3-D firefighting slow to arrive in the United States from Sweden

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Ed Hartin, a battalion chief in charge of training firefighters near Portland, claims that U.S. firefighting techniques are outdated. Three dimensional firefighting, 3-D because it accounts for the gasses that fill up a room, uses thermal-imaging equipment in which firefighters gauge the thermodynamics of a blaze and then treat unseen gases with short bursts of fog. The technique was developed by two Swedish fire engineers. The technique contradicts a hard-and-fast rule in firefighting: don't put water on smoke because the water will turn to steam and burn firefighters. The new rule is that water, broken into tiny droplets and applied in short bursts, can cool dangerous gases without turning to steam. These techniques, introduced in Sweden, the UK, and France, proved to decrease firefighter fatalities by almost half in extreme fire situations. The United States, Hartin complains, is slow to adopt such changes. In 2003, a U.S. journal released a study that dismissed 3-D's validity. The study, Hartin says, did not follow the precautions outlined by Swedish system and was doomed to fail. He argues that the U.S. must begin adopting new methods for fighting fires because today's houses are much more likely to create dangerous conditions for firefighters. Many new kinds of home insulation create much hotter fires and the ubiquity of synthetic materials emit dangerous gases when they burn.

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About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate with a passion for teaching people how to improve their health He has authored more than 1,500 articles and dozens of reports, guides and interviews on natural health topics, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a maker of energy efficient LED lights that greatly reduce CO2 emissions. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a noted technology pioneer and founded a software company in 1993 that developed the HTML email newsletter software currently powering the NaturalNews subscriptions. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and adult gymnastics. He's also author of numerous health books published by Truth Publishing and is the creator of several consumer-oriented grassroots campaigns, including the Spam. Don't Buy It! campaign, and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. He also created the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the ending of corporate control over medicines, genes and seeds. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org


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