FIRE ENGINEERING February 2011 101

Industrial-Strength Equipment for Industrial-

Strength Operations BY CRAIG H. SHELLEY

M ANY YEARS AGO, WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN THE

fire service, 21/2-inch hose was prominent in our

apparatus hosebeds, which were divided equally

between 11/2- and 2 1/2-inch hose. During my first assignment

in Harlem with the Fire Department of New York (FDNY),

old-time nozzlemen would evaluate the situation at hand and

then stretch the appropriate sized handline, no questions

asked! Over the years, the fire service slowly evolved to using

13A-inch hose for attack (which took up less space on our ap-

paratus), and the 21/2-inch hose was pushed to the side. In the

ensuing years, FDNY's (late) Lieutenant Andrew A. Fredericks

highlighted the need for 2%-inch attack lines for situations

that require large volumes of water, such as the initial attack

at structural fires.

In many instances, larger streams are also needed where

flammable liquids are present, but we still see fire depart-

ments stretch 1 3A-inch hose and deploy portable foam educ-

tom and five-gallon pails of foam concentrate. But is this

adequate to respond to a major tank truck spill that requires

large amounts of foam to extinguish? Let's take a hypothetical

situation that could happen anywhere in the country.

TANK TRUCK SPILL A tank truck carrying 6,000 gallons of gasoline overturns on

a Sunday afternoon on the embankment adjacent

to the local big-box discount store. The parking

lot is empty but the tanker's contents spill down

the embankment and into the lot, and an ignition

source ignites the vapors. Six thousand gallons of

product at a 1/2-inch depth covers an approximate

surface area of nearly 20,000 square feet. Using a

standard formula, surface area x application rate,

will give us the flows required for foam solution

in gallons per minute (gpm). In this case, the ap-

plication rate if using aqueous film-forming foam

(AFFF) would be 0.10 gpm per square foot of sur-

face area, according to National Fire Protection As-

sociation (NFPA) 11, Standard for Low-, Medium-,

and High-Expansion Foam (2010 ed.). 1 Using the

formula above, our requirements would be:

20,000 square feet x 0.10 gpm = 2,000 gpm of foam solution

www.FireEngineering.com

The next question: How much of that is water and how

much is foam concentrate? What kind of concentrate does your

department use-1% x 3% or 3% x 6%? If using a 1% x 3%

concentrate, you would mix at a 1% ratio for hydrocarbons—

one gallon of foam concentrate to 99 gallons of water for every

100 gallons of foam solution. With a 3% x 6% concentrate, you

would use a 3% ratio for hydrocarbons, or three gallons of foam

concentrate mixed with 97 gallons of water for every 100 gal-

lons of foam solution. You would need a 15-minute minimum

discharge time to apply the foam to the fire. (1)

Calculating at a 1% mixture for the above scenario, we

would need 20 gallons of concentrate per minute for a total

of 300 gallons of concentrate. A 3% mixture would require 60

gallons per minute for a total of 900 gallons of concentrate.

Remember, these are the minimum amounts! More will be

needed to prevent reflash.

For alcohol products, NFPA 11 states that we should consult

the manufacturer's product literature for the minimum applica-

tion rate. Major foam manufacturers require a minimum applica-

tion rate for alcohols of 0.10 to 0.16 gpm/sq.ft. These applica-

tion rates, coupled with the requirement that we use either 3%

(for 1% x 3% concentrates) or 6% (for 3% x 6% concentrates),

change our numbers considerably. At a rate of 0.10 gpm/sq.ft.,

we would still only need to flow 2,000 gpm, but our foam per-

centage will increase. At a 0.13-gpm application rate, we would

now need to flow 2,600 gpm of foam/water solution for 15

1.800.723.3334 sales@ harrisonhydragen.org

www.harrisonhydragen.org

Visit us in Booth 9551 at FDIC

DBR 5500 Watt Gas Generator

Designed, Built and Rated

for the Fire Industry.

Continuous Power...

When you Need It Most!!!

When was the last time

you had an

"Intermittent" Emergency?

quality, service & dependability ... guaranteed

• INDUSTRIAL-STRENGTH EQUIPMENT

minutes, requiring 78 gpm of concentrate at a 3% mixture for a total requirement of 1,170 gallons of foam concentrate. A 6%

mixture will require 156 gpm of concen-trate for a total of 2,340 gallons of foam concentrate.

According to the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition, 70 percent of our

nation's motor fuel is blended with ethanol. 2 For this reason, fire depart-ments should treat every gasoline tanker

on the highway as one containing a

blended fuel requiring an alcohol-resis-

tant foam application.

PRODUCING SUFFICIENT FOAM As you can see, the flow rates and

foam concentrate requirements highlighted above are much

more than most fire departments can provide as first respond-

ers. Most departments still use five-gallon pails for their foam supplies, and their largest nozzles flow only 1,250 to 1,500

gpm. How can we meet these requirements?

