Mask Up

When do u mask up on a working fire?

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Permalink Reply by Jeff on January 4, 2009 at 4:05pm

I have my air on but I don't put my mask on until im getting ready to make entry unless the enviroment around the scene is very smoky or there is hazmat involved. In that case im putting my mask on as soon as I step off the engine.

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Permalink Reply by Brian Sullivan on January 4, 2009 at 4:39pm

anytime your in a hazardous environment bottom line use your head if you feel, even a little, that your going to be breathing the crap that kills us the breath air if not then don't I would error on the side of caution. the stuff is cheap and plentiful so use it when you need to

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Permalink Reply by Billy B Casteel JR on January 4, 2009 at 5:21pm

we use our mask on every working fire call. We mask up just before we make our attack on the fire it our s.o.p.

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Permalink Reply by Doug on January 4, 2009 at 6:09pm

we don't mask up untill we go to enter the structure. if no smoke is showing we can enter the structure without the mask.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Dettman on January 4, 2009 at 6:14pm

I FEEL THE BEST TIME TO MASK UP ON A WORKING FIRE IS JUST PRIOR TO ENTERING THE STRUCTURE. AS A FIREFIGHTER IT IS JUST AS MUCH YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE OFFICERS TO MAKE YOUR OWN SIZE UP ON THE FIRE AND THE CONDITION OF THE STRUCTURE. YOU ALSO FACE MANY TRIP AND FALL HAZARDS ON THE FIRE GROUND WHICH YOU MAY NOT SEE IF YOU HAVE YOUR SCBA MASK ON. WAIT UNTIL YOU GET TO THE DOOR THEN MASK UP.

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Permalink Reply by Jenny Holderby on January 4, 2009 at 6:36pm

Anytime you are in an IDLH situation you should have your mask ON. I read a bunch of different answers that say you don't put your mask on until you SEE the fire? Smell the smoke? What if you encounter something you can't see or smell? Little too late to put your mask on if your lungs are already full of ethylmethylbadshit.
If you are worried about running out of air or your mask fogging up, maybe your department should consider making the upgrading of your SCBA a TOP priority.

My department must be too progressive in this area. Our air systems are on top of our list. Fortunately we did receive a grant a couple of years ago to purchase new SCBA systems with lighter bottles that hold more air with the new masks that are easier to don & care for and new packs that are lighter, easier & don't kill your back as much. In past years we had to call for mutual aid for AIR only when we didn't have enough bottles or a way to fill them. The departments in our area have tried to make sure our systems are compatible and interchangeable to make air management easier for all of us. Several years ago we invested in a cascade system for our own use and to assist surrounding departments in getting their air bottles filled quickly so they weren't out of service for lack of air. We recently aquired the portable system that we mounted in a trailer to take to them if necessary.

Last October after a fire we had several members who weren't actively fighting fire, therefore not wearing SCBA, come down with upper respritory infections. We never did find out exactly what the toxin was that made several of us ill but don't trust green flame even from 50 ft away.