IFF Issue 06

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 6 – May 2005

www.iffmag.com

IFF6 Front Cover 11/17/06 12:58 PM Page 1

©20

05 A

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Inco

rpor

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It’s easy to spot what the new ANSUL® MAGNUM 440 Rapid Intervention Vehicle was made for: all-out performance. With its compact design, the ANSUL

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The ANSUL MAGNUM 440. Make no mistake … it’s a different kind of animal altogether.

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iff6 ifc 26/10/06 1:00 pm Page 1

1www.iffmag.comINTERNATIONAL FIRE FIGHTER

CONTENTS

Front cover picture: Collossus monitor, courtesy of Angus Fire

PublishersDavid Staddon & Mark Seton

Sales and Editorial Manager: Mark Bathard

Contributing EditorsMalcolm Hannon, Paul Hardy, EstefaniaFenoy, Mike Shimwell, Dr Clifford Jones,Dave Cochran, Gerd Pearson, Mike Willson,Paul Gunnels

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

Periodical Postage paid at Charnplain NewYork and additional officesPOSTMASTER: Send address changes toIMS of New York, P 0 Box 1518 Champlain NY 12919-1518USAUSPS No. (To be confirmed)

Annual SubscriptionUK - £35.00 Europe - �60Overseas - US$70.00lSSN - 1744-5841

DISCLAIMER:The views and opinions expressed in INTERNATIONALFIRE FIGHTER 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 6 – May 2005

www.iffmag.com

May 2005 Issue 6 MUNICIPAL SECTION

5-12 Helmets, Boots and Gloves

15-18 Counter Terrorism andResilience

22 Celanese AdvancedMaterials Product Profile

25-31 Torches, Portable Lightingand Lighting the scene of anEmergency

35-42 Interschutz Preview

INDUSTRIAL SECTION

45-48 Flammable Liquid Fires

51-54 Air monitoring as part ofpreparedness

56-57 Elastopipe Product Profile

59-62 Foams, Powders and Gels

64 FSI North America ProductProfile

66-69 Fuel Spills and Clean Up

71-74 Large Scale Storage TankFirefighting

FIRE AND RESCUE TRAINING SECTION

76-78 The Fire Service College,Moreton-In-Marsh Profile

80-84 Basics = Success In VehicleExtrication

86 Nike Hydraulics ProductProfile

88-90 Industrial Burn Props

92-95 Product Update

96 Advertisers’ Index

INTERNATIONALFIRE FIGHTER

COMMENTWelcome to Issue 6 of International Fire Fighter (IFF) Magazine. I have just returned fromthe FDIC show in Indianapolis where the last issue was on display. It was with greatdelight that numerous people stopped by our booth and commented on how they enjoyedreading IFF and were very complimentary about the quality of the articles and authors.Thank you to all who have contributed to making IFF a success. I was also delighted tohear that the FDIC attracted over 25,000 visitors which proves that fire safety is still a toppriority for us all. Well done Pennwell for once again, putting on a good show.

I would now imagine that a lot of you are preparing for another big event this year,Interschutz. The show dates are the 6th June to 11th June in Hannover, Germany. Thisissue of IFF will be on our booth and you can find me and the magazine in hall 12 standC60/1, If you have the time and can find us through the maze of halls and exhibitors,please do stop by for a chat. I shall look forward to meeting you. In the meantime, if anyof you have any ideas about future articles or items you would like to see covered inforthcoming issues, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mark BathardSales and Editorial Manager

P. 1 Contents 26/10/06 1:02 pm Page 1

Fire fighting is a red-hot Job –only the best will do for you.

www.iveco-magirus.de

The name IVECO MAGIRUS represents excellence in fire fighting competence since decades. Based on MAGIRUS' over 140 years of tradition, today we are able to offer you the concentrated know how of three brands: MAGIRUS as full liner and world marketleader for turntable ladders up to 53 m, LOHR MAGIRUS as tailor-made-vehicle specialistand CAMIVA as specialist for fire fighting and special vehicles. In continuous dialogue withfire brigades, world wide, we develop solutions which again and again set standards.

AT THE

INTERSCHUTZ 2005

INDOOR STAND P33

OUTDOOR AREA G17

iff6 p2 26/10/06 1:04 pm Page 1

Municipal

P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:19 pm Page 3

A fully automatic, electronic breathing apparatus control system, this unique device will allow your Entry Control Officer to monitor the exact status of up to 12 individual team members simultaneously from outside the incident. This innovative system provides pneumatic data, personal alarm monitoringand evacuation signalling - eliminating the calculations and guesswork that can lose vital time in an emergency.

Draeger Safety UK Limited • Tel: 01670 352 891 • Fax: 01670 356 266 • E-mail: [email protected]

Taking fireground safety to a new dimension.

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Personal Protection

Systems Technology

Diving Equipment

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iff6 p4 26/10/06 1:15 pm Page 1

In truth, the simple term “helmet” nolonger does justice to the fully func-tional, interchangeable and state-

of-the-art solution that forms today’ssophisticated head protection systems(HPS). Designed to offer uncompromis-ing, all round protection in the mostextreme situations, HPS are setting newstandards in safety and taking themeaning of personal protection into awhole new dimension.

Exposure to high temperatures,flash-over, long operating periods anda multitude of unknown conditions canmake firefighting both dangerous anddifficult. No matter how varied thetasks and diverse the individual’srequirements may be, however, thehelmet and accessories should offermaximum protection and freedom ofmovement in every situation. This callsfor a modular approach that shouldcombine safety, comfort and flexibilitywith national and internationalapprovals as well as meeting the

requirements of a host of performancetests. These include compulsoryapprovals such as the mask and helmetcombination in accordance with vfdb0802, attachment A and SOLAS as wellas, the flame engulfment test requiredby EN137:2001, Nordtest, EMAP andBUK.

Helmets should be shock absorbent,

ensure no penetration of the helmetshell, be resistant to chemicals andhumidity and protect against dartingflames, sparks and splints. There is alsonothing worse than a helmet that isheavy to wear – it will interfere withbalance and increase stress. The materi-als used in its design should, therefore,be light as well as effective.

The centrepiece of any HPS is obvi-ously the helmet shell. This should bedurable and able to withstand the mostintense heat. As a result of extensiveuser research, for example, Draegeroffers a helmet shell made of glass-fibre reinforced Duroplast which retainsits shape and protection levels, evenwhen exposed to flashover, and whichmeets the requirements of radiant heattests EN 443, 14kW/m2. The inclusionof fibre glass ensures good penetrationresistance and can also resist lowtemperatures down to -40°C.

With a self-extinguishing lacquerstructure, it also protects against theimpact of extreme heat. This is particu-larly important when considering that,in routine tasks, firefighters can work inair temperatures of up to 55°C. In haz-ardous situations these temperaturescan rise to 300°C and, in emergency


Municipal

Pic: Courtesy of Draeger Safety

By Paul Hardy, ProductManager, Protection Products,

Draeger Safety

WHAT DOES A FIREFIGHTER look for when assessing a helmet? Protectionagainst flames and falling debris, a good fit and clear vision? In a worldwhere firefighters can be faced with terrorist attacks, natural disasters andenvironmental catastrophes, a helmet should include each of these features,plus a whole lot more.

Helmets – offering far more than head protection



P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:19 pm Page 5

situations can reach a breathtaking900°C; that’s 200°C higher than themelting point of aluminium, a materialthat is sometimes still used in helmetconstruction.

Conforming to DIN EN 443, Duroplastoffers a host of benefits to the modernfirefighter. As well as being temperature,shock and penetration resistant, even athigh temperatures, it minimises heatradiation into the interior and, as aresult, improves comfort levels beyondthe norm. In the event of sudden,uncontrolled cooling, the outer shell willnot soften and it offers acid as well asfluid metal resistance. Robust yet light-weight, Duroplast also offers good elec-trical isolation and excellent longevity.

The inner lining of a helmet can helpto determine both its’ comfort and fit.Some lining materials are made of highquality Nomex which covers a largeportion of the head. They can alsoinclude a Nomex hairnet to significant-ly reduce heat levels, a washable head-band and a flame-retardant chinstrapwhich, if fitted at three points as in thecase of the Draeger HPS6100, will pre-vent slipping and chaffing. Bucklesmade of temperature resistant plasticshave obvious benefits, as do differenttypes of neck protectors.

Ideally, neck protectors should beinterchangeable for different applica-tions. Many different designs are avail-able and include a Nomex neck curtainto protect the back and side of theneck from heat, an aluminium versionto protect against moisture and providereflective properties as well as goodventilation, a cracked leather, waterrepellent design, or the Nomex Dutchscarf. Made out of 100% flame retar-dant impregnated wool, This circumfer-ential wool neck curtain is also oil andwater repellent.

A secure chinstrap, such as the three-point design, will also help to ensurethat the helmet remains in placedespite forces from different directions.In addition, it allows the helmet to beeasily and quickly adjusted to suit thewearer and the circumstance. Recognis-ing the importance of a good fit and as part of its tailor-made solution,Draeger not only offers a range ofdeep-fitting helmet sizes from 52-64but has introduced an extra pad thatcan be used to reduce the size to50/51. Coupled with the adjustablehead, neck and chin straps, this ensuresa comfortable secure fit during anymanoeuvre.

A range of optional visors will alsofurther augment firefighter safety. Clearpolycarbonate visors that are scratchresistant on both the inner and outerfaces will fulfil high mechanical andoptical protection requirements, includ-ing Ballistic protection B, and allowsafe and pollution free work whenendangered by flying particles. Anti-

scratch, gold-coated visors can also beused to protect against infrared radia-tion. A metal mesh visor, usually madeout of aluminium because of its’ goodconduction properties, can also be usedto protect the face mask visor underintense heat.

Different coloured helmets are avail-able for different firefighting forcesand ranks and can also be suppliedwith a separate front plate with a gen-erous area for individual labelling/markings. Flame-resistant reflectivestripes can also be applied to ensurefast location and easy identification.Lamps and light adaptors can also beeasily fitted to improve visibility or, inthe worst case, to assist in search andrescue operations.

In addition to good spatial aware-ness, hearing and acoustic perception isalso paramount. A helmet shell that ismore open to the front and which“flares” out at the base will improvedirectional hearing and allow a phoneto be used underneath.

Other forms of communication canalso be integrated to meet the needs ofevery assignment or task. These rangefrom practical, noise sensitive bone-conduction microphones with one ortwo speakers, and air conductionmicrophones that are integrated in thespeaker unit, through to throat micro-phone/speaker combinations for use inloud environments. Particularly suitedto rescue operations, for example, theDraeger MP-H Com is a very versatilehelmet unit with gooseneck micro-phone that can be quickly and easilyadapted to a wide variety of helmetdesigns.

Head protection systems that havebeen designed with the user in mindshould not be detrimental to the use ofother protective equipment, such asbreathing apparatus. The patentedDraeger Supra-Adaptor for instance,allows easy connection of the facemask to the HPS 6100 Helmet and canbe easily readjusted to fit other headharnesses if required.

66 www.iffmag.com INTERNATIONAL FIRE FIGHTER

Further information is availablefrom Richard Beckwith, DraegerSafety UK Limited, Ullswater Close,Kitty Brewster Ind Est., Blyth,Northumberland, NE24 4RG. Tel: 01670 352891. Fax: 01670356266


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P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:17 pm Page 6

Tel: +44 (0)1695 711711Email: [email protected]

NEVER LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND

INTEGRATED RADIOINFORMATION SYSTEMElectronics &Telemetry

SELF CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUSprEN137 : 2002 Class II

NEW!

When calling, please quote ref: IFF_MAY_2005

iff6 p7 11/17/06 1:43 PM Page 1

Abalanced foot climate does play here a very important role. Especially anatomical points of

view are not considered in a norm butare very important to avoid long-termdamages to the human body as far it it

is technically possible. Good functional professional

footwear should therefore not onlyprotect from incoming moisture butalso have systems which absorb footperspiration during the daily usage and

transport the occuring foot perspirationoutside by means of membrane andconditioning systems.

To reduce the daily pressure whicheffects the feet by body weight andequipment, the footwear should bedesigned in a way that the weight isabsorbed during treading and the aris-ing energy is converted into kineticengergy. The right outsole does play aspecial role here. It has to supportreproducingly the natural rolling move-ment of the human foot, work anti-skid and have features that ease thewearer’s tasks. For this, foot and boothas to unite. The choice of the correctshoe size and the anatomic shapeforming of the inner shoe have aparticular importance.


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For more details please turn to theProduct Update section of the magazine.

Professionals need professioProfessionals need professio

A penetration proof insole worked intothe sole protects the wearer from hurtfulimpacts from below. The soledistinguishes by a marked heel front, isoil and fuel resistant and non-marking

TODAY, MODERN FOOTWEAR SYSTEMS are able to offer more than onlyprotection to the foot by means of a steel toe cap and a steel midsole. High-performance functional footwear should be adjusted to the wearer’s tasks andthe associated occupational hazards.

P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:20 pm Page 8

If the inner side of the shoe corresponds to the anatomicalform of the human heel as far as possible, foot and boot canunite. The shoe becomes then the flexible foundation of thehuman body. It protects him, eases his tasks and avoids, asfar as possible, long-term health damages.

To guarantee all these characteristics during the wholelifespan of the boot, it is an important precondition to selectquality materials. Here, the correct choice of leather and itsprocessing is decisive. Only leathers that are worked to keeptheir shape for a long period of time, can base and supportthe foot. This of course affects the price.


Municipal

This firefighting boot meets even the hardest requirements. Foroptimal comfort, this boot is equipped with the HAIX®-MSL-System. By injecting PU foam it is attained that the boot iswaterproof, that the foot is cushioned from heel to ball duringgoing and standing, and that upper, insole and outsole areconnected durably. This high-tech functional boot is equippedwith waterproof leather and the GORE-TEX® membrane, theHAIX®-Climate-System and a rupper toe cap. It is antistaticaccording to DIN EN 344/345. With its rubber outsole havinga marked tread, it is solid when standing, in the country, whenstanding on ladders, and it is extremely nonskid

• clothing to internationalperformance standards

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Accurate workmanship, technical know-how and usinginnovative material as the GORE-TEX® membrane com-bined with other strictly controlled raw materials, createpractically orientated products on which one can fullyrely in every situation.

P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:20 pm Page 9

But for that glove, claws could haveslashed open a forearm or fangssnapped fingers and left him

defenceless.From the very beginning of things,

man has always carried his life literallyin his hands. Hence gloves, as essentialto man the hunter as today to the elec-trician, handling high voltage cables, thepoliceman in dealing with the publicand our fire fighter in fighting fires.

Fire fighters face many different haz-ards as part of their daily work, especiallythe risk of scolds and burns, a fire fighteralso has to contend with the possibilityof contact with solvents or other chemi-cals as well as sharp or abrasive objects.

Fire-fighters clothing and in particu-lar gloves, therefore has to provideprotection against a wide variety ofhazards, in addition they must allow thewearer sufficient dexterity to operate allthe complex and finite equipment theyuse in today’s modern fire service.

The fire-fighters glove standard EN659was first published in 1996 and providedminimum requirements of protection forfire-fighters gloves; historically, most firebrigades in the UK had purchased glovesto a NFPA specification, the ideology ofthe American gloves had been thethicker and harder they are, themore protection the gloves will offerto the hands, the new Europeanstandard challenged this.

There are three levels of protec-tion applicable to an EN standard.

1 Simple Design2 Intermediate design3 Complex design

Fire-fighting gloves incorporate thehighest level – 3, complex design.

All of the materials used in the glove,plus the actual design and structure aretested by an independent laboratory, to the relevant individual EN or BSIstandards, which constitute the EN659standard.

The manufacturing of complexdesign products must also be certifiedto an approved Quality ManagementSystem.

A revised version of this standard hasnow been accepted EN659:2003 andthis includes a number of alterationsand additional tests to take intoaccount areas that were not previouslycovered by the 1996 document.

In some areas, the minimum perfor-mance levels have been increased or themethods used changed to take intoaccount current thinking.

The areas where performance levelshave been increased are the abrasion, tearand puncture requirements from EN388.

This offers a more robust and durableglove, offering greater levels of mechan-ical protection.

The method given for radiant heathas been changed. The new methodsgiven in ISO 6942, which is intended tosupersede EN366, utilised a heat fluxdensity of 40k/m2 is used.

A requirement for the contact heat ofa glove when tested wet has beenincluded. This test takes into accountthe potential risk of steam burns orscalds where moisture build-up on the

inside of the glove is driven to steamthrough external contact of the glovewith hot objects.

One significant area which was notcovered by the original version of EN659is the potential of contact with liquidchemicals. Fire fighters often find them-selves in situations where accidentalcontact with a liquid chemical can occur.

It is not always possible to avoid con-tact; the fire-fighters gloves must there-fore prevent small quantities of chemicalscoming into contact with the skin.

The EN368 test method is used toassess the glove against a range ofchemicals, 30% sulphuric acid, 40%sodium hydroxide, 36% hydrochloricacid and heptane, have been chosen torepresent the most common types of chemicals that are likely to beencountered.

Taking all of the situations and haz-ards a fire fighter may encounter, it istherefore vital that the hands are giventhe amount of protection they need anddeserve!

The design of a glove is most impor-tant, first and foremost it must meet theessential requirements for the wearer,i.e. ‘fit for purpose’.

To ensure the best protection, theouter shell of the glove has to have agood quality grain leather.

1 Pig leather – smooth and firm,recognised by hair holes in the skin –used for cheaper leather gloves. 2 Goat leather – strong leather more

suitable for basic working gloves. 3 Cowhide leather – very tough, very

strong and supple, ideal for firegloves.

The characteristics of these skinswill vary accordingly to the part of the

world the animal lives; in generalthe temperate zones of the worldprovide the best environment forgrowth and development of live-

stock.The less favourable the climate and

the more primitive the animal hus-bandry, the poorer the general conditionof the animals and the lower the poten-tial leather making qualities of theirhides and skins.

The term ‘hide’ describes the outercovering of large animals, i.e. cattle,while ‘skin’ refers to small animals, e.g.sheep, goats and pigs.

Prior to the leather being suitable formaking into fire gloves, there are anumber of processes the skins must gothrough.

The raw hides must be preserved to


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An Evolution in glovesBEFORE HISTORY WAS WRITTEN, the cave man of the Stone Age usedgloves…. Not merely a mitten but a glove with fingers and a gauntlet coveringhis forearm.

Thousands of years before the Scottish proverb, ‘Touch not a cat without aglove’, primitive man had realised the necessity of shielding his hand, whenonly a sharpened flint was his weapon for hunting for food, with bears orwolves.

An Evolution in gloves

Pic: Courtesy of Southcombe Brothers

P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:20 pm Page 10


Helmet Integrated Systems Ltd.Commerce Road · Stranraer · DG9 7DX Scotland.

Tel: +44 (0) 1776 704421 Fax: +44 (0) 1776 706342 E-mail: [email protected]

www.helmets.co.uk

CROMWELL®

HELMETS AND

COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

Cromwell is a registered trademark of Helmet Integrated Systems Limited

See us on Stand No M01

Hall 27 at Interschutz 2005

Hannover6th – 11th June

TM

P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:21 pm Page 11

stop deterioration, especially duringtransportation.

The hides are then fleshed to removethe fleshy tissue on the inside, depend-ing on the thickness of the hide this canthen be split into 2, 3 or 4 individualskins, however, the 1st quality leatherwill be the top grain side, the number 2or 3 split in the hide will only result inan absorbent suede leather, with notensile strength, mainly used for cheaperglove styles of fire gloves.

Solvents in the dye vats reduce thegrease level to 5%, which is accept-able for dyeing.

Tanning converts the raw skininto a stable material, which willnot putrefy; this is done withminerals such as chromium,aluminium and zirconium.

Shaving the leather is done toachieve a uniform thickness forfire glove leather; this is usually1.1m, to give adequate protec-tion from the leather and also thedexterity when on the hand.

The final wet process is for thehide to be dyed, this can be eithersurface dyed – for cost cutting, orcomplete penetration, fat liquors andchemicals are also applied in thisprocess to give flexibility and softness.

The first line of defence in a fire-fighting glove is the outer shell, so theneed for a good quality protectiveleather is the most importantrequirement.

There are two basic designs for a firefighters glove, they can use either aGunn cut design or a Fully Fitted design.

The Gunn cut design is a cheapermanufacturing option, having only oneleather centre piece to fit the sides ofthe two middle fingers, thus having lessseams, however, the Fully Fitted cutdesign incorporates a separate piece ofleather cut for each side of the fingers,thus using more leather, more stitchseams but offering a better fit, withmore dexterity.

The actual cutting of the leather intothe hand shapes is so important. Theskilled cutter must first ensure that thehide is free from faults and scars, plushe must ensure through stretching theleather that it has ‘run’, meaning thatthe leather is not restrictive when thehand closes into a fist shape.

However, for the length of the glove,the stretch in the leather has to berestrictive, you do not want the fingerlengths to grow longer and longer themore times they are pulled on and offthe hand.

The separate leather pieces, (in some

cases the number can be 9), are nowready to be sewn together, to form theouter shell. There are various stitchtypes that can be used, i.e. pique,kipseam, prixseam, or brosser.

Brosser, this type of stitch is wherethe sewing machine takes a stitch overthe edge of the leather and is picked upby the needle which takes another stitchthrough the edges of the leather. Thisproduces a very fine close seam and is

used for light-weight leather gloves –not suitable for working gloves, wherethe stitching would come under consid-erable stresses, being on the outside ofthe glove.

However, the majority of fire fightinggloves are sewn together with the stitchtype being prixseam inseam, this pro-duces a neat, strong lock stitch, sewnon the inside pieces of the glove, there-fore tensioning is important to prevent‘grinning’ on the seam joints, especiallyat the top of the fingers, when the gloveis turned after making.

In a multiple three-layer glove, thecombination of the moisture barrier andthe inner lining is also important insupporting the protection given by theleather shell and must be securelystitched into the tops of the fingers toensure 100% lining retention.

The range of materials available toglove makers has undergone a revolu-tion in the last decade.

Whilst the more traditional materials,such as cotton or nylon and pile fabrics

still have a role to play, the age of theperformance fabric is now with us.

Fabrics or yarns are now availablewhich transport and manage moisture,thermoregulate, stretch for comfort,prevent the passage of blood bornepathogens and even inhibit the growthof bacteria. Ideally for the fire fightinggloves you need a material from aramidfibres to offer protection for the handagainst thermal and mechanical hazards.

Although the EN659:2003 still hasnot a requirement in the standard for awaterproof membrane, a good qualityfire fighting glove will incorporate amembrane and particularly one that isresistant to blood born pathogen fluids.

Gore’s ‘state of the art’ Crosstechmoisture barrier has been qualifiedunder the NFPA Standard 1971(1997edition).

Gloves incorporating Crosstechmoisture barrier are tested to ensure itis liquid blood, body fluid and common

chemical liquid penetrationresistant. In addition, thesegloves will be waterproof andprovide the highest level

of performance, durability andbreathability.What typically helps in heat pro-

tection detracts from wearer comfort,particularly in such a small refined areaas the hands. Thick insulation/liningreduces breathability and restricts free-dom of movement; therefore, the essen-tial element in the design of a protectiveglove is to make the assembly as lightand dextrous as possible, whilst main-taining the highest level of protection.

Today’s modern fire fighter has neverbeen so well protected from all of thecomplex hazards they may encounterduring their duties. ‘Too well protected’has been the comments, making the firefighter feel immune to the dangerswhilst in a fire situation, however,research and development will continueto improve the existing products.


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Malcolm HannonSales Director

Southcombe Brothers Ltd.Malcolm has been in the glove indus-try for 20 years, 2 years as generalmanager of Sudbury Gloves and 18years at Southcombe Brothers, wherein 1995 he helped to develop theFiremaster glove range.

Prior to this, he was a dyer andfinisher with Courtaulds and BritishVita.

He is an executive member of theBritish Glove Association and is oneof the judges for the yearly exhibitionof university student glove designs.

An Evolution in glovesAn Evolution in gloves

Pic: Courtesy of Southcombe Brothers

P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:21 pm Page 12

[ Because real-life firefightingdemands the best. ]

Notwithoutmy MSA

MSA Europe, Berlin Phone: +49 [30] [email protected]

INTERSCHUTZ

Hannover, June 6–11

Hall 27, Stand F 24

C o m e v i s i t u s a t :

iff6 p13 26/10/06 1:21 pm Page 1


WEIGHS LESSTHAN 1.5lbs

•UNIQUE FACEMASK SEAL

ERGONOMICS•

RAYTHEONMICRO

BOLOMETERSENSOR

SOLOvision is a fully operational thermal imagingcamera with Virtual Reality Viewing Optics. The lightweight and unique ergonomic design enables ‘handsfree’ operation.

