TULSA, Okla. — Following the failure of a firefighter’s breathing apparatus in 2011, the Tulsa Fire Department has dismantled and examined more than 400 of its SCBA units.
Officials from the department say the equipment is aging and doing this maintenance and repair work will help the department get by until more money is saved to buy new SCBA, according to Tulsa World.
The process of dismantling and examining began a year ago after Firefighter James O’Neal had to be pulled out of a burning home unconscious New Year’s Eve 2011.
Firefighter O’Neal’s mask had reportedly been filled with smoke. After the incident, he spent weeks in the hospital before returning to duty.
The SCBA that Firefighter O’Neal was wearing was sent for inspection, but no definitive answer was found as to why it malfunctioned.’
Chief of Physical Resources Mike Mallory said that the department took every SCBA unit apart, replace certain parts, clean the device and reassemble them for further testing.
“We did not find any failure or problem with them,” Mallory told the paper. “But what we did find were some other issues that had not been addressed. It led us to improve, do a little quality assurance.”
Although the cleaning process typically takes about three to four months, it has taken the department a year, costing about $100,000.
Capt. Stan May said the department felt that it was worth the cost to ensure the equipment was working properly and to extend its life until new equipment can be purchased, at a cost that would exceed $1 million, he said.
Officials say there are about 15 more SCBAs that need to be cleaned and examined.