How Well Do You Know Your SCBA?
- Conway Fire
- May 2, 2017
- 1 min read
The importance of your personal protective equipment should go without saying, however just how well do you actually know your SCBA? Donning and doffing your pack, applying your mask, bottle exchanging, and possibly buddy breathing is hopefully pretty routine for you; however when it comes down to it and the situation takes you out of "routine", are you ready to handle it? Fire Engineering's Mayday Monday this week discusses SCBA's and Firefighter Survival, which includes two LODDs out of New York and Pennsylvania in which SCBAs either directly or indirectly impacted the outcome. This training was presented at the 2017 FDIC International Conference, and included a drill called “Shake and Bake." Take 4-5 SCBAs and break them down into their parts: regulator, harness, cylinder and face piece. Put all of the parts into a pile. Members, blindfolded or in zero visibility, search for the pile, retrieve the needed parts and reassemble the SCBA. The drill is completed after the member dons the SCBA. This is a great way to get members familiar with this vital equipment.
