Self Contained Breathing Apparatus
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has tracked non
heart-related deaths inside structure fires since 1978. Smoke
inhalation has been the number-one cause of death each year.
SCBA
1. Is your daily routine good enough?
2. Is your station maintaining the weekly
checkout?
3. How well do you know your SCBA? What
does each light mean? Where is your
Emergency Breathing Safety System (EBSS)?
4. When is the appropriate time to exit a
structure in terms of air management?
ALL THINGS THAT CAN BE A MATTER
OF LIFE AND DEATH
Daily Routine
• Form 20
• Ensure bottle is filled
no less than 4000 PSI
• Exercise the
exhalation valve on
the facepiece during
morning checks
• Visually inspect the
BA
Weekly Checkout
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Ensure shut-off button and
bypass valve are in off position
Open bottle to activate PASS
and lights
Shut off bottle
Observe gauge for 10 seconds
Test low air warning whistle
Bleed all residual air from hose
Allow PASS to cycle to full alert,
check all lights on backpack
harness and PASS device
Manually click on/off button to
turn PASS off
BREATHING APPARATUS FACEPIECE
EXHALATION VALVES
To assure that your exhalation
valve is working:
1. Exercise exhalation valve daily
2. When Cleaning :
- Only use soap and water
and/or 1% bleach solution
- Ensure a complete rinse
to remove any cleaning
products.
- Only exercise the valve
once the facepiece is
completely dry.
What if the exhalation valve
sticks? .
1. Press facepiece to face
2. Cover Air-Klic opening with
your palm
3. Exhale forcefully to unstick
exhalation valve
What if your exhalation valve
sticks during an incident?
• Notify crew members and exit the
building.
• A stuck exhalation valve will not stop
the positive pressure air supply.
• Increased exhalation pressure from the
user will allow air to blow by the skirt of
the facepiece and allow the firefighter to
exit safely.
Backpack Harness and Frame
What's that for
again?
Bottle
Know the last time your bottle was
hydrostatically tested.
Air Cylinders
• A 45 minute, 66 cubic air
cylinder is the standard issue for
the Warrior SCBA
• The cylinder is now composite
construction with aluminum liner
overwrapped by a carbon fiber
• Weighs much less than the old
hoop-wrapped designs but will
not withstand the abusive
treatments of the aluminum
hoop-wrapped cylinders
Does a bigger cylinder
mean more time in fire?
At what air capacity should
we be exiting?
Truth is…
The improved capacity of the
cylinders is NOT intended for
more time inside the IDLH
environment, rather, it is designed
to increase the margin of time
that firefighters have to exit the
IDLH environment.
Recommended Rule of Air
Management (R.O.A.M)
1. Make sure your bottle is full before you enter
2. Continuously monitor air supply at least every 3
minutes
3. Notify Company Officer and/or other company
members when your air supply reaches 50%
and begin exiting the building
The Key to R.O.A.M
Exit the IDLH environment
prior to operating within the
last 25% of your air supply
and the low-air warning
alarm activates.
Remember
The last 25% of your air supply is specifically intended to be
used as an “emergency air supply.”
It is not acceptable for personnel to continue to work in a
smoke filled or IDLH environment up to the time when your lowair warning alarm activates.
An alarm free
fireground is a
safety concern for
EVERYONE!
Listen to your BA!
During a RIC
activation, RIC should
be looking for one
alarm ONLY!
PASS activations should be a
trigger point, not a nuisance!
Informational Lighting
The amber LED’s will flash once every
10 seconds indicating a usable battery.
To indicate a low battery, they will flash
every 2 seconds.
Lack of movement will start the
staged alarm in approximately 20
seconds as the LEDs alternate
flashing green and red. Once at full
alert the LEDs will only flash red.
More Informational Lighting
A red LED light above the
battery status light will blink
when the users air status
has reach ¼ of supply left
Two LED’s, on each side of the air cylinder act
as a visual reference to the PASS device
• Normal operation= alternating green
LED’s blink once every second
• PASS activated= alternating green and
red
• PASS full alert= red LED’s will blink once
every second
Look & Listen!
Recent studies have
shown that the
average firefighter
can last an average
of 16.6-18.5 minutes
with a 4500 PSI
bottle in an IDLH
atmosphere
Low Air Warnings… Listen!
Your audible alarm will begin to sound
when you have 23-27% of your air
supply left (1035-1215psi).
Low Air Warnings… Look!
Your HUD will keep you updated
on air status continuously during
use!
Low Air Warnings… Look at your
Partner!
When your air pressure
drops to 25% a
corresponding red light
will blink in the front of
the HUD to warn others
your low on air. When
you reach 10% of your
air the light will blink
noticeably faster
The HUD will shut off at
200 PSI
HUD Device
HUD will tell you
everything you need
to know when it
comes to air!
• 4 GREEN LIGHTS
100%- 75% LEFT
• 3 GREEN LIGHTS
75%- 52% LEFT
• 2 GREEN LIGHTS
52%- 50% LEFT
Flash = Time to Dash
•
Top left light flashes for 20
seconds indicating you are now
are 50% of your bottle capacity,
then will go back to continuous
green
•
At 27% only one light shall be lit
green
•
At 25% the only light still lit will
begin to continuously flash
•
At 10% the light will begin flashing
significantly faster
Once bottle is completely out of air all lights will simultaneously flash
several times until it reaches a point where no lights will show at all.
