Minimizing the impact of electrical fires in power plants requires a combination of prevention, compartmentalization, detection, and suppression strategies. But first, everyone in a plant needs to understand the hazard.
Two firefighters were hurt in an explosion at a car fire. The firefighters were called after a Boston EMS SUV caught fire. Moments later, the master O2 cylinder in the vehicle exploded and blew debris at the firefighters. Equipment in the vehicle, including a first responder’s kit and oxygen tank contributed to the explosion.
The search for candidates to serve on the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) is on. The CCBFC oversees nine standing committees that work on the Canadian building, fire, plumbing and energy codes that form the basis of provincial and territorial regulations. The National Research Council is looking for volunteers to represent all regions of Canada and all sectors of the construction industry that use national and provincial codes. Candidates should also have a broad knowledge of policy and code-related matters.
Ontario Regulation 194/14 came into force on October 15, 2014. This regulation made the installation, maintenance, testing and replacement of CO alarms in existing residential occupancies mandatory. In addition, changes related to the maintenance, testing and replacement of smoke alarms have been made to maintain consistency with the CO alarm requirements.
The Charleston Fire Department is now better equipped to train first responders to perform pet CPR with the donation of two specially designed pet mannequins. The mannequins were donated by Invisible Fence Brand and Bees Ferry Animal Hospital. All CFD apparatus are currently equipped with animal CPR masks which can be used on pets in the event of a fire or emergency. These mannequins will allow the members of the department to obtain additional training in life-saving measures for pets.
CPR dog to help pets
It may have been an unusual tactic used by Tulsa firefighters that saved lives during a recent house fire. Three of five people pulled from the fire were given a rarely-administered medicine called a cyanide antidote. Tulsa Fire Department said this likely helped save the lives of two adults and one child who were inside the home. “It pulls the cyanide out of the system and literally converts it to a B-vitamin. It increases the chances for long-term survival,” a spokesperson said. The antidote helps the body overcome the intensity of the toxic smoke.
On 14 February 2015, a Canadian National crude oil unit train hauling 100 tank cars, 68 loaded with Petroleum Crude Oil and 32 loaded with Petroleum Distillates derailed and the crew observed a fire about 10 cars behind the locomotives. The temperature at the time was -31°C. During the derailment, a number of cars were breached, released product, and ignited a large fire that initially involved 7 of the derailed cars. Additional product was subsequently released, and a total of 21 cars sustained fire damage ranging from minor to severe.
The New York Fire Department is using a tool called FireCast to predict which buildings are most likely to have fires. The software applies an algorithm from five city agencies, taking into account as many as 60 different risk factors—not only obvious ones, such as a building’s age, but also whether it was in the middle of foreclosure proceedings or had active tax liens. It’s not a big leap to see why a property’s financial plight could make it a bigger fire risk but, until now, fire departments had no formal way of knowing such things
The Terrestrial Robotics Engineer and Control team at Virginia Tech is working on a firefighting robot named SAFFiR (pronounced “safer”). Specifically designed to fight fires on naval vessels, the bot has been equipped to navigate narrow passageways, climb ladders, and overcome obstacles. It must be able to see through flames, be smart enough to identify the source of a shipboard fire, and have hands sensitive enough to retrieve and operate a fire hose.
Expect a big bill if you cause a wildfire in BC. The province has recovered about $4 million from those responsible over the past five years. This money is separate from a fine or penalty. It’s a much larger sum.