Category Archives: Fire & Life Safety Education

THE WORLD NEEDS EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINERS.

Education, Fire & Life Safety Education, Innovation, Life Saving Education, Live Life, Safety, , , , , ,

Happy Independence to all my brothers and sisters of India. Let us celebrate the spirit of Independence in all splendor, fervor and vibration as we step forward into the 77th year. India to me has always been an emotion and a feeling which one can never really describe in words. Let us make our country India a great and safe nation by following safety at all times.

This will be the 5th year of writing blogs on my web site and I thank each and every reader who read them regularly and have made me improve every time by your critical assessment and by being lavish in your appreciation. I would have not come this far but for all of you. This year I will try to write more and the plan is to write at least 2 blogs a month.

My India Safe India will continue in the next blog as Jaggy and Maggie are busy elsewhere and will be back soon. In this blog I have decided to write about the need, of ERT- EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINERS and the impact they create to the society, country and the world in general. I dedicate this blog to my mentors Jagadish Adapa (JAGGY), Late Mr. Jayasheel Adapa and Late Mr. Moeiz Ahmed.

The world today is in a state of VUCA- Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. The only thing that is certain in this world is SAFETY. Safety can keep us stable, certain, simple and clear in terms of living life happily and to the fullest. But the problem is everyone talks of safety, wants safety but are not sure how to do it and it is where ERT make a big impact. The task of an ERT is to simulate apparently ordinary people to unusual effort. The tough problem is not in identifying winners, it is in making winners out of them.  They achieve this objective in 4 ways.

  1. Explaining the concept.
  2. Show the trainees how to do it.
  3. Make them to do it.
  4. Reconfirm.

Whether it is using a fire extinguisher, giving CPR, conducting a HIRA, doing a TBT or a Gemba walk the trainer first explains the concept has to be explained in clear and simple terms, to the level of understanding of the trainees. This is done by using audio visual presentations, demonstrations, skits and even an element of drama. Only then the trainees would understand the concept. To meet this objective the trainer must provide information that is current, accurate and specific.

Once the concept is explained the ERT needs to show the trainees how to do it. The pre use inspection, the correct method of operation, precautions to be taken, safety, procedures to be adopted all have to done by the trainers themselves. This can be scary at times when fire is created, rescue on ladders and confined spaces are carried out. Though the demonstrations are done in controlled atmospheres there is always an element of risk involved.

Once the trainers have done their part, the trainees are asked to demonstrate whatever they saw and learnt. Easy to say but, difficult to do as the trainer has to be in complete command. One lapse of concentration and all hell will break loose. The accountability factor is to provide a safe training environment where safety policies and practices are adhered, to fulfil the duties of an incident safety officer and teaching safe operational practices.

Having taught the trainees practically the trainer needs to reconfirm what has been taught. These are done by using methods like repetition, questionnaires, and even assessments. Only then a training can be considered complete.

Apart from imparting knowledge the ERT have to identify gaps in safety and bring it to the notice of the respective organisations, he should be aware of local and international standards and ensure the teaching methods are to the standards.  The ERT is also obligated to act in an ethical manner at all times. He should also be a good role model and mentor for his trainees to emulate. The basic of being an ERT is to be a good communicator, present skills and knowledge in a positive way.

Emergency Response Trainers through their teaching create Emergency Responders who go a long way in preventing loss of life and reducing accidents. ERT help the society and the country and are always unsung heroes. They are never in the spotlight but their teaching helps in save lives during any emergency.

As an ERT myself, for the past 17 years and on this day of Indian Independence salute all the trainers all over the world who teach and train in emergency response. May this community keep growing and continue to inspire people to save lives.

Do post your comments as this helps the community of ERT Emergency Response Trainers.

Live Life- Save Life

Seshadri Varadarajan.

MY INDIA SAFE INDIA VII.

Education, Fire & Life Safety Education, Innovation, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , , ,

Trust all my readers are safe and are on top of the world. The summer had been hot and it was certainly energy sapping. It says that we need to take care of our Planet better than what we are currently doing. Everyone has a role to play and safety professionals a greater role. Let us all together keep this planet of ours safe and sustainable for generations to come.

Continuing their conversation Maggie and Jaggy discuss the Gemba Walk to improve and implement safety in work places. Let us join and listen in.

