July 2007
Mop-Up Kits Make It Easy To Completely Defeat Wildfires
By Joe Mercieri
No matter what type of fire we battle, once the flames are extinguished and the smoke has cleared, it is time to mop up – overhauling the burned area in order to extinguish hidden fire.
Mopping up a structure fire entails the use of many hand tools combined with salvage covers to protect undamaged contents.
Forest fires are no different than structure fires, as they need to be mopped up as well.
The North Carolina Division of Forest Resources defines the term mop up as the act of making a fire safe after it is controlled by extinguishing or removing burning material along or near the control line, felling snags, trenching logs to prevent rolling, and so forth.
Of course, some of us may find this definition a little too boring. For those who require a more colorful definition, we can always resort to colloquial definition of mop up, which is defined as: “to defeat thoroughly.”
Commercial Kits
Have you ever seen those commercial mop-up kits? They’re very elaborate and offer a nice backpack with logos. The problem is that the packaging of the equipment can never be duplicated. When you first open the kit, every item has been neatly situated and packaged in the backpack.
Once you empty the pack to use it, try to duplicate the packaging scheme. Obviously, it’s not happening.
Mop-up kits are similar to hazmat decontamination kits in that you can visit your local hardware supplier for all the needed components. Items such as nozzles, wyes, and tandem adapters can be found at your local hardware store. The backpack or carry bag can be found at a discount store.
For a few dollars you can put together a great mop-up kit. Adding hand tools such as shovels, axes, grub axes and brooms are also essential components of a complete mop-up kit.
One nice item to have for your kit is a manifold. This will allow a single supply line to branch into several individual connections. Again, you have the option of purchasing or building your own.
Many Types Of Hose
Most of us have some plumbing background or have a plumber on the department. A simple device incorporating a short length of PVC pipe, an end cap, a threaded end and several sill faucets would suffice.
There are many types of hose found in a mop-up kit. Hose types from your standard half-inch garden hose to three-quarter-inch flat-lay hose are found in many kits. There are several hose manufacturers who offer a three-quarter-inch flat-lay hose with garden hose fittings that meet the National Fire Protection Association 1961 standard on hose.
Typically a 50-foot roll weighs about five pounds and is flexible enough to be packed in a small to mid-sized backpack. Aluminum applicator wands for mop-up kits are available for purchase from your local supplier.
These wands are usually 48 to 52 inches in length and are manufactured with a slight bend at the tip to aid in water delivery.
As you can see there are many configurations and options available for mop-up kits. Whether you purchase a commercial kit or simply manufacture your own, a mop-up kit makes the job of overhauling easier on the crews and on the pocketbook.
Stay safe out there!
Editor’s Note: Joe Mercieri is the fire chief of Littleton (N.H.) Fire Rescue. He has 27 years in the fire service and has two academic degrees – a master’s in public administration and a bachelor’s in fire administration. He has been an instructor for the Connecticut Fire Academy, the New Hampshire Fire Academy and the Twin State (N.H./Vt.) Mutual Aid Fire Association. He has also taught National Fire Academy classes, including train-the-trainer classes.