Attacking Today’s Vehicle Fires

1. Attacking Today’s Vehicle Fires

2. Sec. #3 • The set rules of vehicle fire fighting • The tools of good decision making

3. The Golden Rule Of Vehicle Fires ! If you see open flames upon arrivalthat vehicle is already A Total Loss

4. What Defines A Total Loss ? • In earlier cars a total loss was determined by the repair cost, as compared to the resale value of the vehicle. • Today's vehicles are all together different. • In an effort to meet NHTSA’s crash safety standards, manufacturers have redesigned their frames and supports to bend in precise locations to absorb impact.

5. Crash Sensitive Body Designs Note Weak Spots In Sheet metal Frame And Harden Metals In crash zones

6. These Are Called Crumple Zones • These weak spots make it possible for auto makers to predetermine where the car will bend in a crash. • They place these so that the occupant space will open larger, as impact is absorbed. • This allows for more survival space for an occupant.

7. Why A Total Loss ? • When metal is heated it warps, distorting it’s original shape. • The metal used in cars is very thin, and needs very little heat to accomplish this distortion. • This is a threat to the integrity of the frame, and the safety of the occupant therefore, A Total Loss

8. $1,000 or $175,000 It is still aTotal Loss Do not risk your life for a “Junk Car”

9. A Good Attack Begins At The Station • With all the New Technology of today’s vehicles, we can not attack a vehicle fire safely, if we do not know the Dangers we are facing. Training It’s A Must !

10. You are dispatched to a vehicle fire. • Just like any fire, a safe attack depends on a Good Size-up

11. A Good Size-up Is A Four Part Process. 1. Dispatch Size-up 2. Approaching Size-up 3. Arrival Size-up 4. On scene Size-up

12. Dispatch size-up begins, when you roll out of the door. • Always repeat the address back to dispatch. • Ask for additional information. Is this vehicle on the road, in a driveway or in a garage ? • Is this a vehicle fire or a fire resulting from a collision ? • Know your area, if this is on the highway, is it a high traffic area ?

13. Why ask for additional information? • If this vehicle is on the highway, we need PD in route NOW, for traffic control. • If it is in a driveway or garage we need engine companies in route NOW, for possible structure fire. • If it is a result of a collision, we need ALS inroute NOW, for possible injuries.

14. Remember !We can always disregard incoming help. • A lot of people do not realize that some departments, especially volunteer, may have a ten to twenty minute response time, and miles of area to cover. • If we wait until we arrive on scene to call for help, that help has the same or more response time. • We must haveGood Dispatch Size-up skills

15. Approaching Size-up (Down the road) • Do I see any exposures in immediate danger • What is the wind direction? • Topography; Is the vehicle on a hill? • Dangers to crew, Is there oncoming traffic? • What are the on lookers doing? (That is odd)

16. Away Down The Road We Can Start To Refine Our Dispatch Size-up. • What does this area look like? Is there woods or high grass on the side of the road? ( Exposures we did not know about ?) • What is the wind direction? ( I need my apparatus up wind from the fire.) • Topography, ( Is the vehicle on a hill ?) • Dangers to crew, Is there oncoming traffic? • What are the on lookers doing? ( Rescue ? )

17. Arrival Size-up:(Still in the truck) • Do I see open flames ? • Is the vehicle occupied ? • Is this a late model vehicle, or an older one ? • What category is this fire ( front, rear, compartment ?) • Do I need more help ?

18. The Arrival Size-up Redefines The Approaching Size-up • How much fire is there ? ( Do I need An Extinguisher or an inch and three quarter line ? ) • Is the vehicle occupied ? • Is this a late model vehicle, or an older one? ( I have a late model Honda Civic ) • What category is this fire ( Front, Rear, Compartment ? ) • Do I need more help?

19. On Scene Size-up • Closer check for occupants ( Or escaped occupants injured ) ? • Closer check of exposures • Closer check of vehicle

20. On Scene Size-up Redefines Your Arrival Size-up. • Closer check for occupants • Closer check of exposures • Closer check of vehicle ( I have a late model Honda Civic Hybrid, 300-500 Volts ) • Do I need more help ?

21. Remember ! Good Size-up Is A Practiced Skill Not A Spur Of The Moment Decision

22. Is It Time For A Change In Training Yet ? Vehicle Fire Categories • While putting this class together, I lined up about 100 pictures of burning cars. I noticed that there was a pattern I had never seen or heard anyone teach. These pictures all fit into four categories.

23. Categories • Front end fires: bumper to inter dash board • Rear end fires: rear seat to rear bumper • Compartment fires: dash to rear seat • Fully involved fires: bumper to bumper, or a combination of any two categories.

24. Some will say, common sense would tell you that, by just looking. • Though this may seem obvious, and silly to even think about. • Let’s look at the New Technology we are dealing with today. • By categorizing the fire in our size-up; we can initiate a safer, faster attack.

25. For Instance, Rear End Fire Late model car Down hill topography • Thought of attack: • In just a few minutes I am going to have a stream of burning gas running down the hill, from the plastic gas tank melting.

