Two reasons I doubt that is CO2: It requires a high concentration to suppress a fire, and I don't see how you could pump it in fast enough to reach and maintain that concentration in open air. And if you did get it to high enough concentration, you'd kill the customers. It's recommended only for unoccupied spaces. (Staff might be trained to run when the alarm goes off before the spray starts, customers cannot.)
It's certainly not Halon 1301, which is the usual choice to flood an occupied indoor area (it's nearly non-toxic at the recommended concentration of 7% - until it reaches a hot fire and breaks down to release bromine. You'd better be gone before then, but I assume that either it stinks bad enough to clear the area, or they add a scent.) That is invisible and rather expensive to pour out into the open air.
So my guess is that this is some sort of fire-fighting foam, with low enough toxicity to give customers and staff time to run away. That will stick to the pumps and spread over the ground to smother the fire, and keep it smothered after vapors have blown away.
#10 Since there is no fire, I'll bet someone was testing the system and forgot to put it in test mode, or someone punched the manual dump button. That probably cost somebody a pretty penny to refill the system.
But it looks like the helicopter designer anticipated this. The blades are raised on a tall stalk to ensure they're over everyone's head. Now, getting away from people clinging to the skids could be a problem, but everyone either had better sense to hold on when their feet left the ground, or lost their grip.
Was this in Afghanistan? I get vibes of the embassy roof in Vietnam, only the planning for crowd management was even worse.
With the tile removed and the lift below someone was working on sprinkler system. The sprinkler head was not installed and open orifice. If it was a actuated head there would be a spray pattern....that's just a deluge. R
#10 had something like that at a propane rack at a refinery I use to pickup at . You would get wet instantly
ReplyDeletethat is CO2 I expect as gasoline floats. Water would make things much worse at a gas station.
Deletechillhill
I toured the headend of a cellular company once and they had a Halon fire suppression system. You sure don't want to be inside when it goes off!
DeleteTwo reasons I doubt that is CO2: It requires a high concentration to suppress a fire, and I don't see how you could pump it in fast enough to reach and maintain that concentration in open air. And if you did get it to high enough concentration, you'd kill the customers. It's recommended only for unoccupied spaces. (Staff might be trained to run when the alarm goes off before the spray starts, customers cannot.)
DeleteIt's certainly not Halon 1301, which is the usual choice to flood an occupied indoor area (it's nearly non-toxic at the recommended concentration of 7% - until it reaches a hot fire and breaks down to release bromine. You'd better be gone before then, but I assume that either it stinks bad enough to clear the area, or they add a scent.) That is invisible and rather expensive to pour out into the open air.
So my guess is that this is some sort of fire-fighting foam, with low enough toxicity to give customers and staff time to run away. That will stick to the pumps and spread over the ground to smother the fire, and keep it smothered after vapors have blown away.
markm
#3 Why....
ReplyDeleteStupid is as stupid does.
DeleteYou and I watched it didn't we? That's all these assholes care about.
Delete#10 Since there is no fire, I'll bet someone was testing the system and forgot to put it in test mode, or someone punched the manual dump button. That probably cost somebody a pretty penny to refill the system.
ReplyDelete#1 Looks like a WM version of an analogy for government.
ReplyDeleteCC
#7 - Next up: how to pick the lock on handcuffs?
ReplyDelete4 Nice camo
ReplyDelete7 Make note to self "don't use cotton cord."
Daryl
#4 Wooden leg?
ReplyDeleteWe didn't think #6 through too clearly did we?
ReplyDelete2 - a whole lot of stoopid in that crowd
ReplyDeleteBut it looks like the helicopter designer anticipated this. The blades are raised on a tall stalk to ensure they're over everyone's head. Now, getting away from people clinging to the skids could be a problem, but everyone either had better sense to hold on when their feet left the ground, or lost their grip.
DeleteWas this in Afghanistan? I get vibes of the embassy roof in Vietnam, only the planning for crowd management was even worse.
markm
With the tile removed and the lift below someone was working on sprinkler system. The sprinkler head was not installed and open orifice. If it was a actuated head there would be a spray pattern....that's just a deluge.
ReplyDeleteR