Desensitized To PASS Alarms

Good morning, I guess I'm the new kid on the block. I was hoping to get some feed back regarding PASS alarms. In particular what seems to be an increasing safety concern on the fireground. How do you guys deal with the PASS during practice scenarios - most departments we've visited end up yelling "wiggle" each time a PASS goes off. The unfortunate thing about that is that the Alarm does not grab our attention the way it should in a real fire situation.

Could it be that we have become desensitized to the PASS alarm? If so how do we correct that?

I would appreciate your input. If you listen to the Charleston Sofa Factory fire audio tapes there are at least 52 times you hear a PASS in full alarm mode in the background of the transmission. Yet there is no indication of concern.... that in its self is a major concern.

Thanks in advance for your help with this.

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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on August 5, 2009 at 12:04pm

Ed, I dont know what type of PASS device your using but ours is so load and obnoxious that if it were to go off in a critical situation I wouldn't be ignoring it or some how missing it. Like many things today however, we are becoming desensitized by all the electronic beeps, whistles and vibrations. It still comes down to training and working with your equipment. Know how it works and why. WELL PUT "CHIEF".

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Permalink Reply by FETC on August 5, 2009 at 12:05pm

You are on to something. I have had two bad experiences with undetermined pass alarms going off, one was at a training burn with an instructor down in between fires. Everyone just stood around and ignored the alarm as if someone had left the pack to go to rehab. Bad day! Another was we had a mutual aid fire that I kept hearing a pass device going off in full alarm in the faint distance while we were overhauling the building. Being an instructor and harping on the importance of pass device control and securing pre-alerts so we can focus on the full alarm as the real deal emergency, this alarm was driving me nuts. After numerous requests to command that we were hearing an alarm, and getting the "well we dont hear it" mentality back from this mutual aid town, I requested that command send someone down the alley on the B side to locate the firefighter who is probably not moving because we were hearing it through the houses window on the B/C corner. That seemed to get their attention and when they investigated, they found a pack in full alarm in a case inside a trucks compartment. Wailing away.

Now back to your concern about today. I can attribute the problem to the newer 2007 NFPA SCBA Standard for airpacks and the integrated PASS device, as they go off even quicker than before. The sensitivity for motion is so short, even with slight movement they are going off.

Another thing noted with these newer packs is the speaker for the PASS device is behind you now, therefore the pre-alert warning for the PASS, sounds like it is a guy behind you and NOT your pack as compared to the older designs.

As far as training and practice goes, dont turn them on until you are going to use the pack. Standing in staging or waiting for your turn to train with the wiggle syndrome is just contributing to the ignorance of the alarm.

I know your new and everything but in your concern over fire audio tapes, most of those radio transmissions you hear are with a PASS device going off OUTSIDE the building. Not to say it was OK but LOTS of things happening and the stress level was off the meter...

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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on August 5, 2009 at 12:47pm

In the last couple of NIOSH Firefighter Fatality reports where firefighters died inside structures, in all cases, the PASS was damaged to such an extent that it could not be determined if they were functioning at the time of the thermal event.
I know that we have already had a problem with our NEW SCBAs with integrated PASS going off at extremely LOW temperatures.
Manufacturers have got to understand that, in many cases, if the PASS is going off, it's getting pretty close to too late.
They HAVE to work 100% of the time.
I am so sick of reading "we knew there was a problem at the time, but..."
TCSS.
Art

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on August 5, 2009 at 9:51pm

DSU (PASS in North America) going off means firefighter in trouble. Our training is to immediately search for that firefighter, all those in BA will be doing so with their partner, other jobs stop because our people come first. I have yet to hear an alarm left sounding at a job and hope that I never do. If somebody did allow their alarm to go off long enough for the second stage to sound when they weren't in trouble then there would be trouble.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on August 5, 2009 at 10:29pm

Well we had a Chief that God fprotect you if your alarm went off in training...it was treated like it was real...You would hear a very loud and clear voice "Man Down..!!" This is something that isn't taken lightly at our Department...nor should it be....ANYWHERE...again "Train as you fight"....Let's smarten up...your PASS is your last line of defense, your lifeline so to speak....Stay safe....Keep the Faith....Paul