Respiratory protection

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Why use an ARI? The 5 dangers of fumes:

• Heat : The fumes from combustion carry part of the thermal energy, representing a risk of burns.
• Opacity : Loaded with suspended solid or liquid particles, fumes considerably reduce visibility.
• Mobility : Their gaseous structure and their heat allow them to propagate quickly and over great distances.
• Flammability : Rich in carbon particles, the smoke can ignite, with one cubic meter of smoke having the energy of 0,5 cubic meters of methane.
• Toxicity : Carbon monoxide present in fumes is highly toxic and can cause fatal poisoning.

Open circuit ARI (ARICO):

The open-circuit self-contained breathing apparatus, used by the majority of firefighters, consists of several key components:

• Compressed air bottles : With a capacity of 200 to 300 bars.
• Regulator : Reduces pressure to approximately 7-9 bars for safe dispensing.
• Feed pipe : Delivers air to the mask, with a connection option for a colleague who is short of air.
• Valve on demand : Regulates incoming air to a pressure slightly above atmospheric, preventing toxic gases from entering.
• Waterproof face mask : Protects the respiratory tract, covering either the nose and mouth or the entire face.
• Pressure gauge and warning whistle : Monitors the air reserve and triggers an audible alert when the pressure drops below 50-60 bars, indicating an exit time of approximately 5 minutes.
• Location sound beacon : Triggered in the event of prolonged immobilization to alert emergency services.

Some versions include a hookah to extend the battery life, used during chemical interventions.

Closed circuit SCBA (ARICF):

These devices, less common but offering a longer autonomy (up to 4 hours), reuse the air in a loop. The exhaled carbon dioxide is purified before adding oxygen and cooling the air. However, the recycled air gradually heats up, making this system more difficult to support in the long term.