HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS Captain Rick Rochford Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department Incident Safety Officer Craig Rogers- Draeger Safety DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 1/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS PRESENTATION CONTENT A. Toxic Gases Generated by Fire B. Hydrogen Cyanide in Smoke C. Health Effects of HCN D. Gas Detection Options E. Questions & Answers DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 2/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS TOXIC GASES GENERATED BY FIRE Toxic Gases Generated by Fire DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 3/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS Clark County Fire Fighter Fatality • Crews operating at the scene of a commercial dice factory fire • Heavy smoke and fire conditions • All crews are instructed to utilize standard PPE • SCBA are used by all responders DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 4/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS Clark County Fire Fighter Fatality • What are some of the hazards present? • As a Incident Commander, what types of injuries or conditions may you expect? DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 5/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS Clark County Fire Fighter Fatality • All crews are ordered out of the structure. • As crews leave the factory, they remove their SCBA masks. • A Fire Captain removes his mask as he walks out of the smoke. He collapses outside the structure. • He is in cardiac arrest. DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 6/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS Clark County Fire Fighter Fatality • The Captain did not survive his injuries • Coroner ruled this fatality due to cyanide toxicity. • Clark County Fire Department • Captain Frank E. Testa, April 11, 1970 DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 7/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS 2005 FIRE STATISTICS • In 2005, there were 1,602,000 fires reported in U.S. – 511,000 structure fires • 3,105 civilian deaths • 15,325 civilian injuries • $9.2 billion in property damage – 87 firefighter deaths in all types of fires – >4000 firefighters injured by smoke inhalation – It is estimated up to 80% of all fire fatalities are attributable to smoke inhalation DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 8/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS ANATOMY OF FIRE SMOKE • Toxic composition of smoke varies from fire to fire – Nature of the burning materials – Temperature – Oxygen level – Ventilation • Conditions of high temperature and low oxygen enhance degradation of synthetics quickening chemical release DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 9/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS TOXIC GASES GENERATED BY FIRE Partial List of Fire Produced Gases and Vapors • Carbon Monoxide • Acrolein • Carbon Dioxide • Ammonia • Hydrogen Cyanide • Formaldehyde • Hydrogen Chloride • Glutaraldehyde • Nitrous Gases • Acetaldehyde • Phosgene • Benzaldehyde • Hydrogen Sulfide • Benzene • Sulfur Dioxide • Various PNAs (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons) DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 10/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS CYANIDE TOXICITY IN SMOKE • Historically, carbon monoxide asphyxiation has been considered the primary cause of deaths of those overcome by smoke – Focus of gas monitoring • There is mounting evidence that hydrogen cyanide is directly responsible for many more deaths than previously assumed – Cumulative effect with CO worse than either individually DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 11/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS “ Cyanide toxicity from smoke inhalation in a structural or enclosed space fire is the most likely cause of cyanide toxicity that EMS & fire professionals will encounter” JEMS Communications Summer 2004 DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 12/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN SMOKE Hydrogen Cyanide in Smoke DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 13/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS CYANIDE PRODUCING MATERIALS • Cyanide production in a fire – Hydrogen cyanide is produced by incomplete combustion of nitrogen and carbon containing substances (-C≡N) • Natural Fibers (wool, silk, cotton, paper) • Synthetic polymers (nylon, polyurethane) • Synthetic rubber • Melamine (resins for molding, laminating, etc.) DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 14/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS HCN RELEASING POLYMERS • Synthetic polymers found extensively in structures – Insulation – Cushioning – Carpets – Bedding (mattresses and pillows) – Building materials • Materials can burn up to 2-3 times hotter and faster than natural materials –Quicker flashovers increase speed of HCN release --- DRAEGER SAFETY Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 15/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS Sources of Cyanide • Other small scale uses: - Photography labs - Blue printing - Engraving computer chips - Cleaning or reconditioning of jewelry - Found at clandestine drug labs - manufacturing phencyclidine (PCP) DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 16/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS Key Cyanide Studies • Two independent studies performed on CN toxicity - Paris France (1988-89) - 109 fire victims( 66 survivors and 43 fatalities) 144 controlled individuals(drug intoxication and CO poisoning) - Dallas County Texas - 144 smoke inhalation patients at University of Texas Health Science Center Emergency Department - 43 deceased individuals at Dallas County medical examiners office. DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 17/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS KEY CYANIDE STUDIES • Final Conclusion: - Cyanide and carbon monoxide were both important determinants of smoke inhalation-associated morbidity and mortality. - Cyanide concentrations were directly related to the probability of death. - Cyanide may have dominated over CO as a cause of death in some fire victims. - Cyanide and CO may have potentiated the toxic effects of one another DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 18/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS THE STATION NIGHTCLUB FIRE • Most notorious incident of deaths from toxic mix of hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide was at West Warwick Rhode Island nightclub fire Feb 20,2003 – Pyrotechnics instantly set substandard sound suppressing foam to sheet of flame – HCN and CO levels soar and people are quickly overcome by the smoke • 100 deaths and 200 injuries DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 19/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS The Station Night Club Fire • National Institute of Standards and Technology “the high temperatures, low oxygen, high carbon monoxide, and high HCN levels within the test room in the absence of a sprinkler all contributed to a non- tenable condition within 90 seconds after ignition.” • Health care providers at all levels of this tragedy did not consider HCN exposure during course of treatment for the surviving victims. • New England Journal of Medicine published report: “despite the signs and symptoms indicating CN poisoning, the victims were treated with standard modalities for burns and CO toxicity” DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 20/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS Cyanide Poisoning Of Providence Rhode Island Firefighters March 2006 Thursday March 23 2006 10:31 hrs 1197 Broad Street Providence Rhode Island Firefighters responded to a fast food restaurant relatively uneventful Engine 3’s crew member experienced symptoms of headache, dizziness, difficulty breathing a cough, and at times talking incoherently. Transported to Rhode Island Hospital Level 1 Trauma Center. Tested for HCN to find high levels of blood cyanide at 57 ug/dl Placed on antidote therapy Upon learning of Engine 3’s firefighter department contacted all members responding to the call 16 members sought medical attention. 14 members went to Rhode Island Hospital 4 found to have whole blood cyanide levels above 20 ug/dl DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 21/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS Cyanide Poisoning of Providence Firefighters March 2006 • March 23, 2006 17:35 hrs. 125 Knight Street Providence Rhode Island firefighters responded to a fire in a six-unit residential apartment Fire in a different part of the city after shift change. Most of the personnel from fast food restaurant relived No injuries reported • March 24, 2006 02:07 hrs. 70 Ralph Street Providence Rhode Island firefighters responded to a house fire All firefighter responding to Ralph St. had previously responded to Knight Street fire. At 02:23 hrs. Firefighter Kenneth Baker collapsed at the scene suffering a heart attack. Immediately resuscitated and transported to Rhode Island Hospital DRAEGER SAFETY • Hydrogen Cyanide in Fire Operations March 28, 2007 • 22/40 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN FIRE OPERATIONS Cyanide Poisoning of Rhode Island Firefighters March 2006 • In light of the cyanide cases from the previous day testing was conducted on Firefighter Baker. Lab test showed that FF. Baker had whole blood cyanide level of 66ug/dl • After consulting with doctors at Rhode Island Hospital, all members who responded