Real-WorlRIT

CREATING ANSCBA PACK

LIKE MOST FIRE DEPARTMENTSacross the nation, we annually con-front an increasing fire protectionarea with a decreasing operational

budget. Some of our department's self-con-rained breathing apparatus (SCBAs) neededreplacement because of wear and tear fromyears in service. To obtain as many newSCBAs as possible on a limited budget, weordered new replacement SCBAs withoutthe quick fill/buddy breather attachments fordowned or trapped firefighters.

After reading "Budd) Breathing" (Round-table, Fire Engineering, May 2002) on the useof emergency procedures, I had a dilemma. Iam a firm believer in using the low-pressuremask supply hose for emergency SCBA pro-cedures, which i what I was taught when Ientered the fire service and what I still teachprobationary firefighters during their orienta-tion training. The Roundtable commentsbrought up some very good points. So I cameup with a solution to address this problemuntil our budget allows us a better way to dealwith the emergency SCBA dilemma.

When I started in the fire service, RescueCaptain Patrick Wolf of Jonestown (PA) Fireand Rescue taught me what I needed to knowto stay alive, and I pass on his instructions tomy new probies. One of the most importantrules was to adapt, improvise, and overcomeany firefighting obstacles. The informationbelow should help other fire departmentswith a shrinking operational budget find atemporary solution for the emergency SCBApack problem.

• SCOTT A. McCRINDLE is a division train-

ing chief with the Goshen (IN) Fire Department

and a J 4-year veteran of the fire service. Addi-

tionally, he serves as an administrative officer, a

training instructor for the 52 full-time members, a

safety officer, and a physical fitness coordinator

for the department. He is an lndiana certified fire

instructor IT and m. an Indiana EMS extrication

instructor, and an lndiana certified paramedic.

BY SCOTT A. McCRIHDLE

These ideas do not reflect the NationalFire Protection Association's or the manu-facturer's requirements for a qualified SCBAemergency pack but will give your membersthe best opportunity to survive in a bad.situa-tion until you can afford a better solution.Listed below are some steps to make yourown emergency SCBNRIT pack. It requiresa safety-certified SCBA, a Phillips screw-driver. and a small hole punch.l. On a flat table, remove the SCBA bot-

tle (photo 1).

2. Remove the SCBA <houlder straps fromthe backpack and waist trap. 00 ~OT LOSEany screws. washers. or nuts (photos 2.3).

3. Remove the waist trap from the back-pack frame, keeping the regulator attached.Attach the waist strap to the backpack frame;insert one screw with a washer and nutthrough the hole in the backpack frame andthe grommet in the waist strap (photo 4).

4. Unbolt the waist buckle locking button,and place the regulator on the other side of thewaist strap. Then reattach the waist buckle

24 December 2003 FIRE ENGINEERING FireEngineering.com

FireEngineering .com FIRE ENGINEERING December 2003 25

Real-World RITlocking button (photo 5).

s. Your SCBA pack should look like theone in photos 6 and 7. Make sure your high-pressure Lineis on the bottom side of the regu-

lator toward the bottom of the SCBA pack(photos 6,7).

6. Place your SCBA bottle on, and tight-en the waist strap, making sure the high-

pressure line is in a good position (photo 8).7. Bring the excess waist strap through the

bottom of the pack as shown in photo 9. Put ahole in the center of the end of the waiststrap-X marks the spot (arrow). Then placea screw with a washer through the hole, andtighten it down to the backpack. This pro-vides a carrying strap (photo 9).

It took 20 minutes to assemble these twocompleted RIT/emergency SCBA packs(photo 10). This firefighter is ready for aRIT/firefighter rescue (photo I I) .•

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