Self Contained

Breathing Apparatus
Training and Refresher

Fire/EMS Training Academy

Revision 2009

Course Objective
Given the SCBA Training and Refresher Course, the
student will be able to:
Describe the training requirements for SCBA in
General Order 08-17
Identify the different parts of the SCBA
Scott AV-3000 Facepiece
Scott E-Z FLO Regulator
Scott Pack

Describe how to inspect the Scott Pak SCBA and AV-3000

Facepiece
Describe the operation the Scott Pak SCBA
Describe the emergency procedures for the SCBA
Demonstrate don and doffing of the PPE and SCBA
2

Overview
General Order on Respiratory Protection Program
AV-3000 Facepiece
E-Z FLO Regulator
Pack Components
Inspection of the SCBA and Facepiece
Operating the SCBA
Emergency Procedures
Donning and Doffing the SCBA
3

General Order
Division 08: Health and Safety
Chapter 17: Respiratory Protection
Program

General Order 08-17

Training Policy
The initial qualification process to use a respirator,
including SCBA, requires:
Medical evaluation that includes the an OSHA Respiratory
Medical Evaluation Questionnaire.
Fit testing.
Training.
Demonstration of proficiency.

General Order 08-17

The initial training shall ensure that the member is thoroughly
familiar with the respirator and has experience in using it in a nonhazardous environment. The initial training shall address:
Why the respirator is necessary and how improper fit, use, or
maintenance can compromise its protection.
Capabilities and limitations of the respirator.
Inspection, donning, doffing, seal checking, and normal use of
the respirator.
Emergency procedures, including situations that involve
malfunction of the respirator, maintenance, and storage
procedures.
Recognition of medical signs and symptoms that may limit or
prevent effective use of the respirator.
The general requirements of 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory
Protection.
6

General Order 08-17

Each member shall demonstrate proficiency in the proper
procedures for:
User inspection of the respirator.
Donning the respirator, including the seal check.
Confident use of the respirator.
Emergency procedures.
Doffing, cleaning, and maintenance.

General Order 08-17

Training Policy
Members must qualify annually to use respirators.
Qualification requires:
Annual refresher training within 60 days of scheduled fit
testing.
Fit testing.
Demonstration of proficiency.
Annual medical clearance utilizing an OSHA Respiratory
Medical Evaluation Questionnaire.

AV-3000 Facepiece

AV-3000 Facepiece

Voice Emitter
Nose Cone
Regulator Adapter Port
Head Harness
Head Straps

10

AV-3000 Facepiece
Head Harness

Head Straps
Nose Cone
Voice Emitter

Head Straps

Regulator Adapter Port

11

E-Z FLO Regulator

12

E-Z FLO Regulator

Parts

Air Saver Switch or Don/Doff Switch

Purge Valve
Regulator Quick Disconnect
Face Piece Lock Tab Mechanism
Heads Up Display (HUD)

13

E-Z FLO Regulator

Purge
Valve

Heads Up
Display (HUD)
Face Piece Lock
Tab Mechanism

Regulator
Quick
Disconnect
with HUD
Connector

Air Saver Switch

or the
Don/Doff Switch
14

E-Z FLO Regulator

Viberalert Alarm
Alarms at 1125 psi or 25% of
air left in the cylinder

15

E-Z FLO Regulator

Heads Up Display
Full Bottle
Bottle

Bottle Yellow Light Flashing Slowly

bottle Red Light Flashing Rapidly
Low Battery for Heads Up Display
16

Pack Components

17

Pack Components

Harness
Remote Gauge
PASS Device
RIC Universal Air Connection
Quick Disconnect
Emergency Breathing Support System
Pressure Reducer
High and Low Pressure Supply Lines
18

Pack Components
Shoulder
Strap
Cylinder Larch
SCBA
Harness

Waist
Strap

19

PASS Sensor Module

and Batteries

Pack Components
Low Pressure
Supple Line
Pressure
Reducer
Remote
Gauge

High Pressure
Supple Line
RIC Universal
Air Connection

20

Pack Components
Emergency Breathing Support System

EBSS
airline Hold
Down Strap
Dust Cap
Quick
Disconnect

21

Pack Components
Emergency Breathing Support System
Emergency breathing support system (EBSS), the Life-Link
permits two users to share a common air supply in
emergencies. Life-Link features a tactile-feel, quick-connect
coupling on the regulator supply line.
The quick disconnect on the EBSS does not have a Heads Up
Display connector.

