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North County firefighters-confined space-Olivenhain Municipal Water District

Training Preps North County Firefighters for Confined Space Rescues

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North San Diego County fire agencies teamed up with Olivenhain Municipal Water District in early December for confined space training drills. The drills prepare firefighting professionals to respond to emergencies in facilities such as water or wastewater treatment plants and are required to maintain their confined space certification.

Participants from North County fire agencies benefitted from the opportunity for team building during their recent training exercise hosted by the Olivenhain Municipal Water District. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District confined space rescues

Participants from North County fire agencies benefitted from the opportunity for team building during their recent training exercise hosted by the Olivenhain Municipal Water District. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

This year, training took place in one of OMWD’s water transmission vaults. Firefighters were able to use the vaults to practice confined space entries and other rescue scenarios. Fire personnel worked with OMWD staff in a team effort, and both groups benefitted from the opportunity to understand each other’s equipment and protocols.

Participating fire agencies include the Cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar, Encinitas, Oceanside, San Marcos, Solana Beach, North County, Vista, and the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District.

Preparing for emergencies

As a result of training with OMWD, North County fire agencies can now respond more efficiently and confidently to similar facilities thanks to establishing working relationships in advance of emergencies. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

As a result of training with OMWD, North County fire agencies can now respond more efficiently and confidently to similar facilities thanks to establishing working relationships in advance of emergencies. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

Confined space permits are required by OSHA before making any kind of confined space entry or rescue. OMWD and other member water agencies use such permits. Bob Topolovac, OMWD board director, said, “The confined space training with the fire agencies helps everyone prepare for emergencies that could happen in similar facilities.”

OMWD staff reviewed the conditions and possible actions within the vault space with fire crews. Participants discussed decision-making for confined space entry and conditions they might encounter, such as chemical exposure and electrical lock-out/tag-out requirements.

As a result of training, fire agencies can now respond more efficiently and confidently to similar facilities thanks to establishing working relationships in advance of emergencies. “We appreciate the collaboration with local fire agencies to ensure we’re all prepared for potential future emergencies. We look forward to supporting future training exercises,” added Topolovac.

(Editor’s note: The Olivenhain Municipal Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)

Alexander Schultz, Otay Water District geographic information systems technician, operates a drone in front of a district water storage tank. Photo: Otay Water District

Drones Offer Water Agencies Cost, Safety Benefits

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Water agencies across San Diego County are saving time and money while improving employee safety with drones.

Industry analysts say drone use by water agencies worldwide is growing. The Helix Water District, Otay Water District and the San Diego County Water Authority have embraced the technology, using drones to inspect and monitor facilities, and to map and survey inaccessible areas.

Helix used a drone in February to check rooftop air vents on a water storage tank in El Cajon, rather than send employees high in the sky to do it. The agency determined it was too risky for employees – even with safety equipment – and too costly to have staff inspect the vents outside the 120-foot-high Fletcher Hills Combined Tank.

“We continually look for ways to utilize technologies where appropriate to minimize facility down time and to keep staff safe,” said Carlos Lugo, general manager at Helix. “Drone technology is proving to be a useful and cost-efficient way to survey and keep the district’s facilities properly maintained.”

Drones provide a safe and cost-effective alternative for inspecting the condition of storage tank vents without placing employees at risk or taking the storage tank offline. Photo: Helix Water District

Drones provide a safe and cost-effective alternative for inspecting the condition of storage tank vents without placing employees at risk or taking the storage tank offline. Photo: Helix Water District

Helix uses drones to inspect interior roof supports of its water storage tanks. The supports are especially vulnerable to corrosion because they are constantly exposed to humidity and heat.

Drone image of a roof bracket inspection. Photo: Helix Water District

Drone image of a roof bracket inspection. Photo: Helix Water District

Inspecting the storage tank roof supports requires moving 30-foot-high scaffolding from one support to the next, a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. To cut down that time, Helix used a drone to get high-resolution images of the supports. The drone images showed which ones needed repair without moving the scaffolding to each support.

A drone helps reduce the need to move scaffolding to each bracket during inspections. Photo: Helix Water District

A drone helps reduce the need to move scaffolding to each bracket during inspections. Photo: Helix Water District

“Using drones for this type of inspection work is a simple, elegant and safe solution,” said Jim Tomasulo, Helix’s director of engineering. “We anticipate using drones for this and other purposes.”

Drone inspections of reservoirs, treatment plant

The Otay Water District also is finding drones useful to save money and improve employee safety.

After a two-year study and evaluation period, the district is now using two camera-equipped drones to assist with preliminary inspections of its water facilities in eastern and southern San Diego County, including 40 potable water reservoirs, four recycled water reservoirs, 20 pump stations and a recycled water treatment plant.

Drones Reduce Risk

Countywide, the Water Authority uses drones to monitor rights of way and to survey inaccessible landscapes.

When a drone was used to get images and video of steep terrain on the Second Aqueduct west of Interstate 15 and south of the San Luis Rey River, the images were 10 times higher resolution than stock aerial images. Using the drone also kept staff from being exposed to potentially dangerous conditions.

The Water Authority is also exploring using drones for future surveys and potentially at water transportation, treatment, and storage facilities, where cutting-edge technology is used to save ratepayers money.

Drones are helping the Water Authority monitor rights of way, particularly in areas of rugged terrain.

But the potential of drone use is not limited to visual photography of elevated water tanks and surveying remote areas.  Water quality monitoring is another potential application.

Water agencies can use drones with infrared cameras “to monitor water areas remotely at higher spatial resolution than ever before, at low cost and at any time,” Michal Mazur, with Drone Powered Solutions, told Waterworld.com in a recent article about the advances in drone use.