IFSI Library Lending Policies
Local Lending (Illinois Residents Only)
- The checkout period is 4 weeks.
- Extensions are considered individually.
- Pick up requested materials at the library circulation desk.
- Bring your photo ID to set up a lending account.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
- The checkout period is 6 weeks.
- IFSI can send materials directly to your local public library through Interlibrary Loan.
- You must have a public library card.
- It may take up to two weeks for items to arrive.
Introduction
Tank cars carrying ethanol burn after derailment in Cherry Valley, IL, June 19, 2009--photo by NTSB
The U.S. produces 13.7 billion gallons of ethanol every year, and 1.6 billion of that comes from Illinois. Ethanol is the number one hazardous material being transported today, and it significantly differs chemically from petroleum-based fuels. Though ethanol is commonly discussed in the context of environmental protection and sustainability, the safety issues surrounding ethanol use are less commonly mentioned. Because ethanol is primarily alcohol, water will not extinguish an ethanol fire, nor will most types of foam. Alcohol-resistant foams (AR foams), such as AR-AFFF foam, are the best means of fighting ethanol fires. It is important for firefighters to understand the properties of ethanol and how to respond to ethanol emergencies.
This guide was produced by the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) library to bring together ethanol resources that are relevant to fire fighters and emergency responders. On this page, you will find links and information about ethanol training at IFSI as well as a list of relevant IFSI library items. Subpages of this guide include information on preparing for ethanol emergencies, links to reports and news articles covering real-world ethanol fires, and an overview of the ethanol industry.
About the IFSI Library
The Illinois Fire Service Institute Library contains books, codes and standards, DVDs, CDs, periodicals, manuals, e-resources, audiobooks, and other fire emergency resources, totaling over 65,000 items. We serve all first responders in the state of Illinois. Materials can be requested in person, by phone or email, or online through our catalog. You can search our catalog by title, author, keyword, subject, or publisher, and choose the formats you want to see. Enter as few or as many search terms as you would like; the more search terms you use the fewer results you'll get, but the results will be more specific. If you live in Illinois and have a public library card, we can send materials to your public library via interlibrary loan. Anyone is also welcome to visit us in person!
Ethanol Training at Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI)
The Illinois Fire Service Institute commonly delivers training to fire departments at their locations and encourages departments to team with neighboring departments to maximize attendance and to help deliver consistent training. These classes are available under IFSI's Cornersone Program at no cost to the department. Classes are also available during IFSI's annual Fire College and at regional training schools.
- Cornerstone ProgramProgram through which IFSI delivers free regional training to fire service personnel, including Ethanol Awareness; Ethanol Production Plant Awareness; and Fire Fighting Foam Applications. Departments that would like to schedule training can contact IFSI through the procedures given on this page.
- Ethanol AwarenessCourse designed to give the first responders a basic understanding of the emerging ethanol industry. The class covers chemical and physical properties, terminology, transportation, and spills and their ramifications.
- Fire Fighting Foam ApplicationsCourse provides frefighters with basic understanding of how to use fire fighting foams on Class A, Class B, and Polar Solvent fuels and the procedures and equipment needed to apply the foam.
Ethanol Resources at the IFSI Library
These links take you to the IFSI catalog. To request an item, click "Add to Request Bin." This takes you to a page where you can fill out the online request form and submit to the IFSI library. To request items, you must be an Illinois resident with a library card from an Illinois library.
- Ethanol Videos (DVD) byPublication Date: 2010Five videos that explain how ethanol differs from regular pump gasoline and the need for and use of alcohol resistant foams. Video one demonstrates the need for Alcohol Resistant foam for extinguishing polar solvents. Video two shows the actual membrane that gives Alcohol Resistant foam the ability to work on alcohol products. Video three shows the difference in flame type between E-85 and E-95. Video four demonstrates how to effectively apply alcohol resistant foam. Video five demonstrates that water alone cannot extinguish an ethanol fire.
- Alternative fuels symposium, October 15-17, 2007 : speaker presentation DVDsPublication Date: 2008Ansul gathered an audience of top executives in ethanol production, key transporters, A & E firms, insurers and fire chiefs from municipal fire departments to educate them on fire suppression for alternative fuels...The panelists’ presentations and roundtable discussions touched on public safety issues related to the industry growth and more specifically to alternative fuels production, storage and transportation....Healthy discussions by panelists and attendees included fire suppression standards, potential pitfalls and changes needed to evolve the level of preparedness and take it to the next stage.--Ansul website (viewed July 3, 2008).
- Ethanol Response Considerations DVD and CD-ROM byPublication Date: 2009DVD contains two training videos: Ethanol Response Considerations and Responding to Ethanol Incidents. CD-ROM contains the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition's 7-module Training Guide for Ethanol Emergency Response, including instructor guide, student guide, and powerpoints.
All these materials are also available freely online on the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition Resources Page.
Note that the "Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition" box on the "Preparing for Ethanol Emergencies" page also links to the resource page and the 7 modules. - Responding to Ethanol Incidents & Ethanol Fixed Facilities Assessment and Guide (CD-ROM)Publication Date: 2008Contains IAFC publications Responding to Ethanol Incidents and Ethanol Fixed Facilities Assessment and Guide. Also contains Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition's 7-module Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response, including instructor guide, student guide, and powerpoints.
These materials are all freely available online.
The Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response may be found at the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition's Resources Page.
IAFC's Responding to Ethanol Incidents PDF.
IAFC's Ethanol Fixed Facilities Assessment and Guide PDF. - Foam (DVD)Publication Date: 2011Examines all current foam concentrates: Fluoroprotein (FP), AFFF, AR, FFFP, High expansion & Class A foams; proportioning to achieve the right mix of water concentrate; rules of compatibility; ethanol fires; how polar solvents impact foam; protecting the integrity of the foam blanket; eliminating the source of the leak; fighting tank and spill fires; NFPA foam application specifications for Class B fires; equipment used in foam preparation and delivery.
- Ethanol - Part 1: physical and chemical aspects (article) byPublication Date: 2010First in a three-part series from Firehouse magazine. Discusses physical and chemical characteristics of ethanol.
- Ethanol - Part 2: the manufacturing facility (article) byPublication Date: 2010Second in a three-part series from Firehouse magazine. Discusses manufacturing processes and hazards.
- Ethanol - Part 3: transit and fixed facilities (article) byPublication Date: 2010Third in a three-part series from Firehouse magazine. Discusses emergency response to ethanol spills and fires.
- The E85 threat and rescue pumpers (article) byPublication Date: 2008Discusses the need for dual foam concentrate reservoirs on rescue pumpers. One tank is for conventional class-A foam, while the other is for alcohol-resistant (AR) foam for use in ethanol fires.
- On the Job: Illinois Hazmat Train Derails and Burns in Cherry Valley (article) byPublication Date: 2010Firehouse magazine discusses emergency response to train derailment and ethanol fire in Cherry Valley, IL, including lessons learned.
- Mutual aid at derailment (article) byPublication Date: 2009In Crisis Response magazine, Cherry Valley Fire Protection District Chief Craig Wilt describes emergency response to the June 19, 2009 derailment and fire near Cherry Valley, IL.
This article is not in the online catalog; please contact the IFSI library via phone, email, or in person if interested.
Librarian
IFSI Library Information
Library Hours:
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday - Friday
Special operating hours may be held during events.
IFSI Library Staff:
Lian Ruan, Head Librarian: lruan@illinois.edu
Diane Richardson, Reference & User Training Librarian: dlrichar@illinois.edu
David Ehrenhart, Archivist and Metadata Librarian: ehrenha1@illinois.edu