The image is picked up through a centrally mountedcamera. Even in the thickest smoke and with theface visor entirely covered, the image seen by thewearer remains undiminished in quality.

Thermal image is displayed to the wearer throughaugmented viewing lenses.

Suitable for use with all knownbreathing apparatus sets.

SOLOvision’s outer shell comes with a lifetimewarranty. Subject to terms and conditions.

Thermal Image displayed through VR Viewing optics Solotic Imaging Camera

For information on all our fire fighting products or to arrange a demonstration, visit:www.gbsolo.co.uk | www.gbsolo.com | Tel: +44 1609 881855 | Fax: +44 1609 881103 | Email: [email protected]

P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:22 pm Page 14

This must be done in a way thatdoes not compromise security orunnecessarily raise fears. It is

important that the public knows whatbasic self-protection steps to take, andunderstand the work going on behindthe scenes to protect us all.

Government departments and thepolice continue to work together todevelop further public information tohelp people maintain vigilance andprepare for the consequences of seriousincidents.

A public information booklet,Preparing for Emergencies – what youneed to know, has been delivered to 25million households in the UK. Itcontains practical advice on how toprepare for a range of emergencies.

THE GOVERNMENT’S RESILIENCE AGENDA

Key messages● The UK’s resilience to disruptive

challenges is already high. There is astrong tradition of effective planning

and response at the local level. And30 years of terrorism has establisheda capability within Government andan awareness amongst businessesand the public which puts the UK ina comparatively strong position.

● Nevertheless, the Government is notcomplacent. The flooding and fuelcrises in 2000, and the Foot andMouth outbreak in 2001, exposedweaknesses. We have learned thelessons of these challenges.

● So the Government is seeking toimprove the UK’s resilience to dis-ruptive challenge. This means bothreducing our susceptibility to chal-lenges by reducing the probability oftheir occurrence and their likelyeffects; and responding quickly and


Municipal

EVER SINCE 9/11, the Government has made it a priority to be open andhonest with the public about the level and nature of the threat we face.Through new websites, publications, speeches and Parliamentary updates,Ministers have ensured that the amount of information on security matters thatis publicly available has increased.

CounterTerrorism and resilience

CounterTerrorism and resilience

Pic: Courtesy of Grindex

P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:23 pm Page 15

effectively if and when they dooccur.

● This work has a number of differentstrands:– Horizon-scanning activity to

identify and assess potential andimminent disruptive challenges tothe UK and assist in the develop-ment of an integrated response.

– Increased investment in thecapabilities that underpin theresponse to emergencies.

– An enhanced counter-terrorismframework, including investmentin operational activity and newlegislative measures.

– An emphasis across governmenton improved business continuityarrangements.

– The Civil Contingencies Bill,which will create a civil protectionframework to meet the challengesof the 21st Century.

CBRN – TOP LINES

What is the threat from CBRNterrorism?● The discovery in January 2003 of

paraphernalia that could be used inthe production of dangerous sub-stances shows there is a continuinginterest in using chemical, biological

or radiological agents as weapons ofterror.

● The Home Secretary will continue tokeep under close review any threatsto national security. If a specificcredible threat becomes apparent theGovernment and the appropriateauthorities will, without hesitation,

inform the public of what action totake. At the moment, we ask every-one to be vigilant and report anysuspicious activity to the Police.

Chemical Threat● Dangerous substances are strictly

controlled by a number of instru-ments. It is a criminal offence notonly to possess chemical weaponsbut also to provide, receive or recruitfor training in the use of suchweapons.

● A detailed assessment of potentialchemical threats has been made.Where antidotes to these chemicalsare available, they have beenstockpiled.

● Detailed medical advice has beenprovided to medical practitioners onthe HPA website.

CBRN Cross Government Co-ordination of Preparations● The Home Secretary chairs the key

Cabinet Committees; DOP(IT)(T)which oversees the work to strength-en the UK’s defences; DOP(IT)(R)which works to build the UK’sresilience and ability to manage theconsequences of major emergencies;and the Civil Contingencies Commit-tee which meets in times of crisis to manage the response and is


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P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:23 pm Page 16

attended by representatives of therelevant emergency services and agen-cies. the Devolved administrations arealso involved in these committees.

‘Dirty Bombs’ or ImprovisedNuclear Devices● At a national level, existing contin-

gency plans for dealing with theaftermath of radiological emergen-cies arising from nuclear and otherincidents have been reviewed andadapted to cater for the deliberaterelease of radioactivity into theenvironment (‘dirty bombs’). DEFRAtakes the lead in maintaining theseplans.

● The National Radiological ProtectionBoard (NRPB) and other bodies withspecialist capabilities would co-ordi-nate the monitoring of radiationlevels following the initial emergencyphase after a dirty bomb. NRPB andother parts of the Health ProtectionAgency would provide expert adviceto the Government, Emergency Ser-vices and local government dealingwith an incident involving radioac-tive materials. Once the emergencyphase of an incident has come to anend and the emphasis has shifted torecovery including environmentalclean-up, the lead in co-ordinatingthe longer-term response would passto DEFRA.

● The NHS has detailed guidance andwell-rehearsed plans for a nuclear orradiological emergency.

Emergency Services Preparations for a CBRN Incident● The emergency services have equip-

ment and trained officers to enablethem to respond to a release ofCBRN material.

● All three emergency services haveofficers equipped and trained in theuse of personal protective equipmentsuits (PPE). These suits allow them toattend an incident where there hasbeen a release of CBRN material andto proceed to carry out their jobs.


Municipal

Pic: Courtesy of Grindex

The NationalRadiologicalProtection Board(NRPB) and otherbodies with specialistcapabilities wouldco-ordinate themonitoring ofradiation levelsfollowing the initialemergency phaseafter a dirty bomb.

P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:24 pm Page 17

WHAT HAS THE UK DONE SINCE 9/11 TO MAKE THE UK SAFER?

EMERGENCY SERVICES AND CBRN

● Every acute hospital and ambulanceservice now has a stock of personalprotective suits, and is equippedwith mobile decontamination units,to allow safe working and decon-tamination of patients.

● Some 3,200 protective suits wereprovided for hospitals and 4,300 forthe ambulance service. Of the 360mobile decontamination units pro-cured, 200 have gone to hospitalsand 160 to the ambulance service.These units offer shelter, power andwater management systems to NHSpersonnel who are decontaminatingpatients.

● In addition, a central stockpile ofprotective suits has been establishedand agreement reached with the FireService for support in the event of aneed for mass decontamination.

● Since late 2002, senior ambulancestaff have been participating in JointEmergency Service CBRN IncidentCommander Courses. All ambulanceservices in the UK are now fullytrained.

● A cadre of instructors has also beentrained to enable the local trainingof decontamination teams. Coursesare being held regionally and about180 trainers have successfully com-pleted it to date. By early summerthis figure will have increased toaround 300.

● Considerable investment has beenmade across Government in

providing equipment for the emer-gency services and will continue tobe made in areas such as developingthe urban search and rescue capabil-ity within the Fire Service, andimproving first responders’ ability to detect and monitor CBRNsubstances.

● The Office of Government Com-merce now has a dedicated CBRNprocurement team in place to ensureeconomies of scale, assist withequipment interoperability issues,and streamline procedures for ourpartners and contractors.


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Since late 2002,senior ambulancestaff have beenparticipating inJoint emergencyService CBRNIncidentCommanderCourses. Allambulance servicesin the UK are nowfully trained.

P. 3-18 26/10/06 1:24 pm Page 18

iff6 p19 26/10/06 1:26 pm Page 1

Any profession, for example medicine, exists in order to serve and protect society. It does this

partly by routine application of what isalready known and partly by developingits knowledge base so as meet the needsof changing times and circumstances. Inthe UK and other ‘developed countries’standards of nutrition and hygiene arehigh. By ensuring this ‘society’ helps themedical profession to fulfil its role inmaintaining a healthy population, sothe relationship between society and theprofession is two-directional to the ben-efit of each. This would not be so in acountry with poor standards of publichealth where most of the effort of med-ical professionals had to be focused oncontingencies which would not haveoccurred if society had been playing its part in looking after the physicalwell-being of its members.

This argument relating to medicinecan also be applied to fire protectionengineering. Fire protection engineers ina well ordered society can be confidentthat measures are in place to prevent

fires and that trained personnel are ableto respond rapidly when a fire doesoccur. They can also be confident thatat places where people assemble on anyscale – from a family home to an airportterminal – there is adequate provisionfor evacuation. ‘Fire codes’ and the likeare used in design and construction tothese ends and these originate fromexpertly conducted investigative work,the analogue of ‘medical research’ inour discussion in the previous para-graph. The responsibility of society, inthe form of its legislature, is to ensurethat its members benefit from advancesin fire protection engineering.

All of this has been broadly based,there being no mention as yet of therecent fire in Paris which claimed 23lives. A detailed discussion on the eventsof the fire is not possible partly becausethe author does not have any informa-tion which is not accessible freelythrough the Web and other sources andalso because such a commentary mightnot be appropriate when the matter issub judice. It is however both possible

and legitimate to make some commentson the fire against a background ofwhat has been said above about theresponsibilities of the fire protectionprofession and the community to eachother. Accounts of the Paris fire containone dismal fact after another. Accordingto what I have read the hotel had sixstoreys yet only one staircase. Many ofthe occupants were illegal migrantslacking formal documentation establish-ing their identities. Adding to theintrinsic vulnerability of the buildingwas a wild party held within it at which alcohol and drugs abounded andcandles were lit. It appears that contactof the candles with a flammable fabricis what started the fire.

The present author has no commentswhatsoever to make on the issues ofillegal migrants, alcohol or drugs: suchmatters per se are outside the scope notonly of the article but of this periodical.What he does want to do by way ofconclusion is remind a reader of thepoint made previously that a professionwill serve society effectively only whenthere is mutual exchange and interac-tion and to add that the Paris fire wasclearly a situation in which the fireprotection profession could not havedone any better because society’s dutiesto it were not being fulfilled.


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Perspective on theParis Hotel Fire

By J.C. JonesDepartment of Engineering,

University of [email protected]

ONCE AN INDIVIDUAL HAS become proficient as an engineer ortechnologist, he or she will start to develop an awareness of the political andsocial side to his or her profession. Such awareness is required in a highdegree by those who, as their careers develop, choose to move away frompracticing their professions in the conventional sense to planning andpolicymaking.

Though the hotel in which the fireoccurred was allegedly a prettyseamy place there is apparently anexpensive and prestigious buildingvery close to it. It is fair to suggestthat ‘state-of-the-art’ fire protectionfacilities were in operation there.The contrast is disturbing.

Fire protection engineers in a wellordered society can be confidentthat measures are in place toprevent fires and that trainedpersonnel are able to respondrapidly when a fire does occur.

P. 20-32 26/10/06 1:28 pm Page 20


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In fire departments throughout theworld, the most valuable fire fightingresource is — the firefighter. Providing

them the protection they need to com-plete their job safely and effectively is ourmission at PBI Products. That’s why wedeveloped PBI Gold, to stand tougheragainst heat and flame.

PBI fiber was originally developed forthe NASA Apollo space program becauseof its inherent thermal and flame resis-tance properties. For more than 20 years,PBI has been widely recognized as thepremium product in outershell protection.PBI Gold blends thermal resistant PBIfibers with high strength aramid, earningthe reputation the “gold standard,” as the

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The exclusive blend of PBI Gold fibersprovides protection, comfort and long-lasting wear and tear resistance. Duringexposure to flame and heat, critical gar-ment areas of motion and stress, such aselbows and knees, resist breakopen. Andsince liners provide limited flammabilityprotection, outershells are the primary lineof defense firefighters have against flames.

PBI Gold meets or exceeds every NFPA,EN 469 and German HuPF requirement.Tear strength. Shrinkage resistance. Heatand flame protection. No other fabriccombines all these properties. And PBIGold is easy to maintain, retains size andshape, and keeps its color.

PBI Gold’s unique color is easy to recog-nize at the site of your fire. And its coloralso helps you determine when it’s time toclean and decontaminate your gear. PBI isalso available in blue and black.

No one knows when or what the nextfire or disaster may bring. But with big-ger, more complex situations, high-risebuildings, and threats of terrorism, fireswill only continue to burn hotter andbecome more challenging to control.

Prepare yourself for battle with thebest defense available — PBI Gold. Noother outershell can offer a more com-plete protection solution for the fires youcan expect today and will eventually facetomorrow.

Premium fire gear manufacturersaround the world offer PBI Gold as theirultimate choice for breakopen protectionfrom flashovers and high temperatures.For a complete list of approved PBIprotective apparel manufacturers, pleasesee our web page at www.PBIGold.com.


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More Brigades turning toPBI GoldPBI Gold has become the most widelyused choice for outershell protection inthe United Kingdom and is rapidlybecoming the outershell fabric of choicearound the world.From North America and Great Britainand throughout Europe, to China, NewZealand and Australia, PBI Gold is theglobal choice of Fire Brigades that regardfirefighter safety as their top priority. According to Walt Lehmann, GlobalMarketing Director for PBI Products,“brigades throughout the world areconducting their own independent testingand are choosing PBI Gold for one basicreason . . . it provides their firefighterswith maximum protection. We’ve beentold by brigade spokesmen that theprimary reason for deciding to specifyPBI Gold is superior flame andbreakopen resistance under extremeflashover conditions,” Lehmann said.In addition to PBI Gold in the UnitedKingdom, recent fire departmentconversions in North America includeSeattle, Philadelphia, Denver, Milwaukeeand Puerto Rico. European brigades inOslo and Vienna, as well as all of SouthAustralia including Adelaide, haverecently announced that they too have specified PBI Gold.

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Helmut ZepfMarketing Manager PBI Europe

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Introducing the Big D™. Designed tomount on Fire Trucks, Big D™ providesyou with emergency light for long hours.With a head that pivots 180°, it can be set down for low spotlighting or positioned upright, providing an extremelybright beam that will cut through the thickest smoke, rain or fog. With a bodymade of ABS resin and a polycarbonatelens, it is extremely resistant to knocksand falls. It is also protected by a stainlesssteel lens guard and comes with a lanyardfor easy carrying.

The high-output Xenon lamp is generated through dual mode operation, forconstant on or emergency strobe, by two push buttons. It comes with twolamps that provide up to 600 lumens and a total of 12 hours operation.Available in alkaline and rechargeable versions. Atex certificates pending.

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Up high or down low. Big D’s head pivots to almost 180°. Perfect for spotlight situations.

P. 20-32 26/10/06 1:30 pm Page 24

‘CLASSIC GASES’ VS. NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Professional lighting manufacturers havebeen striving for years to develop thebrightest possible torches. They havestruggled to produce lamps that notonly create impressive amounts of lightbut also last for a reasonable period oftime. The classical Edison Incandescentlamp utilizes a metal filament (usuallytungsten) through which current isdrawn to heat up the metal and gener-ate light. To prevent the filament fromoxidizing, it is suspended in an environ-ment devoid of oxygen. Usually, thisenvironment is achieved by surroundingthe filament with a glass envelope andreplacing the air inside with either avacuum or an inert gas. In recent yearsit is these inert gases, such as Halogen,Krypton and Xenon that have allowedthe manufacturers to achieve greateramounts of light output and also allowthe filament to burn at higher tempera-tures. By using these ‘classic’ gases theresults are superior to a simple vacuumlamp as they offer a white collimatedbeam of light that provides a better toolfor professionals such as plant main-tenance, fire fighters and law enforce-ment. In general terms, Halogen andKrypton would be more powerful thanXenon, but this sentence is not alwaysright. It also depends on many othercomponents and the design of thetorch. The difference in the whiteness,or color temperature, between torches isdue to the type and quantity of gasinside the glass bulb of each torch.

Another important factor in the mak-ing of a professional torch is the lampreflector. The shape and texture of thereflector has a marked effect upon thequality of the beam that is generated bythe lamp. Ideally, an efficient reflectorshould collect all of the light generatedby the lamp to create a beam free fromshadows and dark rings. Compare thebeam quality of high-end products frompremium torches manufacturers withcheaper lights and you will see a distinctdifference!

The batteries used to power torcheshave also evolved over the years, withmanufacturers striving to provide themaximum amount of energy inside thesmallest container. Torch manufacturerswant high voltage and amperage-hourcapacity in order to create the brightestand longest lasting torches, and thebattery manufacturers have answered

the call with new, powerful, primaryalkaline and lithium cells, and recharge-able nickel metal hydride (NiMH), sealedlead acid (SLA) and nickel cadmium(nicad) battery packs. With each passingyear, the duration of batteries increaseswhile the size of cells shrinks.

Probably the most significantadvancement in the field of lightingtechnology has been the Light EmittingDiode (LED) invented by Nick Holonyakin 1962. This single invention has creat-ed a revolution throughout the lightingworld. The basic advantages of the LEDover Edison’s incandescent lamp aregreater efficiency of light per watt, lowercost of replacement of the lamp, longerbattery life and greater impact resis-tance. However, due to the relativeinfancy of the technology, while LEDlight output is not yet as bright andintense as the current incandescentlamps on the market, millions of Eurosare being poured into this area ofresearch to resolve this shortcoming. LEDtorch manufacturers are currently beingchallenged to create innovative designsthat maximize the output of LEDs, andthis is resulting in torches that are notcreated equal . . . please read on.

The LED produces light by movingelectrons through materials to createphotons of light. The materials used tocreate the LED are organized into a“chip” and lie on a flat substrate. Incontrast, the classical Edison filament


MunicipalTorches andPortable Lighting

The basic advantages of the LEDover Edison’s incandescent lampare greater efficiency of light perwatt, lower cost of replacement ofthe lamp, longer battery life andgreater impact resistance.

Torches andPortable LightingEnlighten your work lifeBefore Edison’s wonderful electric light bulb was invented, if you wanted toilluminate the darkness you had to carry a naked flame with you. Can you say“Fire Hazard”? Fortunately, Hubert Conrad in 1890 invented the batterypowered Torch and over the years it has evolved to match the requirements ofindividual groups of users. The modern torch now provides the user with anarray of choices from the type of lamp, shape of the beam, constructionmaterials and approvals for hazardous work environments. The aims of thisarticle are to compare differences between various types of technologies usedin modern torches, and discuss this vital tool in the context of workplace safety.

P. 20-32 26/10/06 1:30 pm Page 25

hangs between to poles like a tightrope. By lying on a flat base, the LED isinherently more stable when subjectedto an impact, which can literally meanthe difference between life and death aswe shall see later in the article.

The LED also creates very little heatcompared to the filament and this aspectalone leads itself to a safer workingenvironment, especially when used in avolatile atmosphere. This lack of heatmeans that more energy is converted intophotons of light, whereas the filamentlamp creates a tremendous amount ofheat as the filament burns. This can leadto a surface temperature on the glassenvelope in excess of 150°C (300°C) –enough to automatically ignite somevolatile gases. Probably the most impor-tant advantage of the low heat an LEDproduces is that the lamp’s life isupwards of 100,000 hours, compared tothe 20 to 60 hours of a conventionaltorch lamp. As one can imagine, thecombination of low battery consumptionand long lamp life lead into a torch thatrarely needs replacing. The effects on theenvironment due to a reduction in bat-tery consumption are to be applauded, asis the reduction in battery replacementcosts. However, the incandescent fila-ment still has one significant advantageover the LED and that is the ability tocreate tremendous amounts of light byincreasing the filament size.

One disadvantage of the LED hasbeen the ability to focus the light emit-ted from the chip. Until recently, theonly way that torch manufacturerscould create a product that generated areasonable amount of light was topackage together many LEDs into acluster. This approach created a softwide beam that was fine for close upwork but was not focused enough tothrow light over distance or penetratesmoke or fog. This situation changed in 2003 with the advent of a newtechnology referred to as RECOIL LED

Technology™ from Peli Products. For thefirst time, an LED could produce thebrightness of a classic incandescentlamp but with the longer burn time andlower operating costs of an LED.

This new invention consisted of usingone of the new generation of high-wattage LumiLED LEDs from Luxeon anddirecting the light back into a reflector,just like a lighthouse. This simple butinnovative method captures nearly 100%of the light emitted by the LED, and thenreflects it forward into a truly impressivebeam of pure white light. Comparing thisapproach with a regular 8-LED torch, theresulting Recoil beam is 33 timesbrighter. With the new generation ofRecoil LED lights producing comparablelight output to incandescent lamps, yetwith significantly lower operating costs,perhaps the “torch” is about to be passedfrom Edison to Holonyak. . .

Photo TechnologyCOMPARING MANUFACTURER’S TORCHESIn order to compare professional torch-es, the user should decide which fea-tures are most applicable to his workenvironment. Torches can be comparedby reviewing light output characteristics,battery life, manufacturer’s guarantees,

lamp replacement costs, price and, mostimportantly for the health and safetymarket, hazardous location approvals.With respect to the measuring of thelight output, manufacturers use Lumensand Lux. Lumens indicate the totalamount of light emitted by the lightsource, whereas Lux measures the inten-sity of the beam at a distance – itself afunction of the reflector. Choosing care-fully which torch would better fit auser’s expectations means that severalmanufacturers’ torches should be com-pared for differences in brightness.

Some users will be concerned aboutthe consumption of batteries and lamps.Probably the most popular reason for atorch being discarded is a burnt outlamp. With a life upwards of 100,000hours, the LED torch rarely requiresreplacement. In addition, the low bat-tery consumption of the LED torch willensure that financial budgets are noteaten up buying batteries. Finally, thedecision to purchase an LED light iskinder on the environment, as fewerbatteries mean less waste.

Some applications require brightnessover all other considerations, and it ishere that the incandescent torch reigns.For users requiring highly focusedbeams, such as firefighters and scubadivers, torches should be examined forbeam characteristics and their ability topenetrate the environment in whichthey are intended to operate.

PORTABILITY AND USABILITYBy their very nature, all torches areportable. However, market segmentationhas forced manufacturers to createlights that match their user’s specificrequirements, of which portability is animportant criteria. Many industrial usersof portable lights are increasingly adapt-ing to the hands-free approach of usingheadlamps and brackets that mount


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Probably the most importantadvantage of the low heat an LEDproduces is that the lamp’s life isupwards of 100,000 hours,compared to the 20 to 60 hours ofa conventional torch lamp.

For users requiring highly focusedbeams, such as firefighters andscuba divers, torches should beexamined for beam characteristicsand their ability to penetrate theenvironment in which they areintended to operate.

Torches and Portable LightingTorches and Portable Lighting

P. 20-32 26/10/06 1:31 pm Page 26

Celanese Advanced Materials Inc.

9800-D Southern Pines Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28273

T 704.554.3378

F 704.554.3101

[email protected]

www.pbigold.com

Celanese Advanced Materials, Inc.�

© 2005 Celanese Advanced Materials, Inc. PBI Gold in logo form is a registered trademarkof CNA Holdings, Inc. The Celanese name andlogo are registered trademarks of Celanese AG.

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iff6 p27 26/10/06 1:32 pm Page 1

lights onto work helmets. Available in awide variety of sizes and styles, head-lamps and torch helmet brackets allowthe user to focus light on a task whileallowing them to use both hands ratherthan hold a torch.

Other users, such as fire fighters, liketo attach the light to their equipment sothat they can release it without fear ofdropping the torch on to the ground.Such users look for torches equippedwith rings and clips made from durablestainless steel.

A TORCH FOR EVERY USERDepending on many users’ requirements,lighting systems can vary a lot. When atorch needs to operate long hours, it ismore efficient, in terms of cost, to use arechargeable system rather than one withan alkaline primary battery. Workers oper-ating in atmospheres with high tempera-tures should select plastic rather thanmetal torches, in order to avoid the exces-sive heating of the torch body. Finally,workers within hazardous locations needto make sure that their torches are safeand correctly certified by Safety Standardssuch as the ATEX Directive (in Europe).

SAFETYWhy are torches required to conform tosafety standards? Though they seem tobe small and innocuous, the lamp andthe batteries inside can be a significantsource of ignition when used in a haz-ardous and volatile environment. Thelamp filament operates at a very hightemperature and some gases will igniteif they come in contact with either thefilament or even the glass envelope. Thebatteries themselves can be a source ofignition, especially if a short circuitoccurs resulting in the generation of aspark. Even the body of a plastic flash-light can build up a significant static-electric charge, and some manufacturersmetal plate their lights to prevent suchbuild-ups from occurring. Such lights

are typically referred to as “Zone 1/Zone0” torches.

