TB 4 - Gasoline Tank Truck-Trailer Incidents Flashcards
Primary consideration of emergency responders shall be the preservation of life, _______, and the environment, in that order.
Property
What are the three basic types of vehicle-tank configurations?
- Single tank truck with two axles (3,000gal) or three axles (5,000gal).
- Tank tractor with semi-trailer connected by fifth-wheel (9,000gal)
- Tank tractor pulling a two-axle trailer (9,000gal)
Tanker incident precautions:
Firefighters should isolate the incident by setting perimeters using what piece of equipment?
Combustible gas indicator
The following general safety precautions shall be taken by all personnel at all tanker incidents:
-Full PPE and SCBA
-Avoid contact with product or vapors
-avoid contact with tank truck
-avoid breaking foam blanket
-isolate area and set perimeters
-approach uphill/upwind
Actions for Gasoline Tanker Incident – No Leak:
• Treat all incidents as if there is a leak until it is confirmed there is not a leak.
• Full PPE with SCBA
• Monitor incident area with combustible gas indicator.
• Perform preliminary container integrity examination
(Construction and design features allow for early tank failure at relatively low temperatures with pressure relief devices designed to maintain 3 to 5 psi. BLEVE should NOT be a consideration.)
Actions for Gasoline Tanker Incident – Leak, No Fire:
• Eliminate potential ignition sources a MINIMUM of 100 feet from the spill.
• Turn off vehicle ignition, if possible
• Use combustible gas indicator to verify atmosphere around BATTERY TERMINAL is below 10% LEL BEFORE disconnecting or disabling.
• Set incident perimeters using 5 gas monitors.
• Contain runoff
• Affected area surrounding the tank shall be covered with foam.
For tanker with only a tire fire use a minimum ______ hose line with a minimum of _____ gpm. Consider vehicle FUEL TANKS as a SECONDARY HAZARD, secure sufficient water supply for potential of incident.
1 1/2” hoseline with 125 gpm
Fire Attack actions for Gasoline Tanker Incident – Fires Involving Spilled Liquid or Tanker:
• Spot apparatus uphill and preferably upwind of incident.
• Secure water supply sufficient for multiple master stream operations.
• DO NOT USE PLAIN WATER UNLESS IT IS TO PERFORM A RESCUE
• Make fire attack using FOAM LINES.
• Use dikes to keep spilled, flowing or burning product from storm drains.
Actions if a tankers product has entered subterranean levels (vaults, storm drains, sewer system, etc.):
• Contact appropriate agencies for mitigation and recovery efforts
• Monitor possible areas that may become explosive or pool flammable vapors
• Use LAFD Hazmat for enhanced surveying
When is the offensive attack used on tanker incidents?
-there is an immediate life hazard
-there is enough personnel, apparatus, equipment and foam on scene to extinguish the fire
When can you use plain water instead of foam during a tanker incident?
-For immediate life hazard/rescue operation. (Use plain water IF foam setup will cause delay)
….Never direct water stream into flames or cargo tank (burning product will overflow)
Offensive Attack Actions for Tanker Fires:
-Never direct cooling stream into flames or cargo tank, product will overflow and spread
-Use alcohol resistant aqueous film forming foam (AR AFFF)
- Plan for 15 min supply of foam concentrate for suppression ops (additional 15 mins for foam blanket maintenance)
- Aggressive deluge to extinguish fire
-Apply foam in a soft arc (do not direct steams below surface of liquid)
-Reapply foam as necessary
Foam tenders are capable of introducing compressed air into the foam lines, increasing reach and minimizing water use and run off.
LAFD foam tenders carry _______ gallons of class B foam.
1000 gallons
When is the defensive attack used on tanker incidents?
- No life, exposure, or environmental hazards
-insufficient staffing and equipment to perform offensive attack
Defensive Attack Actions for Tanker Fires:
When a defensive attack is employed the idea is to let the fire BURN ITSELF OUT.
