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Posted: Apr 3, 2018

Decontamination Solutions for on the Fireground

keeping it safe robert tutterow
Robert Tutterow

When the fire is out, what do you do with the contaminated equipment? This is another column that is an output of the Cancer Alliance Symposium held last September in Phoenix, Arizona.

One of the workshops centered around the topic of vehicles and exposures, and I was honored to be the presenter. However, I was confronted with a big problem—there is very little information available on the subject. In past columns, I have addressed the cab interiors with an emphasis on seats, flooring, and design, and I have also addressed removing self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) from the cab.

In this month’s column, I am presenting thoughts on how to handle contaminated equipment from a vehicle perspective. Paramount to this discussion is the goal of not having contaminated equipment on or in the apparatus. How is this accomplished? There is a variety of ways for departments to consider.

Decontamination Units

One concept is to think of dedicated decontamination units on a regional basis. A somewhat comparable concept is the way we refill SCBA cylinders. Does every fire station have a stationary or mobile cylinder refill station? Of course not. They are regionalized. What about hazmat decontamination units? Obviously, not every station or every department has a dedicated decontamination unit. However, most departments have access to a regional decontamination unit. A regional decontamination unit for contaminated equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) is not a far-fetched thought. I know the idea is being seriously discussed in South Florida. To underscore this idea, it is important to consider a fire as a hazmat incident. Jeff Stull, International Fire Personnel Protection, is clearly one of the foremost experts on exposures, and he is of the thought that fires are more of a hazmat incident than most hazmat incidents as we consider them today. Regional decontamination units could range from large tractor-drawn rigs to “engine-size” rigs to trailers.

Following the presentation on vehicles and exposures, attendees participated in a survey to gather additional information. One of the questions was: “Do you think a mobile decontamination unit is feasible for larger departments, and, on a regional basis, for smaller departments?” Fifty-nine percent thought this was feasible, and 41 percent did not. Clearly, the idea has merit, though there are skeptics.

Another related question was: “If yes, what equipment should be included with that unit?” The answers included larger scale portable showers, soap, brushes, hand wash stations, change of clothing, water, refrigerators, bags for contaminated gear, spare SCBA, etc. A couple of respondents commented that existing hazmat decon units could be used.

Decontamination Kits

The above concept is primarily for structure fires involving more than one company or department. But, what about the smaller fires that require only one company or unit, such as a car fire or dumpster fire? A regional decontamination unit is probably not the solution. A more practical approach is that every engine company (and perhaps ladder companies and heavy rescues, depending on the department) should have a decont

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Posted: Apr 3, 2018

Decontamination Solutions for on the Fireground

keeping it safe robert tutterow
Robert Tutterow

When the fire is out, what do you do with the contaminated equipment? This is another column that is an output of the Cancer Alliance Symposium held last September in Phoenix, Arizona.

One of the workshops centered around the topic of vehicles and exposures, and I was honored to be the presenter. However, I was confronted with a big problem—there is very little information available on the subject. In past columns, I have addressed the cab interiors with an emphasis on seats, flooring, and design, and I have also addressed removing self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) from the cab.

In this month’s column, I am presenting thoughts on how to handle contaminated equipment from a vehicle perspective. Paramount to this discussion is the goal of not having contaminated equipment on or in the apparatus. How is this accomplished? There is a variety of ways for departments to consider.

Decontamination Units

One concept is to think of dedicated decontamination units on a regional basis. A somewhat comparable concept is the way we refill SCBA cylinders. Does every fire station have a stationary or mobile cylinder refill station? Of course not. They are regionalized. What about hazmat decontamination units? Obviously, not every station or every department has a dedicated decontamination unit. However, most departments have access to a regional decontamination unit. A regional decontamination unit for contaminated equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) is not a far-fetched thought. I know the idea is being seriously discussed in South Florida. To underscore this idea, it is important to consider a fire as a hazmat incident. Jeff Stull, International Fire Personnel Protection, is clearly one of the foremost experts on exposures, and he is of the thought that fires are more of a hazmat incident than most hazmat incidents as we consider them today. Regional decontamination units could range from large tractor-drawn rigs to “engine-size” rigs to trailers.