In order to prevent accidents, lightingsystems need to be approved to certainSafety Standards, as mentioned before.There are several of them: UnderwritersLaboratory (UL), Factory Mutual (FM),Canadian Standards (CSA), Urban Searchand Rescue (USAR), Mine Safety HealthAdministration (MSHA), Australian Boardof Approvals (AUS), etc. Notified bodiescertify torches to ensure that they poseno threat of ignition when operating inhazardous locations. The notified bodiestest the torches by subjecting them toworst-case scenarios. For example, thespark generated by a short circuit of thebatteries is used to see if it will ignite achamber of gases where the light isexpected to operate. Only if the gasesfail to ignite will the light be ertified foroperation within that environment.

CRITICAL MISSIONIt is imperative that a torch used by aprofessional such as a fire fighter orplant maintenance technician operatesreliably in the field. The ramification ofa torch lamp failing at the criticalmoment when a fire fighter enters aburning building needs no explanation.LED technology renders lamp filamentfailure, which is probably the most com-mon mode of torch lamp failure, a thing

of the past. In addition, the carefulmeasurement of filament and LED tem-perature ensures that the user knowsprecisely in which hazardous environ-ments the torch is safe for operation.

PAY NOW OR PAY LATERNowadays one can find many cheaplights available on the market, butquickly after the low price has been for-gotten, the true degree of quality willsurface. As a manufacturer of profes-sional torches, we recommend users tocheck the quality of a lighting systembefore buying it. By quality we mean, ingeneral terms, brightness, tough materi-als and safety certifications. It is alsoimportant to consider the guarantee thatthe manufacturer offers. The length ofthat will determine if the torch will standthe test of time and extreme conditions.

Professional, high-performance torch-es are significantly more expensive thanregular incandescent ones. Purchasingagents and individual buyers may notsee the rationale in purchasing suchexpensive lights but over a period oftime, the high cost of a professional,ATEX approved torch will typically beless than a cheap one.

Failure of the lamps is typically thereason that most torches are discarded.High performance Xenon-filled lampsmust withstand significant internal pres-sure from the gas, which translates intolonger lamp life. As mentioned earlier,the inherent long life of LEDs renderslamp replacement redundant and theirlow battery consumption rate adds tothe savings.

Finally, the materials and designstandards used to create torches thatpass the various tests necessary forATEX hazardous location approval ensurethat the lights are built to withstand the rigors of industry. A buyer has the choice to pay now or pay later foranother torch. . .


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Even the body of a plasticflashlight can build up asignificant static-electric charge,and some manufacturers metalplate their lights to prevent suchbuild-ups from occurring.

It is imperative that a torch usedby a professional such as a firefighter or plant maintenancetechnician operates reliably in thefield.

Torches and Portable LightingTorches and Portable Lighting

P. 20-32 26/10/06 1:33 pm Page 28

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It is essential that rescue teams haveaccess to a wide variety of lightingapparatus, so they can cope with a

multitude of emergency scenarios froma small house fire to a major inferno ina large commercial building. Any equip-ment selected should allow them towork quickly, effectively and safely.

On arrival at an emergency scene anyequipment that enables a rapid assess-ment of the damage to be made can beinvaluable to the overall speed and suc-cess of a rescue mission. Portable scenelighting systems, which can illuminatesurrounding structures or large groundlevel areas, are ideal for this use. Toensure the most reliable and effectiveproduct is selected there are a numberof features to consider including theunit’s construction, weight, ease oferection, lamp type, illuminationcapacity and power source.

Portable scene lighting systems con-structed from aluminum are ideal asthey are tough, yet also lightweightenough to be carried by hand to where

they are needed. For ease of erection,features such as spikes or wide-anglefeet allow units to be easily pitched intothe ground, while the use of pneumaticmasts enable the height of units to beraised or lowered swiftly with a simplepump action.

There are a number of lamp types toconsider for those selecting portablelighting apparatus. Halogen lamps inparticular offer exceptionally brightlevels of light, but can be fragile, maycause a drain on any accompanyingpower generator unit and can be tem-porarily blinding if looked at directly.There are however a number of morerobust alternatives available offeringcomparable levels of light. For example,twin compact fluorescent lamps offerextremely powerful levels of illuminationand avoid glare, as they emit a diffusedlight. For even greater illuminationperformance lighting units, which arelinkable in a series are perfect as theycombine to create an even greaterspread of light.

Portable lighting systems that can bepowered from a number of differentsources provide greater flexibility duringan emergency. There are now a numberof battery powered scene lightingsystems available, which can also bepowered off a small generator and evena vehicle dashboard.

Once an assessment of the emergencyscene has been made, other lightingapparatus such as handlamps becomecritical to the rescue mission itself.Handlamps are an essential item whenentering buildings or other confinedspaces with unfamiliar layouts andimpaired visibility, as they allow firefighters to see more clearly in darksmoke filled environments. To ensurethe most reliable and effective productis selected there are a number of keyareas to look at including the unit’sconstruction, lamp and beam perfor-mance, built-in safety features, chargingcapacity and battery performance.

The material that a handlamp is madefrom is crucial particularly when youconsider the number of apparatus eachfire fighter has to carry and the harshconditions they have to operate within.Consider handlamps made from thermo-plastic materials, as they are both robustand lightweight and able to cope with extreme temperatures. A lamp’sintensity and beam performance is alsoessential. This is now a vast range oflamp options available including,halogen, krypton and xenon, which canproduce the powerful sharp narrowbeams of light necessary to cut throughthick hanging smoke or dust, an essen-tial requirement when working within


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Lighting the Emergency Scene

Torches and Por

Halogen lamps in particular offerexceptionally bright levels of light,but can be fragile, may cause adrain on any accompanying powergenerator unit and can betemporarily blinding if looked atdirectly.

By Mike Shimwell,Director of portablelighting specialist S A Equipment

EFFECTIVE LIGHTING IS AN essential requirement for fire fighters oftenoperating at emergency scenes where there is complete darkness, with little orno artificial lighting and with visibility further restricted by smoke. Havingrobust and reliable portable lighting apparatus, which allows them to seemore clearly and are lightweight and easy to carry, can significantly increasethe chances of a successful outcome to an emergency rescue.

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the scattered remains of collapsed build-ings.

Another important attribute to con-sider when selecting lighting equipmentare intrinsic safety and power manage-ment features. Many battery-poweredhand lamps now have warning indica-tors built into them that can inform auser if the power is getting low. Dualpower switches are often manufacturedinto the product as well, making it pos-sible to switch onto a lower poweroption if required. This provides valuableextra usage time, which can make a vitaldifference in extended rescue operations.

Battery performance plays an impor-tant role in the operational effectivenessof hand lamps and torches. While someservices prefer to utilise dry cell batter-ies, others take advantage of the latestrechargeable systems. Ongoing advancesin rechargeable battery technology nowoffer lighter batteries that offerincreased power, longer life betweencharges and quicker recharging timesthan ever before.

Among the most popular battery typein use today is the Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd) type. Effective maintenance of rechargeable batteries is essential to prolong their life and maximiseoperational use. Ni-Cd batteries inparticular are known to suffer from a“memory” effect, whereby if they arerecharged before they have been fullydischarged, the battery begins to act asif it has a smaller and smaller chargecapacity. The best engineered Ni-Cdpowered lamps feature sophisticatedcontrol electronics which minimise the

potential for a memory effect.Some manufacturers now offer hand

lamps and torches with the latest NickelMetal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries, whichcombine exceptionally light weight withlong life and very rapid recharging and no “memory” effect, making it even easier to maintain batteries inoptimum condition for effective long-life performance.

It is not unusual for modern firefighters to be called out to more spe-cialist emergencies involving hazardous

applications, such as a fire at a chemi-cal, gas, oil or nuclear plant. To containthe blaze fire fighters may have to enteradjacent areas, where potentially haz-ardous gases may also be present. It isessential that any lighting apparatusthey use in these areas can be operatedsafely and effectively without creatingfurther problems.

These applications are listed underthe new European ATEX (94/9/EC)directive, which was introduced on the1st of July 2003 with a view to min-imising the possibility of an explosion.Under the directive, hazardous areas aredefined as: (i) mining and (ii) surfacenon-mining and offshore installations;Zones 0, 1 and 2 for gases vapours andmists; and Zones 20, 21 and 22 fordusts. All lighting equipment used indesignated ATEX zones must complywith the ATEX guidelines. Typicallymanufactured using the latest hi-techpolymers, ATEX compliant lighting isanti-static to prevent the possibility of aspark being emitted and ensure thatlighting can be operated safely withoutcomprising effectiveness.

Regular maintenance is just as impor-tant as the many other features builtinto lighting products to improve theiroverall effectiveness and helps to sustainperformance levels in testing conditions.It is the final important consideration tothink about before purchasing anylighting equipment.


Municipalortable Lighting

Ni-Cd batteries in particular areknown to suffer from a “memory”effect, whereby if they arerecharged before they have beenfully discharged, the battery beginsto act as if it has a smaller andsmaller charge capacity.

Replacement of parts subjected tofair wear and tear and replacementof lamps is a fact of life for anycompany making heavy use of itsproducts. Ideally fire station man-agers should look for a supplierwho can offer these replacements aspart of an after care sales service. Asupport kit offering a reserve stockof lights will also ensure that fire ser-vices have products available forimmediate use in the unexpectedevent of a unit failure. Also theprovision of spare units could beoffered in a package to provideextra cover in the event of emergen-cies on an unprecedented size orscale.

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Aworld-leading technology innovator, e2v technologies has a long history of supplying revolutionary solu-

tions to the world’s firefighting markets.Starting with the PeviconTM basedArgus®, e2v has since launched theArgus®2 and 3 to an ever more educatedcustomer base.

Technology has come a long way sincethe first vacuum tube based devices. Pic-ture quality has improved beyond recogni-tion, reliability has increased five-fold andthe cost of ownership has vastly reduced.Additionally, thermal imaging cameras areoffered with stronger warranties – e2vtechnologies in particular offers an extend-ed two-year warranty for peace of mind.

Argus®3 – Image Capture Take the Argus®3’s image capture, forexample. Being the first camera to offerthis unique feature, the ability to take 26images and store them on the camera forlater download to a PC/Laptop not onlyenables fire fighters to capture vital evi-dence before it is destroyed by the blaze,but also facilitates incident reporting andtraining exercises. Used for routine, con-trolled inspections of engine rooms andmechanical or electrical equipment, theseimages can form the basis of a thoroughportfolio of records for internal or exter-nal auditing purposes.

Argus®3 – 8 Colour SettingsArgus®3 provides eight colour schemes –incrementally from monochrome to full

colour. This allows end-users to cus-tomise cameras, choosing the pre-

ferred and most functionalcolour scheme for their appli-

cation. Shown opposite isan example of the eight

colour schemes.

Argus®3 – Suitable for MultipleApplications

e2v technolo-gies has rec-ognised thati n c r e a s e dexpectationsfrom the mar-ket necessitateeven greatertechnologicaladvancementswithin thecamera. Rec-ognising that

customers need apparatus to suit multipleapplications and budgets, the Argus®3comes with a choice of solid-state sen-sors – BST and ASi (microbolometer). TheArgus®3 casing is made from high qualityRadel® R-5100, chosen for its strength,resistance to heat, water and impact. Thecamera is sealed to IP67, to withstanddriving spray and short-term immersionin water to a depth of one metre, andcan tolerate temperatures of 600C for onehour, with higher temperatures beingtolerated for shorter periods.

Argus®3 AccessoriesAdditionally, the Argus®3 boasts aninfrared remote control and PC software,allowing end users to configure thecamera to 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; thetime and date can be set and colouroptions can beselected priorto entering afire scene. Onceall settings havebeen chosen,simple buttono p e r a t i o nallows the userto switch thecamera on andoff, take pic-tures, activate the digital zoom facilityand remote telemetry (if included). Ambi-ent temperature measurement as standardon all camera models (with spot tempera-ture an optional feature) allows accuratereading of surrounding conditions.

Argus®3 – want to find outmore?It is clear that the host of features andoptions offered on today’s cameras, inaddition to increased reliability and tech-nological advances, make thermal imagingnot only a wise choice but also a soundinvestment. To find out more, visit us atInterschutz in Hall 27, Stand KO1, or visitwww.argusdirect.com.

INTERNATIONAL FIRE FIGHTER

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ARGUS®3 THERMAL IMAGING CAMERA– THE HEIGHT OF TECHNOLOGY

Argus®3 Thermal Imaging Camera

Argus®3 BST and ASiCameras Argus®3 Standard

Accessories

Visit us at

Interschutz,

Hall 27, Stand KO1

green scale red hot soft red hot grey scale

full colour 1 full colour 2 full colour 3 half colour

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Russwurm VentilatorenMade in Germany

...when mobile, compact but powerful fansare required.

Experienced in strongest fire and rescue situations. Used invehicles which have to be equipped for all incidents. For everyduty the right drive. All versions are available with certifiedexplosion-proofness. We offer a wide range of ATEX-certifiedfans for the zones 1, 2, 21 and 22 in axial and radial design.

If required, they can be customized to your

needs.

Detailed informations and PDF-filesfor downloads you can find atwww.ruwu.de or you simply call us.

Russwurm Ventilatoren GmbH | Ortsstrasse 25 | D-86405 Meitingen-OstendorfPhone: +49-8271-8175-0 | Fax: +49-8271-8175-40 | [email protected]: Martin Grant

s tungs- Ventilatoreni … and you have the air under control

Ho

ch le

P. 20-32 26/10/06 1:35 pm Page 33

Reinforced SolutionsReinforced Solutions

iff6 p34 26/10/06 1:37 pm Page 1

Things are looking good forINTERSCHUTZ and INTERPOLICE2005. Two months ahead of the

start of the “International Exhibitionfor Rescue, Fire Prevention, DisasterRelief, Safety and Security” (6 – 11June) at the Hannover Exhibition Cen-ter, more than 1,000 exhibitors fromaround the world have already bookedtheir space at the shows. This year seesdebut presentations by leading compa-nies from Sweden, Spain, Portugal andPoland. The exhibiting firms, institu-tions, organizations, trade associationsand other professional bodies will bestaging their displays in Halls 12, 13,26 and 27 as well as on the open-airsite. Some 130,000 visitors are expect-ed to attend.

The line-up for 2005 is once again aunique mix of exhibition, forums,

special presentations and live events.Featured for the first time are four“Theme Days”, where the focus is onsecurity in the home, at work, at air-ports and on roads and railways.

At INTERSCHUTZ, which takes placeonce every five years, the industry willbe showing the latest technologies,trends and services for protection andprevention, rescue work, contingencyplanning and organization. State-of-the-art technical aids, monitoring andsurveillance systems and communica-tions equipment complete the picture.

Strong showing from China andRussiaThe exhibitor recruitment campaigncarried out by Deutsche Messe AG atlast October’s “China Fire” trade showin Beijing has borne fruit in abun-

dance. Around 30 Chinese firms, mainlymanufacturers of fire extinguishers andextinguishing agents, have alreadybooked stand space (as compared withonly six firms in 2000). And for the firsttime the China Fire Protection Associa-tion (CFPA) is represented at INTER-SCHUTZ with a large information standin Hall 27.

The Russian Federation will presentits latest developments for disasterrelief in the form of two national pavil-ions (in Halls 26 and 27). Featureditems include the use of robots andaircraft to combat forest fires andenvironmental damage, the preventionand clean-up of disaster damage,emergency rescue and the training of specialists in risk analysis and riskmanagement. New technologies for fire prevention in high-rise buildings,civil engineering structures and multi-purpose buildings complete theprogram.

In addition to China and Russia,other countries that have booked spacefor national displays are Finland,France, Sweden, Poland, Spain and theUSA.

International conventionsThe industry’s flagship trade fair is alsothe perfect setting for internationalconferences. So the Hannover Exhibi-tion Grounds will simultaneously hostthe World Fire Services Conference andthe FEU convention (Federation of EUFire Officers’ Associations).

For more information visitwww.interschutz.de

Municipal


INTERSCHUTZ2005 Preview

INTERSCHUTZ2005 Preview

P. 35–42 11/17/06 1:20 PM Page 35

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Company ProfilesINTERSCHUTZ 2005 PreviewINTERSCHUTZ 2005 Preview

An ultra-compact posi-tive pressure ventilation(PPV) smoke ventilatorfrom French companyGroupe Leader, theMT236 has the bestairflow/size ratio on themarket. Already theleader in its category inEurope, the MT 236

has become an essential tool for fire-fighters.The airflow from the MT236 can reach 36,000 cu. m per

hour. This capacity ensures rapid smoke exhaustion, animmediate fall in temperature and the return of visibilityconditions that are essential for the effectiveness of rescueteams saving victims.

The powerful air jet is driven by a resin turbine, and an enveloping frame protects all the components of the PPVventilator. As its dimensions are reduced to the minimum,the MT236 can easily be housed in any vehicle. It is powered by a petrol engine and fitted with an automatic

cut-out system in case of low oil.The MT236 is part of the MT200 range designed by

Groupe Leader. The range consists of four portable 4-strokeengine PPV ventilators for use by fire-fighters in smoke-filled premises. With rapid smoke extraction, this equipmentensures better visibility, lower temperature and a reductionin toxicity. Their size and design makes all the models in theMT200 range stable and easy to handle and transport.

In order to expand internationally, Groupe Leader seekstrade partners for the distribution or inclusive import of itsproducts.

For more information, please contact:GROUPE LEADERBP 35176056 LE HAVRE CedexFranceTel: +33.235.53.05.75Fax: +33.235.53.16.32Email: [email protected]: www.groupe-leader.com

Groupe Leader introduces the MT236, designed for rapid smokeexhaustion

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Selected ExhibitorsAkron Brass www.akronbrass.comHall 12 Stand E76

Albach Gmbhwww.alco-frankfurt.deHall 12 Stand A30

Albert ZieglerPavillion P32, EG

Angus Firewww.angusfire.co.ukHall 13, Stand C28

Bavaria Egyptwww.bavaria.com.egHall 13, Stand C40

Bristol Uniformswww.bristol-uniforms.comHall 27 Stand NO7/1

Bronto Skyliftwww.bronto.fiOpen air site FG Stand F08

BW Technologieswww.gasmonitors.comHall 27, Stand G16

Celanese Advanced Materialswww.pbigold.comHall 27 Stand H21

Chemguardwww.chemguard.comHall 27, Stand K23 (28)

Collins Youldon www.collins-youldon.co.ukHall 12 Stand B65

Crash Rescue Equipment www.crashrescue.comHall 27 Stand K23

Dafo Fomtec www.fomtec.comHall 13 Stand B18

E2V Technologies www.argusdirect.comHall 27 Stand K01

FSI North America www.fsinorth.comHall 26 Stand E64

Groupe Leaderwww.groupe-leader.frHall 13 Stand B40

Haztec International www.haztec.bizHall 12 Stand D55

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Helmet Integrated Systems www.helmets.co.ukHall 27 Stand M01

Kermelwww.kermel.comHall 27 Stand L14

Kerr Fire Fighting Chemicalswww.kiddefiresystems.comHall 13, Stand C28

Kidde de Mexicowww.kiddefiresystems.comHall 13, Stand C28

Kidde Fire Protectionwww.kiddefiresystems.comHall 13, Stand C28

Kidde Fire Trainerswww.kiddefiresystems.comHall 13, Stand C28

[email protected] 27 Stand N17/1

Max Widenmannwww.awg-qiengen.deHall 12 Stand A30

MDM Publishing Ltd www.iffmag.comHall 12 Stand C60/1

Nike Hydraulics www.nikehydraulics.comHall 12 Stand E67

Plastisolwww.plastisol.comHall 12 Stand B30

RAE Systems Europewww.raesystems.comHall 27, Stand N11/2

Rosenbauer Internationalwww.rosenbauer.comHall 12 Stand A01

Total Waltherwww.totalwalther.deHall 13, Stand C40

Trelleborgwww.trelleborg.comHall 27 Stand K44

Tyco Bulding Services Productswww.tycosafetyproducts.comHall 13, Stand B60

Tyco Safety Productswww.tycosafetyproducts.comHall 13, Stand B10

Unifire www.unifire.comHall 12 Stand F81

Vema Liftwww.vema.fiOpen air site FG Stand G13

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INTERSCHUTZ 2005 PreviewINTERSCHUTZ 2005 Preview

Chemguard is a manufacturer andsupplier of foam concentrates, drychemicals and engineered systems.Chemguard’s operations are a synergisticblend of research, design and manu-facturing found nowhere else in theindustry. From its innovative patents to

persistence in delivering a superiorproduct, the dedication to a high levelof achievement can be found in eachdepartment, in each employee and each process.

Foam ConcentratesChemguard offers the most extensiveline of environmentally-friendly ULListed foam concentrates in the industrywith over 20 UL Listed products includ-ing AFFF, AR-AFFF, High Expansion,Fully Approved USDA Class A, TrainingFoams, and Protein Based Foams.

Over the last two years, Chemguardhas also introduced our ECOGUARD con-centrates, a fluorosurfactant and fluorinefree line of fire fighting foams designedto reduce even further the release offluorine products into the environment.

Engineered SystemsChemguard’s engineered and manufac-tured systems bring a rapid, thoroughand economical response to all firetypes. A Chemguard foam system ismore than the sum if its parts because itis designed and engineered to yourapplication specifications.

Our extensive engineered system lineincludes bladder tank and pump typebalanced pressure proportioning systems;as well as in-line balanced pressureproportioning systems. Chemguard man-ufactures High Expansion foam systemswith single High Expansion generatorsup to 735m3 per minute; large drychemical systems with single units up to3000kg; twin-agent (AFFF/Dry Chemical)units; foam/water monitors; nozzles;eductors; ratio flow controllers (propor-tioners) including our unique Ultra-WideProportioner; foam makers and foamchambers; as well as specialized propor-tioning, storage and monitor trailers.Our products meet international firefighting standards and many are ULListed and/or FM Approved.

Specialty Chemicals Chemguard has developed and manufac-tures its own line of fluorosurfactantsand specialty hydrocarbon surfactantsspecifically designed for use in fire fightingfoams. These highly developed surfactantsenable Chemguard to offer the mostenvironmentally friendly high perfor-mance foam concentrates available.

For more information contact: ChemguardTel: +1 817 473 9964Fax: +1 817 473 0606Website: www.chemguard.com

S.O.P.S.O.P.

MAKE FOAM PART OF YOUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE!Firefighters worldwide have experienced the incredible effectiveness of Class A foam as a firefighting tool. Reliable,field-proven FoamPro® systems are the easiest, most accurate way to get foam to any fire. All units are CAFS-compatible and can be installed on any apparatus. These state-of-the-art proportioners have helped thousands of fire departments save lives, property, time and money.

Attack your next wildland, structural, airport or marine fire with FoamPro!

Hall 27 Stand K23 (15)

www.foampro.com

FoamPro EuropaTel & Fax: +49 (0) 700 425 33 876E-mail: [email protected]

P. 35–42 26/10/06 1:41 pm Page 40

Municipal


Colmar, March 2005 – Innovation is akey element within KERMEL, who hasdeveloped a new range of products forthe manufacture of fire suits.

For more than thirty years the Ker-mel fibre has been available to protectagainst heat and flames. It is used inmany ways inside fire suits : outerfabrics, membrane support, thermalbarriers and linings.

A new range of outer fabrics forfire suitsA wide range of outer fabrics meet theever-increasing requirements in terms ofprotection, durability and comfort. Inaddition to the Kermel HTA® range (muchappreciated by fire fighters worldwide),KERMEL has developed a new range ofouter fabrics made out of Kermel® fibre:

● Kermel® X50: This new Kermel fabric isa true thoroughbred in outer shell fabricsoffering high mechanical properties intear and tensile strength linked to a spe-cial spinning process. It brings the bestever TTP/weight ratio currently available.

● Kermel® Pro-Active: Its special two-plyweave ensures excellent tear strengthresults and exceptional inherently thermalproperties.

● Kermel® Profil: Its special rip-stop weavegives it superb tear strength. Its propertiesin terms of long-term appearance areexceptional and its performance meetsthe requirements of the standard EN 469.

A new range of Kermel knitsDue to its suppleness and intrinsic soft-ness, Kermel fibre allows the manufactureof different high-quality fire-resistantknits that contribute efficiently toimproved protection against thermal

hazards while providing wearer comfortand easy maintenance for the user.

Some of the applications are light-weight undergarments or clothing suchas polo shirts, providing maximumcomfort for hot weather conditions,hoods, pullovers, T-shirts. . .

KERMEL will exhibit those develop-ments at INTERSCHUTZ/INTERPOLICEin June 2005, Hall 27, stand L14.Kermel® is a registered trademark of theKERMEL company.

KERMEL is the leading European manufac-turer of aramid fibres dedicated to protectiveclothing against heat and flames. Fire suits forfire fighters, together with protective coverallsfor riot-police, military and industrial uses aresome of the most popular applications.

In parallel with these developments,KERMEL is continuing its diversification,especially in the field of hot gas filtrationusing its Kermel® Tech fibre.

