“We’ve had a few fires here that started in the engine compartment,” said Giorda- no, who presented at the STN EXPO this summer. “If you really want to do some- thing, put a suppression system where the source of the fire generally starts.” As a firefighter, I suspect that most fires
on school buses originate near moving parts (the brakes or the engine compartment). Te engine compartment is certainly a con- cern in aging fleets and even in new fleets where a plastic component ignites after being heated substantially. Just a few years ago I remember reading about a problem with an oil filter that allowed oil to spray all over the engine and start a fire. Te Nevada Legislature, for example, has passed new standards for new school buses that will go into effect July 1, 2016. In the October 2011 position paper on flamma- bility standards, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services did not endorse the Underwrit- ers Laboratory 94 Standard for Safety of Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances Testing because they were not developed for motor vehicles.
Tis UL standard is one option in the new Nevada bill. My take on the engine compartment sup-
pression system has a few folds. First, I’ve been to a lot of engine compartment fires, and the plastic is always destroyed, so I am skeptical that plastic components in school bus engine compartments will not burn. Second, suppression systems in homes,
kitchen hoods and commercial occupancies save lives. Heck, we even have one in the fire pump bilge area of our fire boat, so why not work towards putting them in school bus engine compartments? Lastly, in addition to regular pupil evac-
uation drills, the suppression systems will create valuable time for those drills to be even more effective.
HEATED AND CUSHIONED WRAP-UP Te school bus industry is pushing for-
ward with recommendations and standards to make riding the school bus safer than ever. Legislation and standards may be in opposition as to what direction to proceed with at times, but federal, state and local representatives are looking for what is feasi-
ble, realistic and best for all. We have to be careful when critiquing
one path or another, however. Without a doubt, I can say we don’t want fire or any products of combustion spreading through- out any bus carrying pupils to and from school or extracurricular activities. I look forward to following the developments in Nevada’s new legislation, and how it affects the industry as a whole. l
Lt. Paul Hasenmeier is a firefighter with the City of Huron (Ohio) Fire Department, as well as a paramedic, fire inspector, SCUBA diver and an instructor. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science, a master’s degree in public administration and is a member of Ohio’s Region 1 USAR team. He is an instructor for the Ehove Career Center Fire Academy, an adjunct instructor for Bowling Green State University Fire School and adjunct faculty for Columbia Southern University. Hasenmeier is a regular contributor to STN and other trade publications, and presented at this year’s STN EXPO. He can be reached at
phas@bex.net or
www.firstduetackle.com.
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52 School Transportation News November 2013 , 2014
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