SCBA .....Again?

This week I need to revisit something that has come up from one of the previous training bulletins here.

The purpose of this exercise is none other than firefighter safety and survival.

First and foremost before trying this drill make sure that all personnel that are wearing airpacks have had a medical certification to wear breathing apparatus. This is not being done in many areas and it can be a significant problem.

Create a sheet for recording purposes for each person to be evaluated.

Collect cylinder pressure and keep track of time.

Have a candidate don an SCBA and do very little activity if any and record when the low air alarm sounds, let it continue to sound and record when it is out of air.

Make a record of resting SCBA time.

On a different day have the candidate do a moderate amount of work while wearing the airpack. A maze drill, simulated search, stair climb, chopping or something fireground related. Again record cylinder pressure, start time time to alarm and time to empty.

Then after a sufficient rehab period, (min 15 minutes, check pulse and BP and hydrate properly) repeat the same task as above with a second cylinder and record the times.

At all points during this drill and any drill continuously monitor the individuals for any extreme signs of exertion stress or factors that would affect them physically. There is no point in risking a heart attack with a candidate that may have marginal performance.

This is not a "test" it is not a competition. The purposes are simple:

* Let a candidate know what their working time is with an SCBA.

* Let a candidate know what their working time is for their second bottle.

* Let the incident commander know what he can expect for safe working times for crews that are deployed.

There is much discussion about SCBA rated time, working time, but nobody has determined what time is for the second bottle if we decide there should even be a second bottle.

Remember: Do not over tax your personnel physically during this drill.