Scba[1]

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Self Contained Breathing Apparatus A self contained breathing apparatus or SCBA is a device worn by first responders, firefighters, industrial worker and others to provide breathable air in environments that are Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH).SCBAs when properly used, prevent respiratory contact or contamination with the products of combustion, super heated gases, toxic gasses, and all other potentially injurious atmospheric contaminants.

HistoryBefore the SCBA fire service folklore recounts the practice of firemen growing long beards to help them breathe heavy smoke. The theory was a fireman would dip his whiskers in a pail of water, then clinch his wet beard between his teeth and breathe through his mouth, using the wet beard as a filter.Between the years 1824-1945 there were numerous breathing apparatus prototypes.During the first decade of the twentieth century, mine rescue teams across Germany, England and Mexico and even mountaineering rescue squads in England, became accustomed to the reliability and performance of using their Dräger breathing apparatus. Word spread quickly about the great success of the breathing devices due to their use in the harsh environments of underground mines and in high altitudes.One industry taking notice of the Dräger apparatus was the American fire service because they too could use dependable breathing protection against smoke and fumes when fighting fires and Dräger’s technology was deemed revolutionary.From 1913 through 1918, two American - New York and Pittsburgh - city fire departments began equipping their firefighters with the Dräger breathing apparatus. Today, both cities are stillusingDräger self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)

History Continued…Toward the end of World War II, Scott Aviation was manufacturing breathing equipment that allowed air crews to operate at extreme altitudes. One story goes that a number of Scott engineers watched a smoky fire being fought in a nearby building. They were amazed that the firemen had to operate in such a severe smoke condition and they decided to see if they could adapt their equipment to suit firefighting. Working with the Boston and New York City fire departments, Scott introduced the Air Pac in late 1945 after a year of field testing. Maintenance and Cleaning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7aD_D75B6E

FutureThe new SCBA are known as "flat packs," and use a special high-temperature lining, consisting of Kevlar, and are wound with carbon fiber, instead of the conventional aluminum liners used in current technology. They can handle operating pressures up to 5,000 psi and include a soft cover that allows them to bend and flex during use.

In initial prototype designs, the new pressure vessel offers an approximate 60 percent weight reduction over conventional SCBA cylinders. Prototypes also have a substantially smaller profile, measuring two inches in depth. Pressure vessels on conventional SCBA cylinders measure seven inches in depth. Questions???

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