For more information contact:Véronique ChanelTel: 33 (0)3 89 20 47 43Email: [email protected]


Don’t firefighters deserve the best?

If they gave a long-service medal to fire hoses, only one would qualify. For fortyyears Duraline has provided outstanding performance to firefighters around theworld. It has carried the BSI Kitemark symbol of product quality for longer thanany other covered fire hose. And to this day it still offers the lowest possiblemaintenance costs. Duraline, the only hose that truly passes the test of time.

Angus Fire, Thame Park Road, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3RTTel: +44 (0)1844 265000 Fax: +44 (0)1844 265156 www.angusfire.co.uk

See us on Stand C28 Hall 13

Kermel®, the innovation fibre

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An operator simply pushes a button to activate the system.Flow-based, microprocessor control technology allows us todeliver concentrate on demand. By injecting into thedischarge side, proportioning performance is not affected byexternal factors such as nozzle, length of hose lay, nozzleelevation or incoming pressure to the water pump. Full firepump discharge performance is delivered to the outlet as theflowmeter doesn’t restrict water flow. The resulting foamsolution is very precise which translates into a significantdollar savings in concentrate purchases. The ultra-bright LEDdigital control/display provides the operator with vital systeminformation including water flow, injection percentage, totalwater and foam usage.

Renowned for its reliability, Foampro has proven itself since1989 on firegrounds around the world and in the harshestconditions. We continually develop new and improved high-tech proportioning systems by incorporating ideas andsuggestions from the field. To assure quality and compliance,only FoamPro requires system designs to be subjected tointense third-party testing. Stringent electronic emissioncontrol is verified according to MIL-STD 461E. Designs arethen put to grueling SAE and U.S. military specifications forheavy-use, off-road mobile apparatus by independentevaluators.

Various sizes from 0.01 usgpm through 300 usgpm areavailable to meet your specific Class A and/or B application.Numerous optional accessories allow customized productconfiguration to meet your exact requirements.

The new AccuMax multi-point injection proportioner isspecifically designed for Class B foam applications requiringhigh flows with variable percentage control at each dischargeoutlet. FoamPro Power-Fill systems allow vehicle foam cells tobe refilled safely, without climbing on top of the apparatus.

All systems can be easily retrofitted to existing vehicles.Common usages include: Municipal, Brush/Wildland, Industrial,Compressed Air Foam Systems (CAFS), Marine, and ARFF.

For more information contact:European/Middle East Sales ManagerThoams FahrenbachHypro/FoamproPostfach 1125Georgenhäuser Str. 9aD-64409 MesselTel: +49 (0) 700 425 33 876Fax: +49 (0) 700 425 33 876Email: [email protected]: www.foampro.com


FoamPro, the industry leader in foam technology, offers a wide variety ofproportioning systems that are fully automatic and easy to use

The MSA Instrument Divisionproudly announces the release ofthe Galaxy Automated Test Systemfor MSA portable gas detectioninstruments. The new MSA GalaxySystem has the latest featuresexpected in an automated record-keeping and calibration test system.These features include ease of useand versatility, making the MSAGalaxy Automated Test System theperfect choice for managing yourMSA gas detection equipment.

The Galaxy Automated Test Sys-tem operates without the touch of a single button. After setup,users place their instrument in the test stand and the GalaxySystem will automatically perform the test. The Galaxy Systemis stand-alone, requiring no computer, controller or networkinterface. This new system from MSA offers ease of use withminimal training needed, as all gas tubing and electrical con-nections are pre-connected. Other features include a wireless orwired network interface, instrument charging, memory card,test receipt printer and an in-line gas cylinder holder.

Where AC power may not be easily accessible, the GalaxySystem has a replaceable battery pack available which can

provide up to 100 tests per instrument test stand. In addition,up to ten specific systems can be interconnected as part ofthis durable, innovative design. With automated recordkeep-ing capabilities that eliminate the need for handwrittenrecords of instrument calibration history, the MSA GalaxySystem can help to lower the overall total cost of ownershipof your MSA gas detection instruments.

The Galaxy Automated Test System interface for dataretrieval and reporting is extremely easy to use. Any webbrowser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator canbe used to access the data of a network-enabled GalaxySystem, including calibration and bump check records as wellas due dates for instrument calibration.

For more information on the Galaxy Automated Test System,request literature 0800-27, by dialing 1-800-MSA-2222, orcontact your nearest MSA distributor. To learn about MSAand our other high-quality products, visit our website atwww.msanet.com/instruments.

Or contact: Cecelia WeberMSA Instrument DivisionP.O. Box 427, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15230Tel: 724 776-8721Fax: 724 776-8892

MSA Introduces Galaxy™ Automated Test System for MSA Portable Gas Detection

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Industrial

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Foam fire fighting systems - we’ve got it covered

Skum 70 years of exceptional reliability

When quick reactions under extreme stress are needed, it

matters that the tools to deliver are both unquestionably

reliable and specifically designed for the task. If you fight fire

fast with the right combination of product and delivery system,

you can save lives, critical assets and scarce resources.

Skum brings over 70 years of invaluable expertise to fire

fighting. Backed by a programme of continuous research

and development, Skum has an enviable reputation at the

forefront of fire fighting technology and is renowned

worldwide for its quality and innovation. Innovations such

as Hot Foam™ systems for enclosed spaces or the unique

FJM corrosion free monitor.

In short, Skum has it covered.

Typical high risk applications

• Petro-chemicalOil terminal; Storage tank protection; Bund protection

• MarineTankers; Machinery spaces; Ferries; Offshore support and Fire fighting vessels

• AviationHangars; Helidecks; Crash vehicles

• Power Generating PlantsTransformers; Cable tunnels; Conveyors; Coal bunkers

• IndustrySprinkler systems; Foam spray deluge systems; Medium/high expansion foam systems

For further information, please contact:Tyco Safety Products,

Le Pooleweg 5, 2314 XT Leiden, Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)71 5419 415 Fax: +31 (0)71 5417 330Email: [email protected] Web: www.skum.com

HotFoam™ systems forenclosed areas Systems for high risk sitesSystems for aircraft hangars

Visit us at International Fire Expo 2005 - Hall 17, Stand E10;and Interschutz - Hall 013, Stand B10

iff6 p44 11/17/06 1:52 PM Page 1

There are therefore liquid fuelsderived directly from the frac-tionation of crude oil, these

being gasoline, kerosene, diesel andresidual fuel oil. Very often a gasolinewill not have been entirely a ‘straightrun’ distillate but will have been blend-ed with something, perhaps reformednaphtha, to raise its octane rating.Mention is made of this because thisarticle is being written a few days afterthe fatal accident at the BP Refinery inTexas City which, it appears, occurredat an isomerisation unit where hydro-carbon was being chemically modifiedfor subsequent blending with gasoline.

Flammable liquids additional tocrude oil distillates include alcoholicfuels such as methanol (CH3OH) andethanol (C2H5OH). There are also verymany other oxygenated hydrocarbonswhich will be found in the chemicalprocess industries, three examples beingcyclohexanone (C6H10O) and acetalde-hyde (CH3CHO). These will, in today’sworld, most likely have been madefrom oil-derived starting materials,though some such substances can bemade from coal or from natural gas viasynthesis gas. The first process ineffecting a conversion from a distillateto a particular chemical compound is

cracking. The cracking process leavesbehind it in addition to the desiredproduct (usually olefins) unwantedcracking residue which might be suit-able for blending with the heavier com-ponents of the crude to make a fuel oilor for treatment with steam to make agaseous fuel. These examples, chosenfrom a multitude of such operations inthe hydrocarbon industry, have beendescribed in order that a reader will bereminded of the immense scale ofhydrocarbon liquid handling and pro-cessing and the associated hazards.

This introduction has been con-

cerned with materials which are liquidsat room temperature and pressure.There are some hydrocarbons which arestored under their own highly super-atmospheric vapour pressure in strongvessels at ordinary temperatures and areliquid under such conditions althoughthey are gases at atmospheric pressure.The best example is propane, which isthe primary constituent of liquefiedpetroleum gas (LPG). Vinyl chloridemonomer (VCM) is another example.There will be discussion of hydrocar-bons which are ‘liquids’ in this senselater in the article. There are also someimportant flammable liquids which arecryogens, the most obvious beingliquefied natural gas (LNG). This toowill be briefly covered later.

HEATS OF COMBUSTION

Distillates from crude oil (and indeedthe heavy residue remaining, which


Industrial

Flammable liquid fires

‘LIQUID FUELS’ ABOUND IN today’s world, there being a colossalinternational market in fuels derived from crude oil. The stability of the oilmarket is a major influence in world affairs. In the early days of the oilindustry, that is about 100 years ago, the countries with the highest productionof crude oil were the US, Russia and Mexico. Offshore oil production began,in the Gulf of Mexico, exactly 60 years ago.

By J.C. JonesDepartment ofEngineeringUniversity of

Aberdeen, UK.j.c.jones@

eng.abdn.ac.uk

The cracking process leaves behindit in addition to the desiredproduct (usually olefins) unwantedcracking residue which might besuitable for blending with theheavier components of the crudeto make a fuel oil or for treatmentwith steam to make a gaseous fuel.

P. 43-54 26/10/06 1:47 pm Page 45

might form the basis of a fuel oil) havea heat of combustion in the range 43-46 MJ kg-1, about twice that for abed-moist coal. Hydrocarbons are there-fore powerful heat releasers. Oxygenatedhydrocarbons of course have in effectbeen partly ‘burnt’ already thereforetheir heats of combustion are some-what lower than those of unsubstitutedhydrocarbons. For example, the heat of combustion of acetaldehyde is 27 MJ kg-1.

IGNITABILITY AND FLASH POINTS

The storage and transportation safetyof flammable liquids is usually assessedon the basis of their flash points. Theflash point of a particular liquid is ofcourse the minimum temperature ofthe bulk liquid at which there will be aflash if a flame is brought into contactwith the vapour above its surface. Sucha flash requires that the vapour abovethe liquid be at a concentration abovethat corresponding to the lower flam-mability limit. Flash points of the liq-uids named in the previous paragraphare given in the shaded area below1.

Gasolines, like acetaldehyde, haveflash points which are below 0°C, theprecise value depending on the compo-sition of the gasoline which in turndepends on the nature of the parentcrude and which hydrocarbon type –aromatic, alkane or naphthene – was inpreponderance. A kerosene for house-hold use will have a flash point in theneighbourhood of 40°C whilst thevalue for a diesel might well be higherthan 100°C.

Flash points have an important legalfunction. If it is desired to transport orstore a particular flammable liquid itsflash point will need to be determinedand documented according to therequirements of one of the standardsbodies such as ISO, British Standards orASTM. The test report will need to besigned by an individual authorised bythe standards body. In the event thatthere is any subsequent evidence orsuggestion of negligence on the part ofthe organisation storing or transportingthe substance, the report of the flashpoint test is an important legal docu-ment. There can be difficulties if asubstance is being transported betweencountries. It might happen that a par-ticular liquid originating in the UK is tobe air freighted in a laboratory-scalequantity to the US. Before a case canbe made that transportation is safe theflash point must be determined, andsince the destination of the substanceis the US an ASTM report is preferableto say a British Standards one. It isbecause of situations such as the hypo-thetical one described in the previouscouple of sentences that ASTM accredi-tation is available in the UK, via UKAS.

Of course, the flash points of verymany pure organic substances are tab-ulated in standard reference works onfire protection engineering. In the

event that the flash point of a sub-stance to be stored or transported isrecorded in an authoritative text is itlegally adequate to invoke the literaturevalue without doing a measurement tocheck it? The author of this piece is athermal scientist, not a lawyer, andwould prefer not to give a definitiveanswer to that question. What he can say with conviction is that for anumber of simple organic compoundsincluding dimethyl ether and formicacid flash point values in the recentliterature are significantly in error. Such errors have been reported in the research literature, in periodicalsincluding ‘Journal of Loss Prevention inthe Process Industries’, and also in theProceedings of a major conference onfire safety held in the US in 2001. Itwill take a few years for the correctedvalues to filter through to some of thetabulations of flash points in the majorreference works. Meanwhile, would theuse of a recent but incorrect literaturevalue be defence in the event of anaccidental fire with one of these com-pounds, or would a court rule that theorganisation using the compound had a duty to stay up to date withdevelopments and that therefore itsmanagement ought to have been awareof the corrections in the researchliterature?


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Gasolines, like acetaldehyde, haveflash points which are below 0°C,the precise value depending on thecomposition of the gasoline whichin turn depends on the nature ofthe parent crude and whichhydrocarbon type – aromatic,alkane or naphthene – was inpreponderance.

methanol + 12°C

ethanol + 8°C

cyclohexanone + 46°C

acetaldehyde – 38°C

1Values are from a ‘closed cup’ flash pointsand are taken from the current edition of theSI Chemical Data Book published by Wiley.


P. 43-54 26/10/06 1:47 pm Page 46


P. 43-54 26/10/06 1:48 pm Page 47

COMBUSTION BEHAVIOUR IN AN ACCIDENTAL FIRE

If a vessel of a flammable liquid isburst open so that its contents exit allat once, there will be vaporisation and,if there is ignition, rapid reaction withoxygen such that the entire amount isburnt in time of the order of secondsor at most a few tens of seconds. Thisof course if fireball behaviour. If thereis not immediate ignition therefore thevessel liquid contents settle to form apool, ignition will result in a pool fireand this form of combustion behaviourwill be discussed later.

Returning to fireball behaviour, whathas been described is a fireball resultingfrom catastrophic leakage and ignitionof a hydrocarbon which is a liquid atordinary temperatures and pressures,neither a ‘liquefied gas’ nor a cryogen.The hydrocarbon might be a singlecompound or it might be a highlycomplex mixture such as a petroleumfraction. This leads to the distinctionbetween a fireball and a Boiling LiquidExpanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE).The latter occurs when a liquefied gassuch as LPG or VCM leaks catastrophi-cally. Before leakage the substance wasalmost entirely in the liquid phase,probably significantly less than 1% ofthe mass being vapour in the ullagespace above the liquid surface. The very rapid conversion to vapour onceleakage has occurred is the origin of a

physical not a chemical explosion. Onsubsequent ignition a fireball ensues.Ignition is probable in such circum-stances because the rapidly movingliquid causes static electricity effectswhich provide an ignition source. Butthe BLEVE itself is a physical explosioncaused by rapid and uncontrolled pres-sure build-up as the substance changesphase and failure of the vessel underthe stress so caused. A non-flammableliquid can BLEVE – there are well doc-umented examples – but obviouslysuch a BLEVE will not be followed by afireball.

So the term fireball applies to a sub-stance which is a liquid at room tem-perature (e.g., benzene) which leaksrapidly and ignites, burning itself outin time of the order of seconds aspreviously noted. A fireball follows aBLEVE when a flammable liquefied gasleaks rapidly. A fireball from a hydro-carbon previously a liquid at roomtemperature might have a significantoverpressure. Confinement of the fire-ball by walls and other structures willpromote overpressure.

LNG will burn as a fireball underconditions of rapid leakage and igni-tion. There has been an ongoingdebate on whether LNG displays BLEVEbehaviour. Some discussion of thispoint took place in the literature in the‘eighties and the author has more thanonce had enquiries from MSc studentswho, in the course of their industrial

placements, have been concerned withLNG and heard or read assertions thatit can BLEVE. It is sufficient for anarticle such as this that the reader beaware that the point is under debateand investigation. What is not in doubtis that leaked LNG can display a fire-ball. This is key input to risk assessmentat sites where LNG is stored.

LNG is not the only cryogen in thehydrocarbon industry. Many refrigerantsare simple hydrocarbon compounds andduring the refrigeration cycle condenseto liquid loss of containment of whichis of course a major hazard.

A liquid having formed a pool will, ifignited, burn as a pool fire. This formof burning is less powerfully heat-releasing than a fireball and unlike afireball it can, with considerable quan-tities of leaked liquids, burn for longenough to become quasi-steady.Notwithstanding the fact that it is lessthermally powerful than a fireball, apool fire can be lethal to a person whois close by when ignition occurs. Agood deal of the recent research onpool fires has been in the context ofcrude oil leakages at offshore plat-forms. A belief which the presentauthor, having examined it closely,would cautiously endorse is that allhydrocarbon pool fires burn at a rate ofabout:

0.1 kg m-2s-1

that is, at 0.1 kg of fuel per squaremetre of pool area per second. Thisfigure for pool fire burning issometimes used in quantitative riskassessment.


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Concluding remarksThis article has covered in anextremely brief way the science of liquid combustion. It will befollowed in a later issue by one inwhich LPG fireballs and the like arediscussed more fully in terms notonly of the fundamentals but also ofcase studies.

LNG is not the only cryogen in thehydrocarbon industry. Manyrefrigerants are simple hydrocarboncompounds and during therefrigeration cycle condense toliquid loss of containment of whichis of course a major hazard.


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Even if every firefighter were todon compressed air breathingapparatus for every single inci-

dent, the need for gas detection sys-tems would still exist. Gases,particularly those from chemical andindustrial plants, can have far reachingeffects, from the poisoning of nearbypersonnel through to widespread envi-ronmental pollution. They can alsohave explosive consequences. The useof the right gas detection system willquickly determine the type and level ofrisk and allow the firefighter to dowhat they do best – resolve the situa-tion with the utmost safety for allconcerned.

The nature of the incident cansometimes point to the type of hazardthat may be found and might provide a

useful insight into which type of gasdetection system may be required. Anearthquake or other natural disaster, forexample, might involve town gas,methane, hydrogen sulphide, sulphurdioxide, carbon monoxide or, perhaps,a lack of oxygen alto-gether. A terrorist inci-dent might featurenuclear, biological orchemical hazards, whilsta wide variety of gasesand vapours can befound at different indus-trial sites.

For instance, in thebrewing industry whereincreased levels of nitro-gen are now being usedto make a more efferves-

cent beer, there is a danger of oxygendepletion and, as a result, asphyxiation.Colourless, inert and odourless, liquidnitrogen is also used as a freezingagent in hospitals, laboratories anduniversities. A firefighter entering aconfined space or enclosed area in the danger zone could find him orherself with a severe case of oxygendeprivation.

In steelworks, a volatile mix of oxygenand carbon monoxide can create seriousblast levels and even the semiconductorindustry has it’s own potential toxicity


Industrial



Air monitoring as part of

preparednessBy Gerd Pearson,

Global Market Manager for Fire Brigades, Draeger Safety

Firefighters throughout the world know that the quicker they can assess what itis they are dealing with, the quicker they can start work. Smoke and flamesare relatively easy to see, unlike the invisible dangers that often accompanytoxic or flammable gases. A source of ignition at the wrong time, or entry intoa potentially lethal atmosphere could turn an incident into a full blowndisaster.

Air monitoring as part of

preparedness

P. 43-54 26/10/06 1:51 pm Page 51

problems with the use of ammonia,arsine and bromine. A “shout” at a foodprocessing plant could involve high lev-els of disinfectants or, in refrigerationand cold storage areas, unhealthy levelsof ammonia. To compound the problem,it is also possible that toxic and/or flam-mable gases and vapours that were

created during previous work might still be present, or that hazardous bi-products may be created by the fireitself from otherwise non-hazardousmaterials.

Whilst not exhaustive, the followinglists some of the most common sub-stances that may be encountered:

HAZARDS AND EFFECTS

Many gases and vapours are toxic, cancause oxygen deficiency or carry therisk of explosion and, as a result canprove to be lethal.

In respiratory terms, different hazardshave different effects and are classifiedas follows:

■ Simple AsphyxiantsInhalation of substances in this cate-gory is not usually life-threateningbut the presence of a simple asphyxi-ant can displace oxygen in the air tosuch an extent that the lack of oxy-gen can, in itself, be dangerous. Car-bon dioxide is a typical example andwhilst exposure to low levels can leadto breathlessness, high concentra-tions can cause loss of consciousnesswithin just 60 seconds.

■ Chemical AsphyxiantsUnlike other asphyxiants, these canbe immediately dangerous to lifeand health in that they interferewith the transportation of oxygenwithin the body. Symptoms follow-ing exposure to carbon monoxideand hydrogen sulphide, which isproduced by the combustion ofpolyurethane foams, for instance,include giddiness and headachesbefore eventual collapse. Exposureto a high concentration of hydrogen



SOURCE SUBSTANCE

Combustion processes such as open fire, CO2, CO, Noxtobacco smoke. Vehicle exhaust gas

Cleaning agents, disinfectants, furniture Toluene and aromatics,polish, stain removers, shoe polish spray, hexane and aliphatic hydrocarbons,nail polish remover, correction liquids, formaldehyde and other aldehydes,pickling agents. acetone

Glues and paints Toluene and aromatics, hexane andaliphatic hydrocarbons,formaldehyde, other aldehydes

Insulating material, foams, damping Styrene, formaldehydematerial, chipboards

Gasoline stations Toluene, benzene and otheraromatics, hexane and other aliphatichydrocarbons

Refrigerants, anti-oxidant in Ammoniametal furnaces

Food processing, magnesium foundries Sulphur dioxide

Semi-conductor manufacture & rework Ammonia, bromine, hydrogenchloride, hydrogen cyanide

Paper and man-made fibres Chlorine

Decomposing biological matter Methane, H2S, oxygen deficiency

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Air monitoring as part ofpreparedness

Air monitoring as part ofpreparedness

P. 43-54 26/10/06 1:51 pm Page 52

sulphide will cause an immediateparalytic effect on the respiratorysystem.

■ IrritantsUlceration of the throat, wateringeyes, sneezing and coughing are justsome of the immediate symptomsthat can follow exposure to irritantssuch as ammonia, chlorine andsulphur dioxide. Where escape isdifficult, breathing can becomeseverely restricted and exposurecould prove fatal.

■ NarcoticsHallucinations can follow exposureto high concentrations of tolueneand other narcotic substances suchas tetrachloroethylene.

Combination hazards exist inmany situations and, as well asbeing potentially explosive or flam-mable in nature can make searchand rescue operations very difficultindeed.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SYSTEMS

The incident and location will auto-matically reveal a certain amount ofinformation about the types of hazardsthat are most likely to be found. How-ever, firefighters entering a potentiallyhazardous environment need to knowexactly which gases are involved thereand then, not just for their own safetybut for the well being of those theymay need to rescue.

Designed to detect airborne sub-stances and to sound a warning if thelevels pose a threat to health, portablegas detection instruments can be usedto determine if an area is safe to enter,whether it remains safe during rescueor recovery and, after clean-up, canensure that decontamination has beencomplete. Whether the hazard is toxic,explosive, combustible, asphyxiating ora combination of any of those, there isan instrument to suit every situation.

TubesShort term tubes provide on-the-spotmeasurements of targeted gases andare suitable for monitoring personalexposure, spot check measurements,leak checks and confined space investi-gation. Developed by Draeger in 1937,for example, DraegerTubes lead the

way in tube technology and enable thefast, accurate measurement of over1000 substances, including chemicalwarfare agents.

These highly accurate glass tubescan also be used in conjunction withshort term pumps to enable rapidmeasurements to be taken and provideoptimum volume and flow specifica-tions. Incorporating automatic strokecounters and a clear end of stroke indi-cator, pumps require no special toolsand give accurate and reproducibleresults.

Tube technology is also used in theDraeger Chip Measurement System, aportable multi-gas detection systemthat requires minimal user training andwhich provides an immediate, truedigital readout without the need forfurther evaluation.

Personal Single Gas MonitorsThese handheld instruments can moni-tor a broad range of gases and can besupplied with interchangeable sensorsto detect specific substances. One suchinstrument is the cost-effective DraegermicroPac Plus. Available in six versionsand offering maintenance-free opera-tion, it emits optical, acoustic andvibrating alarms.

Portable instruments of this kindobviously need to be lightweight, easyto read and easy to use, even whenwearing gloves and the alarms shouldbe heard, seen or felt in the mostarduous of conditions.

Multi-Gas MeasurementsThese high performance instrumentscan be used to measure a wide varietyof gases in virtually any situation, fromindoor air quality through to confinedspace entry and the monitoring oflandfill gas. The more modern units,such as the Draeger X-am 7000 whichcan be supplied with a choice of over25 sensors, can provide continuousdetection of up to five gases simulta-neously and feature individuallyadjustable visual and acoustic alarms.

As each sensor is pre-calibrated andis recognised automatically by theinstrument, this innovative instrumentcan be reconfigured simply by chang-ing a sensor and without requiringadditional service or maintenance. Inaddition, the measuring range of thesesensors can be changed to any othergas detected by that sensor, by thepush of a button and without needing


Industrial


Designed to detect airbornesubstances and to sound a warningif the levels pose a threat to health,portable gas detection instrumentscan be used to determine if an areais safe to enter, whether it remainssafe during rescue or recovery and,after clean-up, can ensure thatdecontamination has been complete.

