We got a HazMat call. The property owner left a 6 gallon bucked of Chlorine granules sitting outside with the top off. Rain filled the bucket and it started converting to gases.
Previously when I suggested we order some disposable hazmat suites with our grant money I was vetoed. They said the department wasn't hazmat rated and only had one hazmat trained member anyway. "I told you so." didn't help nothing. The call filtered down through EPA, 911, and to us.
If not us, who? We responded in bunker gear and SCBA's. Dumpped the bucket on the back of the owner's property and diluted the contents. I saw one of our folks closing the bucket back up, so,"the fumes wouldn't be so bad".
I didn't think much of it until the man who'd rinsed out the bucket said that the chlorine had re-chrystalized into an inch thick sheet in the bottom of the bucket that he couldn't rinse out.
The owner asked how to handle the bucket. I suggested the lid be removed, the bucket filled with kitty litter, and it be double bagged with trash bags and sealed with tape to allow for expansion. I also suggested calling Sebastian County landfill to ask if they were equipped to accept the bucket. I knew Scott County wasn't. The IC over-rode my decision. We were leaving the scene.
I had taken my SCBA and jacket off when The owner approached me and said he like my idea. He was going to take care of it after we left. An uneasy feeling of danger turned to flashing lights and alarm bells. I couldn't leave and let him do it alone.
I didn't believe that the bucket had enough time to build up dangerous pressure yet. So I announced that I was going to open the bucket and pour the water out for him before we left. As soon as I put my hands on the sides of the lid to screw it off it exploded.
Somehow I got my eyes closed before the blast reached my face. I felt the bucket disintegrate in my hands first. Then I heard the explosion and felt the schrapnel and pressure simultaniously.
I spun around and stood there with my eyes still clinched tight. I had been holding my breath anticipating the gases and I kept holding it. The Chief said," Dang Rob, you alright?" I was disoriented and didn't know which way upwind was, so I turned to his voice and started walking blind.
After several steps nobody was saying anything more so I took a half-breath and shouted,"Talk to me!" I could taste chlorine in that breath, but I needed to follow their voices. They resumed talking to me and I walked that way until I bumpped into the front of the brush truck.
I knew it was safer to breath in then so I told the guys that I was keeping my eyes shut until I could be rinsed off. The Chief led me off to one side and kicked into EMT mode. They rinsed the chlorine powder off my face with bottled water, then used eye wash to clean my eyes.
The chrystalized chlorine in the bottom of the bucket was converted back to a white powder in the explosion. I was coated in it from waist up in front. They were rinsing the rest of my body then so I removed my cotton 'T' shirt. I remembered that when chlorine mixed with water it produces some hydrochloric acid as a by-product. I didn't want it soaking into the shirt and staying next to my skin.
Once we called 'firefighter down', I was impressed with the speed and professionalism of all our responders. Even the local newspaper responded to the Chief as soon as they thought it appropriate.
It may sound strange, but if it had to happen, I'm glad it happened to me. That home-owner would have suffered much worse from the same circumstances. On top of a few scrapes, bruises, and cuts he would probably have lost his eyes and burned his lungs. Possibly fatally.
The rest of the guys at NW Scott don't seem to care for my insistance on trying to glean 'lessons learned' from all our calls. I try to keep it away from accusations and blame. When I think someone (including myself) has made a decision or taken an action the wasn't appropriate for our situation at the time, or that had negative consequences, I point it out.
First I approach the individual in question privately and try to discuss it. Then if it's a lesson that can benefit the department as a whole I restate it to the group generically, without specific reference to individuals.
In this specific action I was proud of our team and the local EMS responses and reactions. We did all we knew to do with what we had.
Because we hadn't made disposible hazmat cover-suits a priority purchase with our limited funds, we risked chemical gas burns and contamination on this call.
Because our fire district includes the dangerous rural highway 71, which is used as an unregulated interstate transport route by truckers, we need more hazmat training and equipment.
Because our department lists over 20 members, but only about half a dozen of them routinely respond to calls, we need to start keeping statistics on individual responders so we can focus training, equipment, and materials where it is best applied. The results of those statistics should be made available to the public that sponsors our department.
Because our radios are our life-line in an emergency situation, we need a repeater station that will serve the North side of the Poteau Mountain range. On this call we could not communicate by radio with each other and dispatch until we all arrived at the scene in Abbot. We had to resort to cell phone communications which limited it to one on one.
Because our main three apparatus was out of service with dead batteries we need to look at limiting access on individual initiative. An individual had called in to dispatch over the weekend that he was taking trucks out of the station for static hydrant tests. Dispatch did not respond to the radio traffic and there was no follow-up traffic or communications heard giving the status of those test or the disposition of the trucks.
Because the IC disregarded the advice of one of his senior officers in a situation where his available information and counsel was limited, that officer was forced to act, on concience, on his own initiative.
Because the senior officer was acting on his own initiave and didn't want to risk being stopped, he did not take the time to put on his turnout jacket and helment. The jacket would have only prevented minor contusions on chest and arms. The helment, if strapped down, would have probably taken off his head or at least caused neck damage.
It is known within our department that I have PTSD and probably co-morbid Adult ADD. Symptomatic behavior sometimes displayed doesn't make social and interpersonal interactions comfortable or easy for those involved. It ain't politic. I'm convinced that's why although I've been often nominated for Assistant-Chief by experienced members of the department, I've never been elected. The political and pretend firefighters have a majority vote in the department. With that kind of counsel it's easy to discount my opinions. There's a group of folks in the department that have even worked at reducing my rank of Captain to a 'courtesy' rank even.
Most of the experienced firefighters avoid politics like the plague. They, and a lot of the new guys still look to me when the chips are down. I try not to step on any toes, but do what I feel is needed to look after my folks... and the civilians.
Earl Striech, the old Chief, realized this. He also recognized the value of my life experiences and ability to stay focused in extreme circumstances encountered.
At one structure fire, he went against my assesment and recommendations. Other officers, later on the scene, contradicted them. It went bad and he and I ended up trapped on a snow covered roof breathing fire. My lungs got pretty burned up before we could get down.
He asked me why I followed their orders against my own better judgement. I told him,"Chief, I'm just a fireman. I gave you my opinion and ranking officers over-rode me. From there on I was just doing my duty. Anything less was arguement." Shortly afterwards he made me the only Captain in Scott County to give weight to my words.
When the Chief lay dying in his bed he asked me to support the then current Assistant Chief because he was a local man and could keep the department together. Earl thought he'd need my help with the technical aspects though. He said that he'd recommend they make me the Assistant Chief for a year to get some leadership experience, then I could run for Chief. He also asked me to oversee the completion of his pet project, Tanker 1.
I've failed Chief Streich, but I'll keep trying until I decide that I hinder more than help.
Tags: Danger Chlorine Swimming+pools explosion HCl
