Air Monitoring at a fire scene, pre-overhaul

[RFDGloWorm]

Gang, anyone have an SOG/SOP they'd be willing to share involving air monitoring post-knockdown, pre-overhaul?

Thanks...

[BoxAlarm187]

PURPOSE -To establish procedures for monitoring hazardous and toxic atmospheres during overhaul operations.

OBJECTIVES - To reduce personnel exposure to hazardous and toxic materials during overhaul operations by ensuring proper use of personal protective equipment.

PROCEDURE - This procedure will apply to any persons on the scene of fireground operations.
A. Incident Command will activate the functional group "monitoring". This group may report to the Incident Safety Officer or Incident Command, depending upon the ICS structure.
B. "Monitoring", consisting of properly trained company personnel, will begin atmospheric monitoring in and around the fire structure.
C. With data collected, the Incident Safety Officer or the IC will establish a hazard zone.
D. It will be the responsibility of the IC or designee to prevent any personnel from entering the hazard zone without proper PPE.
E. Atmospheric monitoring will continue throughout the incident and the hazard zone may be adapted accordingly.
F. At the time the atmosphere reaches acceptable levels (listed below) "Monitoring" will transmit that information through the chain of command.
G. IC will then notify personnel that the removal of SCBA is allowed.
H. Atmospheric monitoring should continue until the Incident Safety Officer and/or IC deem the possibility of additional hazardous and toxic gas production has ceased or all personnel exit the hazard zone.

Acceptable Atmospheric Conditions:
LEL - below 10% O2 content - not less than 19.5% and not greater than 23.5%
CO ppm - below 30 ppm

Generally, the monitoring "group" is the OIC of one of the special service companies (truck or heavy rescue), who's given this assignment once the fire is under control.

[RFDGloWorm]

Thanks for this, exactly what I was looking for.

[GTRider245]

Gang, anyone have an SOG/SOP they'd be willing to share involving air monitoring post-knockdown, pre-overhaul?

Thanks...

I didn't know there was a stage in between.

[fire49]

How about monitoring for some of the other nasty chemicals??

http://www.carolinafirejournal.com/articles/article-detail/articleid/957/a-new-type-of-hazmat-incident.aspx

[BoxAlarm187]

How about monitoring for some of the other nasty chemicals??

Good point, it should be noted that our monitors detect O2, CO, CO2, and H2S.

[Rescue101]

Good point, it should be noted that our monitors detect O2, CO, CO2, and H2S.

We monitor Hcn as well. T.C.

[RFDGloWorm]

I didn't know there was a stage in between.

Thanks for bringing absolutely nothing to the table...

To the others that were actually contributing; yeah, I've tried to get them to understand that using a 4-gas is just okay, because there's so much crap produced you can't monitor for all of the bad methylethyl-bad stuff. Anyways, thanks for the feedback. I think they're just looking for a starting point!!

[nameless]

I don't see the point in monitoring for everything, the 4 gas meter should be sufficient. If you find that the 3 gases (I'm assuming 02 is the fourth) have all fallen significantly and/or to acceptable levels the rest of the chemicals probably have too.

[RFDGloWorm]

I don't see the point in monitoring for everything, the 4 gas meter should be sufficient. If you find that the 3 gases (I'm assuming 02 is the fourth) have all fallen significantly and/or to acceptable levels the rest of the chemicals probably have too.

True....thanks.

[GTRider245]

Thanks for bringing absolutely nothing to the table...

To the others that were actually contributing; yeah, I've tried to get them to understand that using a 4-gas is just okay, because there's so much crap produced you can't monitor for all of the bad methylethyl-bad stuff. Anyways, thanks for the feedback. I think they're just looking for a starting point!!

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed or what? It was a legit statement. Around here, we knock down the fire, extinguish any remaining fire, then overhaul. I guess if you were talking about the "extinguish any remaining fire" phase, air monitoring wouldn't matter since we are still on SCBA at this time, being as we probably havn't left the structure.

Maybe it was a little mixed up verbage. Lighten up, bro.

On the career department we monitor for CO during overhaul. We break out the QRaeII on the volunteer department.

Box, do you guys actually monitor for CO2 or just have the sensor installed in the meter? That is the first time I have heard of that.

[RFDGloWorm]

Nope, not this morning! Here, the fire gets knocked, we open it up and make sure it's not sneaking away then hold up on extensive overhaul (the big dig and tear out) until the Investigator gets to take a look.

Mix up in verbage. We end up having a pre-investigation "overhaul", what you and I (and most others) would probably consider "opening up", and then a post-investigation overhaul when you tear everything out.

My impression was that you were trying to be the "crazy forum guy", starting schit like a lot of others do when a legitimate question was being asked. Obviously, I was incorrect, and for that, I do apologize.

[GTRider245]

Nope, not this morning! Here, the fire gets knocked, we open it up and make sure it's not sneaking away then hold up on extensive overhaul (the big dig and tear out) until the Investigator gets to take a look.

Mix up in verbage. We end up having a pre-investigation "overhaul", what you and I (and most others) would probably consider "opening up", and then a post-investigation overhaul when you tear everything out.

My impression was that you were trying to be the "crazy forum guy", starting schit like a lot of others do when a legitimate question was being asked. Obviously, I was incorrect, and for that, I do apologize.

It is all good. Thanks for clearing that up. I think we can all agree we have enough "crazy forum guys" around here already!

[IronsMan53]

Monitoring for CO and HCN are great, but using those readings as justification for personnel to come off air is useless. There are so many other toxic products released at fires that you are not checking for.

It's like going up to a gate and saying well there's not pit bull or doberman here so it must be safe but the rottweiler bites you in the azz!

[RFDGloWorm]

Monitoring for CO and HCN are great, but using those readings as justification for personnel to come off air is useless. There are so many other toxic products released at fires that you are not checking for.

It's like going up to a gate and saying well there's not pit bull or doberman here so it must be safe but the rottweiler bites you in the azz!

Yes, plenty of "those guys" around here.

Yeah, that's what I was saying about "using a 4-gas is just okay"; definitely shouldn't be treated as gospel.