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ColdCut / Cutting Extinguisher
Is it something that is used by your fire department, and what is your experience with it.
We started using this system 7-8 years ago. in the beginning we had the system on our ladder, and was primarily used to stop the fire spred. today more fire services have plased the system on the engine / pump as a supplement while the smoke divers are preparing to entering the building.
The system is good for improving the response environment for smoke diver, and I have used it a few times to stop a fire in the roof structure combined with thermokamera. the system can "shoot" through steel, wood, brick, etc., with a pressure of 200 bar, if the water can not handle the construkction alone, you can add some iron in the water.
why we use it:
Improvement of firefighter safety as the fire is combated from a safe position outside a building/construction avoiding the risk of injury due to intense heat radiation and/or explosion of fire gases.
Better access to fire in enclosed constructions such as double floors, wall and roof constructions, attics, ventilation ducts, and other constructions with restricted access.
Considerable reduction in damage due to "surplus" water compared to using ordinary spray nozzles, because most of the droplets are vaporized by the fire. An ordinary spray nozzle of the Fog fighter type generates considerably bigger drops of water, contributing to the resulting damage in buildings and constructions subjected to fire.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
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I see 200 bar converts to 3000 psi (pounds per square inch). How easily does it cut through brick and concrete?
We have not seen these used for firefighting in the US.
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Permalink Reply by Jesper Rossen on
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Easy done :-)
The tecnical data say:
- 3 mm mild steel, penetration 5 - 10 sec. apr
- 10 mm mild steel, penetration 30 - 40 sec.
There is no information about conrete but, normal you can use it at the window- or doorframe.
It only use aprox 23 liter water pr min.
Jesper Rossen
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Permalink Reply by Timothy John Dodson on
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Would like to see more information on this.
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I found this movie on youtube about cold cut fire extinguisher.
It's the best I could find in English, >>>>>>just be advised that it is a commercial move/span>
It shows how large it is, how it works on smoke layer, etc.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB5ayMWljlk
Jesper Rossen
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I watched the video and am very impressed. I had no idea this device even existed.
We shall hope to see more about it as it (hopefully) makes its way into the US.
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Wow!!! That was amazing!!!!
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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It looks interesting, but I'm leery about this as a universal type of application. There are still significant differences between the US and Europe in the firefighting world. There are also many variables to consider and with that is to think of other options.
I am all about having knowledge and options and so forth, and quite leery of putting faith into a single type of product, or even technique, there are many ways to accomplish the same goal. In the video, just before the 2 minute mark, it was mentioned about fire in a confined area. OK, fine and good, if you know where the fire is located and know it isn't spreading.
As for the first part of the video and the entering into such conditions, not really the case overall. There are many studies and science into improving safety for FFs by approaching fires differently. One such study is the NIST Governor's Island study with the FDNY. Much of the same goals touted here about cooling the structure, limiting the fire and so forth are addressed in that study, just by different techniques with the equipment already carried. Point being, there are more options out there and way too many variables to account for.
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@John
"">I understand what you're saying .
"">Remember it is used as a suport for the "normal" firefighting.
As you say each country, each has its own tactics , and I only know yours by watching movies on youtube which is not sustainable. ">so a one-week internship in the U.S. would be fine :-)
I can mention several things that have been difficult to start up in DK- Positive pressure fan, chain rescue (RTA ) , Thermokamera , smoke hood , light machines (big ones) , etc. all things that just have to show its need in fire and rescue ">services.
it was the first several years primarily used to limit the spread of fire in structures because they were placed on our ladders which do not carry water. Today is the most placed on cars with water , it makes possible to istart using it 1 to 2 minutes after arrival. ">while the "real" fire hoses is laid out and smoke diver move in after 3 to 4 minutes.
It gives you the ability to scale down the fire in Confined Space ( I understand it as an enclosed space / house where the door vindurer still closed ) - when the smoke diver team enters the house, the danger of ignition of the smoke layer is reduced. this combined with an opening at the opposite end of the house and a fan in the back, gives a pleasant environment for search and extinguishing of primary fire .it is not used on all fires only where you look at particular risk of flashover, or fires that require you remove parts of the building to reach the fire which is particularly challenging - because it turns off / restrict the fire at the same time.
@ Norm / Timothy
it is amazing - and costly
never forget the way you extinguish fire today. the tactics we use are designed to protect the smoke diver and this is how it should proceed.
In Denmark, we mainly houses of brick and concrete, our tactics is based on 2 firefighters entering the room and extinguish the fire - we will like to leave the building in the same condition as before it began to burn, if possible - tihs means minimum spend of water and will not move something which is not necessary in order to extinguish the fire.
Here is Cold cut a really good tool
If you use wooden houses - it is clear that there will be more work to remove part of the building to be sure to put out the fire.>>excuse my written English - still working on it
Jesper Rossen
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Again, this is very interesting. Thanks for sharing this information with us. John is correct when he states that American firefighters may accept this as an additional tool, but not an "end all" solution.
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Permalink Reply by Tim Twichell on
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Cutting extinguishers "ColdCut" have been around for quite some time now, mainly used for industrial and shipboard firefighting operations by marine salvage companies like Smit International, Svitzer, RISC, and others. They are fantastic units for container fires on board ships. They are also costly and not for the untrained. I think Europe would have a better system as they have always used low volume/high pressure systems in the normal fire service... they are much more technical in these areas. I can see they would be great tools for heavy rescue/special rescue services in large city depts. etc FDNY... But they almost need a special crew and deployment policy.... Not something the US fire service would put to use on a very large scale. You sure had better know the systems and be able to maintain them and use them correctly.
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hi all thanks for the respons.
it was more or less a question if the system is used, or if you could see it be used in future by your fire department.
@Tim it is true that there are many forces associated with the use, and you have to think twice before useing it. we run some local programs on the system so firefighters know the good and weak points, and then it slowly over the years been used more and more.
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