- No fire extinguishment activities
- Protect personnel, apparatus, and exposures from radiant heat
- Control runoff
-Use dikes to protect storm drains
Aluminum tanks will melt at about _______°F and the exposed fuel will burn at the liquid level.
1,200
OVERTURNED gasoline truck/trailer incidents are even more challenging for the following reasons:
• Additional stability issues with the overturned vehicle.
• Increased likelihood of a spill, leak and/or fire.
• Automatic necessity for off-loading operation.
Overturned Tanker:
Disconnection of the tow bar shall only be performed by ________ personnel and only after product off-loading.
-trained heavy wrecker
(Tremendous energy may be stored in an overturned trailer tow bar.)
Even after confirming a private clean-up company’s qualifications (appropriate training, documentation, personnel and equipment), ________ shall handle all product off-loading (stinger operations).
LAFD Hazardous Materials companies
The request of ordering private clean-up resources through MFC requires the approval of?
The Deputy Department Commander
Tanker incidents on state highways/freeways:
- The _______ has AUTHORITY over Hazardous Materials incidents on State roadways.
- _________ is responsible for CLEAN-UP of State highways/freeways
- California Highway Patrol
(Historically, the CHP abdicates it’s authority to the Los Angeles Fire Department in dynamic incidents with life and fire hazards.) - CalTrans
It is imperative that vacuum trucks are ordered early in an incident, because it is not uncommon to have a one- or two-hour wait between when the trucks are requested and when they arrive.
Vacuum trucks are available in multiple sizes, but _____ and ______ gallon capacities are available from most hazardous materials waste haulers.
2,500 and 5,000 gal
Use the following guidelines when ordering vacuum trucks for spills and/or off-loading:
• 1 – 2,500 gallon truck for incidents up to 2,000 gallons
• 1 – 5,000 gallon truck for incidents between 2,000 and 4,500 gallons
• 2 – 5,000 gallon trucks for incidents involving a 4,800 gallon trailer
• 3 – 5,000 gallon trucks for incidents involving tank combinations up to 9,000 gallons
Vacuum Trucks are classified by what three tank cleanliness standards?
- Dirty – Tank is empty of product, but it has not been cleaned.
- Clean – Tank is empty of product and has been washed with water, but there is a possible trace of water and product from the previous load.
- Super Clean – Tank has been chemically cleaned and is free of product.
The IC should order the “______” type vacuum trucks when requesting the appropriate vacuum truck CLEANLINESS CLASSIFICATION.
Request “CLEAN” vacuum trucks to PREVENT any possibility of a reaction between a “dirty” tank and the off loaded or cleaned up material.
“Super-clean” trucks are UNNECESSARILY expensive.
Non-Pressure Liquid Tank Design and Construction:
-Most tanks are made of aluminum
-Tank wall is thickest at bottom (3/16”) and gets thinner towards the top. (Tank is not equally strong in all positions)
-Tanks are designed to carry load in upright position
-Tanks must be off-loaded prior to being uprighted
-tanks usually have 2 to 4 compartments, with single bulkheads separating compartments
-DOUBLE BULKHEADS are required when carrying FLAMMABLE products with different flashpoints
-Void space between double bulkheads contain a leak indicator hole and could contain up to 200 GALLONS of PRODUCT in the void space (NEVER REMOVE ANY PLUG)
-BAFFLES are installed primarily for TANK STRENGTH (do very little to reduce surge of product)
-Even when full, each compartment will have a vapor space
-The individual compartments are generally either full or empty. They are not designed to deliver partial loads.
-All EXTERNAL PIPING is constructed with built-in SHEAR POINTS.
The best way to determine the amount of product left in trucks is to gather information from?
the driver or consult the shipper’s manifest
If product is suspected in a tanks void space, a _______ will drill if necessary and pump out the compartment.
Hazardous Materials Task Force (HMTF)
the LAFD regulates flammable and combustible liquid tank trucks in Division _____ of the Fire Code.
38
Gasoline Tanker
The rule of thumb is gasoline will burn at the rate of about _____ foot per hour, vertically, regardless of the surface area.
1 foot
