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Electricity
Earlier this week, My department was toned out for a Mutual Aid for a department that some say are not the brightest. As a crew member and myself arrived on scene to heavy smoke and damage to the front of the building.( the building was dollar general with the office being on the A side which is where the fire orginated). We noticed firefighters inside fighting the fire with puddles of water on the floor and to them knocking through walls. I asked the acting command if he had shut off the electricity. He said they weren't worried about the electricity. I am just getting some insight on some fellow firefighters keep in mind its a convience store with a lot of wires and volts throughtout the building. Do you shut off the electricity when you pull up to not risk injury or try and get the inital knockdown?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michael Ribar on
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Sorry for all the fat fingers!!
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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
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Our practice is the incident commander, usually our Chief, either pulls the meter or the main breaker, whichever is accessible, during his 360 degree walk around. We prefer the meter. Many times the breaker is not accessible.
A nearby paid department has a fiberglass stick with a shear on the tip they sometimes use to cut the drop immediately upon arrival.
As you know electricity loves water and kills firefighters, so it is a concern.
You are wise to consider electricity when you do your risk assessment.
Stay safe.
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Peck on
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They got away with it this time. They may get away with it next time. Eventually they are going to get someone hurt or heavon forbid killed. There is a reason that even the power company will disconnect the poer up line before working on a downed power line.
My philosophy is to error on the side of safety. Injureing several rescuers for the sake of one or two victims is not acceptable.
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Permalink Reply by Don Catenacci on
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You pull meters? Seriously, that is a tactic that went away years ago around here.
If we need to kill the power before the power company gets on scene we pull the main breaker at the panel.
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The panel is not always accessible. If the power needs to be disconnected immediately that works for us. The power company doesn't like it, but their response time is always 30 minutes or more. We do what we have to do to stay safe.
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Permalink Reply by Russ Gregston on
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Our SOP's state we always kill the power turn off propane and fuel oil. This is usually done during the 360 size up and confirmed by IC
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I am not trying to be a dick, but can you explain to me a circumstance where you would have to cut the power where you can't get at the panel?
Pulling meters is a dangerous action and one that has long been discouraged by the power companies in my area as well as safety conscious fire officers. The possibility of an arc, or electrical shock causing injury or death are always present.
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The only circumstance I can think of is if the panel is involved in fire or close to it. There may be others. I am aware that the power company discourages the practice. We haven't had to pull a meter more than 3 or 4 times in the last 10 years. The Chief hasn't had any difficulty with his technique.
So I apologize for saying "many times the panel is not accessible." That's an exaggeration. I had recalled a time or two when he pulled meters and he showed me how to do it the safest way possible - and in full PPE.
We all agree that the power must be disconnected when working a structure fire. We will continue to look for the safest way to achieve that.
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I agree our chief will turn off the power, propane what ever needs to be turned off! The IC on this fire is the same one that you walk up to and ask for guidance on whether he wants us to shuttle water or pack up and he will just look at you and wont say a word like we are supposed to know what he wants. Our department knows when a mutual aid is called for them to expect the craziest things.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Gemberling on
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As the electrician on our crew, I pull the meters quite a bit. However, I am trained to do that. And alot of the time, we can't get to the main. Most of the time, killing the main doesn't take care of the deadliest problem unfused power on the structure itself.
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Permalink Reply by Adam Michael Ayers on
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When we get dispatched to a working fire the dispatcher automaticly calls the power company and has them send a crew out to kill the power but in most cases they dont get there in time and we wind up killing the main. If the power isnt off, we dont go in unless a rescue is necessary.
Water and Electricity dont mix especialy in a commercial structure that has 240 Power in it.
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I like the procedure you mention regarding automatically calling the power company. Unfortunately in our district we deal with at least four different power companies and the dispatchers never know which one to call.
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