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy!”

Jaggy: “Hello Maggie! Trust all is well with you.”

Maggie: “Yes Jaggy as usual on Top of the world.”

Jaggy: “Great to hear.”

Maggie: “In our last conversation you were talking about a Gemba walk right.”

Jaggy: “Yes I remember and now you want to know more about it.”

Maggie: “Absolutely!”

Jaggy: “To implement safety as a culture and to ensure all are on the same page certain systems have to be put in place. One such system is a Gemba Walk.”

Maggie: “Can you please explain more clearly?”

Jaggy: “First you need to understand what does Gemba mean?”

Maggie: “So what exactly does it mean?”

Jaggy: “Gemba in Japanese means real place, or the place where value is created. This actually means nothing but a work place be it a shop floor in a factory or any office for that matter.”

Maggie: “So in essence a Gemba walk means walk through the work place.”

Jaggy: “Yes that is correct. Walking through the workplace when everyone is working.”

Maggie: “But how does just walking about a work place or shop floor improve on the safety?”

Jaggy: “Gemba walks are not for safety alone but can be used in a number of ways. The walks when done with a purpose will not only increase productivity but can address a lot of other concerns too.”

Maggie: “Come to the point Jaggy! Let us talk only about Safety.”

Jaggy: “Gemba walks were developed in Toyota keeping view their policy of continuous improvement which in Japanese is called Kaizen.”

Maggie: “Sounds great. Even I have heard of Kaizen.”

Jaggy: “Safety Gemba walks have a 3 elements. 1. Go and See. 2. Ask questions. 3. Show respect.”

 Maggie: “Can you be more specific?”                

Jaggy: “The first thing any safety official will do is to go and see the place where work is being done. He will see whether the safety policy and compliances are being followed or not. He will observe if there are any violations, minor or major and make a note. 2. He or she will ask questions on the process, compliance and mistakes. Suggestions for improvement are also asked. 3. He or she will show respect by not insulting the employees at that place even if a violation is observed.”

Maggie: “How does this help?”

Jaggy: “This helps in 1. Compliance and standards are being followed. 2. Employees being a part of suggestions and improvements. 3. Correction of unsafe conditions on the spot. 4. Brain storming on how improvements can be made or maintaining the standards at all times. As the employees are involved throughout this helps the managements improve productivity as well as safety.”

Maggie: “Are there any checklists for the walks?”

Jaggy: “Yes there are checklists which are designed by the managements according to their standards and best work practice.”

Maggie: “What should be the frequency of such Gemba Walks?”

Jaggy: “The frequencies can be fixed. Walks can happen as per a fixed schedule or sometimes even impromptu. These walks are intended to catch people doing the right thing rather than the wrong ones.”

Maggie: “Thanks Jaggy on enlightening me. This was certainly a good discussion. We will catch up on more such safety aspects soon.”

Jaggy: “Sure Maggie stay safe, be safe.”

I would like to all my readers to share in the comments section whether Safety Gemba walks are done at your work place and when would you plan to do the same in your workplace. Please let me know how useful are all my blogs till date. Just stay safe and be safe till my next blog.

LIVE LIFE – SAVE LIFE.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

MY INDIA SAFE INDIA VI

Fire & Life Safety Education, Life Saving Education, Safety, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , ,

Hello Readers! It has been a while since I had posted my last blog. Sometimes Life throws you into a vortex and it takes time for you to come out of it. March was hectic with the training schedules and travel, April gave me a scare and a shock. Scare on the account of an unexpected health issue, which was immediately followed by the shock of the untimely passing away of my mentor Mr. Jayasheel Adapa, on whom I had written my blogs “Innovate or Evaporate” in 2 parts in 2020. Jayasheel Adapa is the younger brother of our main character Jaggy aka Mr. Jagadish Adapa. Both the incidents had their effect on me and the recovery process took its own time.

The other challenge I was grappling with was the eternal question -what to write? After serious contemplation, I decided to continue with my series “My India -Safe India” for this and the next post; and then move on to another topic.

Maggie and Jaggy continue their conversation on OUR AIM – ZERO HARM.

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy! Long time, no see.”

Jaggy: “Yes Maggie, had been busy in March and had a tough April.”

