Getting the Most out of Your Bottle

[PVFD233 68]

I have seen a tip of two on here before but could not find them. Was wondering what tips the "seasoned" characters on the board have when it comes to getting the most of your SCBA bottle. What effective tips or techniques do you have?

Thanks in advance.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

One of the first things to getting most out of your cylinder is to make sure its inspected properly and has the required amount of air in it...preferably full...but NFPA states that it must have 90% of its rated volume to be considered servicable.

The textbook mentioned breathing techniques work fairly well. I also for some time have used a tactical breathing technique or what I've come to call LaMaze for firefighters, which was taught to me in the Marine Corps and law enforcement as a way to control your breathing and to help combat the physiological responses to stress that cause an increase in heart rate, which can effect judgement and fine and complex motor control. It basically involves breating in for a 3 or 4 count...hold it for 3 or 4 count...exhale over a 3 or 4 count....hold for 3 or 4 count...and do it over and over again. It takes some time to get used to as you have to train your brain to revert to it without having to overly think about it...but it does work. It worked wonders to be able to limit the fight or flight response to improve vision, hearing and for breath control for accurate shooting and I have found it helps me control my breathing during well involved operations.

[antiquefirelt 994]

I have seen a tip of two on here before but could not find them. Was wondering what tips the "seasoned" characters on the board have when it comes to getting the most of your SCBA bottle. What effective tips or techniques do you have?

Thanks in advance.

Be in or get in shape!! Don't mask up before you need to. If you find you're starting to breathe fast and deep, take a second or two to calm down and slow it down, those seconds will pay off in minutes very shortly. Use the correct tool for the job, work smarted not harder. I've seen young athletic guys burn up their air trying to pull a ceiling with a halligan and a old smoker stay twice as long using a hook or a rake. And if I failed to mention it or you need to hear it again, get in shape!

[FiftyOnePride 100]

One of the first things to getting most out of your cylinder is to make sure its inspected properly and has the required amount of air in it...preferably full...but NFPA states that it must have 90% of its rated volume to be considered servicable.

The textbook mentioned breathing techniques work fairly well. I also for some time have used a tactical breathing technique or what I've come to call LaMaze for firefighters, which was taught to me in the Marine Corps and law enforcement as a way to control your breathing and to help combat the physiological responses to stress that cause an increase in heart rate, which can effect judgement and fine and complex motor control. It basically involves breating in for a 3 or 4 count...hold it for 3 or 4 count...exhale over a 3 or 4 count....hold for 3 or 4 count...and do it over and over again. It takes some time to get used to as you have to train your brain to revert to it without having to overly think about it...but it does work. It worked wonders to be able to limit the fight or flight response to improve vision, hearing and for breath control for accurate shooting and I have found it helps me control my breathing during well involved operations.

Agreed, this is what I try to do and I find that control of my breathing does helps control my mind, not like I'm freaking out, but I would hope that you get what I am saying.

[Remember585 815]

TRAINING.

Drill over and over again with it. Do drills where you just put it on and walk around the firehouse. Go do mask confidence drills and have drills where you are pushing a line, forcing entry or dragging a victim with the SCBA on. The more you do it, the more you'll realize your limitations and begin to maximize the use of that SCBA.

STAY CALM.

Remember this thought - a call is nothing more then an unscheduled drill - and you'll see yourself working at a more relaxed pace.

Physical fitness is important too, as mentioned above. I can see a difference whenever my weight starts to drop down.

[abaduck 123]

All good stuff so far - staying cool and not going on air til the last minute are important, to which I would add, take an extra few seconds to make damn sure you have a good seal on your mask. Remember it's a positive pressure mask and a bad seal will waste air faster than anything else; I've been caught out that way once myself and I won't make that mistake twice.

I'm not remotely 'seasoned' but I try to learn from my mistakes!

Edited February 16, 2009 by abaduck

[PVFD233 68]

TRAINING.

Drill over and over again with it. Do drills where you just put it on and walk around the firehouse. Go do mask confidence drills and have drills where you are pushing a line, forcing entry or dragging a victim with the SCBA on. The more you do it, the more you'll realize your limitations and begin to maximize the use of that SCBA.

STAY CALM.

Remember this thought - a call is nothing more then an unscheduled drill - and you'll see yourself working at a more relaxed pace.

Physical fitness is important too, as mentioned above. I can see a difference whenever my weight starts to drop down.

Fortuantly My FD has a house that the district purchased for such training. We do our FAST training and alot of drills from the house. Our interior training consist of being able to do at least 2 circuits with multiple skills in each circuit with one SCBA Bottle. A circuit consist of 1. donning full PPE and on air in 2 minutes or less. 2. walking around the house with a set of irons, dropping the irons at the starting point....3. raising a 24 foot ladder by your self and extending it to a 2nd story window/setting it up as for a rescue or egress. 4. Next you choose either a Partner saw or cutters edge, climb up a ladder set up on one side, sound the roof and then climb up on the roof and then "cut" a whole for ventilation. After you ventilate you climb down and enter in the porch door 5.while grabbing 2 lengths of dry 1 3/4 hose. The object is to stretch the line up the stairs to a certain point in a room without having to go back and flake it out. 6. After doing so you go to the rooms window and pull a donut of 3 inch house up from approx 10 ft. 7. you go back down stairs into the kitchen and crawl through a section in the wall, either you can fit just crawling or you need to use low profile or full escape. 8.The next part entails you to do a search for a dummy in the living room. once you locate you pull the dummy to the front door and head out towards the starting point. 9.Right before you get back there is another donut of 3 in which you pull up to another 2nd story window. Once the donut is up you grab the irons at the starting point and continue on another "circuit". Just have been disappointed some what. Thanks to all for the advice.

