Bolt position (fire brigade)

Bolt position is a fire fighting tactic to prevent a fire from spreading to another, not yet burning area. In order to achieve this goal, the heat transfer through thermal radiation / convection and, if necessary, flying sparks must be interrupted or prevented.

There are different ways to put a "lock" between the endangered area and the fire.

One solution is to set up several nozzles (depending on the size of the fire) to prevent them from reaching over. This version is also called the water alley . In the event of larger fires, it is advisable to use water cannons or hydro shields , as these require fewer personnel once they have been set up. Constant control of the individual components is necessary.

It should be borne in mind that a bolt position can possibly use a lot of extinguishing agent (mostly water ). For example, a single hydro shield (B connection) already requires 1,400 liters of water per minute. It may then be necessary to pump extinguishing water over long distances . Another disadvantage is that a hydro shield cannot avert any danger, as neighboring buildings can still heat up and ignite due to the thermal radiation . Even if the deadlock is in place, a team should constantly monitor the neighboring buildings and cool down if there are signs of excessive heating.

However, bolt positions are only rarely necessary, generally in the case of large fires in industrial plants and residential areas with close built-up areas, but also when there are strong sparks.

literature

Heinrich Kern, Paul Vaulont: Die Roten Hefte, Heft 16 - The head of operations at the scene of the fire and accident . 7th edition. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 1985, ISBN 978-3-17-009145-0 .

Karl-Heinz Knorr: Die Roten Hefte, Heft 28 - The dangers of the deployment site . 8th edition. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 3-17-013208-3 .