Respiratory protection accident
The respiratory protection accident is a specific emergency situation in which one or more wearers of respiratory protection equipment are injured.
Respiratory protection accidents at fire brigades
Fire service personnel are repeatedly injured during operations. Respiratory protection deployments are particularly dangerous here, since usually only a very limited number of emergency services perform difficult tasks in an environment that does not lead to damage to health only with the correct use of respiratory protection . Even the "normal" fire operation harbors a multitude of dangers (for example toxic and visual impairing smoke , risk of falling or flash-over risk).
By following the strict regulations for the use of respiratory protection and the basic use of self-contained breathing apparatus, the risk to the respiratory tract is significantly minimized. However, the use itself always harbors the risk of an accident. However, observing the principles of use also minimizes these dangers.
Emergency call
In Germany, in the event of a respiratory protection accident, emergency responders draw attention to themselves by repeating the " Mayday " emergency call several times . As soon as this emergency call is heard, all radio communication must be interrupted. The structure of this emergency call has also been described in fire brigade regulation 7 since 2002 and has since made its way into basic and management training.
Emergency call scheme:
| content | example | |
|---|---|---|
| password | Mayday, Mayday, Mayday | |
| location | Here <troop> <location> |
Here 33-42 attack troop are on the 1st floor |
| Conversation termination | Mayday - come | |
Factors for more security
The following measures are intended to help prevent or mitigate serious accidents:
- Strict adherence to tactical principles and management structures
- Wear appropriate protective clothing with adequate protection (jacket and trousers according to EN 469 or in Germany HuPF clothing according to the manufacturing and test description for universal fire brigade protective clothing (HuPF) ), as well as a flame protection hood
- practical training and further education (e.g. under conditions similar to deployment, behavior in an accident situation (so-called respiratory protection emergency training), fire simulation),
- constant athletic training or exercise
- regular medical checks (in Germany according to G26.III )
- Implementation of respiratory protection monitoring (also during exercises)
- Acquisition and use of dead man's alarms
- Provision and training of suitable security force concepts
In many countries attempts are being made to increase security. However, the ways and views are often different. In Austria, respiratory protection teams usually consist of at least three emergency services, since in the event of an accident one person needs two more to get the accident victim out of the danger area.
However, some accidents have also shown that an accident often affects the entire squad (e.g. the way back is cut off). For this reason, a procedure in a 3-man squad according to the current training and service regulations is rejected, especially since it is definitely doubted whether a 3-man squad actually represents more security.
literature
- Ulrich Cimolino et al. a .: Respiratory protection, 4th edition, Landsberg 2004 (series Einsatzpraxis, ed. by Ulrich Cimolino)
- Ulrich Cimolino et al. a .: Respiratory protection emergency management, 1st edition, Landsberg 2010 (series Einsatzpraxis, ed. by Ulrich Cimolino)
- Lothar Kloß: Emergency and Rescue, 1st edition, Berlin 2006
- Christian Spielvogel, Markus Rüsenberg: Die Roten Hefte - Training compact (Volume 210): Emergency training for respiratory protective equipment wearers, 3rd revised and expanded edition, 2009
Web links
- Respiratory protection accidents.eu, accident database for respiratory protection accidents with downloads for theoretical and practical training
Individual evidence
- ↑ Fire Brigade Service Regulations 7 - Respiratory Protection, Committee on Fire Brigade Matters, Disaster Control and Civil Defense (AFKzV), Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Aid, 2002 with changes in 2005