Hazmat Training Debrief gives you a quick recap of interesting hazmat training going on. This week we look at recent training Charge the Line conducted an industrial fire training exercise. Company founder Josh Fowler tells us what they did and how it went.
What agency led the training?
Lamar Institute of Technology Regional Fire Training Academy in collaboration with Industrial Rescue Instruction Systems.
Where was it held?
Industrial Rescue Fire Training Field in Beaumont, Texas.
What was the set up time?
45 to 60 minutes, which included a safety brief and equipment set-up.
How many were trained?
20 to 25.
What hazmat levels were the trainees?
Operations.
What were the training objectives?
As a team, safely advance hoselines to capture and extinguish liquid fuel and pressurized gas fires by manually valving out.
HazSim Training Exercise: Flammable Liquids Leak From a Pipe
What evolutions did trainees do?
The Crawl/Walk/Run approach. Began with the LP Christmas tree (crawl) to allow students hear and experience a pressurized gas fire and learn how to capture a valve. Advanced to the flat pit with pump obstructions (walk) and introduced liquid fuel in the first evolution to teach proper sweeping tactics without gouging the fire. Then introduced LP with the liquid fuel in the second and third evolutions. The final evolution was the pipe rack where a large pit with pump obstructions (at ground level) and LP on an elevated platform (Run). Here, the liquid fuel was introduced into the ground level pit with LP on the elevated platform. The students extinguished the ground pit using proper techniques prior to advancing to the elevated deck to capture and valve out the LP fire.
What technology was used?
No technology, really, simply fire hose and appliances.
What were the biggest successes?
Many municipally trained firefighters never have the opportunity to train for pressurized liquid and gas fires. Because our area is chemical and petrochemical industry heavy, it’s not a matter of if firefighters will encounter an industrial fire, it’s when. Our success is knowing we have adequately prepared our next generation of firefighters for the types of fires, including industrial fires, that will inevitably present themselves.
What would you do differently next time?
While there is always room for improvement, we have been performing this type of training for decades and have really dialed in to what works best and ensures the safety and success of the participants.
