to be imple-mented at the earliest stages of any inci-dent involving the use of BA. Anothertool available to the Incident Commanderis Dynamic Risk Assessment. The use of asimple flow-chart can help the IncidentCommander to continuously determinethe potential risks and benefits of theiractions and so develop a suitable courseof action and the necessary safety mea-sures required to implement it.

It is possible that some deaths at firerelated operational incidents have beendue to a lack of understanding and theinability to recognise the symptoms offire development. Understanding the risksimposed by fires and the possible conse-quences helps the Incident Commanderto assess the safety control measuresrequired. For this reason Fire Behavioursessions have been developed for inclu-sion in a number of courses undertakenby the College. These sessions are of par-ticular relevance on the core developmentcourses such as Crew and Watch Com-mander and Junior Officer Advancement.

An area of increasing concern withinthe British Fire Service, particularly in FireBehaviour Training is the health monitor-ing of instructors and students. Recentlythere has been a lot of medical researchinto the short and long term health


Pic courtesy of The Fire Service College

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BA TRAINING AT THE FIRE SERVICE COLLEGEThe Fire Service College, based at Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire,England, offers a wide variety of fire-related courses. BA training forms amajor part of these courses, in particular BA Instructor, Hazardous Materialand Environmental Protection and Fire Behaviour Training Instructor. In thepast few years a large number of students from the Asia and Pacific areashave attended the College for such courses. In addition, College instructorshave visited countries to provide on-site advice on how similar courses can beprepared, accredited and managed at local training centres.

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hazards of repeated exposures to hightemperatures. The guidance that suchresearch has produced suggests that priorto BA training of any type, students andinstructors should be fit, sufficientlyhydrated, adequately rested betweentraining sessions, free from any illnessand not taking unsuitable medication.Fire Behaviour Training instructors shouldalso complete weekly and monthly healthsurveillance logs. These provide HealthAdvisors with a clear indication of thetype and duration of any ‘hot’ BA wearsand give early warning of any unusualhealth problems that the instructor maybe developing.

PPEIn recent years there has been a dramaticchange in the Personal Protective Equip-ment available to fire fighters. The ther-mal protection afforded from fire tunicsand leggings, flash-hoods and gloves hasincreased. Using temperature probeswithin the Fire Behaviour Training units,it is not uncommon to record tempera-tures of approximately 700, 500 and 250degrees centigrade at head, chest andwaist height respectively. Less than adecade ago it would have been unimag-inable for fire fighters to endure suchconditions for more than a few secondswithout suffering extreme discomfort orburns. With modern PPE the level of pro-tection afforded means that such temper-atures can be endured for several minutesat a time without immediate stress. Onedrawback of such superior protection isthat fire fighters may become more iso-lated from their surrounding conditions.They can therefore, due to greater expo-sure, be at more risk of injury, shouldconditions rapidly deteriorate. This isespecially relevant operationally wherefire fighters can be lulled into a falsesense of security. College instructorstherefore try to ensure that a correctbalance is struck between exposure to

realistic fire conditions and the risk ofinjury, however minor. The old adage of‘burn to learn’ should definitely be athing of the past. It is important thatstudents learn, through theory and prac-tical experience, to recognise the likelyoutcome of fire development and learn touse their senses such as sight, sound andtemperature to help gauge this develop-ment and therefore act accordingly.

Another drawback of greater thermalprotection is the risk of self-induced heatstress when working hard particularlywithin a BA environment. Most BritishBrigades only issue one type of fire kit,which must be used for all types of inci-dent. For the majority of these incidentshigh thermal protection is not required.Breathable fabrics can alleviate the prob-lem of heat stress however, these can bequickly over-run if the individual is work-ing hard or the fire kit is dirty. As men-tioned above, heat stress can lead to avariety of short and long term healthproblems and should be avoided wherepossible. The College is assisting in theevaluation of various pieces of PPE and isalso attempting to ascertain what is theoptimum level of PPE to be worn by FireBehaviour Training Instructors to preventhealth problems. Areas under investiga-tion include: the number of layers ofclothing being worn under PPE and theuse of hoods on fire tunics to protect thehead.

FIRE BEHAVIOUR TRAINING UNITSThe College possesses six Fire BehaviourTraining units including two flashoverdemonstrators, two ‘attack’ units and two‘window’ backdraught units. All the unitsuse carbonaceous fuel in the form ofchipboard. The units have been convertedlocally using standard shipping containersas the base. It is felt at the College thatonly carbonaceous units can provide thereal characteristics of fire developmentand behaviour. Gas training units have

the advantage of being environmentallyfriendly and able to cope with a largethrough put of students but do not pro-vide the necessary realistic conditions.They are better used for practising waterapplication techniques once studentshave had ample opportunity to observefire behaviour and practice suppressiontechniques within the more realistic envi-ronment of a carbonaceous unit.

There are health concerns with thetype of carbonaceous fuels being usedinside containers. Chipboard normallyconsists of wood particles containedwithin a plastic matrix. The combinationof wood and plastic provide a good mix-ture of fire gases and thick smoke withwhich to demonstrate fire developmentfeatures such as the ‘neutral plane’, firegas balloons, roll-overs etc. Unfortunate-ly, the downside of using any plastic isthe potentially adverse health effects thatthe products of combustion can cause.Following a report, produced by a UK FireBrigade, highlighting these concerns theCollege has decided to monitor the situa-tion. Some Brigades within the UKalready prohibit the use of chipboard andwill only allow untreated timber to beused. Others have adopted a variety ofsafety measures to reduce the risks posed.