P. 43-54 26/10/06 1:51 pm Page 53

recalibration. As a result, the accuracyand range of the monitored substanceis substantially increased. The searchfor leaks in flanges, shut off devicesand valves, etc., has also been simpli-fied by the addition of a new, flexiblegooseneck probe. When in trackingmode, it generates an increasing ordecreasing rate of beeps in accordancewith the gas concentration detected.

Other specially designed “two-in one”instruments are also available for usewhere combination hazards involvingexplosive gases and a lack or surplus ofoxygen may exist. For maximum flexi-bility, the Draeger PacEx2, for instance,can be supplied in two versions: as aninstrument for explosive gas measure-ment, or as a “plug and play”,combination instrument for explosivegas and oxygen measurement. Combin-ing extended operational time withminimal training and charging require-ments, it features “smart” technology

and is designed to monitor hazard con-centrations continuously, simultaneouslyand independently.

Utilising three functional pushbuttoncontrols, this rugged instrument isoperational as soon as the sensors areplugged into the instrument and has ashort response time.

Each of these multi-functionalinstruments can also be fitted with ahose or pump for active sampling inhard to reach areas. Where recordkeeping is a requirement, they can alsobe supplied with dataloggers.

Domestic preparedness has come tothe fore in recent years, as the dangersof chemical and biological agents havebecome more of a concern. Providingcontinuous measurement in real-time,the Draeger Multi-IMS, for example, iseasy to use and will quickly detect awide range of chemical warfare agents.Utilising the latest state-of-the-arthandheld detection and monitoringtechnology, it incorporates a sensorbased on Open Loop Ion Mobility Spec-trometry and uses an ION Mobility Cellto provide improved sensitivity andselectivity. Concentration, trend and rela-tive dosage measurements are easilytaken and a range of graphical alarmsindicate both the substance and concen-tration level as well as the hazard type,i.e. nerve, blister or blood/choking agent.Bar graph displays clearly show the cur-rent concentration levels as well as alarmvolume and battery status. With a built-in pump and RS232 datalogging inter-face, it also features audible and visualalarms and an automatic self-check.

Photo ionisation detectors (PID) areperfect for tracing volatile organic

substances in air. Able to detect wholegroups of substances, these multi-functional, robust instruments can alsobe calibrated to monitor individualhazards. Especially useful in confinedspace measurements and emissionsmonitoring, they can also assist in fireinvestigation and in post-accidentscreening.

Fixed Gas Detection SystemsDesigned to constantly monitor anddetect explosive or toxic gases andvapours as well as oxygen deficiencyand/or enrichment, these sophisticatedsystems can be used to sound alarmsand initiate evacuation, or to switch offentire processes in the event of a prob-lem. Used to monitor remote areasand/or multiple sites, their data isrecorded which means that they canprovide valuable incident informationbefore fighters even arrive at the scene.

Providing round the clock protectionfor, amongst others, the petrochem,food processing and chemical indus-tries, they are also widely used in largecommercial sites and sports or leisurevenues. Incorporating HART technolo-gy, Draeger REGARD controllers, forexample, can be used in conjunctionwith Polytron infra-red, explosion proofand open path transmitters in anyapplication where fail-safe protection isrequired. Designed for use under thetoughest conditions, they are also pro-tected against RFI, high vibration,shock and corrosion.


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Further information is availablefrom Richard Beckwith, DraegerSafety UK Limited, Ullswater Close, Kitty Brewster Ind Est., Blyth,Northumberland, NE24 4RG. Tel: 01670 352891. Fax: 01670356266

Firefighters have a need for rapidand accurate information about thenature of the incident. Once armedwith the facts, they can respond tothe numerous challenges that ariseboth quickly and competently.Fulfilling a vital role, gas detectionsystems can be used to eliminatethe risks and increase awareness ofthe dangers.

P. 43-54 26/10/06 1:52 pm Page 54

In times of uncertainty, you need EE times the protection.

f i v e - g a s d e t e c t o r

Breathe easy, knowing your life is protected withthe

• simultaneous display of up to five different gases: H2S, CO, O2, SO2, PH3, NH3, NO2, HCN, Cl2, ClO2, O3, combustibles (%LEL) and VOCs (PID)for Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) and Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs).

• simple, user-friendly operation

• integral concussion-proof boot

• integral pump option

• triple alarms (visual, audible and vibrating)

• datalogging options

• highly water-resistant

iff6 p55 26/10/06 1:52 pm Page 1

An Elastopipe system can operate up to 1400°C for 2 hours and continue to function even following

explosions and pressure waves. Steel pipes would be unable to with-

stand this environment and on a costbasis establishes Elastopipe as a superiorproduct to its competitors.

Elastopipe is becoming an importantsource of revenue for the TrelleborgViking rubber factory in Mjøndalen nearDrammen and in June 2003 they wereawarded an order of NOK 100 mill. withNorsk Hydro for Oseberg Feltsenter.

Installation without weldingThe first offshore installation took placein 1999 on the Ekofisk Tor platform.Phillips performed a gastroscopycheck in the spring of 2003 afternearly four year operating time andfound so little incrustation in thepipes that the production grooveswere still visible.

Trelleborg Viking has installedElastopipe on a least 50 projects,from a small installation on a coast-guard vessel to a major installation onthe Valhall platform.

Additionally Elastopipe can be installedin stave churches and other protectedbuilding without the need to weld.

There are many reasons why clientsshould consider using Elastopipe in firefighting – and sprinkler systems mainlybecause it has the ability to resist fire andexplosion.

Jet fires a living hellThe development of Elastopipe beganafter an explosion following a jet fire onthe Piper Alpha platform in 1988. A rea-son for the large numbers of casualtieswas the collapse of the fire fightingsystems on board.

As a result of this disaster, Trelleborg

Viking, in co-operation with experts from NTNU (Norges teknisk-naturviten-skapelige universitet) in Trondheim andwith several oil companies, developed asolution to the problem.

When this accident occurred we hadalready developed a material that couldwithstand a normal fire, what we did nothave was a product that could take JetFire. This was a serious problem for thecompany because we had nothing tooffer to a large market. A typical platformhas approximately 30,000 metres of thistype of piping, while navy vessels haveapproximately 3,000 metres.

Important co-operationTrelleborg Viking appreciates the co-operation with NTNU, clients, end-usersand sub-suppliers. This co-operationmade it possible for us to come up with asolution that made the company morecompetitive and simultaneously solving amajor problem for all concerned.

This co-operation led to TrelleborgViking designing an advanced xenon lampused for testing materials during extremethermal stress. The xenon lamp will reject ajet fire with temperatures up to 1500°C,and because this is so concentrated it ispossible to study the actual effect closely toestablish smoke development or poison gas.

Another important issue was the devel-opment of a rig for testing jet fires. It waspossible to hire a unit in the USA or UK,but this was an expensive option, howeverwith our own rig we are now able to testjet fire materials at a fraction of the cost.

The first product made was called Jet-Firestop, a passive fire protector thatcould be used over existing pipes. Thiswas later developed into Elastopipe byTrelleborg Viking together with oilcompanies investing NOK 100 mill. We

developed a material that behaves likerubber but does not burn. Elastopipecan be used instead of steel or glassfibre, is very flexible, connected withquick couplings in titanium keepingpressure density. No other pipe systemscan withstand a jet fire for 2 hours.

Temperature, corrosioninstallationElastopipe has 3 very importantadvantages. Firstly it can withstand


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Elastopipe™ The neP R O D U C T

1400oC and not melted, Elastopipe makesJet fires a less living hellMANY WERE SURPRISED WHEN Trelleborg Viking developed extinguisherand deluge systems using rubber instead of steel piping. However, thescepticism has long gone with good reason.

By Morten Benjaminsen,INMACO AS

P. 56-74 26/10/06 1:54 pm Page 56

the temperatures during a jet fire. Sec-ondly corrosion is eliminated in connec-tion with sea water through the pipes andthirdly installation is made easier. Iron andsteel pipes have to be welded using heavyand expensive flanges – whereasElastopipe joints are flange free.

Independent analysis show thatElastopipe has a lower operating cost overcarbon steel, copper, reinforced glass fibreepoxy and titanium pipe. Carbon steel hasthe lowest material cost but Elastopipe ismore cost effective due to installation,maintenance, operation and safety.

A patented pipe system Elastopipe system is a new and patentedpipe system developed for fire fightingand deluge in exposed areas/environments. It is designed in asynthetic and flexible rubber, replacingpipes made from steel, titanium or glassfibre. The system has been tested andapproved for an explosive scenario fol-lowed by impact and jet fire. Physicaltesting has proved that no metal or epoxypipe will withstand this treatment.

Third party system approvals includeDNV and ABS.

Trelleborg Viking AS manufacturesElastopipe™ from 1� to 8� in diameterincluding reels up to 40 metres.

The system has a number of uniquequalities:

● No corrosion● Flexible system● Withstand jet fires● Easy installation without welding● Minimize waterhammer● Withstands impact● Low maintenance

These qualities makes the Elastopipe™an ideal solution for fire fighting/delugesystems in petrochemical plants, oil – and gas installations offshore, vessels,industrial plants, buildings and mines.

INMACO – Protecting YourInvestmentINMACO work with Safety and Loss

Prevention Engineering Services, ProcessSystems and as Safety Contractors. Our competence lies in technology,product know-how, project execution,integrated solutions and overall customersatisfaction.

Through subsidiaries, affiliates andagent networking Inmaco’s goal is to bea global oil and gas industry provider.


Industrial

new way of piping

INMACO is a distributor and agentof Elastopipe. For more detailsplease see our web site whichincludes images and videos or

contact:

Inmaco ASTel. No. +47 99480010

Fax. No +47 99480011

e-mail:[email protected]

website: www.inmaco.no

P R O F I L E

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In addition, we will also discussthose that have been around andare still available. No efforts to sell

or give the manufacturers names willbe made here. Should you desire infor-mation you may contact the magazineor go to the inter net and research thevarious manufacturers, or go to Under-writers Laboratories to obtain listingsand manufacturers.

Firefighting foam concentrates haveexisted since the late 1800’s for han-dling both flammable and combustibleliquids. Initially the foams were chemi-cally introduced through a mixer bypouring the two powdered chemicalsinto a hopper where it was mixed withwater becoming a foam water solutionand carried to the fire by hose line.When it reached the delivery device airwas introduced and expanded thesolution into a light weight bubblyfoam bubble. This was very time con-suming, and required the handling of 5 gallon containers and required a lotof manpower. With the size of thestorage tanks growing to jumbodiameters and heights there is no waythis type system could exist today.There are some still in existence but it

is not known if they are in a functionalstate.

Foam systems consist of foamconcentrate, proportioning device,water supply and foam maker(s). Allcomponents are important, but theconcentrate is the most important ofany system. We will discuss the manytypes of foam concentrates that arecurrently available.

PROTEIN FOAM

Protein foam concentrates have beenaround for many years. They are manu-factured from protein hydrolysate, foamstabilization compounds, freezing pointdepressants and preservatives. These areblended together to produce homoge-neous, highly stable foam concentrate.These foams are designed to work onflammable liquid fires using onlyaspirated foam nozzles and foamchambers. They will not work with nonaspirating nozzles. They can be usedwith both fresh and seawater.

They are not approved for use


Industrial

Picture courtesy of Hale Products, Inc.


FirefightingFoams

AS ONE MIGHT GUESS, with the environmental issues of today’s times thereare some new innovations of foam concentrates available to the world. Thisarticle will attempt to address some of these which hopefully will assist those inthe need to reach a conclusion as to what they will require when the needarises for them to make a decision.

By Dave Cochran

FirefightingFoams

P. 56-74 26/10/06 1:56 pm Page 59

through subsurface injection equip-ment or for use on polar solvents andare not compatible with dry chemicals.

FLUORPROTEIN CONCENTRATES

In addition to the protein materials,fluorosurfactants are added whichallows for more extinguishment capa-bility, more fluidity ( allows it to movefaster and move around objects), iscompatible with dry chemical, andgives superior sealability and burnbackresistance. Because of its resistance tofuel pickup, fluoroprotein concentratesare capable of being used for subsur-face injection. They are for use onhydrocarbon fires only, and, like theprotein foams must be used throughaspirated equipment. They can not beused through non-aspirating equip-ment. They can be used with fresh andseawater.

SYNTHETIC FOAM CONCENTRATES

AFFF synthetic foam concentrates weredeveloped in the 1960’s for use by theU.S. Navy. The obvious need was forfast attacks and rescue of pilots bothon shipboard and land. Fluorocarbonsurfactants and synthetic foamingagents were added which produced anaqueous film. This thin layer of foamsolution spreads rapidly across the sur-face of most hydrocarbon fuels whichgives a rapid knockdown of fire. This


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Picture courtesy of Hale Europe


Choosing the right foam concentrate for your particularapplication can be a bewildering process due to the widevariety of products available in the market. So how canyou be certain to make the right choice? You buy from areputable manufacturer with the experience and expertiseto deliver reliable fire protection products to a market thatdemands the best. You can be certain if, when you need aprotein based foam agent, you choose Sabo Foam.

Sabo Foam provides professional fire fighters with a fullrange of protein based fire fighting agents, includingdurable, film-forming products for use with polar solventfires. Cost effectiveness is finely balanced with fire fightingperformance to ensure quality is not compromised.

Part of the global family of Tyco Fire & Security foamagents, Sabo Foams are designed to safeguard life andproperty when it counts – in a crisis. We concentrate onfoam – so you don’t have to.

Protein Fire Fighting Foams

Concentrateon foam; we do.

For further information, please contact:Tyco Safety Products, Le Pooleweg 5, 2314 XT Leiden, Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)71 5419 415 Fax: +31 (0)71 5417 330 E-mail: [email protected]


P. 56-74 26/10/06 1:56 pm Page 60

became, and still is, the norm for crashrescue firefighting. The aqueous film iscreated by the action of the fluoro-carbon surfactant reducing the surfacetension of the foam solution that issupported by the hydrocarbon fuel.

This type of concentrate can be usedthrough low energy producing equip-ment and produce good quality foam.Non aspirating nozzles can be utilizedwith this type of concentrate and thebubble is produced as the stream isbeing thrown to the fire. This allows forexpansion ratios of somewhere 3-4 toone. If used through aspirating equip-ment, the expansion is increased to inexcess of 5 to 1 the extinguishment isfaster and offers better burnback resis-tance. These concentrates can be usedwith both fresh and seawater.

ALCOHOL RESISTANT CONCENTRATES

Polar solvent products such as alcoholsare very destructive to those foam con-centrates which are considered conven-tional products. The polar solventsextract the water from the foam thusdestroying the foam blanket very rapid-ly. In order for foam concentrates toperform on polar solvents, a polymerwas added that will form a polymericmembrane between the fuel and thefoam blanket. This membrane can beseen when placed on polar solventfuels. Because of its versatility, whendifferent fuel types are present thesetype concentrates are purchased toallow for more efficient operations, andpermitting the use of one concentratefor a variety of different products.These concentrates are capable ofbeing used with both aspirating andnon aspirating equipment. Both freshand seawater can be used with theseconcentrates.

3%X3% CONCENTRATES

The next generation of foam concen-trate to be introduced is one thatrequires a 3% proportioning ration onboth hydrocarbons and polar solvents.This type of concentrate has a specialbiosynthesized polymer which fills twofunctions, the first of which forms amembrane between the fuel and thefoam blanket. This is the same as thatof the 3%x6% concentrate. The secondfunction makes the foam more stableand heat resistant which gives it better


Industrial

Picture courtesy of Hale Europe

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liquid FLUOR FOAMOUSSE 3%, 6%Training foams

P. 56-74 26/10/06 1:58 pm Page 61

burnback resistance and the ability toseal against hot surfaces. Like the otherconcentrates it can be used with bothsea and fresh water.

1%X3%CONCENTRATES

1%x3% foam concentrates for largestorage tank firefighting were intro-duced about 1990/91. This concentratecan be proportioned at 1% on hydro-carbons and 3% on polar solvents. It isclaimed these concentrates, at the 1%rate contain much more chemical thanthe other multi purpose foam concen-trates, which means more extinguishingagent is put onto each square foot ofthe liquid surface. It is suggested youcontact your manufacturer for informa-tion regarding these concentrates fortank fire situations.

SPECIAL CONCENTRATES

A new innovation of foam concentratethat contain microbes is now availablefor firefighting and spill control. Thepurpose of the microbes is to begin todigest the fuel being combated. In spill,or “skin”, or levels that are rather thinas far as depth is concerned, two (2)inches or less, the microbes will ingesthydrocarbon fuels and will, over time,digest the fuel. These microbes arespecifically selected and adapted forthis service and biodegrade in 23 days.The company manufactures both aclass A and Class B concentrate includ-ing a 3x3 AFFF Alcohol ResistantConcentrate, and a AFFF Concentrate.On fires involving in depth situations, itwould take forever for the fuel to be

digested, but, according to the manu-facturer, the LEL is quickly lowered,thus reducing the hazard level. In addi-tion, this concentrate is also biodegrad-able and the microbes will also digestthe finished foam, regardless of thetype, thus reducing the clean up cost.

CLASS A CONCENTRATES

Most foam concentrate manufacturersmake class A foam concentrates for usein structural firefighting operations.Some of these available can also beused on thin layered flammable liquidsituations. As in the special concentratespreviously mentioned, one of these alsocontains microbes, is biodegradable, hasa strong penetrating effect, and ishighly effective according to the manu-facturer. Many of these are available.

GELS

There are several agents available thatare termed to be Gels. What this meansis they can be applied to buildings forexample, in the case of a fast advanc-ing forest fire, homes can be sprayed toprevent them from being destroyed inthe ensuing fire.

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is highly recommended any organ-ization interested in purchasingfirefighting foam concentrates, shouldcontact the testing organizations suchas Underwriters Laboratories, FactoryMutual, USCG, US Navy, USDA, MOD,ICAL, ICAA, ISO, EN, etc., for informa-tion concerning a product(s) you maybe interested in purchasing. I wouldnot always trust the word of a sales-person, unless they are well known toyou and reputable.


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Large capacity aspirated foam Monitors like Colossus are ideally suited for efficientuse of foams like FP70 Plus onto large tank fires

The latest high performance Niagara foam from Angus Fire in action. Its polymer freemultipurpose application gives fast knockdown on hydrocarbon and polar solvent fuels

In addition, the proportioningequipment you are using should betested and well maintained. Whenyou get down to the 1% concen-trates, there is little room for erroron the low side. If they proportionon the rich side you are probablygoing to be OK. Other than caus-ing the cost per gallon to increaseyou will be on the safe side andwill perhaps be successful in yourattempt to extinguish, or preventignition if that is the situation inwhich you are involved.

P. 56-74 26/10/06 1:58 pm Page 62


Thinking about foam ...But have you thought about the environment ?

www.bio-ex.comBIO-EX S.A.ZI La Petite Olivière - 69770 Montrottier - FRANCE Tel. +33 474 702 381 - Fax +33 474 702 394 - [email protected]

the new alcohol resistantfoam concentrate formulatedon natural materialsconforms to EN 1568

Thinking about foam ...But have you thought about the environment ?

the new alcohol resistantfoam concentrate formulatedon natural materialsconforms to EN 1568

The DATTM 4099S 5-line Mass Casualty Decon Shower Systemdecontaminates 5 and/or up to 10 non-ambulatory, 5 and/or upto 10 ambulatory personnel or any combination in a 5’ L undress

area/ 13’ L shower area/ 5’ redress area configuration.

This is a one piece, 15’ W x 23’ L x 9’ H, fully integrated Mass Casualty unit with built-in decon shower pool

area complete with all shower heads, trigger guns, 4 center and 15 –1/5th cross divider privacy curtains, windows,

skylights, inflator/deflator, ropes/stakes, repair kit, manual, highpressure SCBA compressed air fill valve, air vents.

Simply supply water and commence decon in less than 3 minutes.

Multiple Optional Accessories Available

DATTM 4099S5-line Mass Casualty Decon Shower System

FSI PORTABLEHAZMAT DECONTAMINATION

SHOWER/SHELTER SYSTEMS

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Visit us at www.fsinorth.com to see our full range of mobile, portable,

and fixed hazmat decon showers, shelters and accessories.FSI now offers a wide range of Negative and Positive Pressure Isolation

Shower and Shelter Systems.

P. 56-74 11/17/06 1:59 PM Page 63

For those of you who missed theFDIC in Indy FSI was truly theleading edge Hazmat Decon com-

pany there with the largest and bestoffering of products. And FSI will bringtheir line to booth E64 in hall 26 at theforthcoming Interschutz show.

FSI currently offers amongst theworld’s broadest range of portable,mobile and fixed emergency hazmatdecon shower, and shelter systems andaccessories. FSI units range from theeconomy single first responder typeDAT®1010S units to the largestDAT®4099S 5 line 3/4 stage (undress/detergent shower/rinse shower/redress)mass casualty decon shower systemsthat can decon 10 ambulatory or 10non-ambulatory personnel or any

combination simultaneously.But FSI is not content with resting on

its’ laurels as it were. FSI is working hardto meet the increasingly sophisticateddemands of the market place —demands that today require fullyintegrated systems and larger and morepersonnel handling capabilities.

And one such leading edge productshown represents the very future ofdecon — that being the F-MAP coldplasma ionization system.

Current technology largely employsthe use of copious quantities of waterand/or detergent or both to decontami-nate victims and first responders.

The FSI F-MAP cold plasma ioniza-tion system represents the future ofHazmat Decontamination.

The system — currently available inthis portable format only — works asfollows:

a. inject diluted liquid hydrogen perox-ide into the system, thus:

b. creating a hydrogen peroxide mist viathe use of a high speed nozzle inter-nally which then:

c. ionizes the mist by accelerating itthrough a cold plasma arc system ofceramics and metals which release:

d. ‘hydroxyls’ (the component in mistedhydrogen peroxide that actually killsbio/chem. ‘nasties’) and these:

e. short lived (10’s of seconds maxi-mum) ‘hydroxyls’ are then pushed athigh speed thru ducting into:

f. FSI shower/shelter systems wherepeople awaiting decontamination:

g. are misted thus killing on contacteven the very worst Vx nerve gas to5 log (99.999%) and bio. agents to 7 log (99.99999%).*

*For a human to survive Vx nerve gas expo-sure the ‘kill’ ratio must be in very shortorder from the time of exposure to at least5 logs of ‘kill’. To ensure no long termdamage the ‘kill’ ratio must be to 7 logson Anthrax, Small Pox and other BiologicalAgents. Lesser Bio. Chem. agents are killedto more than 7 logs. The F-MAP system willwork on all known Bio Chem. agents.

The F-MAP system represents years ofwork, research, and millions of dollarsspent by DOD and the US Army andclearly shows a finished, approved andviable product, available only fromFSI in this format.

In the future FSI decon showersystems may well increasingly employthis technology, and eventually waterdecontamination will become a thing ofthe past.


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FSI North AmericaTM

A Division of Fire SafetyInternational, Inc.TM

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P. 56-74 26/10/06 1:59 pm Page 64


Hale Products EuropeA Unit of IDEX CorporationCharles Street, WarwickCV34 5LR England

Tel: +44 (0)1926 623600Fax: +44 (0)1926 623666Email: [email protected]

World Series Pumpwith integrated CAFSCAFS output directfrom the main vehiclepump dischargeState-of-the-arttechnology

CAFS Range - a solution for every need

MiniCAFS - Retro-fittable unitOperates from any pumpEasily fits into side lockers

Compressed Air Foam (CAFS) is increasingly seen as the solution formore efficient and more effective firefighting. Whatever your operationalrequirements HALE have the right CAFS configuration for you.

Also available as separate componentsfor installation at vehicle build stage -models MCP50, CAFS90 and CAFS200

IDEX CORPORATION

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Tel: +44 (0)1926 623600Fax: +44 (0)1926 623666Email: [email protected]

Hale Products EuropeA Unit of IDEX CorporationCharles Street, WarwickCV34 5LR England

Compressed Air Foam (CAFS) is increasingly seen as the solution formore efficient and more effective firefighting. Whatever your operationalrequirements HALE have the right CAFS configuration for you.

HALL 12, STAND C30

P. 56-74 26/10/06 1:59 pm Page 65

SCENARIO I

Imagine you have a lake tanker loadedwith unleaded gasoline, tied to a dockat a terminal. This terminal is locatedon a major waterway that feeds a verylarge Great Lake. Both the lake andriver are tidal, and are used by boatersfor recreation-heavily in the summerbecause ice envelopes the waters in thewinter. It is early September and theboating weather is fast coming to aclose. The vessel suddenly breaks awayfrom the dock, rupturing its fuel linefeeding a tank in the terminal, creatingan explosion and fire on the boat andin the river. Several of the vessels fueltanks are breached creating a large fireon board. Fortunately only one death

occurred-because the person could notswim. The first due fire departmentresponded with mutual aid and did afantastic job in preventing damage tothe terminal or surrounding exposures.

