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The Texas State Fire Marshal issues
an alert about crashes involving fire
department water tanker trucks that
are the leading cause of death in fire
service motor vehicle incidents in the
state.
Two recent fatal crashes involving motor
vehicles modified into water tankers
are under investigation by the Texas
State Fire Marshal's Office. Based on
these investigations and past tanker
crash incidents, in Texas and nationally,
the State Fire Marshal wants to alert
the Texas fire service regarding the
construction and operation of fire department
tankers used in transporting water.
Motor vehicle incidents account for
approximately 20% of U.S. fire fighter
deaths each year; cases involving tanker
trucks are most common. Tanker drivers
may not fully understand how much more
difficult tanker trucks are to control
than passenger vehicles. A tanker truck
requires a much greater distance to
stop. Tankers weigh substantially more,
and their air brake systems take more
time to activate than the hydraulic/mechanical
brake systems on smaller passenger cars.
Handling, braking, and vehicle dynamics
are influenced by the amount of water
the tanker is hauling and whether the
water tank is properly baffled to control
weight transfer.
To reduce the risk of tanker truck
incidents, the State Fire Marshal's
Office recommends that all Texas fire
departments take the following precautions.
All fire department vehicle operators
should do the following:
" Recognize that they are responsible
for safe operation of the vehicle under
all conditions.
" Wear a seat belt when operating
a vehicle.
" Understand the vehicle's special
characteristics, capabilities, and limitations.
" Be aware of the potential for
unpredictable driving by the public.
" Lower speed when driving on
wet or icy roads, in darkness or fog,
or under any other conditions that make
emergency vehicle operation especially
hazardous.
All fire departments should consider
the following:
" Equipping all vehicles with
seat belts and developing, implementing,
and enforcing standard operating procedures
(SOPs) for operating emergency vehicles,
especially regarding seat belt use.
" Verifying that all drivers have
the necessary driving skills and experience
and providing them with specialized
initial and periodic refresher training.
" When using water tanks on vehicles,
consider the manner in which the water
tank is mounted; the weight of the fully
loaded vehicle and the gross axle weight
rating of any axle and the gross vehicle
weight of the chassis or chassis-trailer
combination; the center of gravity of
the vehicle and the chassis manufacturer's
specified center of gravity with tank
weight evenly distributed to the front
and rear axles; in-tank baffles to control
front-to-rear and side-to-side water
movement; the vehicle/tank design, including
the suspension, steering, and braking
ability for the load imposed by water
tanks.
" Consider terrain, weather, bridge,
and road conditions in the local service
area when purchasing or constructing
a mobile water supply vehicle.
" Keep all department vehicles
on a regular maintenance schedule and
document the performance of the maintenance.
Fire department tanker safety publications:
NIOSH http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hid14.html
US Fire Administration http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-248.pdf
This State Fire Marshal's Office Water
Tanker Alert is located at http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/general/pdf/fmred121405.pdf
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