Fire & Rescue 4th Quarter 2018

Fourth quarter 2018 issue 112

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I N D E P E N D E N T

I N T E L L I G E N C E

Challenge yourself Why rescue competitions can help save lives

Local Authority Plant & Vehicles

Hosted by

Future Fleet Forum 2019

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23 & 24 January 2019 | Guildhall, City of London

3-4 April 2019, Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands A timely and comprehensive conference that will provide the municipal and high-hazard sectors with the technical expertise and latest developments in:

Brought to you by

Firefighting foam usage & management, including transition Holistic analysis of risk & exposure to liability Responsible disposal of foam International regulatory landscape & trends

got foam? get solutions

Remediation of contaminated sites Legal considerations

Raising international standards for public sector fleet managers Future Fleet Forum is now firmly established as the leading event for public sector fleet transport managers and their contracting organisations.

Building on the success of the 2018 event, we are pleased to announce the LAPV Future Fleet Forum 2019 which will address key challenges faced by our industry, including procurement issues, compliance, safety, and sustainability.

Confirmed speakers to date include representatives from BIFFA • CILT • City of Stockholm • Fisher Scoggins Waters • NYPD • Iowa Department of Transport • ITS UK • Planning & Transportation Committee • City of London • City of New York • ICC Solutions • C40 • TRL and many more.

Future Fleet Forum is FREE TO ATTEND for local authority fleet and transport managers

Future Fleet Awards 2019 Wednesday 23 January 2019 | Guildhall, City of London Submit your Awards Entry by 3 December at futurefleetforum.co.uk

Check out the preliminary conference and reserve your Super Early Bird rate at

www.firefightingfoamsolutions.com Submit your Awards Entry by 3 December supported by

Contact Ann-Marie Knegt today at +44 (0)1935 374 001 | am.knegt@hgluk.com Sponsors

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From Hemming Fire Events, 32 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SS. The Hemming Group publishes FIre & Rescue magazine, Industrial Fire Journal, FireTrade Europe and FireTrade Asia & Middle East

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CONTENTS

FIRE & RESCUE Editor Ann-Marie Knegt am.knegt@hgluk.com +44 (0)1935 374001 Group sales manager Kelly Francis k.francis@hgluk.com +44 (0)207 973 4666 Sales manager Adrian Hire a.hire@hgluk.com +44 (0)20 8865 0281 Sales executive Brenda Homewood b.homewood@hgluk.com +44 (0)1732 448717 Production Tim Malone t.malone@hgluk.com +44 (0)1935 374014 Sector head, International Neil Levett Managing director Bill Butler Published Quarterly by

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A division of the Hemming Group Ltd,

32, Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 2SS, England Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7973 6694 www.hemmingfire.com ©2018 All Rights Reserved Fire & Rescue (ISSN 0964-9727)

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Annual Print Subscription: Europe £40.00 or €60 (incl. p&p); rest of world £50.00 or US$80.00 (incl. p&p). Subscriptions queries to: m.spillane@hgluk.com FIRE & RESCUE, ISSN 0964 - 9727, is published quarterly March, May, September, December, by Hemming lnformation Services, a division of Hemming Group Ltd, 8 The Old Yarn Mills, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3RQ. UK. The US annual subscription price is $80.

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Printed in England by Latimer Trend & Co Ltd, Plymouth DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in FIRE & RESCUE are not necessarily those of Hemming Information Services. F&R is in no way responsible or legally liable for any statements, picture captions, reports or technical anomalies made by authors in their commissioned articles.

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4 News 8 Events 10 Power of the challenge Rescue challenges play a vital role in improving the skills of firefighters around the world.

In our challenge special, firefighters, rescue organisations, and manufacturers explain why they believe participation in such challenges is vital for the whole rescue ecosystem.

16 Water rescue facility A new swift-water and flood training facility in the US is changing operational flood response team training by enabling the creation of complex rescue scenarios that are as realistic and challenging as possible.

18 Zero emissions vehicles F&R travelled to Linz in Austria to find out how a leading vehicle manufacturer is working towards a greener furture for firefighting vehicles.

Plus an overview of new vehicle launches and deliveries around the world.

Read our e-magazine at www.hemmingfire.com

26 Super pumps Confused about which fire pump you need? F&R reviews the diffferent types of pump available, highlights the latest trends and developments, and makes recommendations on how to select the right solution.

30 Foam: POPs review meeting Increasing international concerns over legacy and ongoing PFAS contamination were emphasised at the September 2018 meeting of the Stockholm Convention’s Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee in Rome, which highlighted the need for urgent global action.

37 PPE: experience matters In an era when the safety and wellbeing of firefighters both on and off duty is coming under greater scrutiny, one protective fabric manufacturer is engaging with end users on the important topics of the moment in order to improve both its own offering and to help fire services make a more informed choice of PPE. 40 Mutual aid agreements Joint response operations between fire services and voluntarily-instated industrial firefighting organisations can be a minefield. To ensure a successful joint operation, it is essential to first put in place a cooperative structure.

Fourth quarter 2018 issue 112

www.hemmingfire.com

34 Wildfire: invasive species Invasive plants have a symbiotic relationship with fire, and wildfire suppression activities present the perfect opportunity to spread these harmful species further afield.

Find out how US wildland firefighters are working to contain the threat that non-native plants and animals pose to precious ecosystems.

I n t e r n a t I o n a l

I n d e p e n d e n t

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Challenge yourself Why rescue competitions can help save lives

Front cover picture: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service

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NEWS

EDITOR’s Comment

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he recent World Rescue Challenge, held in Cape Town, South Africa, saw South Wales Fire and Rescue Service hold on to their world title for the third consecutive year, beating 29 other teams from 17 different countries.

The World Rescue Challenge has now become a major event for the global fire and rescue community, a place where new standards are set, different approaches are exchanged, and new rescue techniques are tried and tested. National challenges play a similar role in helping to move the field of rescue forward, so it is sad to see that the number of fire and rescue services participating in these competitive events is declining.

In a recent online debate it was clear that some regard these challenges as a waste of time. To counter this view, I have invited comment from three professionals involved in rescue challenges on what they see as the main benefits of competitive events. From rescue professionals to an equipment manufacturer, these individuals outline the far-reaching positive impact these challenges have on participating fire services, and illustrate just how important they are in providing an active pathway for operational improvement throughout the entire rescue ecosystem. And that can only be a good thing.

I urge everyone to sign up for a challenge and take the opportunity to hone your skills, love what you do, and save even more lives.

Ann-Marie Knegt, editor

First defusing therapy dog in the UK Digby the Australian Labradoodle is the newest recruit for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and is currently undergoing training to become the first defusing therapy dog in the UK. The defusing process helps to protect firefighters from adverse psychological effects of traumatic incidents, such as PTSD. Research has shown that the use of therapy dogs can help people who have been exposed to traumatic events or are dealing with challenging situations.

Four-month-old Digby is currently undergoing socialisation training and will be assessed by charity Pets at Therapy for his suitability to be a Therapy K9 when he reaches eight months. To be an effective therapy dog, Digby needs to be friendly and sociable and comfortable in large groups, as he will provide contact with vulnerable people in schools, hospices, and hospitals for Pets as Therapy.

Digby will also be available to Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service supporting the service’s Critical Incident Defusing programme alongside his handler, operational licence and training delivery manager Matt Goodman.

Goodman assists crews returning from traumatic incidents, and these will have the option for Digby to attend the defusing session.

Digby has already attended his first defusing session following a serious road traffic collision. ‘The crews immediately responded to Digby when he arrived at the fire station, which provided a positive focus both before and during the defusing session,’ said Goodman. ‘The value he added was tangible.’

The fire and rescue sector already uses canines as arson dogs or live scent rescue dogs, but Goodman believes that Digby will be the first therapy dog to support firefighters during the defusing process.

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A new conference focusing on the latest technical expertise and developments in firefighting foam has been announced by Hemming Fire, the publisher of Fire & Rescue magazine and Industrial Fire Journal.

Taking place from 3-4 April 2019 at Ahoy, Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, Firefighting Foam: Solutions for End Users is supported by the International Organisation for Industrial Emergency Response and Fire Hazard Management (JOIFF) and the Large Atmospheric Storage Tank Fires (Lastfire) project.

A preliminary programme for the two-day event includes topics such as: firefighting foam usage and management, including transition and containment; holistic analysis of risk and exposure to liability; pollution control measures; responsible disposal of foam; the international regulatory landscape and trends; remediation of contaminated sites; and legal considerations.

Accompanied by a table-top exhibition and an outside display terrace, the conference will feature speakers such as Nigel Holmes from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection of the Queensland Government, Australia; Graeme Day, Heathrow Airport, UK; Niall Ramsden, Lastfire; Kees Kappetijn, Kappetijn Safety Specialists, the Netherlands; Jochem van de Graaff, H2K, the Netherlands; Rod Rutledge, Caltex Australia Petroleum; and Henrik Hagemann, Custo Mem, UK. Detailed areas for consideration include the legacy issues and continued use of foam at airports and industrial premises; international agreements on firefighting foam contamination and water quality; PFAS regulation in Europe; the socio-economic impact of PFAS contamination; how to develop an environmental management policy; transitioning and requirements for ARFF; reducing BOD/COD using solvent-free formulations; groundwater remediation technologies; and much more.

A limited number of places are available at the Super Early Bird rate of just €296 for both days. To register your interest and to find out more please visit www.hemmingfire.com/events. Online registration is at www.firefightingfoamsolutions.com.

For table-top exhibition places and enquiries about the limited number of sponsorship packages, please call Kelly Francis on +44 (0)20 7973 4666 or email k.francis@hgluk.com.

IWMA seminar at Intersec The International Water Mist Association will hold a free seminar during Intersec 2019 titled Fire Protection with Water Mist.

The seminar will take place at the Dubai Convention Centre in Dubai, UAE, from 12-5pm on 21 January 2019 and will include an introduction to IWMA, the history and uses of water mist, and a series of case studies highlighting potential applications of the technology.

An exhibition will accompany the seminar, where manufacturers will be on hand to showcase their products and answer questions about water mist.

The event has a capacity for 70 people. Registration will be via the seminar website that will go live on 15 November 2018. The website will also host the full seminar programme. For more details visit www.iwma.net.

Read our e-magazine at www.hemmingfire.com

news

Iran to hold international conference on urban fire service and safety Iran’s fourth national and first international Conference on Urban Fire Service and Safety is organised by the Tehran Fire Department and will be held alongside the new Safety and Fire Services Exhibition. The event will bring together managers and experts from firefighting organisations from across the country as well as regional and international specialists, academics, and representatives from fire and safety companies.

The annual conference will cover a range of topics on urban safety.

Under the theme of prevention, protection, and response presentations will cover various subjects including: the role of new technologies in reducing urban risk; the role of fire departments in crisis management; safety in urban, road, and rail tunnels; and advanced methods for fire investigation.

The conference will also address the social, economic, and legal aspects of urban safety, with topics including: effective methods and programmes for reducing community risk; vulnerable groups; the role of insurance in urban safety development; the legal pathology of urban safety and fire issues; and the role of start-ups in developing a fire safety culture.

For further information visit www.nfus.ir

FEma awards usar training CONTRACT to TEEX The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) has been selected by the US Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop and deliver Urban Search and Rescue training and exercises for all 5,800 members of the National US&R Response System.

The five-year contract, worth up to US$5.9 million, will see TEEX design and facilitate exercises for 28 FEMA-sanctioned teams and maintain the US&R Emergency Support Function 9 (ESF-9) Training Portal. It is the second FEMA US&R training contract awarded to TEEX, which has developed and updated the curriculum for 18 FEMA US&R courses over the last five years.

Under the new contract, the A&M Engineering Extension Service will design and facilitate exercises for the FEMA US&R teams and maintain the US&R Emergency Support Function 9 Training Portal. The training will take place at various locations across the US, including Disaster City in College Station, Texas. This is a 52-acre complex that features full-scale, collapsible structures designed to simulate various levels of disaster and wreckage, and which can be customised for specific training requirements.

‘The goal is to ensure consistency and maintain the quality of the training for every FEMA US&R team throughout the nation,’ explained Paul Gunnels, rescue programme director with A&M Engineering Extension Service. ‘Since the National US&R System was formed in 1989, the need for these teams has increased each year, especially for swift-water and flooding response.’

Under the US Department of Homeland Security National Response Framework, FEMA is the lead agency responsible for providing federal urban search and rescue assistance to state and local governments during federally-declared emergencies or disasters. The FEMA National US&R Response System consists of 28 US&R teams across the US, all of which receive standardised training in the tactics of urban search and rescue. All US&R Task Force members must complete hundreds of hours of training in their assigned speciality, such as search, rescue, medical, logistics, technical, or canine search and rescue.

Read our e-magazine at www.hemmingfire.com

Falck training centre opens

The re-located Falck Safety Service and Fire Academy training centre was officially opened for business on 16 October 2018 by Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam in The Netherlands.

The academy will train both public and industrial fire services from the petrochemical, wind, offshore, and maritime industries in how to prevent incidents and effective response. It will offer one-day and multi-day courses and training programmes and has the capacity to train up to 25,000 delegates every year.

At 6.5 hectares, the new training centre is larger than the previous one and has been designed around the latest thinking in education and training, safety and occupational hygiene, the environment and safety training standards.

The site also provides opportunities for future expansion to meet the needs of the industry and respond to new developments.

Opening the centre, Allard Castelein said he was pleased that the academy was remaining in the Port of Rotterdam because of its important safety role in the area.

‘We have joint ambitions. Safety is our number one priority in the port. And not just for local shipping but also for residents, people working in the port, companies, and professional and recreational users of the port area. The Falck Safety Services and Fire Academy has a vital role in this respect: live practise and simulations result in an interactive, realistic experience and bring knowledge and practice closer together.’

The opening of the new academy comes on the heels of the news that Falck Safety Services and Falck Fire Academy has been bought by Polaris. Polaris has acquired 100% of the shares in Falck Safety Services Holdings A/S following Falck’s decision to concentrate on its core business.

Polaris is a Danish/Swedish-owned private equity firm that operates across a range of industries. Torben Harring will continue as CEO of Safety Services under Polaris’ ownership. He said: ‘Polaris’ ownership strengthens Safety Services.

