Use of Scuba unit for Fire/Haz-Mat Escape

[johndiver999]

captain used my tank and reg and mask to stick his head in the bilge of a boat during an electrical fire. Does that count?

 

[Whitrzac]

Used SCBA are a dime a dozen on cl/marketplace. FDs are all moving to carbon tanks and 4500psi stuff

 

[Waterwulf]

That Creature of the Black lagoon Monster aka diver back then was an acquaintance. He told me his side of it. One of the Deputies at the Southern barricade was a friend of my brothers. That's how I got that side of the story. His SCUBA gear saved his life on dry land. It also almost got him killed. That fact that he was almost shot was not reported in the paper.

My side of that story is pretty odd. I was on my motorcycle on my way home in Fort Walton Beach for the weekend from school . I got to my turn but my bike was no longer under my control. (Don't ask because I don't know!) It just accelerated smoothly up thru the gears and continued straight on Hiway 98, the coast road, an extra 3 hours travel time.

I figured there were things about this world that I don't know about so I just rode my bike the long way home. When I finally got home, three hours later than normal, my Mom was sobbing. I had no idea what had happened but she explained it. I would have ridden right into the Chlorine cloud if I had continued on my regular route. She thought I had because I was so late. I went out to my motorcycle and thanked whatever force took it over for that short time.

 

[Green Frog]

Well, I just read another post about regulators for pony bottles. I didn’t think I had a call for a pony bottle, but now I’m having second thoughts. Oddly enough, the master bedroom is the only room in the house too high to safely drop through a window to the ground.

If I drag out that neglected Aquarius first and an appropriate second, I could look into a little pony bottle at my LDS, and… HMMM

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

That Creature of the Black lagoon Monster aka diver back then was an acquaintance. He told me his side of it. One of the Deputies at the Southern barricade was a friend of my brothers. That's how I got that side of the story. His SCUBA gear saved his life on dry land. It also almost got him killed. That fact that he was almost shot was not reported in the paper.

My side of that story is pretty odd. I was on my motorcycle on my way home in Fort Walton Beach for the weekend from school . I got to my turn but my bike was no longer under my control. (Don't ask because I don't know!) It just accelerated smoothly up thru the gears and continued straight on Hiway 98, the coast road, an extra 3 hours travel time.

I figured there were things about this world that I don't know about so I just rode my bike the long way home. When I finally got home, three hours later than normal, my Mom was sobbing. I had no idea what had happened but she explained it. I would have ridden right into the Chlorine cloud if I had continued on my regular route. She thought I had because I was so late. I went out to my motorcycle and thanked whatever force took it over for that short time.

Waterwulf, I am WITH you ‘Brother’ ….no need to tell you how many opportunities that I was almost ‘Recalled’ and my life was spared. On a motorcycle, not the most practical place to carry a safe ‘air backup’ unless there is a spot to tote a 13 or 19 cu ‘pony‘ and a regulator as well as a compact dive mask. There may be a way or a possible, patentable ‘kit’ ( …if anyone has any ideas…) …I have had other things happen ‘out-of-the-blue’ something just ‘Takes control’ of my actions for no apparent reason, as if I have a ‘guardian angel’ …(and I just may). You may have a ‘purpose’ to fulfill my friend. Keep on ‘keeping on’ and don’t give it a second thought. Me, I have lots to be grateful for. ‘Friends’ are high on my list.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Well, I just read another post about regulators for pony bottles. I didn’t think I had a call for a pony bottle, but now I’m having second thoughts. Oddly enough, the master bedroom is the only room in the house too high to safely drop through a window to the ground.

If I drag out that neglected Aquarius first and an appropriate second, I could look into a little pony bottle at my LDS, and… HMMM

A 13cf or a 19cf are easily carried by hand and a small satchel backpack can be worn to leave user ‘hands-free’..I use my DACOR Olympic 400 w/o gauge or octo. It’s easy to handle in a ‘quick minute’…

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Waterbury,

I have confirmed this event:

This is quite a story, and pretty much verified my evaluation that scuba equipment can be used as an escape from an IDLH environment. He did it, although this article doesn’t name the person. That would be nice to know.

