Firefighters from the Paris Fire Brigade (BSPP) have recently started using a six-kilo high-pressure nozzle (LHP) capable of reaching pressures of up to 300 bar. The BSPP, which is recognised worldwide, is making significant strides in developing new response methods. The aim of this nozzle is to prevent smoke from exploding during fires in enclosed spaces (closed rooms).
The high-pressure fire engine (VLHP) has recently been brought into service. Changes in building construction, particularly the use of new materials with better insulating properties, are prompting the fire service to adapt its operational methods in order to deal with thermal phenomena more safely.
Staying safe
To deploy it, simply unroll the 80 metres of semi-rigid hose wound onto a rotating reel and operate the control panel. The Paris Fire Brigade points out, however, that it is the non-commissioned officer who is in charge of the controls, to ensure that the nozzle operator has the correct pressure.
The lance operator must press the LHP against the wooden door. "Behind it, the fire smoulders in a confined space. If the door is opened even slightly or a window is broken, the accumulated smoke and hot gases could explode." the military explain in their magazine Hello Eighteen. Thanks to its piercing capability, the lance holder can operate via "a very small opening" safely.
Several months of experimentation
Inerting the chamber using a mist spray cools the fumes and prevents a "change in the airflow balance of the flue gases" and, above all, rapid penetration to extinguish the fire. This new pruning tool has been introduced following several months of trials and a detailed analysis of feedback.