PROGRESSING FROM SINGLE CONTAINERSWithin the UK there is growing concernthat the development of FBT is stag-nating and not moving forward fromsingle container units. Several Brigadeshave designed and developed multi-compartment fire training facilities usingcontainers. These give them the opportuni-ty to reproduce and simulate a variety ofscenarios for a low initial set up cost. TheCollege already has a number of concretestructures, designed primarily for smallcarbonaceous crib fires, which could be



With modern PPE the level ofprotection afforded means thatsuch temperatures can be enduredfor several minutes at a timewithout immediate stress.

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adapted to provide realistic fire behaviourtraining. They have been used for such inthe past, but high fire loading and themethod of setting the fire was causingunacceptable damage. College FBTinstructors are now investigating methodsof building fires to give the right level ofrealism within these buildings withoutsuch damage.

TACTICAL VENTILATION

The College has a strong background intactical ventilation. At present it runs aone-week course for Tactical VentilationInstructors. Most courses such as FBTIand core progression also receive at leasta half-day input on tactical ventilationdemonstrating the principles and practi-cal application of Positive Pressure Venti-lation. The College is looking to developthe integration of fire behaviour and tac-tical ventilation within a suitably realistictraining environment.

BRANCH DESIGN

There is an on-going debate, betweenvarious fire departments, on the mostsuitable design for a general-purposefire-fighting branch. At the Fire ServiceCollege the general consensus is that abranch should be capable of producing avariety of streams ranging from fogthrough a spray to a solid jet. For a smallcompartment fire, it is widely believedthat a 30-60 degree cone, producing afine fog of water at a flow rate ofapproximately 100-150 litres per minuteis suitable for the control of fire gases.Traditionally, British fire fighters normallycarry out an initial attack on a fire usinga hose reel. This consists of a 19 mm hosewith a small branch operating at approxi-mately 20 bars. It was quickly discoveredat the College, when the new pulse tech-niques were introduced, that most branch

and coupling designs were inadequate forthe task. To operate smoothly at 20 barsand to give a pulse of short duration, ithas been found that a branch with a slidedesign has distinct advantages over aball valve. The water hammer producedby pulsing a branch can easily burstcouplings or damage pumps. Macdonaldcouplings with a screw-down lock facilityproduce a strong and secure option. TheCollege has provided advice to a numberof branch manufacturers on branchdesign requirements. One such piece ofadvice is that, ideally, within the conethere should be an even distribution ofwater rather than just at the rim. Thiswould ensure that there is an optimumspread of small water particles to absorbheat and control the fire gases.

THERMAL IMAGE CAMERASThere has been little development bymost Brigades into the operational use ofThermal Image Cameras (TIC). A TIC isnot always considered when making aninitial entry despite it’s proven ability toprovide significant assistance in quicklylocating casualties and/or the seat of thefire. Reasons cited, to name a few,include a lack of faith in reliability, con-cerns over intrinsic safety and resistancefor moving away from traditional, provensearch procedures. The latest generationof TICs however, provide an excellent andversatile search tool. They can producecoloured images showing temperaturevariation, take digital stills thereby pre-serving forensic information before it isaltered by the developing fire situationand can send live images via telemetry tothe Incident Commander. The latter givesthe Incident Commander valuable infor-mation on the fire’s development andassists in the dynamic risk assessment andthe continuous evolution of an opera-tional plan.

Various College members feel that thisis an area of BA training that requiresdevelopment. It is hoped, should supportfrom manufactures be forthcoming, thatthis can be investigated and pushed for-ward. It is interesting to note, from anAustralian CFBT web site, that TICs arebeing used to record and study thenature of flash and roll-overs.

BA TELEMETRY SYSTEMSThe College uses the Draeger 94 plusBreathing Apparatus set fitted with theBodyguard combined pressure gauge andDistress Signal Unit system. This set hasproved itself to be reliable throughout allthe use it has been subjected to. Its maindrawback it that Bodyguard is a complexsystem and needs constant practise in itsuse to ensure that the general and dailysafety checks are carried out correctly.With the regular turnover of students atthe College, who are from a variety ofbackgrounds and possess a wide range ofBA experience, the College has realisedthat it is not always possible for suffi-cient instruction and practice time, forthe correct use of the Bodyguard system,to be given. The College has thereforemodified the general safety check so thosestudents can carry out the full range ofrequired tests without incorporating all ofthe Bodyguards features. BA wearers whoare competent in the use of Bodyguardcan carry out the checks as normal.

Draeger has recently developed the PSSMerlin BA Entry Control Board, whichcompliments the Bodyguard system. TheMerlin Board uses telemetry to communi-cate directly with the Bodyguard unit viaan attached radio unit. This allows theBA Entry Control Officer to interrogatethe Bodyguard unit to establish cylindercontents, air consumption rate, time towhistle etc. The Merlin Board also hasthe ability to calculate Time of Whistle.Should the Incident Commander requireall or part of the BA crews committed tothe risk area, to be evacuated, then anevacuation signal can be transmitted viathe Merlin BA board to the Bodyguardunit. Obviously, from an incident com-mand point of view, Merlin has the abilityto provide the Incident Commander withup to date information to assist them inmaking decisions and to be another valu-able safety tool in the control of BA. It isexpected, within the near future, thatDraeger will make a Merlin board avail-able for the College to assess and toincorporate within the training pro-gramme. It would be of particular use forthe BA Instructors course where its capa-bilities could be tested to the full.


In ConclusionThere are a number of areas within BAtraining that can and should bedeveloped. It is felt that the College hasthe facilities and expertise to play anactive role in any such development.

Pic courtesy of The Fire Service College

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“The principal objective of a rescue andfire-fighting service is to save lives. Forthis reason the provision of means ofdealing with an aircraft accident or inci-dent occurring at, or in the immediatevicinity of an aerodrome assume primaryimportance because it is within this areathat there are the greatest opportunitiesof saving lives. This must assume at alltimes the possibility of, and need for,extinguishing a fire which may occureither immediately following an aircraftaccident or incident, or at any time dur-ing rescue operations.