SeaRat

…something to keep in mind. Although no one can plan for a disaster, clear heads can be resourceful enough to employ whatever means it takes for self and possibly others life preservation. I can think of ‘worst case scenarios‘ but if it’s available..(..SCUBA..) why be a ‘statistic’ ?

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Interesting thread! Makes me think something like Spare Air would actually be useful on the 2nd floor of my house. (I don't like it's volume for SCUBA, but I think it'd do to deploy an escape ladder. It's also something my non-diving wife could quickly use.)

Tangential, but about 10 years ago there was an attempted mass shooting on my campus. I was in the loading bay of our building when I got the lockdown message, and the nearest locked room was our little dive locker. (Think 3 dive lockers, a shower, and a large utility sink and one set of storage racks. No windows, and just the one exit door.)

As I hung out there and contemplated what might be going on, my best guess was that the bank on campus got robbed. Again. When the lockdown wasn't ending, I began to wonder if the (non-existent) bank robber might be trying to escape police and was hiding on campus and formulated a plan to defend myself. My primary defense was a SCUBA tank to hurl at the first person to try to get through the door, followed by solid lead weights on a belt that I could use as a flail if needed.

(Sad ending: One student was killed, another severely injured, and a third lightly grazed. The only silver lining was the gunman was an idiot and thought a double-barrel shotgun was a good choice of weapon to kill lots of people, and one barrel was apparently not firing correctly. He got wrestled to the ground by a student worker when re-loading, and then one of the larger professors sat on him.)

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

I was going to ask what size wing you used, but then you had to ruin the joke with your photo.

Speaking of the photo, have you thought about draping an old scuba mask over each tank valve? It would offer some eye protection and, if your wife isn't an experienced diver, maybe keep her from involuntarily inhaling through her nose instead of the reg.

…Whatta novel idea (…however seriously,) my wife actually ‘took’ the first SCUBA class with me in ‘77. She was an excellent ‘Free Diver’ and visited me on some of my dives in open water. However she did not ‘certify’ …I tried ( as well as the instructor ) to get her to certify, but she did not like the ‘hiss’ made by the tank when breathing…she was better than me at ALL of her skills. She just couldn’t tune-out the ‘noise’. We did however go over using MY SCUBA in an emergency. That she could do OK.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Interesting thread! Makes me think something like Spare Air would actually be useful on the 2nd floor of my house. (I don't like it's volume for SCUBA, but I think it'd do to deploy an escape ladder. It's also something my non-diving wife could quickly use.)

Tangential, but about 10 years ago there was an attempted mass shooting on my campus. I was in the loading bay of our building when I got the lockdown message, and the nearest locked room was our little dive locker. (Think 3 dive lockers, a shower, and a large utility sink and one set of storage racks. No windows, and just the one exit door.)

As I hung out there and contemplated what might be going on, my best guess was that the bank on campus got robbed. Again. When the lockdown wasn't ending, I began to wonder if the (non-existent) bank robber might be trying to escape police and was hiding on campus and formulated a plan to defend myself. My primary defense was a SCUBA tank to hurl at the first person to try to get through the door, followed by solid lead weights on a belt that I could use as a flail if needed.

(Sad ending: One student was killed, another severely injured, and a third lightly grazed. The only silver lining was the gunman was an idiot and thought a double-barrel shotgun was a good choice of weapon to kill lots of people, and one barrel was apparently not firing correctly. He got wrestled to the ground by a student worker when re-loading, and then one of the larger professors sat on him.)

…amazing what ‘resources’ can go through your mind in an emergency. Having ‘Training’ and practice really helps. If you see my SB avatar, you will notice me w/Voit mask, my blue Drager DHR that I just successfully rebuilt. I am testing it while walking through and around my house. I was breathing off of my 19cf pony tank ( not visible ) using a custom Sea Hunt harness that is really easy to put on. ( it’s even nicer in the water ) . That is how quickly and efficiently you can get into SCUBA if you really need to. “Not just for breakfast anymore” …back to the subject, self-preservation should be a priority as for you it certainly was…