Firefighter air Vs Scuba Air

[icechip]

We have used the local FD (one of our dive buddies is an EMT for them). Back in the 1980s when I first got certified, local FDs were one of the main sources for divers.

 

[ps444mike]

I was doing work at a fire dept.. an they offered to fill my tank .. an we started talking an they fill there carbon fiber tanks to about 4300 psi.. I was like wow that would be a great fill. never did get my tank filled..

 

[runsongas]

if the local FD pumps grade D instead of grade E, it can cause rusting with steel tanks as there is no dewpoint req on grade D. SCBA doesn't matter as much since almost all bottles are CF these days.

 

[tbone1004]

if the local FD pumps grade D instead of grade E, it can cause rusting with steel tanks as there is no dewpoint req on grade D. SCBA doesn't matter as much since almost all bottles are CF these days.

Most of the newer compressors are putting out E despite the spun CF bottles. The inside of those CF tanks are still aluminum though, not composite. The composite is just the outer wrapping, pretty similar to the braided hoses we use actually

 

[PoolsOpen]

A lot of Fire Depts have dive teams so they can fill SCUBA without any adaptors.
Some will not fill civilian SCUBA tanks.

If u need to buy an adaptor find out what kind/brand of bottles they use.

For example the new Scott packs that we were recently issued have no threads at all on the SCBA bottles

 

[aviator8]

If the Fire Dept had a public safety dive team they most likely fill from the same compressor but best to ask or test the air. Do get permission, you don't want your son getting in trouble over saving a few bucks on fills.

 

[Bowers]

I fill several times a week at the department i work at. Air is grade E (and im allowed to use my nitrox stick there too!). We keep an adapter in the shelf next to the tank for scba to yoke. My department lets me fill because I work there but i doubt they’d let just anybody come in and get a fill.. but if you know someone on the inside...

 

[rcontrera]

Modern firefighter compressors will put out grade E air even though OSHA only requires grade D. Fill adapters are easy to make. Just use a SCBA fill fitting and slap a yoke or DIN scuba on it. And, if you are going to the fire department for air, make sure you get permission from the station chief and not just one of the fire fighters. I know of a fire fighter that lost his job for allowing his friends to get scuba fills.

 

[nadwidny]

I used to work at a lab for 6 years that did this sort of testing. I can't remember a single FD failing the Canadian standard (CSA 275 for diving quality, Z180 for land based). Dive shops, not so much.

BTW Grade D and Grade E are crap standards. My favourite saying (that I have posted here before) is that my bicycle hand pump can make Grade D or E.

My own compressors ( I used to have 2, now I have 1) put out OCA with just normal filtering. No hyper-filtering nonsense.

 

[rcontrera]

Fire fighter systems have a service routine that they stick to. My local fire station has the system checked every 6 weeks whether it has been run or not. I know of dive stores that rarely change their oil or filters because of a "I dive with this air and it is just fine" attitude. Basically, they are cheap and don't really care. I love the dive stores that pay attention to my "change your oil and filters" nagging. Yes, I make a few bucks selling filters and oil. But more importantly, the store has customers that stick around instead of leaving because of stinky air.