Fulto n Cou nty

Fire Res cue Departmen t

Bi-Weekly Bullet in

Fulton County
FULTON COUNTY FIRE
RESCUE DEPARTMENT Fire Rescue Department
Bi-Weekly Bulletin
V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 5 M A R C H 4 , 2 0 1 1
INSIDE THIS

Arson Fire The SilentRoad

Killer
ISSUE:

on Hanna
The Silent Killer 1
Carbon Monoxide-Know the Facts About CO Poisoning

A New Face
Even though first responders are trained to understand the dangers of carbon mon-
2
oxide (CO) poisoning and to recognize potential signs and symptoms, CO poison-
ing can go unrecognized and untreated, leading to short-term risk and long-term
health problems.
First Responder 3
Update
• CO poisoning can be difficult to detect.
• CO poisoning can present with flu-like symptoms, but it is also possible to be
Events/ 4 poisoned without having any symptoms at all.
Information • CO poisoning puts firefighters at significant risk at the scene of a fire.
• Even mild CO poisoning causes mental confusion, which can lead to poor deci-
Coffee Break 5
sion making, putting both the exposed firefighter and others on the fire scene at
Training
risk.
Drug of the Week 6 • Mild CO poisoning can also rob the heart and brain of oxygen – nearly 50% of
line of duty firefighter deaths are attributed to heart disease or stroke. That’s
why new NFPA 1584 rehab standards support the use of on-scene CO testing.
Tip of the Week 7
• CO poisoning significantly increases long-term health risks.
• Just one severe CO poisoning almost doubles the risk of premature death.

What you can do to protect yourself

Fire crews from the 1st Battalion responded to a two story garage apart-
• Wear your mask during overhaul
ment late Wednesday evening after conducting a “Return to the Scene”
• Test for carbon monoxide in the blood with an approved noninvasive device
fire safety blitz. Units arrived to find fire on the second floor and quickly
brought the fire under control, saving the structure.
A copy of the “Silent Killer”
L M Jordan, DVD will be generated to the
Contributing One interesting note to this event, was that our own Fulton County
FCFRD Fire Stations. For more
Editor Pastor, Henry Warren was there to make the arrest of the person setting
information, visit:
the fire before units had even arrived on the scene.
thesilentkiller.net
What great team work, and truly shows the highly trained personnel that
make up the entire county overall.
VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5 PAGE 2

Getting to Know a New Face

Firefighter Marcus Eberhart is new to the Fulton County Fire Rescue Department and is currently at Station
13/C shift. He started in August of 2010 and shares that being a firefighter is quite rewarding. He said,
“There is never a dull moment at the job. It is an adventure every time the buzzer sounds, because you
never know what type of call it will be this time. You have to stay ready and prepared for the challenge”.
Before coming to FCFRD, FF Eberhart worked at his own business, driving tractor trailers. His business is
still currently in operation. A friend, who thought that he would be great for the job, encouraged him to ap-
ply.

FF Eberhart is from Atlanta, Georgia and is the youngest of 2 siblings. Growing up, he enjoyed sports of all
kind and loved the outdoors. He was also a member of the boy scouts. He currently lives in Hampton,
Georgia and in his free time enjoys restoring cars, producing music, and hanging out with friends.

One of his fondest memories of the job was working with the Christmas Celebration where the superstar,
Ludacris visited the fire station and donated a large number of toys and gifts to the kids in the community.
When asked about his goals, FF Eberhart shared that he wants to simply be the best firefighter, friend, and
the best person that he can be. He would like to be remembered as a person who
loved to help people in need and a caring person who enjoyed life to the fullest!
VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5 PAGE 3

HYDROGEN SULFIDE SUICIDE TREND

FIRST RESPONDER SAFETY UPDATE
Trend Update: In February 2010, the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange(CFIX) distributed a“ First
Responder Safety Bulletin regarding a new trend of chemical suicide. This increasingly popular method
of suicide is advertised on the internet and is spreading throughout the US. Nationally, there have been
14 confirmed cases of chemical suicides since 2008, with the State of Florida reporting the greatest num-
ber of cases with 6 incidents.

Chemical Suicide Websites–“HowTo”

In Japan(2008), more than 500 people killed themselves by inhaling hydrogen sulfide produced by mix-
ing common household chemicals. Several Japanese websites still provide detailed information on how
to commit suicide and/or cause multiple deaths by hosting “Hydrogen Sulfide Parties”.

The chemical suicide method utilizes chemicals with an acid base mixed with chemicals containing sulfur
compounds such as the following:
ACID BASE SOURCES SULFUR COMPOUND SOURCES
•Muriatic or Sulfuric Acid •Polysulfide Marine Sealant
•Battery Acid •Lime Sulfur Spray
•Toilet Bowl Cleansers •Japanese Bath Salts
•Acidic Drain Cleaners •Leather Tanning Agents
•Detergents
•Pesticides

02/13/2010–St. Petersburg
A 23 yr. old male used these common household chemicals mixed together to generate Hydrogen Sul-
fide gas to commit suicide in a motor vehicle. A St. Pete PD Officer was affected by the gas and had to
be hospitalized for treatment.

