Presentation to

Middle East Fire and Safety

Conference 2010 Dubai
Preparedness of fire fighters in crises response
Firoze Zia Hussain
CEO Totem International Ltd
firoze@totemint.com +919618621234
 Mumbai Terrorist attack
• Few terrorists attacked Trident hotel and Taj
Hotel armed with Sat phone,AK 47 and
grenades and held on for few days
• Lighted fire on Taj Presidential suite on the
top floor.
• Elite commandoes ,fire fighters found it
difficult to counter such few attackers
• HOW do we prepare for such situations ?

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 Lessons learnt
• Combined drills of fire fighters and elite
commandoes is essential for succesful
operation.
• Personal protective equipment used by both
units has been revamped
• Design and drill for safe passage of guests
/staff implemented

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 New roles of fire fighters
• CBRNe response-hazmat response
• Chemical biological radiological nuclear
explosive threats
• Equipment and training in not only smoke
detectors but also C B detectors
• New technologies for fire fighting BMS system

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 Policy making in fire and safety
• We firstly need to understand what are the
needs of a human being—air food water and
shelter
• AIR-
a)ambient temperature--
b)right composition--
c) free of contaminants ---

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 Level of comfort in crises
• How many stairs can a hotel guest be
expected to be able to do in crises response
• How long can a guest be without food/water
in safe rooms /areas
• What temperature can he be expected to bear
with in crises of level 1 2 3
• Level of oxygen
• Vision or sight reduction in a smoke scenario
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 Anatomy of a Civil Emergency Incident

Primary

Incident
Secondary

Air/Ground/Water

Contamination
People
 System design for HAZMAT response
• Any system design to start with human being
and his capabilities during a crises or disaster
• Stress is found to reduce capability of humans
by as much as a fourth –applicable for first
responders
• Unpredictability of disasters
• Table top exercise at design itself

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Examples of Hazards

Chemical Warfare Agents

Biological Warfare Agents

Dirty Bombs

White Powder Incidents

 Typically Half-
mask/disposable/skin
protection – if nec.

Typically SCBA/Gas
Ac Crowd Control Line
ce suits
ss
Co Exclusion (Hot) Zone
ntr
ol
Po
in ts Decontamination Line

Hot Line
Typically Full-face/ Protection
Protection Level A Protection
appropriate filter/suit or Level C
Level B
P&SA/ suit
Contamination Reduction (Warm) Zone

Draina
Wind Support (Cold) Zone ge
 Zone Description
Dynamic situation
Hot Zone Warm Zone Cold Zone
Convenient barrier to Outer cordon - control public
Decontamination zone
contain primary source access (& escape!)
Typically last zone to be Typically 2nd zone to be
1st zone to be created
created created
Expect Monitoring of
Entry likely before
Secondary contamination Monitoring only to ensure
Detection, Identification,
once hot zone detection and contamination-free
Monitoring
identification complete
Possibly unknown
Hazards should be identified Should be non-hazardous
Hazards
Contamination from Contamination only from
Should be contamination-free
Primary Source Secondary Sources
Contamination Possibly Contamination should be
Should be contamination-free
above IDLH below IDLH
Typically minimal if any
Typically negative pressure or
Typically use SCBA (and protection: post-
powered filtering respirators
Gas-tight suits if decontamination clothing;
and full skin protection -
necessary) possibly MFR-type respirators
minimum liquid-tight.
as safeguard
 Civil Emergency Response
Hot Zone
INCIDENT Contaminated
Police
Investigation Fire Service
Evidence and Triage
Intelligence Rescue of Casualties
gathering Removal of Bodies
Wind direction
Police Ambulance Service Warm Zone
Property storage Triage Decontamination Area
& bagging Casualty tagging “Dirty”
Contaminated body
holding Emergency
Public Mass
Services
Decontamination Cold Zone
Decontamination
“Clean”
Ambulance service
Police Casualty clearing
Decontaminated In-depth triage
body holding Ambulance Loading
Survivor evacuation
 Desired Response

Fire Service Police Fire & Ambulance

Hot Zone Warm & Cold Zone Warm Zone
Detection, Identification &Reconnaissance Triage
Monitoring Crime Scene Mass Decontamination
Reconnaissance Management Casualty Transport
Search & Rescue Firearms use
POWERED RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE SUIT [ N B C ]

• BATTERY POWERED 3M JUPITER ER TURBO

FITTED.
• HIGHLY CHEMICAL RESISTANT FABRIC
WITH HAZMAX SHOE FITTED.
• TWO FILTER ATTACHED TO FILTER C B R N.
• RECHARGABLE BATTERY TIME 4 HOURS
• NO NEED OF BA SET OR AIRLINE .
• AS PER EN 464:1994
• REMOTE ALARM DEVICE .
• WIDELY USED BY FIRE SERVICES,,
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
 First Responders
• Sensitization awareness to potential hazards
• Personal protective equipments –CBRNe
compliant
• Detection equipments
• Training/Dril in safe rescue

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 Transformation of roles
• From fire fighter to HAZMAT responder
• Mindset change /attitudinal change
• Global threats are rarely repetitive

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 Conclusions

• Events
– Do occur or are considered likely
– Targets?
• Capability gaps
– Governments openly admitting
• Government plans
– government planning to improve response
process and capability
– Status today??
– CHANGE ---
 THANK YOU
• Firoze Zia Hussain
• +919618621234
• firoze@totemint.com
• Integrated safety security solutions for
HAZMAT response
• Meet us in South Africa at the Africa Port
Security Congress for a one day workshop on
CBRNE– June 2011
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