Introducing the World’s largest Fire Extinguisher

Possibly the smallest fire extinguishers available are our 0.6kg Dry Powder and 0.8litre AFFF foam disposables which pack a small but mighty punch sufficient to snuff out an errant barbeque, burning waste bin or camp fire.

But what do you use when faced with a fire raging over 164 square miles apart from run for the hill’s, or rather not if, as it happens to be in this case, it is the hills that are burning over vast swathes of California.

The deadly fires that have claimed the lives of two firefighters, destroyed countless homes and blackened more than 100,000 acres around Los Angeles prompted the States authorities to call up the world’s largest fire extinguisher - a Boeing 747 that can drop 20,000 gallons, that’s close to 100,000 litres of fire retardant, enough to cover an area the width of a football field and over three miles long.

Nearly 2,600 firefighters, drafted from all over the US are throwing everything at the blaze, and on Monday they called in the Boeing “Supertanker”, as of now the biggest extinguisher ever used on a fire. The plane made its first-ever drop in the continental United States when fire officials summoned it to fight a fire east of Los Angeles on Monday. After the successful first drop, the Supertanker was called back into action the same evening to make further drops on the massive fire burning north of America’s second largest city, which had grown to more than 164 square miles and threatened 10,000 homes.

The Fahrenheit Supertanker, a modified Boeing 747-100, can deliver it’s 20,000 gallons of fire retardant with considerable accuracy making multiple separate controlled drops during a single flight using a pressurized delivery system not that dissimilar to your standard hand held fire extinguisher, just a whole lot bigger.

Bowser planes are not new of course. My earlier blog told of such a plane I saw used on the fires on my Greek holiday isle which was a modified Flying Boat but looked too small to be a Martin Mars, but by comparison they carried at most a few thousand gallons of seawater. Before the Supertanker hit the skies the largest airborne fire fighter was a modified McDonnel Douglas DC-10 carrying a 12000 gallon payload but without the sophistication of controlled discharge nozzles.

There has long been debate on the usefulness and of all things cost-effectiveness of airborne fire fighters, but from what I have seen they can make the difference and how do you count the cost of the potential lives that are saved and the environmental devastation averted.
 
Don’t forget that big fires like those in California don’t start out that way. Just one small spark from an untended fire, one carelessly discarded cigarette or empty bottle is all it takes - which brings me nicely back to where I started. If you are on the move in the car, in the caravan, enjoying the countryside or enjoying a barbeque in your back garden and you get careless or misfortune strikes, having even a small disposable 0.6kg powder fire extinguisher may well be enough to prevent the kind of hell on Earth witnessed in the Golden State.

Tony

Making Hay whilst the Sun shines

At this time of year our local farmers are working virtually round the clock gathering in the hay in preparation for the winter ahead.  Improbable looking machinery and flatbed trailers piled to the rooftops with bales, trundle through the village day and night in a seemingly endless train stocking up the huge hay barns that are a feature of our area.

In winter the process reverses with the same hay being transported throughout the country for winter feed.

Fire in any property is an owner’s worst nightmare but for farmers fires in hay and seed barns can wipe out a full seasons crop in minutes. Farmers rely on the hot summer days to cure the hay but the same heat has the potential to cause fire from lighting strikes, stray sparks from garden fires and poor housekeeping like discarded glass and cigarettes.  Overheated machinery and engines also have a fire risk particularly in dusty barns with air borne particulates and chaff. Uncured hay can also build up heat like a compost heap and self ignite.

The same risks apply to cattle barns and horse stables.  Barn fires are rarely small and they spread rapidly. Nearly two-thirds of all barn fires engulf the entire structure so just like your house fire prevention is the best method to reduce the risk.

A well installed lightning rod is the best protection against lightening strikes. They lead lightening to the ground and away from the barn. Keep a clean barn. Knock down cobwebs. Rake loose straw and hay from aisle ways and overhead drop bins. Remove flammable gases like propane or welding gas. Never store engine oil or tractor fuel inside a hay barn or stable.

