AT THE FIREHOUSE...Firefighter Breathing System

How are firefighters like astronauts? They both face dangerous, even hostile environments - a building full of fire and the vacuum of space. They are both protected by the suits they wear, and they both get their breathing air from tanks on their backs.

Early in the 1970’s, NASA began working to improve firefighter breathing systems, which had hardly changed since the 1940’s. The old equipment was so heavy that a lot of firefighters chose to leave it behind!

NASA’s Johnson Space Flight Center conducted a four-year program that applied technology from the portable life support systems used by astronauts on the moon. The new breathing system is made up of a face mask, frame and harness, a warning device, and an air bottle.

The new system weighs less than 20 pounds, one-third less than the old gear. The new air bottle provides 30 minutes of breathing air, as much as the old system. Like a good hiker’s backpack, the new system puts the weight on the firefighter’s hips rather than on the shoulders. The new face mask provides better visibility. The warning device lets the firefighter know when air in the bottle is low.

The New York City fire department was the first to use the new system. It quickly spread across the country, resulting in a drastic reduction in the number of injuries caused by breathing smoke and fumes.