Maggie: “Tough month of April!!!! What happened?”

Jaggy: “The first month of the new financial year is always tough. New plans, new targets and the annual conference.”  

Maggie: “Yes, it is always tough.”  

Maggie: “Jaggy, Now that we have met, can I ask you something?”

Jaggy: “Go right ahead. You don’t need my permission.”

Maggie: “Last time we had discussed the theme for the National Safety Week which was “Our Aim- Zero Harm”. How do we achieve that?”

Jaggy: “There are 2 ways in which we can do that. (1). TBT and (2). Gemba Walk.”

Maggie: “TBT and Gemba Walk? I am just perplexed.”

Jaggy: “These are jargons used by safety professionals all over the world. TBT stands for ‘Tool Box Talk’. Gemba walk is a Japanese concept called ‘Safety walk.’”

Maggie: “Can you explain both of them, in your ‘unique’ style?”

Jaggy: “Let start with the Tool Box Talk (TBT). A TBT is an informal safety meeting that is a part of the organization’s safety culture. It is a meeting which is conducted just before the starting of a job or a shift in a work place like a factory or site.”

Maggie: “Oh I see! What do they discuss in the TBT?”

Jaggy: “The discussion revolves round the work or task for the day, followed by the HIRA to be done and of course the reporting and analysis of any incidents the previous day. Sometimes it is just a topic on safety.”

Maggie: “Hey, that is another acronym that you just tossed into the mix: HIRA. Now, what is this one?”

Jaggy: “HIRA is Hazard Identification Risk Assessment. Do you not remember?”   

Maggie: “Sorry Jaggy! It slipped out of my mind. How long do these meetings last?”

Jaggy: “The meetings are brief, lasting not more than 30 minutes. They may go on for even longer if there were any incidents.”

Maggie: “What is achieved in the TBT?”

Jaggy: “A reminder about keeping the work place safe, not taking any undue risks, stopping the work if there are unsafe conditions etc.”

“The objective is to ensure the work planned is done without any harm to anyone. Our AIM- Zero HARM.”

Maggie: “Who conducts and leads the talks?”

Jaggy: “Good question. Usually the Safety executives lead it but anyone can lead the talks. Visualize the huddle in football or hockey or cricket or before any game starts. In the huddle, any player can give a pep talk.”

Maggie: “What if there are no incidents or accidents to discuss?”

Jaggy: “The meeting is used for a pep talk on safety, sharing safety practices observed or even any news of incidents or accidents elsewhere.”

Maggie: “Tool Box Talk seems to be an excellent way to start the day at work. Do different work places have different names for TBT?”

Jaggy: “Yes, though the nomenclature differs. They are called Safety talks or Morning Safety Meeting or something catchy which people love.”

Maggie: “Thank you Jaggy. You said something called Gemba Walk. What is that?”

Jaggy: “Gemba Walk is a walkthrough done by the safety executives when the actual work is being done.”

Maggie: “Can you elaborate?”

Jaggy: “Not today, Maggie. Too much of information is difficult to absorb for anyone.”

Maggie: “Ok. Take care of yourself.”

Jaggy: “You too stay safe and be safe.”

A Tool Box Talk is a good way to start the day. People and organizations who believe in safety as a Core Value treat these talks with a lot of respect and seriousness. It is never too late to have TBT or safety talks in your work places. Let us make it a habit as habits always tend to remain with us for a long time.

Keep reading, keep enjoying life. More in my upcoming blogs.

Live Life – Save Life!

Seshadri Varadarajan.  

MY INDIA SAFE INDIA II.

Fire & Life Safety Education, Life Saving Education, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , ,

A million thanks to all my readers of the last blog “My India Safe India”. By giving me an honest and critical feedback, you have motivated me to continue this series of conversations between Jaggy and Maggie.

A lot of things happened since the last blog. Some great memories, some not so good ones and the accidents which have happened all over the world during the month. Maggie and Jaggy will continue their conversation on Safety and in this episode, they will talk about unsafe conditions and unsafe acts. Enjoy the conversation.

Jaggy: “Hello Maggie!”

Maggie: “Hi, Jaggy. Good to see you again.”

Jaggy: “Nice to see you too!”

Maggie: “It was an interesting discussion on Safety and I have taken upon myself to be safe and keep others around me safe.”

