Emergency Bee Operations

[cas2383 22]

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...nId=46&id=50121

Found an interesting article from Florida.

Looks like yet one more hazard they're adding to firefighting duty. To me this is a bit out of line for us, let animal control or perhaps some other agency worry about controlling insects.

But then again who does everyone always call when $hit hits the fan? I wonder what they do if they have any members with severe or mild bee allergies?

[dadbo46 50]

In 1989, we had just put a new ambulance in service when my crew got a call in the middle of the night for a difficulty breathing. While the EMT went into the house to treat the patient, the driver and I removed the stretcher and bought it inside. The call was a relatively unremarkable one....until......

We bought the patient on the stretcher outside and found the inside of the rig swarming with bees. Apparently, when pulling to the side of the road, we ran over a hive....and the occupants were pi**ed !

After we called for a mutual aid ambulance, the cop on the scene ran me back to the fire house where I "promptly" responded with our utility truck with 3, CO2 extinguishers. I put my turn out gear on and jumped in the back of the bus with CO2 cans a blazing. I froze all of them suckers.

Needless to say, when we returned to quarters, we spent the next couple of hours sweeping, vacuuming and sanatizing the bus.

R.I.P. Mr. Bee !!!

[Guest alsfirefighter]

The actual purpose of the training wasn't for bee control, but how to deal with them in the event you respond to an incident involving the africanized bees. These bees are highly aggressive and attack in swarm on their vicitms which enough stings will cause anaphylaxis which doesn't allow the time to wait for another agency to come in to handle the bees. It is no different that hazmat training, or technical rescue training that it prepares you for a specific hazard and gives you the means to recognize such hazards and plan ahead for what you may need to do.

Are there departments in the south that do respond to non-emergency bee issues. Yes, because they believe and remember what the fire service is all about and that is service and they do all they can to ensure their survival and their livelihood.

[TRUCK6018 50]

Wasn't there an MVA several years back on I-287 involving a truck full of bee hives?

[ex-commish 490]

The article proved once again you never stop learning in this business. I did not know that sirens and lights would actually "upset" the bees. Interesting concept and good to know if you are asked nex time by PD if they ask you to respond quiet. As always...protect yourself and take advantage of the training that will show you how.

[RSM2063 2]

Last summer Westchester County PD made a traffic stop on Roaring Brook Rd in Chappaqua. Both vehicles pulled of the parkway just before the railroad tracks. Within Seconds the light bar on the patrol car had been swarmed with thousands of bees. Chappaqua FD was called at 3AM in to assist. We had never had this type of call before and after trying to contact an exterminator, it was decided that we would foam the patrol car. Then a firefighter in full turnout gear got into the patrol vehicle and drove a few hundred yards away and turned off the lights. That ended the bee issue. Never a dull moment is this profession.

[CAM502 6]

The light thing makes sense...just think of a Bug-Zapper. As for the sirens I would guess that the vibrations made by the soundwaves would P*ss off the bees.

Edited July 8, 2006 by CAM502

[X615 0]

some might see this as an opportunity to go buy a big shiny expensive truck full of specialized bee handling equipment turning lemons into lemonade. this could also lead to a whole new industry developing new warning devices & vibration dampeners that won't antagonize the bees as well as an entire bee mitigation certification program. what is animal control's plate too full? another couple things to do & "fire" is going to have to be dropped since that's the least thing done & just refer to it as "the other emergency service".

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I still am a little confused as to why some ask if animal control has too much on their plate?

For some of us there is no full time animal control or none at all.

Secondly, again all the article mentioned was training performed on how to best deal with an incident involving bees, particulary the aficanized bee that is slowly spreading throughout the southern US and they keep advancing. Along with some specialized equipment to protect emergency responders. I can see this being extremely beneficial for those departments that provide EMS where this equipment and training will allow responders to get to patients quickly and mitigate the problem.

If the fire service ever becomes "the other emergency service" then that is on that department. Adding services does not take away from other duties and responsibilities. Are fires down, yes nationwide, because of good fire prevention, technology and fire detection and suppression systems. Fires will still happen and other responsibiities come with being a public service agency.

[x635 4,066]

In 1993 or 1994, just after Elmfsord FD has recieved their new Quint 2 (now TL-21), they had a tractor trailer carrying millions of live bees overturn on I-287, within the Elmsford jurisdiction.

As a result, the bees got loose and formed a huge swarm in the area of the truck, affecting traffic and the numerous people in the area. Long story short, they ended up spraying a sugar-water solution through their new TL from a short distance away, and that killed or dispersed the bees.

That is the reason for the Bee-Line bee on the bucket of Elmsford TL-21. Here's a photo of that:

Edited July 9, 2006 by x635