Saving peoples’ lives and fighting fires: These are probably the most important operations that our fire brigades have to master. In the event of a fire, the fire fighters must know exactly what they have to do to protect other people and themselves. The top priority is of course to evacuate people when a fire breaks out in a building.
That’s why a burning house is searched for occupants before the extinguishing operation is initiated. It is vital to perform fire drills beforehand to ensure that the rescue workers are able to find their bearings in thick smoke and that they remain calm and collected under pressure. This involves practising the operation under conditions that are as real as possible – with the help of a fog machine. The Fog And Smoke Gas Simulator FS200 from Trotec produces thick – completely safe – smoke in a matter of minutes.
Keeping calm in an emergency
Thick smoke is drifting out of the windows. People inside the building are calling for help. They are trapped by the smoke and flames and cannot free themselves from the inferno alone. Every second counts. Anyone who inhales too much smoke may soon faint and shortly die from smoke inhalation. Fire brigades play through this type of scenario on a regular basis by performing fire drills. The top priority when fighting fires is not to extinguish the flames as soon as possible. The first thing that needs to be done is to search the burning building for people who must be brought to safety from the poisonous gases. Of course, it is also important to combat the flames. After all, it is vital to prevent them from spreading to other parts of the building or to neighbouring buildings.
The fire fighters have to remain composed and use breathing apparatus when searching for missing people and looking for the source of the fire – and they have to do all this amongst thick smoke where they are sometimes able to see only a few centimetres ahead of them.
Before they are able to take on this type of operation, the fire fighters have to prepare themselves. It is not only important for them to ensure that their tools and equipment such as breathing apparatus and uniforms are in pristine condition. They must also be able to concentrate on the task at hand. The rescue teams practice this type of conduct with fire drills which simulate the emergency as true to life as possible. Extras play the role of injured victims, and the buildings are prepared in such a way to ensure that the conditions of a fire can be recreated as realistically as possible. The fire brigade therefore employs fog machines which produce thick smoke within a short space of time that fills a floor or an entire building.
Trusty helpers
There are major visibility problems and it is difficult to find your bearings. This is what the fire fighters experience when they are rescuing the victims and practising indoor fire fighting. The use of the fog and smoke simulator FS200 from Trotec means that the trainers can rely on artificial fog being released constantly into the rooms. There must still be a sufficient supply of smoke even after the exercise has been completed. This is because the process of professionally ventilating the building with large fans also needs to be tested extensively.
The fire drill itself is the focal point of the activities. This means that as little time as possible should be spent on setting up the scenarios and preparing the building.
The FS200 is easy to use
The compact fog and smoke simulator FS2000 can be transported easily by one person thanks to its lightweight aluminium design. The holder for the fluid canister is unlocked and opened in situ and the canister with fog concentrate can be connected there and then. The output of the blower turbine and fluid pump can be adjusted gradually – and can even be done separately! This means that the production of fog can be adapted perfectly to the spatial conditions. Combining the output of the turbine, heater and pump also guarantees a thick flow of smoke that remains consistent for several minutes.
The fire fighters are therefore optimally equipped for every fire drill.