22

Pack Components
RIC Universal Air Connection (UAC)
The RIC/UAC allows air to be supplied to a down or
trapped firefighter by either a Scott RIT-PAKII or
another compressed air source.

23

Pack Components
Personal Alert Safety System (PASS)
Pressure Gauge
Manual Alarm
Button
Activator
Button

Warning
Light

Pass Manual Reset

Button
24

Pack Components

Pressure
Gauge
Open &
Close Valve
25

Pack Components

Pressure Gauge
Should Be less than a 100 PSI difference between the two
gauges
26

Inspecting the SCBA and

Facepiece

27

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

SCBA must be properly serviced and prepared

for the next use each time it is used.
Air cylinder must be changed or refilled.
Face piece and regulator must be sanitized
according to the manufacturers instructions.
Unit must be cleaned, inspected, and checked for
proper operation.

28

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

It is the users responsibility to ensure that the
SCBA is in ready condition before it is returned to
the fire apparatus.
The daily inspection procedure should be used
when restoring a unit to service after it has been
used.

29

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

If an SCBA inspection reveals any problems that
cannot be remedied by routine maintenance, the
SCBA must be removed from service for repair.
Only properly trained and certified personnel are
authorized to repair SCBA.

30

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

Daily Inspection
Each SCBA unit should be inspected daily or at the
beginning of each shift.

31

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

Skill Drill
Daily SCBA Inspection

Step 2: Check air-cylinder

pressure. Turn on the aircylinder valve and check
gauge pressure.

Step 1: Check backback

and harness straps.
32

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

Step 3: Check condition

of all hoses while
pressurized.

Step 4: Activate
integrated PASS device, if
present.
33

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

Step 5: Check the face

piece.

Step 6: Connect the

regulator to the face piece
and take test breaths.
34

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

Step 7: Close the cylinder

valve and open the
emergency by-pass valve
to bleed the pressure.

Step 8: Check function

and activation pressure of
low-air alarm. Close bypass valve and restore
unit to a ready condition.
35

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

Skill Drill
Replacing an SCBA Cylinder

Step 1: Place the SCBA

on the floor or a bench.

Step 2: Turn off the

cylinder valve.

36

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

Step 3: Open the by-pass

valve to bleed off
pressure.

Step 4: Disconnect the

high-pressure supply
hose.
37

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

Step 5: Release the

cylinder from the
backpack.

Step 6: Slide a full cylinder

into the backpack. Align the
outlet to the supply hose.
Lock the cylinder in place.
38

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

Step 7: Check that the

O ring is present and in
good shape.

Step 8: Connect the highpressure hose to the air

cylinder.
39

Inspecting the SCBA and Facepiece

Step 9: Open the cylinder

valve. Check gauge reading.

40

Operating the SCBA

41

Operating the SCBA

Connecting the regulator to the pack
Parts
Female quick disconnect with Heads Up Display connector
Male quick disconnect with Heads Up Display connector
Female
HUD
Quick
Connector
Disconnect

From SCBA Pack

From Regulator
HUD
Connector

42

Male Quick
Disconnect

Operating the SCBA

Connecting the regulator to the pack
Line up both the female quick disconnect (from the
SCBA pack) to the male adapter (from the regulator)
and the Heads Up Display connector.

43

Operating the SCBA

Disconnecting the regulator from the pack
Push both quick disconnects and hold
Push the quick disconnect sleeve back to release the
connectors

44

Operating the SCBA

Turning on the air supply
Fully open the main cylinder valve.

45

Donning and Doffing

the PPE and SCBA

46

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Skill Drill
Donning Personal Protective Clothing

Step 1: Place your

equipment in a logical
order for donning.
47

Step 2: Place your

protective hood over your
head and down around
your neck.

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 3: Put on boots and

pull up bunker pants. Place
the suspenders over your
shoulders and secure the
front of the pants.

Step 4: Put on your

turnout coat and close
the front of the coat.

48

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 5: Place your helmet

on your head and adjust
the chin strap securely.
Turn up your coat collar
and secure it in front.

Step 6: Put on your

gloves.

49

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 7: If there are two

people present, check
each others clothing.
50

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Skill Drill
Donning SCBA from a Seat-Mounted Bracket

Step 1: Don full PPE ensemble

prior to mounting the fire
apparatus. Safely mount the
apparatus and sit in the seat,
placing arms through SCBA
shoulder straps.

51

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 2: Fasten your seat belt.

Partially tighten the shoulder
straps. When the apparatus stops,
release the seat belt and release
the SCBA from its brackets. Exit
the apparatus.

