Containment pond

Abstract

A containment pond comprising: an impermeable membrane having a bottom, and continuous sides forming an open-top container. Each side is adapted with a loop of same impermeable membrane so as to form a sleeve longitudinal to all sides. Each side sleeve is adapted with primary and secondary forming members slidably engaged within each said sleeve. The two primary forming members facing each other have a length equal to its mating sleeve, and the two secondary forming members perpendicular to the primary members are each in two sections, divided at the center of their length. When the secondary forming members are pulled apart slightly from each other, the containment pond can be collapsed into a much smaller package by gathering the secondary center portion toward each other. Conversely, said pond can be erected in mere seconds by reversing the above.

1 . A containment pond comprising: 
 i. a bottom,    ii. continuous sides,    iii. primary and secondary forming members,    iv. sleeves for retaining forming members, and    v. gripping means    
   
   
       2 . The containment pond of  claim 1  wherein the bottom, sides and sleeves thereof are fabricated from a single sheet of flexible impermeable material.  
   
   
       3 . The containment pond of claims  1  and  2  wherein the corner portion of the inner side members are fixedly bonded to each other, forming an impermeable corner portion.  
   
   
       4 . The containment pond of  claim 1  wherein sleeves are by; extending the outer edges of the bottom upwardly to a height equal to the height of a forming member, then outwardly to a distance generally equal to that of the thickness of a forming member, then downwardly along the outermost face of a forming member, and finally, inwardly under said forming member, but overlapping the lower surface of the bottom sufficiently to allow proper bonding of said overlap and bottom.  
   
   
       5 . The containment pond of  claim 1  wherein the forming members include a symmetrical pair of primary and a secondary forming member and that the primary forming members are of one piece each having semi-rigid properties and a length generally equal to the inner dimensions between opposite inner sides.  
   
   
       6 . The containment pond of claims  1  and  5  wherein the secondary forming members each comprise two separate halves also having semi-rigid properties and a combined length generally equal to the outer dimensions of the pond.  
   
   
       7 . The containment pond of claims  1 ,  5  and  6  wherein the secondary forming members are slidably engaged within mating sleeves and when said secondary forming members are fully inserted within a common sleeve, a generally semi-rigid side is formed, and when the secondary forming members are mostly pulled outwardly from their mating sleeve, the sleeve can thereby be collapsed by applying a load atop hollow portion of said sleeve.  
   
   
       8 . The containment pond of claims  1  through  7  wherein the utility thereof in firefighting is, to be used as a cooling pool to help quickly lower firefighters' body temperature, and in toxic decontamination, to erect a containment device as quickly as possible in order to begin an eco-friendly decontamination of a person or item.