Following the effect of the downturn in the oil and gas sector, we conducted a thorough and necessary global cost adjustment and carved out one-third of our cost base. In parallel, we initiated the process of streamlining the business. With the outlook to improve profitability significantly, and with Polaris as a new strong owner prepared to fuel our growth, we can now fully focus on accelerating the transformation and development of our business. I’m very much looking forward to starting the collaboration with Polaris.’

Dwight Williams foam series US Fire Pump has been chosen as the exclusive distributor of the Signature Series Foam from Dwight Williams.

Dwight Williams has participated in more than 100 successful major extinguishment and control situations, including the tank fires at the Orion Refinery in New Orleans and the Tenneco Refinery in Chalmette, both in Louisiana, US. The Signature Series foam is the result of an effort to develop a high-performance foam concentrate. The C6 foam has been developed for successful extinguishment with currently available appliances and tactics at application rates of 1% for hydrocarbon fuel fires and 3% for polar solvents.

The Signature Series 1% and 3% AR-AFFF is UL-approved. It is a mixture of water, hydrocarbon surfactants, solvents, C6 fluorosurfactants, and fluoropolymers. It can be used with standard portioning equipment, foam discharge devices, in-line foam proportioners, and self-educting nozzles.

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Austrian Red Cross and Land Rover collaboration

A custom-made Land Rover Discovery is the latest addition to the Red Cross fleet in Austria. Featuring state-of-the-art communications systems, including an eight-rotor drone with thermal imaging technology, the bespoke vehicle is the result of an 18-month collaboration between the Austrian Red Cross and Land Rover engineers.

The Land Rover Discovery will operate as a mobile command and communications centre from which the Austrian Red Cross can direct search and rescue operations. The drone is capable of identifying a person from a distance of up to 440m and a vehicle from as far away as 1km. It can provide video feeds to track objects through precise coordinates and is equipped with four radio antennae and 360-degree lighting.

The all-terrain vehicle also enables emergency crews to reach remote areas quickly while providing instant updates to improve response times and coordinate emergency planning. The vehicle will be based in Vienna in the mountainous Eisenerz mining area.

The Austrian Red Cross has about 75,000 volunteers and provides 24/7 emergency medical and rescue services nationwide. Every year there are hundreds of search and rescue operations, and the Austrian Red Cross has previously been completely dependent on rescue dogs. The addition of the new vehicle will support the work of the rescue dogs by providing an aerial view.

Land Rover donated its first vehicle to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in 1954 and has now donated more than 120 vehicles. Since 2007, the relationship has developed into a strategic partnership that has seen Land Rover support Red Cross projects in nearly 30 countries on four continents. The partnership aims to explore ways of innovating, sharing skills, and adding value to the IFRC’s emergency response operations.

H2K signs VSTEP Rescue Sim contract extension H2K will continue to use the Rescue Sim incident command simulator for land and maritime safety training following a contract extension with VSTEP. H2K provides firefighting training, consultancy, and advisory services in The Netherlands and started using Rescue Sim nine years ago. It provides an immersive 3D virtual environment that enables safe, realistic and cost-effective enhancement of live practical training for safety and security personnel.

The software enables users to experience an incident, assess it, and determine a response strategy. When implemented, users are then able to observe the consequences of their decisions in real time.

H2K is also working with VSTEP on the development of the latest instalment of Rescue Sim, helping to strengthen the system as an incident management trainer. ‘By listening to the needs of our customers we can develop a new product that will provide even more value to users. The next iteration of the incident command simulator will replace the current system and raise the simulator to a higher level in terms of realism, effectiveness and capabilities,’ said Rescue Sim product manager Febryano Veldy.

UK Fire services sign up to new wellbeing framework All UK fire and rescue services will now have access to emergency response-specific wellbeing resources thanks to a partnership with Oscar Kilo and the Blue Light Wellbeing Framework.

Launched in 2017 across UK policing, Oscar Kilo is an online portal for evidence-based resources aimed at the emergency services that provide support and guidance for the development of effective wellbeing support services.

The portal provides emergency service organisations with the ability to access an interactive version of the Blue Light Wellbeing Framework, which was written specifically to meet the needs of emergency response personnel. The interactive version allows services to complete a self-assessment of their current wellbeing provision, conduct benchmarking and a gap analysis to identify areas for improvement. It also allows services to request peer review.

There are six areas of the framework and corresponding resources sections on the Oscar Kilo website, which contain relevant research, news, and resources to assist services with their wellbeing

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provision. The website also hosts online practitioner communities and encourages the sharing of best practice.

Since its launch in summer 2017, every police force in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has signed up to the framework, and it is now open to fire and rescue services.

Chief Fire Officer Ian Hayton, wellbeing lead for the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: ‘The wellbeing of our staff is of paramount importance to us. People working across the fire service often face stressful and difficult conversation and it is essential we are offering staff support and help to ensure their wellbeing at all times.

‘While we have a number of services in place with regard to our occupational health provisions, this new partnership with Oscar Kilo will enhance this and offer additional services. The Blue Light Wellbeing Framework has already proved successful in other emergency services and we are looking forward to working with Oscar Kilo and offering employees and organisations additional support. Shared learning is key for fire and rescue services, along with other emergency services.’

Read our e-magazine at www.hemmingfire.com

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28-29 November 2018,

International Disaster Response Expo, Olympia, London, UK

The International Disaster Response Expo in London attracts more than 4,000 visitors from around the world from sectors including Government, NGOs, aid agencies, charities, search and rescue organisations, emergency response, international development agencies, development banks, logistics, military and peace keeping.

The 2018 event will feature an exhibition showcasing the latest specialist technology for disaster response from international exhibitors. A series of capability workshops will provide insights into major disaster preparation, response and recovery, while a two-day conference will highlight the global skills and knowledge of an experienced international panel.

A Government and NGO Zone will also offer the opportunity to engage with Government departments including the Cabinet Office and the UNHCR. Co-located with International Security Expo, the International Disaster Response Expo is free to attend and registration gives access to both events, including all conferences, workshops, live demonstrations, and feature areas. For more information and to register visit www.disasterresponseexpo.com.

15-17 January 2019, Airport

Fire Officers Association Annual Conference, London Gatwick Hilton, Gatwick, UK

The annual conference of the Airport Fire Officers Association opens with two workshops, one focusing on incident command, the other on the National Fire Chiefs Council Aviation Group.

The main conference starts on January 16 and is sponsored by vehicle manufacturer Rosenbauer UK. Keynote speaker Dany Cotton, Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, will share her thoughts on events such as the Grenfell Tower disaster and firefighter mental health issues.

Other notable speakers include Mick Lawlor from Greater Manchester FRS, who will discuss the response to the Manchester Arena attack, where 23 people lost their lives on 22 May 2017 following a terrorist attack during an Ariana Grande concert.

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2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9 Frankie Shaw, inspector for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch will discuss recent air crash incidents and update the audience on the latest international developments.

Neil Gray, aerodrome inspector at the CAA, will provide an update on the latest legislation and standards. Meanwhile, Dennis Beck and Dennet Wempe from Dutch rescue tool manufacturer Resqtec will cover the latest aircraft recovery techniques.

Another pressing topic is the Liverpool Echo Arena car park fire, which will be covered by Andy Blyth and Barry Moore from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, while Steve Malley and Laura Lawrence from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service Trauma Support team will present on firefighter wellbeing issues.

Finally, terrorism and the threat to transportation hubs will be covered by security expert Andy Davis from Trident Manor.

An exhibition alongside the conference will feature exhibitors including ERDT, Alpine Metal Tech, Newcastle International Airport Training Academy, Hunter Apparel/Texport, Coldcut, Primetech IFTC, Fireblast, Bristol Uniforms, Excelerate, KFT, ATACC, Angus International Safety Group, FTG, Haagen, Trauma Resus, Simply Training, Fire Ladders UK, Holmatro UK, Ballyclare and Angloco.

For more information visit: www.afoa.org.uk

20-22 January 2019, Intersec,

International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dubai, UAE

The 21st edition of security, safety, and fire protection exhibition Intersec takes place in January 2019, bringing together more than 1,300 exhibitors, 15 country pavilions, and a new conference format.

Organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, Intersec 2019 will cover fire and rescue, perimeter and physical security, safety and health, homeland security and policing, information security, and smart home and building automation.

Intersec will provide three days of networking and knowledge sharing alongside the exhibition. A new conference format will bring together equipment manufacturers, integrators, consultants, and services providers with regulatory agencies and government authorities in a series of content-led forums. Plus, a two-day Future Security Summit will raise key issues on artificial intelligence, security integration, emergency preparedness and response, data protection, the Internet of Things, and more.

The SIRA Forum will also return with the latest updates in security law and industry regulations in Dubai, while a one-day Fire Safety and Protection Conference will involve authorities, fire chiefs, engineers, firefighters, and emergency response professionals.

Returning features in 2019 include the Drone Zone, an outdoor demonstration area, a Smart Home Pavilion, and the Safety Design in Buildings Pavilion. The 15 country pavilions are Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, UK, and the USA. Intersec 2019 returns with the support of long-standing government partners such as the Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence, Dubai Police Academy, Dubai Municipality, and the Security Industry Regulatory Agency. New international partners for 2019 include the Kuwait Fire Protection Association, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, the Perimeter Security Suppliers Association and the Pakistan Safety Council.

Intersec 2019 is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

More details are available at: www.intersecexpo.com..

Read our e-magazine at www.hemmingfire.com

Following a record breaking 2018 Newcastle International Airport Training Academy is adding additional courses and training offers to our already extensive portfolio in 2019.

Accredited as a Falck Fire Academy, Newcastle International deliver Aviation Firefighting courses, both industry standard, bespoke Maintenance of Competence training days and Skills for Justice accredited HRET courses.

John Purdy, Commercial Training Manager at Newcastle said “Being Rosenbauer UK’s approved training provider has enabled us to provide the very best of equipment and simulation to complement our own instructors’ extensive experience of using the HRET appliances, being able to share this with as many customers as we have this year has been very satisfying.”

For additional information contact the team at: trainingacademy@ newcastleinternational.co.uk

In addition to our aviation, industrial and offshore oil and gas firefighting courses, we have added new facilities to enable the provision of confined space and working at height courses and are planning an additional facility expansion in 2019.

0191 214 3337 / 3582 newcastleairport.com/ training-academy

RETTmobil 2019 19. Europäische Leitmesse für Rettung und Mobilität 19th European Leading Exhibition for Rescue and Mobility

RA FACHPROG

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kussion Podiumsdis m he Messe-Foru ngsdienstlic tu t e -R h c is Medizin en Fortbildung Workshops

Fulda | Messe Galerie 15.– 17. Mai 2019 Mittwoch – Freitag 9 – 17 Uhr

Fulda | Fair Gallery 15th – 17th May 2019 Wednesday – Friday 9am – 5pm

Read our e-magazine at www.hemmingfire.com

www.rettmobil.org FOURTH QUARTER 2018 ✜ FIRE & RESCUE ✜

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rescue challenge

Raising the bar Rescue challenges at both international and national level have a crucial role to play in improving the technical, medical and incident command expertise of rescue teams, but participation at such events is falling. F&R asked three rescue professionals to highlight what they believe are the key benefits of challenges. First up, Ian Dunbar argues that challenges represent that main pathway for operational improvement and offer educational benefits to the service as a whole.

T About the Author:

Ian Dunbar spent 19 years in the UK fire and rescue service and specialised in technical rescue and trauma care before becoming a technical and medical rescue consultant. He is an associate tutor at the Fire Service College in the UK and owner of Ian Dunbar Training and Consultancy.

Day one at the UKRO Challenge in Cardiff saw the UK’s top teams competing in a 20-minute, multi- vehicle, singlepatient scenario using a standard set of rescue tools.

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he UK witnessed a 4% rise in road deaths in 2016. This is the largest increase since 2011 and underlines the need for emergency responders to be at the very top of their game when it comes to extrication. The emergence of new vehicle construction and safety systems as well as the increase in alternately-fuelled vehicles means that the knowledge required for rescuers to operate in a safe, timely, and casualty-centred way has never been so wide-ranging.

Training and pre-planning has always been the bedrock of successful outcomes at the side of the road, so it is disappointing to learn that many fire and rescue services are devoting little time and resources to advancing their skills, knowledge, and understanding in this area of technical rescue.

Much of fire and rescue service training is about maintaining a standard, not setting new ones. I have been privileged to spend nearly a decade advancing my understanding of all areas of technical and medical rescue by travelling the world and carrying out qualitative research into the subject, not to mention working with some of the most eminent people in their field. This has allowed me to see that much of what we have historically done in vehicle extrication has little or no solid evidence base. While that may seem fine, the subjective nature of our approach to extrication is stifling progress. In short, we need a fresh approach to education – a revolution, in fact.

Thankfully, there are organisations out there that are advancing the cause of vehicle extrication (and other rescue disciplines) with great effect. The World Rescue Organisation (WRO) and its member countries have a long-established vehicle for education: the extrication challenge.

I was first involved with the challenge concept in the mid-2000s when I became a regional assessor with the United Kingdom Rescue Organisation (UKRO). I quickly saw the value of this approach and gave up my time to first qualify at national level and then become a world assessor in all disciplines: technical, medical, and command. It was the best platform for my personal development, and although it meant many weekends away from home, I truly believe it gave me the foundation to progress my own career. I even designed and delivered my own challenge at Interschutz in Germany in 2015, which attracted 29 teams from 16 different countries and was aimed at those who had never competed before.

For those not familiar with the challenge concept, it works like this: teams of six are assessed on their ability to extricate a casualty or casualties from a number of pre-designed scenarios and are marked on their technical and medical abilities as well as their incident command and leadership.

The word ‘challenge’ is key. There are winners and losers, but this is not primarily a competition. The aim of these events is to develop teams and individuals in their roles. While it could be argued that the challenge element has become

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overshadowed by the desire to win, in the main – and in my experience – all participants genuinely attend to improve their skills. And perhaps even more important than the challenge itself are the concurrent educational workshops that cover a whole range of technical and medical subjects, which are excellent learning experiences.

Of course, there will always be those who question the value in such learning opportunities, but this is a very shortsighted view and, I believe, stems largely from a misunderstanding of the true aims and benefits of these events. Teams that take part in these challenges are, quite simply, the best at what they do, and it should be the professional aspiration of every firefighter to gravitate to their standard. When I first became an assessor, I was often called an ‘anorak’ for devoting my own time to making myself more professional at what I do – not the attitude you would expect from members of a modern-day professional service.

