So. Portland firefighters add to arsenal for oil fires (Printed July 20, 2007)
By Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
As joint responders to the Portland International Jetport and Portland Harbor, South Portland Fire Chief Kevin Guimond said his department is well trained in combating petroleum fires. Now the department is also well equipped to deal with such incidents.
On Wed. July 11, the South Portland Fire Department and representatives from seven oil terminals gathered at Exxon Mobil, located on Lincoln Street, to display more than $350,000 worth of new fire fighting equipment.
Gulf Oil, Exxon Mobil, Global Companies, Portland Pipe Line Corporation, Clean Harbors Environmental Services, Citgo and Sprague Energy, which collectively own more than 150 tanks in the city, purchased seven mobile foam firefighting trailers. In addition, the South Portland and Portland Fire Departments jointly purchased a trailer and two pickup trucks for transporting the trailers through a federal port security grant.
“Foam is the only way to put out an oil fire,” said Guimond during last Wednesday’s press conference. “It’s a quick, easy, down and dirty way to go to battle.”
The new equipment was purchased in response to a South Portland ordinance amendment in July 2005 that required all trailers in service that were 25 years or older to be replaced within 24 months.
The department had foam trailers in each terminal already, but Guimond said they are outdated. Until last Wednesday, the department had among its equipment, a foam trailer dating back to 1956.
The foam itself was also outdated, Guimond said last Thursday. The department was using protein foam, which Guimond said works very well, but it is less concentrated than the AFFF foam in the new trailers, requires extra equipment for aeration and poses an environmental threat to the river. The AFFF foam is easier to dispense, easier to clean up and more environmentally friendly, he said.
Guimond said the majority of South Portland’s firefighters have attended offsite programs such as the firefighter training school at Texas A&M University.
Lieutenant Rob Couture, who has participated in the training, said firefighters have the chance to experience a fire on a tank farm.
“You need to know you have the product on hand before you start [fighting the fire],” he said.
In South Portland, Couture said Portland Pipe Line’s crude oil tanks located near the high school have floating roofs that could be a safety hazard if they were to tip or be struck by lightning.
Sprague Energy Terminal Manager Larry Laverriere said when the terminal representatives were meeting with Guimond, they considered the worst-case scenario: two tanks burning at the same time. Laverriere said the department now has enough resources to handle such an incident.
“I think it’s going to be great,” said Sprague Terminal Manager Larry Laverriere. “If we had an issue-what we had previous was antiquated. Economically, the terminals had to step up. I think it’s our responsibility as good neighbors.”
Staff Writer
As joint responders to the Portland International Jetport and Portland Harbor, South Portland Fire Chief Kevin Guimond said his department is well trained in combating petroleum fires. Now the department is also well equipped to deal with such incidents.
On Wed. July 11, the South Portland Fire Department and representatives from seven oil terminals gathered at Exxon Mobil, located on Lincoln Street, to display more than $350,000 worth of new fire fighting equipment.
Gulf Oil, Exxon Mobil, Global Companies, Portland Pipe Line Corporation, Clean Harbors Environmental Services, Citgo and Sprague Energy, which collectively own more than 150 tanks in the city, purchased seven mobile foam firefighting trailers. In addition, the South Portland and Portland Fire Departments jointly purchased a trailer and two pickup trucks for transporting the trailers through a federal port security grant.
“Foam is the only way to put out an oil fire,” said Guimond during last Wednesday’s press conference. “It’s a quick, easy, down and dirty way to go to battle.”
The new equipment was purchased in response to a South Portland ordinance amendment in July 2005 that required all trailers in service that were 25 years or older to be replaced within 24 months.
The department had foam trailers in each terminal already, but Guimond said they are outdated. Until last Wednesday, the department had among its equipment, a foam trailer dating back to 1956.
The foam itself was also outdated, Guimond said last Thursday. The department was using protein foam, which Guimond said works very well, but it is less concentrated than the AFFF foam in the new trailers, requires extra equipment for aeration and poses an environmental threat to the river. The AFFF foam is easier to dispense, easier to clean up and more environmentally friendly, he said.
Guimond said the majority of South Portland’s firefighters have attended offsite programs such as the firefighter training school at Texas A&M University.
Lieutenant Rob Couture, who has participated in the training, said firefighters have the chance to experience a fire on a tank farm.
“You need to know you have the product on hand before you start [fighting the fire],” he said.
In South Portland, Couture said Portland Pipe Line’s crude oil tanks located near the high school have floating roofs that could be a safety hazard if they were to tip or be struck by lightning.
Sprague Energy Terminal Manager Larry Laverriere said when the terminal representatives were meeting with Guimond, they considered the worst-case scenario: two tanks burning at the same time. Laverriere said the department now has enough resources to handle such an incident.
“I think it’s going to be great,” said Sprague Terminal Manager Larry Laverriere. “If we had an issue-what we had previous was antiquated. Economically, the terminals had to step up. I think it’s our responsibility as good neighbors.”
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