Carbon Monoxide
Any fuel-burning appliance can be a source of carbon monoxide. The older they are, the more they can emit.
During CO investigations, Montagna suggests:
• ID and shut down the source
• Ventilate as needed
• Tell occupants what they must do
Fire departments should have a system in place to deal with such CO alarms, said Montagna, which should include:
- Size-up.
- Based on your department’s standards, know when you should put your SCBA on. Look outside the house – is there a car running? Is there a barbecue by the window? These can activate alarms in the house.
- Interview.
- Determine the condition of occupants and if they know the source. “Observe and confirm what they tell you, Montagna said. “Are they behaving normally?” he said. “They might not be aware of a problem they may have. Do they understand your questions? Are they coherent?”
- Investigate.
- Investigations should include whether a car was running in the garage, and whether any pets in the house are OK. “Pets, like children, have smaller body mass and faster metabolisms, and the result is they are more affected by CO,” Montagna said. The investigation should also determine what was in use in the house and for how long, are unvented appliances present, have new appliances been installed recently, have any repairs or adjustments been made recently, and are space heaters present?
- Take action.
- “If necessary, evacuate,” said Montagna. “The best thing you can do for them is to get them outside. They are being asphyxiated internally. If you take them outside, as they breathe they are expelling CO and exchanging it for fresh air.”
- Public education.
- Raising awareness in the community of CO poisoning can reduce both casualties and calls.
Electrical odors
- Rubber or plastics when heated up can seem like an electrical odor.
“What was in use in the house when they (the residents) detected the odor?” Montagna said. “Check if the appliances are plugged in and if they are turned on. If they are not working, it’s a good chance that that’s the problem.”
“We were called to a post office where an electrical odor was reported. The customers and employers were evacuated, and we went in looking for the source of the odor.
“An officer went behind the counter to a bank of computer terminal displays and he saw one was off, and the odor was a little stronger there.
“Most of the time, that’s what it could be. Unless you take the time to find the cause, you’re not going to know what it is.”
When it comes to electrical fires, three basic rules must be followed:
• Kill the power
• Check outlet and fixtures
• Where is wiring coming to and from?
Electricity pole wires
Most people believe high voltage wires are only found on top of the pole.
“I did too until I found out about aerial cables,” Montagna said. “If you don’t know if they’re in your area, you should find out about it. If it’s damaged, then it’s unsafe.”
Relationships should be established with utilities to find out more about the potential dangers in different areas, Montagna said.
Wires down
When they hit the ground, wires can whip up and electrocute anyone standing nearby. Safety measures must immediately be taken.
“If you can’t illuminate it, you should situate someone as a safety person to warn people there’s danger,” Montagna said. “Also, remember as other units respond, they didn’t hear the first warning. You have to make sure all units coming in are warned of hazards.”
Downed electricity wires can cause the ground to be charged. An early warning sign is if you start to feel tingling in your feet as you are walking towards it.
“The recommendation is to hop out on one foot because on one foot, you don’t get the potential electric difference,” said Montagna. “Better still, don’t approach it in the first place.”
Electricity pole down
“We had a pole hit by a fire once,” Montagna said. “The utility showed up and they said they had to cut the wires. But that caused the pole to fall down, and break a fireman’s leg. Make sure you keep everyone safe.”
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