Fire Management: Prevention, Detection, and Response Technics/Approaches (2)

Gbolahan Samuel Moronfolu

DEFINING FIRE: Fire is also known as combustion which is a rapid combination of two or more substances that result in the production of heat, light and other by-product.

FIRE BASICS
Fire is in its basic mechanics nothing more than an extremely rapid conversion from one state to another. This reaction requires three components to occur and must continue to utilize these three basic components to be sustained. As such, in looking at the prevention and response to fires, it is essential to understand these parts known as the Fire Triangle.

Fire requires the presence of four elements before it can produce flames. The elements are: 1. Fuel 2. Oxygen 3. Heat 4. Chain Reaction

These elements are called FIRE TETRAHEDRON
1. Fuel: For a fire to exist there must be some materials available that are capable of combustion. This could be as simple as paper or wood, or as complex as magnesium. In every case, this fuel is the component that undergoes the conversion from its current state to a different one. In most cases, this conversion is from a solid to a gas with some solid materials remaining.

2. Oxygen: The conversion of states in a fire situation requires an interaction with available oxygen. In most cases, fires are entirely dependent on the oxygen in the surrounding air; in other fairly rare cases the material that is being consumed may produce oxygen as a result of this process.

3. Heat: The final component required to produce fuel in an oxygenated environment to begin the process of conversion is some source of heat. Without the presence of all three components, a fire cannot begin or be sustained. This leads to the basic concept of cleanliness being a major contributor to the prevention of accidental fires. If all available fuels are stored in a manner consistent with fire prevention practice, they will be sufficiently removed from identified source of heat and the change of combustion is almost eliminated. This means that all identified sources of fuel must be watched for and properly utilized and stored to prevent exposure to heat.
4. CHAIN REACTION:- It is the Chemical reactions or oxidation process which sustains combustion. The Chemical reaction is influenced by the chemical and physical properties of the materials (fuel) involved in the reactions.

For example, one of the more common fire locations in the hospitality industry is the laundry area. In the operation of processing cloth, there is a certain amount of lint that is produced. As a result, there is a ready supply of fuel (lint is very combustible) in close proximity to a heat source. The prevention practice is very simple: remove and clean the lint filter after each load, or at least on a regular frequency.

Other typical hazard areas to inspect could include the following:
Boilers, heaters, and furnaces
Cooking areas
Electrical equipment and breaker rooms
Storage areas for inflammable liquids
Vehicle storage areas
Work areas that utilize oils, paint thinners, and other combustible liquids.
Smoking areas

As a general rule, areas that are cluttered tend to have an increased chance of fire hazards, and should be frequently inspected until such time as it is properly cleaned.

When inspecting for fire hazards which should be a constant aspect of every patrol, it is also essential that identified hazard be corrected, documented, and prevented from recurring.

DETECTION METHODS
If prevention methods fail and a fire begins, it becomes a matter of being able to detect the hazard so that the response program can be effective. The two methods of fire detection are human observation and electronic systems.

Human observation is often more effective, since it allows for the use of reasoning and judgment to determine the nature of the actual situation. In this case, however, there must be people present to make this discovery. Patrol officers have excellent opportunities to identify potential fires through smell, sign, and even sound and touch.

In some cases, officers can observe fires in such an early stage of development such that they are able to effectively extinguish them without outside assistance. In addition, by obtaining the cooperation of other people in the environment, the chances of human observation can be increased. Often, these other observers must be given some form of basic training to identified hazards or early stage fire threats, so that they can be more effective.

Electronic detection can also be highly effective, especially in areas where chances of observation by people is relatively low due to infrequent travel through them or visual obstruction. Electronic systems of detection can include sensors that watch for smoke, rapid increase in temperature above certain levels (regardless of how quickly that temperature is reached), and even early combustion airborne particles. Unfortunately, electronic sensors that can also trigger alarms must be investigated to determine the actual cause.

The ideal detection program is of course a combination of human observation and electronic monitoring. By thoroughly training the protective force and offering basic training to all other people that will be in the area and utilizing an electronic system as a backup to these components, you generally increase the likelihood of identifying fire situations. It is essential that fire be identified at the earliest possible moment so that they will not have a chance to grow too large to be contained and extinguished.

TYPES OF FIRE
Although based upon the same concept, fire can be divided into four basic types determined by the nature of the fuel component of their Fire Triangle. It is important to know these types and the differences in their fuels, as this can make a difference in how the fire is contained and extinguished.

The basic types are:
TYPE A: Type A fire generally have common solid combustible materials as their fuel. This would include such fuels as wood, paper, and cloth. This is a very common form of fire and the most basic.

TYPE B: This is fire that is fueled by liquid or gaseous fuel such as gasoline, kerosene, and compressed gas tanks like propane.

TYPE C: This represents fires that are initiated by electrical involvement. Fires in a breaker box, power strip, frayed extension cord, or items of powered equipment would fall into this category.

TYPE D: Burning metals such as magnesium fall into this category. It is often extremely intense and requiring equipment to handle.

Once the nature of a fire is understood, it becomes a determining factor on how to handle that situation. For the most part, class A, B, or C of sufficiently small size can be contained and extinguished by a person utilizing an appropriate extinguisher.
Class D fires require such specialized equipment that most responders will not be able to handle effectively, and should be cautioned to maintain a safe distance in the process of evacuating the immediate area.

*Moronfolu is a seasoned security consultant with many years of security and policing experience. FELLOW, Fourth Estate Professional Society (FFPS), he has also partaken in peace keeping operations within and outside the country and has flair for general security education.