Following the presentation on vehicles and exposures, attendees participated in a survey to gather additional information. One of the questions was: “Do you think a mobile decontamination unit is feasible for larger departments, and, on a regional basis, for smaller departments?” Fifty-nine percent thought this was feasible, and 41 percent did not. Clearly, the idea has merit, though there are skeptics.

Another related question was: “If yes, what equipment should be included with that unit?” The answers included larger scale portable showers, soap, brushes, hand wash stations, change of clothing, water, refrigerators, bags for contaminated gear, spare SCBA, etc. A couple of respondents commented that existing hazmat decon units could be used.

Decontamination Kits

The above concept is primarily for structure fires involving more than one company or department. But, what about the smaller fires that require only one company or unit, such as a car fire or dumpster fire? A regional decontamination unit is probably not the solution. A more practical approach is that every engine company (and perhaps ladder companies and heavy rescues, depending on the department) should have a decont

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Posted: Apr 3, 2018

Fire Station Designs: Functionality is Key

By Alan M. Petrillo

Fire departments around the country are engaging architects to build new stations or refurbish older structures to 21st-century standards.

While many new contemporary style stations are being built, often a department chooses a traditional design over a contemporary one to reflect an area’s heritage or the department’s tradition. Other reasons behind the style of station design include blending the structure into the character of a neighborhood and, at times, fitting the station onto a small-sized or irregularly shaped piece of property.

1 Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects was the design consultant for this station built for the Bruton (VA) Volunteer Fire Department. (Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects.)

1 Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects was the design consultant for this station built for the Bruton (VA) Volunteer Fire Department. (Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects.)

Traditional Designs

Ken Newell, principal at Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects (SCN), says that in the 400 fire stations SCN has designed and built, the firm has done a wide variety of every type of design style. “The majority of our clients want a more traditional style of architecture for their fire stations,” Newell says. “For example, we designed a new modern fire station for the Pleasant Valley (SC) Fire Department with a very traditional look. The station uses cultured stone, masonry, cast concrete, red overhead doors, and a hipped roof. There’s something about that look that draws clients to it.”

In Lincolnton, North Carolina, the city hall and fire station were designed and built in the 1970s and were separated by about 100 feet, Newell says. “They needed more space in both buildings, so we designed and built additions to each structure, connected them, and then put a more traditional looking skin around the whole thing,” he notes. “The initial architecture was old tan brick facing with long vertical slot windows and a flat roof. We put on more traditional red brick and stucco, with concrete entryways and accent pieces.”

For the Bruton (VA) Volunteer Fire Department, Newell says SCN was the design consultant architect “to replace a very old station on the same site. They wanted the aesthetic of a historic old school in their community, so we built a five-bay station of masonry and precast concrete, arched openings, and circle head windows built to look traditional but very modern inside. We built it 20 feet behind the old station, and when it was completed, tore down the old station and turned the area into the front drive apron.”

2 The Manhattan (KS) Fire Department used Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects as the design consultant for this contemporary-style fire station.

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Posted: Apr 3, 2018

Fire Station Designs: Functionality is Key

By Alan M. Petrillo

Fire departments around the country are engaging architects to build new stations or refurbish older structures to 21st-century standards.

While many new contemporary style stations are being built, often a department chooses a traditional design over a contemporary one to reflect an area’s heritage or the department’s tradition. Other reasons behind the style of station design include blending the structure into the character of a neighborhood and, at times, fitting the station onto a small-sized or irregularly shaped piece of property.

1 Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects was the design consultant for this station built for the Bruton (VA) Volunteer Fire Department. (Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects.)

1 Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects was the design consultant for this station built for the Bruton (VA) Volunteer Fire Department. (Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects.)

Traditional Designs

Ken Newell, principal at Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects (SCN), says that in the 400 fire stations SCN has designed and built, the firm has done a wide variety of every type of design style. “The majority of our clients want a more traditional style of architecture for their fire stations,” Newell says. “For example, we designed a new modern fire station for the Pleasant Valley (SC) Fire Department with a very traditional look. The station uses cultured stone, masonry, cast concrete, red overhead doors, and a hipped roof. There’s something about that look that draws clients to it.”

