1. Electrical, Gas, and Water Safety
Federal Fire Department San Diego

2. Enabling Objectives Demonstrate how to secure various utilities
Describe the safeguards that are used
Describe common causes of fires started by electrical services
Describe the protective measures which will decrease the threat to life and property

3. Electricity
WARNING
TO HANDLE FIRES IN ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, STOP THE FLOW OF ELECTRICITY BEFORE SUPRESSION BEGINS

4. Electricity
WARNING
CONSIDER ALL WIRES LIVE UNTIL CONFIRMED TO BE OTHERWISE BY THE POWER COMPANY

6. Electricity
Terms to know-
-Voltage
-Current
-Watts
-OHMS

7. Voltage The force that causes flow of electricity
Equivalent to PSI in a water delivery system
Classified as High or Low
The larger the insulator the higher the voltage
Insulation color does not indicate the amount of voltage

8. Voltage
Voltage > 240 is considered high and beyond firefighters capabilities
Electrical conductors at highest position usually carry highest voltage
Low voltage does not mean safe
Low voltage can give minor shocks and cause physical injuries

9. INSULATOR
480 OR HIGHER
PHONE/CABLE

10. TRANSMISSION
VOLT
DISTRIBUTION

11. Current The flow of electricity Measured in amps
Equivalent to GPM in water system
Current or amps are dangerous
As little as one milliamp can cause V-Fib

12. Watts
The amount of electrical power needed to run a appliance or piece of electrical equipment
Determined by multiplying the rated voltage by the rated amperage of a piece of electrical equipment
Volts x Amps

13. OHMS
The measurement of resistance created by electrical current flowing
Equivalent to friction in water flowing through a fire hose
Resistance causes heat

14. Safety Practices Never watch arcs
Buildings with electrical hazards, keep arms up and palms facing in
Never stand below power lines when water is applied
Never direct streams between or over high voltage power lines
Smoke is a conductor of electricity

15. Hazards of street lights and neons
Street lights should always be considered high voltage. Also,They are often connected in series
Neon signs use transformers that increase voltage as high as volts. Current flow is high

16. Overhead Wires
conductor
transformer

17. Overhead Wires When wires are down call SDG&E
Apparatus, personnel, and equipment should be kept one pole span from hazard
Heat anneals conductors and may cause wires to weaken and fall down
If vehicles become energized with low volts
-Jump from vehicle with feet together
-do not touch car and ground together

18. “Feel for the tingle in the boots”
Energized Vehicles
Never attempt to re-enter or touch a charged vehicle
Rubber tires and boots are not always good insulators and may be conductive
Tires are often steel belted
Boots may be wet or covered with dust or other conductive materials
“Feel for the tingle in the boots”

19. Pole Fires Isolate and secure area, protect exposures
Contact Heartland and SDG&E
Do not attempt to extinguish fire
A fog steam may be used to intermittently cool pole fires
-Never use a straight stream
-Fog stream particles are less conductive

20. Pole Fires
If pole is burning, extinguish within two feet of the capacitor
If capacitor is burning, two pole span distance away from fire
Capacitors will hold charge until shorted and grounded
Water absorbed by pole can conduct electricity to ground

21. Pole Fires Oil switches, oil filled transformers
High flash point, will burn and spill
Transformers convert electrical current
May be on pole or ground
Do not attempt to extinguish this type of fire until de-energized

22. Wires Down Establish a safety zone, one pole span
Have Heartland call SDGE with:
-Pole number if possible
-If wires go pole to pole or pole to structure
Don’t move slack, grounded or dangling wires unless lives are endanger
Use caution during rainy conditions

23. Wires Down Wires may energize rain gutters, trees or TV lines
In a wild land fire do not park under high voltage lines, retardant drop may snap power lines and smoke will conduct
Wires on fence may energize entire span
Cut wires as a last resort

24. Victim in Contact With Wires
Safest to remove victim from wire
Assume victim is energized
Attempt to keep wire in contact with the ground
Move wire as little as possible, may cause arc or flash

26. Cutting Wires Should be performed by SDGE
Cut wires on one side as high off the ground as possible, repeat on other side
Back feed from transformer

27. Green Pad Mounted Equipment
If vehicle involved consider high voltage
Check for wires under vehicle
Minimum voltage range from 4kv-12kv
Can be confused with telephone junction box

28. Green Pad Mounted Equipment
Telephone Box
Electrical Box

29. Underground Conductors
Electric cable in underground ducts and manholes is seldom a problem
May arc and catch fire or burn gases
Do not enter underground manholes or vaults
Use non conductive agents to extinguish fire