There is a misconception that the extrication challenge is about ‘role play’ or ‘scoring points’. This is simply not the case. When I assessed, I expected exactly the same standard in the ‘pits’ as I would from my crews on the road. To me there is absolutely no difference. There are no short cuts because ‘this is only a challenge’. ‘If it was a real incident, we would have done this…’ was never an acceptable excuse. Assessed correctly, there is no better platform for the development of a rescue team.

In recent years, the number of teams taking part has dwindled and as a consequence the number of fire and rescue services represented has decreased. I implore all fire and rescue services to reinvigorate their interest and support the challenges by sending a team and making the most of what they learn when they return. And if you don’t, ask yourself how else you are driving forward an agenda of developing technical rescue?

At the recent UKRO National Challenge in Cardiff, 29 extrication teams took part, each of which had six members.

With over 43,000 firefighters in the UK, that means just 0.4% of operational staff are attending three days of quality education.

This is why it is essential that those who compete in the challenges provide education back to their services. I would go so far as to say that this should be mandated as part of the qualification requirements for future entry.

Some teams have long held this ethos. South Wales Extrication Team are the current UK and World Champions and this is not by accident; it is thoroughly deserved. Not only are they immensely dedicated to self-improvement, but they have all given up their own time to develop other teams all over the UK and around the world. They really do epitomise the challenge concept and more teams should follow their lead. In 2015, they mentored a team which went on to finish higher than them in the national challenge. The guys from

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rescue challenge

for rescuers

South Wales were the first to congratulate their protégés.

As fantastic as the challenges are, there is always scope for development. At present, the extrication challenge only involves fire and rescue service teams, but as we know this is a multi-agency discipline and I would like to see other agencies involved. Whether this is a paramedic on scene to develop inter-agency planning skills or maybe even a pre-hospital doctor, I feel it is time to move on and enhance the experience for all involved. I think we all accept that there is a distinct lack of multi-agency training and preparedness and this could help set the standard across the board. Also, I personally feel that the Team Approach, which is more than 25 years old, does not reflect modern vehicles, methods, tools or our medical understanding of the patient, and needs to be modernised.

But should that stop you taking part? Certainly not. With fewer teams entering extrication challenges, there has never been a better time to put a team together and have a go. If you have never competed and are of the opinion that ‘it is not for you’, I urge you to think again. Why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of the opportunity for improvement offered by these events? In fact, I urge all fire and rescue services to support the challenges by funding the participation of a team and ensuring their experiences are shared in a structured way back into the service – this is, after all, potentially your only source of contemporary technical rescue information.

There simply is no better learning platform to improve your skills, knowledge, and experience of technical rescue. If you are not sure where to start, give the World Champions a call.

They will happily help you out.

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World Rescue Challenge winners 2018 The team from South Wales in the UK retained its World Rescue Challenge crown for the third year in a row with victory in South Africa in October.

The competition saw 30 teams compete from 17 countries. Spanish team Consorcio de Valencia (Gandia) took the second spot in the overall rankings, while RSB Lisboa from Portugal came third.

The 2018 win is the sixth time that South Wales Fire and Rescue Service – Bridgend Extrication Team have taken the world title, and it comes just weeks after the team retained their national title at the UK Rescue Organisation Championships in September.

At the Cape Town event, the team tackled challenging rescue scenarios in three disciplines: a 10-minute rapid event with one casualty; a 20-minute standard scenario with one casualty; and a 30-minute complex scenario with two casualties.

Team members SM Andrew Morgan, SM Roger Magan, CM Les Evans, WM Allyn Hosey, CM Huw Hughes and FF Matthew Greenman scored highly in all elements of the challenge. Team captain SM Andrew Morgan was awarded Best Incident Commander while SM Roger Magan and CM Les Evans came second in the medical rescue category.

The event also saw exceptional performances from other international teams. In addition to taking second place overall, Consorcio de Valencia (Gandia) placed first in technical rescue and the standard extrication scenario. Portuguese team BM Figueira Da Foz won the medical rescue category and another UK team, London 1, took the overall trauma title. There was a strong showing from the US as well. Team Delray Beach F&R USA won the rapid scenario and Team Blackheart Miami Dade F&R USA took first place in the complex scenario.

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rescue challenge

Spreading the word The UK Rescue Organisation has done more than just help to improve the skills of challenge teams at a national level.

It has also helped bring the rescue challenge concept and its benefits to other countries, writes Geoffrey Hayes.

O About the Author: Geoffrey Hayes served 37 years with Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Services.

He worked for the HM Government Fire and Rescue Improvement Directorate for three years. His specialist areas include operational incident command, risk and disaster management planning, response to hazardous materials, and fire investigation.

Hayes was involved in the organisation of regional challenges across Spain as well as a national challenge, and this culminated in APRAT hosting the 2007 WRO challenge in Barcelona.

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ver the last two decades, I have seen rescue challenges develop from their initial focus on vehicle extrication to include trauma, rope rescue, water rescue, and USAR scenarios, and as the challenges have developed, so too have the teams that take part in them.

In 1996, I was privileged to see a display by the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top road rescue challenge team from The Netherlands while I was attending the European Summer School at the Institute for Fire Service and Disaster Management (NIBRA) in Arnhem. I count it as the biggest influence on, and catalyst for, my subsequent work in pushing the rescue challenge concept.

That day, with more than 20 years of operational service already behind me, I observed at close quarters an extremely dynamic performance of command, systematic rescue techniques, and casualty-centred critical care. I learned a great deal, all of which had a huge influence on me personally.

It was also while at the NIBRA that I became aware of the fantastic contribution of the International Centre for Extrication Techniques in Raamsdonksveer, The Netherlands, working closely with rescue tool manufacturer Holmatro.

I returned to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service acutely aware that while our firefighters experienced the consequences of attending many and varied serious road traffic collisions, the adoption of more advanced standards of intervention would improve their competency.

At the time in the UK, there was a group of very passionate rescue professionals called the Car User Entrapment Society.

CUES had been organising RTC rescue challenges and assessing UK fire and rescue team participants for a number of years. I contacted the lead people with a view to organising a visit to Cheshire to conduct a technical workshop and practical demonstration. This was highly successful in promoting the concept of the rescue challenge and its learning potential, and I am indebted to CUES for their support and to the Cheshire FRS operational personnel who embraced the concepts on offer.

Because of this visit, Cheshire FRS began to participate in rescue challenges. A few of those teams moved on to set some very high standards at national and international level and the main beneficiaries of their enhanced skills were the

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communities they were there to serve and protect.

In 2001, I was delighted and honoured to be invited to join the committee of the newly-formed United Kingdom Rescue Organisation (UKRO). The chair was Chief Fire Officer Barry Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell from South Yorkshire FRS, who was also chair of the umbrella organisation, the World Rescue Organisation (WRO).

At UKRO, we were determined to build on the incredible success of the rescue challenge concept and encourage more UK fire and rescue services to participate in both regional events and the annual national challenge.

In those early years of UKRO, the top performing teams at the national challenge were granted funding to participate at the WRO challenges, hosted in various countries around the world. In this manner, participating practitioners were able to use these events as a platform to compare, learn, and share best practice.

Furthermore, fellow UKRO committee member Cameron Black established a concept defined as the International Development Programme, within which UKRO could provide support to other countries that wanted to establish or develop their own rescue organisation or organise rescue challenges.

In 2003, I was appointed as project manager to assist Spain with the technical aspects of establishing a national rescue organisation and challenge. In 2004, the Ascociacion Profesional de Rescate en Accidentes de Trafico (APRAT) was established and recognised by the WRO. Throughout the early engagement, teams of UKRO assessors and instructors supported the project. Regional rescue challenges were held across Spain, followed by the country's first national challenge, culminating in APRAT hosting the 2007 WRO challenge in Barcelona.

While leading this project, I was able to encourage a reciprocal arrangement through which UK RTC and rope rescue teams could participate at Spanish challenges and vice versa. This further increased the interest for all concerned and enhanced the learning opportunities. APRAT today is a major contributor to the WRO. When working with other countries, it is vitally important to understand the specific cultural and political dynamics in order to embrace and affect change, develop trust, and ensure successful outcomes where this is practicable and achievable.

In 2006, along with Graham Smith, who had worked in Romania as project lead on the orphanage capacity-building programme, we began to engage with the head of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations in Romania.

The purpose was twofold: to introduce the Romanian authorities to the rescue challenge concept and to provide other capacity-building opportunities based around standard operating procedures, fire investigation, fire safety, and community safety initiatives.

The most important factor was the support we received at the highest political level to work with our counterparts. After many productive meetings, we hosted our Romanian colleagues at the 2008 WRO challenge in Wales and the UKRO challenge in London 2011, allowing them to see event organisation at first hand. Then, in 2009, we organised a

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week’s RTC training programme in Targu Jiu, Gorg County, for 40 firefighters and officers, run by three RTC instructors from Merseyside FRS. Our endeavours soon came to the attention of the British Embassy in Romania. This provided us with an opportunity to apply for funding to assist with the delivery of the first Romanian national rescue challenge in Ploiesti in 2012. Since 2012, Romania has organised six rescue challenges, hosted the WRO challenge in 2017 in Targu Mures, and continues to grow as a valuable WRO member.

One of the most significant outcomes from the Romania collaboration was the recognition that helping new members develop challenges often leads to invaluable contributions to the overall objective. For example, Romania has established an advanced trauma response capability, a fantastic resource known as Servicuil Mobil de Urgenta Reanimare si Descarcercve (SMURD). Their immense expertise in trauma care was quickly recognised and today the professional input of SMURD doctors at WRO level provides sustainable development opportunities across the world.

A further benefit of rescue challenges is that most countries now incorporate some form of fire safety or road safety event and conference to enhance the proceedings. Some countries and lead bodies now work in partnership with Global Road Safety Partnership or other specialists in the field such as Eastern Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Transport.

The enormous contribution to the success of the rescue challenges made by vehicle and equipment manufacturers must be acknowledged. Their commitment to innovation in the design, use, and performance of equipment and vehicles is invaluable, and rescue practitioners Mayday 9/10/07 14:55 Page 1are encouraged to keep abreast of the many safety features of modern vehicles.

In recent years we have also witnessed the development of the safety engineering simulator, a reusable training vehicle known as the transformer, where instructors can replicate roof removal, door removal, dash lift, B pillar fold or removal, and glass removal. They can also demonstrate the use of all safety restraint systems. The charity Operation Florian has used this vehicle during its projects in Macedonia and Moldova.

I am delighted that the Institution of Fire Engineers has also set up a Rescue Engineering Specialist Interest Group, working with the likes of UKRO, and is using its expertise to peer review new techniques and highlight where further research might be required. Ultimately, the group aims to ensure that new innovations undergo effective critical analysis and, where appropriate, are adopted into best practice guidance. This is an important recognition of the potential for developing rescue techniques across all disciplines.

Participating in rescue challenges, today and in the future, continues to be of the greatest importance for fire and rescue services around the world. Without doubt, these have led to dramatic technological advancements and have saved countless lives. Long may that continue.

Rescue Organisation Ireland and Operation Florian organised the first rescue challenge in Macedonia 2014.

Using the MAYDAY-HANSA-BOARD, a rescuer can quickly and safely save someone in distress.

The board is lightweight and handy and can easily be carried the shortest route to the scene of the accident, regardless of types terrain and water — through undergrowth, snow, open water, over ice that holds and ice that does not carried, to the edge of the ice, along quays and embankments etc. Once at the scene of the accident, the rescuer readily pulls the person in distress up onto the board which can then be pulled ashore by assisting personell. The board can also be used as a sleigh or stretcher. The MAYDAY-HANSA-BOARD functions as unique combination of devices for simple, swift and safe rescue in water and on ice.

Box 182, SE-821 22 Bollnäs, Sweden Telephone +46 278 12350 • Fax +46 278 39454 e-mail: info@mayday-hansa-board.com

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rescue challenge

Manufacturer perspective It is not just rescue practitioners who learn from rescue challenges. Rescue consultant Rens de Jonge from Holmatro argues that these challenges are an essential element of the overall rescue ecosystem and also help manufacturers to improve what they do.

R

Rescue challenges are important for tool manufacturers, because the events are an opportunity to gather valuable feedback from end users.

escue challenges are an invaluable training ground for suppliers. They provide us with the opportunity to watch our equipment in action, hear user feedback, and ultimately improve what we do alongside the people who use our tools to save lives.

The 2018 UKRO Challenge in Cardiff, hosted by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, was a huge success. As in other years, Holmatro was present at the event to provide rescue tools and carry out tool maintenance, because we believe it is very important to support these challenges.

From a business perspective, sharing and promoting rescue knowledge is an important goal for Holmatro. We have our own training and consultancy department, which delivers training to fire and rescue services worldwide. Our core business is the development and sale of hydraulic rescue equipment, but we also want to be a full-service partner and a loyal supporter of the worldwide rescue community, and that means supporting events that further the profession.

Then there’s the fact that any high-level educational event like the UKRO local and national rescue challenges partly

depends on the cooperation of suppliers. So, quite separate from our own goals, we feel a responsibility to support them.

That’s not to say that there aren’t advantages in being there.

The UKRO and WRO regional, national, and international challenges provide a perfect opportunity for us as a rescue tool manufacturer to get feedback from end users on our equipment and to find out about their biggest challenges.

The education pits in particular allow us to watch and learn.

All teams go through these pits and have a chance to work with the tools, guided by instructors. Besides extrication, more advanced technical (heavy) rescue and trauma care is also dealt with. We learn most from moments like these, when people are practicing with our tools, and their feedback helps us to improve our products and develop new solutions, like our Inclined Cutter.

So, in 2017, when Holmatro celebrated its 50th anniversary, we felt the time was right to give something back to the rescue community and society. We decided to support two organisations involved in raising the level of fire and rescue services in developing countries by providing used rescue tools and other services. One of these organisations is UKRO International Development Programme. Our partnership with these organisations, with the mutual goal of advancing professional rescue and saving more lives, has made us realise more than ever that by working with the right strategic partners, you can have an even bigger impact on society.

The same applies to our support of the UKRO Rescue Challenges. It works both ways, of course. UKRO will support the second edition of the International Holmatro Extrication Challenge at Interschutz 2020. With UKRO’s help we can raise the bar even higher and make this event an outstanding learning experience for extrication teams from all over the world, who in their turn can pass on their knowledge locally to the rescue professionals they work with in the field.