52

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 3: Attach waist belt

and cinch down.

Step 4: Adjust shoulder

straps until they are tight.

53

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 5: Open the main

cylinder valve.

Step 6: Loosen or remove

helmet and pull hood back.
Don face piece and check for
leaks. Replace protective
hood and helmet and secure
chin strap.
54

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 7: If necessary,
connect regulator to face
piece.

Step 8: Activate air flow

and PASS alarm.

55

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Skill Drill
Donning SCBA Using the Over-the-Head Method

Step 1: Open the case and lay

out the SCBA with the cylinder
valve away from you and the
shoulder straps out to the sides.

Step 2: Fully open the

main cylinder valve.

56

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 3: Bend down and grasp

the SCBA backplate with both
hands. Using your legs, lift the
SCBA over your head. Rotate
the SCBA 180 , so the waist
straps are pointed to the
ground.

57

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 4: Slide the SCBA down

your back while your arms slide
into the shoulder straps. Tighten
the shoulder straps and secure
the waist belt.

58

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 5: Remove your helmet and pull the hood back.

Don your face piece and check for an adequate seal.
Pull your protective hood into position, replace your
helmet, and secure the chin strap.
59

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 6: If necessary, connect the

regulator to the face piece. Activate
the airflow and PASS alarm.
60

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Skill Drill
Donning SCBA Using the Coat Method

Step 1: Open the case and lay out the SCBA with the cylinder
valve away from you and the shoulder straps out to the sides.
Fully open the main cylinder valve. Place your dominant hand on
the opposite shoulder strap.
61

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 2: Lift the SCBA and

swing it over your
dominant shoulder.

Step 3: Slide your other hand

between the SCBA cylinder
and the corresponding
shoulder strap.
62

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 4: Tighten the

shoulder straps.

Step 5: Attach the waist

belt and adjust tightness.

63

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 6: Remove your helmet

and pull your hood back. Don
the face piece and check for an
adequate seal.
64

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 7: Pull the hood into position, replace the

helmet, and secure the chin strap. If necessary,
connect the regulator to the face piece.
Activate the airflow and PASS alarm.
65

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Skill Drill
Donning a Face Piece

Step 1: Fully extend the

straps on the face piece.

Step 2: Place your chin in

the chin pocket.
66

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 3: Fit the face piece

to your face, bringing the
straps or webbing over
your head.

Step 4: Tighten the lowest

two straps.

67

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 5: If there are more

straps, tighten the top
straps last.

Step 6: Check for a proper

seal.

68

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 7: Pull your protective

hood up so it covers all
bare skin. Don your helmet
and secure the chin strap.

Step 8: Install the regulator

on your face piece or attach
the low-pressure air supply
hose to the regulator.
69

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Skill Drill
Doffing SCBA
Step 1: Use caution! Your regulator,
helmet, SCBA Pack and facepiece can
be hot. If your equipment is warm or
hot, do not remove your structural
firefighting gloves to remove your
equipment. If you remove your gloves,
you could get burned. Remove the
regulator from the face piece or
disconnect the low-pressure hose
from the regulator.
70

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 2: Remove your helmet

and pull the protective hood
down around your neck.

Step 3: Loosen the face

piece straps.

71

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 4: Remove your face

piece.

Step 5: Release your

waist belt.

72

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 6: Loosen the

shoulder straps and
remove the SCBA.

Step 7: Shut off the aircylinder valve.

73

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 8: Bleed the air

pressure from the
regulator.

Step 9: Place the SCBA in

a safe location.

74

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Skill Drill
Doffing Personal Protective Clothing

Step 1: Remove your

gloves.

Step 2: Open the collar of

your turnout coat.
75

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 3: Release the

helmet chin strap and
remove your helmet.

Step 4: Remove your

turnout coat.
76

Donning & Doffing the PPE & SCBA

Step 5: Remove your protective

hood.

Step 6: Remove your bunker pants

and boots.

77

Emergency Procedures

78

Emergency Procedures
If at anytime you have a problem with the operation of
your SCBA, call Mayday over the radio and follow the
Mayday Procedures.
Addressing situations

Regulator Failure
Facepiece Failure
Out of Air
How to Air Conservation
How to use the EBSS
How to activate the PASS
79

Emergency Procedures
Regulator Failure
Occurs when the regulator will not deliver air to the
facepiece during normal operations.

80

Emergency Procedures
Regulator Failure
Procedure for using the Purge Valve
Call Mayday and follow the Mayday Procedures.
Slowly open and close the purge valve to allow air flow to
the facepiece.

