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Air Quality Monitoring at Fire Scenes
Does anyone's department use some form of air monitoring to define hot, warm & cold zones by the Incident Safety Officer? I am developing something for my department and wanted to know what others do?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jason Brooks on
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We monitor after the fire is out for CO levels to allow for SCBA removal. I would also recomend that we all start to monitor for HCN at the same time due to the items that are burning in structures these days.
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Permalink Reply by Brent Thomas on
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I am looking for initial set up on arrival primarily, but also at rehab and overhaul stage. our policy is SCBA when there is anything on the 4 gas monitor
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If there is ventilation going on and a breeze, 100ppm. Closed up tight, 50ppm
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Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on
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I'm more concerned with AQM at the station on chili night!!!
I'm sorry, can you tell it's my day off?
Maybe I should delete my post...
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There is always something on the 4 gas.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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We don't monitor during active firefighting, because anything inside the structure is defined as IDLH.
We don't monitor the outside, because if you're upwind, you're not breathing smoke.
Downwind, the heat from the combustion products will potentially ruin the atmospheric monitor.
After knockdown and when there is little or no visible smoke, we monitor the entire structure prior to allowing anyone to enter without SCBA. Our limits are the same as for confined space rescues...
Oxygen - greater than 19.5 % by volume
LEL - less than 10%
CO - less than 35 ppm
H2S - less than 10 ppm
During training burns, we also monitor for ceiling temps (thermocouples and IR thermometers) of less than 120 degrees F to ensure than no one will breath superheated air when unmasked.
We do the same at structure fires if heat is a problem.
We also have N-95 filter respirators available if particulate from soot, plaster, insulation, etc. is a problem during overhaul.
Warm Zones, by definition, are decon corridors. I'm not sure why you'd monitor for one during a firefight when no decon is in use.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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As far as answering Brent's question, it does not get better than this. Talk about raising the bar for everyone else... sheesh... it's hard to keep up with Hilton Head! I am assuming now that you are a Class 1 department like LAFD. Amazing Ben.
CBz
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Class 3, and CFAI Accredited. Actually, the accreditation is more pertinent, since ISO is only about structural firefighting and CFAI is about all hazards, master planning, standards of cover, meeting validated standards, and actual fire loss.
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