RETENTION OF FIRE WATER USED DURING FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS BY THE FIRE BRIGADE

The article presents the issue of wastewater circulation after firefighting activities executedby fire brigades and the lack of research on the composition of water entering the city sewagesystem as well as the potential impact on the environment to which it is disposed of. It wasnoted that fire brigades use biodegradable foam agents during typical fire-fighting operations,both in sewage treatment plants and in the natural environment, but the main problem is theselection of fire-fighting techniques and extinguishing agents and the subsequent consequencesin the environment. Consideration was given to deciding whether to use water, which dissolvesflammable substances, foam containing surfactants, or completely refraining from extinguishingdue to the possibility of sewage entering the surrounding waters. To this end, it outlines the courseof fires where firefighting operations have resulted in the contamination of watercourses andbodies of water, contamination of the ground or long-term emission of toxic substances into theatmosphere. Due to the lack of guidelines for dealing with fire-water in urban conditions, attentionwas paid to absolute protection of watercourses and water bodies against the infiltration of postfiresewage in its original form and the use of mechanical dams and embankments to stop them atthe scene of the incident. Attention was also drawn to the proper operation of dosing equipmentand the environmental burden caused by using foam concentrates in higher concentrations thanrecommended by the manufacturer was presented.