This one is a bit empty!

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 6:46 pm

come on boys and girls you must have had a shout that made you think and perhaps you learnt something from? I Had an AFA the other night haha oh yea and the FRU had a shout as well! talk about busy

Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:09 pm

Okay, here's one.

Had a call to a fire in a 15 storey block of flats a few weeks back at about 04:00. On arrival we found the fire to be in the bin room- first thought: Code 2, return take appliances.

On closer inspection some cheerful individual had built a small bonfire below the main gas supply for the block, at the heart of which was a 13kg propane cylinder. The fire was going well, the cylinder was letting by with a blowtorch of flame impacting the gas supply pipe which was glowing red. Reconsidered thought: Cylinders confirmed involved and initiate cylinder procedure- simple.

Now. as cylinder procedure requires the implementation of a restricted zone, and I am unsure of the integrity of the gas supply pipe I begin evacuating the block. Even if one ignores the possible effect of a compromised gas supply, surely the restricted zone extends upward and downward as well as outward? (in USAR parlance the six-sided approach).

Anyway, to cut a long story short, the fire was successfully extinguished, cylinder coolled, gas supply checked and confirmed sound, residents re-occupied premises, no-one injured, all home safely. Well, according to OTPI (or whatever they're called now) it was unneccesary to evacuate the block and I shouldn't have done it. Still awaiting an explanation as to why, but if anyone would have dealt with it differently I'd like to know how.

Ian, you must have an experienced, critical comment to make on this?

Dave

Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:22 pm

Dave is that a dig?
I thought every thing you did there was spot on. I would have done exactly the same.
We had an acetylene cylinder alight a few months ago set up the 200m exclusion zone, closed the A3 etc etc guess what? As soon as the relief’s were implemented OPTI (likewise what ever they are called now) along with the Haz Mat officer decided that the exclusion zone could be reduced to 75 meters to allow the A3 to re open.
The new incident commander stood his ground and refused to do it so they over ruled him and did it anyway, although he got them to put it in writing that they were over ruling him.
Seems if the Haz Mat officer along with Opti decided they can change our operational procedures to suit them.

Have a good Christmas

Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 4:01 pm

Not a dig at all mate. We've worked at neighbouring stations on the same watch and I value your opinion.
Glad you agreed with me, I told OTPI at the scene that I wouldn't do anything differently next time.
There seems to be an attempt to scale back on the implementation of restricted/exclusion zones at cylinder incidents where it impacts on the infrastructure. This presents a problem when everything else, hazmat incidents being a prime example (carbon monoxide detector actuating results in 2 appliances, 1 FRU for DIM support, RRT and Hazmat officer, BA crews with Zellweger gas detectors, emergency crew and BA entry control) are all or nothing.

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:48 pm

Yet in there last safety plan we were no longer going to attend gas leaks rather inform caller to call Transco, now we have 2 pumping appliances, 1 FRU and one fat controller ( Station Manager ) attending thats progress for you

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:47 pm

A little question from a Dane. What is OPTI/OTPI (whichever is right). In Denmark nobody overrules an incident commander (called ISL RBR), except ISL PO, which is the Police Incident Commander, which has the coordinading responsibility.

Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:38 pm

A bureaucrat who has long forgotten his / her roots.

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:38 pm

A bureaucrat who has long forgotten his / her roots.

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:23 am

Then they carry out the mandatory witch hunt for henious offences such as anti-vibration clips not being engaged, or me walking to the control van without Firegear to collect the DCT NRB.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:25 pm

Hmm some kind of Internal Affairs. Glad we don't have them here.