Does anyone....

[bowyorang]

get their tanks filled at their local firestation?
Just curious since most stations have their on equipment. The local one around here will fill for free, so I was curious if it's the same.

 

[rawls]

I have never done it, but I am pretty sure you can do it. The fire department would have to have compressors that are designed and meet the standards designated to fill SCBA and SCUBA cylinders. The person responsible for filling them no doubt needs to have the training necessary to fill SCUBA cylinders. The best bet is to use a LDS to get your fills. You need to do your homework however and make absolutely certain the fire dept personnel is trained properly.

 

[spectrum]

Yes there are lucky folks that pull it off. They are usually on staff.

You will probably need to supply the adapter to use the scba whip on a scuba valve.

Most departments won't do it for the public for liability reasons.

The air quality should be perfectly suitable especially for non enriched air cylinders. OSHA requirements often drive more stringent testing that the LDS will do.

So if your's is offering it then go for it.

Pete

 

[Web Monkey]

get their tanks filled at their local firestation?
Just curious since most stations have their on equipment. The local one around here will fill for free, so I was curious if it's the same.

This comes up every month or so. A quick search will give you hours of reading.

The short answer is this:

You may or may not be able to get free air at the fire station. For some reason, they have an aversion to being sued. Unless you're a firefighter, the answer is probably "no". Even if you are a firefighter, the answer may still be "no" if you want to fill your own tanks.

Even if you can get air, it may or may not be suitable for SCUBA, depending on their testing and maintenance requirements. Air that's OK at 1 ATA may not be OK at 3 ATA.

If they'll give you air, and if they have it regularly tested by a lab, and it's clean enough for SCUBA, you're in luck. Otherwise, you'll have to pay a few bucks for a fill, like the rest of the world.

Terry

 

[tc]

The only bad fill I've ever had was off a fire departments air truck. You might want to ask them what interval they change their filters at and how they know when it's time to change them. If the person you're talking to does not know the answers or know how to locate the answers it would probably be best to thank them and run away. Quickly.

 

[bowyorang]

Thanks guys the info.
I already know they will fill them for me (or an around about way, for me). My dad runs some hydro units on the white river and has to dive into them about 50ft for inspections on occassion. He just always uses the fire departments tanks. Since the units are owned by the county they let him use them and the air free of charge.
I am looking to get an air tank of my own soon and just wanted to get your guys opinions of whether their air filling devices are usually the same or not. I asked my LDS about it and they said it wasn't safe because they didn't have some kind of something to make the air dryer, or something. And just wanted to get your guys opinions on it.
Thanks, and I'll find out more about whether they get it inspected and change the filters.
Micah

 

[bowyorang]

...on air tanks?
Can someone tell me what to look for when looking for hydro and visual dates? Also, can you tell when it was made?

 

[Garrobo]

Yes...

 

[Garrobo]

Don't go by what your LDS tells you. He wants your bucks for fills. The big difference will be that a lot of small town fire departments don't have the SCUBA tank adaptor since they usually only fill SCBA tanks. Buy the adaptor (Mine cost about $60.) and you are home free.

 

[PlayaCountryBoy]

Growing up, my Dad would have our tanks filled at the local FD. We've breathed alot of tanks of air from a firehouse in Alabama and never an issue.