BA Flashcards
Cylinder what is it made out off?
Aluminium flask,
Carbon fibre wrapped & covered in a protective lacquer
How many litres of air does the Cylinder hold l?
1854 litres of air
How many litres of liquid does the Cylinder hold?
6.8 litres of liquid
What bar is the cylinder charged to?
300 bar pressure
What are the 3 operational durations?
Full duration
Working duration
Safety margin
When does the low pressure warning whistle activates?
At 55 + or - 5 bar
How long if movement is not detected does the pre-alarm sound?
21-25 seconds
The pre alarm is cancelled of movement is detected within a further how many seconds?
8 seconds
If movement is not detected after 8 seconds of the pre alarm-sound then what will happen?
The Full alarm will sound and
The two blue and red Lead’s will flash
General check is made up of 5 elements which are:
- Visual inspection
- High pressure leak test / low pressure warning device test
- ADSU/DSU test
- Facemask seak test
- Recording of the test in the BA log book
Internal firefighting
There are four key areas that have the potential to cause harm during internal firefighting:
Construction and design of aircraft
Contents and use of the aircraft
The night of the fire and operational tasks.
Working and environmental conditions
Circumstances leading to an internal aircraft fire?
External fire
Combustible materials inside the aircraft cabin
Electrical fault
Intentional
Cargo or baggage
Crews committed to fight fires inside an aircraft are likely to face the following;
Dense toxic smoke
Extreme levels of heat and humidity
Casualties
Entanglement hazards
Collapse of interior fittings
Considerations for internal aircraft fire fighting?
Location and severity of the fire
Are persons reported, how many and last known location
Equipment and PPE/RPE selection
Offensive or defensive firefighting techniques
Gaining entry
Eliminating, controlling, preventing flash over or backdraft
Water sprays or jets
Extinguishing agent being applied
Decontamination of contaminated personal
Wind direction - avoid the blowtorch effect
Classes of fire?
Class A - Carbonaceous
Class B - Hydrocarbon
Class C - Gases
Class D - Metals
Class F - Days & Oils
Electrical fires
4 types of Heat Transfer?
Conduction
Convection
Radiation
Direct Burning
How does fire develop?
Initial heat source
Passives absorb heat, once at thermal capacity, become actives.
Actives produce Pyrolysis.
Given an ignition source, pyrolysis vapours ignite thus spreading fire.
BA wearers should indicate they are in distress by contacting ECO via radio and operating the distress signal unit (DSU).
When should such action be taken:
Risk to life or severe injury to any BA wearer (s) in the BA team.
If the BA team feel they cannot evacuate safely from the incident by their own unaided efforts.
It they are unable to trace their route to their exist point.
In a BA Emergency the BA wearer / team leader should consider what?
Gauge checks
Inform the entry control point (ECP), stating the phase ‘BA Emergency’
Where possible retrace steps up the ECP
Carry out a risk assessment and decide whether it is appropriate to remain at current location or to locate to a safe waiting area
Establish communication with the ECP and inform them of the situation, current location and intensions
If unable to retrace your steps to the exit, locate an alternative exit.
Where appropriate, adopt ‘entrapped procedure’ to conserve air whilst awaiting rescue.
Operate the DSU of any person’s affected
Entrapped procedure
Contact the ECP
Operate DSU
Relax as much as possible
Breathe calmly to minimise air usage
When should an ECO call a BA Emergency
BA team not at ECP by indicated time of whistle.
DSU activation/ sounding
It is clear a dangerous situation is developing which will affect the BA team.
It appears that any BA wearers is in distress.
Prolonged and unexplained breakdown in communications.
At the request of a BA wearer within the risk area.
Minimum requirements for BA emergency team
Minimum of 2 BA wearers for every emergency.
However, the number of wearers of the BA emergency team must be at least equal to that of the largest BA team deployed with the risk area from that ECP.
BA Emergency team call sign will indemnify the ECP and their status e g
Alpha Emergency 1 or Alpha Emergency 2
BA emergency team equipment
Radio communication
The EASE, to provide supplementary air
TIC
Any other specialist equipment provided for this purpose e.g breaking in gear
BA emergency team actions on locating distressed BA Wearer
Silence BA Wearer DSU
Obtain verbal confirmation from distressed wearer the the nature of the emergency if possible.
Inform ECP that the distressed wearers have been located..
Take guage readings of distressed wearers and BA Emergency team
Render any on scene assistance as required
Following an assessment of risk, determine and implement a safe Action plan to remove distressed wearers from the risk area.
A set removal is to be done only in cases of fire emergency.
2 examples are
Where a firefighter is entrapped and the dangers are to great to await Rescue.
Where an urgent rescue has to be effected and the circumstances do not allow time to await the arrival of airline or other specialist equipment.
Procedure for partial set removal
Carri out a DRA ( dynamic risk assessment) of the confined space
Guage check
Inform ECO of situation and lowest gauge pressure
Remove set
Proceed through obstacle, feet first if cannot see through/ conditions
Replace set
Guage check.
Communicate actions and findings to the other BA wearers
Inform ECO once all BA team are through obstacle
Heat loss
What are the 4 main mechanisms by which the body loses heat?
Radiation (surface temperature) 50%
Convection (passage of air) 25%
Vaporisation (lungs) 15%
Evaporation (sweating) 10%
3 separate headings in which heat stress may be classified under
Heat exhaustion.
Heat induced faint.
Heat stroke
Heat exhaustion treatment
Remove to a cooler environment
Radial cool
Rest in a recumbent position
Administer a water it saline solution.
In severe cases, remove for hospital treatment
Heat induced faint treatment
Remove to cooler environment
For impending faint sit upright on the floor, with head and shoulders bent forwards towards knees.
For full faint - lie casualty down, with legs and head slightly elevated .
After recovery the casualty must not re-enter the hot atmosphere for several hours.
In severe cases remove for hospital treatment.
Heat stroke treatment
Must be treated urgently
Remove clothing
Cover body in wet towels/ water spray/ ice water baths
Massage to promote circulation
Rapidly fan the body
Remove to hospital at the earliest opportunity
Radial cooling
Remove BA Set, flashood and tunic
Submerge hands and wrists into cold bucket of water
For every 10 minutes of submersion,the body will drop by 1°C
What are the 3 stages of positive pressure ventilation:
Stage 1: after fire extinction
Stage 2: after control but before fire extinction
Stage 3: after the arrival of the fire service but before control is achieved
