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Out of Air Emergency (Last Chance Rescue Filter)

Out of Air Emergency The Last Chance Rescue Filter

You are in a dark, heat, smoke filled room, and you are taking your last breath. You think to yourself “now what?”. Your mind quickly goes to a check list of things to do. During this check list, your family comes to mind. “Is this it?” “I’m never going to see them again”. The nervousness and anxiety is starting to overcome your thoughts. “Is it really time for this?”, “I never thought I would use this”. As you grab your pouch, you take a deep breath (your last from your SCBA supply) and tear open the bag and pull out your Last Chance Rescue Filter and exchange your regulator for it. Now you have given yourself a second chance, the last chance.

The Last Chance Rescue Filter is a device designed to give firefighters a last chance effort to escape a smoke filled environment when their air supply runs outs. You may tell yourself that you will never allow yourself to run out of air. I’m sure the past LODD involving out of air emergencies would have loved the chance to use this device in time of need. I personally teach on Out of Air Emergencies and a Firefighter Confidence and Survival course through Fire and Rescue Concepts. But that does not mean that I will never be in a situation where I will run out of air. I personally carry a Last Chance Rescue Filter with me while I’m on duty. I even carry one while I perform live fire training, whether it is an acquired structure or a burn building, because you never know when you may need it. I’d rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.

 

Where did the Last Chance Rescue Filter come from?

 

Eric George, a firefighter in Connecticut, invented a lifesaving concept for firefighters trapped in an out of air emergency. He licensed his technology to Brookdale (a DuPont company in Canada) to bring his idea to market. This was the birth of the” EVAC Pro”. The EVAC Pro was a big hit and highly looked at as a premier escape device. But It was discovered that Brookdale’s packaging design on the “Evac Pro” and related products was fatally flawed, which resulted in a total product recall; this was the end of Brookdale and the “Evac pro”. So if you currently have an Evac Pro, I suggest that you remove it from service immediately. With a huge void left in firefighter survival,  Essex  recognized the importance of keeping Eric George’s concept alive by giving firefighters a new plan for out of air emergencies. Essex Industries  acquired Brookdale’s assets from DuPont along with the license to manufacture Eric George’s patented technology. Essex’s engineering team designed the Last Chance Rescue Filter® using materials that stand up to the rigors of fighting fires and successfully meet the EN403 standard through third party testing. Essex’s teamed up with Yale University to conduct a live burn in Hamden, CT to prove out the efficacy of the Last Chance and prove that there’s enough O2 in a structural fire to sustain life. Each day, firefighters are committing themselves to becoming leaders in the field by utilizing proven technology and solidifying their plan for out of air emergencies.

 

Is the Last Chance Rescue Filter compatible with my SCBA?

Currently the Last Chance Rescue Filter is compatible with the following

SCOTT SCBA MASKS: AV-2000, AV-3000, SCOTT-O-VISTA

DRAEGER SCBA MASKS: PANORAMA NOVA-P, FUTURA P, F2P, FPS 7000

MSA SCBA MASK: FIREHAWK

SPERIAN SCBA MASKS: TWENTY TWENTY PLUS

ISI SCBA MASKS: RDV FACEMASKS

How does it work?

 

Contaminated air is drawn through the Last Chance Rescue Filters three main layers of protection:

• N95 pleated filter (Captures solid matter, soot and particulates)

• Activated Carbon Filter (Scrubs or absorbs the toxic gases)

• Manganese Dioxide/Copper Oxide (hopkalite) (Converts CO to Carbon Dioxide)

 

The makers of the Last Chance Rescue Filter certify their product to filter out the harmful particles and smoke for 15 minutes. This does not mean that you have an extra 15 minutes to allow you to stay in and work longer. But this means that the time needed for your escape or the incoming RIT team is there. Understand that the Last Chance Rescue Filter does not give you more 02. It only filters out the harmful particles in the atmosphere for short amount of time. Individuals wishing to use this product need to undergo training with the training unit in a non-smoke environment before In-service status the Last Chance Rescue Filter. The Last Chance Rescue Filter is encased in a vacuumed sealed moisture barrier and has a shelf life of 5 and ½ years from the date of manufacture. There is also a protective cover designed to carry and protect the filter. The protective cover can be attached to a SCBA waist belt or a bail out belt of some kind. Firefighters must understand that they need to take care of this piece of equipment just like any other piece used for life safety. I suggest that firefighters do a daily and after run check of the device to make sure the filter and or vacuum sealed moisture barrier has been damaged in any way shape or form. Once the filter has been used once or the moisture barrier has been breached, then the used of the filter is now void. Remember the main killer of the EVAC Pro was the fact that moisture was allowed to enter into the filter before use. The makers of the Last Chance Rescue Filter will replace any filter that is used in any firefighter escape in an actual incident.

