BREATHING APPARATUS DRILL
As detailed in a recent post (see below) Battalion 14 recently conducted an RIC Drill. In conjunction with that drill a discussion was held regarding the use of Breathing Apparatus. As a result of that discussion the members of Fire Station 60 "B" Platoon conducted an informal in-house test of their individual Breathing Apparatus. Details of that test along with some Lessons Learned and Issues Raised follow:
OBJECT
On August 8, 2006, the members of Light Force 60, along with the Battalion 14 Command Team, suited up in their Breathing Apparatus in order to:
1. "Run out of air" in a controlled, non-emergency situation.
2. Determine the best method to "conserve" the BA air supply.
RESTRICTIONS
Members were placed into three groups as follows:
Group 1 was "on air" while exercising and was allowed to attempt controlled breathing
without manual manipulation of the BA.
Group 2 was "on air" while exercising and was allowed to attempt controlled breathing
with manual manipulation of the BA.
Group 3 was "on air" without exercising and could take any measures to conserve air
including sitting or laying down, controlled breathing and/or manual manipulation of
their BA.
RECORD KEEPING
The starting air pressure in each members air bottle was recorded and all members started at the same time. Times were recorded for all members along with the personal observations and notes of the members.
The results of the test, although certainly not entirely scientific, are significant and should be
of interest to all members:
HOW LONG DID THEY LAST?
The time of the member who ran out of air the quickest was 53 minutes. This member started with 4061 pounds and was in Group one. (Exercise/No manipulation)
The time of the member who ran out of air the slowest was *94 minutes. This member started with 4060 pounds and was in Group 2. (Exercise/Manipulation) *This is significant!
The time of the member who ran out of air the slowest in Group 3 (No exercise/Manipulation) was 88 minutes. This member started with 4495 pounds.
POUNDS PER MINUTE
The average amount of air used by members ranged from a high of 76 pounds per minute to a low of 43 pounds per minute.
AIR USED AFTER LOW AIR WARNING
The Low Air Warning Bell starts to ring when approximately 1150 pounds of air remains in the air bottle.
The average amount of air used by the member who lasted the longest before the low air warning triggered was 52.9 pounds per minute. After the Low Air Warning began that member, using manipulation of the BA and controlled breathing, was able to lower his average air usage to *26.7 pounds per minute. *This is significant.
HOW DID THEY DO IT?
The members who manipulated their BAs in order to conserve air shut their air bottles off at the bottle between breaths. The members who were able to stop the Low Air Warning Bell from ringing saved the most air. This was done by the member slowly taking a breath with one hand on the shut off. The breath was terminated by the member shutting off the air bottle.
This technique stops the Low Air Warning Bell from ringing and the resultant loss of air to the outside atmosphere. This technique is not easy and takes practice. If perfected the amount of air that can be conserved is very significant and in one case made the member's air supply last for 1 hour and 34 minutes!
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Some of the Lessons Learned and Issues Raised include:
1. You would assume that a member who was standing still (laying down or sitting) from the start of the test would last the longest. This did not happen. The member who lasted the longest was exercising.
2. The combination of controlled breathing and manual manipulation of the BA worked the best.
3. A very significant amount of air is lost to the atmosphere when it is used to power the Low Air Warning Bell.
4. It is significantly harder to draw a breath through your facepiece when using manual manipulatinion. This is a trade-off because your air lasts longer.
5. All of the members commented that their anxiety level went up significantly at two points:
a. When the Low Air Warning Bell started to ring.
b. When they knew they were only "a breath away" from running entirely out of air.
6. The manipulation of the bypass feature did not help to coinserve air.
7. There was concern by all members that there was no "air hose" available to stick in their coat or through an opening to the exterior when out of air. This was compounded by lack of our Emergency Air Cannisters.
8. When manually manipulating the BA the visual readout is unusable. This happens when the air bottle is turned off. This another trade-off that conserves air but may raise the members anxiety level because it is impossible to determine how much air is left.
9. All of the participating members felt the test was beneficial and that it could definitely help them in an actual emergency situation.
CONCLUSION
Although this test was informal it yielded some basic information that was very significant and could benefit all members. It was once again agreed and graphically illustrated that each and every member who uses a Breathing Apparatus needs to develop a plan to address a situation that involves running out of air at an emergency. This plan must include having a thorough understanding of how your Breathing Apparatus functions, its' limitations and capabilities and a practical exercise that addresses running out of air in a controlled, non-emergency situation.