The most important factors bearingon effective rescue in a survivable air-craft accident are: the trainingreceived, the effectiveness of theequipment and the speed with whichpersonnel and equipment designatedfor rescue and fire-fighting purposescan be put into use.

Requirements to combat building and

fuel farm fires, or to deal with foamingof runways, are not taken into account”.

It is significant that of the three mostimportant factors bearing on effective

rescue in a survivable aircraft accidentthe training received is listed foremost.The annex goes on to advocate underPersonnel: (9.9.30)

“All rescue and fire-fighting person-nel shall be properly trained to performtheir duties in an efficient manner andshall participate in live fire drills com-mensurate with the types of aircraft andtype of rescue and fire-fighting equip-ment in use at the aerodrome includingpressure fed fuel fires.”

ICAO Recommends (9.2.31). “Duringflight operations, sufficient trainedpersonnel should be detailed and bereadily available to ride the rescue andfire-fighting vehicles and to operate the



Pic courtesy of FSEC

InternationalTraining

StandardsBy Bill SavageHead of Aviation Training, FSEC


THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANISATION was established atthe Chicago Convention in 1944. The convention was the result of the comingtogether of most developed states having an air transport industry to establishstandards and principles for the safe, efficient and orderly operation ofinternational air transport. Standards and recommended practices are laiddown through a series of “Annexes” which cover all aspects of internationalair transport. Standards and recommended practices for aerodromes werefirst adopted in May 1951 being designated “Annex 14”. It is within thisannex that the international requirements for rescue and fire-fighting servicesat airports are set out. In the context of training the Introductory note onrescue and fire-fighting is significant stating:

InternationalTraining

Standards

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equipment at maximum capacity. Thesetrained personnel should be deployedin a way that ensures that minimumresponse times can be achieved and thatcontinuous agent application at theappropriate rate can be fully main-tained. Consideration should also begiven for personnel to use hand lines,ladders and other rescue and fire-fighting equipment normally associatedwith aircraft rescue and fire-fightingoperations”.

ICAO gives guidance on trainingrequirements in Attachment A, Section16 of the volume, the Airport ServicesManual Part 1 and in its Training Man-ual Part E -2.

It is clearly evident that ICAO placesconsiderable emphasis on training, con-tending that training underpins theeffectiveness of the rescue and fire-fighting service at the scene of an air-craft accident, and goes on to offersguidance on such training, advocatingthat all rescue and fire-fighting person-nel be properly trained. Why is it thenthat these training requirements do notfigure significantly at airports through-out the world, or the interpretation ofsuch requirements differ so markedlyfrom one country to another. ICAO hasa judicial function to consider disputesinvolving the interpretation or applica-

tion of the convention or its annexes. Itmay impose penalties against a countryor airline by way of the withdrawal ofvoting rights or the imposition of a fine.It also rules on any complaint as topreferential treatment, which may begiven to a particular airline. It ensuresfor example, that entry requirements forone country are applied in the same wayto all aircraft entering that country. Itharmonises the requirements for theregistration of aircraft, equipment andassociated operating facilities. HoweverICAO has no direct power within indi-vidual countries, and indeed, countriesare not obliged to accept all ICAOrequirements, although there is a pre-sumption they will comply unless anotification of exception is filed. Inorder therefore to ensure that interna-tional regulations are applied, eachcountry has its own national aviationexecutive. For example, in the UnitedKingdom it is the Civil Aviation Author-ity; in the USA, the Federal AviationAdministration; in Oman, the DirectorGeneral of Civil Aviation & Meteorology,and in the UAE (Abu Dhabi), theDepartment of Civil Aviation.

It is evident that International stan-dards and recommended practices forRFFS at aerodromes are generally com-plied with where there is strong regula-

tion and inspection, usually by a CivilAviation Authority or similar Govern-ment arm which ensures compliance.Compliance is also more judicious androbust if international standards andrecommended practices are incorporatedinto domestic legislation as in the Unit-ed Kingdom and the United States. Thismakes the International requirementsmandatory in terms of countries meet-ing their own indigenous legal obliga-tions for aircraft rescue and fire-fightingprovision. However, interpretation ofinternational standards by countries andtheir adoption into domestic legislationcan bring about variations in certainaspects of rescue and fire-fighting pro-vision between one country and anotheralthough fundamental prerequisites areinvariably included. This is altogetheranother issue for future discussion.

In most developed countries aircraftrescue and fire-fighting personnel aretrained to international standards andhold certificates of competence at vari-ous levels. Normally, in these countries,RFFS personnel are not being allowed to“ride” – form part of the rescue andfire-fighting crew at an aerodrome,without a certificate of competence. Indeveloping countries this is generallynot the case where the emphasis is gen-erally on localised training for RFFS per-sonnel. It is usually officers from suchcountries, who receive training to inter-national standards, predominantly atoverseas locations. These officers willthen usually become responsible for thetraining of RFFS personnel. They willhave little or no practical training expe-rience, with very limited access to facili-ties, particularly practical facilities,aircraft simulators, pressure fed fuelfires, a breathing apparatus chamber,firescreen and so on. There is an indis-putable gap in the approach to RFFStraining and the levels of competence ofRFFS personnel in developed and devel-


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oping countries, which predominantlygoes unnoticed. It is only when an air-craft accident occurs and the attentionof the entire world is drawn to the acci-dent site and searching questions areasked during the subsequent investiga-tion, that prevailing standards of rescueand fire-fighting provision at an airport,together with all other aspects of safety,become exposed.

