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Air Management We Are Our Brothers Keeper

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Myth #1 Training is Optional. Myth #2 It takes too long to check my air ... Polyvinyl chloride-carpet, clothes, purses, records, and shower curtains. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Air Management We Are Our Brothers Keeper


1
Air Management We Are Our Brothers Keeper!
  • Division Chief of Training Safety
  • Brian Kazmierzak

2
AIR MANAGEMENT
  • When firefighters run out of air, they breathe
    smoke.
  • When Firefighters breathe smoke they die

Why do we routinely allow firefighters to operate
until their low air warning alarm activates?
3
The Rule of Air Management
  • KNOW how much air you have in your SCBA and
    manage the amount of air you have so that you
    leave the hazardous environment before your SCBA
    low-air warning alarm activate !

4
Who uses Air Management?
  • SCUBA divers
  • Haz-Mat
  • Confined Space
  • Why Not OPERATIONS?

5
Why We Need Air Management
  • Firefighters die in Structure Fires from
  • Smoke
  • Thermal Insult
  • Structural Collapse
  • Getting Lost or Separated
  • Running out of air
  • These havent changed since Ben Franklin

6
Running Out of Air
  • Running out of air effects all the other
    categories on the list
  • No air in the toxic smoke environment of today
    leads to rapid asphyxiation
  • No air during a thermal insult event will result
    in immediate and fatal burns to the throat and
    lungs
  • No air during a structural collapse means a lack
    of time for rescue and asphyxiation.

7
Running Out of Air
  • No air when lost of separated leads to panic or
    asphyxiation
  • No air requires the firefighter to breathe the
    products of combustion toxic smoke that is
    proven to be both poisonous and carcinogenic
  • No air means that even if the firefighter
    survives the initial assault on their respiratory
    system the toll on their wellness will be
    immeasurable NYC Telephone Exchange Fire

8
The Myths of Air Management
  • Myth 1 Training is Optional
  • Myth 2 It takes too long to check my air
  • Myth 3 We are too busy to check our air
  • Myth 4 Ill do it when the situation calls for
    it.
  • Myth 5 Nobody has mandated ROAM
  • Myth 6 Someone outside the hazard area can
    manage air for firefighters
  • Myth 7 If we have a long bell time we can
    solve the problem
  • Myth 8 My fire department does not an air
    management problem

9
NFPA 1404
  • NFPA 1404 (5.1.7, plus appendices) states the
    following
  • Training policies shall include, but shall not
    be limited to the following
  • (1) Identification of the various types of
    respiratory protection equipment.
  • (2) Responsibilities of members to obtain and
    maintain proper face piece fit.
  • (3) Responsibilities of members for proper
    cleaning and maintenance.
  • (4) Identification of the factors that affect the
    duration of the air supply.
  • (5) Determination of the Point of No Return for
    each member.
  • (6) Responsibilities of members for using
    respiratory protection equipment in a hazardous
    atmosphere.
  • (7) Limitations of respiratory protection
    devices.

10
NFPA 1404 - 2007 ed.
Three simple things Exit BEFORE you use your
reserve air. Alarm indicates use of
reserve. Alarm activation is an immediate
action item
11
THE POINT OF NO RETURN
  • In ancient lore, sailors associated the Point of
    No Return with ships sailing too close to the
    edge of the world and succumbing to the pull of
    the water as it dragged them over the falls. For
    many firefighters, the Point of No Return
    symbolizes that point beyond which you are unable
    to return from the hazardous environment-in
    short, the point where you die.

12
The Point of NO Return
  • It is
  • NOT
  • the point when you die

13
The Point of NO Return
  • The Point at which you stop being part of the
    solution and start becoming part of the problem.

14
Factors Affecting The Point of No Return
  • Entry Point
  • Firefighter Physical Condition
  • Firefighter Size
  • Type of work being performed

15
R.E.A.D.Y. Checks
  • Radio
  • Equipment
  • Air
  • Duties
  • YES!
  • You must answer the 1st four to answer YES!

16
R.E.A.D.Y. CHECKS
  • Are our radios turned on, are they switched to
    the correct channel, and do we know to whom we
    are reporting?
  • Do we have the correct equipment, including
    appropriate PPE for the assignment?
  • Do we know our air status, and is it sufficient
    to make entry?
  • Do we know what our assigned task is and the
    overall objective of the team?
  • If the answer to all of the above is YES, you
    have completed the READY Check and are prepared
    to tackle your assignment.

