Annual Summary of Fire Protection Programs for Calendar Year (CY) 1992
 
Safety and Environmental Protection Division
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Prepared by J. Levesque 2/93
 

 

 

The following information is provided to the Department of Energy for the compilation of statistical information. The information is a summary of property and programmatic losses to government programs. The information is in the format follows the request in the February 10, 1993 letter from Michael J. Flannigan to Area Office Managers.

 
1. Fire related deaths and injuries.
 

None.
  2. Monetary damages or loss suffered from fire and related perils (smoke, water, etc.). (Specific guidance for developing this figure is contained in Chapter IV, Section 4.b of DOE Order 5484.1).

 

a) Freeze damage to a section of a sprinkler system in Bldg. 600's cooling towers resulted in less than $1000 repair to the system. No damage to the cooling tower was incurred (BNL-PE-1992-001).

 

b) A halon system protecting the AGS target desk discharged accidently. The experimental program was not interrupted nor was the facility damaged. Cost to recharge the halon system was less than $1000 (BNL-AGS-1992-003).

 

c) A Central relay on a degreaser tank overheated. Damage was $1,530 (CAIRS 92043). The experimental program was not effected.

 

 3. Significant program delays due to fire.

 

None.

 

 A brief description of each fire loss over $50,000 and other fire losses that have relevance to other sites from a "lessons learned" perspective.

 

None.

 

"Lessons Learned" issues are addressed with each reportable occurrence. Issues that have DOE implications are addressed the DOE-WASH Fire Protection Newsletter.

  

5. Descriptions of incidents which involve the activation of automatic fire protection systems (fires and other causes). Descriptions should include the type of system, causative factors, number of sprinklers heads (if applicable), and remedial action for accidental discharges.

 

Bldg. 600's Dry Pipe Cooling system suffered freeze damage due to trapped water. One section of pipe was damaged. No other equipment was damaged due to the water discharge (BNL-PE-1992-001).

 

AGS Target Desk is protected by a automatic halon system. The AGS was shutdown and the Target Desk was not in use. Approximately 100 pounds of halon was discharged. Source of the activation was determined to be failure in the Kidde PSCP Halon Control Panel (BNL-AGS-1992-003).

 

 6. A Summary of costs associated with site emergency response forces (excluding mobile apparatus purchases). The focus is on recurring costs directly related to fire protection, such as fire department personnel costs, equipment purchases, and other related expenses.

 

 

Fire Department/Fire Protection $2,200,000

Includes operating, training and material costs for hazardous material response, EMS, building inspection/preplanning, fire extinguisher program, SCBA, fire protection related cylinders, vehicles, operations costs and central station repairs for the Site Fire Alarm System; 29 FTE in the Fire/Rescue Group, 2 FTE in Fire Protection Engineering and 1 FTE managing the Site Fire Alarm System.

 

 Fire Protection System Testing $103,000 Includes the labor and materials for an outside contractor to conduct testing in compliance with NFPA 72 H.

 

 Fire Protection In House Labor $526,000 Includes routine, day to day modifications, shutdowns, preventative maintenance and repairs to the systems on site; 8 fire alarm electricians, .75 plumbers, one supervisory and materials.

 

 Total Recurring Costs: $2,829,000

 

 

7. Major fire protection accomplishments in CY 1992.

 

Upgrades to the Site Fire Alarm System to improve reliability of communication lines (improved cross connect at central office, improved lightning protection, upgraded primary and backup computers/software).

 

Sprinkler protection installed in Bldgs. 120M, 129, 184, 211, 326, 462, 477, 479, 488, 912, 935 & 936.

 

Replaced several obsolete fire alarm panels.

 

 Started replacement of the obsolete fire alarm panel at Bldg. 725.

 

Provided 10,000 gallon dedicated fire protection water tank and three dry chemical systems for the Hazardous Waste Material Facility.

 

Started installation of a VESDA system for a portion of the AGS Target Halls.

 

 Made a Site wide replacement of defective Gamewell manual fire alarm boxes.

 

Replace defective Gentex single station smoke detectors in the Apartment Area (approximately 190 units).

 

Purchased one 1500 GPM pumper to replace an existing unserviceable unit.

 

Upgraded Fire/Rescue radio system by replacing two base stations, two mobile and eighteen portables.

 

 8. Planned fire safety initiatives for CY 1993.

 

Finish sprinkler protection for Bldgs. 321, 412 & 926.

 

Start construction of sprinkler systems for Bldgs. 339, 464, 526, 922, and 923.

 

Place in-service a Hazardous Material Command Post Trailer.

 

Complete VESDA installation in a portion of the AGS Target Halls.

 

 Place in service the replacement 1500 GPM pumper.

 

Upgrade the Emergency Medical Services to EMT-D from EMT.

 

9. Fire Protection "Noteworthy Practices."

 

None to mention.

 

10. Number of fixed Halon fire suppression systems and total quantity (in pounds) of Halon extinguishing agent per DOE site. Indicate whether the site has made arrangements to "bank" excess quantities of Halon.

 

As reported in the September 1992 inquiry, BNL has:

 

38 fixed systems protecting control rooms, computer areas, etc.

 

26 "trailer systems" protecting portable structures (offices, high value electronics, etc.)

 

31 ninety pound Halon 1301 "trailer" system tanks in storage

 

653 seventeen pound Halon 1211 portable fire extinguishers

 

One ton of Halon 1301 in stock and a recovery system with 200 pounds

 

Total quantities: 21,400 pounds

 

BNL is storing cylinders and larger storage tanks as noted above.

 

11. A numerical summary of Halon systems that have been deactivated and those that have been converted from automatic to manual mode within the past year.

 

None. BNL has not received guidance from DOE regarding the acceptable level of fire protection that must be maintained after conversion to manual or the deactivation of Halon systems. BNL is planning for the deactivation of Halon following the recent CAA guidance.

 

 12. Other significant fire protection items.

 

None.