26. Or Fully Involved Fire Late Model Car Thought of attack • That car has about 12 compressed gas cylinders in it, and the heat is so intense that they are going to blow, keep my people back and cool it defensively.

27. Another Front End Fire Late Model Car Thought of attack: • I can approach diagonally from the rear of the car, pushing the heat away from the compartment, where all the gas cylinders are.

28. Or Rear End Fire Late model car Level ground Thought of attack: • In just a few minutes I am going to have a ring of burning gas right were my firefighters will be standing, from the plastic tank melting.

29. By categorizing the fire, we can train our minds to prioritize the dangers we face in that particular area of the car.

30. Example: Rear End Fire • Gas tank • Possible gas cylinders in both C post • Pressurized fuel lines • Two rear tires • Rear bumper struts

31. Or Front End Fire • Front bumper struts • Hood Struts • Two front tires • Possible gas cylinders in both A post • Possible magnesium

32. With Manufacturers Already Producing Cars Like BMW ( With Optional 22 Air bags ) • Not many of us can remember ( in the timeit takes to do a size-up ) That this car has: • 2 Front bumper struts • 2 hood struts • 2 front tires that can blow • 2 “A” post gas canisters • 2 Dash mounted gas canisters

33. A steering wheel air bag with 2 igniters A passenger air bag with 2 igniters A carpet air bag (igniter in the consol) 2 air bags in the front doors (with gas canisters ) 2 pyrotechnic seat belts in the “B” posts Seat position air bag under driver seat 2 side curtain air bags Some have 2 roll over protectors (some gas, some pyrotechnic)

34. 2 rear occupant air bags in the back of the front seats 2 air bags in the rear doors 2 pyrotechnic seat belts in rear seats 2 gas canisters in the “C” posts 2 rear tires that can blow 2 gas struts on trunk led 2 gas struts on the rear bumper A plastic gas tank Plastic pressurized gas lines And a magnesium engine

35. But Can We Remember ? Front End Fire • 2 front bumper struts • 2 front tires • 2 hood struts • Gas canisters in the area of the dash and “A” posts • And magnesium motor

36. Or Rear End Fire • Plastic gas tank • 2 rear bumper struts • Gas canisters in “C” post • 2 Tires

37. But Can We Remember ? Front End Fire • 2 front bumper struts • 2 front tires • 2 hood struts • Gas canisters in the area of the dash and “A” posts • And magnesium motor

38. Can We Remember ? Compartment Fire • These kind of cars have about 45 dangers inside the compartment. • Is the fire small enough to put out or am I going to fight it defensively ?

39. Size-up, Is A “Fast” Skilled Decision Can Categorizing Help Us ?

40. Another Important Part Of A Safe Attack : Apparatus Placement

41. If At All Possible ! • The apparatus should always be positioned up wind from the burning vehicle. • Today’s vehicles are about 40 % hydrocarbon based plastics, which put off hundreds of different toxic gases. • Most vehicle fires produce thick black smoke, impairing vision.

42. Again, If At All Possible ! • The apparatusshould always be placed up hill from the burning vehicle. • This has always been a part of our training, but today this is no longer an option but a MUST, with the new plastic gas tanks and pressurized plastic gas lines running all the way to the front of the car. We are going to have gas running down the hill.

43. Direction of the apparatus. • The pump panel should always face the burning vehicle. • This gives the engineer a clear view of the scene. • And on the side of the road, this gives him protection from oncoming traffic.

44. Positioning the apparatus • If the burning vehicle is on the roadway or the shoulder of the road, the apparatus should be placed diagonally, blocking the lane the vehicle is in and at least the next adjacent lane. • This forms about an 80,000 pound wall between you and the oncoming traffic.

45. Another Important Part Of A Safe Attack Water Supply And Fire Streams

46. Water supply • For years some of us have used a one inch line or red line to attack a vehicle fires. • With the New Technology we are facing today, we need a lot of water, real fast, from a long distance. • With plastic gas tanks, and plastic fuel lines, and dozens of gas cylinders to explode, we need a fast knock down of the fire, from a long distance. Before approaching the fire.

47. New Training • Always use at least an inch and three quarter line, and an adjustable fog nozzle to attack a vehicle fire. • Thisgives us pressure to wash spillage out from under the vehicle, while cooling the tank from a safe distance. • This gives us more water to cool the fire. • And a fog stream to protect our crew when approaching the vehicle.

48. Fire Streams An Adjustable Fog Nozzle Would Be Our Best Choice We Have Adjustable GPM Fog Pressure 150 GPM at a pressure of 75-100 lb. Straight Stream For Long distance wash down. Then adjustable fog for approach And adjustable GPM and pressure after knock down for Water conservation and cooling.

49. This is the pressure we used in all the experiments you are about to see

50. New Training • Keep in mind that the training in this class may not be the only way of safely attacking the fire. • But seeing the desperate need for change, this is some of the approaches that we have experimented with and believe will make an aggressive approach a lot safer, when facing the New Technology of today’s vehicles.