30. Power Plants and Substation
Do not enter or extinguish until SDGE notified
Stay out of substation until SDGE notified
Protect surrounding property
May have oil fire

31. Consumer Installation

32. Consumer Installation
Take protective measures to reduce life and property hazards
Isolate the electrical hazards by opening switches or throwing circuit breakers

33. Consumer Installation
Attempt to isolate in the following order
Fixtures
Outlets
Appliances
Floors
Areas

34. Service Meter
Buildings may have high voltage emergency backup generators
Strip malls should be completely isolated due to common wiring
Some buildings have a uninterrupted power supply to convert AC to DC if external power is shut off

35. Never pull the service meter
Service Meters
Never pull the service meter

36. Circuit Breakers Three types- -Switch, push, fuse
Before disconnecting, note position
-Position either on, off, or tripped
-Are fuses blown?
-Any tampering ?

37. Main Breaker Isolate main breaker
-Only when local isolation not possible
-Disrupts entire service
Utilize building maintenance personnel whenever possible

38. Dead and Isolated Circuits
Dead circuits have been de-energized by throwing breakers but they have not been isolated (firefighter function)
Isolated circuits prevent any automatic or remote control operations that could energize circuits (SDG&E rep only)

39. Trolley Lines 600 volts DC De-energized only by trolley repair crews
Stay a minimum of 10 feet from the trolley lines

40. Water Utilities
Water is the most used and least recognized public utility
Allows water to be supplied from more then one direction without interruption

41. Controlling Water Service
Close valve off as close to the leak as possible
Residential service valves- ball or gate (globe)
Residential curb side meter box

42. Controlling Water Service
Residential curb side meter box- closed
Residential curb side meter box- open

43. Water Valves Uncontrolled water causes major property damage
Broken pipes
Hose lines

44. Natural Gases Natural gas- methane
Highly flammable, non toxic and odorless
Contains mercaptan to odorize (rotten egg)
Lighter than air, displaces oxygen in confined spaces - asphyxiate
Distributed through pipelines with pressure from ¼ to 1000 PSI

45. Natural Gas Residential – ¼ PSI for most homes
Commercial-large hotels can be as high as 5 PSI
Distribution 60 psi in residential area
Firefighters should secure gas at service meter
Call SDG&E for assistance

46. Ruptured by backhoe,operator killed!
Natural Gas
Natural Gas Pipe ruptured during excavation project
Ruptured by backhoe,operator killed!

47. Liquefied Petroleum Gas
LPG- composed of butane or propane
Non toxic, odorless, asphyxiate
Odor added but not in bulk transport
1 ½ times heavier then air, stays in low places
Containers may may BLEVE
Contact HIRT for assistance

48. Protective Measures During a Gas Emergency
Five basic situations-
Escaping outside
Burning outside
Escaping inside
Burning inside
Attempted suicide

49. Protective Measures
Safety zone should be 200 feet around leaking lines
½ mile around tank or rail cars
Extinguish all possible ignition sources
Stop all machinery
Reroute vehicle traffic
Shut off all electricity
Avoid generating sparks

50. Protective Measures Two inch and larger lines not burning
CNG
Will Rise
Two inch and larger lines not burning
-Evacuate as needed
-Eliminate all ignition sources
-Check for gas migration
-Don’t bend poly pipes
-Don’t plug steel pipes
-Hose line and crew upwind
LPG
Will Sink

51. Protective Measures
Two inch and larger lines burning-
-Evacuate- call SDGE
-Wear full PPE
-Lay charged hose lines
-Do not extinguish
-Protect exposures
-Don’t attempt to close gas valves
Gas escaping inside building-ventilate and shut ignition sources
Gas burning inside building- shut off gas at meter
-use appropriate fire fighting procedures
-protect exposures

52. Gas Shut Off- turn valve ¼ inch in either direction

53. Attempted Suicide- Natural Gas
Do not enter building-call PD for assistance
Shut down all services
Do not ventilate initially
Isolate area and evacuate as necessary
Always use explosive proof smoke ejectors for ventilation when safe to do so

54. Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Interview
Evacuate
Ventilate
Investigate
Educate

55. Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Investigate
Was the heater on?
Fireplace?
Oven or Stove being used for heat?
BBQ or Lantern used indoors?
Any repairs to gas appliances?
Vehicle ran in attached garage?
Other engine exhaust blown inside?

56. Enabling Objectives Demonstrate how to secure various utilities
Describe the safeguards that are used
Describe common causes of fires started by electrical services
Describe the protective measures which will decrease the threat to life and property