Glasses? Are they worth using!?

[tecster]

Alright I wear glasses but honestly if I'm in a fire I'm not oging to see CRAP anyway, so should I even bring them or are they worth bringing along with me? Do they fit well into a SCBA mask or am I going to have troubles? Do you guys suggest anything that I do with mine?

[needlejockey]

For one you can't really wear them with an facemask or you're going to break the seal (unless you get the special adapters). As far as seeing things goes, yes you'll see nothing once you are in the fire, but there are many times that you are wearing the facepiece without being in 0 visibility areas. So I would say bring them, and purchase the adapters so that you can see out of them. Now this is all moot of course if your vision isn't as bad as mine and you can actually see more than 2 inches past your nose without glasses (or in my case contacts).

[RyanEMVFD]

I always went without glasses when wearing a scba. I carried a metal case for my glasses when not wearing them.

[BrianB35]

We are having our fit tests next month and I'm going to request the adapter for my new mask. I wear glasses and during training you can't see anything but just walking to stuff while in full turn out gear and SCBAs is hard without them even though my script is not a high one.

[osh599]

Our department issues inserts for those who wear glasses that fit inside of our air masks. All SCBA manufacturers will or should offer these. Once you have your inserts, take them to your eye doctor or one that your department uses and have them made up.

Install the insert into your mask and leave them there. Now our department recently issued masks to everyone so we all have our own. If your dept does not do this then ask for a personal mask so you don't have to fumble with your inserts everytime you go to a fire.

Hope this helps.

[manhattan30]

I wear extended wear contacts. I also have my glasses as a back up. Some depts. offer or help with getting inserts for your masks.

[ResQUrCat4Free]

Never say never.

Lets say you have a Hazmat scene, with extrication needed. You have to cut the guy out of his truck while wearing SCBA. You need to see in that instance. SCBA isn't just for black out conditions.

[GFDSlappyRob]

I don't have them in my mask... I can can see well enough without my glasses to do work without them on!!!

[DrParasite]

I don't have the glasses, but I wish I did. we had a fire back in julyish, and I ended up venting the roof. thank the stars I had my contacts in that day, because it would have been hard to see where i was cutting without them.

the last big fire we were at, I didn't have my contacts, and ended up going in blind. it was an interesting experience, except I really couldn't see where I was aiming the nozzle at. and contrary to popular belief, you don't always have zero visibility. we had heavy flames, and you could see where it was really burning. it would have been interesting to see how it looked seeing it with 20/20 vision. plus, when i did make it out of the building, i ended up stumbling around trying to regain my balance. so as EMS swarms me, I tell them to bring me to the person who has my glasses. after some initial stalling on their part ("come to the ambulance, let's check you out") I found the person, got my glasses, and suddenly, my balance returned to normal, and i wasn't reaching out for people to help me find my way. amazing how having your vision clear up can solve other problems.

[wiexplorer18]

Wear contacts.