17
Factors that affect air supply duration
  • Familiarity with equipment.
  • Physical and emotional preparedness.
  • Know what your air supply is on entry and at
    reasonable intervals as you proceed into the
    immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)
    environment.
  • Ongoing evaluation of your team based on air
    supply
  • The physical layout of the structure and any
    variables presented as you proceed.
  • Understanding how far you have advanced into the
    structure or hazardous environment and the time
    it has taken you to get there.

18
Rules of Air Management
  • The heart and soul of air management is knowing
    how much air you have in your cylinder.
  • Know it when you go in, at intervals along the
    way, and make sure you have enough air in your
    bottle to exit the hazardous atmosphere before
    your low-air warning bell begins to ring.
  • Remember, your reserve air, the air in the red
    zone of your air pressure gauge, is there only
    for emergencies.
  • You should be out of the hazardous environment
    before your low-air warning bell begins to ring.
    Using the low-air warning bell as a signal to
    exit the hazardous environment is a recipe for
    disaster.
  • We want the low-air warning bell to be an
    emergency alarm, not the false alarm it is today
    on the U.S. fireground.
  • Exiting the hazardous atmosphere before the
    low-air warning bell begins to ring is central to
    the Rule of Air Management.

19
The Breath From Hell
  • Carbon monoxide (CO)
  • Nitrogen dioxide
  • Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons
  • Formaldehyde
  • Acid gases
  • Phosgene
  • Benzene
  • Dioxins
  • PVC Hydrogen Cyanide
  • Cyanide concentrations were directly related to
    the probability of death.
  • Cyanide poisoning may have predominated over CO
    poisoning as a cause of death in some fire
    victims.
  • Cyanide and CO may have elevate each others
    toxic effects.
  • Elevated cyanide concentrations were pervasive
    among smoke-inhalation victims.
  • Acetals-aerosol containers, combs, lighters, and
    pens.
  • Acrylics-glues, food packages, and skylights.
  • Nylon-various household containers, brushes,
    sewing thread, and fishing line.
  • Polyesters-hair dryers, computers, and kitchen
    appliances.
  • Polypropylene-bottles, diapers, and furniture.
  • Polyurethanes-shoes, cushions.
  • Polyvinyl chloride-carpet, clothes, purses,
    records, and shower curtains.
  • Thermosets-TVs, coatings, toilets, buttons,
    flooring, and insulation.

20
Air Management SOG 209
  • Purpose
  • The purpose of this document is to establish Air
    Management guidelines. Air Management is critical
    to the health and safety of our members.
    Firefighters need to manage their air supply
    similar to SCUBA divers. SCUBA divers are
    constantly aware of their air consumption and the
    amount of air they have left in their tank(s).
  •  
  • Firefighters should exit the fire building or
    hazardous atmosphere before their low air warning
    bell begins ringing. This gives them reserve air
    should something go wrong. A low-air warning
    bell ringing at an emergency scene should become
    an audile warning that a firefighter may be in
    trouble.
  • Scope
  • This guideline shall apply to all members of the
    Clay Fire Territory.
  • Definitions
  • Air Management An ongoing assessment of air
    consumption by individual firefighters and/or
    teams who are breathing air from their
    Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).
    Firefighters in a hazardous atmosphere must
    continually check their pressure gauges to know
    how much air they have left in their bottle.
  •  
  • The Rule of Air Management Know how much air
    you have used, and manage the amount of air you
    have left in your bottle so that you leave the
    hazardous atmosphere before your SCBA low-air
    warning bell begins to ring.
  • Hazardous Atmosphere Any atmosphere which is
    oxygen deficient or which contains a toxic and/or
    disease-producing contaminant. These atmospheres
    can by immediately dangerous to life or health
    (IDLH), or not.
  • IDLH Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health

21
Air Management SOG Cont.
  • Air Management Guideline
  •  
  • It is the expectation that all Clay Fire
    Territory members utilizing Self Contained
    Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) will
  • Check their air levels before they enter the
    hazardous atmosphere. Members must have a
    minimum of 4050 psi in their cylinder in order to
    make entry into a hazardous atmosphere. This
    check can be done during the pre-entry buddy
    check.
  •  
  • Follow the Rule of Air Management when operating
    in any hazardous atmosphere.
  • When the first member of any team has their 50
    capacity (225O PSI) Heads-Up Display (HUD) light
    activate (two flashing amber lights), the
    officer/team leader shall radio to the proper ICS
    functionary (Command, Division, etc.) that the
    team is at 50 air. This allows the ICS
    functionary to pre-plan for replacing that team
    in the hazardous atmosphere.
  • If a team member works into their reserve air and
    their low-air warning bell begins to ring in the
    hazard area, the officer/team leader shall report
    over the radio to the proper ICS functionary
    (Command, Division, etc) their unit signature,
    their location, that a team members low-air
    warning bell is ringing, and an estimation of how
    close they are to the exit.