Finally, we would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the South Wales Extrication Team, both World and National Rescue Challenge Champions. They put a lot of time and effort into training their fellow rescuers and they are a perfect example of how powerful sharing knowledge can and should be. Knowledge is nothing if you keep it to yourself.

Operation Florian in action A donated fire appliance and incident response unit set out from Crowborough Community Fire Station, UK, for Moldova in October in the latest convoy in Operation Florian.

Operation Florian reconditions old fire engines and other firefighting equipment to full working order and sends them to regions that are short of equipment. It also sends out crews to train local fire services in the use of the equipment.

October’s convoy consisted of a Volvo fire appliance donated by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and an incident response unit donated by Kent Fire and Rescue Service. Staff from East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service worked with their counterparts from Moldova and the Transnistrian region to train them on the equipment, which included five days of water rescue training.

The water rescue training was supported by a donation of equipment from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and training instructors from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service. East Sussex staff assisted with both the convoy and the training delivery.

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TOPPER

Realistic rescue

A new swift-water and flood training facility in the US is changing operational flood response team training by enabling the creation of complex rescue scenarios that are as realistic and challenging as possible.

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The Oriskany training centre can reproduce all the hazards, environments, flow conditions and flow variability that teams might encounter in as realistic and safe a training environment as possible.

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ew York State’s new flood training facility owes a lot to recreational water sports. The Swift Water and Flood Training facility in Oriskany opened in summer 2018, combining a traditional swift-water training environment with an urban street scene to enable training in multiple realistic scenarios across the whole spectrum of water-rescue operations. The company that designed it drew inspiration from a decade’s worth of experience creating challenging and unique paddle sports environments for recreational use.

Facility designer Engineering Paddler Designs cut its teeth designing white-water facilities for kayaking and rafting, including Olympic venues, before moving into swift-water rescue and flood training venues. For the Oriskany centre, EPD also drew on the way UK fire and rescue services are modifying recreational sites for training purposes by placing mock building facades and vehicles in the channels.

‘The aim was to reproduce all the hazards, environments, flow conditions and flow variability that teams might encounter in as realistic and safe a training environment as possible,’ explains Andy Laird from EPD. It was a lengthy design process, starting in 2014 when EPD visited the training department of New York State Homeland Security and Emergency Services with concepts and ideas for a world-leading water rescue training facility. The company proposed an all-encompassing solution that included traditional swift-water rescue training infrastructure but also recognised that the majority of deployments and personnel are in urban environments through the inclusion of an innovative urban street scene.

The design proposed to utilise the most useful sections of a recreational white-water channel with a lower pond, pump station, gravity-channel system, and Rapidblocs obstacle system to generate the white water for the standard swiftwater rescue training. It then proposed to create an urban environment using the same basic infrastructure.

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The Oriskany facility has a 130-metre long, 12-metre wide concrete channel for SRT work, including boat rescue and transfer. Additional props include a side-entry gate to the channel for the addition of a vehicle, and a high-wall area to mimic a bridge abutment or high quay/harbour wall.

One section of the channel, which is popular for many of the activities, is the rocky gorge section. 'This was created in response to concerns from instructors that artificial channels can be a little too bland and convenient,’ says Laird. ‘So we placed large boulders along a 20m section of channel, on a corner, and concreted them together to form a deeper, sculpted rock section. This also ties across to the high wall area to allow high-line training to take place.’

The main urban street scene has many innovative features.

Alongside street furniture such as lighting columns, kerbs, tactile paving, sleeping policemen, and fencing, there are also interactive props such as drainage manholes. It is possible to pump water out through the grating of the manholes to simulate a surcharged drainage system, and the covers can be removed to create an additional wading hazard. ‘A grill located 250mm below the surface stops anybody actually falling in if they fail to find the hole whilst wading.'

There are four floodable full-size properties in the street, two of which have second floors. One has a pitched roof and the other has a high ropes platform linking to a high ropes tower on the other side of the swift-water channel. Household debris, such as refrigerators, sofas, beds, and propane tanks are present in two of the properties at ground floor level, and the pitched roof has a replaceable panel section enabling simulated extraction through the roof in a flood situation.

The street downstream has a low bridge/culvert to replicate a road underpass arrangement or a dedicated culvert rescue with moving water. The bridge also doubles up as part of a high-axle vehicle route around the flooded village where there are submerged hazards for driving and varying water

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water rescue

depths. Prior to the outlet of the street, a deeper, higherwalled section of the channel allows the replication of rescue from a deep canal lock. At the outlet of the street, back into the swift-water channel and the lower lake, a low-head dam/ weir simulator can vary flow and height, using Rapidblocs on the crest and the channel floor to generate a suitable and variable hydraulics for boat, sled, or swimming drills.

‘The flow in the swift-water channel is controlled by the three pumps and can be varied from 2.66m3 per second up to just over seven m3 per second,’ explains Laird. ‘The flow into and down the street scene is highly variable. Rapidblocs placed at the outlet can govern the depth in the street from inches up to more than 1.8m, and a hydraulic gate can be used to create what is called “bucket mode”. This is when the street is filled up with the pumps, and drained through a sluice, as quickly or slowly as the scenario dictates.’

With no Rapidblocs at the outlet, the street performs more like a swift-water channel. ‘This creates an extremely challenging environment in which to operate, with Grade III water and real hazards,’ says Laird. However, there is an emergency pump stop feature – stops are located at regular

intervals throughout the facility and near more hazardous simulators – that instantly shuts the pumps down and automatically illuminates the full floodlight system if necessary.

The lake, meanwhile, features various terraced areas for wading and ice drills in the winter.

‘The provision of the street facility allows more advanced techniques for flood rescue to be taught, not just discussed,' says Laird. ‘This includes urban house searches, underpasses, hazard identification, extraction from multiple vehicles and properties, as well as advanced techniques including swim rescues in a low-head dam/weir.’

Geraint Rowlands, a Rescue 3 instructor trainer, paramedic, and director of Swiftwater Training Solutions who was involved in the handover of the site from engineering project to training facility, believes that this kind of scenario-based training is essential for the future of flood rescue. ‘It is the best way to develop operational flood response teams. Without this realism in training, staff are just not properly equipped for the demands of flood response work. The urban street scene in particular means that the kind of scenarios that staff will encounter on operational duties can now be trained for. This is often referred to as intelligence-led training, and means that working practices can be developed and fed back into training curriculums.’

Another experienced flood rescue trainer involved in the project handover was Lawrence Harris, director of Water Rescue Systems. For him, the Oriskany site is the ‘gold standard’ of training facilities because of the opportunities it provides for further development in equipment design, operating procedures and techniques, and improving the operational capacity of rescuers.

‘We are experiencing more regular and more significant flooding episodes worldwide. As a profession, we must adapt our approach to training to match the environments we now find teams operating in during urban flooding. This facility does just that. The low-head dam simulator offers the only opportunity to practically experience the hydrodynamics to match the environments of deployment. It is manageable and highly controllable while simulating the real challenges presented during flooding.’

And as Laird points out, from a purely practical point of view the development of such a complex training environment has also enabled the training of more staff, more quickly, and in a more controlled and safer environment than has previously been possible. 'We hope this will lead to the development of new techniques and training curriculums, and we are now working on a number of projects with fire and rescue services in other countries to create similar facilities.’

The main urban street scene features street furniture such as lighting columns, kerbs, tactile paving, sleeping policemen, and fencing, as well as interactive props such as drainage manholes.

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vehicles

Paving the way for zero emissions What does a low emissions firefighting vehicle look like, and is it even possible? Ann-Marie Knegt travelled to Linz in Austria to Rosenbauer’s facilities to meet international sales director Wolfgang Voraberger and find out how the company is working towards a greener future.

R Rosenbauer designed the CFT to lower emissions and save fuel while providing the same services as diesel- or petrol-driven vehicles for a similar cost.

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osenbauer is one of the leading fire truck manufacturers in the world and the company is keen to retain its position as a thought leader and innovator in firefighting technology. This means that emissions reduction is a priority for the business.

Reducing emissions is a hot topic in all areas of the automotive industry, and the fire sector is no exception. While emergency vehicles are usually exempt from low and ultra-low emissions zone requirements, fire services and fire service vehicle manufacturers are by no means immune from pressures to reduce emissions. The difference is that there are significant design and safety challenges facing manufacturers of fire appliances in the effort to go green.

This is something that Rosenbauer’s international sales director Wolfgang Voraberger knows very well. On the one hand he can see the growing requirement for lower emissions vehicles, and on the other the demand for even more stringent performance requirements, and sometimes these

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priorities conflict. A vehicle that needs to be able to reach any part of an airfield inside three minutes at any time cannot afford to spend 12 hours charging, for example.

That does not mean those challenges can’t or shouldn’t be overcome, and Rosenbauer has already invested significant time and money into imagining what the future might look like. The company's latest development for the fire market, the Concept Fire Truck, gave a glimpse of that future when it was presented at the 150-year anniversary of Rosenbauer in autumn 2016. This electric concept truck is an urban firefighting vehicle designed to meet the growing requirement for lower emissions while maintaining and even enhancing the performance required of an operational vehicle.

Rosenbauer has observed a global trend for vehicle downsizing among fire services, which partly informed the vehicle's development. ‘In Europe, we are seeing an increased trend for emissions reduction or zero emissions.

Fire services are also reducing vehicle weights from 18 tonnes to around 15 to 12 tonnes. This development is mostly driven by reduced budgets, and fewer volunteers and retained operational staff,’ explains Voraberger.

He cites Norway as an example of a country in which not just the municipal fire services want to become emissions neutral. Oslo Airport is aiming to become a zero-emissions hub by 2025 when its new runway opens, and this is a development that Voraberger is seeing all over the world.

‘Airports are looking at ways of going green, and not just with smaller vehicles. They also want to reduce emissions from their larger air service equipment such as snowploughs, runway-sweeping machines, and all types of handling vehicles. So, of course, the fire trucks need to become more sustainable.’

However, for fire services, going electric is not as easy as it sounds. ‘Our solution, at the moment, is to develop electric

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vehicles

The CFT is a fire engine, a rescue vehicle, and an ambulance in one, which, with a few adjustments, can be converted to enable the treatment and transport of injured persons.

A bigger crew cab and increased storage space are made possible by placing the engine on the roof, which also keeps the engine emissions away from street level.

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vehicles with a range extender in case the fire services are faced with an incident that takes longer to resolve. This means that a diesel or petrol engine kicks in when the battery charge drops to a certain level. It is still an electric truck, because an electrical motor drives the transmission, but the charging is carried out by a petrol or diesel engine. This is the key difference between a hybrid truck and a range extender.’

According to this principle, the auxiliary engine, or range extender, charges via a generator. The vehicle still runs on batteries, but the difference in the technology Rosenbauer is developing is that the pump can be switched from electric mode to diesel- or petrol-driven.

As Voraberger explains, this is necessary because of the performance required of these vehicles during an emergency.

'If you take the Panther, for example, the truck has to be at any point on an airfield within three minutes. Then one person has to deliver the extinguishing media to the fire within two minutes. Therefore, we are already talking about a five-minute window, and then the truck needs to be in operation for at least 20 minutes at full power. In my opinion, this is not possible for a purely battery-operated vehicle. And then there is the price issue.’

While price is a consideration for services, the pressure on European fire services in urban areas to reduce emissions is only going to increase. From ultra-low emissions zones in city centres to outright bans on diesel engines below Euro VI, the pressure is mounting on manufacturers to come up with new ideas for sustainable vehicle design.

Rosenbauer is taking a long-term view, developing its own

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concepts while watching closely what others in the market are doing. As Voraberger points out, there is a major design challenge to creating a truly viable electric firefighting vehicle, and Rosenbauer needs to develop solutions that work with what commercial chassis manufacturers are designing. He does not believe that there is currently an electric solution out there that meets the needs of the firefighting market. The issue is the size and placement of batteries in the chassis, which is where the firefighting equipment and crew needs to go. ‘Unless a design is developed that places the batteries in the centre of the chassis it will be difficult to make a commercial chassis compatible with firefighting operations.’

He adds that the nature of firefighting operations also poses a risk for alternative propulsion systems, including electric, hydrogen, and CNG. ‘We have seen electric cars on fire and they are difficult to extinguish. Another challenge is the charging time. It is not practical to have a fire truck that takes 12 hours to charge. Both infrastructure and safety need to be considered, therefore the whole environment around fire fleet needs to change.’

Concept Fire Truck Rosenbauer’s first prototype of what the future could look like for firefighting vehicles was launched in the autumn of 2016.

The Concept Fire Truck has been specially designed with key customers in large European cities in mind, such as Amsterdam, Oslo, Berlin, Vienna, and London, where old city centres provide limited room to manoeuvre.

The CFT has been equipped with front- and rear-steering options, which makes it possible to move easily in tight and congested city centres and on narrow alleyways and roads.

The vehicle has the capability to be fully electric. ‘The CFT is very powerful and the drive is fast and smooth,’ says Voraberger. ‘We designed a new cabin concept with more low-level storage, taking advantage of the fact that there are no fuel tanks or exhaust boxes, and the cabin layout is designed to optimise communication.’

Incident-site navigation is possible thanks to the 360-degree in-cabin display, which has full connectivity and offers video streaming and radio and the ability to call up fire plans.

The design of the CFT has also taken into account growing concerns about chemical contamination. In this new set up, BA sets are no longer stored in the cabin. Instead, they are stored in lockers to prevent contamination of the crew cabin after an incident.

The proliferation of recent research into the impact of firefighting operations on the health and safety of firefighters is

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vehicles

Wolfgang Voraberger has been a volunteer firefighter since 1990, and fire chief of a local volunteer fire department in Upper Austria since 2003. Voraberger also represents Rosenbauer on the CTIF committee.

changing the way fires are fought and manufacturers are developing equipment that aims to prevent exposure to harmful substances. For example, attacks with hand lines are decreasing and equipment such as HRETs (high-reach extendable turrets) are becoming more popular all over the world, including for industrial use.

‘What we used to do with hand lines can now be done by remote control, which also offers the opportunity to send a vehicle to an incident and operate it from a safe distance,’ says Voraberger. ‘We see more and more customers requesting this feature for their vehicles. After all, what is the cost of a truck compared to a human life?

