Cyanide Poisoning Monitoring During Firefighter Rehab

[x635 4,066]

Does any department around the NYC metro area monitor cyanide levels of firefighters during rehab?

And do any EMS agencies carry Cynokits?

[FDNY 10-75 640]

Not NYC but we have them on hand in the Albany area. AFD has two (one in each of the BC cars), Albany County Sheriff's EMS unit has one and Colonie EMS have one or more in their TSU. Cyanide monitoring is done by assessment for symptoms of poisoning and by CO measurement with Rad57 or LP15.

If we need them we also have the NYANG with stockpile and a US Gov't strategic stockpile in Voorheesville.

[38ff 250]

How long would it take to get the NYANG to get them into FD hands? Minutes, hours, days?

[gpeifer 89]

Does any department around the NYC metro area monitor cyanide levels of firefighters during rehab?

And do any EMS agencies carry Cynokits?

We monitor cyanide during overhaul. During rehab we monitor pulse cooximetry for elevated CO. Assume elevated levels of CO have cyanide present...they are the toxic twins. Cyanokits will be available shortly in Yonkers.

[dwcfireman 656]

We monitor cyanide during overhaul. During rehab we monitor pulse cooximetry for elevated CO. Assume elevated levels of CO have cyanide present...they are the toxic twins. Cyanokits will be available shortly in Yonkers.

Even having been taught the old school methods of overhaul (i.e. take your mask off, a little smoke won't hurt you), I'm a proponent of wearing SCBA until CO levels have diminished well below the toxic level. This should also be the case for cyanide levels, as cyanide poisoning occurs more often as a result of today's technological advances. Just look at all of your electronic devices. When the burn, they give off hydrogen cyanide, the same gas used in gas chambers! A single breathe can be deadly.

WEAR YOUR SCBA! BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!

As for Cyanokits, it's not a bad idea for EMS and fire agencies to carry them. You have no idea when or where someone may need it. It should be like carry Epipens, or a CPR mask.

[gpeifer 89]

Even having been taught the old school methods of overhaul (i.e. take your mask off, a little smoke won't hurt you), I'm a proponent of wearing SCBA until CO levels have diminished well below the toxic level. This should also be the case for cyanide levels, as cyanide poisoning occurs more often as a result of today's technological advances. Just look at all of your electronic devices. When the burn, they give off hydrogen cyanide, the same gas used in gas chambers! A single breathe can be deadly.

WEAR YOUR SCBA! BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!

As for Cyanokits, it's not a bad idea for EMS and fire agencies to carry them. You have no idea when or where someone may need it. It should be like carry Epipens, or a CPR mask.

Absolutely wear SCBA. Another thought would be to utilize positive pressure ventilation during overhaul to ensure continuous flw of fresh air and toxic gas removal....yet we hardly see them being used.

[STAT213 332]

Yes, we monitor for HCN and CO. Air monitoring and RAD57 pulse oximetry.

We have three cyanokits available on our apparatus for use on members or civilians.

[Cos Cob 215 7]

Is there an acceptable level, if a breath or two of it is lethal then I would tend to think "no" and we should focus more on respiratory protection. Perhaps a breath and not treating it is lethal? I do recall from FFI some toxin that if a breath was taken in it was lethal in a matter of seconds, is this the same toxin?