Multi Gas Meters

[CarmelFD829 0]

I am currently planing a drill for my department on our multi gas meter. What i was wondering is if anyone has any ideas on what kind of household products will actually set the meter off into alarm. our meter reads o2, LEL, CO, and H2S. I appreciate any ideas and thank you in advance.

[38ff 250]

What model meter is it?

Edited January 11, 2012 by 38ff

[TheBuffWhisperer 0]

I am currently planing a drill for my department on our multi gas meter. What i was wondering is if anyone has any ideas on what kind of household products will actually set the meter off into alarm. our meter reads o2, LEL, CO, and H2S. I appreciate any ideas and thank you in advance.

What are the gas levels your department meters currently set to? It might be a better idea to break it down into two drills; one dealing with co and the other natural gas.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Check with the manufacturer. Last thing you want to do is to damage your sensors. Know of a department that that broke a detector by putting it right up to the exhaust pipe of a car.

Biggest thing is to go over why the alarms sound when they do and what it means when it does.

[ny10570 745]

Depending on how your sensors actually work dictates which chemicals are likely to set off false positives. Electrochemical detectors work differently than IR detectors. Which device are you using?

[soboss34 54]

You're better off going over how to turn on, calibrate the unit at an incident and what it reads. Review your action level settings and what you expect members to do when it alarms (mask up , etc). You could also discuss past incidents that were monitored and what the source was and how it was resolved (sources that would cause an alarm, proper vent techniques). The last thing you want to do is burn out a sensor or two or three and pay to have it replaced - $$$$$.

[CarmelFD829 0]

Thank u all for your input

[everybodygoes 331]

Don't use the action level as a time to 'mask up' as someone stated. It is one thing if you are dealing with large apt buildings another if you are dealing with Private Dwellings with natural gas sources. Teach your members to monitor at the door and then when they get in. Teach them about the difference between fuel sources, how oil you will smell, Nat Gas and Propane you will not when it has burned. Teach them what H2S is and why it is dangerous, the hydrogen, and where it is found. Most importantly teach them to NEVER follow another member if they see them go down, don't double the problem, go get an SCBA not another stretcher.

I have dealt with hundreds possibly thousands of CO and gas leaks, complacency is real dangerous, especially when you deal with things like CO and Private Dwellings, where usually it is BS but when you have people with symptoms its no joke. Had a run for CO in a PD, had no further info, we get there as usual, and get about two steps in and meters go off the chart, all of them, another important thing, never rely on one meter, especially if its an IDLH, always verify it with a second meter as well as do a fresh air setup in fresh air, not next to the rig. Long story short, a malfunctioning flue pipe generated 800PPM in the first floor, higher in the basement, almost killed 15 people. It is rare, but when it does happen its a bad situation!