One of those shifts!

[Mr. Security]

While on patrol, I found a HVAC water leak flooding one of the rooms at the site I'm posted at. Water damage to the room and the one below it. I contained the leak and had the areas mopped. Shortly thereafter, I resumed my patrol and guess what? Another problem. This time a cracked steam pipe is blowing steam toward a smoke detector and flooding the floor. I disarm the detector to prevent a false alarm and advise our HVAC contractor. The technician is unable to respond due to another emergency call at a school that is very serious.

He directs me to an access panel in a wall downstairs to shut-off the steam valves. A brick wall prevents me from closing one of the valves. After locating a wrench, I remove the valve handle and close it with a pair of pliers. During this process, I manage to burn my knuckle on the steam pipe. Both problems are now under control, but I'm beat and my knuckle is killing me. When it rains, IT POURS.

[HotelSecurity]

Water, cool water. Soak your knuckle then wrap it in clean guaze. Don't use oinments or "fluffy" guaze. I suggest that first aid kits contain gel soaked bandages specially made for burns/scalds. I know of & use 2 makes. Burn Gel & Burn Free. They work great An over the counter pain killer sometimes helps.

[Mr. Security]

Water, cool water. Soak your knuckle then wrap it in clean guaze. Don't use oinments or "fluffy" guaze. I suggest that first aid kits contain gel soaked bandages specially made for burns/scalds. I know of & use 2 makes. Burn Gel & Burn Free. They work great An over the counter pain killer sometimes helps.

Thanks. I'm on my way to a cold water faucet right now.

[Arrowslinger]

While on patrol, I found a HVAC water leak flooding one of the rooms at the site I'm posted at. Water damage to the room and the one below it. I contained the leak and had the areas mopped. Shortly thereafter, I resumed my patrol and guess what? Another problem. This time a cracked steam pipe is blowing steam toward a smoke detector and flooding the floor. I disarm the detector to prevent a false alarm and advise our HVAC contractor. The technician is unable to respond due to another emergency call at a school that is very serious.

He directs me to an access panel in a wall downstairs to shut-off the steam valves. A brick wall prevents me from closing one of the valves. After locating a wrench, I remove the valve handle and close it with a pair of pliers. During this process, I manage to burn my knuckle on the steam pipe. Both problems are now under control, but I'm beat and my knuckle is killing me. When it rains, IT POURS.

Welcome to the club We have those issues almost weekly, our facility guys are quick to respond. In that way I guess I am blessed, but I do find myself hoping for good weekends. Then if something happens its nextel, regular landline and a report

[Mr. Security]

Welcome to the club We have those issues almost weekly, our facility guys are quick to respond. In that way I guess I am blessed, but I do find myself hoping for good weekends. Then if something happens its nextel, regular landline and a report

I'm a "platinum member" of that club. We call the place the SS----- after the Titanic because it's always springing leaks.

[Mall Director]

Dont feel bad man.. we get a call, check it out, tell the store we will send in our maintanace crew to fix it.. which we know better! The maintanance guys think its OK to put bricks back in the wall with "can-of-foam" to hol dthem in place.. I have to remind our shoppers, for their own safety.. "Sir, please dont touch those bricks.. but you can come touch these bricks.. Why? Trust me sir, I think you are a nice guy, and I dont want anything to happen to you"!

[N. A. Corbier]

"I can touch those bricks, but I don't want to."

I do remember one time a reactor (rubber synthesizer) was being cleaned with MEK, and it exploded. As in, the MEK was being pushed at several thousand PSI through a plastic hose. MEK (Methyl-Ethyl-Keritone or something...) eats plastic.

The guy who was supposed to be watching it was eating food. This is a good thing, because as I sitting there bored watching the cameras, I noted 3 cameras just whited out. The plant stored enough organo-phosphine to qualify for the FD staging area to be 1 mile away. So, after I wasn't vaporized, I realized that something bad had happened, and started to evacuate the 5 people who were working there.

In turn, instead of evacuating, they decided to go see what blew up.

We spent the next 4 hours trying to dike up a MEK spill of several thousand gallons. It ate everyone's shoe soles but mine, I was lucky and was wearing my oxfords with Vibram soles. My boots wouldn't of survived.

No, nobody got their shoes replaced.

