The Paulding County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) recently hosted a two-day class for first responders entitled Propane IQ. Firefighters from Antwerp, Crane Twp., Grover Hill and Paulding took part in the hands-on training with propane. Battalion Chief Steve Riska and Ret. Lt. Todd Smith of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue taught the two-day class for Federal Resources of Stevensville, MD.
The class was made available to first responders in Paulding County by a Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grant from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. The amount of $ 27,200 was awarded to Paulding County to put on two Hazmat IQ classes and two Propane IQ classes.
Propane is an everyday product used for heating, cooking and to fuel vehicles such as forklifts, buses, delivery truck and others. “Whether it is a one-pound propane cylinder or a 30,000 gallon storage tank, the chemical property of propane remains the same,” said Steve Riska. “One part liquid propane equals 270 parts propane gas. Propane liquid boils at -44 degrees Fahrenheit and is highly flammable. It is just a matter of how much propane you have to deal with.”
Instructor Smith stated, “One of the biggest concerns about propane leaks or fires is that they are not treated as hazardous materials incidents as they should be. We as first responders cannot be complacent when it comes to these type of calls.” That is one of the concerns Alex Stoller of A Plus Propane has. Stoller couldn’t be more thrilled that the firefighters in Paulding County are getting this kind of training. For that reason, A Plus Propane donated two 100-pound cylinders and the propane needed for the class. Stoller said he has seen what can happen when propane isn’t given the respect it deserves.
Firefighters in the two-day class were given a combination of classroom instruction, worst case scenarios and hands-on training with propane. The first day they learned about the chemical properties of propane, the anatomy of DOT cylinders and tanks, propane hardware and a valve identification challenge. They then received hands-on demonstrations of propane releases in the gas and liquid forms as well as what to do when arriving on the scene of a leaking container. Day two was review and being given scenarios and situations of leaking fittings, valves and tanks. Brainstorming case studies of incidents that had a good outcome and some that were deadly were also discussed. The hands-on instruction involved “fire and ice,” with the firefighters interacting with leaking propane in the form of gas and liquid. From working to solve a leaky valve to addressing a missing fitting, the firefighters got to flare off propane in a safe manner and see how temperatures reached 900+ degrees and ice still was able to form on the underside of the flare tube fitting.
Lt. Paul Fruit of the Antwerp Fire Dept. was impressed with what the class had to offer. “ As a person learning new things day in and day out, I felt privileged to have been able to attend this weekend’s class dealing with propane and related emergencies,” he said. “The knowledge the two instructors shared gave me a greater understanding of propane in its various forms. It may be a common product when it remains in its container, but when it starts to leak or catches on fire it is nice to know that I, as a firefighter, can make a difference for the better after taking this class.” Lt. Fruit, who has recently become a fire instructor, hopes to share what he has learned and observed in the class and pass it on to other first responders in the area so they can serve their communities and the citizens of Paulding County.
Fire Chief Dave Volk of the Grover Hill Fire Department commented as the class was wrapping up, “I want to thank Ed Bohn, Paulding County EMA Director, for finding the funding and arranging for this Propane IQ class. The instructors from Federal Resources put on a well-informed, thought-provoking two day class. Their down to earth teaching style taught me and the other firefighters in the class a wealth of knowledge to take back to our departments. In my 25+ years on the fire department, this was one of the best training classes I have attended. I want to thank the Paulding County LEPC for giving us the opportunity to get this type of training.”
The Crane Twp. Fire Department under the leadership of Chief Bob Herber had seven firefighters in the class. Chief Herber said he wanted to emphasize the need for being prepared when called out for such an incident. “Crane Twp. has so many residences using propane that it only makes scene to learn as much as you can about propane,” he said. The Crane Twp. Fire Department provided the fire apparatuses needed for the class, bringing a pumper and tanker for the two days.