In Lincolnton, North Carolina, the city hall and fire station were designed and built in the 1970s and were separated by about 100 feet, Newell says. “They needed more space in both buildings, so we designed and built additions to each structure, connected them, and then put a more traditional looking skin around the whole thing,” he notes. “The initial architecture was old tan brick facing with long vertical slot windows and a flat roof. We put on more traditional red brick and stucco, with concrete entryways and accent pieces.”

For the Bruton (VA) Volunteer Fire Department, Newell says SCN was the design consultant architect “to replace a very old station on the same site. They wanted the aesthetic of a historic old school in their community, so we built a five-bay station of masonry and precast concrete, arched openings, and circle head windows built to look traditional but very modern inside. We built it 20 feet behind the old station, and when it was completed, tore down the old station and turned the area into the front drive apron.”

2 The Manhattan (KS) Fire Department used Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects as the design consultant for this contemporary-style fire station.

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Posted: Apr 3, 2018

CMC to Debut the Industry's Most Compact, Intuitive, and Customizable Bailout System at FDIC International 2018

 

CMC, the California-based rescue and work-at-height company dedicated to helping save lives and keeping people safe, today announced the introduction of its all-new CMC LEVR System — an intuitive bailout system that features improved performance, new functionality, and a compact size that conveniently and unobtrusively stows in a user’s turnout gear.

Made in the USA, the LEVR System will be demonstrated at FDIC International 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana, from April 23-28, at CMC Booth #1438.

The system, and its new LEVR descender, is named for its ergonomic shape and intuitive operability. It offers easy payout, reliable edge transition, and simple descent control. The system’s compact size accelerates deployment, reduces risk of entanglement when in use, and minimizes interference with other firefighting duties when not in use.

“The LEVR’s patent-pending design was developed from the ground up with a focus on solving key issues found in existing bailout systems,” said Tyler Mayer, CMC Director of Engineering. “The design was continually reviewed, tested and validated with the CMC School, fire professionals and industry thought-leaders, who pushed us to create the best system available. The net result is a fully optimized bailout system that offers best-in-class performance in an unbelievably small package.”

The LEVR descender maintains an ultra-low payout force, which allows the user to easily reach the point of egress once the anchor has been placed, while its streamlined profile allows the device to easily negotiate obstacles such as window sills, railings or parapets even when loaded.

Simple descent control is made possible by the LEVR’s unibody actuation, ergonomic shape, and knurled handle – which offers a sturdy, confidence-inspiring grip even when wet. In the event of a dynamic drop, impact force mitigation limits the maximum force exerted on the system reducing the chance of overload. This both protects the anchor and limits impact forces on the firefighter.

“Most existing bailout systems regularly get caught on ledges and sills, which require us to take certain precautions, such as pre-measuring rope around the window sill, that delay our descent from the burning building,” stated Kelly Byrne, Washington DC Firefighter and CMC School Instructor. “The LEVR isn’t like most other systems, though. It’s compact and sleek shape prevents these typical hang-ups and eliminates the need to pre-measure rope during the bailout. It allows us to get from the building to the ground-level easier, safer, more-efficiently than ever before – it’s as simple as that.”

The LEVR System is comprised of the LEVR descender, the FlashLite Hook, CMC Fire Escape Web (11mm), and an escape bag, which comes pre-rigged and is available in two package options: the cargo pocket/ waist belt bag – with either a 40’ or 50’ web – or a customizable package for fire departments with unique and specific packaging requirements such as fitting an existing pocket.

The patented FlashLite Hook escape anchor is the lightest escape use-certified model available, and delivers outstanding strength with minimal weight, while the Escape Web features 100% Technora® fiber for superior strength and durability when exposed to heat and flame. 

“The CMC LEVR System and its LEVR descender are engineered to perform reliably during bailout scenarios where every second counts,” concluded Ole Kils, CMC’s Lead Engineer for the LEVR Project. “We’ve carefully considered each necessary step to get from an elevated position inside a burning building to the safety of the ground, and tailored the LEVR System accordingly. We’re proud of the performance and safety enhancements achieved by the

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