Chapter 3 Glossary: Personal Protective Equipment And Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus

Front 1

Air cylinder

Back 1

The component of the SCBA that stores the compressed air supply.

Front 2

Air line

Back 2

The hose through which air flows, either within an SCBA or from an outside source to a supplied air respirator.

Front 3

Backpack

Back 3

The harness of the SCBA, which supports the components worn by a fire fighter.

Front 4

Buddy system

Back 4

A system in which two fire fighters always work as a team for safety purposes.

Front 5

Bunker coat

Back 5

The protective coat worn by a fire fighter for interior structural fire fighting; also called a turrnout coat.

Front 6

Bunker pants

Back 6

The protective trousers worn by a fire fighter for interior structural fire fighting; also called turnout pants.

Front 7

Carbon monoxide (CO)

Back 7

A toxic gas produced through incomplete combustion.

Front 8

Carcinogen

Back 8

A cancer-causing substance that is identified in one of several published lists, including, but not limited to, NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Hazardous Chemicals Desk Reference, and the ACGIH 2007 TLVs and BEIs . (NFPA 1851)

Front 9

Cascade system

Back 9

A method of piping air tanks together to allow air to be supplied to the SCBA fill station using a progressive selection of tanks, each with a higher pressure level. (NFPA 1901)

Front 10

Closed-circuit breathing apparatus

Back 10

SCBA designed to recycle the user’s exhaled air. This system removes carbon dioxide and generates fresh oxygen.

Front 11

Compressor

Back 11

A device used for increasing the pressure and density of a gas. (NFPA 853)

Front 12

Doff

Back 12

To take off an item of clothing or equipment.

Front 13

Don

Back 13

To put on an item of clothing or equipment.

Front 14

Dual-path pressure reducer

Back 14

A feature that automatically provides a backup method for air to be supplied to the regulator of an SCBA if the primary passage malfunctions.

Front 15

End-of-service-time-indicator (EOSTI)

Back 15

A warning device on a SCBA that alerts the user that the end of the breathing air is approaching.

Front 16

Face piece

Back 16

A component of SCBA that fits over the face.

Front 17

Fire helmet

Back 17

Protective head covering worn by fire fighters to protect the head from falling objects, blunt trauma, and heat.

Front 18

Hand light

Back 18

A small, portable light carried by fire fighters to improve visibility at emergency scenes; it is often powered by rechargeable batteries.

Front 19

Heads-up display

Back 19

A visual display of information and system conditions status that is visible to the wearer of the SCBA.

Front 20

Hydrogen cyanide

Back 20

A toxic gas produced by the combustion of materials containing cyanide.

Front 21

Hydrostatic testing

Back 21

Pressure testing of the extinguisher to verify its strength against unwanted rupture. (NFPA 10)

Front 22

Immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)

Back 22

Any condition that would pose an immediate or delayed threat to life, cause irreversible adverse health effects, or interfere with an individual’s ability to escape unaided from a hazardous environment. (NFPA 1670, 2004)

Front 23

Incomplete combustion

Back 23

A burning process in which the fuel is not completely consumed, usually due to a limited supply of oxygen.

Front 24

Kevlar®

Back 24

A strong synthetic material used in the construction of protective clothing and equipment.

Front 25

Light-emitting diode (LED)

Back 25

An electronic semiconductor that emits a single-color light when activated.

Front 26

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Back 26

The U.S. federal agency responsible for research and development on occupational safety and health issues.

Front 27

Nomex®

Back 27

A fire-resistant synthetic material used in the construction of personal protective equipment for fire fighting.

Front 28

Nose cups

Back 28

An insert inside the face piece of an SCBA that fits over the user’s mouth and nose.

Front 29

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Back 29

The U.S. federal agency that regulates worker safety and, in some cases, responder safety. It is part of the U.S. Department of Labor.

Front 30

Open-circuit breathing apparatus

Back 30

SCBA in which the exhaled air is released into the atmosphere and is not reused.

Front 31

Oxygen deficiency

Back 31

Any atmosphere where the oxygen level is less than 19.5 percent. Low oxygen levels can have serious effects on people, including adverse reactions such as poor judgment and lack of muscle control.

Front 32

PBI®

Back 32

A fire-retardant synthetic material used in the construction of personal protective equipment.

Front 33

Personal alert safety system (PASS)

Back 33

A device that continually monitors for lack of movement of the wearer and, if no movement is detected, automatically activates an alarm signal indicating the wearer is in need of assistance. The device can also be manually activated to trigger the alarm signal. (NFPA 1982)

Front 34

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Back 34

The basic protective equipment for wildland fire suppression includes a helmet, protective footwear, gloves, and flame resistant clothing as defined in NFPA 1977, Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting . (NFPA 1051)

Front 35

Personnel accountability system

Back 35

A system that readily identifies both the locations and the functions of all members operating at an incident scene. (NFPA 1500)

Front 36

Phosgene

Back 36

A chemical agent that causes severe pulmonary damage; it is a by-product of incomplete combustion.

Front 37

Pounds per square inch (psi)

Back 37

The standard unit for measuring pressure.

Front 38

Pressure gauge

Back 38

A device that measures and displays pressure readings. In an SCBA, the pressure gauges indicate the quantity of breathing air that is available at any time.

Front 39

Protective hood

Back 39

A part of a fire fighter’s personal protective equipment that is designed to be worn over the head and under the helmet; it provides thermal protection for the neck and ears.

Front 40

Rapid intervention crew/company universal air connection (RIC UAC)

Back 40

A system that allows emergency replenishment of breathing air to the SCBA of disabled or entrapped fi re or emergency services personnel. (NFPA 1981)

Front 41

Rehabilitation

Back 41

An intervention designed to mitigate against the physical, physiological, and emotional stress of fire fighting so as to sustain a fire fighter’s energy, improve performance, and decrease the likelihood of on-scene injury or death. (NFPA 1521)

Front 42

Respirator

Back 42

A device that provides respiratory protection for the wearer. (NFPA 1994)

Front 43

SCBA harness

Back 43

The part of SCBA that allows fire fighters to wear it as a “backpack.”

Front 44

SCBA regulator

Back 44

The part of the SCBA that reduces the high pressure in the cylinder to a usable lower pressure and controls the flow of air to the user.

Front 45

Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)

Back 45

A respirator with an independent air supply that is used by fire fighters to enter toxic or otherwise dangerous atmospheres.

Front 46

Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA)

Back 46

A respirator with an independent air supply that is used by underwater divers.

Front 47

Smoke particles

Back 47

Airborne solid materials consisting of ash and unburned or partially burned fuel released by a fire.

Front 48

Supplied-air respirator (SAR)

Back 48

An atmosphere-supplying respirator for which the source of breathing air is not designed to be carried by the user. (NFPA 1404)

Front 49

Turnout coat

Back 49

Protective coat that is part of a protective clothing ensemble for structural fire fighting; also called a bunker coat.

Front 50

Turnout pants

Back 50

Protective trousers that are part of a protective clothing ensemble for structural fire fighting; also called bunker pants.

Front 51

Two-way radio

Back 51

A portable communication device used by fire fighters. Every fire fighting team should carry at least one radio to communicate distress, progress, changes in fire conditions, and other pertinent information.

Front 52

Universal air connection

Back 52

The male fitting, affixed to the SCBA, and the female fitting, affixed to the filling hose, to provide emergency replenishment of breathing air to an SCBA breathing air cylinder. Also known as rapid intervention crew/company universal air connection. (NFPA 1981)