46 S.O.G. 

SECTION: Firefighting

SUBJECT: Carbon Monoxide Hazards

REVISED: 05/2002

PURPOSE:

            To provide safe guidelines for the handling of electrical emergency operations.

POLICY:

            When it has been determine that an electrical emergency exists these guidelines have been established.

RESPONSE:

            Response for electrical emergencies will be, a priority 2 response:

1.      Closest pumper.

2.      Rescue truck.

3.      Fire police vehicle for traffic control.

Apparatus Response will be in that order.

PROCEDURE:

A.                Determine the type of electrical problem and request the appropriate power company to respond, if needed.

B.                 Give dispatch proper location of incident (pole number).

C.                Park apparatus outside of operational perimeter.

SAFETY:

A.                Do not fight electrical fires unless de-energized, or life is in danger.  Protect exposures.

B.                 Be careful when spotting equipment and hose lines.  Electrical lines may fall on apparatus, personnel or hose lines.

C.                Do not walk under transformers as they contain PCB’s or burning oil.

D.                Wear protective clothing (full turnout gear).

E.                  Keep bystanders clear of hazardous area.

F.                  Do not open pole-mounted switches; they are for power company personnel only.

G.               Do not assume that telephone/cable wires are not hot-they may be in contact with hot wires.

H.                Do not use water to control pole top fires unless de-energized by the power company.  Protect exposures.

I.                    Avoid standing in puddles of run-off water during fire fighting operations when energized electrical equipment may be involved or nearby.

J.                  Assume that all wires down are energized and act accordingly.

K.                 Do not use non-rated equipment such as pike poles, non-rated cutters and non-rated ropes to handle downed wires.

WIRES DOWN:

A.                Members should not move wires unless necessary to rescue victims, and then only after all safety precautions have been observed.

B.                 Be careful when spotting hose lines and apparatus, additional lines may fall.

C.                Establish a secure area; include fences, vehicles, guardrails, railroad tracks and puddles of water, which may be electrically energized.

D.                Standby and keep the public away from the scene until wires are de-energized by the power company.

ELECTRICAL FIRE CONTROL:

A.                Power pole fire-don not extinguish with water unless life is threatened or major structural component of power pole is threatened or directed to by the power company.

B.                 Electrical fires are best handled by shutting down power sources.

C.                CO2 and dry chemical are the best extinguishing agent for electrical fires.

D.                If structure fire involves electrical service or wiring, the power to the building should be shut off.

VEHICLE RESCUE:

A.                Uninjured or mildly injured victims should stay in vehicle until power company personnel can secure power to downed lines.