Firefighters May Soon See New Type of SCBA

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A marine engineer and entrepreneur has developed a lighter, more comfortable self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for firefighters. Stan Sanders has developing a flat, flexible air tank that weights half of a standard cylinder air tank and has a third of its profile.The Southern California engineer was lured to Fort Wayne, Indiana by the promise of support from local fire officials and a skilled and willing workforce, according to the Journal Gazette.

Sanders has designed, tested and plans to manufacture the "FlatPack" in Fort Wayne. Firefighters could begin wearing the new tanks as early as 2011, according to Sanders. He believes it will change the way firefighters, scuba divers and ambulatory patients carry compressed air, according to the paper.

"This will be one of the biggest game-changers you'll see in the fire industry in quite some time," said Greg Price, a program director at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which is helping with development and funding the project.

The FlatPack strings five long, thin tubes together in an array of air tanks. Each tube has a braided connector in the middle that allows it to flex along with the wearer's back. The tubes are made of heavy-duty strands of woven synthetic material that are much less likely than traditional tanks to fragment and explode, Sanders said.

Traditional carbon-fiber air tank cylinders have not changed much since the 1970's. They are strapped to metal frames that sit about 8 inches off a firefighter's back and can easily get a firefighter hung up, tangled or caught. Firefighters constantly train how to take the tank off, maneuver through tight spaces, and put it back on without removing their breathing masks.

The FlatPack hangs about 2 1/2 inches off the wearer's back and holds about 45 minutes worth of air. Capt. Travis Hostler, an instructor with the Fort Wayne Fire Department has run through their confidence course several times with Sanders' FlatPack and with a traditional cylinder air pack. He was able to crawl through an opening as long as he could fit his shoulders through it. He also found the chance of it getting hung up was much lower than a traditional air tank.

Since he worried less about his air tank, "It was just easier to remain much calmer," Hostler said. He was able to focus on his surroundings.

Sanders began developing the concept six years ago for his FlatPack. It is based on an air pack developed for high-altitude U.S. Special Forces skydivers, according to Sanders.

He also has a personal reason to help make firefighters safer, his son is a Los Angeles firefighter.

Without the help of the Fort Wayne Fire Department and their local union, Sanders and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) would not have received a $2.7 million contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to fast-track the development of the pack. Homeland Security wants to quickly bring new technologies to first responders across the country. Firefighters in New York, Chicago and San Diego are already showing interest in the program, Sanders told the paper.

Currently, Sanders is waiting for the FlatPack to be certified by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) before he begins production.

He is also waiting for a traditional air tank company to develop a harness to hold the FlatPack. Originally, Sanders offered to sell his concept to traditional air tank manufacturers, who rejected him. According to the newspaper, Sanders is proud his design has flourished without their support.


Author:Barbara Brooks - FDNNTV.com