How much can we trust
our PPE’s?
Where are our weaknesses?
Know Your PPE Limits
Can reach 1000 degrees
and above
Turnout Minimum Rating
= 500°F for 5 min 
Facepiece Failure
(apprx 300ᵒF)
 Weakest Link
PPE Limitations
Recent studies
have revealed that
the polyurethane in
our facepiece
begins to turn liquid
at temperatures as
low as 300ᵒ.
PPE Limitations
LaCoFD turnouts
meet NFPA 1971
requirements which
requires a minimum
temperature rating
of 500° f for 5 mins.
Considerations of Wearing PPE/
SCBA near bodies of water..
• Please see Lifeguard video link on Blackboard drill page.
• http://www.lacofdturnout.com/?page_id=440
Mayday & Your BA
Know your BA for survival!
Gauge
• Visual check of the
chest air gauge to
identify quantity of air
• Always know how much
air you have
• Anticipate how much air
will be needed to
complete the task
• Be prepared to report
your remaining air to
RIC
Activate
• 3 ways to activate your
pass:
1. No movement for
approximately 20
seconds
2. Hold down red PASS
button on front until
alarm sounds.
3. Continuously clicking
red PASS button until
alarm sounds.
Activate Cont…
• Audible PASS device must remain on until rescued
• PASS should be turned off only to communicate via the radio
– To Turn off, double click yellow button on side of PASS
• Maximize strength of PASS alarm and light by positioning device
so it is best heard and seen by rescuers
What to do while you wait…
DON’T PANIC
FOCUS ON YOUR BREATHING!
Breathing
• Firefighters must control
their breathing and
conserve air anytime they
don their SCBA
• Concentrate on
conserving air through
controlled breathing even
during times of nonexertion during an
incident.
Survival Breathing
With such a low melting point for LACoFD facepiece it is
necessary to keep breathing, creating circulation, cooling the
interior of the mask.
Now what technique is best?
Skip Vs. “Hum”/ Reilly-Emergency
Breathing Technique (R-EBT)
Skip Breathing
• Brief pauses during
exhalation
Humm Breathing
• Inhale as you
normally would.
While exhaling, “hum”
your breath out in a
slow, controlled
manner. The hum
should be low volume
and usually cannot be
heard over the low-air
alarm.
Skip Breathing Vs. R-EBT
•
•
•
•
Skip Breathing
Can cause build up of
Carbon Dioxide in
blood
Can lead to increased
heart rate
Can lead to increased
respiratory rate
Can lead to lack of
circulation in mask,
rapidly increasing the
temperature
“Humm” or R-EBT
Technique
• Allows you to inhale as
you normally would
• Exhale as usual adding
the hum noise
intermittently
• Promotes consistent
breaths helping
circulation in mask
I’m out of Air, what now?!?
NOTE: Breathe through the low air alarm…there’s still air
available!!!
Shield Airway
• When the air in SCBA is exhausted, disconnect the 2nd stage
regulator and cover your Air Klic Port with the chin portion of
hood.
Shield Airway
• Shielding the port will prevent debris from entering the mask
Emergency Breathing Safety
System (EBSS)
•
• The EBSS is located in a storage pouch on the left hip.
Consists of a 39 inch intermediate pressure hose and a “Y” block
with a male and female quick connect.
Emergency Breathing Safety
System (EBSS)
Recommended Buddy
Breathing Techniques
1. Place down FF in prone position
2. Rescue FF straddles down FF,
allowing for easy quick connect
on left side of body.
This stance allows for better
positioning of rescue FF to
establish connection.
Emergency Breathing Safety
System (EBSS)
Recommended Buddy
Breathing Techniques
Once the rescue fire fighter
connects with the trapped or down
fire fighter, the down fire fighter’s
SCBA bottle should be shut off.
This will conserve the air of the
down fire fighter in instances
where the rescue firefighter must
leave.
Make Your Bottle Last
• Know your actual air
pressure to begin with
• Ensure good mask
seal
• Be in good physical
condition
• Practice and be
comfortable with
breathing methods
Vomit in the Mask
•
KANSAS FIREFIGHTER LODD UPDATE: SCBA MASK REMOVED INSIDE THE
STRUCTURE AFTER BECOMING SICK AND VOMITING
•
The State/Regional investigation into the May 22 fire that led to the
Line of duty death of Firefighter John Glaser has been completed.
FF Glaser died while searching for a resident reported to be inside a
burning house.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201013.html
Vomit in Mask Cont…
FF Glaser had vomited in his face piece, causing him to try to fix the
issue. He removed his gloves, helmet and face mask, trying to clear the
vomit from the nose cup. While doing that, FF Glaser tragically but
understandably became disoriented and overcome by the smoke and gases
before he could get his mask back in place, and he collapsed due to the
levels of toxin filled smoke and gas, rapidly entering in his system. FF Glaser
was located, removed and EMS began resuscitation efforts, but he was
pronounced dead at the hospital.
Video for dealing with vomit your SCBA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slfRsuvPb3w
Confidence = Survival
• Studies indicate being
comfortable with your
SCBA leads to
survival
• Know what all lights
and sounds tell you
• Be comfortable
manipulating in the
dark and with
structure gloves on