Air Quality Management Alternatives: United States Air Force Firefighter Training Facilities
Abstract
Air pollutant emissions from firefighter training fires are a small portion of all annual air emissions from fixed and mobile sources at an Air Force installation. However, a single practice fire burning 300 gallons of aviation fuel releases an estimated one ton of criteria air pollutants during a one to five minute period. Bases report conducting firefighter training 4 to 134 times per year, burning 100 to 2000 gallons of fuel per fire. Based on current emissions inventory methodology, 4 installations emit over 100 tons of air pollutants annually from firefighter practice fires. A research methodology utilizing questionnaires, interviews, and site visits is developed and applied. This method enabled fire prevention, and environmental management experts and professionals to provide data, opinions, and to evaluate candidate air quality management alternatives. Analysis of survey data, interview findings, opinions, and management alternative evaluations integrated with air quality management indexes developed through this research lead to the study conclusions and recommendations. Implications for future policy and actions include recommendations to improve recording and reporting data via Facility Use and Firefighter Training Indexes. If adopted, the policy and actions would result in a more efficient and standardized firefighter training program Air Force-wide. Further research is needed to verify air emission factors, and to determine concentrations of PAH emissions in smoke and fugitive soot particles.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA196476
Entities
People
- Richard E. Brewer
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology