Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Hazmat Call Prompts FASCV Response to San Jose

 
Photo by Bruce Dembecki
On Monday, July 2, San Jose Environmental Services employees were conducting routine maintenance of sewer lines and storm water tunnels. During this maintenance inspection, they discovered one of the pipelines appeared to be contaminated with an oily residue and was giving off a petroleum-like odor. They called the San Jose Fire Department at 12:48 P.M. and dispatchers sent Engine 26 to 2967 Daylight Way to check out the situation.
  
Engine 26 declared it a hazmat incident and additional resources were dispatched to assist on the scene. With Truck/HIT 29 out of service, a call was made to Santa Clara County Fire for their hazmat unit and, shortly thereafter, County Hazmat 2 and Engine 9 were on their way. Additional San Jose Units were called on to assist evacuating several nearby businesses with concerns mounting over a possible explosion in the pipelines. USAR 34 and the USAR task force was also dispatched to provide a tripod should it be necessary for anyone to descend into the manhole.
  
Photo by Bruce Dembecki
While plans were being made, the IC made a request for Med 30 to provide hydration for the crews. However, Med 30 was already committed on a call elsewhere in city, so Fire Associates was dispatched around 2:10 P.M. Bruce Dembecki was on scene with Fire Support Unit 2 by 2:30 P.M. and was joined on scene by Fire Associates members John Whitaker and George Hoyt. Shortly after 3:0 P.M., the County Hazmat crew declared the area safe and units were gradually allowed to pick up and stop by Fire Support Unit 2 for some cold lemonade or water before returning to service. FSU was back in quarters at approximately 4:00 P.M.
-- Report submitted by Bruce Dembecki
  
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