Fire Smoke Coalition Sponsors Firefighter Training Program in Indiana to Prevent Cyanide Exposure in Modern Day Fire Smoke

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — SMOKE kills. Firefighters are
trained to deal with thousands of hazards and situations on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, the most deadly hazard is their constant companion – fire smoke.
Today’s fire smoke is unlike that of 20 years ago when plastics and synthetics
were not as prevalent. In order to protect themselves from the acute and chronic
health conditions associated with cyanide exposure, firefighters need to
understand how the combustion process generates hydrogen cyanide and most
important – how to prevent the exposure.

Annually the Fire Smoke Coalition hosts regional Smoke Symposiums around the
United States and next month will present a two-day session in Indiana on
October 16 and 17 at the Wayne Township Fire Department. Training includes one
day of classroom instruction and another for hands-on with a focus on HCN
detection. Capt. Jason Krusen, Columbia South Carolina Fire Department will lead
hands-on training. “Firefighters need to understand how to meter and monitor air
quality – most especially as it relates to cyanide. Recently, we registered
readings as high as 26 ppm in a fire that extinguished itself before arrival – a
pan on the stove – the typical fire on which firefighters normally don’t wear
air because there is little or no smoke showing, and 25 ppm during a dumpster
fire. Behavior has got to change,” said Capt. Krusen. “We’re no longer safe on
any fireground scene unless we understand how to protect ourselves through air
management, metering and monitoring.”

National instructors leading the classroom session include Donald Walsh, PhD and
retired Deputy Chief of the Chicago Fire Department; Firefighter Kevin Reilly
from Ridgewood New Jersey Fire Department; Cameron Bucek, the EMS Clinical
Resource Manager for Masimo who will introduce Indiana EMT’s to pulse oximetry;
Capt. Jason Krusen from Columbia South Carolina Fire Department; and, Lt. Chris
Pepler, City of Torrington CT Fire Department.

“Smoke is something that touches firefighters on a regular basis for an entire
career” said Rob Schnepp, Chief of Special Operations, Alameda County (CA) Fire
Department. “Understanding air is the only line of defense to hydrogen cyanide
exposure should be the onlyincentive required to embrace training opportunities
to learn how to prevent the exposure.”

Registration for the SMOKE Symposium is available through www.FireSmoke.org.

Contact: Shawn Longerich / 317.690.2542