OBJECT
On August 8, 2006, the members of Light Force 60, along with the Battalion 14 Command Team, suited up in their Breathing Apparatus in order to:
1. "Run out of air" in a controlled, non-emergency situation.
2. Determine the best method to "conserve" the BA air supply.
RESTRICTIONS
Members were placed into three groups as follows:
Group 1 was "on air" while exercising and was allowed to attempt controlled breathing
without manual manipulation of the BA.
Group 2 was "on air" while exercising and was allowed to attempt controlled breathing
with manual manipulation of the BA.
Group 3 was "on air" without exercising and could take any measures to conserve air
including sitting or laying down, controlled breathing and/or manual manipulation of
their BA.
RECORD KEEPING
The starting air pressure in each members air bottle was recorded and all members started at the same time. Times were recorded for all members along with the personal observations and notes of the members.
The results of the test, although certainly not entirely scientific, are significant and should be
of interest to all members:
HOW LONG DID THEY LAST?
The time of the member who ran out of air the quickest was 53 minutes. This member started with 4061 pounds and was in Group one. (Exercise/No manipulation)
The time of the member who ran out of air the slowest was *94 minutes. This member started with 4060 pounds and was in Group 2. (Exercise/Manipulation) *This is significant!
The time of the member who ran out of air the slowest in Group 3 (No exercise/Manipulation) was 88 minutes. This member started with 4495 pounds.
POUNDS PER MINUTE
The average amount of air used by members ranged from a high of 76 pounds per minute to a low of 43 pounds per minute.
AIR USED AFTER LOW AIR WARNING
The Low Air Warning Bell starts to ring when approximately 1150 pounds of air remains in the air bottle.
The average amount of air used by the member who lasted the longest before the low air warning triggered was 52.9 pounds per minute. After the Low Air Warning began that member, using manipulation of the BA and controlled breathing, was able to lower his average air usage to *26.7 pounds per minute. *This is significant.
HOW DID THEY DO IT?
The members who manipulated their BAs in order to conserve air shut their air bottles off at the bottle between breaths. The members who were able to stop the Low Air Warning Bell from ringing saved the most air. This was done by the member slowly taking a breath with one hand on the shut off. The breath was terminated by the member shutting off the air bottle.
This technique stops the Low Air Warning Bell from ringing and the resultant loss of air to the outside atmosphere. This technique is not easy and takes practice. If perfected the amount of air that can be conserved is very significant and in one case made the member's air supply last for 1 hour and 34 minutes!
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Some of the Lessons Learned and Issues Raised include:
1. You would assume that a member who was standing still (laying down or sitting) from the start of the test would last the longest. This did not happen. The member who lasted the longest was exercising.
2. The combination of controlled breathing and manual manipulation of the BA worked the best.
3. A very significant amount of air is lost to the atmosphere when it is used to power the Low Air Warning Bell.
4. It is significantly harder to draw a breath through your facepiece when using manual manipulatinion. This is a trade-off because your air lasts longer.
5. All of the members commented that their anxiety level went up significantly at two points:
a. When the Low Air Warning Bell started to ring.
b. When they knew they were only "a breath away" from running entirely out of air.
6. The manipulation of the bypass feature did not help to coinserve air.
7. There was concern by all members that there was no "air hose" available to stick in their coat or through an opening to the exterior when out of air. This was compounded by lack of our Emergency Air Cannisters.
8. When manually manipulating the BA the visual readout is unusable. This happens when the air bottle is turned off. This another trade-off that conserves air but may raise the members anxiety level because it is impossible to determine how much air is left.
9. All of the participating members felt the test was beneficial and that it could definitely help them in an actual emergency situation.
CONCLUSION
Although this test was informal it yielded some basic information that was very significant and could benefit all members. It was once again agreed and graphically illustrated that each and every member who uses a Breathing Apparatus needs to develop a plan to address a situation that involves running out of air at an emergency. This plan must include having a thorough understanding of how your Breathing Apparatus functions, its' limitations and capabilities and a practical exercise that addresses running out of air in a controlled, non-emergency situation.