Jaggy: “Good to hear that.”

Maggie: “Last time you had told me that I should avoid unsafe acts and unsafe conditions. Can you add more to that, please?”  

Jaggy: “Thanks for reminding me. Accidents happen anywhere due to unsafe conditions and acts.”

Maggie: “Is it so?”

Jaggy: “Yes.”

Maggie: “Can you explain further?””

Jaggy: “An unsafe condition is any situation, environment or place which can cause injury, loss of life or even damage to property.”

Maggie: “Any examples?”

Jaggy: “A water-logged road is an unsafe condition. Work being carried out without proper signs, equipment without guards, defective tools, poor housekeeping and something as simple as a wet floor, either at home or the work place.”

Maggie: “A wet floor in a home is an unsafe condition?”

Jaggy: “Elementary, dear Maggie. You can slip and fall, is it not? Poor lighting too is an unsafe condition.”

Jaggy: “Yeah, Maggie. Accidents many a time occur in the dark.”

  • A BAD ROAD
  • POOR HOUSEKEEPING

Maggie: “Poor lighting?”

Maggie: “Then what are unsafe acts?”

Jaggy: “Any activity you undertake which can cause injury or endanger your life is an unsafe act.”

Maggie: “Could you explain with examples?”

Jaggy: “Driving a vehicle on a water-logged road, ignoring safety signs, working without proper personal protection, rash driving, standing beneath suspended loads, walking in the dark without a light, not wearing seat belts or helmets.”

Maggie: “Wow! So many examples.”

Jaggy: “There are many more but listing them all is not possible.”

Maggie: “Then how do we improve Safety?”

Jaggy: “First thing to be done is to report an unsafe condition as and when we see it. Many don’t do that.”

Maggie: “Don’t we do that?”

Jaggy: “Many just walk past an unsafe condition or an unsafe act. Only a few take action and report it. When you observe anyone doing an unsafe act, ask them to stop it.”

Maggie: “Many use mobile phones while riding 2 wheelers which is an unsafe act. How do I stop it”?

Jaggy: “Sustained awareness campaigns by all of us can produce the results and reduce injuries and death.”

Maggie: “How can one prevent accidents from happening?”

Jaggy: “By doing Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment.”

Maggie: “I do not understand what you said?”

Jaggy: “We will discuss this in our next conversation. Till then, watch out and ‘Stay Safe’.”

We all are, in one way or other, responsible for the accidents which happen everywhere and as a Safety Teacher, I believe that all accidents can be prevented.

Happy reading. Jaggy and Maggie will discuss more on safety in the forthcoming blogs.

Till then,

“Live Life, Save Life”

“Seshadri Varadarajan. 

AN ODE TO TEACHERS.

Education, Fire & Life Safety Education, Innovation, Life Saving Education, Teachers day, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

Hello dear readers! Trust all of you are safe and going about life in your own great ways. Life is Beautiful and let us all enjoy it always. 

Maggie has gone on a trekking expedition as she had told Jaggy. They will not be having a conversation this time around and they will be back for the next. In this blog I have decided to write about teachers as we all are nothing and would not have been whatever we are without them.

5th of September every year is celebrated as Teachers Day in India. On this day in 1888 a gentleman by name Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born in Tiruttani a part of the Madras state as it was called. This humble man rose from being a teacher to being the First Vice President of independent India and then went on to be the 2nd President of the country.  He was extremely popular as a teacher wherever he had taught. When he took the oath of office and secrecy his students approached him and wanted his birthday to be celebrated as a special day to which the great man replied let it be celebrated as Teachers Day in India. Such was the humility of this man who was awarded the highest civilian honour of India the BHARAT RATNA in 1954.

He said, “The true teachers are those who help us think for ourselves.” Nothing describes this more aptly than the story narrated below.

There was once a King who asked his council of ministers as to what is the profession which has made the kingdom what it is today?

Minister 1: “Dear King the Engineers are the ones who have made the kingdom what it is today as they have built the infrastructure without which there is nothing.”

King: “Then get the best engineer and let us reward him.”

Minister 2: “No my dear King it the Soldiers who protect the kingdom, otherwise we all would have been slaves.”

King: “Let us reward the best soldier too.”

