Renewable Energy Systems and Firefighter Safety
Recently, there has been much discussion and misinformation in online firefighting communities regarding firefighter safety when dealing with a home that has a renewable energy system installed, whether it is solar photovoltaic, solar hot water or hot air, a wind turbine or hydro generator, or a backup fossil fuel generator.
Renewable energy author and consultant Dan Fink has prepared a series of lectures intended to educate firefighters, company officers, and fire safety inspectors about renewable energy, and also to help renewable energy installers educate their local fire department on these issues. The original document published here is no longer available. It has been extensively updated, and has changed into a series of documents. Please Contact Us if you are interested in any of these presentations, either digitally or as a seminar in person for your fire department or renewable energy business.
Available seminars and documents:
For experienced renewable energy installers:
- How to educate your local fire department about renewable energy systems. (1 hour. Free. Covers the issues firefighters are concerned about, with suggested material for your RE business to develop its own training program for local firefighters.)
- Instructor's package: Firefighter safety and renewable energy systems: Suggested safety procedures. ($100, digital CD format. Includes complete PowerPoint, instructor's notes, all class handouts, and unlimited use permission)
For fire departments:
- Full day training session: Firefighter safety and renewable energy systems. (8 hours. See the Program Brochure for pricing and lecturer travel information. Includes all 3 sessions shown below, plus a half day of site visits. Full day session recommended for company officers and chiefs, training and safety officers, SOP writers, and fire code inspectors.)
- Instructor's package: Firefighter safety and renewable energy systems: Suggested safety procedures. ($100, digital CD format. Includes complete PowerPoint, instructor's notes, all class handouts, and unlimited use permission)
- Core Session: Firefighter safety and renewable energy systems: Suggested safety procedures. (2 hours, critical safety information intended for all fire department personnel. Inquire as to cost, depends on travel expenses. For long distance travel, the full-day session is more cost effective.)
- Introduction to renewable energy systems for firefighters. (1 hour, included in full day session. Not available as an individual presentation.)
- Common NEC code violations in renewable energy systems: what, why and effects. (1 hour, included in full day session. Not available as an individual presentation.)
FURTHER READING:
If you are interested in learning more about renewable energy systems, we recommend the following publications:

Home Power Magazine
A great magazine for anyone interested in renewable energy.
Lots of links and good information. Download free articles, plans and power system software. Current issue always available for free downloading.
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Here are some suggestions for further reading on wind power.
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Here's an excellent and very detailed book on buying, designing and installing renewable energy systems of all kinds, by a friend of ours and well-known author Dan Chiras PhD.
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The "For Dummies" series of books is well known for the friendly style and thorough coverage of the topic.
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Here's a great book on heating with solar power, by a friend of ours and well-known author Dan Chiras PhD.
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Homebrew Wind Power by Dan Bartmann and Dan Fink.The best book out there about building and flying do-it-yourself wind turbines. We know, because we wrote it! Order it from our Online Store HERE.
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©2009 by FORCEFIELD
This page last updated 12/15/2009