Tag Archives: Fire

Fuel Barges Explode – 3 Injured

Image of fuel barges on fire.

Fuel Barge Fire, Mobile Alabama, 4/24/13

As reported by Ed Payne, CNN, here, At least six explosions rocked two fuel barges carrying gasoline as they were docked on the Mobile River, in Mobile Alabama. All people are believed to be accounted for.Three people were taken to the USA Medical Center with burns. They remain in critical condition. The barges were being prepped for reload. The fires were monitored from a distance.

I wonder if authorities in Alabama chose to monitor the fires from a safe distance rather than risk the lives of emergency responders. Perhaps mindful of the 10 to 16 first responders killed in the fire and explosion at the West, Texas fertilizer plant last week (my coverage is here).

Thinking long term, we should be developing an efficient and sustainable energy infrastructure with fuel from kitchen waste, farm waste, and sewage.

If the Nega-Watt is the Least Expensive, Cleanest and Most Valuable unit of energy, and the Nega-Fuel-Watt is the 2nd Least Expensive, 2nd cleanest and 2nd Most Valuable, then the “Fuel-From-Waste-Watt” is the 3rd Least Expensive, 3rd Cleanest and 3rd Most Valuable unit of energy.

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A candidate for General Assembly to represent NJ Legislative District 12, and an analyst with Popular Logistics, Lawrence J. Furman holds a Bachelor’s in Biology, and an MBA in “Managing for Sustainability” from Marlboro College, Vermont. He also has experience in information technology. He can be reached at ‘Larry” at Furman For New Jersey. com

Open Fire Academy

In another example of the power of Open Source information, we recommend the Open Fire Academy.

Open Fire Academy is a nonprofit, collaborative resource for emergency services organizations and centers of learning. The key element of a community is that it evolves and expands based on its members commitment. Looking beyond simply building a web-based learning tool, we are creating a central point for sharing ideas, training resources, and research information by breaking down the barriers that hinder communication. As such, we are following the philosophy of Open Source Development by making the content of this community “free and open” to those who wish to utilize it and are open to sharing their own findings and information. The site itself is created and the content is generated by the staff, instructors, students, and committed members of the community.

Open Fire Academy. More to come.