Air Management 1 Running head: ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO INDIVIDUAL AIR MANAGEMENT Alternative approaches to individual air management in the fire service William Perez East Hartford Fire Department East Hartford, Connecticut Air Management 2 CERTIFICATION STATEMENT I hereby certify that this paper constitutes my own product, that where the language of others is set forth, quotation marks so indicate, and that appropriate credit is given where I have used the language, ideas, expressions, or writing of another. Signed:________________________________________ Air Management 3 Abstract The problem was that the East Hartford Fire Department (EHFD) did not have an individual air management program in place to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) individual air management standards and to help decrease the risk of firefighter injuries, illness, or deaths during emergency operations. The purpose of this research was to identify alternatives for complying with NFPA individual air management standards and to assist with the prevention of firefighter injuries, illnesses or deaths during emergency operations. This descriptive research project was designed to answer the following questions: What current air management technologies are available or are being used by other fire departments to reduce the risk of firefighter injuries, illnesses, or death during emergency operations? What regulations, recognized standards, and other fire department policies should be referenced when establishing an air management program? What are the essential elements of a successful air management program? How have implemented air management programs in other fire departments affected the number of firefighter injuries, illness or deaths during emergency operations? A literature review was conducted prior to the start of the project. The procedures used to carry out the research included a questionnaire, personal interviews and telephone interviews. While a variety of new individual air management techniques and technologies are available which may potentially save firefighters lives, the results of this research showed that most fire departments have not established air managements programs. Following this research, recommendations included creating an individual air management committee to establish a plan to develop a new individual air management program. It was further recommended to invest in new individual air management technologies. Air Management 4 Table of Contents PAGE Certification Statement----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Abstract---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Table of Contents------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Background and Significance---------------------------------------------------------------- 6 Literature Review------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 Procedures---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19 Results-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21 Discussion---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27 Recommendations------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 29 References---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31 APPENDICES Appendix A: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36 Appendix B: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40 Appendix C: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 41 Appendix D: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42 Appendix E: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 43 Appendix F: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 44 Appendix G: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 45 Appendix H: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 46 Air Management 5 Alternative Approaches to Individual Air Management in the Fire Service In the United States, over one hundred firefighters die annually while on duty. The third leading cause of firefighter death on the fireground is asphyxiation (USFA, 2009). Firefighters typically either get lost or simply run out of air. In addition to this, firefighters also have a two to four times greater likelihood of contracting different types of cancer or many other illnesses and poisonings compared to the general population (Gagliano, Phillips, Jose, and Bernocco, 2006). In recognition of this problem, the NFPA has updated many of its standards to increase firefighter safety. Particularly, NFPA 1404 Standard for Fire Service Respiratory Protection Training (2006) mandates fire departments train in an individual air management program. NFPA 1981 Standard on Open-Circuit Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) (2007) for emergency services adds mandatory upgrades and new technology that supports firefighter safety. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also have respiratory use regulations which are enforced as law in the State of Connecticut (OSHA,2009a). The fire service is not alone when dealing with air management. Self contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) divers and underground miners are also dealing with similar safety issues. Miners are trained with a different set of guidelines because they do not always work in atmospheres that are immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH). SCUBA divers are subjected to IDLH atmospheres immediately upon entering the water and from their initial training forward, the SCUBA diving culture regards the significance of air management differently than the fire service (Gagliano et al. 2006). The problem is that the EHFD does not have an individual air management program in place to meet NFPA individual air management standards and to help decrease the risk of firefighter injuries, illness, or deaths during emergency operations. The purpose of this research Air Management 6 is to identify alternatives for complying with NFPA individual air management standards and to decrease the risk of firefighter injuries, illness or death during emergency operations. This applied research project (ARP) will use the descriptive research method and will rely on questionnaires, personal interviews, document review and data analysis and will help answer the following questions: What current air management technologies are available or are being used by other fire departments to reduce the risk of firefighter injuries, illnesses, or death during emergency operations? What regulations, recognized standards, and other fire department policies should be referenced when establishing an air management program? What are the essential elements of a successful air management program? How have implemented air management programs in other fire departments effected the number of firefighter injuries, illness or deaths during emergency operations? The results of this ARP will be of great value to the EHFD as it implements new air management practices, and can be useful to other fire departments in the planning process and implementation of policies regarding individual air management. Background and Significance The Town of East Hartford is located in the North Central region of Connecticut. It has an evening residential population of approximately 50,000 and a daytime residential and transient population of approximately 70,000 (Connecticut Emergency Resource Center, 2009). East Hartford is separated from the capital city of Hartford by the Connecticut River and is part of the Capital Region that has an ethnically diverse population of approximately 1.2 million. East Hartford was incorporated in 1783 with mainly an agrarian based economy. The present economy is based primarily on aeronautical technology and industry. The town was enjoying a high rate of growth in commercial and residential construction until the recent Air Management 7 downturn in the economy. The town government operates with a strong mayor form of government and a town council that has historically supported public safety agencies. Within the town there are many different types of building structures. Approximately 31.4% of the housing was built prior to 1950 and typically of balloon frame construction (Connecticut Emergency Resource Center, 2009). East Hartford has a combination of single family, multi-family and large apartment buildings containing hundreds of units. The town has high rise buildings, many small to extremely large commercial buildings, railroad freight yards, interstate highways and large waterways including the Connecticut River. The EHFD was organized in 1889 and began with three fire stations and 120 volunteers. The fire department completed the transition to an all paid career force in 1940 (The Connecticut Fire Museum, 2006). Today, the fire department is comprised of 130 career firefighters and six civilian support personnel. The department operates from five fire stations and an apparatus maintenance shop. The EHFD deploys five paramedic engine companies,