{Editors Note - This bulletin posted as it was generated by the Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center with no editing by Texas Fire World. The following "CIP BULLETIN 8-05" was released on December 29, 2005. CIP Bulletins will be distributed as necessary to provide members of the emergency services sector with timely, consequential, unclassified information affecting the protection of their critical infrastructures. They are prepared by the Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) at (301) 447-1325 or by e-mail at emr-isac@dhs.gov.}

CIP BULLETIN 8-05

The recent wildland fires in Texas and Oklahoma are a reminder that among the various hazards fire fighters face during wildland fire suppression activities, and one that is often overlooked, is electrical hazards.

Fire fighters performing fireground operations near power lines may be exposed to electrical shock hazards as a result of the damage caused by the flame, heat, and smoke from the fire.

The most common hazard is through direct or indirect contact with downed energized power lines. Fire fighters should look out for power lines that fall onto, and energize, equipment and materials located on the fireground. It is also important to remember that electrical currents can flow through the ground and extend several feet in any direction (ground gradient).

Dense smoke often associated with these types of fires can obscure power lines, poles, and electrical transmission towers, as well as become charged and conduct electrical current. The air in the vicinity of high-voltage transmission lines (characterized as being located on large steel or wood-pole towers) will become ionized and may cause the transmission line to discharge to ground. The result is much like a bolt of lightning traveling from the transmission line to the ground, a potentially lethal situation that could endanger personnel operating in the vicinity.

To minimize the risk of electrocution, electrical shock, and electricity-related injuries while fighting wildland fires, the EMR-ISAC urges Emergency Services Sector (ESS) members to take the following precautions:

Identify key points of contact at their local electric utility as part of pre-fire planning;

Remember not to enter a transmission line right-of-way in the presence of dense smoke, until confirming that the line has been de-energized; and

Coordinate closely with their local electric utility when combating wildland fires in the vicinity of high-voltage transmission lines.

Fire departments should do the following:

" Keep fire fighters a minimum distance away from downed power lines until the line is de-energized. This minimum distance should equal the span between two poles.

" Ensure that the Incident Commander (IC) conveys strategic decisions related to power line location to all suppression crews on the fireground and continually re-evaluates fire conditions.

" Establish, implement, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) that address the safety of fire fighters when they work near downed power lines or energized electrical equipment. For example, assign one of the fireground personnel to serve as a spotter to ensure that the location of the downed line is communicated to all fireground personnel.

" Do not apply solid-stream water applications on or around energized, downed power lines or equipment.

" Ensure that protective shields, barriers, or alerting techniques are used to protect fire fighters from electrical hazards and energized areas. For example, rope off the energized area.

" Train fire fighters in safety-related work practices when working around electrical energy. For example, treat all downed power lines as energized and make fire fighters aware of hazards related to ground gradients.

" Ensure that fire fighters are equipped with the proper personal protective equipment (Nomex® clothing compliant with NFPA standard 1500 [NFPA 1997], leather boots, leather gloves, etc.) and that it is maintained in good condition.

" Ensure that rubber gloves and dielectric overshoes and tools (insulated sticks and cable cutters) for handling energized equipment are used by properly trained and qualified personnel.

Fire fighters should do the following:
" Assume all power lines are energized and call the power provider to de-energize the line(s).

" Wear appropriate personal protective equipment for the task at hand-Nomex® clothing compliant with NFPA standard 1500, rubber gloves, and dielectric overshoes and tools (insulated sticks and cable cutters).

" Do not stand or work in areas of dense smoke. Dense smoke can obscure energized electrical lines or equipment and can become charged and conduct electrical current.

To view the complete NIOSH Bulletin, visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/hid15.pdf.