But cost is an ever-present issue, and an HRET could reduce

22

the headcount per truck to four instead of five. If you multiply this by four shifts, the savings on staff costs are considerable – not something firefighters will want to hear.

Rosenbauer does currently have clients that are taking the next step when it comes to progressive vehicle design.

Copenhagen Fire Service is implementing a smaller type of vehicle that offers the capability for a larger range of scenarios, including ultra-high-pressure water mist technology, CAFS, and cutting and piercing capability. The service is looking at vehicles around the 15-tonne mark, because it has found that two smaller vehicles in a tight city centre are better than one large one.

As Voraberger concludes, there are still many challenges before an efficient zero-emission fire appliance can be brought to market. Geographical and cultural differences between fire services are huge, and the right infrastructure needs to be put in place to support the introduction of these types of trucks.

The first two trucks for Copenhagen Fire Service are in production and will be delivered by the end of this year, while the rest of the fleet will be delivered over the course of 2019.

‘Of course, 2020 is coming up with Interschutz on the horizon and many new interesting products. We pride ourselves on supporting our clients and helping them save lives and property, so we are very much looking forward to welcoming everyone on our stand during the show for an Austrian beer,’ Voraberger concludes.

Going bespoke in Sao Paulo

new tender for belfast

A fire truck has been specially designed to meet the challenging requirements of an aluminium recycling company in Brazil.

Aluminium lamination and recycling firm Novelis required the fire truck for its plant in Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo. 'Our factory has very large structures and, due to the aluminium manufacturing process, our internal fire department needs an agile vehicle that reaches the high ceilings in our production plant,' said Daniel Forastieri, EHS director at Novelis South America.

The fire truck not only had to be highly manoeuvrable and compatible with firefighting accessories but also carry a turntable ladder with a reach of 42m. In addition, it had to comply with US NFPA standards.

The turntable ladder truck project started in 2012 and was so complex that speciality vehicle maker Triel-HT Group consulted an American firefighter team to assess whether the vehicle met international standards.

Triel-HT selected a Scania P440 6x4 commercial chassis and an Allison 4500 fullyautomatic transmission. According to Triel-HT director Marciano Dalla Rosa, the Allison 4500 enables the chassis, body, and pump to work together efficiently. He explained that the company prefers to use Allison transmissions because of the manoeuvrability, safety, and performance they provide to firefighters during operations as well as the integration of transmission to the body and the electronic controllers that operate the truck.

The truck's specification includes a 7,000-lpm pump, breathable air track for rescue at heights, and inlet and outlet water fittings at the rear of the vehicle.

The first of three new fire crash tenders has been delivered to George Best Belfast City Airport Fire Service in Northern Ireland.

Representing an investment of £1 million, the fire tender was purpose-built by the Spanish firm Iturri and is equipped with the latest technology in aviation firefighting.

The 33-tonne vehicle can carry up to 11,500 litres of water and deliver 45,000 litres of foam a minute. The all-terrain, six-wheel-drive vehicle has a Scania 700bhp engine and a top speed of nearly 80mph.

It is the first of three new tenders scheduled to arrive at Belfast City Airport as part of a £15 million capital investment programme, which also includes the creation of a new security search area and refurbishment of the departures lounge with an enhanced retail offering.

Seamus MacMahon, Chief Fire Officer and head of emergency planning at the airport, said: ‘Belfast City Airport Fire Service is responsible for safety of all aircraft within the airfield. In addition, our 33 full-time firefighters are trained first medical responders to the three million visitors to the airport each year.

‘The new fire appliance was custom-built in Seville and comes equipped with full thermal imaging and infra-red driver vision, meaning the tender can operate in zero visibility. It can also fight fires while on the move. It is equipped with an electronic control system and the latest communications systems, ensuring we are ready for any eventuality.’

< FIRE & RESCUE < FOURTH QUARTER 2018

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vehicles

new vehicles for LFB

PUMPER breaks records

The delivery of 126 Mercedes-Benz Atego trucks with fully-automatic Allison transmissions to London Fire Brigade is nearing completion after two years, and the service has already ordered 62 additional vehicles.

The new vehicles have all been converted to dual-purpose ladder fire engines with crew cabs made by Magirus. They join a fleet of more than 450 fire engines, command, and support vehicles managed and maintained by Babcock International Group.

LFB specified the Allison 3000 Series fully-automatic transmission instead of the standard automated transmission because of its performance advantage over a dry clutch. With Allison’s Continuous Power Technology, engine torque is nearly doubled at launch by the company’s patented torque converter. Gear changes occur without power interruption, ensuring maximum efficiency between engine and transmission.

The new fire engines have a laden weight of approximately 11,500kg and the 7.7-litre engine produces a maximum of 1,100Nm of torque and 272hp (200 kW). The Allison 3000 Series is suitable for engine output up to 1,695Nm and 450hp (336 kW). It is engineered to adapt and operate efficiently in a variety of applications, with the choice of close- or wide-ratio gearing, two engine-driven power take-off provisions, and fifth-generation advanced electronic controls.

There is also an optional integral output retarder for better braking.

‘The Allison transmission was specified partly because of its responsiveness and controllability, and partly because it has proven itself to be such a reliable solution for LFB’s operations,’ said Neil Corcoran, Babcock's engineering and technical manager for the LFB fleet. ‘The Allison transmission has minimal maintenance requirements, particularly with regard to the integral hydraulic retarder and the power take-off drive. And, of course, dependability of equipment is essential in emergency services.’

Ferrara’s high-capacity Super Pumper has received UL confirmation for a flow capacity of 6,256gpm (23,681 lpm) from draft at a discharge pressure of 125psi (8.6 bar), exceeding the record for pump performance.

The increased flow capability means fire departments will no longer be limited to the standard industrial rating of 100% capacity at only 100psi (7 bar) net discharge pressure. Breaking the 100-psi ceiling was made possible by the unit’s new HPV6000 pump from US Fire Pump. According to Ferrara, with four 8-inch (20.3cm) and one 12-inch (30.4cm) intake connections, the ability to be remotely supplied from mega hydrants is now feasible.

The Ferrara Super Pumper offers a triple-deck gun system with a main gun providing 8,000gpm (30,283 lpm) and a dual rear 2,000gpm (7,570 lpm) configuration. All three monitors are controlled by wireless remote control, which ensures fire-ground safety and efficiency during the application of large streams.

Other features include a rear-mount pump configuration that protects from potential supply and discharge lines and facilitates the establishment of supply lines to the pump as well as providing a quieter operating environment.

The vehicle carries a foam concentrate tank with a 900-gallon (3,406 litres) capacity as well as a 300gpm (1,135 lpm) multi-point direct injection foam system that reduces increased flow restrictions.

Ferrara’s Super Pumper meets the higher flow requirements that industrial hazard firefighters are facing at petrochemical processing and refining plants, and is also ideal for municipalities with large fire load facilities such as warehouse districts, shopping centres, shipping docks, tunnels, and tank farms, or for mass disaster response requirements.

The vehicle is well suited to industrial facilities where space is an issue thanks to a shorter, more maneuverable 4.7m wheelbase and an overall length of just over 10m. The latest test was documented and witnessed by both UL and the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office.

HOPE TECHNIK’S FIREFIGHTING ROBOT – TAKING ON THE DANGER OF CONFINED SPACES The latest development in the fight against high-rise fires in Singapore’s urban landscape is not a large firefighting engine, it’s a robot.

Designed by bespoke engineering firm Hope Technik, the firefighting robot is an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). It is a portable emergency responder robot that assists firefighters in fighting high-rise fires, especially in highly dangerous environments where it is not safe for people to enter.

Measuring just under a metre long, half a metre wide and just 60cm in height, the robot weighs less than 80kg. This makes it light enough for two firefighters to carry while climbing stairs and small enough to be stowed in a compact, firstresponse firefighting vehicle that can negotiate tight urban spaces.

Hope Technik’s project manager Ng Kiang Loong explained that the robot is a result of the company's effort to develop technology to extinguish fires while ensuring the safety of firefighters. ‘At the end of the day, we want our firefighters to be able to return to their families safe and sound. The firefighting robot allows them to do their job while mitigating the potential dangers they face during a firefighting operation.’

The firefighting robot is designed to reduce the risks to firefighters. It is equipped with a thermal imaging camera that can detect hot zones in a room autonomously without being impeded by smoke. The scenes captured by the robot’s camera are

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then transmitted live to the operator’s control unit, allowing firefighters to assess the fire scene and guide the robot remotely from a safe distance.

To combat small yet potentially lethal fires in confined spaces, the firefighting robot has the flexibility to discharge foam from its 7.5-litre on-board foam solution tank or water through its water monitor. Water is drawn from a fire hydrant by connecting a hose to the rear of the robot.

The robot is also capable of traversing uneven surfaces. It has a top speed of up to one metre per second and an operational power capacity of one hour.

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firefighting pumps

Critical point How do you choose a pump? Robert Avsec examines different types of pumps and recent technology developments and makes recommendations for selecting the right solution.

B

etween 2011 and 2015, municipal fire departments in the US responded to an estimated average of 37,910 fires at industrial or manufacturing properties each year, with annual losses estimated at 16 civilian deaths and 273 injuries, and US$1.2 billion in direct property damage1.

And those are just the numbers from the municipal fire departments that regularly report fire incident data to the US Fire Administration using the National Fire Incident Reporting System. Currently, only about 60% of fire departments (career and volunteer) in the US submit that data to the USFA. In 2017, there were a reported 45 incidents of major fires and/or explosions in the commercial and industrial sectors worldwide. Those 45 incidents accounted for US$5.4 trillion worth of insured loss in 2017.

Increasing levels of risk

Ferrara’s high-capacity Super Pumper has received UL confirmation for a flow capability of 6,256gpm (23,681 lpm) from draft at a discharge pressure of 125psi (8.6 bar), exceeding the record for pump performance.

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There is an increasing level of fire protection risk in the commercial and industrial sectors for various reasons, including larger occupancies to protect; more spread out facilities; aging on-site water distribution systems and aging municipal water distribution systems; and new manufacturing processes with fire hazards that outpace existing on-site fire protection water supplies and delivery systems.

For facility and safety managers, this increased risk is exacerbated by several factors, such as decreased funding for routine and preventative maintenance on operational processes, frequently cited in post-action reports following a commercial or industrial fire as a significant contributing factor to the damage; decreased funding for routine and preventative maintenance and upgrades to fire protection systems; decreased funding for fire apparatus and associated water-pumping capacity to keep pace with the potential fire risk; and decreased funding for on-site emergency response personnel.

Furthermore, newer facilities are being built in more remote locations as a result of environmental protection laws and regulations, availability of developable land, and opposition from citizen groups. In many cases, this also means that the available fire protection resources from ‘outside the fence’ are coming from small career-staffed or volunteer-staffed fire departments whose personnel are unfamiliar with fire suppression operations on commercial or industrial facilities.

And who likely lack the fire apparatus and pumping capacity to address the scope and magnitude of fires on such sites.

< FIRE & RESCUE < fOurth QuArter 2018

Water-flow requirements When developing the specifications for a fire protection pump, it is important to start by determining the most common water-flow requirements necessary to provide fire suppression services for the facility to be protected.

Questions to ask yourself include: • How good is the available water supply? Is it necessary to pump water through long supply lines? Does your facility depend on drafting water from static sources?

• What kinds of fire flows are required for the occupancies, processes, and storage on your facility?

• Is your facility urban, suburban, or rural?

• How many lines and what water flow do you expect to operate from your fire apparatus?

• What is the available staffing for those hose lines? What is your level of dependence on outside mutual-aid?

Pumps for firefighting Pump manufacturers have responded to the fire apparatus pump needs of both municipal and industrial fire protection organisations with an array of new products. These includes products such as power take-off-driven pumps with higher flow rates; centrifugal pumps with newer engineering, casting designs, attachments, and light-weight materials that have ‘slimmed-down’ popular pump models; and ultra-highpressure pumps that make more effective use of water supplies and provide an effective fire stream for fires (eg turbine engine fires) where banned fire suppression agents such as Halon were the former suppression agent of choice.

Centrifugal pumps Centrifugal pumps – both single-stage and multiple-stage – have long been a popular pump option for fire protection, both when incorporated into motorised fire apparatus and when used in conjunction with a fixed fire protection system such as a sprinkler system.

Pump manufacturers continue to push the upper limits of pumping capability for centrifugal pumps through better designs, engineering, and materials. US Fire Pumps touts its High Velocity Pump as the largest engine-driven NFPA 1901-compliant fire pump in the world. The HVP meets NFPA 1901 performance requirements for flows up to 23,660 lpm and can take advantage of larger diesel industrial engines up to 700hp. Given enough engine power and a pressurised

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KP Pump

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firefighting pumps

The Hale HPX 200 has been designed for firefighting operations as well as wildland firefighting operations.

water system, the HVP’s performance will exceed 37,855 lpm.

Other manufacturers producing centrifugal pumps – for fire apparatus or for use in a fixed facility – that can pump more than 11,356 lpm include: Rosenbauer’s Industrial Pumper, which uses a mid-ship-mounted pump that is capable of delivering 17,304 lpm; Darley’s model 2ZSM 6000 mid-ship pump that delivers 22,710 lpm at 689kPa; and the Waterous Cru-2 High Flow series pump that delivers a fire flow ranging from 15,000 lpm at 690kPa to 25,000 lpm at 690kPa.

PTO-driven pumps PTO-driven pumps, with their pump-and-roll capability, are not just for wildland firefighting apparatus anymore. Several manufacturers, including Pierce and Rosenbauer, are selling apparatus with PTO-driven pumps rated up to 5,678 lpm.

PTO-driven pumps offer several significant advantages: • The cost of the pump is about 50% less than a mid-shipmounted centrifugal pump.

• The manifolding on these large PTO-driven pumps is quite simple and custom designed, enabling manufacturers to prefabricate custom suction and discharge manifolds that meet the customer's needs.

• The pump can be tucked underneath the cab or located immediately behind the cab, using often-wasted space.

• PTO-driven pumps make for compact pump modules, freeing up compartment space in the vehicle.

• They are easier to operate because the apparatus operator engages the pump by pushing a button in the cab, whether the truck is in drive, neutral, or park.

These savings in weight and space dedicated solely to the pump and manifold can be a huge advantage for fire departments when considering the need for a pumper and a rescue truck – one vehicle for all emergency needs. The pump-and-roll capability of a PTO-driven pump increases the firefighting capability of the apparatus, particularly during wildland interface operations to protect structures.