Because they did not have thewherewithal to combat the vessel fire,which included large supplies of foamconcentrates, the vessel owner contact-ed a professional firefighting companyto come in and handle the situation.

The ship was during low tide awashin some areas, thus permitting thegasoline to float into the river. Everyagency with any responsibility with fire,emergency, environmental, or any otherconcern was on the scene for theduration. Meetings were in constantdemand as one could imagine. The fire

occurred in the mid morning, on a Sat-urday in early September. The contractfirefighters arrived at approximately2300 hours of the same day. Whilenearing the scene on a charter aircraft,a flyover was requested, but denied bythe FAA. The crew landed and wentimmediately to the scene, but, becausethe equipment such as foam, deliverydevices, pumps, hose, etc. would not beon the scene until the next morning,they went to a hotel and rested for thenight. The next morning, a CoastGuard Buoy tender was utilized as afirefighting platform, and once the C-130 had arrived with the firefightingequipment. A fork lift and flatbed truckmet the aircraft, loaded the equipmentand went to the dock to off load ontothe buoy tender. Once this was com-pleted, the vessel left the dock, travelapproximately 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 of a mile up river,pulled alongside the damaged vessel,and firefighting efforts began. Inapproximately 1 hour the fire was


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THE EVENTS OF THESE scenarios are being written to the best memoryavailable. Some discrepancies may be evident, but this does reflect prettyclose to the actual event.

Taken during the initial explosion

Foam supply boat approaching the fire fighting vessel. Note the foam blanket

By Dave Cochran

Every agencywith anyresponsibilitywith fire,emergency,environmental,or any otherconcern was onthe scene for theduration.

Fuel Spills anFuel Spills anP. 56-74 26/10/06 2:00 pm Page 66

extinguished, and mop up and overhaul operations began. The firefightersboarded the vessel using portableextinguishers to extinguish spot firesand sledge hammers to know carbonoff the overheads into the liquid toprevent later fires from occurring.Periodic foam applications were madeto prevent ignition. Late that night,with the knowledge the fire would flare up, left and went back to thehotel for a well deserved rest. On arrivalthe next morning, a fire was in evi-dence, but quickly extinguished whenthe coast guard vessel again pulledalongside.

From this time on, overhaul was theonly action required.

The vessel owner hired the firefight-ers to remain on the scene until thevessel was safe for towing. A tug boatand barge were hired to use as a work-ing vessel and tied up along side theship. The tug and its crew supplied thelogistics as far as food, quarters, andwork platform.

Periodic foam applications weremade to prevent ignition while theproduct was pumped from the ship tothe shore into portable tanks andtrucks for delivery to a storage location.

The river was boomed from shoreline to shore line both above and belowthe vessel covering approximately 300yards of the river between the upperand lower booms. Finished foam wasvery evident the entire time of theoperation between the booms. Theentire area was patrolled several times aday by the Game & Fish people, EPA,and other interested parties, with soil,water, and dead or injured animal orbird searches being conducted.

To the best of my recollection therewas only one fish found to be dead,and that was caused by the concussionwhen the explosion took place.

Environmentally, this operation wasa total success. The water treatment

facility which was located in this areadid experience a problem with somefoaming taking place.

Should the operation involve crudeoil from a disabled vessel, if possible,the area around the vessel should beboomed off to prevent the oil fromdrifting off with the tides and waveaction. Obviously this should be doneas quickly as possible. Bear in mind,wave action may prevent the boomoperation as well as prevent any spilledoil from being captured within theperimeter of the vessel-obviously if thishappens the oil will drift with the windand currents for miles.

In addition, consider hiring bargecompanies with the capacity to take onany water, product, or any otherresidues from the endangered vessel.The capturing of any thing being dis-charged from the vessel will be para-mount to not only a safe environment,

but from an environmental view pointas well.

SCENARIO II

A large super tanker is anchored about100 miles off shore. A fire developed inthe engine room which caused thedeath of one crewman. The fire wasfought for a number of days by differ-ent organizations, which created a verylarge crude oil spill into the waterway.This spill moved with the tides andwinds for several days creating a envi-ronmental situation that was not undercontrol by any means. The stern of thevessel was awash, creating the spill. Thehelicopter and other air traffic was soheavy, air traffic controllers werebrought from the FAA center to controlthe traffic. Little effort was made toenter the engine room, to make extin-guishment using hand lines, and toconserve water and foam application.


Industrial

Foam being applied to the fire. The foam blanket is obvious

The stern is awash allowing crude oil to enter the water

and Clean Upand Clean UpP. 56-74 26/10/06 2:00 pm Page 67

The initial extinguishment effortswere made by both a sales orientedcompany and a company not experi-enced in shipboard firefighting. Thissituation created much controversybecause a firefighting organization wasbrought in from Europe to combat thesituation. Further delay was createdwhen pumps and other equipmentwere flown in from outside the UnitedStates, when with a little effort and preplanning, sufficient equipment waslocated but a little more than a 100miles away. Forget the fact the fire-fighting expertise was also available,but it is obviously takes more time toload equipment onto aircraft that iscapable to haul such big heavy andhard to maneuver pieces of firefightinggear.

The controversy lasted several days,with many interviews and becamenational news on some networks.Locally this made, as one can imagine,headlines daily during the duration.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Pre planning is a must when heavyvessel traffic is the norm. The U.S. CoastGuard has taken steps for handlingsuch events. In addition, if you are withan organization that is subject tobecome involved in these situations, itis imperative you work closely withthem.

Establish communication with tugboat, barge, workboat, helicopter and


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Fireboat in position applying cooling water to the stern

Fire protection is too serious a subject to be taken lightly. You don’t buysomething as vital as fire fighting foam hoping that it’ll work when and if it hasto. You have to be sure. Which means selecting high performance foamconcentrates from a specialist source – like Total Walther.

Reliable Total Walther products have been safeguarding life and property forover 100 years. Our complete range of environmentally sustainable, syntheticfire fighting foams is used worldwide, protecting critical assets in high-riskenvironments.

Part of the global family of Tyco Fire & Security foam agents, Total Walthersynthetic foams provide cost-effective, high performance solutions. Don’t playat fire protection. Choose Total Walther for total peace of mind. Weconcentrate on foam - so you don’t have to.

w w w. t w f l . c o m

For further information, please contact:Tyco Safety Products, Le Pooleweg 5, 2314 XT Leiden,Netherlands. Tel: +31 (0)71 5419 415 Fax: +31 (0)71 5417 330 E-mail [email protected]

Concentrate on foam; we do.

Synthetic Fire Fighting Foams


Stern awash and white smoke showingindicating establishment of some controlof the situation

P. 56-74 26/10/06 2:01 pm Page 68

other organizations that you will needto utilize if and when the event mayoccur.

Even though control of the fire orother emergency is paramount to suc-cess, the use of barge(s) in which to offload cargo such as crude oil, foam andwater may be required to prevent spillsto the water way. Environmental issueswill fast become of the utmost inimportance. The EPA or whatever theenvironmental responsible may becalled in various parts of the world willcertainly become involved to overseethe situation. Be prepared to workclosely with these and other relatedorganizations. Having heard someresponsible leaders of emergency orga-nizations state they have no concernwith anything but remediation of thesituation, I assure you, when the timecomes, they will quickly change theirmind.

Large industrial waterways such asthe Houston Ships channel, Delawareand Mississippi rivers have been shutdown for days, and in some casesweeks because of incidents involvingmarine vessel situations. This createsnot only problems locally, but also tothe many vessels that must be held upfrom making much needed delivery ofbulk, petroleum, and many othernecessary products to ports around theworld. These vessels cost thousands ofdollars per day when kept at anchorwaiting to reach the dock.


Industrial

Air traffic controllers at work during the situaation

Contact us for more info: [email protected],or visit our website: www.angusfire.co.uk

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Be prepared and start today to beready when the call comes. You willnot regret the success and prideyou will feel once you have beeninvolved in these situations.

The controversylasted severaldays, with manyinterviews andbecame nationalnews on somenetworks.

P. 56-74 26/10/06 2:01 pm Page 69

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FIXED SYSTEMS PROVIDE SIMPLEST ANSWER

The easiest and most reliable way toprotect bulk storage tanks is with a welldesigned and properly maintained,fixed foam system that will take a pre-scribed course of action to quicklydeliver foam onto the tank. This can bethrough well designed top pouring,rimseal or base injection equipmentdepending on the contents and tankdesign. These systems can be auto-mated using linear heat detection oralternative heat sensing devices. Thesedetect the fire and automatically acti-vate the foam systems through actuat-ed valves and pipework systems thatdivert foam to the relevant tank from acentralised storage and proportioningsystem.

Whilst this is the preferred and mosteffective method of protecting bulkstorage tanks, there are many storage

tanks where no such systems have beenfitted. Some systems can be retro-fittedto such tanks, but many installationsrely on mobile monitors to provide amore flexible solution. These can be setup and used on any of the tanks in thetank farm or adjacent areas. While thisis often regarded as more cost-effective,

it often requires more expertise tooperate effectively and more financialand time investment during the fire.

SURROUND AND DROWN METHOD OUTDATED

The old style “surround and drown”approach involves several small flowmonitors around the tank projectingfoam into the tank. This has beenshown to be outdated, labour intensiveand not as efficient as the modern andnow widely accepted large capacitymonitor strategy.


Industrial

Colossus monitor in action on hydrocarbon tank fire in Middle East

Large-scaleStorage

Tank FireFighting

BULK STORAGE TANK FIRES are amongst the most difficult flammable liquidfires that professional firefighters can face. Not only are they huge in area,but also very hot , often burning for hours or even days before resources canbe marshalled to launch a foam attack.

The easiest and most reliable wayto protect bulk storage tanks iswith a well designed and properlymaintained, fixed foam systemthat will take a prescribed courseof action to quickly deliver foamonto the tank.

By Mike Willson of Angus Fire

Large-scaleStorage

Tank FireFighting

P. 56-74 26/10/06 2:02 pm Page 71

LARGE CAPACITY MONITORS ARE WAY FORWARD

Modern firefighters have shown thatone or two large capacity monitors oftypical capacity 15,000 litres/minutecapacity and upwards offer the bestanswer.

It works by delivering a locally highapplication rate of foam into the “windtunnel” around the periphery of thetank where air is drawn down onto thefuel surface to sustain the fire. Thisenables the foam to establish a bridge-

head against the fire from which it canspread out and seal against the tankshell. The average size for bulk hydro-carbon storage tanks is about 60-75metres in diameter, with the biggestbeing a colossal 110m (360 ft) diameterwith a huge 9,500m2 surface area –more than two football pitches! Specialmeasures need to be taken to enablesuch monitors to tackle such a blaze.

FLUOROPROTEINS THE FOAM OF CHOICE

Modern high performance FluoroProteinfoams like FP70 Plus are the most cost

effective answer for storage tank firefighting. This has been clearly demon-strated against the oil industry’s ownspecialised LASTFIRE test for thisapplication, often exceeding the per-formance of more expensive AR-AFFFtype foams.

LOGISTICS IS THE KEY

When large capacity monitors are beingused it is vitally important to ensurethe supply logistics are kept simple andquick. Fast response logistics is the keyto getting foam onto the tank quicklyand effectively.

High performance large diameter150, 200, 250 and 300mm (6�-12�)high volume (Hi-Vol) layflat hoses playa crucial role in minimising the numberof hose lays. These reduce time delays,pressure losses and the confusing“spaghetti effect” of using too manysmall diameter hoses.

Hi-Vol hose swells slightly whenpressurised. This minimises the pressurelosses from the ring main system to themonitor, crucial in achieving efficientand effective foam delivery onto thetank.

Adequate water pressure is one ofthe key elements that can make thedifference between success or failure ina monitor attack. Providing large diam-eter outlets from the ring main alsoavoids any restrictions before waterflows through the Hi-Vol hose systemto the large capacity monitor. This isessential in achieving an efficientsystems and increases your likelyhoodof success.

RAPID DEPLOYMENT AND EFFICIENT RETRIEVAL

Hi-Vol hose is heavy compared to regu-lar 52mm or 65mm dia. attack hoses soa simple, reliable and effective deploy-


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When large capacity monitors arebeing used it is vitally importantto ensure the supply logistics arekept simple and quick. Fastresponse logistics is the key togetting foam onto the tank quicklyand effectively.

Large-scale StorageTank Fire FightingLarge-scale StorageTank Fire Fighting

P. 56-74 26/10/06 2:03 pm Page 72

ment and retrieval system is required totake the back-ache out of handling it.Fast and Efficient Techniques forCollecting Hi-Vol (FETCH) are nowavailable as self contained moduleswith their own hydraulic power packs.They can be built-in to new fire truckbuilds or retro-fitted into existing vehi-cles for a more cost-effective solution.They also enable rapid retrieval of Hi-Vol hose, once an incident or trainingexercise is over – crucial for tiredfirefighters.

NOZZLE OR CANNON?

One dilemma facing firefighters iswhether to try and throw the foam asfar as possible accepting the foamquality is not as good, or to use upmore pressure to make a good qualityfoam but find it will not reach thetank.

The foam delivered must be suffi-ciently robust and stable to penetratethe flames, withstand the intense

radiant heat from the flaming surfaceand cherry red tank shell, yet progres-sively control the fire. This means a wellaspirated low expansion foam blanket.

Leading manufacturers are able tofind an effective compromise whereadequate foam quality and throw dis-tance are achieved either with a semi-aspirated nozzle or with an aspiratingcannon providing a more stable foamblanket.

Both nozzle types are represented inthe LASTFIRE test and both work well.However, foams produced using the

aspirated cannon type nozzle usuallyexhibit better foam quality which helpsminimise plunging into the fuel. Thisreduces the fuel pick-up by the foamblanket, so the foam is more effectivewith less wastage. There is also less riskof flaring and flashover once the fire isextinguished that could be responsiblefor major re-involvement from hotmetal or incandescent seal materials.The synthetic detergent based foamsare more prone to this problem as theyemulsify more readily when mixed withhydrocarbon fuels.


Industrial

Hi-Vol avoids the problems off the spaghetti effect

15,000L/min Colossus monitor for tankfirefighting

P. 56-74 26/10/06 2:03 pm Page 73

SINGLE PROPORTIONING MORE EFFICIENT

Having a single jet pump inductor ordiesel driven foam pump hastensdeployment of the monitor and ensurefoam of the correct quality is produced.Trying to balance and bring on-streamseveral inductors or jet ratio controllersinevitably introduces delays andwastage of foam before any real impactcan be made on the tank fire.

CONCLUSIONS

Consideration should be given to fixedfoam systems to quickly take a pre-scribed course of action for rapid con-trol of tank fires. Where this isimpossible, well designed large capacitymonitors should be chosen. Indepen-dent fire tests have shown that aspirat-ing cannons will provide foam of aquality most likely to put the fire outand keep it out, especially when highperformance FluoroProtein foams areused with associated cost benefits.

The hose system configurationselected to connect these monitors tothe ring main or pumping systems iscrucial and could well determine suc-cess or failure of the foam attack.


Indu

stria

l

330.264.5678 | Fax 330.264.2944 | www.akronbrass.com© Copyright 2005 Akron Brass Company. All rights reserved. No portion of this can be reproduced with out the express written consent of The Akron Brass Company. (5/05).

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FETCH in action taking the back-acheout of hose deployment and retrieval

Efficient and effective modular Hi-Vol deployment and retrievalsystems are necessary to providefast response to the incident andenable foam to be delivered quicklyonto the fire.

Logistics of the entire large capacitymonitor package and regular train-ing to ensure everyone knows howit all works is your key to success.

Large-scale StorageTank Fire FightingLarge-scale StorageTank Fire Fighting

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Fire and Rescue Training

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Over its history, the College basedat Moreton-in-Marsh, Glouces-tershire in the UK, has been at

the forefront of innovation, whether itis the recent move into USAR and newdimension training, the latest thinkingon fire engineering and safety, or thecontinual updating of its rigs andcourses designed to develop opera-tional command techniques and bringabout the effective management ofincidents at all levels. Today, theCollege even works as a consultant,advising clients on how to improve theperformance of their fire service or fireoperation.

Whether you work in one of the many fire services spread across theglobe, hold fire responsibilities in busi-ness and industry (petrochemical,hazardous goods, manufacturing etc),or have an emergency management orfire safety role, the College can designprogrammes to develop you and yourorganisation. It can even bring itsexpertise to you, outside the UK, in theform of outreach programmes, coveringall areas of its operation. The College

sums up its credentials simply –Unrivalled Experience, UnequalledExpertise.

Keith Glanfield, Sales & MarketingDirector at the College, gives his

view on what sets it apart: “TheCollege has the unique ability to adviseon most, if not all aspects of the fireenvironment and the effective opera-tion of fire organisations. In addition toproviding cutting edge training, theCollege can also benchmark organisa-tions against internationally recognisedstandards, design and recommendstrategic improvement plans and evenmanage the implementation of theresultant change programmes. We arean organisation geared to drivingoperational improvement for all ourclients.”

UNPARALLELED RESOURCES

Just imagine a day-to-day incidentthat needs sound theory and plenty of practice to get your response right each and every time. Or imaginethe unthinkable, that might neverhappen but could, a major incidentwhere it is essential to scope outincident plans, train people in theirimplementation, and practise to get itright.

Imagine what could be achieved ifyou had all of this at your disposal:

● M96 Motorway Training Area● Oil Rig Simulator● Large Tank Simulator● Aircraft Simulators● High Rise Simulator● Helicopter Simulators● Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)

Training Complex● Breathing Apparatus Training

Complex● Industrial Factory Training Complex● Road Traffic Accident Complex● Rail Accident Complex● Aviation Training Unit● Ship and Marine Training Area

These resources, accompanied by theCollege’s knowledge of best operatingpractice and its virtual reality simulator,can be combined to design a pro-gramme specific to each client andtheir own individual requirements.


Pic courtesy of The Fire Service College

IF SOMEONE WERE TO mention to you there is a Collegededicated to worldwide fire service development, that has a30 year pedigree, has trained to date over 300,000 firepersonnel globally, is set in a 550 acre site and almostcertainly offers the most extensive range of fire training andconsulting products available – who would you say it was?You’ve probably guessed already – The Fire Service College.

A world force in fire A world force in fire sFi

re a

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Peter Mansfield, a tutor for Inter-national and Wider Markets says: “Wecan replicate almost anything. Ourscenarios are very realistic, yet there’s ahigh degree of safety and control. Wehave about six buildings that we canset fire to and a couple we can smokeup. There are aircraft that we can setup for various kinds of fire and rescuesimulations, as well as an oil rig and aship, which is made out of concrete sowe’re never going to sink it! We have amotorway here, which we can set upwith cars and lorries, a railway trackand level crossing, a roundabout, plusperimeter and access roads that we alsouse for training.”

Recent additions to the vast IncidentGround include three large indoortraining rigs for practising tunnel-basedsearch and rescue, breaking andbreaching skills and working in multi-level collapsed buildings. The entiretraining environment is supported by a comprehensive, state-of-the-art fleet of rescue vehicles and equipment.It even has resident rescue dogs,trained by the United Kingdom FireServices Search and Rescue Team (UKFSSART).

UNEQUALLED EXPERTISE

To match the extent of the College’spractical resources, it also provides awealth of expertise and knowledge,with a tutor base that has an insightinto the practical application of bothgeneral and essential concepts down toindividual specialised areas.

Take, for example, fire engineeringand fire safety where specialisms arecovered in great depth, including fireinvestigation, industrial and domesticfire protection systems, high life build-ing risks, building regulations and evensmoke control. These as well as themore general foundations of fire safety,fire risk assessment and fire legislation,are blended together for each client. Sowhether it is a requirement for trainingin Malaysia, Hong Kong or Spain, forexperienced or inexperienced practi-

tioners, with general or specific needs,a programme is tailored to meet allthese requirements.

The practical emphasis of theCollege’s approach to learning anddevelopment comes with its aim toensure that the training provided can beimmediately applied once back in theworkplace. This is because it is deliveredby leading professionals drawn from fireand rescue services throughout the UK,and guarantees training is as up-to-date as it is hands-on, applying equallyto all subject areas on offer:

● Incident Command and Management● Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)● Multi-agency Training● Hazardous Materials● Rescue● Industrial Firefighting● Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting● Marine Firefighting● Off-shore Firefighting● Firefighter Development Training● Fire Safety and Engineering● Specialty Courses and Customised

Training Programmes● Instructor Courses



service developmentservice development



P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:06 pm Page 77

Peter comments: “We work withlocal authority fire & rescue services,industrial fire brigades, works firebrigades, chemical decontaminationteams, emergency response teams, andwe’ve organised training for the policeas well. Several weeks of the year we docourses for the Dutch emergency ser-vices – police, fire and ambulance alltraining together. We also run otheroverseas courses here, including breath-ing apparatus, road traffic accident, firebehaviour and tactical ventilationinstructor courses. These take placeevery year in addition to our normalcourses for the UK Fire & RescueService.”

RESPONDING TO NEW THREATS

Since the events of September 11th, fireservices, civil defence forces and fire

organisations across the world arehaving to re-examine the traditionalways of doing things to see how theymatch up to the new demands placedon them by a changing world. Oftenthis requires reviewing how effectivethey are at command and control,operational mobilisation and resourcemanagement, together with their oper-ations that prevent fire and supportcore activities (procurement, financeand IT etc). This is a complex and timeconsuming task, which is the reasonwhy the College has recently beenasked to undertake this type of studyfor several clients.

Keith comments: “We can take allthe best operating practice we haveaccumulated from across the world andin the UK and apply it to a fireorganisation. By benchmarking an

organisation’s performance, toa set of agreed standards linkedto the local operating condi-tions, we show where improve-ments can be achieved andgive firm recommendations onhow this can be done. Accord-ing to the needs of the clientwe can provide a range of out-comes from the study rangingfrom a detailed training needsanalysis through to a changemanagement programme totake it to a new level ofimproved performance. TheCollege can even assist inimplementing these changes.”

This is an added dimension,which can be taken to any

corner of the world and adapted toprovide almost instant improvements inthe operation of fire organisations.

GLOBAL REACH

A significant proportion of theCollege’s activity is taken directly to the client throughout the UK and over-seas with the outreach programme. TheFire Service College visits clients ontheir own sites, using the equipmentthey use every day, working in theirlocal environment. Exercises, casestudies and simulations can be tailoredto specific practices, with each pro-gramme designed uniquely to theclient’s organisation.

The popularity of this form of train-ing delivery has resulted in the Collegebuilding an international customer basethat spans Europe, the Middle East,North Africa, South East Asia and theCaribbean. Equally there is still ademand for international customers tovisit Moreton-in-Marsh and takeadvantage of its unique facilities,learning alongside the College’s UKdelegates.

Regardless of whether training isdelivered via outreach or throughclients coming to the College, it is keento keep in touch offering ongoing helpand support. Keith concludes: “Trainingand consultancy is a two way street –whether it’s a new development, a freshinsight or an operational improvement,we are keen to promote the sharing ofbest practice and the continuous rais-ing of standards for the College and itsclients.”

The Fire Service College – UnrivalledExperience, Unequalled Expertise.


Fire

and

Res

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Trai

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For further information, please contact:

The Fire ServiceCollege

Moreton-in-MarshGloucestershireGL56 0RH UK

Tel: +44 (0)1608 650831Fax: +44 (0)1608 651839

Email:[email protected]

Website:www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk



P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:06 pm Page 78

iff6 p79 11/17/06 2:05 PM Page 1

Training officers must identify aseries of incremental steps thatcontribute to vehicle extrication,

and they must provide training thatadequately equips their departmentpersonnel to perform each of thosesteps safely and efficiently. Many firedepartments do not have the budgetsor resources to train all of their person-nel on each aspect of vehicle extrica-tion. Where then do you start, and howcan you provide sufficient training withlimited time, budgets, and people?

Basics! Basics! and Basics!Vehicle extrication is nothing new tothe fire service, but it has evolved intosomething that is more time consum-

ing than it was many years ago. Someof the areas in which personnel needmore training include vehicle design,scene size-up, scene safety, apparatus

placement, and tool familiarization. Aswe focus on these areas, we will take alook at the fundamentals of each. Thebasics are important, because this is thefoundation that we will build uponduring every emergency operation.Building a solid foundation provides usthe keys to success.

