An evaluation of diesel particulate matter in fire station vehicle garages and living quarters

Diesel particulate matter (DPM) has recently been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. As a component of diesel exhaust, DPM is created from the combustion of diesel fuel. Diesel engines are commonly used in heavy duty trucks and equipment, including fire engines and ambulances. The potential for DPM migration in a fire station from an attached vehicle garage to the fire station living quarters was studied in Salt Lake County, Utah. The difference in air pressures between the living quarters and vehicle garage was measured in 24 fire stations. Of the 24 fire stations sampled, three test stations were selected based on negative air pressure test results and evidence of poor sealing doors between the living quarters and vehicle garages. These stations were the most likely to represent stations with measurable DPM within the living quarters. A control station was also sampled based on balanced air pressure test results. These selected stations were then measured for carbon concentrations in the living quarters, vehicle garages, and outdoors on two separate days. Results indicate that DPM, measured as elemental carbon, was below the limit of detection (<1.8 μg/m3) for all samples with the exception of one vehicle garage sample (2.3 μg/m3), which was found to be within acceptable exposure concentrations. Average total carbon concentrations for the three test stations were 44 μg/m3 for the living area, 26 μg/m3 for the garage and 14 μg/m3 for the outside sample. These results suggest diesel particulate exposures are low, both within the vehicle garages and the attached living quarters.