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NMRA and Veterans Issues Committee Special
Report |
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Mine Fire
Brigades |
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Issue Number 1, May
1994 |
Final Report |
Chairman’s Message Major Issues What is a Fire Brigade?
Fire Fighting Strategy Training Management Appendix
Issues Committee
Donald Huntley, Chairman, James Banfield, Tom Blaskovich, Gerry
Davis, Wayne H. Duerr, John Gallick,
Joe Garcia, Ronald Keaton, John G. Kovac, Jeffery H. Kravitz, Joseph Kruetsberger,
Richard Macheskey, David L. Mahlke,
Don Mitchell, William Parisi, Robert Peluso, Larry Peters, Joseph A. Sbaffoni,
Robert Schmidt, William Schlaupitz, Joe Spiker, Carl Trickett, Pete Turcic, Roger Uhazie Jr., Walter Vicinelly
The use of oxygen
breathing apparatus to fight mine fires has traditionally been performed by
mine rescue teams following well established procedures. During recent years,
it has become fairly common for Fire Brigades to be organized at mines. A Fire
Brigade is a team of volunteer miners, who are specially trained and equipped
to fight underground mine fires. This is a new idea that is gaining favor in
the mining industry.
In 1992, the NMRA
and Veterans took upon themselves the task of developing practical
recommendations for the use of Fire Brigades in mine emergencies, because the
work performed and procedures followed by Fire Brigades closely resembles and
may infringe upon mine rescue team activities. To accomplish this mission in a
timely manner, an Issues Committee was formed. This 1994 Special Report
summarizes the findings of the Issues Committee.
The Issues
Committee suggests that the NMRA and Veterans accept fire brigades at mines
because:
- Fire brigades are already established
at some mines and are not regulated.
- The fire fighting capability of
mines where they are established appears to be much improved.
- The mining community appears to
favor or at least accept the concept with some reservations.
- Brigade members will be capable
fire fighters, who will respond early with personal protection against
most hazards that they are likely to encounter.
- Regulations do not require mine
rescue teams to be trained or specially equipped to fight fires.
Today, the
situation is that Fire Brigades are neither certified nor regulated. The Issues
Committee believes that Fire Brigades should remain the option of industry. The
NMRA and Veterans do not have the authority to regulate, but both groups have a
responsibility to the industry to evaluate new ideas and suggestions.
The selection and
training of Fire Brigade members, as well as the equipment provided and
procedures followed varies significantly from mine to mine. Therefore, the
Issues Committee developed the following guidelines for selection, training,
equipping, and work performance of Fire Brigades. It is important to explain
that only Fire Brigades are addressed in this report, but it is not the
Committee’s intention to discourage other procedures to insure early extinguishment
of fires.
As Chairman, I
would like to thank the members of the Issues Committee for their participation
and contributions.
Don Huntley,
Chairman
May, 1994
Today, Fire
Brigades are neither certified nor regulated. Both the NMRA and Veterans
believe that Fire Brigades should be an option of the industry.
Part of the
responsibility of the NMRA and Veterans is to address those issues which are
important not only to its members, but also to the entire mining industry. In
September 1992, an Issues Committee was formed, and charged with task of
arriving at sincere, sensible and unbiased recommendations regarding Fire
Brigades. The Issues Committee met ten times. Diligent effort, research and
numerous hours were devoted by dedicated individuals to arrive at various
decisions and conclusions that are in the best interest of the entire industry.
The Issues
Committee has identified some of the major issues that define guidelines for
Fire Brigades. These issues are listed below:
- What is a Fire Brigade?
- Fire Fighting
- Training
- Management
- Strategy
- First Responders are on-the-job
miners who first encounter a fire underground.
- A Fire Brigade is the Second
Responder to a fire emergency.
- A Fire Brigade is made up of
miners:
·
Who work at the mine.
·
Who are volunteers.
·
Who have been specially
equipped and trained to fight mine fires.
- A Fire Brigade’s job is to
fight mine fires.
- A Fire Brigade is not a Mine
Rescue Team.
- Fire Zone
- An area immediately surrounding a fire where there is flame, smoke or
hazardous gases.
- Fire Brigade members can enter
the fire zone, only if they are properly trained and equipped.
·
Trained - has received basic fire training.
·
Equipped - NFPA1/ MSHA approved self-contained breathing apparatus
(SCBA) and NFPA approved fire fighting clothing (coat and pants or coveralls,
protective hood, gloves).
- Two or more brigade members can
enter the fire zone provided that:
·
Lifeline - The brigade members who enter a fire zone should carry a
hose line to act as their lifeline.
·
Back-up - At least two properly trained and equipped brigade members
should be stationed outside the fire zone for back-up.
- Fire Brigade activities should generally
be restricted to attacking the fire directly and to limited efforts to
prevent its spread.
- A Fire Brigade can be directed
to make ventilation changes that only affect the fire zone, such as, line
brattice and check curtains to direct available air to facilitate the
direct attack.
Notes:
1.
National Fire Protection Association
- All Fire Brigade members should
pass the mine rescue physical examination or its equivalent. In addition,
fitness standards for Fire Brigades should ideally meet those of the NFPA.
- A Fire Brigade should be
instructed in the operation of all fire fighting
equipment and systems that they are expected to use.
- A Fire Brigade should receive a
minimum of sixteen (16) hours of initial fire fighting training.
- Moreover, a Fire Brigade should
receive an additional thirty-two (32) hours of training each year:
·
8 hours will
include the wearing of the SCBA
·
8 hours will
include practice with the fire fighting equipment
available at the mine
- Training should be conducted by
a person knowledgeable by reason of education, training and experience in
fire fighting.
- Training should be supplemented
by in-mine practice.
- An operator should keep
up-to-date records on his Fire Brigade, regarding membership, current
physicals, training and practice.
- The operator should have a practical
mine emergency management plan for Fire Brigades that answers the
following kinds of questions:
·
Who are the First
and Second Responders when a mine fire occurs?
·
When will a Fire
Brigade be called?
·
What is the chain
of command in the event of an emergency?
·
When will a Mine
Rescue Team be called?
- The management plan should be
based on the Mine Emergency Command System1, which is already endorsed by
the NMRA.
- Operators should consider
creating mutual aid agreements for supplementing their Fire Brigades.
Notes:
1. See "NMRA and Veterans Issue Committee Special
Report: Mine Emergency Management," 1994.
In order to make the
best use of a Fire Brigade, an operator should have a program in place that
considers these factors:
- How many fire fighters are
available?
- What is their level of
equipment and training?
- How much hands-on experience do
they have?
- What are the circumstances at
the mine?
- What is the nature and severity
of the fire emergency?
National Mine
Rescue Association
MSHA
RR 1, Box 736
Hunker, PA 15639
724-925-5150 X 147
Mine Rescue
Veterans of the Pittsburgh District
Box 354
Elmora, PA 15737
814-948-6062
National Fire
Protection Association
1 Batterymarch Park
P.O. Box 9101
Quincy, MA 02269-9102
617-770-3300