In our
continuing efforts to improve the services provided by KVFD to the
Klein community, we will be introducing two new fire fighting and
control technologies into the Fire District in the next couple of
months.
CAFS Equipped Pumpers
KVFD will take delivery in August of a new Class “A” pumper
equipped with a Compressed Air Foam System, CAFS for short. CAFS
technology although not new, is cutting edge technology for
structural fire fighting. It offers several advantages over the
conventional method of just using water sprayed through a nozzle at
high pressure. According to Firehouse Magazine, Fire departments
using this new technology report:
- Flaming and non-flaming combustion
is extinguished in less time and with less water. Available
water supply and personnel resources are used much more
effectively.
- Compressed air foam clings well to
threatened exposures. Less water is wasted during exposure
protection applications.
- Compressed air added to a foam
solution stream provides extra energy for stream propulsion.
Compressed air foam streams are projected further than water
streams.
- Finished foam produced by CAFS is
dense; it clings better to burning or ready-to-burn materials
and has a longer drain time. This allows superior fuel moisture
penetration and cooling.
- Hoselines are filled with a
partial volume of compressed air (about 52%), therefore they are
much lighter and easier to carry.
These items collectively contribute
to a significant gain over using water to control a structure fire.
This results in:
- Increased operational efficiency
of available fire control resources such as water supply,
personnel and apparatus.
- Increased firefighter safety.
- Reduced property damage.
The State of Texas has recognized the
importance of this new technology by awarding 1.5 credits to the ISO
rating for departments that have a CAFS equipped pumper at every
structure fire. KVFD is moving toward this goal as funding permits.
CAFS systems increase the purchase price of a new pumper by $45,000.
Thermal Imaging Cameras
Last year Klein began a evaluation
process to determine how effective Thermal Imaging Cameras could be
to fire suppression and rescue. Two units were deployed in the
district for testing. The cameras have been widely used to find
incipient fires and to check for hot spots after a fire has occurred
to prevent rekindles. Fortunately they have not been pressed into
service to find trapped occupants or a resident except they did find
a trapped cat in a smoke filled bedroom. It was rescued.
As a result of the testing, Klein has
purchased 5 state of the art cameras that will be deployed at the
five other fire stations in the district along with the units
purchased last year for a total of 7 cameras in the district. Klein
will have a Thermal Imaging Camera on each first due pumper in the
fire district by the end of July. The camera purchases represents an
investment of $110,000, or about ˝ of what a fire truck cost. In
2002, the two test cameras will be replaced with identical models to
those purchased this year. The older cameras will be moved to the
District Chief cars.
