Presents

Vehicle FiresVehicle Fires AndAnd

New TechnologyNew Technology

Lee Junkins Lee Junkins Midsouth Rescue TechnologiesMidsouth Rescue Technologies

Ft. Worth, Tx.Ft. Worth, Tx.

Welcome toWelcome to

Vehicle FiresVehicle FiresAndAnd

New TechnologyNew Technology

ObjectivesObjectives

1.1. Recognizing the need for a Recognizing the need for a change in our training.change in our training.

2.2. We are going to learn to recognize We are going to learn to recognize what we are facing on scene.what we are facing on scene.

3.3. Learn the set rules of vehicle Learn the set rules of vehicle firefighting.firefighting.

4.4. Learn the principles of a new Learn the principles of a new aggressive approach to a burning aggressive approach to a burning car.car.

Goals of this classGoals of this class

To establish an awareness of what we are facing.To establish an awareness of what we are facing. To establish a need for change in our training.To establish a need for change in our training. To instill the need for skilled training in facing the To instill the need for skilled training in facing the

new technology of today. new technology of today. To establish a set of unbreakable rules of safety.To establish a set of unbreakable rules of safety. To develop a set of aggressive attacks that:To develop a set of aggressive attacks that:1. are general approaches to any car no matter what 1. are general approaches to any car no matter what

they may or may not be equipped with.they may or may not be equipped with.2. can be easily taught and learned.2. can be easily taught and learned.3. will give us the most protection possible3. will give us the most protection possible4. are simple enough to become routine habits of 4. are simple enough to become routine habits of

attack, just like our old training is. (We all do it the attack, just like our old training is. (We all do it the same way).same way).

5. every department, no matter how small would have 5. every department, no matter how small would have the equipment to initiate.the equipment to initiate.

Sec. #1Sec. #1

Recognizing the need Recognizing the need for a change in our for a change in our

training.training.

Like everything in the Fire Like everything in the Fire ServiceService

Vehicle FirefightingVehicle FirefightingHas Become AHas Become A

Whole New WorldWhole New World

HYBRID VEHICLES

Ni-MH battery pack fire

Hydrogen Fuel CellsHydrogen Fuel Cells

SATURN EV1SATURN EV1

All-Electric Vehicles

Dual Fuel Dual Fuel VehiclesVehicles

Liquefied Petroleum Gas LPG

Compressed Natural Gas CNG

Alternative FuelsAlternative Fuels

Methanol and EthanolMethanol and Ethanol

CAUTION:CAUTION: A fire fueled by methanol A fire fueled by methanol

or ethanol burns bright blue and can or ethanol burns bright blue and can be difficult to see on a clear day.be difficult to see on a clear day.

Dangerous?- Extremely!Dangerous?- Extremely!

ButHave you fought one?Have you seen one?

Does one burn in your town every day?

We are going to get into We are going to get into these later.these later.

Though they Though they soundsound more more dangerous, we face many dangerous, we face many

things things everydayeveryday that are more that are more dangerous than all of these.dangerous than all of these.

And most of us don’t And most of us don’t even think about even think about

them.them.

Before The Late ’70sBefore The Late ’70s

We worried about gas tanks We worried about gas tanks blowing. blowing.

We worried about tires blowing.We worried about tires blowing.And And

That was about the only That was about the only things we had to watch things we had to watch for.for.

Our TrainingOur Training

Stay away from the tires.“Put out the fire”

Approach it cooling the gas tank area.

Late ’70sLate ’70s

In an effort to absorb the impact of In an effort to absorb the impact of low speed crashes, manufactures low speed crashes, manufactures began to install nitrogen gas shocks began to install nitrogen gas shocks on their front and rear bumpers. on their front and rear bumpers.

After After several injuriesseveral injuries, the word soon , the word soon got out, in the fire service.got out, in the fire service.

““These Things Blow-These Things Blow-up” !!up” !!

Our Training Changed Our Training Changed

We now approach the car at a 45 degree angleCooling the gas tank area, and as we get closer, Cool the bumper area.

But Even Today Some But Even Today Some Firefighters Do Not Firefighters Do Not

Understand The DangersUnderstand The Dangers

As you will see in this As you will see in this video.video.

Remember the person filming this is not a Remember the person filming this is not a firefighter. Listen real close to what he is firefighter. Listen real close to what he is saying, when the saying, when the second explosionsecond explosion takes place. Then watch where the man is takes place. Then watch where the man is standing, compared to the tire.standing, compared to the tire.

Car fire bumper video Car fire bumper video

What did you hear?What did you hear?

“ “One tire blew and it was not that loud !”One tire blew and it was not that loud !” “ “It wasn’t the gas tank”It wasn’t the gas tank”

Where was the man Where was the man standing ?standing ?

The nozzle man was in front of the tire.The nozzle man was in front of the tire.The man that was hit was in front of the car.The man that was hit was in front of the car.

So what was it ?So what was it ?Looking at the last views, you can see Looking at the last views, you can see the bumper missing, and look close, it the bumper missing, and look close, it

is laying where the man fell.is laying where the man fell.

Any one still not Any one still not understand ?understand ?

Try this !Try this !Why 45 Degrees?

But Then came the ’80sBut Then came the ’80s

How many ever think about How many ever think about the Air Bags, in a car fire ?the Air Bags, in a car fire ?

Will they deploy in a fire ?Will they deploy in a fire ?

Let’s SeeLet’s SeeExplosion 1 VideoExplosion 1 Video

Do you want to stick your Do you want to stick your head in the window ?head in the window ?

But for years But for years we taughtwe taught you to you to knock the fire down, then get in knock the fire down, then get in there, and in a circular motion, there, and in a circular motion, put it out.put it out.

Is it time for another Is it time for another change in training ? change in training ?

Let’s take another lookLet’s take another look

Explosion 2 videoExplosion 2 video

Did you hear what he Did you hear what he said ?said ?

The air bag, The air bag, and its’ housing,and its’ housing, blew out through the roof.blew out through the roof.

We think about air bags We think about air bags deploying in an extrication, but deploying in an extrication, but we are dealing with whole we are dealing with whole housings blowing out in fires.housings blowing out in fires.

How hot are these fires ?How hot are these fires ?300-400-700 Degrees ?300-400-700 Degrees ?

The propellant that inflates an air bag is The propellant that inflates an air bag is Sodium Azide, ( rocket fuel ).Sodium Azide, ( rocket fuel ).

In the air bag assembly there is an In the air bag assembly there is an igniter, that sets off a gas canister, that igniter, that sets off a gas canister, that heats the sodium azide to it’s ignition heats the sodium azide to it’s ignition pointpoint..

This ignition point is preset at 350 This ignition point is preset at 350 degrees.degrees.

Does a car fire get that hot ?Does a car fire get that hot ?

Normally !!Normally !!The air bag willDeploy, and the

Nylon bag will melt !

This is a normal This is a normal deployment.deployment.

And even this can be And even this can be dangerous to the firefighterdangerous to the firefighter

Piece of air bag 47 ft behind truckThis was in the mop up stage, no visible flame at time of deployment

How many were taught this How many were taught this in vehicle fire training ?in vehicle fire training ?

Air bags came out in the ’70sAir bags came out in the ’70s

Every car made has had one Every car made has had one since the early ‘80s.since the early ‘80s.

Is it time to change Is it time to change our training Yet ?our training Yet ?