Pumpers or brush trucks.
Tank trucks.
A fire map.
Both types of facilities should have an adequate supply of brooms, gunny sacks, hoses, grass beaters, and,
where available, plows, graders, and bulldozers. Two hand extinguishers should be available for immediate use
whenever ammunition or explosives are being handled.
Fire drills involving all available personnel should be held semiannually.
Unannounced fire drills involving
motorized emergency vehicles are prohibited.
A fire alarm should be available to aid in passing the warning and speeding evacuation. The alarm should be
both audible and visual, but must at least be audible.
When evidence of a fire is noticed and the alarm has been given, at least one responsible messenger must be
sent in the direction from which fire fighters are expected to arrive. This individual gives the responding units the
location, nature, and extent of the fire.
Fire fighters must not approach fires involving ammunition or explosives unless they have accurate information
concerning the hazards and have determined that doing so is justified.
Fire Hazard Markings
As a guide to fire fighters, ammunition and explosives are divided into four fire divisions according to the hazards
encountered when fighting fires involving the various types of munitions. The four fire divisions are identified on
placards by the numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4. Each placard has a different shape to provide for easier identification in
darkness and at long range. The shapes and sizes of the fire hazard markings are shown in Figure 1.
Fire symbols are normally posted on buildings or storage sites. They are posted in such a manner as to make
them easily visible to approaching fire fighters at the maximum distance. Half-size placards may be used on
doors or lockers inside buildings, on motor vehicles, and on railroad cars.
In the interest of safety, installation commanders may designate blocks of earth-covered magazines as areas
requiring only the placard for the most hazardous material present.
Removable placards may be used where the class of explosives present changes frequently. For long buildings,
more than one placard per side may be needed.
Railroad cars and motor vehicles containing ammunition or explosives destined for off-post transportation must
have either fire symbols or Department of Transportation (DOT) placards. Once off post, such railcars and motor
vehicles must have DOT placards. Vehicles transporting small-arms ammunition only do not require DOT
placarding, but while on an installation they should be regarded and marked as carrying fire division 4 material.
Fire divisions 1, 2, 3, and 4 correspond with Quantity Distance (QD) Hazard Classes 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4. The
lower the fire division number, the greater the hazard.
Fire division 1 indicates the potential for mass detonation. Examples of stocks in this division are bulk high
explosives (such as TNT and C-4), blasting caps, and 155mm high explosive (HE) projectiles.
Fire division 2 indicates the potential for an explosion with a fragment hazard. Examples of munitions in this
division are white phosphorous (WP) grenades, hand grenades, and rifle grenades; M16 antipersonnel mines;
and M115A2 simulators.
MM0149
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