Minister 3: “I feel it is the Doctors my dear king without whom all of us would have died of the various ailments that we have. It is due to them the wellness of the kingdom is Excellent.”

King: “Then let us reward the best Doctor.”

Minister 4: “Dear King Infrastructure, Army, Health care all require money to operate, and it is the business community that makes it happen.” 

King: “Let us reward the best businessman also.”

Soon the court of the king was filled with the best people from many professions and the dilemma faced by the king was whom to reward?

He turned to the Prime Minister and looked at him quizzically.

Prime Minister: “I knew it my dear King that when you are confused you will come to me. Please wait for some time.”

The Prime Minister went out and came back after a while. The tension in the court of the king was palpable till the Prime Minister returned. He came and along with came a frail old lady. Seeing the old lady all the best professionals who had gathered stood up with folded hands. The courtiers and ministers and in fact everyone in the court stood up. The King who was sitting all the while too stood up ignoring the fact that he as a king need not stand.

King: “Pray tell me dear prime minister who is this old lady and on seeing her everyone has stood up?”

Prime Minister: “She is the teacher who has taught most of the people in this court your Majesty and on seeing her the students naturally stood up.”

The story conveys the fact that Teaching teaches all professions. No matter what we are, who we are we all have been created by teachers. Even the teachers who taught us had their teachers. On this Teachers Day, I salute all the teachers who have graced my life. My parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, teachers, in school and college, my friends in my personal and professional life, my mentors and Gurus without whom I just don’t exist. Thank you for making me what I am today.

GURUR BRAMHA GURUR VISHNU GURUR DEVO MAHESHWARA

GURUR SAAKSHAT PARAMBRAMHA TASMAI SREE GURAVE NAMAH.

The words above in the divine language Sanskrit mean that the teachers are absolute and salutation to them. Just as a potter creates a pot out of mud, a sculptor creates a statue, a jeweller identifies a diamond from a rock it is the Teachers who help us discover ourselves.

Proud to have become a Teacher and Trainer in Emergency Response and, Human resource development. We are all teachers in a way. Let us learn and teach for ever as without teachers even teachers would not have been there.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

FIXED FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM

ADVANCED FIRE FIGHTING, Fire & Life Safety Education, Fire Fighting System, FIXED FIRE PROTECTION, Innovation, , , , , ,

Trust my readers are Happy and Healthy and are slowly but steadily returning to normalcy. We need to be careful not only during this period but at all times. In this blog of mine we shall discuss a very important aspect of firefighting which is called the Fire Hydrant system. A lot of money is spent on that all over the world but many are unaware what it is and how it can help in firefighting. We have seen them in the factories and buildings we work and have always wondered how they work? Let me tell you all about it.

We know that there are 3 stages of Fire. 1. Incipient stage 2. Growth stage 3. Fully developed or Fully involved stage. To fight the fire and extinguish it in the incipient stage and to some extent in the growth stage we can use the fire extinguishers and hose reels. But when the fire advances to the next stage these are simply not enough. Here we need the Hydrant system or the Fire Water Hose system. Automatic Sprinkler Systems too help here. But the sprinkler is more internal and the hydrant takes care of the external factor.

A hydrant system is a special outlet fitted on water mains for firefighting purpose. The definition is very clear and it says that this system cannot work without the abundance of water. To put this in proper perspective the fire trucks or fire engines carry a limited supply of water and it is exhausted very fast. Therefore, if a system with abundant water is provided fire can be fought till the fire services arrive and they too can use the system. Fire can be brought under control soon and structural damage can be limited .

JOCKEY PUMP, MAIN PUMP, DIESEL PUMP.

Let us study the system in detail. The heart of the system is called the pump room and it consists of 3 pumps. 1. Jockey Pump. 2. Main Pump and 3. Diesel Pump. This is a system under pressure and the entire network of complex piping is charged. Depending on the design requirements pressure is set. It usually starts at 7BAR and can go till 10BAR. Manual firefighting is not feasible at a pressure beyond 11BAR. The pumps are necessary to take care of the pressure and to ensure the correct pressure is maintained at all times during Fire Fighting.

