Sperian Fire Joins Select SCBA Group
By Lyn Bixby

Sperian Fire last month became the fourth manufacturer of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to be certified under what the company described as the most demanding SCBA tests in the history of the National Fire Protection Association.

Sperian joined Mine Safety Appliances (MSA), Scott Health & Safety and Avon-ISI in a rather select group producing units that survived a series of harsh heat and water trials devised by the NFPA to improve the reliability of SCBA and their personal alert safety system (PASS) alarms.

One measure of the difficulty of the tests is that six months after new 2007 NFPA standards for SCBA took effect on Sept. 1, the company that sells the most units worldwide – Dräger Safety – had not been able to achieve certification.

“We are in the final phases of testing,” said Shelli Cosmides, Dräger’s marketing communications manager, who declined to discuss the matter further.

Two NFPA standards are involved – NFPA 1981, which regulates SCBA, and NFPA 1982, which governs PASS alarms. By all accounts, the PASS tests are the most severe.

Interspiro, Inc., was the first company to be certified under the 2007 edition of NFPA 1981. It was notified of its achievement last Aug. 31, according to Interspiro President Mike Brookman. He predicted at the time that the company’s Spiromatic S6 unit would have 2007 NFPA 1982 certification by late October or early November, but as of late February, Interspiro still had not been able to clear that hurdle.

The only other SCBA manufacturer that was previously certified under the 2002 editions of the NFPA standards – Global Secure Corp. – did not submit units for testing under the revised 2007 standards.

Steve Weinstein, Sperian Fire’s senior SCBA product manager, estimated an investment of $5 million to $10 million was required for an SCBA manufacturer to design and build units capable of being certified under the new standards.

Avon-ISI Viking Z Seven Avon-ISI says its 2007 NFPA-certified Z Seven has an easy-to-use control console and a new proprietary wireless electronics package that extends battery life, reduces signal interference and can accommodate future advancements, such as on-board GPS. Other features include: • A 2,000-event data logging system that can be downloaded wirelessly. • A two-piece enclosed back frame that protects the pressure reducer, bell and PASS alarm. • An improved voice amplification system that can be adjusted to one of four levels with the setting automatically retained to help eliminate breathing noise without affecting communications. • An optional SmartLink Display that monitors battery status level, cylinder pressure, temperature, date and time, communications links and other information. For information call 888-474-7233 or go to www.intsafety.com.

Sperian Warrior Sperian says firefighters were at the center of the design process and ergonomics played a key role in the development of its new NFPA-certified Warrior SCBA, leading to unsurpassed comfort, mobility, and dependability. Features include: • A MaxxMotion swivel and pivot mechanism that adapts to individual body contour and size, offering as much as a 20 percent increase in hip flexion when crawling, and up to 30 percent greater trunk mobility when bending over. • Greater neck and head mobility because the air cylinder is positioned lower on the body. • The first stage regulator, central power source, PASS audible and visual alarms, low air and battery alarms are all integrated into the Air-Pod backpack, eliminating dangerous catch points. • The backpack has three carrying handles and carabiner holes for emergency extrication. • A central power source uses four C batteries to power the IntelliPASS PASS device, visual alarms, battery status indicator, HUD and optional Sperian Pathfinder firefighter locating system. • A re-engineered PASS device with an analog gauge, two PASS audible and visual alarms on the front and the back of the SCBA and a data logging function. • Options include a Voice Amplification System, a wireless Radio Communication System, a Digital Dashboard LCD HUD, a SpeedChange Cylinder System and a Pathfinder Firefighter Locator System. For information, call 714-427-5320 or go to www.sperianfire.com.

MSA FireHawk M7 MSA says its new NFPA-certified FireHawk M7 Air Mask, the first SCBA to receive full NFPA approval, has high-temperature (500 degrees Fahrenheit) PASS alarm performance, water immersion protection and tumble-tested, and virtually bullet-proof electronics. Features include: • A high-performance mechanical speech diaphragm with an electronic amplifier to back it up. • A personal wireless network designed to accept future technology upgrades. • A wireless heads-up display with auto-dim and buddy light. • A lightweight polymer back plate with quick-release harness straps, an optional large swiveling lumbar pad and an error-proof cam-lock cylinder attachment. • An optional rescue belt integrated rappelling system. For information, call 1-877-MSA-FIRE or go to www.MSAFire.com.

Scott Air-Pak 75 And NxG7 Scott says its new NFPA-certified Air-Pak 75, named in honor of the company’s 75th anniversary, has its easy breathing E-Z Flo regulator, heads-up display integrated electronics, an array of cylinder options and CBRN approval. Features include: • A redesigned 30-degree angled gauge console with a built-in edge light that allows a firefighter to better view remaining air pressure using a mechanical gauge that does not rely on electronics. • A drag rescue loop and integrated handles on the back frame for easier donning and carrying of the unit. • A modified heads-up display that includes a photo sensing diode to adjust brightness depending on the ambient light source. • Improved battery management with one source for battery power. Scott says its NxG7, which is also NFPA-certified, is similar to the Air-Pak 75, except the NxG7 is equipped with a Snap-Change cylinder connection that eliminates the high-pressure hose. The Snap-Change fitting was developed in response to requests from firefighters for a quicker, easier way to change cylinders. Scott says the fitting relocates the pressure reducer and lowers the center of gravity, lightening load-bearing weight on the shoulders. For information, call 800-247-7257 or go to www.scotthealthsafety.com.

