Electrical Emergency Procedures PDF

ELECTRICAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 1. INTRODUCTION This procedure outlines the steps to be taken to coordinate actions for emergency involving electrical transmission equipment. 2. NOTIFICATION For any incident involving electrical power the Incident Commander shall request the Alarm Office to call the...

ELECTRICAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 1. INTRODUCTION This procedure outlines the steps to be taken to coordinate actions for emergency involving electrical transmission equipment. 2. NOTIFICATION For any incident involving electrical power the Incident Commander shall request the Alarm Office to call the Florida Power and Light Company (FPL). Contact procedures are maintained at the Alarm Office. Fire Alarm Office will provide the following information to FPL A. Address B. City C. Nature of Emergency (such as): • injuries/fatalities • pole fire • oil leak • line down • explosion • leak involving electrical vault or capacitor • PCB (NOTE: Do not report PCB over radio, use YELLOW OIL SPILL for PCB, and BLUE OIL SPILL for other oil spills (non-PCB). • Fire building/house/hi-rise, etc. • Location of Command Post • Name of Incident Commander (if known). The more information that is provided will assist FPL to determine the appropriate equipment to send. Obtain an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of FPL equipment. Relay ETA to Incident Commander. 3. OUTSIDE EMERGENCIES The first arriving unit shall attempt to locate the electrical emergency. Personnel shall be in full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE-bunker gear, Firefighting Hood, Fire Helmet, gloves, etc.) including Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). 4. COMMAND CONSIDERATIONS A. Police for crowd and traffic control. B. Secure area in all directions, minimum of two hundred feet (200’) if possible. C. Notify electrical inspectors (city or county, determined by jurisdiction). D. Cordon off area. E. Keep out all unauthorized personnel, let in only properly identified FPL personnel. F. Keep apparatus at a safe distance, upwind where possible. If necessary, standby lines charged and ready, or charge siamese. Shut off should be made at meter or main control. No attempt should be made by fire service to disconnect power from main. Do not pull meters. Use hose lines, fog pattern only, to protect exposures. No water should be used on energized electrical source, except as a last resort. Recommended safe distance for fog stream is fifteen feet (15’), for solid stream is forty feet (40’). Edited: 1/7/09 5. ELECTRICAL WIRES A. GENERAL SAFEGUARDS 1. All units should use extreme caution when encountering wires. Assume electrical wires are energized until determined otherwise. 2. Guard any fallen wire or damaged electrical equipment. 3. Keep general public out of area of danger. 4. Keep fire apparatus away from areas where wires may be down, particularly at night, and during other times of poor visibility. 5. Beware of fences, railroad tracks and other structures which may be energized if in contact with an electrical wire. B. FIRE APPARATUS 1 Before jumping from an apparatus at night, examine the surroundings with a light to determine if any electric wires may be down. 2 If wires are in contact with vehicle, attempt to drive the vehicle away from the wires, if possible, or have occupant of vehicle attempt to drive it away from the wires. 3 Never step off of a vehicle that is in contact with an electrical wire. If it is necessary to dismount from the apparatus, the fire fighter should jump from the vehicle. 4 Never attempt to handle a live wire from a vehicle. 5 A fire fighter standing on the ground must not touch any vehicle or attempt to board if it is in contact with a live wire. C. VEHICLE RESCUE 1 When encountering persons trapped in a vehicle which is in contact with an energized wire, the following precautions should be followed. a. If occupants are not injured, or only slightly injured, they should remain in the vehicle until wires can be de-energized. b. Tires may begin to burn and can be extinguished with fog stream, but this may increase electrical problems. Should this occur, the occupants must now be told to exit the vehicle by jumping free of the vehicle. They should never step out of the vehicle. Jumping free of the vehicle allows them to avoid creating an electrical circuit between themselves and the ground. c. If occupants are injured, and need attention, some normally nonconductive items, i.e., a coil of hose, may be THROWN at the wire to dislodge it from the vehicle. Fire fighters should never attempt to handle an energized electric wire in the absence of an FPL representative, except life threatening situations. Every effort should be made to wait the arrival of authorized FPL personnel to handle the energized wire. In cases of extreme emergency, FPL, at the direction of the Fire Officer in charge, may be able to de-energize the electric wires through a computer system. This