Citation

Walsh DW. Fire Eng. 2006; 159(8): 4-8.

Affiliation

Cyanide Poisoning Treatment Coalition (CPTC)

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Penn Well Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The recommendations made by American Fire Service to protect firefighters and civilians from fire smoke producing hydrogen cyanide are discussed. The recommendations include educating firefighters about how fire smoke can produce high levels of hydrogen cyanide and how fast fire smoke can quickly incapacitate someone trying to escape a fire, educating the medical community to test smoke inhalation victims for cyanide etc. The researchers of the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute (SNTRI) have identified fiber-glass based materials as producing some of the highest levels of cyanide in fire smoke. Data from studies conducted by the SNTRI are consistent with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) data in showing that cyanide is a major combustion product generated during burning of materials commonly found in domestic structures. The recommendations suggest that cyanide should be considered in estimating the cyanide-associated hazards of fire smoke.

Language: en