Power Supply, Lighting Equipment, and Emergency Scene Safety Firefighter I.

Power Supply, Lighting Equipment, and Emergency Scene Safety Firefighter I

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Emergency Power and Lighting Equipment Nighttime operations require firefighters to be proficient in the operation of emergency power and lighting equipment– Power supplies are classified into two categories:• Inverters• Generators

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Emergency Power

Inverters – convert a vehicle’s 12- or 24-volt direct current (DC current) into 110- or 220-volt alternating current (AC current)

– Are commonly used when small, electrically powered/operated tools are needed

– Are apparatus-mounted– Are fuel efficient– Make little or no noise– Disadvantages

• Provide a limited power supply• Have limited mobility from their mount on the

apparatus



Emergency Power (continued)

Generators – can normally provide 110 or 220 volts of AC power – Portable or apparatus-mounted– Powered by either gasoline or diesel

engines– Most of the portable ones can be

carried by two firefighters– Are useful in areas that are not

accessible to vehicle-mounted units



Emergency Power (continued)

Generators (continued)– Vehicle-mounted units provide a larger generating capacity

than portable units• Provide power for floodlighting systems• Can be powered by gasoline, diesel, or propane, or by hydraulic or

power takeoff systems• Fixed floodlight systems are generally directly wired into the

generator through a switch• Vehicle-mounted units with a separate engine from the drive engine

are loud and can cause problems with emergency scene communications

• Exhaust fumes can be a concern at emergency scenes• Refueling spillage can affect fire investigation scenes as well,

because of the increase of hydrocarbons at the scene



Lighting Equipment

Portable – can be carried and used where fixed equipment cannot

– Because of the distance between apparatus and the emergency scene

– Because there are obstructions that block light and need to be overcome

– Portable lights commonly range from 300 to 1000 watts of power

– Power can be supplied by a cord from either a vehicle-mounted power source or a portable source

– Many portable lights are mounted on telescoping stands which allows them to be used more effectively



Lighting Equipment (continued)

Fixed – vehicle-mounted– Provide overall lighting at emergencies– Can be easily raised, lowered, and turned for

maximum effectiveness– The mounting poles often allow for both

vertical and horizontal movement– Often mounted on a hydraulic boom with a

bank of lights that can generate between 500 to 1,500 watts of power per light

– Lighting should be matched with the power source to be effective. Failing to do so may overtax the power source and damage the unit, restricting the availability of power for other tools, and providing overall poor lighting at the scene



Auxiliary Electrical Equipment

Auxiliary electrical equipment – facilitates the use of power supplies and lighting equipment– Electrical cables and extension

cords• Stored in coils, rewind reels, or

portable reels• Should be waterproof, intrinsically

safe, adequately insulated, and no exposed wires



Auxiliary Electrical Equipment (continued)Junction boxes– May be used when firefighters need to

make multiple connections to operate and supply power for tools needed at the scene

– They are supplied by one outlet and supply several additional outlets for use at the scene

– Should be equipped with a ground fault circuit interrupter that conforms to NFPA 70 (Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace)



Auxiliary Electrical Equipment (continued)Mutual aid agreements should ensure that cooperating departments have the same type of equipment available for use by all departments at the scene. Adapters may be necessary.



Equipment Maintenance

• Maintenance of power supplies, as well as lighting equipment and accessories, is crucial to maintaining response readiness for fire service emergency response personnel

• Refer to the manufacturer’s specifications and instructions for each piece of equipment for usage and maintenance recommendations specific to it



Equipment Maintenance (continued)Generators (general maintenance)

– Inspect spark plugs and replace if necessary– Inspect the carburetor for leaks– Check the fuel level and fill if necessary

(fuel should be no older than three weeks old; maintain the generator with fresh fuel)

– Check the oil level and add as necessary– Start and run the generator, and run tests as

specified in the maintenance manual– Only certified service personnel should

perform repairs on the generator



Equipment Maintenance (continued)Electrical equipment (general maintenance)

– Inspect all cords for frays, damage to the insulation, and missing or bent electrical prongs. Replace as necessary

– Operate and test all the lighting equipment. Check each item one at a time, by plugging it into a power source. Do not test multiple cords at one time; that could cause a circuit overload

– Check and change light bulbs if required. Bulbs should be cool before changing them, and unplugged from the power source



Equipment Maintenance (continued)Work area (general maintenance)– All tools and equipment need

to be returned to their proper storage site to be ready for future use

– All maintenance and repairs on equipment need to be documented in organized maintenance logs



Scene Safety Using Power Supplies and Lighting EquipmentNFPA 1500 limits emergency operations to those operations that can be completed safely by personnel on the scene– To meet the requirements of NFPA 1500, company

officers must• Accept responsibility for all company members• Control access to the scene• Appoint a Safety Officer• Use power supplies, lighting, and associated equipment to

help departments maintain scene safety and the safety of firefighters working at those scenes



Resources

• 0135151112, Essentials of Firefighting (5th

Edition), International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA).

• Photographs used with permission from IFSTA (Slides 4, 5, 8)



Power Supply, Lighting Equipment, and Emergency Scene Safety Firefighter I.

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Transcript of Power Supply, Lighting Equipment, and Emergency Scene Safety Firefighter I.