 

When would you use it?

 

• A firefighter becomes lost and disoriented and is running out of air. There is not enough time to get out.

• With the Last Chance Rescue Filter® , he would be able to take the last breath of supplied air, clip in the Last Chance Rescue Filter® , have 15 minutes to get out and/or continue to update RIT for rescue.

• Also, his mask remains ON, ready for RIT to replace the filter with supplied air versus RIT having to replace the firefighters mask.

• A firefighter’s air pack becomes trapped and he can’t get out of the jam.

• Only in the extreme case should a firefighter remove an air pack. Without the air pack, the firefighter has no PASS device, transfill , or buddy breathing hose.

• By donning the Last Chance Rescue Filter® the firefighter can escape without the air pack!

• A firefighter experiences a sudden SCBA failure and suddenly you’re out of air.

• Don the Last Chance Rescue Filter® and get out!

• RIT team is called in for multiple downed firefighters and there is not enough supplied air.

• Carry additional Last Chance Rescue Filter® in RIT bags for this circumstance.

 

I invite every firefighter to watch to video below and let us know if you have any question.

You can purchase the Last Chance Rescue Filter on our online store or contact Eric Stroud at estroud@fireandrescueconcepts.com

We also have incorporated the Last Chance Rescue Filter with our Firefighter Confidence and Survival Training

Posted in administration-leadership, command-leadership, Dispatch & Communications, Emergency Communications, EMS Dispatch, ems-health-safety, ems-topics, Fire Dispatch, Fire Safety, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, funding-staffing, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, major-incidents, mass-casualty-incident, patient-management, rescues, special-operations, technology-communications, technology-communications-ems-topics, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized, vehicle-operations-apparatus, videos

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Posted by on 01/12/2012 • No comments

Fundamentals of Timber Rigging (Part 2)

Setting up the Timber Tripod

With the current economic crisis in the country and other countries, fire departments are cutting cost where the can. Normally the training budget is first to go and then comes the equipment budget. There are various companies that have premanufactured tri-pod systems for example, DBI, Skedco, Arizona Vortex, and the SMC/PMI TerrAdaptor to name just a few. Now, these are all great products and they have their place in the rescue environment. But not every department can come up with the funds to purchase such equipment. So that means we need to go back to the basics of rigging. In this second part of The Fundamentals of Timber Rigging, we are going to go over the process of constructing the Timber Tri-Pod.
The amount of equipment needed to achieve this maybe more that the average pre built commercial tri-pod system. First of you need to decide what size of timbers are going to be needed. Most timbers for the tri-pod are going to be 4x4x12’. You can go with 6×6’s or 8×8’s, but they can be heavy and are normally used in lifting heavy objects during a structural collapse. We are going to be rigging up a Timber tri-pod for use in a confined space environment used to lower or raise rescuers and or victims. Next you will need 30’ of ½ inch life safety, 12’ of 2” webbing, and assortment of carabiners and tech cord, all rated for life safety.

To assemble the legs of the timbers, you need to make sure the tip is elevated to allow you to lash the timbers together (normally this is done with saw horse or the back of the apparatus) using the 30’ section of ½ life safety rope. You start off by placing all 3 4x4s side by side leaving a 1.5” or 2” space in between the timbers (normally with using 2x4x2’ slats to achieve this) to allow the lashing to pass through. Next, you would want to make sure the corners are smooth down (this is done by rubbing the corners with a rod or beating the corners with a 3lb hammer) so as there is no damage done to the rope in the assembly process. Once the corners are smooth down, you need to measure down 36” from the top of the shortest pole. This will be your starting point. (Keep in mind timbers shorter than 12’ will reduce the amount of height need to raise or lower your rescuer/victims). Next take your 30’ lashing and start with a clove hitch on one of the outside legs. Next take the rope over and under the three timbers in a figure-of-eight fashion. Make at least six turns, working upward. (This is called figure of eight lashing). Once the six turns have been completed, then make two frapping turns between the first and second timber, and two frapping turns between the second and third timber. After the frapping turns have been completed, secure the lashing with a clove hitch on the opposing leg from where you started and below the lashing. (If you have excess rope after your lashing is complete, you may coil it and tie it off to one of the legs).

