Use respirator other than SCBA for overhaul?

[doughesson]

Most of my experience is on house fires,where there is nothing"hinky"in the air to hurt us.My old department would take off the masks for overhaul and a lot of times we'd be in just turnouts and helmet for the fire if it were an exterior attack.
Either we've been lucky that no one's started having a variant of "WTC cough" or we're gonna learn the hard way soon.

[brechmos]

It will help you tremendously to tighten your waist strap and loosen the shoulder straps....therefor shifting the weight to your lower body.....hmmm can't find my spell check

This is by far the best suggestion. I have done lots of hiking with packs on and that is the whole idea. The waist belt is very wide and is really supposed to sit on the hips. The shoulder belt is for stabilization only (!) not weight bearing.

I am still surprised no one ever told me that during all my fire training. I have been telling people this for a while. Put the weight on the hips and you will find it will feel far less heavy than if you put the weight on your shoulders. I even remember seeing guys walking around with the waist/hip belt undone and all the weight on the shoulders. Yikes!

I'll say, too, that I am a little surprised at how the harness is designed. The waist belt (at leas the Scott's that I used) were very thin (seat belt width) and not that conducive to bearing lots of weight on the hips.

Anyway, my 2 cents.

[enginegirl1]

waist strap

This is a big learning for me, because now I have all the weight on my shoulders and really the waist belt isn't tight at all. I seem to have it completely wrong and have been doing this wrong at work as well. No WONDER my shoulders get tired, which was why I was whining and started this thread in the first place. The mask is pretty comfortable, not a problem there.

By the way, love the term "hinky" for the stuff in the air.

Thanks for the good suggestions.

[thelife]

Huh?!?

Most of my experience is on house fires,where there is nothing"hinky"in the air to hurt us.

Are you crazy? First of all, you have no idea what people have in their homes. I haven't been in the fire service for a very long time, and have heard of/experienced incidents homes with meth labs, improvised explosives laboratories etc. Not to mention the fact that you have no IDEA what most "ordinary combustibles" break down to form when they are heated and begin to decompose. There is plenty of hinkiness in your average household.

[doughesson]

Are you crazy? First of all, you have no idea what people have in their homes. .....There is plenty of hinkiness in your average household.

I was being facetious about there not being anything to hurt us in the fires.Most of the construction in my old department's district was old enough that it usually self vented and even if we used the SCBAs,the neighborhood would be fogged up with it and rehab would be a lot harder.I've never had to change air bottles while still wearing the SCBA pack but I have on the old OBA oxygen generating rigs the Navy used from WW II onto the late 80s/early 90s.Even with someone catching the hot canister,while you lean forward,it ain't easy.Better to have an area for changing out the bottles while the guy/gal wearing it heads to rehab to be checked out and given cookies and kool-aid.
Exterior fires don't always require breathing gear.Last summer,I was at a meth lab fire where after we made the initial attack only to have the ingredients catch,we pulled out,took off the gear and just let the thing burn while the resident was crying about his profits going up in smoke.

Also,please re-read my last line about how my old department was lucky no one's come down with a local variant of "WTC cough"from stuff getting into our lungs.Should I go back to that department,after my EMT school hiatus,I'll be more vigilant about using the SCBA.Scout's Honor.

[enginegirl1]

agreed

quote: I'll be more vigilant about using the SCBA.Scout's Honor.

Doug - me too. I'm convinced.

Thanks all. Keep Safe from all the hot and hinky stuff.
Amy

[thelife]

Tone is difficult to detect in cyberspace, my apologies. :-) And no, of course exterior fires and defensive operations can be done without SCBA in most cases...

I just think that with increased awareness of potential carcinogens, CO, and cyanide a little bit of extra weight is worth your life when you are performing operations that can expose you.

[doughesson]

Tone is difficult to detect in cyberspace, my apologies. :-) And no, of course exterior fires and defensive operations can be done without SCBA in most cases...
I just think that with increased awareness of potential carcinogens, CO, and cyanide a little bit of extra weight is worth your life when you are performing operations that can expose you.

No apologies are needed,friend.
There are times when you absolutely need SCBA and times it can be done without.Those times are getting fewer and fewer,as you said,what with all the mesobutylbadstuffs being used to build household items now.
Like another poster said,I follow the lead of my officers and when they come out of the mask and keep it off,I take mine off.I'm sure any of my former officers reading this won't appreciate my using them as canaries,but they are the types that lead from the front and I'll take their word that it's safe to unmask.

[Haweater]

Tone is difficult to detect in cyberspace, my apologies. :-) And no, of course exterior fires and defensive operations can be done without SCBA in most cases...

Couple of years ago we had a 'brush fire'. Few guys complained that there was something to the smoke but still no one had enough grey matter to don the packs. Once extinguished found fridges, car batteries, air conditioners... you name it.
Overhaul, I always wear it and sometimes find myself the only one in the house with one on..... well I'm sure my daughter and son appreciate it. Live long and prosper..... (geez haven't seen a trek movie in years but that just slipped out)
:P