Fit a site fire alarm like the Howler or rotary hand bell to alert others to the fire. You can also buy radio linked smoke alarms with a range up to 50 metres to alert you to a potential fire when you are in the house or yard.

A 9lt fire extinguisher can tackle small fires so are useful in stables and small barns. When choosing an extinguisher, water and water additive fire extinguishers are the best solution for small hay fires but you should also purchase an extinguisher designed for several types of fires, an ABC dry powder is the most versatile and are available as fast response Mobile Wheeled Extinguishers up to 100kg capacity. It will extinguish larger fires involving solids, flammable liquids and gases and is safe to use around live electricity. For larger installations like the one close to my home, consider installing your own hydrant for connecting a lay flat hose or couple up a Hose Reel to a stand pipe. Although it should be self evident install appropriate Fire and Site safety Signage to remind people of their responsibilities.

The public also have a role to play. Don’t throw cigarettes out of car windows as they can provide the spark to burn crop fields before they can be harvested. When enjoying the countryside be sure to fully extinguish any camp fires, collect used and broken bottles and all rubbish from picnics and dispose of safely.

Enjoy what’s left of our indifferent summer and respect the countryside. It’s a living for some.

Tony

Getting to Grips with the new Fire Regulations

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 rumbles on out into the business community and increasingly solicits frantic enquiries as to what it entails and how to conform. Now any small business out there can get hold of a copy and read it.
Visit  www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20051541.htm#53  but be warned it is not an easy read.

Here’s a typical clause from the section explaining the “Duties under the Order”.
 (3) Any duty imposed by articles 8 to 22 or by regulations made under article 24 on the responsible person in respect of premises shall also be imposed on every person, other than the responsible person referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2), who has, to any extent, control of those premises so far as the requirements relate to matters within his control. ”  
Simples!!!

You should also be mindful of the virtually limitless powers afforded the fire inspectors under the act. I quote from article 27  “Powers of inspectors” where ” (1) Subject to the provisions of this article, an inspector may do anything necessary for the purpose of carrying out this Order and any regulations made under it into effect and in particular, so far as may be necessary for that purpose, shall have power to do (so) at any reasonable time.”

This was driven home in no uncertain manner when this July the authorities prosecuted the Church of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International (I could not have made this up) who they “raided”, no better word for it, during a Church Service for 1200 penitent souls, and threw the book at them for breaches of the RRO to the tune of a £30000 fine.  A case of too much fire and damnation no doubt.

To help clarify the key provisions I will post a series of tips that will guide you through. To start with you must conduct a formal fire risk assessment. A fire risk assessment helps you identify all the fire hazards and risks in your business premises. The Act does not apply to domestic residences.

You can then decide whether any risks identified are acceptable or whether you need to do something to reduce and or control them. A risk assessment should be carried out by someone who has reasonable experience or knowledge of fire safety. In the RRO’s parlance this could be the Responsible Person or a trained member of staff or external consultant.

There are five basic steps to complete a Risk Assessment.
1. Identify the fire hazards - smokers, machinery, fuel stores, hot plates, heaters, electrical equipment etc
2. Identify people at risk - employees, customers, visitors
3. Evaluating the risks - decide how best to minimise and or control a fire and safeguard those at risk should it occur - typically staff training, means of escape, fire warning bells, fire fighting equipment , signage etc.
4. Record your findings - and put in a safe place with you other health and safety documentation. The inspectors will home in on this as a first step in assessing compliance. The requirement to record your assessment technically applies to businesses employing 5 or more people but I advise you do it anyway.
5. Review and revise - revise the Risk Assessment to record fire equipment maintenance schedules, changes to office layouts, training sessions, new fire safety equipment and added fire risks.

Having completed the Risk Assessment you must then take appropriate actions in line with your findings, putting in place safety management procedures, fire prevention and fire control measures.  If you have a particular concern or question regarding the interpretation of the RRO post it here and we will try and help.