It is manifest that in developingcountries there will be pressing demandson limited resources, which focus theattention of Government Ministers andthose, responsible for the interests ofthe nation. In terms of a developingcountry’s ability to meet its nationaland international commitments, RFFS atairports together with the associatedresources needed, will be amongst theissues liable to be ignored whilst morepressing matters are addressed. Thisperspective generally sees the RFFS atairports lacking resources and moreimportantly the expertise and under-standing to use what limited resourcesand equipment is available to besteffect. This latter point is crucial foralthough resources and equipment maybe limited well-trained personnel whocan utilise what is available to maximumeffect may have a positive chance ofbeing successful at the scene of an air-

craft accident/incident. When aid todeveloping nations in the form of RFFSresources and equipment is provided,personnel tasked with their introductionoften do not have the knowledge orbasic understanding to instruct orenlighten fire-fighters on its correct use,or methods of operation. UntrainedRFFS personnel endeavouring to deter-mine modes of operation of crash fire

rescue vehicles have, on occasion,reduced an appliance’s operational ser-viceability to a minimum. More com-monly, sophisticated operating functionsand operating safeguards built into anappliance quickly become ineffectual,reducing systems to manual modes ofoperation, merely because basic under-standing and knowledge were lacking. Ihave seen sophisticated equipment


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P. 53-67 10/24/06 9:56 AM Page 65

donated by well-meaning fire serviceslying idle, being unemployed and col-lecting dust for the want of the exper-tise needed to introduce it intooperational service. Conversely I haveseen such equipment introduced incor-rectly, with an outcome that a risk tothe safety of RFFS personnel taskedwith its use has been generated.

From any standpoint, personnelundertaking any form of employmentmust be trained and competent toundertake the duties and responsibilitiesfor which they are liable to be tasked.Surely this is fundamental when person-nel are liable to be tasked with savingthe lives of others. Training RFFS per-sonnel to a level of competence wherethey are operationally effective andcapable of working satisfactory in ateam is not complex. Training at thislevel fundamentally revolves around thepracticalities of fire-fighting, hose run-ning, ladder drills, knots and lines, hotfire training, breathing apparatus train-ing, search and rescue and so. Once basicskills are established these may be incor-porated in combined drills used to devel-op sound operational tactics andtechniques, which ultimately enhance the

utilisation of appliances and equipment. In the Gulf Region and other countries

where teaching difficulties associatedwith language and interpretation arelikely to be encountered the “hands on approach” to training practical skillsgreatly assists students to grasp funda-mental concepts. Fire-fighting is funda-mentally a practical skill demandingsound practical ability, robust physicalfitness, self-determination and motiva-tion. What is probably more difficult toovercome is the burning desire of stu-dents from most developing countries toachieve high levels of technical under-standing, seeking to gain qualifications

and certification which gives credence totheir training achievement. Whilst this isaccomplished by some of the more ablestudents attending training courses, it isnot generally the case. This should notbe seen in any way as disappointing, butrather a giant leap in the establishmentof robust rescue and fire-fighting teamswho, when called upon in the event ofan aircraft emergency, will be able toutilise the appliances and equipmentavailable to them to maximum effect. Inthis context if you were a passenger in aburning aircraft and you had a choicebetween Albert Einstein and ArnoldSchwarzenegger to affect your rescue,who would you choose? You haveapproximately 90 seconds to make thisdecision; the wrong choice will meanyour ultimate demise. This is of course asimplistic parallel; clearly men of greatintellect have made aviation one of thesafest modes of transport. Howeverwhen aircraft accidents occur there is aneed for positive and determined actiondemanding stamina, strength andresolve, if passengers and crew are to berescued. Surely this is what ICAO seeksto achieve in terms of the training ofrescue and fire-fighting personnel. Thosepersonnel who have the capacity andwherewithal to progress their technicalunderstanding should be encouraged todo so. This is an area of training closely


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From any standpoint, personnelundertaking any form ofemployment must be trained andcompetent to undertake the dutiesand responsibilities for which theyare liable to be tasked.

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monitored and encouraged by the Col-lege They will become the officers incharge of airport crash crews, the besteventually becoming commanding offi-cers of respective rescue and fire-fightingservices.

I have laid emphasis on developingcountries and their need to promote avi-ation rescue and fire-fighting training. Itshould be remembered that there aresome countries in the developed worldthat pay lip service to the provision ofrescue and fire-fighting at airports.Whilst it could be argued that develop-ing countries may have other prioritieson which to spend vital financialresources, what reasons can those in thedeveloped world put forward for short-falls in RFFS provision and training.Economic viability, the need to ensurea cost-effective operation, a judiciousinterpretation of ICAO requirements mayall be postulated. This will invariablyproduce a depleted RFFS, a token servicethat salves consciences, “it will neverhappen here”. An example of cost effec-tive RFFS at a Category 9 airport, whichcalls for three appliances to be available,invariably produces three RFFS personnelmanning these vehicles. Such provisionmay indeed be cost effective but in prac-tical terms such manpower levels disownany concept of rescue, let alone thereality of dealing with an aircraftaccident/incident and the possible com-plexities, which may arise should therebe of mass evacuation by passengers andcrew.

Importantly in terms of RFFS person-nel is their level of physical fitness; aproblem predominantly identified withdeveloped countries. How any fire-fighter can believe that in permanentlycarrying two or more stones excessbodyweight they will be able to performeffectively at an aircraft accident/inci-dent defies common sense. NFPA annualfigures on fire-fighter deaths in the

United States show that the greatestproportion of those deaths occursthrough heart related diseases/attacks.The rescue of passengers from within anaircraft cabin where passengers may betrapped or incapacitated, will in all prob-ability require RFFS personnel to utilisebreathing apparatus. Should there be afire internally rescue cannot be effectedsafety without its adoption. The use ofsuch equipment, even modern light-weight sophisticated apparatus, can bephysically demanding. This scenario willdemand well-trained personnel, whomust remain calm, and composed so asto be effective, it may also require con-siderable physical exertion on their part.Without this capacity they will be inef-fective no matter how sophisticated theequipment utilised.