•Carefully size up any situation regarding an unconscious person in an enclosed space.

•The smell of “rotten egg” would indicate possible exposure of hydrogen sulfide and the smell of al-
monds usually indicate cyanide compounds.
•Individuals who initiate chemical suicide may, or may not, place a warning sign on the doors or windows
to indicate the presence of deadly gas. Example shown below to the left.
•Look for household containers that hold chemicals, pails, buckets, pots, or other containers where
chemicals could be mixed. Example shown below to the right.

Information by:
Central Florida
Intelligence
Exchange
VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5 PAGE 4

Fulton County Fire Rescue is Saving Lives

I would like to take this opportunity
to say “Thank You!!!” to everyone
who donated blood during the
American Red Cross Blood Drive
and to everyone who wanted to give,
but was not able to.

The drive was held on Thursday,

February 24, 2011, and was a great
success. Your donation is greatly
appreciated! Whenever I call on
you, you come. Thank you from the
bottom of my heart. One pint saves
3 lives and we saved 63 Lives!!!!!

-Contrina Wilcox
VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5 PAGE 5

Coffee Break Training

Hazardous Materials: “Normal” Vents for Atmospheric Flammable and Combustible Liquid Tanks

V ent devices are installed on some flammable and

combustible liquid tanks to balance the pressure between
the tank and atmosphere, and prevent damage when the
tank is filled or emptied. These are known as “vents for
normal venting” or operating vents. (Coffee Break Train-
ing 2010-42 explained the purpose of emergency vents.)
Tanks that store product at ambient pressure (or that oper-
ate at less than 2.5 psig [17.2 kPa]) are known as
“atmospheric” tanks. This category includes some above-
ground and underground tanks.

When tanks are filled, flammable and combustible vapors

are expelled through the vent outlet. When an above-
ground tank is warmed by the atmosphere, vapors also
The vent outlet for this aboveground storage tank
will escape. If vapors are heavier than air, they may accu- should be located at least 12 feet (366 cm) above
mulate on the ground and— depending upon atmospheric the adjacent ground level.

conditions—travel great distances where they may come into contact with an ignition source. The vent
cap in today’s photograph discharges downward, worsening the potential.

In order to help disperse vapors before they reach the ground, the model fire codes require that the
vent pipe outlet for atmospheric tanks storing Class I, II, or III-A liquids be at least 12 feet (366 cm)
above the ground. Vents must discharge upwards or horizontally. Special caps can be installed to pre-
vent the accumulation of rainwater in the tank. Class III-B vent outlets are allowed to discharge inside
a building if the vent is equipped with a device that keeps it in the normally closed position.

Vents pipes must be installed so they drain back into the tank. In the event of a tank overfill, liquid
could fill the vent pipe. By draining back into the tank, the vent line should remain clear to allow va-
pors to escape.

Vent lines must be installed so they are protected from physical damage or vibration. Vents from mul-
tiple tanks cannot be joined (manifolded) unless part of a vapor recovery, vapor conservation, or pol-
lution control equipment.

For additional information, refer to NFPA® 30, Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code, Chapter 5,
International Fire Code®, Chapter 34, or NFPA® 1, Uniform Fire Code®, Chapter 66.
 Emergency Medical Care-Drug of the Week
Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
Thiamine combines with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to form thiamine pyrophosphate coenzyme, a neces-
sary component for carbohydrate metabolism. Most vitamins required by the body are obtained through diet;
however, certain states such as alcoholism and malnourishment may affect the intake, absorption, and utiliza-
tion of thiamine. The brain is extremely sensitive to thiamine deficiency. [Water-soluble Vitamin]

Dosage:
Adult: 100 mg slow IV or 1M.
Pediatric: Not recommended in the pre hospital setting.

Indications
Coma of unknown origin (with administration of dextrose 50% and naloxone)
Delirium Tremens
Beriberi (rare)
Wernicke's encephalopathy

Contraindications
None significant

Side Effects
Hypotension (from rapid injection or large dose)
Anxiety
Diaphoresis
Nausea and vomiting
Allergic reaction (usually from IV injection; very rare)
Angioedema

Drug Interactions
None significant

Onset and Duration

Onset: Rapid
Duration: Depends on the degree of deficiency
 Fulton County Fire Rescue Department

http://fire.myfultoncountyga.us/
5440 Fulton Industrial Blvd
Atlanta, GA 30336
Phone: 404-612-5700

warren.padgett@fultoncountyga.gov

"I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about that, then I realized I was somebody.. "

Lamps:

Each lamp in your home should have a

shade so that if the lamp does fall over,
the bulb won’t shatter.