According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the continental United States has 104 nuclear generation facilities that provide 20% of the country's electricity. Nuclear power generation facilities must provide full-function fire brigades to serve as first responders and control emergency situations that have the potential for catastrophic consequences, as required by the NRC. These brigades are primarily composed of the facility operators, who are valuable assets because of their extensive knowledge of the plant.

Nuclear operators undergo enormous amounts of training and simulations with the nuclear reactor for reactor cooling, safe operation of the plant and emergency shut-down of the reactor. They also are cross-trained in firefighting methods and procedures that are based on NRC regulations and NFPA 600, 1001, 1081 and 1403 standards. Brigade members receive quarterly, on-site fire training and annual requalification training at a fire academy or training center.

The Gaston College Regional Emergency Services Training Center in North Carolina is one such center, focusing on the design and fire detection and protection of nuclear generating facilities.

Center basics

The RESTC provides basic and advanced live-fire training to firefighters throughout the state. However, the center specializes in nuclear and high-hazard industrial brigade training. Three Duke Energy stations and one Carolina Power and Light station use the training center for initial, requalification and specialized training. The center also provides training to a number of other industrial brigades from various manufacturing and processing facilities.

The training center occupies 20 acres in Dallas and Gastonia, N.C., 18 miles south of Charlotte. The initial planning process began in the early 1980s with collaborative meetings between Gaston College and area fire service organizations. Planning lasted almost two years; site preparation, infrastructure, burn building, combustible liquid, and compressed-gas pits construction took an additional two years. The training center began operation in December 1990.

Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects designed the burn building with the assistance of Duke Energy facility engineers. At five stories and 21,000 square feet, the edifice, with a footprint of just over 67 by 123 feet, is more similar to commercial structures than smaller burn buildings are. In fact, this facility is one of the largest live-fire burn buildings in the United States. Physical size also allows multiple evolutions to be conducted simultaneously. There are 14 interior live-fire areas. To gain a perspective, there are 49 interior doors, not including those in the SCBA maze.

The basic construction method of the building was: poured-in-place concrete for structural members and flooring, pre-cast tilt-up panels for exterior walls, and brick and mortar for non-supporting interior walls. This is a Class A burn building designed to burn wood pallets and straw with one area designed for combustible liquids. Stainless-steel flame deflection shields are located over the 14 burn areas to prevent concrete spalling of the ceiling by direct flame impingement. The building is located so that the lower level is below ground when accessing from the front and at ground level when accessing from the rear.

Nuclear navigation

The lower level resembles a nuclear power generation facility. Noted upon entering the rear of the building through a set of double doors is the curved wall system much like that found in the reactor containment area. The entire lower level has design features based on nuclear facility construction. The floor has linear drains throughout that lead to a 4-foot-deep covered containment pit, and the room sizes on this floor are similar to actual facilities.

The upper floors can be accessed by two enclosed stairways, which are positive-pressure ventilated to increase safety of egress and improve visibility. The stairways also provide a full-function standpipe system with multiple discharges located in hose cabinets on each level. There's also a commercial spiral staircase with an open shaft that permits heat and smoke to travel between floors. This is a challenge to firefighters making basement attacks from above.

The second floor is the largest area. Entry through the north side opens into the control room, which contains the fire alarm/evacuation system and the ventilation fan controls. The second floor is also the most diverse. It contains seven rooms of different dimensions up to 45 by 50 feet. A steel floor grate spans a 12- by 20-foot area just inside the door. This offers additional commercial applications and allows for panels to be removed for rescue evolutions.

Beyond the grating is a parapet wall containing a modified chemical reaction chamber. Firefighters can cross the wall by either an A-frame stairway or a fixed commercial ladder. This area was designed for burning a limited amount of combustible liquid to generate the heavy smoke produced by the cable trays that run throughout most commercial buildings. A door nearby leads to the sprinkler room with a number of operational heads, which can be activated with live fire.

The adjacent door leads to a long rectangle room; it's common to have a portable standpipe connection or mock valves located here for scenarios. The next doorway leads to a large room with two burn areas that pose a tough challenge to firefighters because of the heat, smoke and large space.

The third floor offers the largest rooms in the building. A 68- by 46-foot room has a double-door second-level access with an outside hoist for lifting training equipment and props, or for scenario needs. The double doors on the east wall open into another large room measuring 56 by 26 feet. Noted in this room and present on all floors is the smoke evacuation chamber powered by a 40hp high-velocity fan.

The fourth floor contains the SCBA maze. The maze covers 2,100 square feet over two levels with stairs, a duct system, removable panels and an attic area. A number of floor layouts can be set up by using three-way doors or gates. The maze can be configured for various challenge levels.

The fifth and top floor is used for high-angle and confined-space rescue. The focal point is the 5-story, 36-inch rescue tube that extends from the basement to the roof. The rescue tube has a derrick located above the opening to facilitate rigging. Anchor points surround the perimeter of the roof area for securing ropes and webbing.

Outdoor resources

Outside training areas include combustible liquid pits for live-fire training. The apron and larger pits measure 125 by 90 feet and contain a 30-foot vertical tank, a combustible-liquid delivery truck, loading racks, and multiple barrels or drums. The medium pits regress to accommodate two automobiles and a leaking flange fire, and they can be specialized for specific training, such as transformer housing. The smaller pits contain three 100- square-foot areas, used primarily for initial fire extinguisher training, and a 90-foot L-shaped floor drain. All areas are supplied by 16,000-gallon underground diesel fuel tanks.