[Mall Director]

Isnt it an interesting phenomina that people in general migrat towards danger? I dont know man.. big red light would tell me to go the oposite direction!

Congrats on the shoe saving! LOL!

[Rooney]

Reminds me of when I was on patrol at our new convention center construction site. One nite the main going into the convention center for the sprinklers burst inside. We had a good 6 inches of water inside. Of course the construction people had there job boxes placed right under where the pipe burst. It took someone 2 hours to get there and turn it off. An hour after that was fixed I was patrolling the outside of the building. When I walked around a corner there was a skunk there. He got me good. And if all that wasn't enough while I was waiting to be relieved to get the stink off, there was an argument outside just on the other side of the fence from the property. They were yelling at eachother in spanish so I didn't get all of what they were saying. One of them pulled out a small pistol (22 or 25 I think). All I heard was 2 small pops and one guy fell. I called the police and medics. Of course right after that my relief showed up but I couldn't leave because I had to give my report to the Police. They did not appreciate having to talk to me with the stinch that had a 100ft radius around me. Overall it was THE most horrible night I had on patrol there.

[Bill Warnock]

Mek

Nathan:
They had a bright star, pejorative meaning, decided to clean handguns at a facility with a potbellied stove. Rules were not to use this type of cleaner and with all cleaners, do it outdoors. He decided to soak the handguns, minus the grips in a cleaning tank, 55-gallon drum cut in half lengthwise. The fumes got to the stove and there was an explosion. He was instantly vaporized. His next of kin tried to sue the government because they did not enforce the rule so as to prevent their loved one from harming himself or blowing up the building. The government settled out of court.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[Mr. Security]

Reminds me of when I was on patrol at our new convention center construction site. One nite the main going into the convention center for the sprinklers burst inside. We had a good 6 inches of water inside. Of course the construction people had there job boxes placed right under where the pipe burst. It took someone 2 hours to get there and turn it off. An hour after that was fixed I was patrolling the outside of the building. When I walked around a corner there was a skunk there. He got me good. And if all that wasn't enough while I was waiting to be relieved to get the stink off, there was an argument outside just on the other side of the fence from the property. They were yelling at eachother in spanish so I didn't get all of what they were saying. One of them pulled out a small pistol (22 or 25 I think). All I heard was 2 small pops and one guy fell. I called the police and medics. Of course right after that my relief showed up but I couldn't leave because I had to give my report to the Police. They did not appreciate having to talk to me with the stinch that had a 100ft radius around me. Overall it was THE most horrible night I had on patrol there.

Speaking of sprinklers, we have a ton of them hanging down from drop ceilings with acoustical tiles. Does anyone have a novel way to contain a faulty sprinkler head activation? I'm thinking of modifying a plastic funnel large enough to fit over the sprinkler head with tabs that can be pushed into the tile to hold it in place. This would force the water into a stream that could be directed straight down into a large bucket or waste can until the valve could be located and turned of. Might prevent considerable water damage. Any other ideas?

[N. A. Corbier]

That's gonna need to be a BIG bucket, sprinklers are rated in gallons per minute. Also, can you touch your fire pump without fire department authorization? In Florida, any sprinkler activation must be investigated by the FD before the fire pump may be deactivated.

A funnel running to a hose that shunts, out a window, maybe. Less contain and more reroute the water flow.

[Mr. Security]

That's gonna need to be a BIG bucket, sprinklers are rated in gallons per minute. Also, can you touch your fire pump without fire department authorization? In Florida, any sprinkler activation must be investigated by the FD before the fire pump may be deactivated.

A funnel running to a hose that shunts, out a window, maybe. Less contain and more reroute the water flow.

It would be a 55 Gallon trash container. Many are available on-site. The FD must respond anytime the fire alarm sounds, which will happen if a sprinkler head activates. The containers would buy enough time for the FD to shut off the valve.

[N. A. Corbier]

And suddenly, fire sprinkers operate at 5500 gallons per minute sprinker head pressure.

The 55 gallon drum would work for most volumes of water per gallon per minute per square foot, yes.

[HotelSecurity]

Are you talking about a sprinkler head that is just leaking, or one that has activated. They sell clamps on 2 long arms that fire departments use to shut off one head while looking for the shut off valve.