[antiquefirelt 994]

Fortuantly My FD has a house that the district purchased for such training. We do our FAST training and alot of drills from the house. Our interior training consist of being able to do at least 2 circuits with multiple skills in each circuit with one SCBA Bottle. A circuit consist of 1. donning full PPE and on air in 2 minutes or less. 2. walking around the house with a set of irons, dropping the irons at the starting point....3. raising a 24 foot ladder by your self and extending it to a 2nd story window/setting it up as for a rescue or egress. 4. Next you choose either a Partner saw or cutters edge, climb up a ladder set up on one side, sound the roof and then climb up on the roof and then "cut" a whole for ventilation. After you ventilate you climb down and enter in the porch door 5.while grabbing 2 lengths of dry 1 3/4 hose. The object is to stretch the line up the stairs to a certain point in a room without having to go back and flake it out. 6. After doing so you go to the rooms window and pull a donut of 3 inch house up from approx 10 ft. 7. you go back down stairs into the kitchen and crawl through a section in the wall, either you can fit just crawling or you need to use low profile or full escape. 8.The next part entails you to do a search for a dummy in the living room. once you locate you pull the dummy to the front door and head out towards the starting point. 9.Right before you get back there is another donut of 3 in which you pull up to another 2nd story window. Once the donut is up you grab the irons at the starting point and continue on another "circuit". Just have been disappointed some what. Thanks to all for the advice.

So your guys have to be able to do two of the above listed circuits (tasks 1-9) on a single bottle of air? I know a lot of firefighters who couldn't do that without being on air!

[Paul J DeBartolomeo 0]

SPFC that sounds like an outstanding agility course you have set up. How long does it take the average FF to complete a circuit(one pass) and what is the percentage of guys that can complete 2 passes on 1 cylinder. Do you allow outsiders to go through it, I would love to try it. With no one watching of course

[ex-commish 490]

I have seen a tip of two on here before but could not find them. Was wondering what tips the "seasoned" characters on the board have when it comes to getting the most of your SCBA bottle. What effective tips or techniques do you have?

Thanks in advance.

I think having confidence in what you are doing along with staying calm and proficency in wearing your mask helps alot. This all comes with training and experience.

[PVFD233 68]

SPFC that sounds like an outstanding agility course you have set up. How long does it take the average FF to complete a circuit(one pass) and what is the percentage of guys that can complete 2 passes on 1 cylinder. Do you allow outsiders to go through it, I would love to try it. With no one watching of course

its in its first year as a requirment for interior members. previously it was stations i.e. ventilation, search, mask confidence, hose line advancement. I scrutinized this new method at first but quickly gained A LOT of respect for it. Its getting me to be fit and make me into a better fire fighter. As for outsiders training we are inviting outside departments through out the year. As for out of county I can look into.

[x129K 1,393]

Fortuantly My FD has a house that the district purchased for such training. We do our FAST training and alot of drills from the house. Our interior training consist of being able to do at least 2 circuits with multiple skills in each circuit with one SCBA Bottle. A circuit consist of 1. donning full PPE and on air in 2 minutes or less. 2. walking around the house with a set of irons, dropping the irons at the starting point....3. raising a 24 foot ladder by your self and extending it to a 2nd story window/setting it up as for a rescue or egress. 4. Next you choose either a Partner saw or cutters edge, climb up a ladder set up on one side, sound the roof and then climb up on the roof and then "cut" a whole for ventilation. After you ventilate you climb down and enter in the porch door 5.while grabbing 2 lengths of dry 1 3/4 hose. The object is to stretch the line up the stairs to a certain point in a room without having to go back and flake it out. 6. After doing so you go to the rooms window and pull a donut of 3 inch house up from approx 10 ft. 7. you go back down stairs into the kitchen and crawl through a section in the wall, either you can fit just crawling or you need to use low profile or full escape. 8.The next part entails you to do a search for a dummy in the living room. once you locate you pull the dummy to the front door and head out towards the starting point. 9.Right before you get back there is another donut of 3 in which you pull up to another 2nd story window. Once the donut is up you grab the irons at the starting point and continue on another "circuit". Just have been disappointed some what. Thanks to all for the advice.

Heck - i'm out of breath just READING that!

[x134 46]

Andrew, Get on the stairmaster and the treadmill, or go for a run around the Valley and do some strength training. I think I still have the book from F.D.N.Y. from when I took the physical agility test if you want it. And try to pace your self when doing the circuit.