procedure should only be followed in extreme emergencies which are a threat to life. d. At all times check the underside of the vehicle to assure there is no contact with energized equipment such as with street lights that have underground wiring. Edited: 1/7/09 6. INSIDE EMERGENCIES A first arriving fire unit officer and not more than two fire fighters shall enter building or area in full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE-bunker gear, Firefighting Hood, Fire Helmet, gloves, etc.) including Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)., fire extinguishers (C02/dry powder/Halon) and hand tools, plus High-Rise Kit in buildings so equipped, and attempt to locate electrical emergency. A. COMMAND CONSIDERATIONS 1. Prevent smoking, eating, and drinking in the danger area due to possible contamination to the area. 2. Monitor liquid and smoke migration. 3. Evacuate building if necessary (need manpower and possible police assistance). 4. Cordon area. 5. Ventilation to area and floors above and below. 6. Keep all unauthorized personnel out (only properly identified fire and FPL crew personnel). 7. Keep apparatus at safe distance, upwind where possible, of building or area with charged standby lines. Charge siamese connection if building is so equipped. a. If electric is energized, it is not recommended that you extinguish flame at power source until shut off is complete. Shut off could be made at meter or main electrical panel. Never use an ax or metal tools to break meter. b. No attempt will be made by the fire department to cut off electrical power to meter by cutting any FPL wires. c. No meter or main switch that is disconnected, pulled or turned off will be reenergized by the Fire Department. Service will be reconnected by the electrical company only. d. It is recommended that you use hose lines to protect exposures only. Recommended safe distance for fog stream is fifteen feet (15’). e. Dike water runoff if oil is involved. B. DISCONNECTING ELECTRICAL POWER 1. Make every effort to control the fire until FPL arrives on the scene. 2. Removing the electric meter is not a guarantee that electric service to the building is off. Never attempt to remove electric meters. 3. In many cases electric service within the building may be totally disconnected or sectionalized by use of the customer’s main breakers or fuses. Fire fighters should never attempt to cut external electric wires servicing a building. 7. PCB, ELECTRICAL VAULTS, CAPACITOR AND SIMILAR HIGH VOLTAGE EMERGENCIES A. Treat all spills from electrical transformers in vaults and electrical capacitors mounted on poles, or fire at either source, as a PCB incident until the units are determined to be non-PCB. B. A first arriving fire unit in full bunker gear and breathing apparatus should attempt (without risk of electrocution or PCB contamination) to verify the Edited: 1/7/09 incident as involving PCB's. Do not enter any vaults without Florida Power and Light (FPL) assistance. C. Entry into a PCB atmosphere or energized vaults should be for life threatening situations only. D. COMMAND CONSIDERATIONS 1. Evacuation of building or area, if necessary (minimum of 200 ft. in all directions). 2. Isolate the area and wait for FPL employees to take charge of the spill and clean up. 3. Keep out all unauthorized personnel (only properly identified fire and FPL crew personnel). 4. Keep apparatus and fire fighters not directly involved in the operation at a safe distance upwind. 5. Extinguish only in cases of extreme emergency or to prevent extension of the fire, extinguish with fog stream, dry chemical or CO2. 6. Dike and contain all contaminated liquids. 7. The officer in command of incidents involving PCB's shall notify the dispatcher of YELLOW OIL PROBLEMS who will contact the appropriate federal, state, and local agencies. These agencies may provide technical assistance during and after the incident. 8. Smoke propagation and channeling should be addressed. 8. LIVE WIRES IN ELECTRIC METER ROOM The following policy will be in effect when exposed wires are found in meter boxes. A. Notify FPL. They will respond to the scene and tape the outside of the meter box. If the meter box cannot be properly protected because of its physical condition or location, then the disconnection of the electrical service should take place. B. Advise the owner and or the agent of the building that it is their responsibility to secure the meter properly and a HIP pocket notice will be issued either to the owner or agent. C. Tag the meter with a hazard warning tag. The bottom portion of the tag will be forwarded to the Fire Prevention Division (FPB), Attention: Hazard Warning Tag. D. During normal business hours (Monday through Friday from 0800 hours to 1700 hours) the Chief Electrical Inspector is to be notified through FCIO. E. If after normal business hours, or on weekends or holidays, FCIO will be notified prior to going off duty. FCIO will contact the FPB during normal business hours and make them aware of the situation. Edited: 1/7/09