  1. Jockey Pump : This pump gets switched on when pressure in the line drops below 5BAR. The pump when on increases the pressure levels to the optimum levels already set. The pump functions as per the pressure setting and rating.
  • Main Pump : This pump switches on when the pressure drops below 4.5BAR. This usually happens when more outlets are operated. Hence this pump increases the pressure to the original set levels and can sustain the pressure for longer periods, even when multiple outlets are operated. But both the Jockey and Main Pump operate on Electricity and the Electricity for the pump house should be independent of the supply to the premises. 
  • Diesel Pump :  This pump is the backup system for the Main and Jockey pumps. When there is a power failure this can be switched on and the firefighting operations can be continued. In some systems the technology is so designed that the pump can switch on automatically if there is a drastic drop in pressure and can bypass the main and jockey pumps.

All the pumps are interlocked for automatic operations through a MCC panel and pressure switch integration.

Every inlet needs an outlet and the outlets will be all around and the water flows through a maze of pipes and valves. Let me describe in brief about them.

Hydrant Post ,Hose Box, Fire Service Inlet

Hydrant Post : This is the main outlet and usually this is mounted on a pipe which looks like a lamp post. The outlet contains a Wheel to open and a coupling where the hose can be attached to it. The hydrant post is of either a single head or a double head and the heads are installed depending on the design requirement.

Hose Box or Hose Station : Next to the hydrant post we find a box where 2 hoses are kept. The hoses are called delivery hose or the fire hose. There are different types of hoses and the widely used Hose today is called RRL Hose (Reinforced Rubber Lining). There are 3 lengths of hoses and these are same across the world. They are 7.5mts, 15mts, and 30mts. For firefighting in the yard 15mts is the standard length and for using inside 7.5mts are used. In some places the hose box may be a little away from the Hydrant post. The delivery hoses have couplings which are universal sizes of 63mm diameter. The hose box contains a branch pipe or a nozzle along with the delivery hose. The box is locked and there will be a key in a small glass enclosure which can be easily broken. In the hose box a Branch pipe or normally called a Nozzle is placed along with the hoses.

Fire Service Inlet : This too looks like a hydrant post but the difference is this will be an inlet which can be used by the firefighters to fill the tank of the fire truck. As the water in the fire truck gets exhausted too quickly the firefighters can use the water provided. The fire service inlet is usually located near the entrance of the building.

Universal Branch Pipe, JET Branch Pipe, Foam Branch Pipe

Branch Pipe : This is one of the essential accessory without which fire fighting cannot be done. There are various types of branch pipes and describing each one of them in this blog would be too elaborate. But for information some of them are

  1. Jet Branch Pipe.
  2. Universal Branch Pipe.
  3. Curtain Branch Pipe.
  4. Foam Making Branch Pipe. And so on

To operate this system during fire ground operations 3 persons who are well trained are needed. In the case of civilian fire fighters 4 persons can too be there. As the system throws out water at a high pressure one needs to be trained to use it. Persons who are not trained should never operate the system as life can be lost if something goes wrong. The designated persons operating the hydrant are called

  1. Branch Man.
  2. Support and Signal Man.
  3. Hydrant valve opening man.

To operate the communicate during the operation the firefighters use simple voice and hand signals. The Signals are used to open the water, increase the pressure, maintain the pressure and close the water after firefighting. 

A typical position of the branch man with his support will look as follows.

Branch Man Holding the Branch Pipe
Ready Position

A part of the system is also a water Monitor which are fixed in one location and throw water with great force and to a long distance. They are easy to use and are strategically placed where the fuel load is high.

To conclude I would say that

“TACTICS WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY IS HELPLESS. TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT TACTICS IS USELESS”

WISH ALL MY READERS A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR.

Till my next blog stay safe and be safe.

Seshadri Varadarajan.
9840814353.


Complete Fire Fighter – II

Fire & Life Safety Education, Innovation, , , ,

Trust all my readers are safe and doing well. Slowly but steadily we all are recovering but the threat of the pandemic has not vanished. We need to be careful and not let our guard down at any cost. This blog is a conclusion of the complete firefighter. In the first part we had basically dressed up the firefighter for facing the Hazardous condition called Elevated Temperature. Here we shall equip him to deal with Oxygen deficiency and Smoke Conditions. In some places the firefighters are called to rescue persons trapped in confined spaces. Without further ado let us get started.

