A diesel fuel spill along FM 1960 in Harris County, Texas, created an immediate environmental threat when fuel began flowing across a four-lane roadway and toward a storm sewer connected directly to Cypress Creek.

 

The FM 1960 Area Emergency Communication Center dispatched the Ponderosa Fire Department to the incident. As the scope of the spill became clear, the response expanded to include additional fire companies and emergency response resources, along with representatives from county emergency management, the trucking company, environmental specialists and a professional cleanup contractor.

 

The Challenge

 

When firefighters arrived, they found a trail of diesel fuel that had spread across the roadway. Fuel was pooling in several locations and entering a storm sewer opening with a direct path to Cypress Creek.

 

Stopping that flow quickly was critical. Once fuel entered the storm drainage system, containment and cleanup could become substantially more difficult and the risk to the waterway would increase.

 

Ponderosa Fire Chief Fred Windisch immediately requested additional personnel and equipment.

 

“As soon as Rescue 1 arrived we immediately applied a Vaportite over the storm sewer opening and filled it with the contents of a pressurized water extinguisher. This prevented more diesel fuel from entering the storm sewer,” Windisch said.

 

The Response

 

Firefighters positioned Vaportite™ over the storm sewer opening and filled the containment device with water, creating a rapid seal over the drain.

 

The system remained in place throughout the cleanup operation, helping stop the continuing flow of diesel into the storm sewer and protecting Cypress Creek while response teams addressed the fuel remaining on the roadway.

 

Rather than requiring complicated installation or specialized equipment, the Vaportite system gave responders a simple containment measure they could deploy immediately at the point where the spill threatened to enter the drainage system.

 

The Result

 

The response prevented additional diesel fuel from flowing through the storm sewer toward Cypress Creek and helped limit the potential environmental and financial consequences of the incident.

 

The experience also influenced the department’s preparedness for future spills.

 

“During the post-event critique, we determined that keeping a healthy stock of absorbents and spill containment supplies proved to be an asset,” Windisch said. “We have now installed splash suits, rubber gloves and a stock of Vaportite in all of our apparatus.”

 

Rapid Containment When Minutes Matter

 

Spills near storm drains, sewers and waterways can escalate quickly. Having containment equipment immediately available gives emergency responders another tool for controlling a spill before it spreads beyond the initial incident area.

 

Learn more about Vaportite™ and SBD Environmental’s emergency response solutions.

 

Contact SBD Environmental about our emergency response containment solutions.