Physical fitness training for RFFS per-sonnel is fundamental and must becomeinherent in the lifestyle of all fire-fighters. This lifestyle should be developedand engendered during basic training,and fully incorporated within ongoingdaily training programmes.

The fact that a good number of seniorofficers ignore the obesity of their crewsand their obvious lack of physical fitness

is perhaps a testament to the labourlaws within those countries, rather thanto any lack of understanding on theirpart. This is one problem that rarelyaffects developing countries where obe-sity is rare, certainly to the extent that itis found in the developed world.

Physical training, together with funda-mental basic fire-fighter training is a pre-requisite for success at the scene of anaircraft incident. I have seen physically fitfire-fighters utilise forty-year-old appli-ances and equipment to maximum effect,almost as though it had come straightfrom the workshop and in pristine condi-tion. They were well trained and well ledand more than able to tackle an aircraftaccident/incident, their self-confidenceand zeal tangible. Conversely I have seenunfit and poorly trained fire-fighters withthe most modern and sophisticatedequipment being bewildered and per-plexed because a “Ready Button” failed tofunction of cue. Whilst they were wellequipped with an abundance of resourcestheir lack of sound basic training wasdemonstrable as was the quality of lead-ership and self-motivation.



There is still much to be done inenhancing training of RFFS person-nel in the Gulf region, but traineesare keen and enthusiastic and eagerto enhance their practical abilityand technical understanding. Theydemonstrate great pride of serviceand patriotism, which makes train-ing enjoyable and outcomes morereadily achievable. The Fire SafetyEngineering College in Oman hasmade giant steps in the training ofRFFS personnel from this region andwhilst there still remains a gooddeal to be done solid foundationshave been laid.

The fact that a good number ofsenior officers ignore the obesity oftheir crews and their obvious lackof physical fitness is perhaps atestament to the labour laws withinthose countries, rather than to anylack of understanding on their part.


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SUBJECTThis report aims to highlight some of thekey issues facing F.B.T.I’s.

BRIEFA review of current practices and under-standing relating to “Live fires”

TOPIC AREAS1. Exposure to heat/ humidity2. Exposure to products of combustion3. Occupational health monitoring4. Protective equipment options5. Future trends

BACKGROUNDThe issue of physiological stress wasraised during an FBI seminar held at TheFire Service College during 1999. It wasproposed that heat monitoring tests becarried out to quantify the level of expo-sure for staff/ students.

The compliance framework documentprovides guidance on health monitoringfor all staff involved in fire behaviour train-ing. (FBT), this is further emphasised by thelatest home office publication on the man-agement of heat stress during training.

PRESENTThe Fire Service College is currently review-ing its policy on FBT, we now have a staffBA log, which provides a database of dura-tion, exertion levels and recovery rates.

This can be further enhanced by theprovision of ambient temperature; air flowrates and pulse measurement, available viathe Draeger bodyguard, as follows:

● A database to hold and report on offi-cer’s use of BA equipment. The data-base will contain a record for eachOfficer with an attached table contain-ing each usage of the equipment. Themain form will contain these fields:

● CD Number● Exercise Type – Pull Down List Venue

– Pull Down List Activity.● NI Number (primary key)● Exertion Rate● Recovery Rate● Totals – Exertion * Recovery● Duration● Comments

● Date – Calendar – “Click on date”rather than “type in date”

● Reports – SQL● A graph based on a date range.● Automatic flagging if exertion rate

exceeds pre-set threshold● Staff health monitoring will be con-

ducted by a dedicated occupationalhealth team.

● Line management will have tieredaccess to group/individual data.

● Database can be expanded to includespecific data requests (see dataoptions)

TECHNOLOGICAL ASSISTANCERecent developments in chemical trans-formation have led to the production ofvarious devices designed to reduce coretemperature of FBTI’s.

COOL VESTS A number of companies are producingthis garment, using an active “water gel”hermetically sealed in a flat-pack, thiscan be stored in a fridge, then, prior touse, the packs are inserted into pocketscovering front and back torso, similar toa flak-jacket.

An evaluation was conducted duringNovember 1997, at the American air-forcetest centre in Texas. Ten volunteers under-went heat exposure exercises, with andwithout the vest, a 22% increase in fire-fighters working duration was noted, they

also reported a noticeable difference incomfort levels and reduced recovery times.

One such vest is currently on trial atthe Fire Service College, with positive userfeedback on the reduction in exertionlevels and recovery time.

RADIAL COOLINGSection 4.3.1 of the home office guid-ance note mentions accelerated coolingas an accepted method for reducing coretemperature post-burn.

A recent study proved the effectivenessof simple radial cooling by immersion ofwrists in a bucket of cool water, the redline is with no cooling, the others indicatewater temperature ranging from 20-10°C.

CORE TEMPERATURE COOLING TECHNIQUESOne inherent flaw in this simple system isthe reliance on individuals to utilise thefacility, there are practical/time implica-tions of allowing 10+ students to gatherround buckets of water.

One option may be to adapt the cool-gel for use in wrist-bands, these could beissued to each student prior to exercise,and would provide the added benefit ofensuring comparable cooling options forstaff and students.

CARBONACEOUS FIRES vs GAS FIRESThere is an on-going debate regarding therespective benefits of these two systems.

“Hot under By David Carson

“Hot under F.S.C. staff monitoring options

(An investigation of the physiolog

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Gas fired rigs provide a (relatively)clean burn, with greater control over theenvironment, the draw-back being thelack of realism.

Carbonaceous fires provide a morerealistic scenario, and are (relatively)cheap to run.