In any fire ground operation when the fire is in the Fully Developed or Fully Involved stage it is very deadly. The heat and smoke emitted from the fire has often taken the lives of firemen and the threat of back draft is ever present. Any human has to breathe air to live and a fireman too needs to breathe if he has to bring the fire under control. But in fire ground operations there is always a thick blanket of smoke that makes breathing next to impossible and the noxious gases like Carbon monoxide, Hydrogen Cyanide and a lot of other gases which can kill within minutes. A firefighter needs a device which can help him breathe and help him to fight the fire. That apparatus is called SCBA. Self Contained Breathing Apparatus. The SCBA helps the firefighter to breathe air so that he can breathe easy and still do his job of firefighting and Rescue. Let us see how the apparatus is made and how it works.

A SCBA typically has 3 main components,
1. A cylinder under pressure
2. A pressure regulator
3. Inhalation connection
All connected together and mounted on a back plate with harness and straps.

The Cylinder: The cylinder is made of either Steel, Aluminium or Carbon composite (Carbon fibre) material. Initially the cylinders were made of steel as it was durable and could withstand high pressure, but they were heavy and impeded movement. With the advances in technology now the material is Carbon Composite and considerably lighter. The pressure ranges from 2,216 to 5,500 psi or 154 to 376 atmospheres (BAR). The cylinder is filled with breathable air and to the neck of the cylinder is fitted a valve to open and release the air for breathing. The cylinders comes in various sizes like 4ltrs, 6ltrs and 6.8ltrs. The modern fire fighters mostly use 6ltr or 6.8ltrs. The cylinders have to tested hydrostatically once in 5 years. These cylinders are commonly called air bottles. 

Pressure Regulator or Demand Valve: The demand valve supplies air to the wearer on demand. It has a bypass facility and a reset button. The demand valve is connected to the facemask through bayonet fitting. A reducer reduces the pressure from 300 BAR to 6 – 11 BAR. It will also have a pressure gauge to indicate the pressure and will have an alarm whistle to indicate to the wearer that the air is getting exhausted. Hence a trained firefighter will not use the air in the cylinder unless necessary.

Inhalation Connection: The modern breathing apparatus have a full face polycarbonate mask to which the demand valve is connected to help the firefighter breathe easy. It contains an inner mask and head straps.

There are 2 different types of SCBA which are positive pressure and negative pressure, but modern firefighters use positive pressure only. The air in the apparatus can last only for a certain amount of time and the calculation of time is as under.

The above calculations are as per standard formula and will vary from individual users and conditions.

Breathing through an SCBA is not as easy as breathing normally. Hence the wearer needs to be physically, medically and mentally fit. Usually the firefighters need to wear the fire suit and SCBA while practicing and during drills.

The wearing of an SCBA is called Donning and some of the donning methods are.

  1. Over the head.
  2. Coat Method.
  3. Seat mounted method.

The only problem faced by firefighters while wearing it they cannot communicate effectively. Hence firefighters design specific signals to communicate.

When the firefighter is dressed in fireman suit and he has the breathing apparatus with him then he is complete in all respects and can save numerous lives. Trust this article of mine will underline the importance of protecting our firefighters.

The Fire and Rescue Services Act says that a Fire suit and SCBA are compulsory in organizations which have the internal fire hydrant system so that the trained people can fight the fire safely till the time the firefighters arrive. What is a Fire hydrant and how it is used in firefighting we shall discuss in the subsequent blogs.

For technical specifications of SCBA, visit www.ushafire.com and www.resguardo.com

Till then stay safe and be safe.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

Complete Fire Fighter – I

Fire & Life Safety Education, Innovation, , , ,

Trust all my readers are staying safe.  We have discussed a lot on Fire safety in the past year. A lot of aspects were covered and I trust the information has been helpful to understand the dynamics of Fire and its character. We all know that fire fighting is dangerous and not to be done by untrained people. In this blog let us discuss the dangers faced by the Fire service personnel while battling the fire and how to ensure they return back safely to their families.

Fireman ready for Battle

There are 5 common hazardous situations most fire fighters find themselves during a fire ground operation.

