MEETING FEMA LP TANK BUOYANCY GUIDELINES TECH CORNER

This month, I'm providing specifications to prevent run-away LP tanks in a flood situation. These are based on FEMA tank buoyancy guidelines, issued after Hurricane Katrina, for above or in-ground tanks and containers for the storage of gasoline, water, natural gas, LP, or heating oil.

BY RICH HARVEY, F.W. WEBB COMPANY GAS TRAINING COORDINATOR

The info on the following pages covers standard LP tanks from Quality Steel Corp. It includes excavation depths for in-ground tanks, pad dimensions, and number of straps necessary to secure a tank. Note: Other tank sizes may require different pad sizes.

Only one state I know of requires LP tanks to be tethered. Vermont enacted this requirement after hundreds of LP tanks from the state floated down the Conn. River into Long Island Sound when Hurricane Sandy hit. While not widely mandated, following the FEMA guidelines and properly securing LP tanks for your customers is still a prudent safety measure. It will make your local inspector happy, too.

BY ROB UNDERWOOD, PRESIDENT EMA