Firefighters ?

mete

mete

Joined
Jun 10, 2003
Messages
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A recent fire in Port Jervis NY used , to great advantage, a new item for fire fighting.They showed it on the local TV but I can't find any info about it. It's about 10" dia with a handle and it's thrown into a building before anything else is done.It puts out a vapor helps put out the fire .Can anyone supply info ?
 
Thanks, just what I wanted to know ! Never knew PJFD had their own website.
 
It appears that you have to pull the string to start the suppressant, but it would be really sweet if it was heat activated. Throw one in each floor of the house (before a fire as a preventative measure) and if there was ever a major fire they would activate and knock down the fire till the fire department could arrive.
 
spyder10 said:
It appears that you have to pull the string to start the suppressant, but it would be really sweet if it was heat activated. Throw one in each floor of the house (before a fire as a preventative measure) and if there was ever a major fire they would activate and knock down the fire till the fire department could arrive.
Click to expand...

That wouldn't work too well. Fire, heat and smoke follow the path of least resistance and with the most fire load especially in a balloon frame construction home. And depending on the location of the fire it may not even reach the areas where the device would be placed. The fire would have to burn for quite some time and the house would be a total loss before the device will activate.

I follow this ideology when it comes down to saving lives......self and brother firefighters first, civilian population second, home and property third. If it saves a firefighter from getting hurt or killed on the initial attack then I'm all for it. If it saves a civilian trapped in the fire then I'm all for it. If it is to be used mainly to save a structure then I'd rather use water and take my chances with my training and gear and fellow firefighters to get the job done. Saving the structure should be last on the list.
 
My mother used to work in a research library that's full of irreplaceable old documents. Water could do about as much damage as fire. They have an automatically triggered halon system and when it goes off everybody has to get out of there quick, because you can't breathe that stuff.
 
I concur with Ken C.

As a student of building sciences, I am seeing many new designs and building supplies that are 'fire safe'. Meaning non-combustible(Will not sustain flame). You are seeing simple yet very effective building renovations that lower fire risks.Things like blocking off open soffit vents,closing off gable end vents and ridge vents can lower smoldering attic fires and added structural integrity to the building envelope(or balloon as Ken C referred to). Replacing old fiberglass batted/paper cellulose insulation will greatly reduce your fire risks. Using the new open cell spray in place foam insulations are flat out impressive, not only cutting heating and cooling costs a whole bunch but they provide a area of safety and strength.

oops, didnt mean to hijack this thread! :) I can rarely add any level of intelligence to this forum of knife knuts as I'm a mere user. 25 years as Firefighter-Investigator has taught me one or two things.
I'll shut up now
Be safe.
 
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