22
Air Management SOG Cont.
  • How Air Management Works
  • Air management is each firefighters
    responsibility and is closely related to
    situational awareness. Firefighters must make
    sure that they have a full cylinder before they
    enter the hazardous atmosphere. Once inside the
    hazardous atmosphere, firefighters must look at
    their pressure gauges at intervals and inform
    their officer/team leader what their air
    situation is.
  • The Officer/team leader should take the lead in
    air management. Officers and team leaders must
    make the decision when to exit so that the team
    is out of the hazardous atmosphere before their
    teams low-air warning bells begin to ring.
    There are many factors that affect the duration
    of the teams air supply, such as fire
    conditions, work rates, aerobic fitness of the
    team members, and stress.
  • Officers and team leaders must notify the
    Incident Commander (IC) or their ICS functionary
    (Command, Division, etc.) when their first team
    members 50 HUD light activates or their bottle
    is at 50 capacity (2250 PSI). This allows the
    ICS functionary to be informed of the teams air
    situation and to pre-plan for replacing that team
    in the IDLH environment.
  •  
  • All firefighters are expected to be out of the
    hazardous atmosphere before their low-air warning
    bells begin to ring.
  •  
  • If members hear a low-air warning bell ringing in
    the hazardous atmosphere, and there is not an
    immediate radio report from the team whose bell
    is ringing, that bell should be considered an
    emergency alarm until proven otherwise.

23
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
  • Situational awareness, If firefighters conducting
    interior operations are ignoring situational
    awareness, they are ignoring safety, and they
    will pay a dear price sooner or later.
  • 20 Minute MARCs

24
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
  • Firefighters must know where they are in the
    hazardous environment in relationship to the
    entry/exit point and must constantly monitor
    conditions, such as heat conditions, fire growth,
    the interior layout, the air supply of the
    interior team, secondary means of egress,
    locations of potential victims and how the fire
    attack/search is progressing.

25
Disorientation Sequence
  • Fire in a hazardous Enclosed Structure
  • Aggressive interior attack/search
  • Prolonged zero visibility conditions
  • Handline separation or tangled lines
  • Disorientation
  • Serious injury or firefighter fatality

26
Handline Separation
  • Loss of balance or footing
  • Collision with firefighters or unseen objects
  • Entanglement
  • Exposure to falling contents
  • Floor collapse
  • Caught in flashover or backdraft

27
Preventing Disorientation
  • Enclosed Structure tactics/SOPs
  • Thermal Imaging Cameras
  • Bernard Easy Exits or other safety directional
    arrows
  • Properly trained, positioned and staffed Rapid
    Intervention Team
  • May Day and Abandon the Building training
    programs

28
The Conclusions
  • Allowing yourself or anyone else under your
    supervision to inhale the smoke of the modern
    fireground is a dereliction of duty.
  • Ignoring the need for air management training
    increases the chances that your members will be
    involved in close calls, near- misses, and
    tragedies.
  • Staying in the hazard area until your low-air
    warning alarm activates makes it virtually
    certain that your crew will eventually be exposed
    to the Breath from Hell.
  • Using filter breathing or sucking the carpet
    as anything other than a last resort is foolish
    and deadly.

29
Special Thanks
  • MIKE GAGLIANO is a Captain with the Seattle (WA)
    Fire Department, assigned to the Training
    Division, and a member of the departments
    Operational Skills Enhancement Development Team.
    He has 19 years of fire/crash/rescue experience
    with the Seattle Fire Department and the United
    States Air Force.
  • CASEY PHILLIPS is a captain with the Seattle (WA)
    Fire Department, assigned to Engine 40. He has
    served 13 of his 18 years in the fire service
    with the department and is a member of its
    Operational Skills Enhancement Development Team.
  • PHIL JOSE is a captain and a 17-year veteran of
    the Seattle (WA) Fire Department, assigned to
    Ladder 5. He has served as a training officer and
    is a member of the Operational Skills Enhancement
    Development Team.
  • STEVE BERNOCCO is a lieutenant and 14-year
    veteran of the Seattle (WA) Fire Department,
    assigned to Ladder 10. He has served as a
    training officer and is a member of the
    departments Operational Skills Enhancement
    Development Team.

30
TRAIN AS YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON ITBECAUSE IT DOES!
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