Following an explosive or flammable related incident industrial facilities can find themselves unable to apply a full fire response as they may have lost vital response assets in the incident, or find themselves incapable of maintaining vital resources due to the initial or lingering impact of the episode thereby impairing site operability.
Headquartered in the Gulf South, we have also played a key role with industry following major hurricanes to maintain incident command, offer logistical support, and in many cases to provide heavy equipment for both emergency response and business continuity operations such as sustaining colling water to the facility for process operations.
With onsite assets including large volume pumps, ThunderStorm® foam stores, miles of hose, a myriad of end of line devices, and of course experienced personnel to support multiple response operations Williams Fire & Hazard Control is prepared as your greatest ally in the event of a catastrophic emergency.
It is important to recognize the flammable characteristics inside a floating roof tank. Essentially two potential circumstances lie in wait ...
Under normal conditions, the vapor space within the tank is too rich to burn and will remain dormant with proper vapor exchange via the tank venting system.
However, it has been our experience that given the right conditions this rich vapor will lean out due to any given set of circumstances such as failure of tank venting systems, low-pressure exterior atmospheric conditions, or an abnormal breach in the tank structure.
Even in extreme situations, if ignition does occur at the vents the interior space of the tank MAY remain too rich to burn and a surface fire within the tank will be avoided.
HOWEVER, several incidents Williams Fire & Hazard Control has reponded to domestically and internationally have been due to an adequate open-air exchange leaning out the interior vapor space whereby a fire source at the vent flashes back insde the tank resulting in a devastating combustion of the residual gases.
Our experience is that an internal foam application resulting in a rich foam blanket will reduce vapor yield within the tank, and will inhibit any potential surface fire resulting from secondary ignition sources as outlined above.
MOST NOTABLE: Our Dual-Agent chamber - a COMPLIANCE+ product - follows the foam application with an abundant dry-chemical surge that overwhelms any residual vapor inside the tank, extinguishes the fire at the vents, and prohibits a potential explosve flashback event.
A new brochure offers a snapshot of response practices and the philosophies that drive equipment design and engineering at Williams Fier & Hazard Control ... Download the brochure for insights into Williams Fire & Hazard Control's Response and Manufacturing mission. Click Here to Download Brochure
Phillips Petroleum October 1989 - Pasadena, Texas - Provided Large Water/Foam Delivery Devices, Pumps and Personnel under the Direction of the Client.
Civil Defense of Saudi Arabia January 1991 - Saudi Arabia - Consulting and Evaluation of Hazards and Equipment Requirements, Nine (9) Days in Country.
Department Of Defense, U. S. Navy January 1991, - Consulting on Fire Fighting Techniques and Equipment.
Dept. of Environmental Management November 1991 - Rhode Island - Consulting on Large Tire Pile Concerning Threats of Fire. Contingency Planning
Exxon Refinery December 1991 - Baytown, Texas - Provided 28,000 GPM of Pumping Capacity after Failure of Cooling Water Pumps.
GATX August 1995 - Long Beach, California - Provided Technical Assistance on a Crude Spill: 3M ATC.
Gulf States Utilities October 1995 - Kountz, Texas - Fire; Provided Equipment and Technical Assistance with Transformer Fire: 3M ATC.
Exxon Refining February - May, 1998 - Baytown, Texas - Providing 36,000 GPM pumping capacity of cooling water to Process to maintain production of fuels and oils.
Chevron September 1998 - Belle Chase, LA - Provided 7,000 GPM Pumping Operation with Operators and Technical Assistance
Fire Tech Services, GEO BIOSCIENCE April 9, 2001 - Houston, Texas - Provided 24 hour Fire Water Pump operator during emergency operation. Pump rental from April 3 - 25, 2001
Citgo September 24, 2005 – Lake Charles, LA – Hurricane Rita Project – Provided technical assistance and technicians – Refinery assessment on fire protect equipment.
Huntsman October 2, 2005 – Port Arthur, TX – Hurricane Rita Project – Provide technical assistance, emergency standby, equipment, and technicians 24/7 for assessment and overhaul fire protection system.
Entergy Gulf States
July 5, 2006 – Kountze, TX – Provide technical assistance, equipment, and ThunderStorm 1x3™ to extinguish a transformer flange fire at sub-station.
Pemex Refinery Traytec/USA Technologies June 24, 2007- Monterrey Mexico. Provided technical assistance. A three man team was deployed to asses the situation on the ground. Williams Thunderstorm™ 1x3 foam was supplied.