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| Training
Evolutions |
Self
Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
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March 17th, 2001,
our first outdoor, hands on engagement with our Self Contained Breathing
Apparatus (SCBA) was a great exercise, teaching our class the main
components of the air packs we use so abundantly in most fire situations.
We were also shown the proper techniques in donning and doffing our
personal protective equipment, (PPE) which consists of a helmet, nomex
hood, nomex fire jacket, nomex fire pants, and rubber boots. Each
piece was explained to us in great detail as was the importance of
layering. The more layers you have, the better protected you are from
fires hazardous conditions.
The tough part of this exercise was the donning our PPE in 60 seconds,
and donning our SCBA in 75 seconds. It seems like a lot of time when
written down, but when you are struggling with numerous buttons on
your jacket, and going through each check on the SCBA's it is actually
quite a task. One of our final examinations will be donning both the
PPE and SCBA in under 2 minutes and 15 seconds. We were so rigorously
trained on the proper donning techniques on Saturday, so we would
be prepared for our live burn exercise on Wednesday.
The live burn was considered our "confidence burn" and that is exactly
what it was. Prior to the live burn exercise we were instructed on
fire behavior in a 2 hour in-class session, instructed by Mr. Bleeker
of the Spokane fire department. Mr. Bleeker one of the fire investigators
for the SFD and has a minor in Physics. One of the best parts of his
lesson was his dissinegration of the Hollywood glamour of the movie
Backdraft, and how its portrayal of firefighting tactics was for the
most part wrong. The line in the movie where the investigator says,
"Fire is a living breathing thing, that's wants to destroy…" was of
"the caveman mentality" stated Bleeker. The truth is, fire has a set
pattern in which is has to follow. It does not consume more than the
laws of physics allows it to and if we can understand these laws we
can defeat our enemy. |
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