Emergency responders train in use of foam
Ryan Frazee, emergency planner for the Washington County Department of Public Safety, directs foam from a nozzle during a training exercise last month at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
Justin Shawley, on the nozzle, and Mike Jurick, both from the Washington County Department of Public Safety, apply foam during a training exercise last month at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
Mt. Morris firefighter Jason Nicholson applies foam from a trailer at the back of the Greene County Department of Public Safety truck.
Justin Shawley of the Washington County Department of Public Safety directs foam during a training exercise last month at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
Fighting fires using foam is certainly nothing new. But with the increasing number of wells, tanks and compressor stations associated with the Marcellus Shale industry, learning how to use it is even more crucial for emergency responders.
Firefighters and public safety personnel from Washington and Greene counties underwent a six-hour training course last month through the Region 13 Task Force, which includes counties as far north as Mercer and as far east as Somerset.
There are many areas in the county where it would be beneficial to have the foam available to put out fires, especially with the increase in gas production from the Marcellus and Utica Shales, said Ryan Frazee, emergency planner for Washington County Department of Public Safety. Foam is especially useful in fighting fires involving hydrocarbons, fuel and oil.
“It takes a little more technique to put foam on a fire as opposed to water,” Frazee said. “The foam is like a soap, and you need to calculate how much air and water to mix with it.”
The foam acts almost like a blanket on what is burning, holding down the vapors and keeping them from reigniting.
“It takes away the oxygen, smothering the fire,” Frazee said.
While many firefighters received training in using foam, Frazee said it is good to give more firefighters that exposure.
Firefighters from Peters, South Franklin and South Strabane townships, Avella and Washington in Washington County took part in the training along with firefighters from Mt. Morris in Greene County. Also participating were the public safety departments from the two counties and Washington County Hazardous Materials Team.