Tony

Avoiding Holiday fire hazards

Returning from holiday came as quite a shock. The moment we stepped off the plane the heavens opened and the rain seemingly, has not stopped since. The temperature in the UK at a miserly 16⁰C was 20⁰ less than when we left Greece.
How the islanders in Zante would have loved the downpour. Temperatures whilst I was there were regularly in the high 30’s Centigrade and seemingly self combusting fires were a regular occurrence in the hills surrounding the resort.

Special planes with water buckets scooped water from the sea to douse the flames. Not after dark apparently as this was banned after a scuba diver was accidently picked up and dumped on the fire - or so the locals claimed.

I came to appreciate how easily a fire can start when sunning on the beach one day. I had left my cigs and lighter on a table covered by a towel. Without warning there was a loud bang and the towel flew off. The disposable lighter had exploded in the heat despite being out of direct sunlight. If you read the small print or does say keep out of direct sunlight and below 49⁰C but clearly the combination of temperature and pressure make these things potentially dangerous.

When our much awaited scorching summer finally comes you should also take extra care if venturing into the great outdoors to minimise the fire risk. As we all tend to head for the most picturesque spots a fire would destroy that amenity for years to come. Top tips from the professionals include:
Never throw cigarette ends out of car window, particularly in wooded areas and arable farmland - they can and do start fires that ruin surrounding countryside.

If you are having a picnic don’t leave bottles or glass in woodlands. Sunlight shining through glass intensifies the Sun’s rays and can start a fire long after you have left the scene. Take them and all rubbish home or put them in a waste or recycling bin.

If you are lighting a fire outdoors, say when camping, it should be downwind, at least 10 metres from the tent. Clear dry vegetation and leaves to form a circle of bare earth around the fire.
A pyramid type fire stack that will collapse inwards while burning is best. Don’t leave a fire unattended and make sure that fires are fully extinguished after use. Frankly it is safer to use a gas camping stove.

If a fire should break out and you have no means to combat it call the fire and rescue service and give the exact location. You can buy fire beaters which although old technology are very effective, as witnessed by the army of local farmers and volunteers I saw beating out the flames on the Zante hillside. You can also invest in a fire extinguisher to carry in the car which you can also use on a small cooking fire. An ABC Dry Powder or ABF Foam will do the job.

Happy holidays

Tony

Get Ready for a Grilling

For anyone who missed the various TV and press announcements last Sunday was Midsummer Day 21st June. If you believe the Weather men then we are in for a scorcher and the barbeques will be firing up as Dad’s all over the land forget their culinary skills are essentially nonexistent and treat the family to a blackened ensemble of burgers, sausages and (maybe) cooked chicken.

I am as guilty as the rest but would not wish to put a dampener on this celebration of blue summer skies. Lord knows they are few and far between.
When you head outside to begin grilling, I urge you to brush up on a few fire safety tips before lighting up.
First, choose the right location for the barbeque well away from the house and any potential combustible structures like garden sheds, pergolas and awnings.
Then make sure your grill pan is fit for use and has not rusted through during the long winter.
Gas fuelled grills cause more accidental fires than charcoal so check all connections and hoses for leaks before lighting. If it doesn’t light first time wait a few seconds for the unlit gas to dissipate before retrying.

Don’t be tempted to add other fuels to charcoal grills to give them a boost. Throwing lighter fuel on will create a fireball.

Take ownership of the Barbeque once lit and set an exclusion zone for the toddlers.

Modern barbeques with hoods can get very hot when closed and have the potential to ignite the cooking fats from the feast.  If this happens turn off the gas if you can, and throw a fire blanket over the grill. You can also use a Class F fire extinguisher such as the synergy ABF if things really get out of hand, but as a last resort as it will ruin your food.

Enjoy the summer and I hope the Barbe gets a good outing.

Don’t forget that when all is done dispose of the charcoal embers safely – don’t throw them in the trash bin. Better to let them burn out safely in the grill tray and then do what I do, throw the white ashes on the garden. Seems to make my plants grow better anyway.

Tony