The main draw-back is the environmen-tal impact with products of combustion.

This means that only a few sites in theUK are given a license to burn.

Another more sinister issue is the long-term exposure to student/staff from util-ising chip-board in the fire containers.

A recent study has highlighted thepotential damage to individuals from theunburnt products of combustion. Theseinclude Ammonia; Hydrogen cyanide;formaldehyde; and methyl isocyanates.All of these chemicals can enter the bodythrough percutaneous absorption as wellas inhalation and ingestion. They aretoxic and carcinogenic and will attack theliver; kidneys and central nervous systemover a long period.

The only way to achieve a “clean” burn,requires temperatures in excess of 750°C.

This is rarely achieved in the currentfire behaviour units.

The result is that students and instruc-tors exit the unit covered in a sticky coat-ing of chemicals, they then proceed toremove their BA sets, take of the jacketand have a drink of water, and the proba-bility of cross-contamination is obvious.

RISK REDUCTION A number of options exist for reducing thelikelihood and severity of contamination.

The first would be to remove the risk, ie;use “clean” white wood. This has a majorcost implication and would be hard toachieve, as most wood is pressure treatedin some way before leaving the saw-mill.

Some Swedish brigades perform a par-tial decontamination, post-exposure. Thewearers disrobe with BA still on, the itemsare bagged and removed for specialistcleaning, and new kit is supplied afterthey shower. This too has a major costimplication as well as the logistical issues.

A more cost effective compromise maybe to apply barrier cream prior to don-ning; clean boiler suits could be issuedfor post-exposure, surgical gloves anddust-masks worn while transferring dirtyfire-gear. Shower facilities must beprovided close to the working area, with

clean and dirty zones clearlydemarked.

It should be noted thatthe issue of contaminationextends beyond the staff andstudents, it also affects fire-ground staff who are taskedwith the removal of debrisfollowing training exercises,this “ash” will still contain asignificant amount ofunburnt hydrocarbons andshould be treated with thesame degree of concern.

Fire-ground staff, at theFSC are currently providedwith dust masks and glovesfor use during clearance operations, it couldbe argued that this level of protection isinadequate, and that full CABA should beutilised, again this has major repercussionsin terms of time/ training requirements.

The issues of long term health moni-toring also need to be addressed, withoccupational health providing periodicscreening of staff, ie, on a monthly basis.

HYDRATION POLICYThere has been much research in the fieldof hydration, mainly based on personsinvolved in sports; this activity differsfrom our role in terms of heat exposure.

The Home office guidance document onheat stress recommends a degree of water“pre-loading” (250 ml), with rehydrationpost-exposure an important element.

It states that cool rather than colddrinks are preferable as these may causelocal vasoconstriction of the blood vesselsin the stomach, resulting in a slower rateof absorption. One contentious commentis the statement that it is not necessary toprovide saline solutions, as the salt concen-tration of sweat is less than that of blood.

This statement is contested by Dr.Mandy Stirling of The Leicestershire FireService, she has recently released a paperentitled – “Hydration guidance – is drink-ing too much water dangerous” in whichshe highlights the fact that hydrationguidance by its very nature must begeneral, as people differ greatly in theirfluid balance levels.

The issue of hyponatremia (low sodiumlevels), is a potential problem if sweatingprofusely for long periods, with only freshwater as fluid replacement. This will leadto dilution of the electrolyte content of

the plasma, and may interfere with brain,heart and muscle function.

Dr. Stirling recommends 150-200 mlsof fluid every 20 mins, this should con-tain some salt to maintain electrolytebalance, another option is to eat saltysnacks, but this may prove impractical onthe fire-ground, especially consideringthe contamination issues raised earlier.She also sets a maximum fluid intake of1litre per hour; any more is erringtowards excessive intake.



CONCLUSIONSThe purpose of this report was to be adiscussion document on some of theissues facing FBTI’s, I hope it will act asa catalyst for further debate.The inherent risks involved in any formof fire behaviour training are well doc-umented, and the Compartment FireBehaviour Training working group hasbeen created to act as a forum fornational debate.The role of Fire behaviour instructor is,by its very nature an arduous one, withlittle empirical research on the long-term effects associated with this post.We must ensure that best practice pre-vails; this will involve collaborativeworking and a mutual agreement thatby ignoring these issues we (the UKFS)are leaving ourselves open to vicariousliability in the future. Herein lays the quandary, becausemost of the effects mentioned in thisreport will not appear for many years,in a similar vein to the “Asbestosis”claims from rail workers.

the collar”the collar”39.0

38.5

38.0

37.5

37.0

36.5

0 5 10 15 20 25 30Time (minutes)

Mean core temperature (tac) during hand immersion in 3 differentwater temperatures for resting subjects suffering heat strain

t ac

(°C

)

ogical elements of an FBTI role)

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AND THE BEST SUPPORTING ROLE GOES TO …AN award-winning global emergencyservices specialist is to provide vitallife-saving equipment to Britain’s fireservices.

The Aire Group has been awardedthe tender to supply support systemsdesigned to prop up collapsed build-ings nationwide.

The company – based in Hudders-field, West Yorkshire – will be supply-ing the Paratech urban search andrescue strut system which has already

proved itself in action after disasters worldwide.The strut systems are part of the British Government’s multi-

million pound investment to provide its fire service with the latesturban search and rescue equipment.

The Aire Group – the UK’s marketing partner for USA companyParatech Incorporated – used to be known as Aireshelta Ltd and hasforged close links with emergency services all over the world from theUSA to Japan and Hong Kong to the Maldives.

It changed its name to The Aire Group to reflect its ever-increasingexpansion into innovative new products.

Aire Group Chief Executive RichardBailey said: “We have a policy only toprovide top quality products which peopleknow they can rely on when they are outthere saving lives.

