Air Pack 50 Bottle Question

[NHFD21255 141]

Just wanted to see if anyone out there was using covers on there 4.5 scott air bottles. We had a couple bottles condemned from being dragged durning training over the last few years. If so what are you using ?

[xfirefighter484x 234]

I think there are commercial covers out there, but a cheap and efficient way is, if you have any old/OOS 5" or 4" LDH, cut it up into small sections, and cut a line down the center to make a flat section, not in the circular shape of hose anymore. Now go and insert it under the bottle tension strap and voila!!

Also, was this setup on a dummy, or as in a FF rescue scenario and having a "live downed FF"?

If on a dummy, KEEP THOSE OLD BOTTLES!!!! Drill a large visible hole in it and paint it a noticeable color (so it doesn't resemble any in service bottles) and use that for future training sessions. The hole will prevent it from getting filled by an unknowing do-gooder, so it will not be able to be used for real!

Over the past few years, we have lost our fair share of bottles needlessly during "victim extrication" drills

[bil14ga 1]

A couple of years ago, I realized that the bottles were getting trashed. I took 3" hose and used it to cover the bottles dujring training. Dave Walsh rote an article about it a year or so ago.

The reason why the bottles are getting trashed is because of what they are made of. The current bottles are carbon fiber which is a very strong pooduct that is also very light. I have a goalie mask made of carbon fiber. The older bottles were made of kevlar, which is also a strong product but not as light as carbon fiber.

Carbon fiber is very easily damaged when something sharp is run accross it. Examples are when we do drag type rescues of a downed firefighter, rubbing in SCBA brackets, or in the case of my mask a skate hits it. In the case of the SCBA brackets, try using a household sponge in the bracket where the wearing occurs. Just duct tape it in and it should take care of it.

Hope this helps.

Chris

[NHFD21255 141]

All the bottles have been damaged durning traning FF1 class or Fast Training. We took the old bottles and painted them red and use them on our training dummy.

We've been looking into bottle covers but their about 40 bucks each and then the labor to take the valve out and reinstall is about 10 bucks. 50 bucks x 40 bottles OUCH but at the price of new bottles it may be worth it.

[tbendick 27]

Also along with doing drags, haiving so old bunker gear helps as well. During proby school we tore up alot of the gear doing drags and stuff. In the firehouse we are not allowed to use in service SCBA's and bunker gear for drags.

They do have dummies in our Divisions but out my house we made a few out of old hose.

[x134 46]

Just wanted to see if anyone out there was using covers on there 4.5 scott air bottles. We had a couple bottles condemned from being dragged durning training over the last few years. If so what are you using ?

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We use older out of service bottles and packs with no air in them.

[Guest partyrock]

Old 5" works great. Definately recomended.