NY State Deploys Foam Trucks for Fighting Crude Oil Fires
The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will place the trailers near population centers located along major rail lines and waterways throughout the state.
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced this week that the state will deploy 19 trailers equipped with firefighting foam to local fire departments and county hazardous materials teams throughout the state for their use when combating fires and spills involving crude oil or other ignitable liquids. "This new equipment will help ensure first responders in these communities are prepared in the event of an emergency involving crude oil or other highly flammable substances," Cuomo said Oct. 13. "Today's action is the latest in a multi-pronged effort to prepare state and local authorities in the event of a crude oil disaster."
The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will place the trailers near population centers located along major rail lines and waterways throughout the state. It has assigned the first six trailers to jurisdictions with the most limited resources: Essex County and the Amsterdam, Buffalo, Kingston, Newburgh, and Utica fire departments. The others will be deployed to other areas that have some existing resources, including the Albany, Binghamton, Elmira, Mayville, Olean, Oneonta, Plattsburgh, Rochester, Saratoga, Syracuse, and Watertown fire departments and Rockland County and the New York State Stockpile in Guilderland. All units are to be deployed and operational by early 2016.
"Today's announcement supports the state's ongoing efforts to increase its capacity to respond to any crude oil incident. Foam trailer firefighting equipment gives first responders the best technology to fight crude oil fires and prevent the flames from spreading to a larger area. I applaud the governor's commitment to helping local fire departments and hazardous materials teams acquire the needed equipment to help keep our communities safe," said John Melville, commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
The trailers can supply Class B foam, which forms a blanket over ignitable liquids, suppressing blazes and preventing them from spreading or reigniting.