Note: You must make sure your lashing is tight. If not, it could cause failure of the tri pod system.

After completing the entire lashing we can then raise the tripod by raising the center timber and crossing the outer timbers forming an equilateral triangle. Once the tripod is in its upright positions you may begin to attach your web sling. To attach the web sling you start by placing the sling over the outside timbers at the top. Next you take a bight of the sling down through one side of the center timber above the lashing and pull a bight up through the other side of the center timber above the lashing. After this you need to attach your system of choice to both bights of the web sling.
After you have completed this step, something you need to consider is the legs of the tripod can and will kick out or lift up may causing it to tip over. You can choose to picket and lash in place or use a tieback system to make sure the legs are secure. If you chose to lash in place you can also use that leg as a snatch block sling for a COD in your haul/lower system. Keep in mind the setup is best done as close to the incident as possible, timbers can be quite heavy. Once the setup is complete a safety officer needs to monitor the Timber tri-pod in case of sudden failure.

DISCLAIMER: Fire and Rescue Concepts suggest extensive hands on training be completed on Timber rigging before performing these techniques out on the field. This four part series is for informational purposes only. If Departments wish more training on Timber Rigging please contact us at estroud@fireandrescueconcepts.com

Posted in Confined Space Training, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, major-incidents, rescues, special-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized

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Posted by on 10/06/2011 • No comments

Fundamentals of Timber Rigging (Part one)

We will be doing a four part blog series on the “Fundamentals of Timber Rigging” for rope access. Timber rigging can be utilized for High Angle Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, Trench Rescue, and Structural Collapse Rescue.

Timbers used for rescue rigging is nothing new. But with newer equipment and technology, training on how to rig timbers for rescue has greatly diminished. Newer equipment and technology has allowed us to have access to pre-fab anchors, portable anchors, quick deployable struts, and etc. But with new equipment comes cost. With a struggling economy, equipment and training are usually first to go in emergency services. Many smaller departments just don’t have the funding to buy the newest and greatest equipment associated with their job. For departments that can not afford to buy the newest and greatest equipment for rescue rigging, there is a alternative. By using what the Army Core of Engineers started during world war area, departments can still achieve a positive outcome while having minimum impact on their budget.

Using timbers for

Vol. Fire Department sets up a Timber A frame

rescue can be productive for high directional anchors such as, Timber tripod, Timber jib arm, and Timber A frame. Most departments have the necessary equipment needed to preform timber rigging. Timbers needed for this type of work and training can be acquired from your local hardware store. In the next three part blogs we will go over step by step instructions and pictures needed to set up each type of rigging system.

DISCLAIMER: Fire and Rescue Concepts suggest extensive hands on training be completed on Timber rigging before preforming these techniques out on the field. This four part series is for informational purposes only. If Departments wish more training on Timber Rigging please contact us at estroud@fireandrescueconcepts.com

Posted in Confined Space Training, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, funding-staffing, rescues, special-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized

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Posted by on 04/04/2011 • No comments

Confined Space Rescue Training

We have a great training opportunity!!!! We are conducting confined space training on the WWII USS North Carolina Battleship. This class will be five days in length with night operations. The class is limited to 30 students on a first come first serve basis. We will be sending out a registration and letter to anyone who wishes to take this class, via email. In order to receive the registration, you must email us at estroud@fireandrescueconcepts.com to let us know that you wish to receive the info. The care takers of the Battleship has been so kind to allow us to train on one of the prides of WWII. As a added bonus , the original crew will be on board the ship during the week of our training. So this will be a great time to talk to the men who kept this great ship a float!

FYI USS North Carolina is said to be haunted!! :)

Email us if you wish to receive this flyer and cost.

ATTENTION!!! Due to high demand this class has been rescheduled for September 2011, email us if you would like to attend.

Posted in administration-leadership, Confined Space Training, ems-health-safety, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, hazmat, major-incidents, rescues, special-operations, technology-communications, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by on 12/10/2010 • No comments