Flammable Material Control - Editor's Dispatch

Among residential fire hazards, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is probably not at the top of the list. However, there are fire risk factors related to HVAC that can be mitigated through greater awareness and additional precautions. The reality is that an HVAC fire, like any other, can be dangerous and even deadly.  flammable refrigerants The use of flammable refrigerants in HVAC systems is a growing trend since newer refrigerants that do not contribute to glo...

As motor vehicle designs evolve, including the addition of lithium-ion batteries, for example, firefighters and first responders must also adapt. They need information about the vehicle’s fuel and energy usage and guidance on extricating occupants following an accident. Emergency Response Guides (ERGs) can help responders by using standardized labels, colors, symbols, and graphics to make emergency information more complete, accurate, and accessible during training and response. ISO 1784...

In Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, in May 2022, a helmet camera recorded firefighters extinguishing a truck fire along I-94, catching every detail as sparks flew and firefighters hosed down the truck to suppress the blaze. Firefighters also hosed down the grass on the side of the freeway to put out hot spots and prevent a grass fire, MLive.com reported. The helmet-cam was part of a voluntary program that involves Ann Arbor firefighters wearing cameras when responding to active structure fires to cap...

Among the ways, garments protect firefighters is by reducing the heat stress and discomfort created by the need to carry heavy gear. Making the garments more comfortable to wear means less physical stress. Garments also help to protect firefighters from the toxic elements in the fire environment. The extent to which plastic materials can generate toxic smoke when they burn has previously been ignored but is now better understood. Concerted effort to understand end user As a manufacturer of fi...

Fires are among the biggest threats to seagoing vessels, despite the irony of the vessels being surrounded by water. Fire threats are especially serious given that receiving outside assistance is impossible, or at least very time-consuming. Evacuation is also problematic in the middle of the ocean. Not surprisingly, electrical fires make up around half of the incidences of combustion onboard ships – electrical systems and water are a dangerous combination. Other fires come from flammable...

Firefighting robots have been deployed by a couple of departments in the United States, but the full potential of the technology is just now being realized. “As departments get more exposure to the technology, and learn more about the capabilities, they are more open to using them,” says Paul Ford, Robotics Program Manager, Howe & Howe Technologies. “They are realizing why and how they are being used, and they understand the full capabilities of the technology, not just t...

A new floating fire station in San Francisco, USA is designed to provide fast response to a variety of emergencies, to adapt to the rise and fall of the natural tide of the bay, and to withstand future sea level changes tied to global warming. Fireboat Station 35 Fireboat Station 35 is berthed at Pier 22-1/2, just north of the Bay Bridge, along the Embarcadero at Harrison just south of the Ferry Building, in San Francisco, California, USA. It is a 14,900-square-foot, two-story fireboat station...

Technology has transformed the role of lighting in the realm of firefighting. The rise of USB-rechargeable flashlights and headlamps now enable firefighters to recharge on-the-go. New, multi-fuel flashlight ‘systems’ use a rechargeable battery, but also can accept disposable batteries for alternate sources of power. New scene lights are waterproof and offer powerful brightness in situations involving smoke or water. Work lights that fit in tight spaces can be used hands-free or hangi...

Global warming is often mentioned as a factor in the accelerating frequency and intensity of wildfires. However, there are other consequences of global warming that impact the fire service, including new hazards and medical emergencies, emerging training challenges, population migration, and technology developments. Climate change is often discussed as a future event. However, the impact of wildfires is just the most obvious example of how climate change is already impacting the world, and fire...

Under a new law taking effect in February 2022, homes in Scotland must have multiple fire alarms linked by radio frequency, either sealed battery alarms or alarms wired to the electrical system main. Smoke alarms are now required in the living room or most-used room, and also in each hallway or landing. Furthermore, a heat alarm is required in the kitchen. All smoke and heat alarms should be mounted on the ceiling. Interlinked alarms In the case of interlinked alarms, if one alarm goes off, th...

In the case of mixed commercial and residential premises, approaches to ensure fire protection can be complicated. While one fire protection approach might be best suited to a commercial facility, a different process might be optimal in case of a residential fire. Combining the two types of facilities requires a delicate balance to serve both sets of needs. Towyn fire incident Recently in Towyn, in Wales, UK, for example, a serious blaze was reported in a residential flat above a takeaway rest...

Trends, such as social distancing and breakdowns in group interactions are changing the emergency response needs in Suffolk County, New York, and other communities around the world. In the new normal, there are also fewer opportunities to identify someone, who might need mental health services or be in crisis. Residents are more likely to push aside signs of anxiety and depression, until they become more severe. Suffolk County affected by COVID-19 Suffolk County was an epicenter of the COVID-1...

New refrigerants used in air conditioning systems provide less potential for global warming (GWP), but the new materials can also be potentially flammable. Sensors are designed to detect refrigerants in a specific confined area (within the unit). However, if the refrigerant leaks outside and away from the unit, the sensor may not be able to detect it, resulting in a potentially hazardous environment. Society is prioritizing the mitigation of climate change, and new, potentially flammable, low-G...

Electronic devices help to manage the flow of information at a fire scene, but how to provide the information that each firefighter needs in a simplified format, which is conducive to high-stress, minute-by-minute decision-making? That’s the mission of Qwake Technologies and their C-THRU platform, which seeks to improve the performance and safety of critical workers, in dangerous environments. C-THRU platform with AI The C-THRU platform simplifies a flood of complex data from multiple so...

When a shortage of truck drivers resulted in empty motor fuel pumps in the United Kingdom, long queues formed and many motorists began panic buying. The situation induced motorists to hoard fuel, a practice that brings with it a long list of fire risks. Many fire departments in the United Kingdom provided stern warnings of the dangers. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service advised anyone looking to store petrol at home to follow correct storage protocols. Hoarding additional quantities North Yo...