For Sperian, formerly known as Survivair, last month’s certification was the culmination of a three-year effort that involved a complete redesign of every aspect of the company’s SCBA, except the facepiece.

The most significant change in Sperian’s new unit – the Warrior – is what Weinstein described as “the whole integration concept, integrating major components into the backpack rather than having them external to the backpack to protect the components and to reduce or eliminate snag or catch points.”

Reliability Of Electronics
Protecting electronic components and saving firefighters’ lives was the major incentive behind the 2007 NFPA revisions of the SCBA and PASS standards because investigations of firefighter deaths had raised questions about the reliability of PASS alarms.

“The issue of reliability in the last five years or so has not been mechanical parts, it has been primarily electronic components,” Weinstein said. “There were two major failure issues that confronted every SCBA manufacturer. One is reliability of electronics in high heat environments, and the other is water intrusion into electronic component compartments.”

The new tests required by the revised NFPA standards are designed to insure that electronic components will be more dependable in fire conditions. The one regarded as the most difficult is known as the heat and dunk test, which is run on both the SCBA and the PASS device.

During that test, a unit is put into a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes before being removed and immersed in water for 15 minutes. The unit is then put back into the oven, and the cycle is repeated six times.

“That cost a lot of SCBA manufacturers an awful lot of money to try to figure out how to meet those performance requirements,” Weinstein said.

Another tough test involves putting the PASS device into a 500-degree oven for 15 minutes. “That extra 150 degrees makes a big difference,” he said. “You have to figure out how to protect those components from that heat for 15 minutes, and it’s not that easy.”

He said NFPA definitely achieved its objective of making SCBA and PASS alarms more reliable with the new tests. Many fire departments, according to the manufacturers, postponed SCBA purchases to wait for units that would be certified to the new standards.

During the six months since the new NFPA standards took effect, Weinstein said, Sperian built up a sizeable backlog of orders for 2007-certified SCBA units and should begin shipping them in April.

Sperian’s certification puts it in the running to compete for one of the largest SCBA fire department orders ever. A consortium of more than 30 departments in the Los Angeles area has been preparing a request for proposals for the purchase of roughly 5,000 units.

A number of other fire departments in metropolitan areas around the U.S. are also preparing to make large SCBA purchases, ranging in size from 300 to 800 units, among them Phoenix, Ariz., Palm Beach County, Fla., Chesapeake, Va., and Anchorage, Ala.

The southern California consortium order is expected to generate intense price competition among SCBA manufacturers and could challenge the production capabilities of the company that wins the bid.

Avon-ISI, which had its Viking Z Seven unit fully certified in October, will be submitting a proposal, according to Ernie Younkins, the company’s SCBA product manager.

“Somebody will give it away for the honor of having L.A.,” he said. “I don’t think it will be us, because we’re not going to give it away… I’m not sure what that brings you. It’s great advertising, but it’s also very expensive advertising.”

While the list price of a new SCBA unit can surpass $10,000 with options, the concept of a manufacturer giving SCBA away is not so implausible.

An Interesting Offer
Donald Frazeur, an assistant chief in the city of Los Angeles Fire Department, said that was the impetus that led to formation of the southern California consortium. He said he was approached two years ago by a manufacturer’s representative who offered to give SCBA to the department as long as it would be willing to pay for necessary repairs.

“I thought, well that’s a pretty interesting offer,” Frazeur recalled, “but for me to actually consider that, I’d still have to bid it because there may be somebody else who’ll give me a better offer.”

While LAFD was developing bid specifications, it became clear that NFPA standards were going to undergo major revisions that would lead to significantly improved SCBA. So the request for proposals was delayed, and the consortium was formed, in part to improve chances to get some federal grant funding for the purchase by enhancing interoperability in the region.

Production Headaches
The request for proposals was scheduled to go out in late February, and bids are scheduled to be opened in April, according to Frazeur. While the exact number of SCBA units that will be ordered has not been set, he said the company that wins the contract is expected to be able to deliver them within four months, and it could be more than 5,000.

“It means they are going to be producing for us almost exclusively for a while,” he said.

And that means the manufacturer would have to find some way to meet the needs of other customers at the same time. “It’s kind of hard to do,” said Younkins, the SCBA product manager at Avon-ISI. “It would be hard to do for anybody out there.”

Weinstein agreed huge orders can cause production headaches for manufacturers, but he said, “It’s the kind of problem we’d love to have to face.”