Emergency – Gas Fire!
Monday, October 24th, 2011Woooooooo……Woooo………The siren sounded. Most of us looked at each
other readily. It is now time for us to go into action.
All over the building, we can see Emergency Response Team
members coming out, some looking a little dazed. An over-all alarm had
been sounded and the ERT continues to be activated!
In the command post, the “Commander” quickly briefed all the ERT
members about the situation. There was a fireplace at the LPG storage
tank, and there was an urgent have to released the fire before the
tank becomes so hot and pressurized that it explodes. Very serious
and widespread damage will definitely occur in the event that happened.
So all the ERT members swung into action. In the command post,
they ran completely towards the LPG area. One member was allotted to
the fireplace pump house to take care of the fire pumps. This kind of
fire needed a tremendous quantity of water for cooling on the tank.
A few members barricaded the region leading to the fire. This was
essential to make sure that the scene of the fire be restricted only
to individuals who are able to help, to make sure that the fireplace brigade
has free access, as well as for controlling the crowd.
Because the ERT members reached the scene of the fire, the Commander
directed the operations while keeping in contact with one member
who had been assigned for communications work on the command post.
The Direct Attack Team swung into action with their hoses. There
were 4 persons in each hose team – the very first nozzle member, the
second support, the third runner, and the fourth hydrant valve
operator. Each member played their part to make the hose
connections, operate the valves, and advancing as smoothly as
possible.
The LPG fire have to be extinguished – although not by the water.
Extinguishing the fire in this way can create another hazard.
If the gas were to flee unburned, it could be more dangerous.
Any spark later on can ignite the gas and cause a bigger fire,
possibly creating a tremendous rush of expanding gases. So the
hose team need to try to approach the fire to be able to close the
gas valve. That will stop the fire and also the escaping gas.
There have been sufficient people to operate 3 hose teams. While one
team approach the flaming area with a water-wall spray, another
two teams directed the water up of the LPG tanks with
water jet to cool down the.
Before long, it was learned that there was a casualty.
Somebody has been overcome by the smoke and it has fainted. He has
also sustained a fracture on his arm. The very first aid team was
called in, plus they rendered first aid towards the victim.
In seconds, the fire was delay, and also the building
wasn’t any longer in danger.
Fortunately, it was not a real fire. It had been just a simulation,
using real LPG gas and burning inside a controlled manner. This was
done to give the ERT members some feel from the real thing, to
check on our readiness, coordination, and skills so they
can improve and develop their actions.
This type of simulation was very useful to the ERT members as
it gave them a first hand knowledge of what to anticipate in an actual
situation.