In the scenario above, we need to have an "industrial-

strength" operation, which means that the incident will require

large volumes of water and foam and a large commitment of

resources. Industrial facilities have long realized the need for increased

gallonage and increased distance for their firefighting nozzles. It has been said that the best protective clothing we can have is distance. Nozzles and

monitors have been developed with

industrial firefighting in mind to give fire departments extended reach while

delivering 10,000 gpm of foam/water solution to the seat of the fire. Would a single monitor and nozzle delivering

2,000 gpm be beneficial in the above

scenario?

First, I recommend that when design-ing your apparatus, your deck guns should be able to flow the pumper's

maximum capacity and be equipped

with self-educting nozzles. These nozzles

can flow large volumes of water and have the capability of self-

educting foam with a constant foam metering feature and con-stant nozzle pressures over a broad range of flows (250 to 2,000

gpm). Discharge patterns are adjustable from full fog to straight

stream with a straight-stream range of up to 300 feet. Pickup tubes from the nozzle to foam totes (large 275- or 330-gallon

containers) stationed adjacent to the pumpers can be used to

inject foam concentrate into the stream at the nozzle. The self-educting nozzle in photo 1 can flow up to 1,500 gpm.

You can set up and supply a portable tank by pumping foam

Answering Your Call for Books and Training Materials!

Fire Apparatus Operator

New Books from Delmar!

Fire Apparatus Operator: Pumper

Fire and Life Safety Educator

11•111.1==1313:=211.1

FIRE LIFE SAFETY

:f Ica tf2t

Visit us at FDIC o'Vth *46 1 5

Reliable Portable Power

TEU1000D/TEU2000D • Honda EU1000i or

EU2000i Generator • 500W Quartz Light • 4 to 8 hrs run time • Clean Power • Super Quiet • Simultaneous AC/DC

Nova-EU6500 • Honda EU6500iSA generator • 4.7 to 14 hrs run time • (2) 500w Quartz Lights • Raises to 10 feet • Easily mounts/detaches

Rochester, New York

HON A. 1-800-538-0022 GENERATORS & PUMPS

www.tele-lite.com

For optimum performance and safety, we recommend you read the Owner's Manual before operating your Honda Power Equipment. Connection of generators to house power requires transfer device to avoid possible injury to power company

personnel. Consult a qualified electrician.

EQUIPMENT •

from another source or from foam tankers. You must develop

and practice standard operating procedures for these operations.

If you cannot stage your foam supplies close to the point of

attack, there are alternatives. You can pump foam solution from

greater distances than previously envisioned using devices such as

the portable around-the-pump proportioner (photo 2). This device

is designed to turn any pumper into a foam-producing device.

These units will proportion 3% foam solution up to 1,500 gpm and

a 1% solution up to 4,000 gpm. These devices are unique in that

they are completely water-driven; there are no pumps to main-

tain. These devices can work against hydrant pressure of up to 50

pounds per square inch (psi) with only 150-psi inlet pressure.

As water passes through the around-the-pump proportion-

er, it picks up foam concentrate to form a rich water/foam

solution, which is then passed back to the auxiliary intake

of the supplying pumper or to the auxiliary intake of an-

other pumper. Once inside the pumpers, everything pumped

from that point is a foam solution. Hose lengths leaving the

device can be as long as 1,700 feet, depending on the hose

diameter (21/2 or three inch) and the intake pressure at the

pumper. Once in the fire pump, foam solution can then be

pumped to appliances or other pumpers (relay) using stan-

dard hydraulic calculations. This water/foam solution can be

pumped to nozzles, which will then aerate the solution on

discharge, forming a foam blanket when it reaches the tar-

get. Using nozzles as previously mentioned, your discharge

device can be positioned at least 250 feet away from the

target, using distance to protect your personnel.

FireEngineering.com

Enter 179 at fireeng.hotims.com

.* DELMAR • t CENGAGE Learning -

Delmarfire.cengage.com

Enter 180 at fireeng.hotims.com

tankers

• INDUSTRIAL-STRENGTH EQUIPMENT

Because of the need to maintain constant intake pressure on

the fire pump when using an around-the-pump proportioner,

a portable pressure-reducing valve (photo 3) is recommended

on the pump supply line. These devices eliminate the need

for pump operator intervention to adjust intake gate valves

because of suction pressure fluctuations as a result of changes

in pump discharge flow. These devices will keep pump intake

pressures constant and below those which would affect the

efficient operation of an around-the-pump proportioner.

Jet ratio controllers are another method of supplying foam to

nozzles (photo 4). These devices use a small amount of water

and, through a highly efficient venturi principle, can move foam

FIRE FRP&K.S. SINCE 1942

concentrate from remote storage locations to a matched self-

educting nozzle. This all-hydraulic system dramatically simpli-

fies and improves the logistics of moving large quantities of

foam concentrate great distances. Foam concentrate is delivered

from the jet ratio controller to the nozzle through ordinary fire

hose. Depending on the nozzle and hose size, as well as the

percentage of foam mixed (1% or 3%), the distance between the

foam supply and the nozzle can be as much as 2,500 feet.

