Vehicle Fire Safety Considerations PDF

Training Bulletin #5 Page 7 Safety Considerations | Vehicle Fire IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) | | Working within 30 feet of any vehicle fire constitutes working in an IDLH. Any member | working within the IDLH of any vehicle fir...

Training Bulletin #5 Page 7 Safety Considerations | Vehicle Fire IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) | | Working within 30 feet of any vehicle fire constitutes working in an IDLH. Any member | working within the IDLH of any vehicle fire prior to extinguishment or before being | determined to be safe by the IC shall be fully encapsulated. | | Auto fires are one of the instances where copious amounts of water in a course stream can effectively extinguish the fire. Firefighters should be aware that the fire may initially | intensify with the application of water and may react violently. Full encapsulation will | provide an additional layer of protection for Firefighters from reactions to water. | | Incident Commanders should consider establishing a water supply or calling for an | additional engine company. Vehicle Stability Take initial action to ensure control over vehicle movement. Use chock blocks, equipment lines, etc. to prevent unexpected movement during firefighting operations. 1-1/2” Line/Dry Chemical Extinguisher Standard operating procedure involves the minimum deployment of a 1-1/2” hose line for fire suppression and a dry chemical extinguisher for personnel protection. The member stationed on the dry chemical extinguisher must allow sufficient distance in order to initiate protective/rescue measures should the incident escalate endangering the hose line operator or other civilian and rescue personnel on scene. When possible, position dry chemical extinguisher on windward side of vehicle. The effective range of a 20 pound extinguisher is 15 to 20 feet. Backdraft/Flashover Backdraft: Explosion resulting from the introduction of oxygen into a confined space/area that is both pressurized with heated flammable gasses and deficient in oxygen. Flashover: Sudden ignition of combustible gasses and/or combustible surfaces in an involved area resulting in a sudden and intense rise in temperature. These two hazards are NOT limited to structure fires. A firefighter was recently burned from a backdraft explosion emanating from the interior of a VW van. Conditions fostering flashover or backdraft can be present at incidents involving vehicle fires. Caution must be exercised when accessing ALL confined and/or involved vehicle areas. A charged 1-1/2” hose line must be an integral component of entry when fire is suspected. Have the hose line charged and ready before making entry. The potential for backdraft can be reduced through cross ventilation of the vehicle by breaking out windows. Training Bulletin #5 Page 8 BLEVE – Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion Always a consideration given the combination of liquid (fuel) in a container (fuel tank) exposed to heat (vehicle fire). Cooling the fuel tank is an advisable safety precaution if fire impingement on the tank is suspected. Do not allow the water to enter the tank as this may cause fuel to overflow from the tank creating an additional hazard. The hazard of a BLEVE is an important consideration when addressing fires in vehicles utilizing Liquefied Petroleum Gases (LPG). These vehicles are readily recognized by the presence of the LPG storage tank and associated piping. Additionally, identifying signs are usually found on the vehicle exterior. Consider the following when dealing with LPG vehicle incident: 1. The LPG storage cylinder is usually found on the exterior of the vehicle on either side or the rear. The storage tank may be found in the vehicle interior if properly sealed and separated from passenger compartment. 2. Flow of LPG through piping can be controlled by closing valves found on the storage cylinder. These valves may be identified with appropriate signs. 3. A pressure relief valve is required at the storage cylinder. Allow the relief valve to operate as designed. If the vapors from the relief valve have ignited, allow the LPG to burn and protect exposures. 4. If fire is impinging on the LPG storage cylinder, take action to control the fire and cool the cylinder. CAUTION: Too many variables are involved to allow accurate BLEVE predictions. Recorded BLEVES have occurred within 10 minutes of fire exposure. Ensure safety of personnel and operations at all times. Remember the properties of LPG when considering tactics. LPG is heavier than air. It tends to settle into low lying areas such as garages. The vapor cloud is visible but cannot be used to accurately define flammable perimeters. Vapors can flashover the entire confined area if ignited. Vapor clouds can be dispersed using fog streams. Materials of Construction 1. Plastics The automobile industry, striving to improve fuel economy through vehicle weight reduction, is expanding the applications for plastics in vehicle components. Plastics are even utilized as engine parts, exterior body panels and engine covers (i.e., Pontiac Fiero, Honda CRX). Fires involving vehicles will produce a number of toxic gasses emanating from plastic components. Following is a list of some of these toxic gasses.  TRAINING BULLETIN #5 6/87 Revised: 11/2010 AUTOMOBILE FIRES AND ASSOCIATED HAZARDS TABLE OF CONTENTS Page STRATEGY/TACTICS 1 Apparatus Placement 1 Uphill Upwind Personnel Protection Warning Devices Water Supply Vehicle Involvement 2 Engine Compartment Access Battery Vapor Canister Catalytic Converter Air Conditioners Electric Fans Fuel-Related Problems Passenger Area Electrical Upholstery Trunk/Cargo Area Vehicle Exterior Energy Absorbing Bumpers Tire Fires Window Glass Fuel Tanks Fuel Leaks/Spills | SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS 7 | Vehicle Fire IDLH 7 | Vehicle Stability 7 1-1/2” Line/Dry Chemical Extinguisher 7 Backdraft/Flashover 7 BLEVE 8 Plastics Combustible Metals VEHICLE EXTRICATION 9