“The super-strong Paratech rescuestruts are nothing short of a mobile lifesupport system and can be used to propup debris in collapsed or dangerous build-ings and keep trenches from caving in.Any firefighter will tell you that collapserescues are the toughest and often tricki-est challenges they face. This equipment

means they will be able to take on those challenges in completeconfidence.’’

He added: “Structural collapse emergencies happen somewhere inthe world every day. Now with the terrorist threat so real, we haveseen recent terrible examples of the havoc suicide bombers can wreakon buildings. The Paratech support struts are designed to deal withthese kind of catastrophes and would also be used after gas explo-sions, road accidents where vehicles have crashed into buildings,trench rescues and natural disasters such as earthquakes. The recentearthquake in Iran shows the devastation that can be caused, butpeople are pulled alive from the debris days later once rescuers get towork with the proper equipment.’’

The Royal Berkshire Fire And Rescue Service in England won the2002 world extrication championship and will not use anything butParatech struts at road accidents.

Its team leader, Station Officer Ian Cox said: “We’d tried all kindsof other stabilisation products before we discovered the Paratechequipment, but nothing has given us such stability. We now have agolden rule to use them every time we need to deal with an over-turned vehicle. The Paratech struts beat the other products handsdown and my message to other fire services is simple – you’ve got tohave them.’’

The Paratech system is quick and easy to deploy and includes strutextensions along with specially-designed base and end plates to givea secure fixing to a range of contact points. It can even be deployedpneumatically and locked in place from a distance for maximumsafety.

The struts are made from alumini-um alloys for maximum strength, yetare amazingly lightweight and can beused on surfaces ranging from sandysoil through to smooth concrete andmetal. They have been designed tocope with just about any collapsescenario firefighters will have to face.

The Aire Group forged its reputationwith the pioneering Aireshelta inflat-able buildings which have been usedas command and control centres at the

scene of major disasters and incidentsworldwide including the Selby andPaddington train crashes in the UK andthe terrorist attacks in the USA on Sep-tember 11, 2001.

In recent years the company’s prod-uct range has expanded so much it nowhas six distinct categories – Airesheltas,decontamination, personal protectionequipment, specialist rescue, urban res-cue and tactical equipment.

Its Aireshower mobile decontamina-tion unit won the Queen’s Award For Enterprise in the UK and isused worldwide from America to Japan.

Mr Bailey added: “Taking all this expansion into consideration wefelt the restructured company needed a new name and so we optedfor The Aire Group. We have had a new website developed –www.airegroup.com – which clarifies the company’s product range insix easy-to-understand colour-coded sections.

“The company is rapidly becoming a global one and our namechange reflects that.’’

FIXED & PORTABLE FOAM PUMPSAlbany Engineering specialise in thedesign and manufacture of a range ofgear pumps which are well proven inuse on foam liquid concentrates.

Foam pumps used on fixed installa-tions have been supplied to protectRefineries, Airports, large tunnels andoffshore platforms. Foam is deliveredat pressures up to 300 psi (21 bars) by

bronze or stainless steel cased pumps. Pumps are protected by an in-built relief valve.

Pump drivers are usually electric. Diesel engine driven pumps areoften supplied with control panels to start the diesel pump if theelectric supply fails. Flows of up to 1400 l/m are offered. Albany’stwin screw pumps extend the range to 4000 l/min.

Albany water turbine driven pumps are totally safe and save space.They are popular in hazardous areas offshore, on oil or gas loadingjetties and onboard ship. Water power for the turbine can be provid-ed by the installations’ main fire pumps. Onshore a fire tender’s waterpump can power the turbine.

Fire trucks use Albany for positive foam concentrate pumping.Driven by PTO or by hydraulic power, pumps are supplied with 2� to4� branches.

The main use for small portable foam pumps is for foam transferfrom drums to fire vehicle tanks or to fixed storage. Small bronzefoam pumps are driven by 24V DC motors using vehicle batterypower, by hydraulic motor or by petrol engines. Capacities rangefrom 30 l/m to a maximum of about 250 l/m.

Small water turbine driven foam pumps are used for first responseemergency fires offshore producing up to 10–12 bars pressure at lowflows. These pumps are used in tight spaces in hazardous areas.

Petrol, or occasionally diesel engine driven pumps, deliver up to250 l/m and are supplied on carrying frames suitable for four men.For larger portable foam pumps trailer mounting offers the completerange of pressures and flows up to 21 bars & 1000 l/m. Diesel engineand water turbine drives dominate this part of the market as theycan power pumps to operate anywhere.

Albany foam pumps manufactured for the petrochemical andoffshore industries are in accordance with API 676 and backed by ourISO 9001:2000 QA system.

Product Update ● Product Update ● Product Update

For more information, please contact: The Aire Group

Tel: 01484 646559Web: www.airegroup.com

For more information, please contact:Albany Engineering Company Ltd.

Tel: +44 (0) 1594 842275Web: www.albany-pumps.co.uk

P. 68-72 23/10/06 3:15 pm Page 70


“POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS TAKE THEIRPLACE” In 1999 the NFPA 20 Fire pump committee issued an updated ver-sion of the standard. The majority of the users of this NFPA Standardnoticed many changes to the definitive guide to fire pumps for NorthAmerica and much of the world.

The title was changed. This significant but often unnoticedchange underscores the vast amount of changes inside the docu-ment. Electric pump controllers, booster pumps and numerous otherareas of the standard have undergone substantial change.

Most notable from some persons perspective is the addition ofChapter 5 in the 1999 standard. This chapter address’s the type, useand application of positive displacement pumps for the fire service.Never before has any NFPA standard addressed positive displacementpumps in this level of detail and application requirements.

