45 minute Cylinders

[Squad2]

What's the current thought on switching from the 30 minute cylinders to the 45 minute. Like, not like, Good like More air, Too Heavy, was the department retrained when they were implemented or was there just a switch?

 

[turk132]

Its been quite a few years since the switch was made, I would say the majority of the job never operated in a 30 minute cylinder. I liked the 30 minute cylinder, less weight and reduced profile of the smaller cylinder.

 

[vbcapt]

I'm partial to the 30 minute cylinder. I have never used a 45 minute setup however, I would like to try it out someday.

 

[69 METS]

I worked almost my entire career using a 30 minute cylinder. We were ordered by the commissioner to start using the 45 minute cylinder in 1999 (I believe in June). I remember the first job I caught wearing the larger cylinder ... two of us were on the top floor of an 'H' standing on a bed pulling the ceiling. The first pull we both fell backwards off the bed onto the floor ... it took some getting used to the new balance issue caused by this heavier, larger 'thing' on our backs. That 'bottle' did a lot to worsen some injuries that I had incurred on the job over the years. I felt like it tired me out faster lugging it around and trying to do what had to be done.

 

[tbendick]

All FDNY Fire units have the 45min setups, there are 60min bottles out there for Hazmat and stuff like that.
EMS has only the 60 min bottles being that it's only for hazmat use.

I have only used the 45min bottles at work, however when we go to the ROCK they do have 30min tanks for some training.  You can feel the difference when you switch to the 30 much better on the weight.  Newer updated setups with the buddy lights and stuff also feel heavier since the updates.  Would love to see something lighter, they just keep adding weight to us such as the PSS and updated SCBA.