FOAM COOPERATIVES It would be impractical to carry as much foam as required

for our scenario on our existing apparatus. Many departments

acrifice • wir,[ ,,J@ I N

•••■=0.••■•-•■

oyne's High Quality Reasonably Priced line of stainless steel pumpers

gives yku the ability to highest quality apparatus

an affordable price!

purchase

TS, us at FDIC Booth 3245

Contact

WWW.TOYNE.COM CALL Us AT 1.800.648.3358 EMAIL: SALES@)TOYNE.COM

Enter 181 at fireeng.hotim

stom Designed

F),Irk Rik kfia,pmdells, 1.M5 S'eards: 61140[734BS7 Asz 814- M'r_." -13 34,:0

Winf WV* `1167—Ur Ca Lo

EQUIPMENT •

and regions are forming cooperative agreements and develop-

ing foam task forces to assist with the purchase and on-site delivery of needed equipment and resources (foam concen-

trate). A task force is a group of resources with common com-

munications and a leader that may be preestablished and sent to or formed at an incident. Such departments and regions

have purchased foam trailers that contain two 330-gallon foam totes. These trailers may be spread out within a region

or stationed at adjoining departments to provide a backup to

the initial trailer that responds (photo 5). When paired with an

engine or two, personnel, and a supervisor, a task force can

be created so that on callout, the incident commander knows

exactly what will be arriving on scene. A one-, two-, or three-

task force response can be created so that various response scenarios can be preplanned. Typing of the task force can be

accomplished to account for different resources that may be included in the task force.

"Industrial-strength" operations do not necessarily mean "industrial" operations; I mean operations that will require large

volumes of water or a large commitment of resources. Accord-

ing to Charles Dickenson, the former United States Fire Ad-

ministration deputy fire administrator, in the end it still comes

down to British thermal units (Btus) vs. gpm of water. Without

enough water, even at the correct application rates, you will not

have enough power to overcome the Btus the fire is generating.

Years ago, the FDNY had the Super Pumper System, which

was intended to get enough water to the seat of the fire to

www.FireEngineering.com

4 Guys Fire Trucks

Enter 182 at fireeng.hotims.com

ROPE AND GEAR

BUILT FOR LIFE.

Visit pmirope•conk

or contact a PMI

dealer near you

at 1-800-282.

PIGEON MOUNTAIN

P M II INDUSTRIES

COME VISIT PMI AT FDIC BOOTH ta 219

• INDUSTRIAL-STRENGTH EQUIPMENT

overcome the heat and extinguish the

fire. With today's industrial equipment,

we can replicate the water volumes the

Super Pumper System once supplied.

The large-capacity portable monitors in

photo 6 are capable of flowing 6,000 and

10,000 gpm, respectively. large monitors

can be mounted in the bed of a support

vehicle so you can deploy a less expen-

sive vehicle close to the scene instead

of a $500,000 pumper (photo 7). These

units can self-educt foam with the proper

nozzle. Coupled with a supply of Class A

foam, the knockdown and extinguishing

capabilities are dramatically increased at

large, exterior attack operations. Can you

imagine delivering large volumes of water

to the seat of the fire in a concentrated

pattern? Large-volume pumps flowing as

much as 6,000 gpm and hose can provide

the necessary water supplies to support

these monitors and nozzles (photo 8). • • •

There are endless possibilities for us-

ing industrial equipment in municipal

applications. Some of today's fire depart-

ment equipment was originally designed

for industrial use. Concrete core cutters

used for high-rise firefighting came out

of the construction industry. The FDNY

Super Pumper concept and equipment

originated in the marine industry. Today's

pneumatic and hydraulic auto extrication

tools originated in the auto body repair

industry. The water delivery capabilities

of industrial equipment will truly enhance

your operations at industrial-strength

operations. As Dwight Williams, veteran

industrial firefighter, always says, "If you're

going to be a bear, then be a grizzly bear."

Use the industrial technology and equip-

meni available to you, and truly become

the grizzly bear you need to be. • ENDNOTES 1. National Fire Protection Association 11, Stan-dard for Low-, Medium-, and High-Expansion Foam, (2010 ed.) sets the minimum application rates and discharge times for nondiked spill fire protection using portable foam nozzles and monitors in Table 5.8.1.2.

2. Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition, Complete Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response, www.ethanolresponse.com/pages/ resources.

• CRAIG H. SHELLEY, EFO, CFO, CFPS, a 40-year veteran of the fire

service, is the CEO of World Safe

International, an international con-

sulting company, and a member of

the Williams Fire and Hazard Control

team. He has served in volunteer

fire/EMS, career municipal, and

career industrial fire departments.

He served for 26 years with the Fire

Department of New York, retiring as

the chief of marine operations. Shel-

ley is an adjunct associate professor

for the University of Maryland Uni-

versity College, teaching its Mana-

gerial Issues in Hazardous Materials

and Advanced Fire Administration

courses, and also serves as an ad-

junct associate professor for Charter

Oak State College, teaching strate-

gic planning. He previously was a

fire protection advisor with a major

oil company operating in the Middle

East. He has a bachelor of science

degree in fire service administration

and a master of science degree in

executive fire service leadership. He

is a co-author of Industrial Firefight-

ing for Municipal Firefighters (Fire

Engineering, 2007).

Enter 183 at fireeng.hotims.com www.FireEngineerin • .com