By Alan M. Petrillo

Manufacturers offer several systems to fire departments, districts, and emergency medical services squads in the way of station exhaust systems to remove toxic vehicle exhaust before it can become a problem in apparatus bays, station living quarters, and office spaces.

Exhaust systems for emergency services buildings fall into two categories of equipment: source capture systems that attach a hose directly to a vehicle’s exhaust pipe and hoseless exhaust removal and air filtration systems.

Hoseless Systems

Air Vacuum Corp. makes the AIRVAC 911 engine exhaust removal system, says John Koris, Air Vacuum’s regional sales manager. “It’s a fully automatic system that requires no personnel intervention,” he says, “and the system removes both gases and particulates from diesel exhaust.”

Koris says AIRVAC 911 is a ceiling-mounted filtration system that suspends two- by two- by two-foot units over exhaust points to create a direct path into and through the unit. “When a fire department gets a call, the doors open and trigger door switches that have a photo-beam backup, kicking on the system so it can pick up any backwash as the apparatus leaves,” Koris says. “When the apparatus returns, the system kicks on automatically and extracts any exhaust put into the building.”

1 The Tully (NY) Hose Company chose Air Vacuum Corp.’s AIRVAC 911 engine exhaust removal system for its fire station. (Photo courtesy of Air Vacuum Corp.)

Koris notes that Air Vacuum uses a smart timer to make the system fully automatic. “The smart timer, located on the apparatus room floor or in a utility or communications room, runs all of the units on a cycle, usually of 15 minutes, to remove all the exhaust in the apparatus bays,” he says. “It also has a manual override to turn the system on, like during cold months when you might keep doors closed but want to check chainsaws and other gas-powered equipment.”

The number of units installed in a system depends on the engineering standards for the space involved, Koris points out. “Typically, the standards for exhaust removal in a fire station call for four to six air changes in the cubic footage of the apparatus bay, so you might have one unit per bay or piece of apparatus or one unit every two or three bays.” Filter change in the units is typically based on the level of activity, Koris adds. “Carbon filters have a life cycle, and we recommend a maximum of 24 months of use for them,” he says. “The prefilter should be changed quarterly.”

2 Air Vacuum Corp. installed its AIRVAC 911 engine exhaust removal system in this station for the Westerly (RI) Fire Department. (Photo courtesy of Air Vacuum Corp.)

Daniel Orto, president of Air Technology Solutions, says his company makes the AirMATION vehicle diesel exhaust removal system. “It is a standalone, ceiling-suspended air filtration process,” Orto says, “powered by a 3,000-cubic-feet-per-minute (cfm) direct-drive blower that pulls, directs, and removes diesel exhaust fumes.” Ort

By Alan M. Petrillo

Manufacturers offer several systems to fire departments, districts, and emergency medical services squads in the way of station exhaust systems to remove toxic vehicle exhaust before it can become a problem in apparatus bays, station living quarters, and office spaces.

Exhaust systems for emergency services buildings fall into two categories of equipment: source capture systems that attach a hose directly to a vehicle’s exhaust pipe and hoseless exhaust removal and air filtration systems.

Hoseless Systems

Air Vacuum Corp. makes the AIRVAC 911 engine exhaust removal system, says John Koris, Air Vacuum’s regional sales manager. “It’s a fully automatic system that requires no personnel intervention,” he says, “and the system removes both gases and particulates from diesel exhaust.”

Koris says AIRVAC 911 is a ceiling-mounted filtration system that suspends two- by two- by two-foot units over exhaust points to create a direct path into and through the unit. “When a fire department gets a call, the doors open and trigger door switches that have a photo-beam backup, kicking on the system so it can pick up any backwash as the apparatus leaves,” Koris says. “When the apparatus returns, the system kicks on automatically and extracts any exhaust put into the building.”

1 The Tully (NY) Hose Company chose Air Vacuum Corp.’s AIRVAC 911 engine exhaust removal system for its fire station. (Photo courtesy of Air Vacuum Corp.)

Koris notes that Air Vacuum uses a smart timer to make the system fully automatic. “The smart timer, located on the apparatus room floor or in a utility or communications room, runs all of the units on a cycle, usually of 15 minutes, to remove all the exhaust in the apparatus bays,” he says. “It also has a manual override to turn the system on, like during cold months when you might keep doors closed but want to check chainsaws and other gas-powered equipment.”

The number of units installed in a system depends on the engineering standards for the space involved, Koris points out. “Typically, the standards for exhaust removal in a fire station call for four to six air changes in the cubic footage of the apparatus bay, so you might have one unit per bay or piece of apparatus or one unit every two or three bays.” Filter change in the units is typically based on the level of activity, Koris adds. “Carbon filters have a life cycle, and we recommend a maximum of 24 months of use for them,” he says. “The prefilter should be changed quarterly.”

2 Air Vacuum Corp. installed its AIRVAC 911 engine exhaust removal system in this station for the Westerly (RI) Fire Department. (Photo courtesy of Air Vacuum Corp.)

Daniel Orto, president of Air Technology Solutions, says his company makes the AirMATION vehicle diesel exhaust removal system. “It is a standalone, ceiling-suspended air filtration process,” Orto says, “powered by a 3,000-cubic-feet-per-minute (cfm) direct-drive blower that pulls, directs, and removes diesel exhaust fumes.” Ort

A man was found dead - with the body of his faithful dog beside him - after a house fire Friday morning in Shoreline, officials said. Four others were able to escape the flames. Firefighters responded to the home, in the 700 block of North 201st Street, at about 5 a.m. after receiving 911 calls about the blaze.
- PUB DATE: 1/8/2016 8:16:00 AM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 and Radio 1000

A man was found dead - with the body of his faithful dog beside him - after a house fire Friday morning in Shoreline, officials said. Four others were able to escape the flames. Firefighters responded to the home, in the 700 block of North 201st Street, at about 5 a.m. after receiving 911 calls about the blaze.
- PUB DATE: 1/8/2016 8:16:00 AM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 and Radio 1000

A mother who went back into a burning Philadelphia home to save her young child died in the fire, along with the toddler. The mother was pregnant, family members told NBC10. The fire started about 3:45 a.m. Friday inside a home in the 2800 block of N. 4th Street near Cambria Street. Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer said a family member initially tried to fight the fire alone.
- PUB DATE: 1/8/2016 8:14:43 AM - SOURCE: WCAU-TV NBC 10 Philadelphia