Post date: Jan 29, 2015 2:3:54 AM
(Rick Dirr - January 16, 2015)
Y’all,
Sorry I missed all of you again, consistent with costing more than I contribute I wanted to generate a little discussion regarding HCN monitoring. At the Boulder Canyon fire I noticed the overhaul crew carrying out rigid foam board insulation and heard the comment I wouldn’t do the investigation without an airpack on. Of course I ignored this, we did use PP ventilation & particulate filters, Regina and I finished the initial work and then went about my day. So for the next two hours I was drawing my last breath, Is that chest pain?, am I short of breath?, was that funny smell almonds? Obviously not, but I promptly ordered an HCN monitor for my department: http://www.zoro.com/i/G6399811/?category=6904. Unfortunately even if we had one on the MAFIT trailer, we would not have had it on scene. So…next time we are checking CO levels and that the utilities are indeed secured prior to investigation we may wish to consider HCN monitoring. As a bonus, I know that the AMR crews are carrying the Cyanokits one per ambulance, they cost ~$880 each, I am not sure what the local hospital capabilities are.
A couple of the many write ups here: http://www.firesmoke.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/FireEMS_Supplement.pdf and http://www.firesmoke.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Cyanide-in-Fire-Smoke_v1.pdf
My apologies if you already covered this,
Rick