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1. Self-Survival Skills Fire/EMS Safety, Health & Survival Week
3. SCBA Familiarization Fire fighters & EMS personnel need to be familiar with their SCBA.
Daily checks should be performed to ensure your pack is fully operational.
Checks should include inspection of air volume, straps, belts, hoses, batteries and integrity of the cylinder.
SCBA cylinder valves should be completely turned on when performing “on air” operations.
Emergency use of SCBA should be understood as well, such as rescue breathing, skip breathing and buddy breathing.
4. SCBA FamiliarizationNear-Miss Report 07-946
5. An understanding in emergency procedures improves survival and safety on emergency scenes.
All members should have knowledge and train on their department’s emergency procedures, specifically as they relate to Mayday emergencies.
These procedures may include: how to declare a Mayday, what to do in a Mayday situation, and operation specific goals in order to rectify and clear the Mayday call.
6. Emergency ProceduresNear-Miss Report 10-1072
7. Entanglement is a risk to fire fighters operating on a fire ground, but may also present hazards to EMS personnel as well.
Carry at least one type of cutting tool capable of cutting wire, rope and other materials in case of entanglement.
If tangled, control your breathing, notify command and if conditions warrant, declare a Mayday.
8. DisentanglementNear-Miss Report 10-1286
9. Certain situations may lead to a fire fighter having to exit a structure from an above grade level.
Various methods could include: ladder bails, rappelling, exiting to a roof area, etc.
When performing an upper floor escape, command should be notified of your present location, fire conditions and the mode of egress you are attempting.
If possible, and conditions warrant, wait for the arrival of a ladder to safely exit a window.
10. Upper Floor Escape TechniquesNear-Miss Report 06-186
11. In a room, place two SCBA harnesses, one SCBA bottle, and two regulators scattered throughout a room. Have two members enter the room with “blacked out” SCBA masks. Instruct the members that they are to search for missing components to their SCBA ensemble until they are both able to go on air and exit the room. The members should search the room until they have found and secured both harnesses, one SCBA bottle, and both regulators. At this point, the members can buddy breathe off of the one bottle. If the members do not recognize this as the fastest way to both go “on-air”, they will continue to search the room and never find the second SCBA cylinder. If search for a second bottle does continue, continuously emphasize the fact that they should “get on-air as quickly as possible” and exit the room.