The compressed-gas area has four props, all supplied with liquid and vapor petroleum gas from three 1,000-gallon tanks. The props are a bulk delivery truck, an industrial meter, a cluster of compressed-gas cylinders and an “LP tree.” Operation is regulated at the safety tower, manned by a certified LP-gas instructor. Emergency shut-off valves are located underground and four feet from each prop for a quick flame blackout. These shut-offs are pneumatically controlled from the tower.

The Swede Flashover Simulator section of the center has an open-air covered classroom, elevated storage unit and platform for supplying the elevated burn section of the simulator, and cooling fans and water for rehab. Though firefighters experience few flashovers during their careers, the knowledge to recognize and the skills to contain flashover are essential to survival when faced with such a situation. This unit also travels across the state and various conferences out of state to disseminate this life-saving training.

Other various special-situation simulations are located on the grounds of the RESTC. Confined-space rescue areas are throughout the site with above- and below-ground props. A recently constructed 1H-acre urban search-and-rescue/collapse area offers confined-space areas along with concrete lift, shoring and cutting situations. Hazmat areas include railroad tank cars, bulk storage tanks, small tanks and barrels, and a flowing waterway with bridge.

The center is surrounded by an emergency driving course that was built based on NFPA standards and serves to accommodate fire, police and EMS driving courses.

Additionally an on-site training pavilion houses a fitness center, shower rooms, apparatus and equipment areas, and a canteen. Various other support buildings are located around the campus including a three-bay apparatus building that houses the RESTC's apparatus and other equipment.

The residential burn building is the latest addition. This building also is a Class A live-fire building constructed of concrete and masonry, and it uses flame deflection shields in the burn rooms. It has a 1,500-square-foot ranch floor plan with three bedrooms, two baths, living room and a built-in kitchen. This building is intended to produce scenarios that more closely resemble common residential fires encountered by public fire departments.

A day in the life

As the trainees arrive they are registered and given the details of the coming events. After the briefing the group is directed through the burn building for the NFPA-mandated pre-burn tour. The brigades are then issued protective clothing and SCBA. Frequently large groups are separated into two or three smaller groups for training. The groups are then sent to different areas of the center depending on the desired objectives of that particular industrial group.

It's common to have eight instructors and two assistants for each incoming nuclear group, which averages 35 brigade members per session. The instructors all are certified by the North Carolina Fire/Rescue Commission and are required to have live-fire training, liquefied petroleum and compressed-gas instructor certification. If the nuclear company has requested use of the Swede Flashover Survival Unit, at least three of the eight instructors will be certified as flashover training specialists.

Fire attack in commercial buildings is a frequently requested simulation. Other areas of interest are live-fire compressed-gas explosions; live-fire combustible liquid pits; the Swede Flashover Simulator; hazmat, high-angle, confined-space and below-grade rescue props; and an urban collapse rescue area. A typical session has a third of the group training with the flashover simulator, a third training with combustible liquid or compressed-gas fires, and a third operating in the commercial burn building.

Burn building scenarios begin with basic operations and progress to more complex situations. A typical scene in the commercial burn building for requalification features sounding fire alarms, visible smoke and missing employees. Objectives include determining the fire location, confining and extinguishing the fire, rescuing victims, and closing valves within the building to stabilize the emergency.

The incident commander is given floor plans of the building, so he or she along with team leaders can devise a plan. The incident commander usually employs the services of an assistant to help with firefighter accountability and with radio communications. Attack and rescue teams enter through one of eight exterior doors to begin their search. This journey could easily be over 1,000 feet depending on the route. Teams may encounter fire rooms and dummies before they reach the main fire floor and the valves.

As firefighters move through the second floor, dense smoke is generated by a very small amount of combustible liquid burning within a chemical reactor chamber. The reactor chamber is accessed by crossing a parapet wall, and suppression is accomplished by using dry-chemical extinguishers in a methodical application with a hose line as backup.

The hot steel commonly re-ignites the fuel, requiring multiple extinguishers. Valves then are located and teams begin their egress. This scenario may take 45 minutes or more and require teams to be relieved and rehabbed during the incident.

Instructors operate as unobtrusive leaders, ensuring the safety of the crews. They are always present and continually silent until needed. The instructor-to-student ratio during this type of scenario is 1-to-3. Instructors provide support during after-burn critiques and assistance to avert injury.

The group working with the flashover simulator might first receive a lecture by a Swede Flashover Instructor, if they haven't already. The environment created inside the unit makes it possible to point out the signs of an impending flashover.

The third group, which is operating at the compressed-gas or the combustible liquid pits, also receives pre-burn briefings. Both of these exercises require a coordinated team attack for success. The logistics of these operations demand two attack line crews, a safety line crew and a team commander.

The three groups rotate through all three evolutions during the day. This provides exposure to as many of the potential situations they may face during the year as possible. As the day ends the three groups will be reunited into one for cleanup, equipment return and concluding remarks.

The commitment to quality and excellence in education is evident throughout the RESTC. The center is constantly pursuing new ways to prepare emergency responders for their ever-changing task. Whether it's new recruits for a municipal or volunteer department, advance-level hazmat technicians, or nuclear fire brigades, the RESTC's staff stands ready to support their mission of protecting life and property.

---

Phil Welch began his fire service career in 1980. He serves as director of the Gaston College Regional Emergency Services Training Center, which employs 130 fire-rescue instructors. He has served on the NFPA Fire Service Training Committee since 1996. His task group assignments are 1402, Building Fire Service Training Centers; 1403, Live Fire Training Evolutions; and 1451, Fire Service Vehicle Operations Training Program. Welch is the statistician for the North Carolina State Firemen's Association and serves on the executive board of the NCSFA, and he is active in numerous other fire service organizations. For more information visit www.gastonfire.com.