There are many health effects associated with fire. Most casualties including firefighters suffer from acute exposure to toxic substances produced by the fire than from physical burns. Although the burning conditions for every fire may be different, there are a few commonalities that can be drawn. The combustion products produced by a fire differ depending on the materials involved. Nevertheless, some assumptions regarding the hazardous chemical constituents can be made. The aim of the paper is to investigate the products of combustion, firefighter safety, the stages of fire, fire suppression, and how the information gathered can benefit firefighters during the suppression of fire activities.
Part 1
The Products of Combustion
The building industry is increasingly resulting in the use of synthetic materials including plastics, resin, and foams. These products are susceptible to combustion and can produce toxic products when exposed to fire. The burning of polyurethane leads to the formation of carbon dioxide (Sadovská & Navrátil, 2013). The combustion of polyurethane form which is mostly used for furniture can form isocyanides, benzene, and toluene which are highly toxic products. The hazardous products generated by the combustion of organic materials can be divided into categories depending on the levels of toxicity. The two categories are asphyxiants and irritants. The asphyxiates gas products are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide hydrogen cyanide while the irritant gasses are sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and halogen acids(Sadovská & Navrátil, 2013). The health hazard posed by the toxic products is greatest for fire the firefighters since they are directly exposed to the smoke.
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Safety measure
The safety measures that should be taken to protect the firefighters from the hazards of the combustion products include the use of the appropriate equipment, the wearing of the appropriate protective gear and clothing, restraining devices, the application of personal alert systems, and the rotation of firefighters to avoid exertion (Angle, Gala, Harlow & Lombardo, 2013).
Part 2
The fire development comprises of four stages including the incipient stage, growth, full development, and decay.
The Incipient Stage
The nascent stage is characterized by the radiation of heat which warms the fuel continuing on the pyrolysis process. Hot gasses may include flames.
The incipient stage is the beginning state. The fire can be controlled by the use of portable fire extinguishers, hose-pipe, or class11 standpipe (Angle et al., 2013). The fire can be extinguished without using protective and breathing gears.
The growth stage
With the availability of enough oxygen and additional fuel, the heat increases and the hot particulates escalate the fire as the smoke is enhanced with greater production of gasses. The fire growth is enhanced through flame spread (Angle et al., 2013).
The tactic to control the fire at this stage is either venting the window and doors to reduce the supply of oxygen or the application of a solid water stream through a window.
Fully Developed Fire
In this stage, there is total involvement of the combustible materials. The temperatures are high, and the energy release can be viewed as being at its greatest, flames can be seen through the doors and windows (Angle et al., 2013). The firefighter’s major concern should be the structure and its strength. The most residential building is constructed with light material and consequently weak. The firefighters should be aware of the hazards of using a ladder on such buildings.
The tactic to fight the fire at this stage is to effectively introduce a strong stream of water through an open vent or a window to cool down the temperatures inside the building (Angle et al., 2013). Often, it is important to introduce the water from a distance.
Decay stage
Fire gets to the decay stage as the fuel gets diminished or there is limited oxygen supply. The heat release rate wanes as the levels of oxygen drops. Nevertheless, the temperature will continue to rise for a while (Angle et al., 2013). Again, during the dying stage, water may be introduced. However, it is possible to let the fire be since it will have consumed all the fuel and does not pose any risk.
The Benefits of the Information
Firefighting is a risk taking exercise. Successful fire suppression activities involve the quick gathering of essential information to inform the spread of the fire and the condition of the building. The information on the two factors allows the firefighters to make the right decisions on how to approach the fire and how to handle the safety issues associated with the fire.
References
Angle, J., Gala, M. Harlow, D. & Lombardo, W. (2013). Firefighting Strategies and Tactics , Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Sadovská, V. & Navrátil, J. (2013). Health Protection of Firefighters and Other Persons against Harmful Substances from Fires. Retrieved from: http://www.unob.cz/eam/Documents/Archiv/EaM_1_2013/Sadovsk%C3%A1_Navr%C3%A1til.pdf