Purge
Valve

81

Emergency Procedures
Facepiece Failure
This can occur when the facepiece cracks or breaks,
where you loose the seal, during operations that allows
continuous airflow out of the mask.
This will waste the air in your SCBA.

82

Emergency Procedures
Facepiece Failure
Procedure for Facepiece Failure
Call Mayday and follow the Mayday Procedures.
Attempt to cover the possible crack or break in the facepiece.
Reset the Air Saver Switch or the Don/Doff Switch to stop the air
rushing out of the mask.
If needed, use the Purge Valve.

83

Emergency Procedures
Out of Air
Your first indication of low air is your Viberalert Alarm. It
alarms at 1125 psi or 25% of air left in the cylinder. You still
have 2 to 5 minutes of air left.

Do Not Panic!
Never Rip Your Facepiece Off!
84

Emergency Procedures
Out of Air
Procedure for Out of Air
Call Mayday and follow the Mayday Procedures.

If you run out of air, you have two options.

1. Use buddy breath connection (EBSS) with your partner

and get out.
2. Just Pull the mask slightly off your face to relieve the
collapsing face piece and get out!
Get as low to the ground as possible so you can
breath and the hood that is surrounding the face
piece will filter the smoke that you breath in.
85

Emergency Procedures
Conserving Air
During emergency operations, you will be using the air
in your SCBA. When you use about 75% (1/4 tank or
about 1125 psi) of your air supply, your regulator will
start vibrating to notify you your air supply is getting
low.
When this happens, you will need to start evacuating
yourself/team out of the area.

86

Emergency Procedures
Conserving Air
Procedures
Reset the Air Saver Switch or the Don/Doff Switch
Call Mayday and follow the Mayday Procedures.
Slowly open and close the purge valve to allow air flow to
the facepiece.
Take a deep breath of air and hold your breath for 5 seconds.
Repeat the process until you are out of the building/IDLH
environment.

87

Emergency Procedures
Emergency Breathing Support System (EBSS)
SCBAs are equipped with the EBSS. It is located next to the
remote gauge/PASS device.
If you are working during an incident and you find a firefighter
down and the SCBA is empty, you can quickly connect their
regulator to your SCBA. It basically allows two people to use
the air off of one pack at the same time for emergency
evacuation purposes only.

88

Emergency Procedures
Procedure for Using
the EBSS
Both fire fighters shall
be in close proximity.
Unsnap the EBSS
airline Hold Down
Strap and remove the
dust cap.

89

Emergency Procedures
Procedure for Using
the EBSS
Disconnect the lowpressure regulator hose
at the quick-connect of
the empty pack and
quickly re-connect it to
the pack with air. The
HUD will not work on
the 2nd fire fighter, it
does not have a HUD
connector on the EBSS
line.
90

Emergency Procedures
Procedure for Using the EBSS
Coordinate movements, there is only a few feet of hose, as
you evacuate yourselves from the building/IDLH
environment.

91

Emergency Procedures
Personal Alert Safety System (PASS)
An electronic device that sounds a loud audible signal
if a fire fighter is motionless for a set time period or if
activated manually by the fire fighter.
Located with the remote gauge

Motionless for 20 sec pre-alarm

Motionless for 30 sec full alarm

92

Emergency Procedures

Manual
Alarm
Button

Warning
Light
Green Light Normal
Red Light Warning

93

Review
General Order on Respiratory Protection
AV-3000 Facepiece
E-Z FLO Regulator
Pack Components
Inspection of the SCBA and Facepiece
Operating the SCBA
Emergency Procedures
Donning and Doffing the SCBA
94

Summary
Given the SCBA Training and Refresher Course, the
student will be able to:
Describe the training requirements for SCBA in
General Order 08-17
Identify the different parts of the SCBA
Scott AV-3000 Facepiece
Scott E-Z FLO Regulator
Scott Pack

Describe how to inspect the Scott Pak SCBA and AV-3000

Facepiece
Describe the operation the Scott Pak SCBA
Describe the emergency procedures for the SCBA
Demonstrate don and doffing of the PPE and SCBA
95

Practical Session
Equipment needed:
PPE
SCBA
AV-3000 Facepiece with Regualtor

96

Practical Session
Demonstrate
Inspecting the SCBA
Donning PPE
Donning SCBA
From a Seat-Mounted Bracket
Using the Over-the-Head Method
Using the Coat Method

Donning a Facepiece
Activating your PASS
97