Ultra-high-pressure pumps A conventional low-pressure fire apparatus pump delivers between 75 lpm and 7,600 lpm at discharge pressures that range from 830kPa to 2,100kPa. NFPA 1901: Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus (Chapter 28) defines ultra-highpressure pumps as those that have a minimum rated capacity

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< FIRE & RESCUE < FOURTH QUARTER 2018

of 25 lpm and a rated discharge pressure greater than or equal to 7,600kPa. UHPs produce small water droplets with ten times the surface area of water droplets in fire streams produced by conventional low-pressure fire pumps, allowing at least five times less water to be used. With a UHP system, at least 90% of the water either arrives at the burning fuel or converts to steam, which not only takes energy out of a fire but also displaces the oxygen the fire needs to continue burning.

The ultra-high-pressure, high-volume pump from Darley provides a fire stream of 30 lpm at 8,300kPa. HMA Fire’s Hydrus UHP delivers a fire stream of 76 lpm at 9,652kPa through a 19mm hose. When the US Air Force, along with the other US military services, was looking for an extinguishing agent to replace Halon in its aircraft rescue firefighting operations it turned to UHP technology.

In fire suppression tests at the USAF’s Tyndall Air Force Base, UHPs were used to suppress pool fires of JP-8 jet aircraft fuel in a 325m2 (3,500ft2) test pit with a 1,438-litre (380-gallon) capacity. The best result for a low-pressure pump (360 lpm at 862kPa using 45mm hose) extinguished 90% of the test fire in 59 seconds using 360 litres of water. In contrast, the UHP (76 lpm at 8,275kPa using a 19mm hose) extinguished 100% of the test fire in 31.5 seconds using only 52 litres of water.

Hydraulic pumps Hydraulic power has been used in industrial applications for years. A relatively small hydraulic pump – powered by either an electric motor or internal combustion engine – can create a tremendous amount of pressure that can do incredible amount of work.

Harrison Hydra Gen, a major manufacturer of hydraulicallypowered equipment for utilities has brought that experience to manufacturers of fire and emergency services apparatus, helping them to build IHT technology into their products.

Hydraulic submersible pump For emergency fire water supply and for dewatering from natural disasters, hydraulic-driven, submersible-pump (HSP) systems provide a solution for getting pressurised water from static sources. Using an HSP, personnel can access any open water source at distances approaching 61m.

Once that water supply has been established, a single HSP can deliver 3,000 lpm over 3,000m in a relatively short period of time using only a few personnel. No vacuum priming is required, improving reliability, minimising set up time, and freeing up available staffing for more important tasks.

HSPs come in a variety of sizes and configurations that can meet any fire department or industrial facility’s water supply needs and can be mounted on a heavy-duty pick-up truck or on a trailer. Larger units are typically containerised. The table below shows the fire flow capability and practical hose lengths associated with a mid-range HSP. Hydraulic-driven, submersible-pump systems can be used in multiple configurations to create water supply systems capable of delivering anywhere from 37,854 lpm to 75,708 lpm. When used with 254mm or 305mm hose, these configurations of multiple HSPs can be used to de-water areas that have been flooded due to either natural weather or man-made events.

References 1. Campbell, R. Fire in Industrial or Manufacturing Properties. NFPA Report. April 2018. Quincy, MA. Retrieved From: https://www.nfpa. org/-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics/Occupancies/ osIndustrial.pdf

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foam

POPs in review

Increasing international concerns over legacy and ongoing PFAS contamination were emphasised at the latest meeting of the Stockholm Convention’s Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee, which highlighted the need for urgent global action.

T

he 14th meeting of the Stockholm Convention’s Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee focused on three perfluorinated chemicals, their derivatives and precursors – PFHxS, PFOS, and PFOA. The POPRC14 meeting took place at the headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome from 17-21 September 2018. The Committee consists of 31 governmentdesignated experts drawn from various geographic regions, with quotas for states that are parties to the Convention: Africa (8); Asia-Pacific (8); Central and Eastern Europe (3); Latin America and Caribbean (5); Western European and others (7).

The Committee is currently chaired by Professor Estefania Gastaldello Moreira (Brazil). The meeting, which was held directly after a UN Rotterdam Convention Chemical Review Committee meeting, was coordinated on behalf of the BRS (Basel-Rotterdam-Stockholm) secretariat by Kei Ohno Woodall.

The meeting opened on Monday morning with a plenary session concerned with procedural matters covering the outline of work for the following four days. Three perfluorinated chemicals, their salts and related compounds (derivatives and precursors) were the substance of the meeting: perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, PFHxS; perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, PFOS; and perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA. In concentrating on the highly dispersive use of PFOA derivatives, such as the 8:2 fluorotelomer surfactants in firefighting foam, the POP Review Committee asked four of the official meeting participants (observers) to give short presentations as part of the plenary session. These presentations were on alternative Class B firefighting foams to those containing PFOA-related substances (ie, the older generation C6/C8 foams), such as current ‘pure’ C6 foams and fluorine-free foams. The speakers were John-Olav Ottessen

The POPRC14 meeting took place at the headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome in September 2018. ©Shutterstock

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< FIRE & RESCUE < FOURTH QUARTER 2018

(Eurofeu), representing manufacturers and the fluorochemical industry; Niall Ramsden (Lastfire), representing end users in the petrochemical industries; Roger Klein (on behalf of the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) F3 Panel) on the viability of fluorine-free foams (F3) as alternatives to AFFFs; and Kalle Kivela, representing the European Chemical Agency.

Three major topics were on the Committee’s agenda for discussion throughout the week in contact sessions: perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, PfHxS, its salts and PFHxSrelated compounds (precursors and derivatives); (ii) perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds; and (iii) perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, PFOS, its salts and PFOS-related compounds. Draft decisions for ratification at the upcoming Convention of the Parties meeting in Geneva in April-May 2019 were completed and passed unanimously by the Committee before the meeting closed on Friday 21 September.

The two topics of most relevance to the firefighting foam industry, which affect current generation Class B foams, are summarised in the Conclusions §4.8.7 contained in meeting document UNEP/POPS/POPRC.14/3. These relate to PFOA and are based on decisions taken at the previous POPRC meeting in 2017, namely: ‘…The Committee should consider whether the non-fluorinated alternatives already commercialised and in use can replace the fluorine-based AFFFs for all uses and the issues surrounding existing stockpiles as two separate elements’.

In response to this conclusion, the International POPs Elimination Network – represented at the meeting by Pamela Miller and Joe DiGangi – submitted a White Paper for consideration by the POP Review Committee written by a panel of experts convened by IPEN. The paper was titled: Fluorine-Free Firefighting Foams (3F) – viable alternatives to fluorinated aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF). This document can be downloaded from the IPEN website at www.ipen.org.

There was vocal opposition expressed by the observer representing the fluorochemical industry, who objected to the discussion of fluorine-free foams as alternatives to fluorinated foams on the ground that it was inappropriate to the meeting. In an acknowledgement that PFAS may not be the only POP of concern, the European Chemical Agency speaker cautioned that non-fluorinated replacements for AFFF should be checked for any persistent compounds, including silicon derivatives.

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foam

The POP Review Committee decided to recommend revoking most of the previously acceptable uses of PFOS, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF) on the grounds that they are no longer required. This included aviation hydraulic fluids, photo-imaging, photo-resists and anti-reflective coatings, and certain medical devices, with a specific exemption for hard metal plating in place of an acceptable purpose. Specific exemptions can only be taken up via individual registration with the Convention.

From a fire engineering point of view, the most significant decision on PFOS from POPRC14 was the following: ‘…The assessment indicated that alternatives to PFOS-based firefighting foams are readily available in many countries and have been demonstrated to be technically feasible and economically viable, but some have potential negative environmental and health impacts. On this basis, the Committee recommends that the acceptable purposes for the production and use of PFOS, its salts and PFOSF for firefighting foams be converted to a specific exemption for the use of firefighting foams for liquid fuel vapour suppression and liquid fuel fires (Class B fires) already in installed systems including both mobile and fixed systems, and with the same conditions specified in paragraphs 2 (a)(d) and 3 of the annex to decision POPRC-14/[…] on PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds. The Committee recognised that a transition to the use of short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) for dispersive applications such as firefighting foams is not a suitable option from an environmental and human health point of view and that some time may be needed for a transition to alternatives without PFASs…’

their long-range environmental transport to lead to significant adverse human health and environmental effects such that global action is warranted.…’

In addition, the half-life in man for PFHxS was noted to be significantly greater (~10-35 years) than for PFOS (4-5 years), as well as being widely distributed in biota and throughout the global environment.

Two presentations at a lunchtime side event run by Norway on the Wednesday, one from Bjorn Jenssen (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) and the other from Heli Routti (Norwegian Polar Institute), highlighted research on the occurrence and impact of PFAS in arctic animals. In particular, Jenssen presented data showing that there was maternal placental transfer of PFHxS and bioconcentration in seal pup plasma with PFHxS > PFOS > PFOA; that there was biomagnification in many species pairs especially for ringed seals/polar bears; and that significant thyroid hormone and

FOAM

FIGHTS

FIRE

The importance of the highlighted section cannot be overestimated as in essence a similar recommendation was made when considering firefighting foams that may contain PFOA or its precursors (overleaf). This clearly telegraphs that replacement of C8 chemistry by shorter-chain PFASs, which includes PFHxS, PFBS, as well as high-purity C6 fluorotelomer derivatives, is not a suitable option.

The decisions taken on PFHxS, its salts and PFHxS-related compounds, were much more definitive – that any material containing the C6F13SO3moiety as a structural element be listed under Annex A, as well as Annexes B and/or C of the Stockholm Convention, with the criteria for inclusion in Annex D also being met. Significant concerns were expressed that: ‘…perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS-related compounds are likely as a result of

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foam

hepatic lipid disruption occurred with marked transthyretin antagonist activity PFHxS > PFOS = PFOA. The data presented by Routti showed that PFOS concentrations in arctic fox and polar bears on Svalbard declined sharply between 2000 and 2009 after production ceased in 2000 – almost certainly due to a sharp drop in volatile PFOS precursors present in the atmosphere – followed by levelling off during the period 2009-2014, suggesting long-term oceanic transport or continued production with increasing PFOS ocean surface concentrations. Although direct emissions from Western countries of perfluorocarboxylate (PFCA) precursors have declined, PFOA levels in arctic foxes and polar bears have remained remarkably stable. PFCAs are still present in the oceanic circulation and are being transported towards the Arctic. There are increasing emissions of PFCA precursors, with a worrying increase in levels observed for PFDA, PFUnDA, PFTrDA and PFTeDA, of +3-4% per year over the period 2000 to 2014.

There was considerable pressure from the Chinese, Indian, and Japanese delegations at POPRC14 in Rome for continued use of PFOS and PFHxS in firefighting foams. In Europe, America and the ANZAC countries, PFOS is generally regarded as a legacy PFAS and no longer allowed for use in firefighting foam, with PFHxS occurring as a homologue contaminant of PFOS produced during manufacture. However, it became clear during the meeting that current AFFFs or fluorosurfactant feedstocks manufactured in China or India should be viewed as potential sources of PFOS and PFHxS; this is particularly true for products that appear to be much cheaper than those on the European/American markets.

The Committee’s findings and decisions covering PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds (precursors), are directly relevant to firefighting foam already present in installed systems. A specific exemption for five years was recommended for certain uses in the semiconductor and photographic industries, as well as in textiles used for protective apparel: ‘…(iii) Textiles for oil and water repellency for the protection of workers from dangerous liquids that comprise risks to their health and safety….’, and for firefighting foams – ‘…(vi) Firefighting foam for liquid fuel vapour suppression and liquid fuel fires (Class B fires) already in installed systems, including both mobile and fixed systems, taking due account of the possible related control measures specified in the annex to the present decision….’

However, the Committee again raised the issue of the undesirable environmental and health effects of short-chain replacements as reflected in their statements on the other PFASs under consideration: ‘…Recommends to the Conference of the Parties that it consider encouraging Parties not to replace firefighting foam that contains or may contain PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds with short-chain PFASs due to their persistency and mobility as well as potential negative environmental, health and socioeconomic impacts….’

In addition, determined efforts should be made to manage waste containing PFOA or its precursors effectively: ‘…Make determined efforts designed to lead to the environmentally sound management of firefighting foam stockpiles and waste [including firewater runoff] that contain or may contain PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds….’

In response to the Committee’s queries over the relative costs of fluorine-free Class B foams compared to AFFFs, previously in favour of AFFFs by about 20-30%, IPEN made available to the Committee and the meeting as a whole the

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recent comparison of market prices for F3 and AFFF products compiled by Gary MacDowall and Roger Klein as of August 2018.

This current information on relative market prices for fluorine-free and fluorinated firefighting foams clearly lays to rest the oft repeated disadvantage of using fluorine-free foams because they are more expensive than AFFFs. This is no longer true, based on equivalent quality and performance. So, there is no longer any excuse for ‘business as usual’ and continued use of AFFFs on the grounds of purchase price.

In the meantime, on 3 October the US Senate passed the Federal Aviation Reauthorisation Act 2018 by 93-6 votes, which contains the amendment in Section 203 effectively removing the legacy obligation to use fluorinated MilSpec foam by allowing the use of non-fluorinated firefighting foams at US civilian airports subject to NFPA 403 and specified performance standards. On 5 October 2018, this Act was signed into US law by the President.

So, what is the take-home message from the UN Stockholm Convention POPRC14 meeting in Rome? Overall, the increasing concerns about legacy and ongoing releases and adverse effects of all PFAS were recognised and emphasised, with no doubt about the need for urgent global action. This includes recommending revocation of exemptions for most uses of PFAS and time-limited conditional restrictions for foam including: • only foam currently installed in systems (not drums, containers and other foam stockpiles); • no import or export (including ‘gifts’ or sale to others); • no testing or training with PFAS foams (to prevent releases and cheap 'disposal'); • impermeable containment facilities for wastes prior to proper disposal; • proper and prompt disposal of waste stockpiles (not to WWTP, not composting); • individual registration required for exemptions.