  1. Elevated Temperature
  2. Smoke
  3. Oxygen Deficiency
  4. Toxic Atmosphere
  5. Structural Collapse

All the above situations present different challenges and are life threatening conditions. Though the fireman in advanced countries are highly trained it is not so in developing countries. To face these situations, rescue people and still coming out alive is a huge task. Hence a fire fighter needs to be properly equipped before he can even fight the fire.

Let us start with the dress of the fire fighter. This is called the fireman suit and it consists of the following.

  1. Helmet with Neck Protector
  2. Protective Flash Hood
  3. Jacket
  4. Gloves
  5. Trousers
  6. Boot

Helmet: The helmet protects the head, neck and face. It consists of a cap shell, cap hoop, the buffer layer and chin strap. It has an anti-scratch outer coating and anti-fog visor. The shell is made of TPE (Thermo Plastic Elastomer) material for resisting high temperature. The visor is polycarbonate. The neck protector has to be made of genuine leather. The interior of the helmet should have ventilating channels for sweat absorption and a shock absorber made of Poly Ethane foam. The chinstrap should be made of flame retardant cotton.

Protective Flash Hood: The protective hood provides thermal insulation to the sensitive parts of the head. It should have an elasticated face opening with comfortable seams. The hood should be flame and abrasion resistant. The flash hood should be double layered and made of 50% Meta-aramid and 50% viscose fabric and manufactured as per the latest fire safety standards.

Fireman jacket and trouser: These are the largest and most important parts of dressing up a fireman. Both the jacket and the trouser should consist of 4 layers.

1.Outer Layer
2.Moisture Barrier Layer
3.Heat Barrier Layer
4.Inner Lining

The outer layer is the most important layer which is exposed to heat and flame. It should be made of molecular engineered fire resistant fabric. The outer layer is made of 60% Para-aramid and 40% Meta-aramid. The outer layer should be 245 GSM fabric.

The moisture barrier layer protects the firefighter against water, chemicals, blood borne pathogens and microorganisms. It should be made of 80% Meta-aramid 20% Para-aramid coated with PTFE (Teflon). The moisture layer must be made of 110 GSM fabric.

 The heat barrier layer provides protection from heat. The material should be non-woven spun laced fire resistant material. It should comprise of 80% Meta-aramid and 20% Para-aramid fabric. The heat barrier layer fabric should be 70 GSM.

It is common knowledge that a firefighter would sweat a lot and hence absorption of sweat is important too.  The inner layer should made up of 50% Meta-aramid and 50% Para-aramid fire resistant viscose material. The inner layer fabric should be 150 GSM.

A wrist guard is sewn into the jacket, which protects the exposed skin between the edge of the sleeve and the glove. The collar is designed to protect the throat and the back of the neck. The special elbow guards protect the fireman’s elbow while crawling.

The special reinforced knee guards protect the knees while fighting fire. The trouser also consists of cargo pockets, suspenders, and stretch waistbands.

Gloves: Fireman gloves provide protection to the hands from heat and is also water repellent. It should be made of leather and lined with Cotton and a split leather cuff, stitched with fire resistant threads. The glove is Gunn cut designed with winged thumb, gauntlet type.

Boot: The fireman boot comes in black and yellow colour. It has vulcanized rubber uppers and soles and is lined with Woven Cotton material. It has Epoxy toe caps and has lacquer coating for weather protection.

 It is thermal resistant, waterproof, puncture resistant, chemical resistant, anti-crush and electrically insulated. The soles are slip resistant, highly durable and have minimum heel impact. The steel midsole provides protection from pins and sharp objects.

Every Fireman suit made should pass the following tests as per the world standards.

  1. Flame Spread
  2. Heat Transfer (Flame)
  3. Heat Transfer (Radiant Heat)                                              
  4. Residual Strength of Material (All Layers)
  5. Heat Resistance (All layers)
  6. Tensile Strength (Outer layer)
  7. Tear Strength (Outer layer)
  8. Penetration by Liquid Chemicals
  9. Resistance to Water Penetration
  10. Water Vapour Resistance

By donning the fireman suit a firefighter is ready for fire ground operation but to fight the oxygen deficiency and smoke he needs a Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). We shall discuss about it in the next blog.

Till then stay safe and be safe.

Seshadri Varadarajan – 9840814353
For more information on Fire Man Suit, visit www.ushafire.com and www.resguardo.com