After an extensive testing and review process of leading self-contained
breathing apparatus (SCBA), Hoodland Fire District (HFD) has added new
SCBA’s that offer improvements in ease-of-use and ergonomics through a
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Assistance to Firefighters
Grant (AFG).

“The new SCBAs have better visibility,” HFD Lieutenant/Paramedic Evan Jarvis
said. “The mask doesn’t feel as heavy. They’re a lot more comfortable and
easier to wear.”

The fire district was awarded the FEMA grant in August 2021 for the
replacement of all the district’s SCBAs. The grants are offered by FEMA every
year since 2001 to provide funding for “critically needed resources necessary
for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related
hazards.”

“An SCBA is worn any time we’re working in a IDOH (In Danger of Hazard)
environment,” HFD Division Chief/Fire Marshal/Paramedic Scott Kline said.
These critical pieces of protective gear were last upgraded in 2008 and met
2007 standards at the time. The SCBA’s are evaluated for safe use based on
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and become obsolete
after approximately 15 years of usage.

“After 2022 (the district’s previous SCBAs) would not meet the safety
standard set forth by the NFPA,” Kline said.

The district acquired the new SCBAs, produced by the company MSA Safety,
in August and began utilizing the new protective gear in November after a
two-month training period.

The training period assured that paid and volunteer staff would be adequately
familiarized with the differences of the new equipment before having to use
them at a major fire event.

“If something happens to the new packs, we wanted to be prepared to fix the
issue,” Jarvis said.

A SCBA consists of a facemask, backpack, straps and an air bottle. A
significant change with the new units is that the voice box and Bluetooth
electronics used for communicating in the field have been shifted from the
mask to the pack, which reduces the weight and strain on the firefighter’s
head.

“The (new) pack is heavier than the old one but feels lighter due to improved
ergonomics,” Jarvis said.

The new packs also have an adjustable lumbar plate to improve comfort for
different height users.

“This is a great feature because firefighters come in all sizes,” HFD Senior
Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Nicholson said.
The air bottles are now attached by quarter-turn quick-connect as opposed to
a threaded attachment.

“This is a huge improvement that we really like,” Jarvis said.

He added that the quick-connect will allow firefighters to reduce the time
needed to switch out the air bottles during a major fire.

The district tested three leading brands of SCBAs during the selection process.
Paid staff and volunteers drilled with the gear and then submitted reviews
based on a grading system which was then tallied to assure an objective
process.

The MSA SCBAs substantially won the grading system review process. The
packs also received positive review from neighboring fire districts that were
previously using the gear.

The grant money will enable the district to purchase 31 masks and packs, 62
refillable bottles and ten extra masks.

More information about the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant program is
available online at https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters.
Hoodland Fire District can be contacted by email at
hoodland@hoodlandfire.org or online at https://www.hoodlandfire.us/.