Certainly, there continues to be increasing information and growing concern on the part of international and national regulatory bodies about the adverse socio-economic, health, and environmental effects of all PFAS. Short-chain poly- and perfluoroakyl substances (PFASs) are rapidly losing favour as appropriate alternatives for longer-chain C8 compounds, especially for use in dispersive applications such as firefighting foams.

Moreover, concerns over the continued use of PFASs, and the increasing levels of pollution from these materials and their breakdown products worldwide, have been forcefully expressed by the international scientific community in the Helsingør (2014), Madrid (2015) and Zurich (2018) Statements.

This has particular significance for the long-term potential future exposure to financial and legal liability for any organisation considering switching to alternative high-purity C6 fluorotelomer products for use in firefighting foams or textile treatments.

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wildfire

A tale of three forests

A Above: Hotshots march to their deployment at the Timber Crater Fire.

Below: special weed washes have been set up during wildfire deployment to prevent the spread of invasive species.

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n exhausted hotshot lays out her sleeping bag in a grassy field after a hard day on the fire line. At daybreak, as she rolls up her bag, she inadvertently picks up a small amount of plant material and seed.

A wildland engine rumbles along a freshly cut dozer line. Its tyres kick up dirt as it traverses the rough terrain. Dust containing spores from an invasive pathogen settles on flat surfaces and finds its way into crevices in the vehicle’s undercarriage.

A tender drafts from a pond, and as it pumps in water, it also collects tiny aquatic organisms that attach themselves to the strainer and hard suction hose.

The accidental spread of invasive species happens every day on wildfires across the US. Non-native plants, plant diseases, and aquatic pests find firefighters and fire apparatus to be hospitable hosts, providing endless opportunities to

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travel to new areas and wreak havoc.

It’s not just by chance that we are there. Invasive plants have a symbiotic relationship with wildfire. Fire burns through an area, removing native vegetation. Firefighters come to suppress the fire, often unknowingly bringing propagule (spores, seeds, or plant material capable of reproducing) with them. In this sterile environment, there is little competition for light, water, or nutrients. It is a blank canvas for an aggressive plant species. Once established, these invasive species alter the ecological balance.

Cheatgrass (Bromus Tectorum) is one of the most pervasive non-native plants in the US. A winter grass, it germinates in the fall and develops its root system through the winter months. In spring it sends up shoots earlier than native plants. It ‘shades out’ competing species by blocking the sun’s rays with its leaf blades and preventing native plants from becoming reestablished. By mid-June as its life cycle ends, the cheatgrass drops its seed and dries out, leaving a continuous dry fuel bed that is highly receptive to ignition and rapid-fire growth. The resulting mid-summer fires destroy more native plants, and the fire-adapted cheatgrass will germinate again when precipitation arrives in the fall.

This cycle results in dense, continuous grass stands that make fire ignition and spread more likely. Historically, in sagebrush-dominated ecosystems, large fires might occur every 60 to 100 years. In areas where cheatgrass has become the dominant species (approximately 50 million acres in the US), the interval between large fires is five years or less.

An invasive species is defined as a genus that is non-native to the ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm. It is difficult to assess the economic costs of invasive species, but estimates put the worldwide total as high as US$1.4 trillion per year, with

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wildfire

Invasive plants have a symbiotic relationship with fire, and wildfire suppression presents the perfect opportunity to spread these harmful species further afield.

Michael Davis reports on efforts to contain the threat that non-native plants and animals pose to precious ecosystems in the US.

Forestry, a national provider of personnel and equipment for wildland firefighting, has several weed wash units deployed across the western US. Each unit includes a large containment basin. Ramps are set up inside the basin. Beneath the ramps is an array of high-pressure water jets. 'As a vehicle pulls onto the ramps, the upward facing jets are activated,' explains Grayback's emergency services coordinator Dale Ironside. 'Attendants use pressure washers to clean wheel wells, running boards, and bumpers. Any visible mud or dirt is removed. Water from the process is captured and filtered before disposal. It is pumped through a coarse screen to catch large debris, and then through a 100-micron filter to remove remaining contaminants. Mud and debris in the catch basin are collected and placed in heavy plastic bags. These are tagged, sealed, and sent to a landfill for disposal.’

Ironside adds that READs routinely collect samples from the weed wash filtration systems. These samples are tested in a lab to see if they contain viable plant materials. Material in the samples often does germinate, validating the effectiveness of the weed wash system.

Kailey Clarno is district botanist for the Rogue RiverSiskiyou National Forest in Southern Oregon. Clarno served as a READ on the Chetco Bar fire where the READ team was tasked with containing two invasive plant pathogens, Phytophthora ramorum (Sudden Oak Death), and Phytophthora lateralis (Port-Orford-Cedar Root Disease). The origin of these pathogens is unclear, but studies point to a possible Asiatic source. Over the last decade, these diseases have been responsible for the death of more than one million oak and cypress trees in the western coastal regions of Northern California and Oregon.

To contain the spread of invasive aquatic species, many helicopters are now deploying with more than one bucket. If reassigned to another area, they must fly to the helibase and switch buckets before beginning their next mission, leaving the original bucket to be decontaminated.

damage in the US calculated to be US$120 billion.

With such high costs associated with the problem, it is no surprise that the fight to prevent the spread of invasive species during fire suppression has taken on new urgency. An army of botanists and ecologists work to protect US forests and public lands. During wildfires these specialists are assigned as resource advisors or READs. They work closely with incident command staff, briefing firefighters on specific threats, and developing plans for hazard mitigation and decontamination. READs are embedded with fire operations personnel and are present on the fire line to observe and provide guidance.

Jennifer Hooke is lead botanist at the Crater Lake National Park. Crater Lake is a national treasure, hosting 750,000 visitors from around the world each year. When a thunderstorm ignited the Timber Crater fires, Hooke was intent on preventing new threats from entering the park during suppression activities. She and her colleagues educated firefighters about invasive species. They inspected proposed base camp, spike camp, staging areas, and helispot locations. One planned helispot was going to be in an open meadow teaming with multiple weed species. Concerned that plant material would become tangled in cargo nets and carried into the park, Hooke worked with air operations to instead secure a paved area for the helispot.

Propagule of invasive plants can be carried on clothing or the soles of boots. Hooke’s team set up boot brush stations at staging areas. Firefighters were asked to brush plant material from their clothing and gear, and to clean their boots before entering the fire area. Hooke also insisted that every fire apparatus go through a ‘weed wash’ before entering the park.

Weed wash stations are designed to remove dirt and plant materials from the undercarriage of vehicles. Grayback

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wildfire

McAda delivered a 35-million BTU fluids heating unit with a 21,000-gallon frac tank to the base camp in Walsenburg, Colorado to decontaminate fire apparatus used at the Spring Creek Fire.

Grayback Forestry decontaminating a helicopter well.

The company recently built a mobile high-temperature pressure wash unit with a 500-gallon water supply to meet the need for this type of field decontamination.

Phytophthora is a moisture-loving, microscopic fungus-like organism that lives in the soil. It produces copious quantities of spores that can be spread by water, wind-driven rain, or even heavy fog. Spores can also travel in dirt and dust stirred up by fire suppression activities.

With nearly 2,000 firefighters and hundreds of engines, tenders, and heavy equipment working across an incident spanning more than 298 square miles, the READs on the Chetco Bar fire faced a daunting task. The usual regiments of decontamination were followed but, instead of decontaminating vehicles only when they left the incident, trucks used in known pathogen zones had to be cleaned before moving from one division to another. Thousands of gallons of chlorine bleach were distributed to engine and tender crews. Every time water was loaded into an apparatus, it had to be treated with bleach before it could be used to fight the fire. At trailheads leading out of divisions known to be infected, firefighters had to pass through cleaning stations where they were asked to brush dirt from their clothing and gear and to spray their boots with bleach before hiking out.

However, where the READs at Chetco Bar faced a menace in the soil, READs at the Spring Creek Fire in Colorado had a very different problem.

The wind-driven Spring Creek Fire, originating from an errant cooking fire, grew quickly to 108,000 acres, making it the third-largest wildfire in Colorado's history. One of the primary water sources for firefighting was a reservoir home to two invasive species: the New Zealand mud snail and an invasive aquatic plant, Eurasian Milfoil.

Once introduced, the New Zealand mud snail multiplies rapidly, attaching itself inside pipes where it can damage hydro-electric plants and other water systems. It has proven impossible to eradicate.

The Eurasian Milfoil grows in thick mats in the shallows of freshwater lakes. It chokes out other water plants and makes the lakes unusable for swimming or boating.

READs determined that to prevent the spread of these

pests, fire apparatus would have to be decontaminated using water heated to at least 140°F. They specified that every surface of internal tanks and pumps should be exposed to this high-temperature water for at least 10 minutes. When they approached the Rocky Mountain Type 2 IMT Team Blue with these requirements, logistics section Chief Travis Bailey came up with a unique solution.

Bailey had a vague recollection of hearing that high-temperature fluids were used in oil field hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’. He contacted a friend in the oil industry who directed him to McAda Fluids Heating Services.

Although McAda had never undertaken an operation of this sort, they were confident they could meet Bailey's needs. The company express delivered a 35-million BTU fluids heating unit with a 21,000-gallon (79,000-litre) frac tank to the base camp in Walsenburg, Colorado. Operators were brought in from Colorado and Texas to staff the operation.

Bailey said it took only 90 minutes to heat 16,000 gallons of potable water to 160°F (71°C). The hot water was pumped into each apparatus and kept under pressure so that no air space remained in tanks or lines. After 10 minutes the water was pumped out through a filtration system, and back into the frac tank for reheating. The process took about 18 minutes per vehicle. Start times, beginning water temperature, exposure time, and the temperature of the water as it was pumped out were documented. Following the internal decontamination, a high-temperature weed wash was used to remove contamination on external surfaces.

Chief Bailey broke new ground with his innovative solution at Spring Creek, but the issue of invasive aquatic species contamination isn’t limited to fire engines. Firefighting aircraft are also affected.

If a helicopter makes bucket drops from one water source in the morning and is needed in another division in the afternoon, the pilot must consider contamination. If the first water source contained an invasive species, and the pilot dips into the new water source, it too may become contaminated.

To prevent this, many rotorcraft are now deploying with more than one bucket. If reassigned to another area, they must fly to the helibase and switch buckets before beginning their next mission, leaving the original bucket to be decontaminated.

Dale Ironside says Grayback Forestry has recently built a mobile high-temperature pressure wash unit with a 500-gallon water supply to meet the need for this type of field decontamination. The unit is used to clean buckets, heli-wells, or portable fire-retardant plant equipment at remote locations.

In many ways fighting wildland fire can be thought of as a war. A fire flares up, we mobilise our forces, march in, and ‘kick some ash’. Then we take a bow and move on to the next fire, but there is so much more to it. Fire suppression is part of forest management, but it’s just the smallest corner of a much bigger picture. How we leave the forest and what happens after the fire is out can be even more important than how quickly it was extinguished. Once we begin to understand the impacts of non-native species, we will quickly realise that if we don’t control these pests, one day we may find we’ve won the battle but lost the war.

About the Author: Michael Davis is a wildland firefighter, EMT, and public information officer living in Conifer, Colorado

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ppe

Experience matters In an era when the safety and wellbeing of firefighters both on and off duty is coming under greater scrutiny, one protective fabric manufacturer is engaging with end users on the important topics of the moment in order to improve both is own offering and to help fire services make a more informed choice of PPE. Lotte Debell reports.

T

encate Protective Fabrics, based in The Netherlands, has been organising a series of ‘experience days’ for end users together with a PPE manufacturer since 2013 that cover both its own product offering – and provide attendees with the opportunity to test that offering in real-fire conditions – and expert presentations from speakers across the fire safety industry on issues such as firefighters’ cancer risk, smart textiles, and Industry 4.0.

Antonio de Leon Torres, ER marketing manager for Tencate in Europe, explains that the subjects covered at these events are determined by the delegates. ‘We researched possible topics with fire services prior to the experience days to try to find out the issues that the attendees are interested in or concerned about. That gives us a good working agenda for what we touch on during the event.’

The most recent event for fire service personnel was held in collaboration with PPE manufacturer Isotemp over two days in April 2018. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a hot topic was firefighters’ fight against cancer, which was addressed by Maurice Kemmeren from the National Institute for Safety in The Netherlands. ‘A few years ago this wasn’t on the fire service

radar but now everyone is talking about it,’ says Antonio De Leon Torres.

In light of this heightened awareness, Kemmeren talked delegates through his review of the available studies on the topic, and his own trials, looking at the scientific evidence for what does and doesn’t constitute a cancer risk, and what he believes is the main exposure route for contamination.

Kemmeren also touched on a closely-related topic, that of the proper care and maintenance of PPE. Now that dirty kit has been implicated in firefighters’ heightened cancer risk, and standards bodies around the world are working on guidance related to methods and frequency of cleaning, these two subjects are inextricably linked.

PPE labelling is also related. Roger Lederer from fire brigade Infraserv Höchst in Germany filled delegates in on the latest labelling regulations. In force since April 2018, PPE Regulation 2016/425 (EU) mandates the information that must be included on garment labels, including the protection level, the materials used, and care instructions. He also talked about garment traceability and data insights – operational kit at the Infraserv Höchst fire department will use transponders for

The second day of the two-day event is held at Troned, Twente Safety Campus in Enschede, where delegates try out Tencate’s Millenia 450 system garments in real-fire conditions.

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ppe

High-performance outershell A new generation of outershell fabrics for firefighter turnout gear has been developed by Kermel.

Kermel is a high-performance aramid fibre that doesn’t melt, shrink or burn when exposed to heat and flame. The new EN469-compliant fabrics, Kermel KTS 210 and Kermel GM 10, have been engineered to provide improved performance and a higher quality appearance.

The integration of a para-aramid fibre into a micro-ripstop grid and a specific weave structure gives Kermel KTS 210 its high mechanical performance. It also offers better breathability thanks to an optimum fabric weight that allows for increased sweat evacuation. Finally, use of long-staple Kermel fibres and a smooth surface provide increased durability and abrasion resistance.

Solution-dyed fibres preserve a garment’s original colour even after multiple washes.

Kermel GM 10, meanwhile, is a double-sided outer fabric with an integrated para-aramid structure on the hidden face that the company says makes it virtually tearproof. Dope-dyed and long-staple fibres give the fabric a high-quality appearance and superior colour retention, while the combination of the double-sided structure, fine Kermel yarns in the outer layer, and the para-aramid hidden layer result in improved thermal protection and durability.

tracking from the end of this year.

