Fire safety training held in Bentleyville
Natural gas fueling station operations are discussed.
The designer of the fueling station provides instruction about the operation of the site.
Emergency shutdown procedures and fire-suppression systems on a Mon Valley Transit bus are reviewed.
The Washington County Department of Public Safety hosted safety training offered by the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy on handling emergencies dealing with natural gas vehicles and fueling stations.
The five-hour class held earlier this month at the Bentleyville Fire Department covered compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). First responders, including firefighters and members of the Washington County Hazardous Materials Teams, were taught about the properties, manufacture and production of the gases, vehicle use, transport, fueling stations and the handling of the two gases.
“We are starting to see more vehicles using this,” said Ron Sicchitano Jr., deputy director of the county’s Department of Public Safety. “People are finding it a cheaper way to fuel a vehicle.”
Part of the training included going to a natural gas fueling station on Wilson Road in Bentleyville, as well as working on vehicles fueled by the gases, including a Mon Valley Transit bus and tractor-trailer.
“They got to see how the vehicles run and where the emergency shutoffs are located so they can handle it in the event of an accident,” Sicchitano said. “Firefighters and first responders need to keep up with the technology.”
About two dozen first responders attended the class. In addition to members of the hazmat team, firefighters from Bentleyville, California, Charleroi, Claysville, Cokeburg and Donora received the training.