- Author
- Bolstad-Johnson, D.
- Title
- No Smoke, No Fire, No Hazard: A Firefighter's Perspective on the Hazards of Fire Overhaul and How to Protect Against Them.
- Coporate
- Phoenix Fire Dept., AZ
- Report
- NIST SP 1051; NIST Special Publication 1051, December 2007,
- Book or Conf
- Real-Time Particulate Monitoring: Detecting Respiratory Threats for First Responders. Workshop Proceedings. Appendix 3: Workshop Presentations. Appendix 3.D. May 3-4, 2007, Gaithersburg, MD, 44-48 p., 2007
- Keywords
- first responders | respiratory systems | health hazards | fire fighters | smoke | self contained breathing apparatus | hazardous materials | respirators | training | fire departments | education | fire protection
- Abstract
- Firefighters know that the SCBA provides the best respiratory protection available in known or unknown hazardous environments. A high level of training attempts to endow the new recruit with an appreciation for the need for respiratory protection. OSHA mandated respirator training is given annually. The training does not instill permanent habits, however, and when the smoke disappears during overhaul the sense of danger disappears as well. The use of respiratory protection depends on the insistence of the commanding officer, and is highly variable within a fire department and from one fire department to another. Overhaul is an opportunity to discuss/review what transpired in fighting the fire, and the SCBA masks are often removed for better communication. Departmentwide enforcement and education based on scientific evidence are needed to keep SCBAs on during overhaul. The fire service is comfortable with using four-gas meters, which monitor oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and combustible gas, as a way to assess for flammable conditions or conditions of respiratory hazards.