Increased safety and tactical abilities of rescuers in liquidation of fires with high heat release

Characteristic features of firefighters' rescue work are risks for their lives because of possible explosions and collapses, danger of injuries, limited visual range or complete absence of visibility, high temperature and high humidity. Extinguishing fires in different weather conditions, the firefighters can be influenced by abrupt and repeated changes in ambient temperature. Close to the seat of fire the rescuer is exposed to powerful thermal radiation that makes it necessary to use personal individual thermal protection means. Fire units in Ukraine are equipped with heat-reflective and thermal protective suits, that have become outdated, with rather limited protective service life and don't ensure safety of firefighters during extinguishing fires and rescue operations under high temperature conditions. The drawbacks of these existing protective suits reduce the efficiency of the firefighters' rescue work. That is why the improvement of individual thermal protection means will make it possible to increase the efficiency of work within the areas of high temperatures. The purpose of the work is to identify ways of upgrading the safety and tactical possibilities of emergency rescue operations under high temperature conditions. The article analyzes the working conditions of the rescuers, various types of thermal protection structural features and applying autonomic cooling elements, defines limiting values of heat flows and ambient air temperature. The surface layers of the protective clothing are of time and temperature limited utility. Analysis showed that the existing means of thermal protection are of limited usefulness and are too massive thus restraining the activities of firefighters. It has been concluded that it is possible to use water or foam forming composition from fire fighting systems for cooling the body and clothes of the rescuers. Following these recommendations may increase the tactical possibilities of rescue units in extinguishing fires under high temperature conditions