Electric bikes and scooters are a newly popular way to travel through urban environments. However, the nifty devices come with a fire risk that could be deadly. In London, firefighters have responded to more than 25 fires, involving e-bikes or e-scooters in recent months, some of them significant incidents with serious injuries. Lithium-ion batteries pose fire risks The fire hazards of e-bikes and e-scooters stem from their use of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that can erupt into flames....

Given the large global consumption of hydrocarbon fuels across all sectors, the associated risks are constantly expanding. The Allianz Global Corporate Specialty study cites fire and explosion as the largest causes for loss claims filed globally from 2013 - 2018. Fire and explosion Furthermore, fire and explosion are among the top 10 global business risks in 2021. More than 100 major fuel explosions have been reported, since 2019 around the world, most of which were avoidable. The risks are d...

Back in Indianapolis for the first time since 2019, FDIC International 2021 offered a full slate of conference sessions, hands-on training and equipment exhibitions. Attendance was down, but everyone appeared happy to be back at the show, after cancellations and delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Masking compliance was low, despite continuing concerns about COVID-19 and the Delta variant. There was little social distancing. In many respects, the show seemed back to normal. A highlight of t...

We are currently seeing fewer fires in the United States than in past decades. However, statistically, if a fire is reported in your home, you are more likely to die today than 40 years ago. Today’s homes with their synthetic furnishings and open floor plans burn faster than homes did in the past. Occupants might have fewer than three minutes to escape after a fire starts. Every 24 seconds, a U.S. fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the country. Nationwide, a civilian dies in...

Immediate evacuation is often the appropriate response in case of a fire emergency, but correctional facilities are built on the premise of keeping inmates inside. Such is the apparent conflict, when it comes to responding to a fire in a prison, jail or correctional facility. Fire safety challenges The unique characteristics of a correctional setting present challenges in case of fire. For example, how can locked doors be consistent with the need for easy egress in case of fire? Because doors...

A recent fire in a recycling facility at the Gaskells waste site in Kirkdale, United Kingdom, sent waves of smoke clouding the sky over north Liverpool in the early Sunday hours. Firefighters fought the blaze for 12 hours, and nearby residents were advised to remain indoors with the windows closed. A large quantity of waste material was ablaze, and firefighters used an aerial platform to reach some sections of the fire.  The event is representative of the challenges of fires in waste and r...

While wildfires can be beneficial and necessary for some species and ecosystems, there are various negative impacts on our air, water, and land, as well as, subsequent impacts for human health. Given the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) mission to protect human health and the environment, the EPA’s Wildland Fire Research focuses on the impacts these fires have on human health and ecosystems. Examining ambient air quality EPA researchers are examining the worsening of a...

Many restaurants around the world are suffering from loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation has made fire prevention a lower priority. Fire authorities should work with restaurant owners and associations to address this issue and offer guidelines and training to increase awareness in the community. Restaurant fires account for about 6% of all non-residential building fires reported to fire departments each year, according to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS...

Rental storage units represent a serious and unpredictable risk for firefighters. For example, hundreds of rented units at a three-story, self-storage warehouse in Manchester, United Kingdom, were recently destroyed by fire. Fire in rental storage units There were 125 firefighters and 25 fire engines called to the scene. There were no injuries, but hundreds of customers lost thousands of dollars in stored goods in the fire. Notably, the facility was not protected by a sprinkler system, which n...

There are more than half a million homeless people in the United States, including many who deal with mental illness, drug addiction, and other problems. At homeless shelters where some of them are housed, attention to fire prevention may take a back seat to other concerns, such as adding capacity. More troubling are fire hazards at makeshift housing sites and homeless camps. Fire calls to homeless encampments run the gamut, including many of the same types of emergencies as other calls. Becaus...

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the fire service will continue at least through 2021 and possibly for years to come. Specifically, several aspects of the pandemic have impacted the fire service long-term and have possibly changed it forever.  More awareness of Health Issues For one thing, the pandemic has heightened awareness about issues of health and wellness of firefighters. In this regard, COVID-19 has been just the latest in the series of health and wellness issues surroundin...

Wildfires represent extreme instances of the deadly destructiveness of fire. There seem to be more wildfires every year, and there are certainly larger and more deadly wildfires all over the world than ever before. Wildfires dominate the public perception of the most extreme consequences of fire. This look back at 2020 will highlight some of the articles about wildfires published by TheBigRedGuide.com, with links to the full-length original articles. The wildfire season in 11 Western U.S. stat...

Adapting workspaces to operate safely during a pandemic presents complications, not least of which is making sure that the measures taken to protect employees from infection do not undermine fire safety. In the course of altering a building to prevent infection spread, there are risks of introducing new life safety hazards and compromising emergency preparedness. As buildings adapt to new occupancy standards and requirements, it is critical that any protective measures do not interfere with ope...

An explosion of blue-colored smoke on Sept. 5, 2020 in Yucalpa, California, was the beginning of a large wildfire in El Dorado Ranch Park. The pyrotechnic device was essentially a smoke bomb designed to send plumes of pink or blue smoke rising into the air, designating the gender of an expected baby. The expectant dad had packed the target with a highly explosive substance called Tannerite and shot it with a high-powered rifle. The target was designed to explode in pink or blue to reveal whethe...

The biggest risk of property damage and injury from wildfires comes at the wildland-urban interface (WUI), which is defined as areas where structures and the built environment begin to intermingle with wildland vegetation. More and more such areas are being created as humans move near wildland areas to take advantage of their natural beauty and privacy. As a result, fire departments are fighting more fires along the interface, and there is a greater need for citizens living in these areas to be...