Contingency plans: Strategic preparedness can save lives (including those of pigs)

^{As of April 2023}

Bernhard Feller, North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture
Stefan Leuer, North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture
Christian Meyer, Schleswig-Holstein Chamber of Agriculture
Dr. Simone Müller, Thuringian State Office for Agriculture and Rural Areas
Georg Silkenbömer, farmer

Dr. Sabine Schütze, North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture
Sandra Terletzki, North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture
Laura Schönberg, North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture

Photo: Thomas Hensiek, Melle Police Station

Time and again, fires break out in pigsties, resulting in the deaths of many animals or the need to euthanise them on the spot. As recently as March 2021, a fire broke out at the Alt Tellin sow farm in eastern Germany, killing tens of thousands of pigs, with only a fraction being rescued. The events in Alt Tellin have brought home to livestock farmers in a shocking way the devastating consequences that fires in agricultural livestock housing can have. Whilst this fire was a terrifying example, the issue at hand is not dependent on herd size: the production processes and the associated housing arrangements in conventional pigsties make it difficult to evacuate the animals in the event of a fire. The pigs are kept in enclosed pens and cannot leave the barn unaided, even if the external doors are opened. There are a few differences between alternative housing systems and conventional barns. For instance, naturally ventilated barns offer advantages in terms of smoke extraction, and open-front barns provide far more access points for the fire service. Furthermore, animals accustomed to having access to an outdoor run are easier to drive out. However, the pens must still be opened, and this takes time. Time that is often not available, as the structural integrity of modern barn roofs fails rapidly in the event of a fire, meaning the window of opportunity for firefighters to enter the building is very narrow.

The Dutch research report “Brand in veestallen” (“Fire in livestock barns”) identifies the following causes as the main reasons for fires in pigsties:

Electricity/short circuit
Careless work
Overheating
Explosion
Spontaneous combustion

According to building regulations, it must be possible to rescue animals from stables. In theory, the pigs should be driven out of the barn in the event of a fire. In practice, however, the pigs often instinctively run back into their familiar surroundings – i.e. the barn – in a panic. Furthermore, as there are usually no alternative barns into which the pigs can be driven, they wander around the site, thereby endangering the emergency services personnel or, in the worst case, other people if they run onto the road, for example. One option would be a suitable, fenced-off area for the temporary accommodation of the animals outside the deployment and manoeuvring areas for the fire service. Rescuing animals from barns requires and ties up a large number of helpers or fire service personnel. Many of the helpers usually have little experience in dealing with farm animals.

The most important aspect of fire safety is fire prevention. Whilst fires can never be prevented 100%, there are some sources of danger that should be eliminated in advance and various factors that should be taken into account for prevention.

Sources of danger (from VdS 3453, 2013)

Work involving a fire hazard
Electrical installations and equipment
Lightning strikes and power surges
Heat sources and heating appliances
Parking and operating machinery
Arson
Improper storage or spontaneous combustion of crops and fertilisers
Improper storage of fuels and motor fuels
Slurry storage → Slurry gas explosions

However, it is not only fires that are among the emergencies that can affect any livestock farmer; power cuts – caused, for example, by lightning strikes, adverse weather conditions or construction work – can occur at any time. The failure of electrically powered ventilation systems and the feed and water supply has fatal consequences for the animals. It is the responsibility of farmers to minimise the occurrence of such events. The installation of alarm systems is mandatory, and these must be serviced regularly. Alarm systems are designed to provide early warning of technical problems in the barn, enabling farmers to react in good time and avert damage. It is now possible in some cases to receive fault notifications automatically on a mobile phone, allowing for even faster action. Should an alarm message appear, a systematic approach is essential.

Also important: not only the farm manager themselves, but also family members or employees must know what to do in an emergency. Farm-specific contingency plans and emergency procedures help here. It is important to provide regular training for all staff working in the barn. Emergency plans and regular training should also include liaising with the local fire brigade, so that in the event of an emergency, they have the necessary local knowledge and are at least broadly familiar with the farm’s operations.

The members of the working group recommend: Anyone wishing to assess their farm’s fire safety can use the fire safety checklist for agricultural businesses to carry out a risk analysis and, where necessary, address any identified weaknesses.

A note regarding insurance cover

If a fire does break out, insurance cover is essential. It’s best to check your insurance policy right away to remind yourself of what is required for the insurance to pay out in the event of a claim.

General information – Who does what?

Farmers are responsible for ensuring that fire safety measures are implemented on their farms.

Depending on the measure, they can and may be carried out independently by the farm’s staff. If not, external experts must be commissioned.

Farmer

Draw up and make available an emergency plan for your own farm, which answers the following questions, amongst others:
- Who is the point of contact in the event of a fire?
- Where is what stored?

→ Discuss the fire safety plan with (new) staff

Select a suitable area for penning up the animals for evacuation in the event of a fire
For early fire detection, monitoring and raising the alarm are essential, as early detection enables timely extinguishing → Provide fire extinguishers and ensure water supply points with permanently installed hoses
Ensure a sufficient supply of water for firefighting is available and located close to the stables (Fig. 1)
Ensure there are sufficient access routes for the fire brigade and areas where firefighting equipment and vehicles can be positioned; allow for the possibility of driving around the stables → Keep escape routes and access routes clear
Control of rodents to prevent damage to electrical systems; if necessary, a pest control operator may also be commissioned
Staff training
- Emergency drills: with staff and the fire brigade; also practise the correct handling of animals in emergency situations
- Firefighting courses/training and briefing of staff (raising the alarm, starting firefighting efforts, rescuing animals)

Building specialist

During construction, use non-combustible materials such as concrete or plasterboard with a sealed surface (building material class A 1 or A 2) wherever possible, or at least flame-retardant materials such as synthetic resin plasters (building material class B 1)
Fire-resistant walls to create fire compartments can facilitate firefighting → Fire compartments are mandatory in very large livestock buildings (observe the building regulations of your own federal state!)
Avoid cavities and gaps: if, for example, feed lines or ventilation ducts run through internal fire walls, these must be specially sealed

Electrician

Have electrical installations and electrical appliances inspected by a qualified electrician (ideally annually, but at least every three years) and have this inspection certified – PCs must also be inspected
Consult a qualified electrician to determine whether a lightning protection system is advisable at the site
Have the fuses checked and tested; replace old circuit breakers if necessary

Fire brigade

Carry out a site inspection with the fire brigade in advance so that they can gain an overview of local conditions, such as the supply of water for firefighting and access routes for firefighting operations
Also helpful: a detailed site plan of the buildings and access routes with precise building designations