The underlying need for Chapter 5 was the fact that water mistsystems and foam systems use positive displacement pumps for criti-cal, special hazard applications. Yet the unique features and applica-tion requirements of these style pumps were not addressed until the1999 NFPA 20 standard was issued.

Now positive displacement pumps are available that are UL listedand FM approved for foam concentrate, water mist and traditionallow flow fire pump service.

The performance of water mist systems that use pumps rely onthe ability of positive displacement pumps to generate high dischargepressures at relatively low flow rates when compared to the morewell known and recognized centrifugal fire pumps.

In addition, foam concentrates exhibit liquid characteristics that varygreatly from water and thus special attention must be given to thepump type and application to the foam system. This makes the positivedisplacement pump a necessity when used for foam applications.

In summary, positive displacement pumps of all types have beenrecognized and acknowledged by the NFPA and fire protectionindustry specialist’s as a critical fire system component that deservesthe attention of all parties in the fire protection industry.

SOUND THE ALARM!Industrial Firefighters’Website ForumA new website forum has beenestablished for Industrial FireProfessionals to serve as a venue forsharing vital case analysis, tactical

resources, training material, or any relative information reflecting theissues that most affect the firefighting individual and the industry.

IFI – Industrial Firefighters International was established in 2003and now observes forum discussions amongst a membership of 100Industrial Fire Professionals – including Facility Chiefs, Safety Person-nel, Process Operators, Instructors, Medical Responders, and more.

We aim to facilitate open communications with Industry Profes-sionals, Training Agents, Standards/Regulatory bodies, and Products& Service companies to better support the safety and professionalismof the Industrial Fire Professional.

IFI is reaches leaders in multiple industrial sectors such as Explo-ration, Processing, Storage Facilities, Marine, Nuclear, Mills, Termi-nals, HazMat, etc. to create a comprehensive resource for intelligenceand training information.

Recent topics have included Crude oil fires, boilovers, pharmaceu-tical fires, accountability systems for incident management, LPGleaks, CAFS systems, systems design, and more.

Join in the discussions and submit your observations, experiencesand questions at www.ifiwebsite.com

LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY FIRE ANDEMERGENCY TRAINING INSTITUTELouisiana State University Fire and Emergency Training Institute ispleased to announce that it has received accreditation from theInternational Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) for Industri-al Fire Brigade – Incipient Level.

This program meets the appropriate NFPA 1081, Standard forIndustrial Fire Brigade Member Professional Qualifications, 2001 edi-tion objectives for the incipient level. Other programs that will besubmitted to IFSAC for certification include Advanced Exterior,Advanced Interior, and Fire Team Leader.

LSU-FETI is the first training facility in the United States toreceive IFSAC certification meeting NFPA 1081 requirements.

Industrial Fire SchoolMarch 1-3, 2004April 5-7, 2004May 3-5, 2004June 7-9, 2004Fee: $650.00 (US)

Incident CommandMarch 8-10, 2004April 12-14, 2004May 10-12, 2004June 14-16, 2004Fee: $450.00 (US)

Course outlines are available for those students who request such.

UNIFIRE STAINLESS STEEL MONITORSUnifire AB, have presented a new line ofremote controlled monitors, proudlymade in Sweden, with many new andunique features tha makes them attrac-tive for both fixed installations andvehicle mounting. They are also com-petitively priced!1. All acid proof stainless steel makingthem suited for marine installationsand hostile industrial environments2. Completely integrated heavy-dutyworm-gear drives, designed for contin-uous 24h operation.3. LAN network connectivity – simply-

fies installing and maintaining large fixed installations, andCANBUS integration – for convenient vehicle mounting.4. Progressive velocity joystick, making accurate positioning simple.5. The monitors have a record-and-play feature so that a running-sequence with vertical and horizontal travel and nozzle control canbe recorded and repeated inifinitely.6. Limit bolts to for every 10 degrees7. User-defined parking position.8. Full 360 horizontal and �90 degree vertical movement9. Low weight, only 13 kg for the FORCE 50, incl. electric controlnozzle10. Compact size, only 25 cm tall in a forward facing position.11. Video camera option.12. Radio remote option.13. Battery powered ground monitor option.

Models currently available are: the FORCE 50 for up to2000 lpm/10 bar and the FORCE 80 for up to 5500 lpm/10bar.

Product Update ● Product Update ● Product Update

For more information, please contact: Edwards Manufacturing, Inc.

Tel: +1 503 659 4198Website: www.edwardsmfg.com

For more information, please contact: Louisiana State University Fire and

Emergency Training InstituteTel: +1 225 761 3203.

Website: www.feti.lsu.edu

For more information, please contact: IFI – Industrial Firefighters International

Tel: +1 225.292.1199Website: www.ifiwebsite.com

For more information, please contact: Unifire AB

Tel: +46 303 248 400Website: www.unifire.com

Fire Team LeaderMarch 4-5, 2004April 8-9, 2004May 6-7, 2004June 10-11, 2004Fee: $475.00 (US)

P. 68-72 23/10/06 3:16 pm Page 71


Aire Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Albany Pumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Angus Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Bristol Uniforms Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Bronto Skylift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .04

Collins Youldon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .07

Dafo Fomtec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Dr. Sthamer Hamburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Edwards Manufacturing, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .09

Envirofire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

FDIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .02

Fire Safety Engineering College of Oman . . . . . . . . . . .59

Flir Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

GB Solo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Hale Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Hughes Safety Showers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

ISG Thermal Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Lenzing AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Lukas Hydraulik GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Max Widenmann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Melba Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Partner Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

PPS Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Rae Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

RTFC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Scott International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IFC

Sides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC

SK Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .09

Svenska Skum AB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .OBC

TNT Rescue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Total Feuerschutz GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Trelleborg Protective Products AB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

TSS Ansul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Unifire AB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .07

Williams Fire & Hazard Control, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

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