VEHICLE DESIGN

The basic principles of vehicle extrica-tion have for the most part remainedthe same over the years, but vehicledesign has changed in order to providebetter protection to occupants as wellas for aesthetic reasons. Many of usbelieve that the new safety designs invehicles have increased the safety ofoccupants, but those same safety fea-tures may have serious implications foremergency responders during vehicleextrication operations. Consider theexample of air bags, which are a safetyfeature in newer vehicles designed tooffer protection to vehicle occupants at


Fire

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Basics = Success in VBy Paul Gunnels

Lieutenant Paramedic –College Station Fire

Department,Rescue Adjunct

Instructor – TEEX,Rescue Specialist – Texas

Task Force #1

WHAT IS VEHICLE EXTRICATION REALLY ABOUT? We could all define vehicleextrication and most of our definitions would probably read something like,“Vehicle extrication is the process of removing the vehicle from around anoccupant or occupants.” Incident Commanders and Training Officers will havea significantly different focus to their thoughts about vehicle extrication,though. When most of us think about vehicle extrication we normally thinkabout the tools associated with the operation, but vehicle extrication is morecomplicated than a set of tools and their use, and we need other skills andknowledge to be successful in such operations.

Pic: Courtesy of E.S.T.I.

The basics are important, becausethis is the foundation that we willbuild upon during everyemergency operation. Building asolid foundation provides us thekeys to success.

P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:08 pm Page 80

the moment of impact. This samesafety feature becomes a hazard tooccupants and emergency respondersalike after an accident, when their det-onation becomes a potentially harmfulrisk during extrication operations.

Emergency responders training onvehicle familiarization will improve theirknowledge about vehicle design andsafety features before responding to anactual emergency. When developing thistype of training, stay focused on thebasic structural component terminologywhile learning the location of fuel lines,the battery, air bags and roll-over pro-tection devices, and so on. A valuableresource for this type of information isyour local car dealer. Consider contact-ing local dealerships and ask the generalmanagers if they can accommodate yourneeds for training and information –you may be surprised by the amount ofinformation their mechanics and salesstaff can provide about the constructionof their vehicles. Remember, of course,that dealers generally specialize in a fewmakes and models, so you may have tovisit several to get a comprehensiveunderstanding of the latest car designs.Several reference books provide furtherinformation of value to emergencyresponders; one example is the latestedition of Ronald E. Moore’s VehicleRescue and Extrication.

SCENE SIZE-UP

Scene size-up starts at the beginningof the call and is re-evaluated andreassessed throughout the incident. Asa Company Officer responding to thescene of an accident, one of your firstresponsibilities is to determine thenumber of patients, their condition,and whether or not extrication opera-tions are necessary to remove themfrom their vehicles. When arriving on-scene, it imperative to identify anyhazards such as leaking fuels, electricalwires, traffic conditions, and anythingelse that could endanger emergencyresponders and victims. After identify-ing possible hazards, take appropriate

action to minimize or confine the haz-ard. Having adequate resources on thescene or en-route to handle the inci-dent can improve patient care andincrease on-scene safety. During mycareer, I have been taught that it isimperative to have adequate resourceson-scene in a timely manner. It isalways better to call early for resourcesand send them back if you don’t needthem than to need them and not havethem at the ready.

SCENE SAFETY

Scene safety is important to the well-being of all emergency responders andthe patients on scene. Basic scenesafety begins by wearing the properPPE while on-scene at any roadwayaccident. The impulse to activateoperations quickly, followed by the needfor concentration during operations, caneasily lead to tunnel vision, obscuringour perception of secondary hazards.



Vehicle Extrication


When arriving on-scene, itimperative to identify any hazardssuch as leaking fuels, electricalwires, traffic conditions, andanything else that could endangeremergency responders and victims.

P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:08 pm Page 81

Scene safety is the responsibility ofevery emergency responder and wemust recognize that after all efforts westill are not guaranteed not to findourselves in unforeseen and dangeroussituations. We hear too often aboutfirefighters who have been injured orkilled while working a roadway acci-dent, and these types of accidents seemto be occurring more and more fre-quently in recent years. Just this week Ireceived an e-mail from the Secret Listat firefighterclosecalls.com informingme about another roadway accidentinvolving emergency responders. Threefirefighters and two medics working aroadway accident in Ft. Worth wereinjured when a passing vehiclehydroplaned and struck a vehicle fromthe first accident. All five emergencyresponders received non-life threaten-ing injuries due to the accident. Wealways think it will happen elsewhere,but these accidents can happen at anytime within our own organization.

Many unpredictable and everydayfactors increase our risk of injury whileon roadways, including weather, roadconditions, time of day, and location ofthe incident. These factors are out ofour control, but we can take steps toreduce our risk levels. Wearing a highlyvisible reflective vest can improve oursafety. Vests conforming to the Ameri-can National Standards Institute (ANSI)for Class 3 are designed with emer-gency responders in mind; such vestsare designed for personnel workingaround traffic that exceeds 50 mph andin poor visibility due to inclementweather or nighttime operations. Thesevests are relatively inexpensive and canimprove our ability to be seen while onroadway incidents; they should beworn by all emergency responders whoare not wearing turn out gear. Wearing

vests gives an added degree of safetyduring roadway operations whilehaving no impact on the operationsthemselves.

APPARATUS PLACEMENT

While on roadways, apparatus place-ment is a key element of scene safetyfor all emergency responders. Trafficpresents a major hazard that needs tobe monitored during emergency opera-tions. Recently I was talking with afellow fire officer about an accident thathe was involved with as the IncidentCommander. The accident involvedseveral roadway fatalities, and one thinghe remembered thinking about thatnight was the fact that he was nowbeing placed in the same dangerousroadway conditions that had just costseveral people their lives. As the Inci-dent Commander he knew it was hisresponsibility to maintain the safety ofeveryone on-scene while providing help.

We have all been in similar danger-

ous situations like this, and we have toconsider what to do to mitigate theconditions. We need to be alert whiledoing everything within our power totake those extra precautions in order toprotect our personnel. Careful appara-tus placement can provide a significantbarrier to keep other vehicles awayfrom the action area during vehicleextrication operations. Angling theapparatus will help to slow or diverttraffic. Reducing or blocking the flowof traffic may seem unnecessary tosome but the injury of one emergencyresponder seems unnecessary to me.We need to use the apparatus as abarrier to protect everyone on the scene from secondary accidents.

Several other considerations impactapparatus placement. Emergency vehi-cles should be placed so that theydivert traffic and provide a barrier; theycan also provide scene lighting duringpoor visibility conditions. Apparatusshould be placed close enough forpersonnel to quickly access their toolcache, but personnel must remainaware of traffic when they’re retrievingtheir tools, as other drivers may seeonly the apparatus and not the person-nel around the apparatus. It’s alsoimportant to remember that otheremergency vehicles may need to accessthe scene and must not be blocked,and special attention should be madeto keep the apparatus exhaust awayfrom the action work areas of emer-gency responders and patients.


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Basics = Success inVehicle Extrication

P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:08 pm Page 82


HALL 12 STAND E67

NIKE HYDRAULICS ABThe professional

Björksgatan 8P.O. Box 1107

SE - 631 80 EskilstunaSweden

Phone: +46 (16) -16 82 00Fax: +46 (16) -13 93 16www.nikehydraulics.com

This is just one of eleven new products we will show and demonstrate at the ”Interschutz” 2005.

50 tonnes in your hands

Matjack has been among the industry leaders ininnovation and airbag technology for over 25 years.Matjack has enjoyed tremendous success worldwide

due to its cutting edge manufacturing, superiorstrength and long lasting airbags and cushions. All

Matjacks come with a 5 year unconditional warranty,second to none in the industry. Matjack now has abranch office in the Netherlands to cut down on

delivery time and to serve all your needs, no matterwhere you are located in Europe. With lots of sizes,both high and low pressure, Matjacks can solve allyour lifting needs with just the push of a button.

Contact us today for more information on either ourproduct line or distributor opportunities.

Matjack – U.S.Indianapolis Industrial Products, Inc.

1428 Sadlier Circle East DriveIndianapolis, Indiana 46239

Phone: 1-317-359-3078Fax: 1-317-359-3079

Toll Free U.S. 1-800-827-3755

Matjack – EuropeS.C. Inflatables/Matjack

P.O. Box 5155Energiestroat 8A1410 AD Naarde

NetherlandsPhone: 31356951701

Fax: 31356944027

P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:09 pm Page 83

TOOL FAMILIARIZATION

Familiarization with extrication tools iscritical to the success of extricationoperations. Training with our tools willallow us to become more familiar withtheir uses and capabilities. One way Ihave seen that improves skills is bypracticing on older cars. Going to alocal salvage yard and practicing vehicleextrication twice a year can greatlyimprove our own skills and knowledgeabout vehicle extrication. Since manysalvage yards crush their vehicles severaltimes a year, a simple phone call to themanager might get you permission touse them for practice. While practicingon undamaged vehicles appears to begood training, it is not the same as on-scene conditions involving vehicles athigh speed collisions. High-speed colli-sions add a certain dynamic to vehiclestructural damage that sometimesmakes it harder to place tools properly.There is no real way to get training like

this, but with basic training on vehicledesign and tool familiarization you canacquire the knowledge to be fairly pro-ficient with these types of extrications.

How do we deal with major vehicledamage? The extent of damage to thevehicle and patient location will deter-mine your action plan. During training,focus on opening a vehicle door, rollingthe dash, and removing the roof. Gain-ing access to an occupant by removingor just popping a door is very common.When practicing these skills simulate apower failure and utilize other powertools and hand tools. We never knowwhen our equipment will fail so wemust have a basic understanding ofhow to use other tools for vehicle extri-cation. Since there are many methodsand techniques for opening doors, thespecific procedure at any given acci-dent will depend on the tools you haveavailable.

Tool safety needs to be covered everytime the tools are used during training.

When operating tools, be very alert totheir placement and to the forces beinggenerated. All vehicles need to be sta-bilized initially upon arrival and beforeusing extrication tools. Stabilization ofthe vehicle will help in reducing toolaction by maximizing its effectiveness.These forces are very powerful and it isthe tool operators’ responsibility tocontrol them. Allow the tool to do thework and don’t force the tool in anunsafe manner. The tool operator needsto go as slow as possible while watch-ing the action and reaction of the toolto avoid placing the tool in a bindwhile remaining outside the pinchzone. If any undesired action or unsafesituation occurs during the operationof the tools, stop and reevaluate thesituation before continuing. The maingoal of extrication is to remove thevehicle from around the patient andprovide a pathway to remove thepatient from the vehicle without caus-ing more injury to them as well as firstresponders in a timely manner.

With the abundance of informationavailable on vehicle extrication, wheredo we start to provide the best train-ing? The best way to begin is with thebasic, fundamental skills of vehicleextrication. This should include trainingon vehicle design, scene size-up, scenesafety, apparatus placement, and toolfamiliarization. Seek this informationand training through people withinyour own organization or local vehicleextrication classes. There is also anabundance of written informationavailable in books, articles, and infor-mation found on the Internet.


Fire

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The International Centre for Emergency Techniques (ICET) is a specialist of world renown inthe development of multi-disciplinary rescue training and consultancy programmes. ICET isthe developer of the international SAVER standard (Systematic Approach to Victim EntrapmentRescue) and proudly presents:

The i-Saver programmeA unique computer-based training tool for a systematic and multi-disciplinary rescue. For teamleaders and operators.

Please check our website for a demo.

Interested parties in the U.K. can contact: Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Training Centre, Southport Road, Euxton, Chorley PR7 6DH Phone: +44 (0) 1257 266611, Fax: +44 (0) 1257 261767 E-Mail: [email protected]

Other countries: ICET B.V., P.O. Box 430, 4940 AK RAAMSDONKSVEER, The Netherlands Phone: +31 162 517080, Fax: +31 162 516560 E-Mail: [email protected] Http: www.icet.nl

In addition to class work, there alsoneeds to be physical, hands-ontraining with the tools to provide asound working knowledge of theextrication tools. Frequent trainingwith our own tools instills a comfortand confidence in our equipment.Continue learning, continue physi-cal training and continue watchingfor new techniques and equipment.As our department begins to masterthe basics in vehicle extrication, wenow have a solid foundation tobuild upon and we can then moveforward towards becoming moreadvanced in vehicle extrication.

Basics = Success inVehicle Extrication

P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:09 pm Page 84

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APF ad page 85 11/17/06 1:28 PM Page 85

Nike’s business concept is “to be a specialist in high-pressurehydraulics, and within this field

to develop, manufacture and marketequipment that helps the customers togenerate/produce power where weightand space are limiting factors”.

NIKE provides a complete range ofhydraulic rescue tools consisting of man-ual tools, motor operated tools, pumps,hose reels and a vide range of various kitsand accessories.

The rescue equipment has been devel-oped in close collaboration with rescueorganisations in various markets served byNIKE.

Quality and safety are always in focuswith our products, we are certified by boththe quality standard ISO 9001 and theenvironmental standard ISO 14001. Ourrescue products are CE-marked and willfulfil the requirements in the EuropeanStandard EN 13204, where applicable.

NIKE rescue products are used world-wide by various categories of RescueServices, Civil Defence Services, Militaryand Police organisations, etc.

The product range includes self-con-tained manual tools ready for use withinseconds (cutters, spreaders, kombi toolsetc.), powerful motor operated tools(cutters, spreaders, kombi tools andcylinders), pumps (manual hand-/foot-operated pumps, motor driven pumpswith electrical motor or petrol engine.

Hose reels, various rescue kits (manualor motor driven) and a vide range ofaccessories.

Motor operated toolsHeavy duty tools, such as cutters, kombitools, spreaders and cylinders. The NIKEline of heavy duty tools has been provenit selves within rescue organisationsthorough out the world. Today’s cartechnology has rapidly increased thedemands of the rescue tools. On of thetoughest cars to extricate today is theVolvo SUV XC90, which we successfullyextricated with our cutter DHS150 usingonly 70% of the maximum available force.

The NIKE line of heavy-duty tools,such as cutters, kombi tools, spreadersand cylinders, has been proven it selveswithin rescue organisations thorough outthe world. Today’s car technology hasrapidly increased the demands of highperforming rescue tools. One of thetoughest vehicles when carrying outextrication operations is the Volvo SUVXC90, which is a well known fact amongthe manufacturer of Hydraulic RescueTools. The cutter DHS150 successfully cutoff the heavy duty designed posts onthat vehicle, using only up to 75% of themaximum available force.

NIKE has pleasure to introduce (at theIntershutz exhibition) a new line of“Light weight Motor Driven Tools”. Thisline of tools combines power with light

weight and small overall dimensionswitch makes it useful when performingrescue work in confined spaces.

NIKE will exhibit their products atINTERSHUTZ 2005 and has the pleasureto introduce a new line of high perform-ing “Lightweight Motor Driven Tools”.This line of tools combines power withlightweight and small overall dimensions,which makes it useful when performingregular rescue works as well as operationsin confined spaces.

Manual toolsSelf-contained tools ready for use withinseconds, the tool series includes cutters,kombi tools, and spreaders. The tools areeasy to carry and are especially useful insituations when there is a problem withsupply of power for motor operated tools,the tools are also often used as back-upor supplement tools for the motorizedtools.

NIKE presents (at the Intershutz) a new(lighter) series of cutting tools which alsouses a new pump technology whichimproves the effect of every pump stroke.

NIKE also introduce, at the INTER-SHUTZ 2005, a new (lighter) series ofcutting tools which also uses a newpump technology which improves andincrease the effect of each pump stroke.

PumpsNike provides a full line of pumpsdesigned to provide sufficient power inany situation. The product line includeselectrical-, petrol – and manual pumps.The pumps can be configured for connec-tion of up to for tools at the same time.

Power Packs NIKE provides a full line of Heavy DutyPumps designed to provide sufficientpower in any situation. The product lineincludes electrical-, petrol – and manualpumps. The pumps can be configured forconnection of up to four (4) tools at thesame time.

NIKE also launches a new line ofextreme lightweight Power Packs forconnection of up to two (2) tools.

AccessoriesNIKE provides a full line of accessories toimprove the applicability of all tools(blades, attachments, tips etc.). Theaccessories also includes supplementaryequipment as glasscutters, support blocks etc.


Fire

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Contact:

Nike Hydraulics ABTel: +46 16 16 82 00Fax: +46 16 13 93 16

Web: www.nikehydraulics.se

RESCUE HYDRAULICS FROMNIKE HYDRAULICS AB

P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:14 pm Page 86


– Process Unit Firefighting– Confined Space / High Angle Rescue

– Hazardous Materials / WasteOperations

– Marine Firefighting– Structure Fire / Rescue

– Airport Rescue / Firefighting

When it comes to Industrial or Marine Emergencies; it takes training,experience, and discipline to mitigate such incidents; the RTFC

Training Academy supplies this and more, including:

When it comes to Industrial or Marine Emergencies; it takes training,experience, and discipline to mitigate such incidents; the RTFC

Training Academy supplies this and more, including:

REFINERY TERMINAL FIRE COMPANYFIRE TRAINING ACADEMY

WWW.RTFC.ORG (361) 885-7127

REFINERY TERMINAL FIRE COMPANYFIRE TRAINING ACADEMY

WWW.RTFC.ORG (361) 885-7127

P. 75-91 11/17/06 1:31 PM Page 87

There were no standards or lawsthat addressed firefighting prac-tices, safety, or even the impact

of firefighting training on the environ-ment. Today, NFPA, OSHA, and theEPA are only a few of the many associ-ations that help to protect the fire-fighter and the environment; the NFPAand OSHA now have standards thatgovern almost every aspect of theemergency responder’s job – includingtraining – and the EPA mandates

environmental protections that impactthe ways live burn props are built, thetypes of fuels and extinguishing agentsthat can be used, and the capture andtreatment of run-off.

Training props for industrial fire-fighters are also influenced, naturally,by the evolution of chemical/petro-chemical businesses into a multi-billiondollar industry with complex facilitiesand processes that pose a variety ofpotential dangers. Protecting this

industry falls to Emergency ResponseTeams (ERTs), collections of highlytrained and dedicated individuals withever-increasing demands on theirresponse capabilities. Effective trainingprops for these ERT members must beable to replicate incidents of varyingcomplexity in order to provide a fullspectrum of training that puts respon-ders through pre-planning, size-up,and mitigation drills. The more flexibletraining props are best able to help ERTmembers to exercise and develop theirskills as they work through evolutionsof varying complexity.

Training has proven its value time andagain over the years, saving many fire-fighters’ lives during actual emergencies.During a crisis situation, respondersmust act decisively and with precision;their fundamental skills should notoccupy their thoughts at all, freeingthem to assess the situation accordingto its individual complications. The morethey have trained the more they can relyon the skills developed through exerciseto lead them safely through the inci-dent. Training takes on increased impor-tance as facilities are built with greatercomplexity and the resulting fires evolvewith more complications, while plantpersonnel suffer reductions – the olddays of having 8-10 people on a hoseline have been replaced by currentstaffing levels, which often limit anentire initial response team to 10 orfewer individuals. Contemporary ERTsrely more and more on mutual aid fromother departments and nearby facilities;training becomes all the more importantwhen the need for seamless team inte-gration is considered. As budgets aretightened and teams are reduced, train-ing is often seen as an easy budgetarytarget, but the need for quality trainingusing quality props has never been morepronounced.

The Incident Command System issingularly useful for multi-agencyresponse situations. Using ICS guide-

8888 INTERNATIONAL FIRE FIGHTER

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WHAT MAKES A GOOD PROP FOR INDUSTRIAL FIRE TRAINING? Theanswer is considerably more complicated now than it was a hundred yearsago, when trainers would dig a pit, fill it with anything flammable, and igniteit, while the firefighters being trained would fight the fire often wearingnothing more protective than their everyday clothes.



Industrial Industrial P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:14 pm Page 88

lines helps to ensure accountability,safety, scene control, and agencyintegration; in short, the potentialfor chaos and confusion at a firescene increases when outside teamsare called to assist, and ICS helps tominimize that chaos and confusion.Yet implementing ICS on-scenerequires advance knowledge andpractice, and industrial traininggrounds are the perfect places for studying, practicing, andperfecting ICS implementation. This is only one example, buta critical example nonetheless, of the increasing need fortraining as budgets constrict.

Reductions in force can have a critical impact on the quali-ty and safety of training exercises themselves. As recently as2004, emergency responders are sustaining injuries and evendeath during exercises. Training must be provided by quali-fied instructors using the best training facilities in the world.When either of these requirements in not met, it is our emer-gency responders who ultimately suffer. Safety among emer-gency responders tops the list of priorities held by incidentcommanders and front-line responders alike; when an emer-gency responder dies during training or an actual incident, allask if everything possible was done to prevent the tragedy. Akey contributor to safe incident operations is the trainingeach responder has had; a key contributor to safe training isthe facility and equipment itself. One of the most importantelements is the fuel used for training. The old pits, filled withanything that would burn, were extraordinarily dangerous tofirefighters and the environment alike. Large clouds of black,brown, and blue smoke carried toxins into the atmosphere,and at times the fires could not be extinguished and were left to slowly burn themselves out. New standards and

regulations now dictate that the cleanest and safest fuels beused in training, to protect both the firefighters and theenvironment from unnecessary and preventable harm. Mostindustrial props now rely on clean-burning propane andsome type of environmentally friendly liquid with predictablebehaviors to fuel these training scenarios. Extinguishingmaterials must be environmentally friendly as well, capable ofmitigating the impact of fuel and waste run-off from the prop.

As for the props themselves, a simple key to the design of agood prop is to make it as realistic as possible. The industrialfire prop should represent actual units in the chemical

89www.iffmag.com


Offering one of the finest emergency responseprograms and training facilities in the world,the University of Nevada, Reno Fire Science Academy

presents specialized instructional programs in:

• Industrial Fire Fighting

• Crisis and Emergency Management

• Incident Command and Response

• Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF)

• Hazardous Materials

• Instructor and Train-the-Trainer



burn propsburn props


P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:15 pm Page 89

processes, or get as close to replicationas is feasible, and the failures shouldrepresent actual failures, such as highpressure leaks in pumps and compres-sors, flange and seal leaks, and leaks inoverhead pipe units. The complexity ofthese failures, all available for scenariosusing a single prop, contribute to therealism of replicating crowded industrialfacilities, where walkways are small andcluttered, pumps, compressors, andoverhead pipe racks are everywhere, andthe convoluted layout makes pulling ahose a nightmarish task. Props mustcontain all of these hazards and obsta-cles to simulate conditions as realistical-ly as possible, while staying safe for thepersonnel using the props for training.

The complexity of the prop and itsmultiple failure points contributes tothe practicality of multi-functionaltraining. Diverse clients require diversetraining scenarios, and effective trainingprops must be able to accommodate avariety of training needs. With a quickflip of the switch, opening or closing a

valve completely changes the prop andthe evolutions possible, and scenarioscan be constructed that best replicatethe situations any given client mayencounter at their home facility. Thereis no reason, for example, for a client toburn LPG during training when all theydeal with at their home plant is liquids.As new fuels are developed, props mustaccommodate them as well as the newtechniques that are developed to fightthe new kinds of fires. New firefightingequipment is designed and put into useconstantly – thermal imaging camerasand firefighting foam are everyday toolsused by today’s firefighters, and today’sindustrial props must be capable ofsupporting scenarios that enable fire-fighters to train using the latest tools.

Multi-functional props also supportpre-planning – a life-saving procedurethat has proved over time to be invalu-able to the efficiency and safety of inci-dent response operations – and size-up.Industrial fire props give firefighters theopportunity to study a structure with

deliberation and care, teaching themhow to review a facility and anticipatehazards and failure points. Developingpre-planning proficiency using industri-al props on a fire training ground helpsfirefighters how to establish specialstrategies and tactics needed to combatlarge industrial fires. Preplanning duringtraining leads directly to incident size-up. Fires are ever-changing: gravity andwind are just two of the conditions anemergency responder must factor intohis plans for attacking a fire, and againthe industrial fire prop proves invaluableas a tool for teaching responders howto assess all of the conditions at a firescene that will impact the responseplanning and operations.

Liability issues are another aspect oftraining that affects industrial propdesign. Training institutes have beenheld civilly and criminally liable forinjuries sustained by students. Propsmust be constructed and engineeredaccording to the highest standards, andthe prop must be maintained and ser-viced to ensure its structural and oper-ational integrity. NFPA and OSHA bothoffer standards that alleviate the possi-bility for injury at a training facility.NFPA 600 defines fire brigade trainingcenters, NFPA 1981 defines minimumstandards for interior and exterior firebrigades, and NFPA 1043, the neweststandard, regulates procedures forinterior attacks. These standards,together with a high level of instruc-tion and training using cutting edgeprops designed to protect the traineeand the trainer, ensure that our emer-gency responders will continue toreceive the best training possible.


