[SPIN_THE_WHEEL]

Well it's that time of year again, the good old oil burner puff back calls. Just want to bring up something that I have seen my department do in the past, and from speaking to others, something that goes on also in other dept's from time to time. When we respond to oil burner puff backs or emergencies someone always grabs the dry chemical extingisher, the right move but the right procedure is NOT to put out the fire that is burning in the chamber. UNLESS it is threatening to extend out of the chamber or oil has spilled around the burner on the floor. I have seen use of the dry chem to put out the fire burning in the combustion chamber. There is no need to, the chamber was ment for that purpose of burning the oil and will burn itself out harmlesly as long as the fuel source is shut off . Shut the emergency switch at the top of stairs if it's in a basement, then the same type of switch on the unit itself. next shut the fuel supply usually right at the filter, also there may be one at the tank itself at the line going to the burner, this stops the flow of oil to the unit. Check CO readings and ventilate. Any other thoughts on this?

[zeroone]

Here is a good article on handling oil burner emergencies. Its in PDF format.

[jwm1800]

Originally Posted by zeroone

Here is a good article on handling oil burner emergencies. Its in PDF format.

sorry i dont see the article or the link

[Goin2work]

must be so good of an article you just cant have access to it... lol

[zeroone]

The link will not post.

[3N2forU]

what web site did you see it on? maybe we can all attempt to navigate and find it.

[zeroone]

Chief Frank Montagna if you google oil burner emergencies, you will find a link a few lines down.

[Canman 672]

A heads-up make sure everyone is in Scott Packs because some times these calls come in as a Carbon Monoxide detector activation and these oil burner puff backs have triggered off the carbon monoxide detectors. In my department the officers of the trucks have personal meters attatched to their Scott Packs and the chief's have them attatched to their portable radios also one of the members also carries a regular multi gas detector to monitor air quality. I would also like to share this bit of information with everyone I do not know if this would go under the back of the bus section but my Second Deputy Chief made this suggestion if you get a signal 9 for a person passed out bring the meter with you because it maybe a faulty appliance causing a Co emergency if the homeowners do not have a detector in their home or business. So take the extra minute to throw a pack on at an oil burner emergency it is better to be safe then sorry and the rescuer to become a victim him or herself

[PDDISP12]

CanMAn- Good point with the meter on aided cases. All if you are responding to an oil burner calls or puff back you should be wearing your scott pack. also just a quick poll has anyone ever used a foam can on an oil burner call?

[You Dont Know About That?]

oil lines DO NOT work the same as regular style 'sillcock' valves...

oil line valves have the handle on the top which is a big nut...as you turn it to the right 'righty tighty-(most valves would be turning off)' it raises a threaded rod attached to the stopper inside the valve...turning the oil flow on...

if you turn it left enough, the handle of the oil valve will fall off in your hand...a positive way to check if you doing it right...

dont just rely on the switch at the top of the stairs, if some halfassed electrical contractor worked there he might of jumped out that switch, make sure you turn the one off, on or near the boiler...

a puff back usually 99% of the time is caused by a blocked chimney, check for fire in the chimney...

other boiler emergencies...it wouldnt hurt to locate the water also for the heating system...we went to one last winter, the Steam boiler was being over filled and flooded the house out...just kill the electric, water, and fuel, and let the homeowner know what you did, then have them contact the proper people...

[Canman 672]

Another type of emergency that may occure from an oil burner and you would not want to be caught is called a White Ghost. It is a dangerous situation. "The name comes from the white cloud of fuel oil vapor that forms in and around an oil-fired appliance when the pilot light fails to ignite fuel oil introduced into an already heated firebox".

Information from IFSTA Fire Ground Support Operations page 220 Chapter 10 controling Utilities.

"The White Ghost"

" The least common oil burner response is also the most dangerous. In the case of a "white ghost," a truly life threatening emergency exists for both occupants and firefighters. A white ghost is a cloud of vaporized oil and air mixture heated above it's flashpoint and is out of it's container looking for a source of ignition.It is usually produced when a burner that has been running at peak for a long period shuts down and is very shortly called on for more heat. This is fairly common in severe cold spells. If there is a delay in ignition , however, the oil / air mixture in the firebox is vaporized by the highly heated walls of the burner,creating a fog-like mist with the smell of fuel oil. The vaporization causes the mixture to expand , often filling it's surroundings with this highly flammable combination of heated oil vapor and air. If it finds an ignition source, it will cause an explosion that can blow down walls and floors.
Fire units encountering this kind of situation should take the following steps immediately to prevent ignition and protect life:

1. Immediately evacuate the entire building :
2. Do not enter the cloud for any reason ;
3. Shut down remote control, using SCBA and a fog nozzle open in a wide fog pattern as protection ;

4. Use fog nozzle to saturate and cool the cloud ;
5 Vent the area ;
6. Secure another sources of information ;
7. Shut off fuel ;

As with all oil burner responses,a responsible person in charge of the building should be directed, preferably in writing, to have the burner inspected by a qualified repairman".

Information from John Norman's Fire Officer's Handbook Of Tactics Page 496 Published 1991 by Fire Engineering / PennWell Publishing Company

I hope everyone brings this information back to their department's. I have never seen one of these calls and I hope myself or my fellow ranters never run into this situation.

[gareee]

Good Posts

[zeroone]

Finnally a worth while post from the "North Shore Truckin" guy !!

Seriously, great info.

As most of us aren't busy like Elmont or Hempstead, these are just some of the common calls we respond to. Chief Montagna has a book out, responding to routine calls. Goes over Gas Emergencies, CO, Electrical & Overhead wire emergencies.

[Old School MFD]

Originally Posted by zeroone

Finnally a worth while post from the "North Shore Truckin" guy !!

Seriously, great info.

As most of us aren't busy like Elmont or Hempstead, these are just some of the common calls we respond to. Chief Montagna has a book out, responding to routine calls. Goes over Gas Emergencies, CO, Electrical & Overhead wire emergencies.

Zeroone yes I went to his class at FDIC in Ac a few years back great class my co worker is the liaison for Con Ed Gas and the FDNY he ran classes for the FDNY on natural gas emergencies.I answered a few questions during the class and I guess he knew I was a ringer he would give you a piece of candy for the right answer.At the end of class we talked great guy

[massfd]

I would not leave a saturated chamber buring unless I had a way of pulling the heat away. You have no way of knowing how much oil is in the chamber and how long the building is going to call for heat.

If the cirulator pumps shut down you could make steam and have the relief valve open. The boiler could then run dry and attempt to refill when the pressure drops off. This could result in a steam explosion.

I had a chamber fire once that burned for 12 hours, had to jump out all the circulator pump controls to keep the boiler from overheating.

Put the fire out and go home.

I have the same opinon when it comes to reseting blown breakers on a smell of smoke call, do not do it. It's not our job