| 05 - Fire Fighting |
Bronze Water Pumps
Aqueous Film Forming Foam is corrosive and causing premature wear on the cast iron KME fire engine pumps. FASTT recommends purchase of bronze pumps for the 60+ KME model fire trucks in the Navy. The bronze pumps cost roughly twice as much as the iron pumps but are expected to last 15-20 years vs the 3 years the iron pumps are lasting.
Fire Extinguisher Equipment-Halatron 1
Naval Hospital is equipped with Halon fire extinguishers. Replacement of these units with an extinguisher made by Buckeye, called Halatron 1, is recommended. Halatron 1 does not contain ODS compounds, do not require a back-up extinguisher, and eliminate the possibility of someone picking up the wrong extinguisher.
Fire Extinguisher Equipment-Sodium Bicarbonate
FASTT identified 2 activities which should explore use of Sodium Bicarbonate extinguishers. An example recommendation follows: Fire department maintains 608 water, 776 CO2, 174 PKP and 63 Halon fire extinguishers. PKP causes permanent damage to electrical and rubber components (electronics in computers and engines). A sodium bicarbonate extinguisher is available for class A, B, anc C fires. It is non-toxic, low reactivity. FASTT recommends adopting these extinguishers to for all A, B and C class fires. Action would prevent loss of equipment due to PKP corrosion. Sodium bicarbonate is also less expensive than dry chemical and CO2 extinguishers.
Note
Fire Fighting training center has established an operation which eliminates use of AFFF (and related waste) and has cut down on oily wastes by using propane. Water recycling is also helping to conserve water at the facility.
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