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The firefighter’s main job is to gohome safely to their families at theend of each shift. The responsibilityof the training institute is to providethe highest quality training usingthe highest quality facilities to makesure that firefighters are bestequipped to protect our life andproperty most efficiently and atminimal risk to themselves. Trainingis just one of many tools that theresponder relies on during an inci-dent, but it is the only tool that eachmember of the team can rely onwith complete confidence in a crisis.



P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:15 pm Page 90

INTERNATIONAL FIREFIGHTER

AUGUST ISSUE 2005Attention all manufacturers!!




An MDM PUBLICATIONIssue 5 – February 2005

www.iffmag.com

Don’t miss the opportunity to advertise in the August

issue of IFF magazine. Editorial includes . . .

SCBA & Compressors

Hazmat protective clothing

PASS & Incident control systems

Fabrics & Fibres

Structural collapse rescue

Big Guns and Large volume devices

Airport Firefighting Vehicles

Fixed & portable extinguishers

Computer aided training

International training standards

Pumps

SHOW SPECIALIAFC Denver Colorado, August 11th–13th 2005





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An MDM PUBLICATIONIssue 3 – August 2004

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An MDM PUBLICATIONIssue 4 – November 2004

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INTERNATIONAL FIREFIGHTER

AUGUST ISSUE 2005

For an individual quote or more information please contact Mark Bathard at

MDM PUBLISHING LTD.18a, St. James Street, South Petherton, Somerset, TA13 5BW, United Kingdom.

Tel: +44 (0) 1460 249199 Fax: +44 (0) 1460 249292e-mail: [email protected]

website: www.iffmag.com

P. 75-91 26/10/06 2:16 pm Page 91

9292www.iffmag.com INTERNATIONAL FIRE FIGHTER

THE INGSTRÖM ESCAPE CHUTE PRODUCT UPATEMr. Stig B Ingströmdeveloped the conceptof “The IngströmEscape Chute®” thatallow people from tallstructure to slide downto the ground. Theproduct and tradename patented andfirst marketed by ABIngström & Co OY (theinventor’s company) in1982. Mr. Stig BIngström, a Finnish-Swede, who has beena specialist in thetextile industry forover forty years and in 1982 he focused on the production andmarketing of the

Ingström Escape Chute® system worldwide. Mr. Stig B Ingström isdetermined to make AB Mobiltex OY not just the world’s largestescape chute producer, but the safest.

Ingström Escape Chute® is manufactured in Finland and allmaterials used for the construction of the chute are of EU origin.While the marketers of the ‘look alike escape chute system’ in theInternet may claimed that the operations of their chute is the sameas Ingström Escape Chute®, the technical specification of thechute construction is totally different from the escape chutemanufactured by AB Mobiltex OY.

Ingström Escape Chute® is manufactured in conformance to itsperformance as “escape chute” tested by The Josef TuliszkowskiScientific and Research Centre for Fire Protection, Warsaw, Poland,that permit evacuation from high-rise structures during an emer-gency. All the installations of the Ingström Escape Chute® world-wide have Guarantee/Trade Warranty of 18 months and withProduct Liability Insurance. AB Mobiltex OY provides testing andcommissioning, training, after-sales-service and maintenancethrough its authorized and trained distributors worldwide.

Today, AB Mobiltex OY is the leading manufacturer and majorsupplier of escape chute evacuation system throughout the world,with HQ sales office based in Sweden, and factory in Finland. In1998, it established office in Singapore and in Australia to expandits operations and to develop close working relationships with itscustomers, distributors in the Asia Pacific region. The company inSingapore is known as Escape Consult Mobiltex (S) Pte Ltd(199800266D) and the company in Australia is known as MobiltexFar East Pty Ltd (ABN 44 075 965 089).

Without breaking any confidence, AB Mobiltex OY and theregional dealers wish to announce that they have no businessrelationship or professional involvement with those ‘look alikeescape chute system’ of Ingström Escape Chute®, products or com-panies marketed through web-sites in the Internet. They does notrepresent “Ingström Escape Chute®”, which has a proven record ofover 22 years for the safest and most efficient evacuation systemsor AB Mobiltex OY and the regional dealers in any capacity. Theyare not the contractor or supplier of Ingström Escape Chute® andAB Mobiltex OY and the regional dealers does not supply or guar-antee any ‘escape chute’ type system that are currently promotingand marketing by them in the Internet.

AKRON BRASS COMPANYNEW ZERO TORQUE (ZT) NOZZLE GRIP

Akron Brass has introducedits new, innovative ZT noz-zle grip which was specifi-cally designed with firefighters in mind. The ZTnozzle grip has unheraldedergonomics for exceptionalhandling and control,

greatly reduced fire fighter fatigue and improved fire suppressioneffectiveness.

The ZT nozzle grip more naturally keeps the nozzle out in frontof the fire fighter to allow for easier operation and provide bettercontrol, just like firefighters were trained to do. In addition, thepistol grip and inlet swivel are positioned to eliminate the reactionforce torque found in all conventional pistol grip designs.

Conventional pistol grip nozzles are held at a position 31⁄2� to 4�below the center line of discharge, creating a torque. Traditionally,all the energy must be resisted at the firefighter’s expense. The ZTnozzle grip is positioned to eliminate this torque and therefore firefighters only have the straight reaction force to manage. Thistranslates to less short-term fatigue and better overall firefighting.The ZT nozzle grip is available on any 11⁄2�, Mid-Range, Wide-Range, and 21⁄2� Turbojet, SaberJet, or Assault nozzle.

For more information about the new ZT nozzle grip or other Akron Brass products, call your local authorized Akron Brassdistributor or the Akron Brass Customer Service Department at 1-800-228-1161. Information can also be found in the “New Products” section of the Akron Brass web site (www.akronbrass.com).

Founded in 1918, Akron Brass is a worldwide marketer andmanufacturer of high performance fire fighting and rescue equip-ment. A Premier Farnell company, Akron Brass is ISO 9001: 2000registered and has an excellent reputation for developing andmanufacturing innovative products.

PR 47 NEW DECONTAMINATION SYSTEMLAUNCHED BY HUGHES Stand D58 Interschutz – Hanover – June 6-11 2005

Hughes Decon Systemsis showing a new light-weight walk-throughdecontamination shower.

The first units havealready been delivered tothe military and civildefence authorities inBelgium. The CupolaLightweight Mk1 is acompact, multi-purposeunit designed for rapidresponse in the event ofCBRN incidents and

industrial chemical spillages. The unit is easily carried in its high visibility valise which opens

out to form a protective ground sheet. This is permanentlyattached to the base of the unit and provides protection againstsharp objects when the system is being positioned or when it is inuse. Joints on the inflatable frame are glued and taped, ratherthan welded, as this has proved to be a more reliable method.

An air cylinder which comes with the kit, provides a low pres-sure supply to inflates the four legs and create a frame to supportthe removable liner. An additional air inlet is also available so thatthe shelter can be inflated using an independent cylinder. Apressure relief valve prevents over inflation of the frame.

Product Update ● Product Update ● Product Update

You can obtain more information about the“The Ingström Escape Chute®”,

from our websites: www.algonet.se/~ingstrom/ – www.escapeconsult.com –

www.ingstromescapechute.com.au/Issued by AB Mobiltex OY, Satravagen 11,

184 52 Osterskar, Sverige. SWEDEN, Tel: (46) 8 54064156Fax: (46) 8 54069005

Email: [email protected]

For more information, please contact: Richard Duda

Tel: (330) 287-7158

P. 92-96 26/10/06 2:18 pm Page 92


Showering takesplace within theremovable translucentliner which is hungfrom the inflatedframe using Velcrosleeves. Entrance andexit flaps in the linercan be sealed to con-tain the over sprayduring showering.The wash-off is col-lected in a sump inthe base and can be

pumped out through a waste connection in the liner. Support personnel can monitor the decontamination process

through windows on both sides of the unit and offer assistance byusing the integral gloves fitted in the liner wall.

Seven nozzles at head and chest height ensure rapid andthorough showering. These can be supplemented using a hand-held wash brush fitted to a coiled hose. To ensure stability in adverse conditions, the unit can be secured to theground using guy lines and pegs. The design is based on Hughes’extensive experience in developing inflatable decontaminationshelters and is intended to withstand repeated use in the mostdemanding conditions. Despite this, punctures can occur and toensure the unit is returned to service as quickly as possible, arepair kit is included.

“Authorities now have even greater choice in sourcing the mostcost-effective solution,” says Hughes Decon Sales Manager, Andy Whitehead. “A Mk2 version can accommodate two stagedecontamination.”

Melba Industries, Australia’s premier manufacturer of high perfor-mance fabrics to the industrial, fire, safety and military markets,would like to introduce MELBAMAX — a revolutionary new fabricconcept. For many years the idea of a tough, inherently flame-retardant fabric conjured up thoughts of an uncomfortable, hotand expensive system. This is no longer the case. Melba Industrieshas taken the strength elements of a super fine Nomex Comfortfibre and blended in the most breathable fibre in the world — finemerino wool. The union of these two outstanding fibres hasresulted in the most breathable,comfortable and durable inherentlyflame retardant product available anywhere in the world.

Australia’s climate is very challenging. Our fire-fighters areconfronted by extreme heat and humidity. Heat stress is a majorconcern. Melba Industries is a licensee of Woolmark. In conjunc-tion with Woolmark and Australia’s leading research institute – theCSIRO, we have designed a blend that will solve many of yourproblems. MELBAMAX ulilises the uniqueness of wool. Many other fibres such as cotton and poly/cottons will absorbperspiration — they will become wet with sweat before they trans-fer moisture away from the wearer’s body. The wearer is uncom-fortable – the garment sticks to the body – in cool climates the wearer could become chilled. In these situations wool is theanswer. Body vapour is drawn through the core of the wool fibre.The outer sheath remains dry. Therefore the wearer will remain dry.Before the body vapour turns to sweat it is removed through thewool fibre and through the protective garment layers.

The uniqueness of wool is combined with Dupont’s outstandingNomex Comfort fibre. Tough, durable, with high lightfastnessproperties Melba has taken the best manmade fibre and blended itwith the best nature can offer. We provide this new concept in oneweight and it is ideal for use as a polo shirt or under-garmentwhere worker comfort and protection is of paramount importance.

The value of a super breathable protective fabric cannot beunderstated. There are many fabrics that offer protection but fewoffer the wearer true comfort. MELBAMAX has taken comfort andperformance to a new level.

INTERNATIONAL FIRE SERVICE CO-OPERATION ASZAGREB VISITS WILTSHIRE FIRE BRIGADE

In a move aimed at developing a higher level of co-operationbetween fire services in the UK and those from developing coun-tries in the former Eastern Bloc and to help introduce improvedlevels of safety and performance, senior fire officers from Zagreb,Croatia, recently visited Wiltshire Fire Brigade.

Bristol Uniforms arranged the one day visit to allow the Zagrebfire service to see at first hand the developments which haveresulted from the close working relationship developed over recentyears between themselves and Wiltshire Fire Brigade. During thistime Wiltshire, as a member of the South West Consortium, hasnot only confirmed its long term commitment to the use ofBristol’s fire coats and trousers but has also adopted the BristolCare PE managed care service which provides a fully integratedcomputer tracked wash and repair programme over the lifetime ofall articles of PPE.

Chief Fire Officer Malcic and his colleagues from Zagreb FireBrigade, whose firefighters also benefit from wearing Bristol PPE,spent the day visiting a number of Wiltshire Fire Brigade locationsincluding Westlea, Swindon and Devizes. The programme includedfirefighting demonstrations, an RTA extrication demonstration anddiscussions on the handling of incidents involving hazardousmaterials which is an area of particular interest to Zagreb.

Wiltshire’s Chief Fire Officer, Andy Goves, commented, “I amextremely pleased that Bristol Uniforms asked Wiltshire FireBrigade to host this visit of a fellow Chief Fire Officer and hissenior colleagues”. “Such opportunities are rare and present anopportunity for Wiltshire’s firefighters to demonstrate their profes-sionalism and high levels of public service”. “This is very much atwo-way process and I am sure that our visitors gained as much aswe did from this useful exchange of information and expertise”.

Roger Startin, Bristol Uniforms’ joint MD, commented, “Wewere delighted that our friends at Zagreb were able to make thisvisit which we see as being both operationally and commerciallyvaluable in developing a more cohesive international businessbased on shared values”.


For more information contact:Rob Walsh at

[email protected]

For more information contact:Hughes Safety Showers

Tel: 0161 430 6618Fax: 0161 430 7928

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

For more information about Bristol Uniforms or Bristol Care please contact either:

Roger Startin, Bristol Uniforms Ltd on 0117 956 3101 or email [email protected]

Or Richard Storey, RSL Associates on 01749 870652 or email [email protected]

P. 92-96 26/10/06 2:19 pm Page 93

9494 www.iffmag.com

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DECON SHOWER CLASSIC UNDERGOES REDESIGNAcknowledged as themother of all portableinflatable decontaminationshowers Professional Pro-tections Systems’ DPI(decontamination portableinflatable) unit has under-gone its first extensiveredesign since its introduc-tion in 1996 revolutionisedthe decontamination showerscene.

Since then derivatives ofthis PPS unit have become,amongst other things, thestandard decon shower forthe NHS, Hospital Trustsand ambulance services inthe UK as well as thedecontamination mainstay

of emergency services throughout every continent. Highly effec-tive, relatively low cost to purchase and operate, easy to transportand quick and easy to deploy, these are all factors that made theoriginal DPI a classic.

They still apply to the redesigned DPI, but it is slightly larger.The inflatable supporting pillars and cross sections are also morerobust giving the whole unit additional rigidity. The new DPI alsoincorporates raised flooring. Made from recycled plastics this keepscontaminant away from legs and feet. The new unit has also beendesigned to take practically all of the vast range of accessories thatPPS offered to accompany the original model without any conver-sions being necessary. The idea is that customers switching fromold style DPI to new style don’t incur unnecessary extra costs.

According to PPS Managing Director Mark Whitcher the scope,quality and size of the accompanying accessory range is almost asimportant as the basic unit. “It’s the accessory range”, he says,“that enable us to customise every unit and the fact that we canproduce something to the customer’s precise specification is one ofthe main reasons for the continued success of the DPI concept,especially in overseas markets”. Just how far this process has come since 1996 can be judged from the fact that whilst theoriginal DPI had no accessories the most basic unit mow can easily have 17 or 18. This is the result says Whitcher not ofcommercial pressure but of emergency planning procedures beingconstantly rehearsed, reviewed and updated on both a micro andmacro level.

HALE PRODUCTS EUROPE AT INTERSCHUTZHale Products Europe willbe showcasing a numberof innovative fire andrescue solutions at Inter-schutz 2005 in Hannoverthis June through theleading brand names ofHale and Godiva. Excitingnew products will be ondisplay in the vehiclemounted and portablepump categories as wellas the latest develop-ments in Foam Propor-tioning and CompressedAir Foam equipment.

Foam and CAFSFoamLogix is the latest electronic foam proportioning system –this computer controlled system provides automatic prime, a foamagent induction range of 0.1 – 9.9% and a display of foam andwater usage data all in a compact and cost-effective package.FoamLogix is the foam proportioning device for the Godiva WorldSeries Pump with Integrated CAFS and also the MCP50 CAFSpackage. World Series CAFS systems are in service with a numberof UK brigades, and Hale CAFS systems in general are very popularin Germany and throughout Europe.

Vehicle Mounted Pumps

● World Series pump –various models show-ing the latest modularadditions to this popu-lar pump.

● World Series pumpwith Flow IndependentRTP system – providesa guaranteed percent-age of 3% or 6% ClassB foam independent ofthe water flow rate.This pump will also befitted with an integrat-ed instrument panel.

● The top of the range World Series WT6010 pump with gearbox,and two single pressure pumps – WS2010 and the powerfulGV10000 will be available to view.

● Class1 Instrumentation – on display will be a World Seriespump with Class1 pump data and control instruments – Intelli-tank gauges and SPS panels.

Also on display the World Series pump De-contaminationadaptor – designed to provide warm water for de-contaminationshower units.

Portable and Transportable models● Latest version of the Powerflow 8/5 portable pump with the

cooler, cleaner Briggs and Stratton engine and DIN exhaustconnector. Both hand primer and exhaust gas primer modelswill be on display.

● The GP2300/15 is the latest version of the mid-range GP2300,diesel engined transportable pump. Powered by the FordZSG414 engine, this unit delivers 2400L/min at 7 bar from a3m suction lift.

● Products from the American branch of the company willinclude the Qpak midship mounted vehicle pump, AP50 rearmounted pump and the latest version of the HP portable pumpwith a new Honda engine. The SMR-U is the stainless steelversion of the Godiva World Series pump aimed at the NorthAmerican market. Stainless steel provides a prolonged workinglife and guarantee against corrosion when using with seawateror contaminated water sources. Also on display a selection of Typhoon positive pressure ventila-

tion fans for effective control of smoke and fumes.Sales and Technical staff from the UK and USA will be on hand

to discuss any issues or questions visitors may have. The Halestand is linked with its sister companies in the Idex Corporation –Lukas and Vetter, specialists in rescue equipment supply. An idealopportunity to review a large proportion of your fire fightingneeds. We look forward to meeting you on our stand (Hall 12,Stand C30).


For further information, please contact:Professional Protection Systems

Email: [email protected]: www.ppsgb.com

For more information, please contact:Hale Products Europe

Email: [email protected] Website: www.haleeurope.com


P. 92-96 11/17/06 1:35 PM Page 94


XENON PRODUCT RANGE RETIREMENT Service & Support Cease in July 2006 Vision Systems’ commitment to provide Xenon product range Endof Life (EOL) service and repair support will cease on 1 July 2006.This means that product replacements, repairs, refurbishment,support and spare parts will not be available after that date.

The intent to stop manufacturing of the Xenon range of smokedetectors was first announced in 1997. In June 1999, the sale ofXenon range of detectors including Xenon E700 (MKIII), E70D,Scanner and MiniVESDA, was officially discontinued.

Vision Systems would like to highlight to all customers and end-users with Xenon site installations, to strongly consider plans tophase out and replace these products with the new VESDA Laser-series range.

The Laser-series range of detectors which have been widelyspecified and installed worldwide today, provide an array ofbenefits: ● Product approval certification across all continents ● Absolute calibration laser chamber for maximum reliability and

repeatability ● One detector for all applications, 0.005 to 20% Obs/m ● Lower cost of ownership as regular calibration is not required ● Dual stage filtration provides clean air bleed to maintain optical

integrity of the chamber ● Flexible product range to ensure cost effective replacement of

old technology ● And the local support to provide the assistance you may

require.

NEW DECONTAMINATION SYSTEM FROM HUGHES

Hughes Decon Systems has delivered the first of its new light-weight, walk-through decontamination showers to the military andcivil defence authorities in Belgium. They are compact, multi-purpose units designed for rapid response in the event of CBRNincidents and industrial chemical spillages.

“The Cupola Lightweight Mk1 is the latest addition to our rangeof decontamination systems,” says Hughes Decon Sales Manager,Andy Whitehead. “Authorities now have even greater choice insourcing the most cost-effective solution.”

The unit is easily carried in its high visibility valise, which opensout to form a protective ground sheet under the unit. The base ofthe unit is permanently attached to the groundsheet, whichprovides protection against sharp objects when the unit is being

positioned or when in use. Joints on the inflatable frame are gluedand taped rather than welded as this has proved to be a morereliable method.

An air cylinder, which comes with the kit, provides a low pres-sure supply to inflates the four legs and create a frame to supportthe removable liner. An additional air inlet is also available so thatthe shelter can be inflated using an independent cylinder. Apressure relief valve prevents over inflation of the frame.

Showering takes place within the removable translucent liner,which is hung from the inflated frame using Velcro sleeves.Entrance and exit flaps in the liner can be sealed to contain theover spray during showering. The wash-off is collected in a sumpin the base and can be pumped out through a waste connection inthe liner.

Support personnel can monitor the decontamination processthrough windows on both sides of the unit and offer assistance byusing the integral gloves fitted in the liner wall.

Seven nozzles at head and chest height ensure rapid andthorough showering. These can be supplemented using a hand-heldwash brush fitted to a coiled hose. To ensure stability in adverseconditions, the unit can be secured to the ground using guy linesand pegs. The design is based on Hughes extensive experience indeveloping inflatable decontamination shelters and is intended towithstand repeated use in the most demanding conditions. Despitethis, punctures can occur and to ensure the unit is returned toservice as quickly as possible, a repair kit is included.

A Mk2 version of the unit is also available with two separatelanes to double the throughput.

CAPTURING REMOTE VIDEO FOOTAGE IN A FIRESCENE? – NO PROBLEM!Another exciting addition tothe Argus®3 product range,the Remote Receiver Stationis designed to allow theremote viewing of a thermalimage from an Argus® cam-era, when fitted with theremote wireless telemetryoption.

Gone are the days ofportable monitors and trail-ing cables, the Argus®3Remote Receiver Station isa compact carrying casecomprising of a two-chan-nel receiver with a built in7-inch LCD colour screenand integral antenna.

The Remote ReceiverStation requires a 12V dc power input, either via a standard cam-corder battery (used already to power the Argus®3 thermal imagingcamera), a mains power supply or an on-truck charging connector(as used on and currently supplied with the Argus®3 storagemount).

Additional functionality comes with the ability to record livevideo footage from an incident. Using a standard connection lead,the Remote Receiver Station can be connected to a remote videorecorder (not supplied), to capture thermal footage directly fromthe fire scene.


For further information, please contact:Vision Systems – VESDA office and distributor

Website: www.vesda.com/xenon

For further information, please contact:Hughes Safety ShowersTel: +44 161 430 6618

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

For more information, please contact:E2V Technologies

Email: [email protected]: www.e2vtechnologies.com

P. 92-96 11/17/06 1:36 PM Page 95


AB Mobiltex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Akron Brass Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74Angus Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41/69Ansul Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IFCBristol Uniforms Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Bronto Skylift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Bullard Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .OBCBW Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55Celanese Advanced Materials Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Chemguard Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58Crash Rescue Equipment Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49Dafo Fomtec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63Draeger Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Dr Sthamer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61Emergency Services Training Institute (Texas A&M) . . . .87E2V Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBCFire Science Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 FSI North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63GB Solo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Grace Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Grindex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Groupe Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63Hale Products Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65Haztec Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Helmet Integrated Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Hughes Safety Showers Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Hypro/Foampro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40Icet BV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84Inmaco AS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57Iveco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Kermel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37Kochek Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47Kussmaul Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33Matjack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83Max Widenmann Gmbh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73Melba Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8MSA Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Nike Hydraulics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83Nordic Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72Orion Safety Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47Peli Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Plastisol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34PPS Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21RAE Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50Refinery Terminal Fire Company (R.T.F.C.) . . . . . . . . . . .87Russwurm Ventilatoren Gmbh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33Savox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37Scott Health & Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7SK Fire Pty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65Tempest Technology Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33T.N.T. Rescue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79Tyco Safety Products (Sabo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60Tyco Safety Products (Skum) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Tyco Safety Products (Total Walther) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68Unifire AB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Vema Lift OY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29Weber Hydraulik Gmbh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70WS Darley Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

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P. 92-96 26/10/06 2:22 pm Page 96

� 26 image capture and download

� choice of two sensor cores (BST and ASi microbolometer)

� x2 zoom function

� 8 screen colour settings - from monochrome to full colour

� customisable on-screen graphics

� spot and ambient temperature measurement

� integrated wireless video output

e2v technologiestel: +44 (0) 1245 453727www.argusdirect.com/iffArgus® 3 - Trademark licensed from Argus Industries Inc.

Argus®3the height of technology

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1

iff6 ibc 26/10/06 2:25 pm Page 1

From blue, to yellow, to orangeto red-hot, the new T3MAXbrings you revolutionary thermalimaging color technology —exclusively from Bullard

Electronic Thermal Throttle™

• Pinpoints hot spots and colors them blue

• Easily IDs overheated electrical equipment, hidden fire, and victims

Super Red Hot™

• Starting at 500˚, heated objectsare tinted yellow, orange and red

• Alerts firefighters to areas of intense heat

Get the Picture.Get a Bullard.

In Living

Introducing the next breakthrough in thermal imaging

BUILT BULLARD TOUGH. www.bullard.com 800-BULLARDBUILT BULLARD TOUGH. www.bullard.com 877-BULLARD

From blue, to yellow, to orangeto red-hot, the new T3MAXbrings you revolutionary thermalimaging color technology —exclusively from Bullard

Electronic Thermal Throttle™

• Pinpoints hot spots and colors them blue

• Easily IDs overheated electrical equipment, hidden fire, and victims

Super Red Hot™

• Starting at 500˚, heated objectsare tinted yellow, orange and red

• Alerts firefighters to areas of intense heat

Get the Picture.Get a Bullard.

iff6 obc 26/10/06 2:25 pm Page 1

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IFF Issue 06