Responding to Propane / Flammable Gas Incidents Bulletin

This bulletin is provided by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) in partnership with the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) and pertains to emergency response to propane gas incidents involving structures.

Purpose:

To provide general guidance and best practices to fire service members on how to effectively and safely manage and mitigate the risks associated when responding to a flammable gas leak inside a structure.

 

The information contained within this bulletin does not supersede your agency’s policies, procedures, or guidelines and are only recommendations for consideration:

Objectives:

• Enhance awareness: Increase awareness among fire service personnel about the specific challenges and hazards posed by flammable gas leaks in structures.
• Provide guidance: Offer detailed guidance on the proper procedures, tactics, and strategies to be employed when responding to a flammable gas leak incident in or involving a building/structure.
• Know the chemical properties: Propane is heavier than air and natural gas is lighter than air.
• Emphasize the importance of safety protocols, full personal protective equipment (PPE), and risk assessment to protect the responders, occupants, and property involved.
• Mitigate risks: Provide recommendations on how to minimize the risks of fire, explosion, and other potential dangers associated with flammable gas leaks in structures.
• Enhance response efficiency: Offer insights on how to coordinate response efforts, communicate effectively, and utilize resources efficiently to effectively manage the incident.
• Promote training and preparedness: Stress the importance of regular training, drills, and preparedness activities to ensure that fire service personnel are well-equipped to manage flammable gas leak incidents effectively.
• Foster collaboration: Encourage collaboration and coordination between fire departments, emergency responders, utilities, propane providers and other relevant stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive and effective response to propane gas leak incidents in structures.

Overall, this bulletin serves as a valuable resource to help fire service professionals respond to flammable gas leaks in structures in a safe, efficient, and coordinated manner, thereby enhancing public safety and minimizing potential damage and harm.

• Consider wind direction when responding to a flammable gas incident to allow for the appropriate placement of apparatus.
• Once a flammable gas has been reported notify the appropriate utility company.
• Ensure that appropriate air monitoring equipment such as a combustible gas indicator (CGI)/gas meter is properly calibrated, bump tested, and fresh air calibrated according to manufacturer’s recommendations, prior to entering a potential flammable gas leak incident. It is crucial to understand the operation and limitations of your air monitoring equipment.
• Recognize the potential need to use a conversion factor depending on what the monitor is calibrated to. (calibrated to methane and monitoring propane). Follow the manufacturer’s factors for their make and model.
• Ensure that you and the members of your crew are wearing the appropriate full PPE including SCBA prior to entry.
• Ensure that the structure has been or is actively being evacuated prior to investigation.
• Start the air monitoring evaluation at a safe distance exterior of the entry point of the structure and continuously monitor the environment while working towards the potential source of the flammable gas leak. Follow the Command Officer’s guidance and your policies, procedures, and guidelines when action or turnback levels are encountered.
• Perform a systematic sweep of each room when monitoring for flammable gas.
• Do not operate light switches or any electrical device and eliminate any other potential source of ignition that may ignite flammable gas if present.
• Monitor near gas appliances, such as furnaces, stoves, or any visible gas piping systems to locate the potential source of the gas leak.
• If you detect flammable gas within a structure, attempt to isolate the source of the gas leak, if safe perform natural ventilation (If conditions warrant and allowed by procedure turn off the propane source at containers).
• Continue to monitor the environment until termination of the response.

Multiple NIOSH investigations concluded that, to prevent similar incidents, fire departments should:

• Follow guidelines as outlined in published literature and guidebooks for controlling fire involving tanks containing propane
• Adhere to emergency response procedures contained in 29 CFR 1910.120(q) - Emergency response to hazardous substance release procedures
• Fire departments responding to hazardous materials incidents should ensure that a scene size-up and initial risk assessment are performed. In addition, fire departments should establish isolation zones and ensure a continuous risk assessment is conducted throughout the incident
• Fire departments should ensure incident commanders initiate a defensive strategy and communicate the incident action plan (tactics) during initial operations of a hazardous materials incident. The strategy and incident action plan are revised based upon the tactical objectives taken to mitigate the hazard
• Fire departments should ensure firefighters are trained to understand the scrubbing or odorant fade of ethyl mercaptan from propane. This training includes the use of multi-gas detectors to determine if a potentially explosive atmosphere is present.
• Ensure that pre-incident plans are updated and used on mercantile occupancies
• Ensure that fire fighters from the ventilation crew and the attack crew coordinate their efforts
• Ensure that fire fighters are trained to know the hazards associated with cellar fires and the precautions that can be taken to reduce significant injury

Other Consideration:

Educate fire fighters to the many dangers associated with a propane tank explosion, which is also known as a Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE) Additionally, owners and users of propane.

For further information on responding to flammable gas incidents please watch the IAFC/ PERC Using Detection Meter Video.

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Propane Emergencies Training for Operations Mission-Specific Responders Free Self-Paced Online

This online course provides specific knowledge about handling propane and propane-related emergencies for hazardous materials technicians who respond to releases or potential releases of hazardous substances as part of the initial response to the site to protect nearby persons, property, and the environment from the effects of the release.

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