Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Today’s Tip is for firefighters and it’s about the importance of checking your gear.
Do you know what happened to your gear the last time you wore it? Did you snag your pantleg on something? Maybe some hot embers fell on your coat and burned a hole through the outer shell. Maybe the sole of your turnout boot is starting to separate.
Damage can easily occur. And you don’t want to enter an I-D-L-H environment with damaged equipment. But if you don’t thoroughly check your equipment, how will you know?
What about your SCBA? What happened the last time it was used by you or someone else? Did the last person refill the cylinder? Did they have a problem with the PASS? Maybe something wasn’t quite right with the regulator.
Don’t just check your SCBA on the truck. Check it on your back. This will help you stay oriented to the location of the regulator and PASS device. In case you need them in an emergency.
When you perform your operational checks, verify that the pressure gauge on your cylinder and breathing apparatus is displaying the correct pressures.
Check the functions of your PASS device. Make sure it functions as designed and activates when you are motionless. Wait until the alert is in full alarm before you reset it. Verify that your PASS device activates manually and resets after the test.
Take the time to check your equipment. The seconds it takes will be well worth it.
And that’s Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Gordon Graham signing off.
