About 50 firefighters from the area attended "Responding to Ethanol Incidents"  at the Cloud Livestock Arena on Friday.

Tommy Johnson (in video), District Manager of the Akron Brass Company, explained that ethanol is more and more prevalent.

He stated that the federal government has mandated programs where by the end of 2009 ethanol production will be 9 billion gallons per year.  By the end of 2015, 15 billion gallons should be produced and by the end of 2022, 36 billion gallons.

After the classroom session, they burned 3 types of ethanol.  This included E10, which is gasoline with 10% ethanol you find at gas stations today.  They also burned E85, which new vehicles burn and E95, which is 95% ethanol, which is transported to terminals to mix with gasoline to produce the E10 and E85.

In Georgia, E85 fuel presently averages about 20 cents per gallon less that gasoline.

Fire Chief Pollock demonstrated how water directly on the fire flames it and that a different foam must be used on the higher concentrations of ethanol.  The foam smothers the fire so if it is not completely covered, the ethanol, and any escaping fumes, will continue to burn.  Some foams are useless as the alcohol in the ethanol will actually consume the foam.

Chief Pollock along with Chief Bobby Beck conducted the training which was sponsored by GEMA, DNR, Akron Brass Company, Decatur County Fire, Norfolk Railroad, International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Renewable Fuels Association.