This is similar to RFID tagging and means garments can be traced from the beginning of their life through their wear and maintenance cycles. There’s a chip on each item of clothing that enables the asset management system to record how often it has been washed and any repair work that has been carried out. ‘All the important information relating to that garment can be documented easily and quickly,’ explains Lederer, ‘which includes the type and number of possible contaminations it has been exposed to.’

The benefits of this kind of traceability are not limited to giving fire services greater visibility of PPE over its entire lifecycle, explains Antonio de Leon Torres. Tracking also helps the manufacturer of the clothing and even the fabric manufacturer.

‘The garments are linked to the firefighter who wears them, and that means we can see what type of incidents they are attending, and how often. This means that manufacturers can understand what wearers are doing in their garments, and it provides us with a summary of this information, which we can use to improve our fabrics or make any other changes to the fabrics or the linings to improve their performance in line with what firefighters actually need from their kit. We are also able to analyse the data for specific clients and tailor our offering to their requirements.’

This really is the aim behind the whole concept of the experience days – to enable Tencate to get to know its clients better, both the garment manufacturers and the people who end up wearing the garments, and vice versa.

The company also delivers a presentation on the correct selection of materials and takes delegates on a tour of its production facilities and testing laboratories.

‘We want to show delegates just what happens to the materials they are wearing when they are exposed to heat and flame,’ says Antonio de Leon Torres. ‘We show tests of different fabrics – the aramids, the modacrylics, etc – and let them see how these fabrics perform. Because when you see it happen in front of you – how certain materials break open,

The value of Tencate's events lies in the opportunity for fire service delegates to test the fabrics and garments side-by-side with their contemporaries from other fire departments, and discuss their experiences with their peers.

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ppe

for example – it really makes an impression. It demonstrates to end users that maybe they need better protection.

Actually seeing these things gives people something they can relate to.’

In other words, it gives fire services a way to assess manufacturers’ claims beyond simply comparing sales brochures.

Antonio de Leon Torres says that these demonstrations open up discussions between firefighters and garment makers about how they can work together to create new designs or changes in the material to improve the protection of their PPE. To top it all off, the delegates then get the chance to put Tencate’s fabrics to the test. The second day of the two-day event is held at Troned, Twente Safety Campus in Enschede, where delegates try out Tencate’s Millenia 450 system garments in real-fire conditions.

‘We are able to offer a range of realistic scenarios to enable delegates to test the garments and see how they perform against heat and flame,’ says Antonio de Leon Torres. ‘For example, at the Safety Campus they can simulate house, storage facility fires, garage fires – there could be three or four cars in there – and they can regulate the conditions.’

Tobias Thoren, head of sales and marketing from PPE manufacturer Isotemp, and joint organiser of the event, believes that the real value of the days lies in the opportunity for fire service delegates to test the fabrics and garments side by side with their contemporaries from other fire departments, and discuss their experiences with their peers.

As a result, there is always a lot of interest from Isotemp’s customers in attending.

Currently, the experience days are only available to German PPE manufacturers and fire services, but Tencate hopes to expand them to other countries in the future. ‘We have had requests from Austria and Switzerland, for example, and we may look at organising these events elsewhere in collaboration with local partners.’

ppe, Cancer, and THE RISK OF cross-contamination Cancer risk and cross-contamination were obvious topics for Tencate’s most recent experience day as these issues have received a lot of attention both in the Netherlands and internationally. For Maurice Kemmeren and his colleague Dr Ronald Heus, it was a case of addressing delegates’ concerns on the issue and relaying their findings from their own investigations, both into the existing literature and subsequent trials into exposure routes and clothing contamination and cleaning.

Concerned that existing studies provide no clear answers, Kemmeren and Dr Heus carried out their own research project, which was presented to delegates. This included modelling the different exposure routes in smoke and fire, leading Kemmeren and Heus to conclude that inhalation is a more important exposure route than dermal absorption or digestion.

Then the research looked at the contamination of clothing, the lack of clear safe limits for contamination levels on garments, and existing regulations such as REACH. An interesting finding of this investigation, and one which has implications for how fire services clean PPE, is that if kit with different levels of contamination is washed together, chemicals from the most heavily contaminated garments transfer to the least contaminated.

The research, which was conducted at a lab in Finland, found that the contamination levels of the garments tested – with the exception of PPE from a training centre – did not go above the levels set out in REACH. However, Kemmeren explains that the proper cleaning of PPE remains very important, even if, as he believes, inhalation of chemicals is a greater risk to firefighters than dermal absorption. ‘If there are fine particles of contamination on clothing, these can become airborne with movement and inhaled, so it is vital to keep clothing as clean as possible.’

Kemmeren adds that their research into garment cleaning clearly shows that there is room for significant improvement in this area of PPE maintenance. ‘We organised a meeting for the R&D side of the cleaning industry, including manufacturers of detergents, washing machines, and fabrics and linings, and focused on the cleaning of PPE. What became clear is that the industry has not yet found a good solution. We don’t know what this looks like yet in terms of either the machines or the cleaning medium to use.’

As a result, this is where Kemmeren and Heus will be focusing future research. They will also continue to explore the inhalation exposure route, looking specifically at the effectiveness of different mask and helmet combinations and whether these have a role to play in firefighters’ risk of chemical inhalation.

LIGHTWEIGHT SCBA CYLINDER A new extra-lightweight gas cylinder was launched for the European market in September by Luxfer Gas Cylinders.

The Eclipse SCBA cylinder was previously launched in the US at the FDIC in April 2018. It represents the first significant SCBA cylinder design change in more than 20 years, resulting in what Luxfer believes is the world’s lightest composite SCBA cylinder.

The Eclipse is based on a next-generation aerospace-grade carbon fibre-only overwrap design, reinforcing the cylinder’s lightweight aluminum liner while maintaining the highest safety, reliability and durability standards and remaining compliant with all industry standards.

At up to 20% lighter than comparable aluminium-lined (Type 3) composite cylinders, the weight-saving design enhances performance and minimises weight-related health risks for firefighters, emergency personnel, and SCBA industry professionals. It is also up to 3% lighter than the plastic-lined (Type 4) cylinders used primarily in Europe.

Professor Denise Smith, director of the Skidmore College First Responder Health and Safety Laboratory in the US, and a global expert on firefighter health, said: ‘With cardiac events currently the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths, firefighters and SCBA manufacturers should embrace opportunities to decrease the cardiovascular strain associated with firefighting.'

By significantly decreasing the weight of the SCBA cylinder while retaining the same level of respiratory protection, Luxfer hopes that the new Eclipse can help to mitigate the risk of cardiac events facing firefighters in the line of duty.

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mutual aid

Joint response Joint response operations between public fire services and voluntarily-instated industrial firefighting organisations can be a minefield. To ensure a coordinated and successful response to incidents, it is essential to have a cooperative structure in place, writes Dick van Roosmalen.

M When setting up a joint response structure it is essential to carry out a detailed risk assessment of the facility and its surrounding areas, taking into account other associated risks, including transport.

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any companies around the world voluntarily set up private industrial fire services to manage emergency firefighting tasks on their sites. In a few cases, these voluntarily-instated fire services have agreements with the local public fire service but more often operational cooperation exists without any official agreements. However, for joint deployment during a major incident to be effective, mutual insight and trust are important pre-conditions, and establishing cooperative agreements in advance of a major incident is an important step to achieving this.

Voluntarily-instated industrial fire services usually develop based on corporate interests. Mostly these are set up by companies that do not fall under the Seveso- or COMAHregulations, but tiptoe on that line when it comes to their complexity. Usually these are companies with capital-intensive assets or unique production processes, combined with long turn-out times on the part of the public fire service. The Netherlands, for example, has breweries, paper mills, chip factories, chemical industry, R&D and academic hospitals with

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voluntarily-instated industrial fire services.

For the purposes of this article, a voluntarily-instated industrial fire service is defined as the emergency service established by a company on its own initiative, and which performs firefighting tasks at or near the source of an incident.

This article will not cover cooperation with legally-mandated industrial fire services.

A voluntarily-instated industrial fire service is the last link in a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safety system that is aimed at preventing unsafe situations, limiting and controlling the effects of incidents, and preventing damage to the surrounding area. Typically, an industrial fire service will have tasks at or near the source of an incident, where the public fire service will also be present.

Members of the voluntarily-instated industrial fire service will therefore come into contact with, and will have to cooperate with, the public fire service.

Because the employees of both organisations need to cooperate when controlling an incident, both employers have a shared interest in ensuring safe working conditions. The

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mutual aid

appropriate set of tasks to the industrial fire service, which should be based on a comprehensive risk assessment and evaluation. A voluntarily-instated industrial fire service is only authorised to perform targeted actions within predictable and controllable stages of incidents. These assigned tasks will form the basis upon which agreements about cooperation during incident control can be made.

Regardless of how the industrial emergency service is organised, the public fire service remains responsible for incident control and will formally be in charge. Control of the industrial fire service will be in the hands of the assignedcorporate representative and during an incident the company will coordinate with the governmental services. Good cooperation between the two is essential, because the public fire service will be less familiar with the risks within a company, while the industrial fire service will know its production processes and industrial installations very well.

Entering into an agreement with a voluntarily-instated industrial fire service cannot be a substitute for a legallymandated industrial fire service (following local regulations).

However, a legally-mandated industrial fire service can choose to take on additional tasks that would usually be carried out by a voluntarily-instated industrial fire service.

If the government and the company decide that the criteria for a mutual aid agreement have been met, both partners should bring up their concerns as equal parties. The agreements serve a common interest and should, at the least, cover the following issues:

Notification and communication Determine how notification of an incident, alerting the fire service, and overall communication should be handled. It is important to determine the data required during an alarm and to test communication channels beforehand. Notification and communication form the starting point for operational cooperation.

The set of foreseeable tasks

public fire service has a duty-of-care towards its employees, and a company has the same obligation towards its employees. Both organisations have the same operational goal: an effective deployment and quick return to a safe situation. This forms the basis for entering into a cooperative agreement.

Since a public fire service cannot reasonably enter into a mutual-aid agreement with every industrial fire service in a service area, it is important to first assess where these agreements will have value. Two criteria are relevant here.

Firstly, is joint deployment of the public and industrial fire service a foreseeable possibility? In other words, does the industrial fire service plan to deploy near the source of an incident and therefore expect to find itself cooperating with the public fire service? Secondly, does the industrial fire service require the use of firefighting-specific facilities and materials, the operation of which require firefighting-specific education and training?

If one or both criteria are fulfilled then further cooperative arrangements have value. This will not be the case where a company is merely fulfilling its legally mandated in-house emergency response and first aid tasks or it does not deploy near the source of an incident.

The first and most important step is to assign an

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The industrial fire service should compile a list of potential scenarios and tasks and appoint a representative to inform and advise the public fire service about deployment possibilities. This step also involves determining the type of incidents for which the voluntarily-instated industrial fire service is not prepared. The deployment of the industrial fire service during non-emergency incidents such as clean-up and repair work do not need to be part of the agreement.

However, for the sake of mutual understanding, it is advisable set out these tasks in the agreement.

Public fire services arriving and operating in an industrial environment (Courtesy of Fire Services Tata Steel Europe).

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mutual aid

Dutch beer brewery Bavaria and the Lieshout fire service celebrate their mutual aid agreement with a beer.

present, and how to log information. These meetings might cover recent developments, (joint) interventions since the last meeting, new insights, and expected developments. Decide how to inform operational leadership of the topics discussed and organise meetings at operational and management level at reasonable intervals. Potential disputes should always be the primary subject of consultations. Do not hesitate to talk to each other in case things do not go as planned.

The service area The industrial fire service should create a map of possible incident sites. Potential scenarios outside the organisation should be also considered, for example, if a tanker truck is involved in an incident on the way to or from the facility.

Operational readiness The agreement should set out the availability of equipment and personnel for both parties. Determine how staffing is arranged, which shifts are secured, and the expected turnout time. Both parties should commit to certain obligations about accountability and agree how a possible loss of equipment or shortage of personnel should be handled.

Required training Both the Government and company as employers are responsible for ensuring their employees are adequately equipped for their tasks. The agreement should cover the frequency of joint training sessions, the training objectives, and the number of participants.

The division of costs It is advisable to document the efforts required from both parties and the division of costs, even if only to ensure that neither party will bill the other.

Consultations and disputes This is possibly the most important aspect of the agreement.

Decide on the frequency of consultations, who should be

A commonly-used method of documentation for these agreements is a covenant, although other methods may be appropriate. The primary assumption is that the parties are equal partners. By recording the agreement, you create a solid foundation to work out further arrangements, prevent or de-escalate conflicts, and improve operational performance.

The agreement should be signed by the director of the organisation and the commander of the public fire service.

If a voluntarily-instated industrial fire service and a public fire service need to work together during an incident, cooperation agreements should be made beforehand. Shared insight into potential scenarios and tasks forms an important prerequisite for a successful joint deployment. Public fire services should find out which local companies employ a voluntarily-instated industrial fire service and come to a documented understanding with these companies to ensure effective and safe joint deployments.

About the Author: Dick van Roosmalen is a specialist in industrial fire services, industrial safety and risk management. He has handled numerous decisions regarding legallymandated industrial fire services in name of the Dutch government and consulted on many more.

He has also designed various regional coverage plans, operational preparations, and preparations for disaster control, from smallscale projects to support processes across multiple years.

LONDON FIRE BRIGADE ADOPTS EVACUATION HOODS London Fire Brigade has adopted escape hoods to protect trapped and injured people from toxic smoke during fire evacuations.

The Parat 5550 hoods from Dräger are packaged in flame-retardant holsters designed to be carried by firefighters without restricting freedom of movement.

They can protect wearers from fire-related gases, particles, and vapours for a minimum of 15 minutes.

LFB is the first fire service in the UK to use the hoods and worked closely with the Fire Brigades Union to introduce them as part of firefighting kit. The service will roll out 600 hoods across 102 fire stations in the London area over the next few months.

Assistant commissioner Richard Mills from the London Fire Brigade said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Smoke from fires is extremely toxic and can render people unconscious within a few breaths. These hoods filter out four of the most dangerous gases, including what we call the toxic twins of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide. Rather than having to carry out every rescue as fast as possible, fire escape hoods will provide firefighters with vital extra time to consider their priorities and plan the safest exit route.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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