HomeMy WebLinkAbout306.016 - Air Bags
TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT MANUAL
RESCUE EQUIPMENT
306.016 AIR BAGS
EFFECTIVE: NOVEMBER 2008
Current Revision Date: 8/8/19 Next Revision Date: 8/8/24
Author’s Name/Rank: Andres Moreno, Firefighter Review Level: 1
Administrave Support:
Leslie Oulashian,
Management Analyst II
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide instruction to Fresno Fire Department (FFD
or Department) members on the use and operation of air bags. (See Figure 1.)
APPLICATION
The air bags are used to lift heavy objects.
OPERATIONAL POLICY
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OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE
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Figure 1
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PROCESS
1. Air Bag Operation:
a. Safety first. Always wear proper PPE and designate a safety
officer.
b. Determine the best place from which to lift the object.
c. Estimate the weight of the object and select the appropriate
bag.
d. Set the system up using the following steps.
e. Connect a breathing air (BA) bottle to the regulator. (See
Figure 2.)
f. Connect the high-pressure regulator hose to the control box.
(See Figure 3.)
Figure 2
Figure 3
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g. Connect the corresponding color of hoses to the control box.
(See Figure 4.)
h. Connect the hose to the air bag to be deployed. (See Figure 5.)
i. Place the appropriate protection plates and air bag under the
spot where the object is to be lifted.
j. Raise the object with commands of “Up on Red” or “Down on
Red.” The “slow and steady” method is safest.
k. When lowering the object, use the toggle control to deflate the
air bags. Remove cribbing as necessary and watch out for
fingers and toes. (See Figure 6.)
Figure 4
Figure 5
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INFORMATION
1. Air Bags:
a. High-pressure air bags operate at approximately 135 psi.
Sizes range from 6” x 6” (1.5 ton lifting capacity) to 36” x 36”
(73.4 ton lifting capacity).
b. Each bag has its rated capacity on the bag, as well as its rated
height. (See Figure 7.)
c. Air bags are usually made of Kevlar Aramid fiber, reinforced
neoprene, or steel-reinforced rubber material.
d. Ensure the load rests on the center of the air bag.
e. Lifting can be increased by placing one bag on top of another.
Place the smaller bag on top of the larger bag for stability.
The larger bag should be inflated first and the weight capacity
is limited by the smaller bag. (See Figure 8.)
Figure 7
Figure 8
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2. Parts of the System:
a. Breathing Air (BA) Bottle. (See Figure 9.)
b. The regulator system is designed to work off a BA bottle and
regulate down to 116 psi. (See Figure 10.)
c. The air supply hose has different colors to set up each color on
a different bag for identification purposes. (See Figure 11.)
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11
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d. The Air Bag Control Unit has one inlet (red) and two outlets
(blue) on the unit. (See Figure 12.)
e. The Dead-Man Control automatically shuts off when the toggle
switch is released. (See Figure 13.)
f. The USAR Team carries three different sizes of air bags: 8-,
10-, and 12-inch bags.
g. Protection plates are used to protect the air bags from damage.
FFD Rescue utilizes plywood. (See Figure 14.)
Figure 12
Figure 13
Figure 14
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DEFINITIONS
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CROSS-REFERENCES
No cross-references recognized.
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