Transformer fires continue to occur regularly at electric transmission and distribution substations.  This may be due in part to aging equipment in older substations, but that’s not always the case.  Transmission & Distribution World magazine estimates that up to 4% of all transformers can cause a fire during their average 40-year service life. 

This webinar Transformer Protection Program and Emergency Response, will provide an overview of the policies and practices developed by Consolidated Edison (Con Ed) and the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) for managing substation fires, including an overview of the ConEd transformer fire management initiative and the FDNY Critical Information Data System.  The presentation will cover historical issues, electrical testing of suppression agents, fixed systems, lessons learned and the hazards and response tactics necessary to produce favorable outcomes at these low-frequency but high- hazard events. 

The presentation will be made by Anthony Natale, who has been with ConEd for 16 years, and is assigned to their Emergency Response Group.  His core responsibilities include drills, training, strategic planning, special projects and emergency response to incidents affecting the transmission system.  He’s also an industrial firefighter specializing in electrical emergencies, and currently a visiting professor at the New York City Police and Fire Academy.  Additionally, he is responsible for developing the FDNY’s policies on electrical firefighting.