MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY -- A local farmer and former Mountain View County councillor has patented an invention he believes could revolutionize firefighting.
Ken Heck's invention is comprised of a fire truck with a once-through boiler mounted on the back. The boiler generates steam, which in turn, is directed through a probe onto fires.
Heck explained that steam works a lot faster than liquid water in putting out fires, and is also much safer for the firefighters.
"I have invented a life-saving fire suppression system," said Heck. "I have the American and Canadian patents for this system. I believe it is the most advanced fire suppression system right now. That's just me saying that."
In addition to serving on council from 2012-16, Heck is a power engineer and farmer. He has built a few innovative tools around the farm, but has otherwise not had any major patented inventions.
"I've never been a firefighter but I'm a steam engineer and understand steam quite well," he said. "I've had the idea for quite some time. Back a few years our community hall caught on fire. It was just a little fire in the attic but the old hall was destroyed that day. I think if we were able to get steam on it we could've extinguished it within a few minutes."
Heck said fighting fire with steam isn't itself a new technology.
"It's actually been proven and used for about 150 years," he said. "The problem they had was the fire had to be in a place where there was an operating boiler at the time. So that was confined to industrial structure fires because the boiler had to be up and running.
"These things are very well suited for a fire extinguisher. They generate quite a large amount of steam within a few minutes. They're lightweight. I've also invented a steam probe unit to distribute steam within a structure. It telescopes about 100 feet into a burning building."
Heck said a firefighter could operate the steam probe from the safety of an air-conditioned cabin.
Heck is still trying to attract investors so he can build a prototype of his firefighting steam machine.
"I've got an old fire engine I've got to tear down and rebuild," he said. "I've got that started. That's about all I've got going on at this point. It would be nice to get the prototype out there and prove what I'm saying is true. That would be plenty good."
