Equipment maintenance

We are fully aware that calls received by the fire department are unpredictable, and that firefighters must be ready to react quickly. This new reality in SCBA cleaning practices must therefore not compromise the efficiency of the fire department.

To guarantee timely service, it is essential to follow this procedure and accept the quotation as soon as you receive it:

1. Make a service call
2. Confirm appointment
3. Sending SCBAs and declarations
4. Assessment of cleaning level
5. Customer approval of quotation
6. Specialized cleaning and drying
7. Return of SCBAs to the customer

By following this procedure, we can guarantee a service time of three working days from receipt of your SCBAs. Delivery time is extra.

You must fill out the service call form available in the Service Center / Equipment Maintenance section and a technician will contact you to propose an appointment date (your time slot will be reserved and our resources will be allocated to you).

You must contact the Service Center by e-mail: [email protected] or by phone: (450) 651-2240 extension 135 or 118.

Yes, we have MSA SCBAs available for rental. However, we recommend that our customers send us only 10% of their SCBA fleet each time. This approach avoids additional rental costs. According to a survey of over 50 Quebec fire departments of various sizes, they never use their entire SCBA fleet during an intervention.

For rental, contact our Service Center by e-mail: [email protected] or by telephone: (450) 651-2240 extension 135 or 118.

The duration of a specialized cleaning cycle varies according to the level of soiling, the extent of accumulated contamination and the type of contaminants to which the SCBA or face mask has been exposed. Our solution offers different levels:

LEVEL 1

SCBA in contact with regular combustion contaminants. This cleaning removes surface contaminants and reduces the toxicity level of the device.

• Chemo-mechanical cleaning
• Rinsing
• Forced-air drying

LEVEL 2

SCBA in contact with regular combustion contaminants, body fluids or dirt. This cleaning eliminates surface and encrusted contaminants and reduces the unit’s toxicity level.

• Two chemo-mechanical cleanings
• Complete brushing
• Rinsing
• Pulsed-air drying

LEVEL 3

SCBA in contact with regular combustion contaminants, body fluids, asbestos or designated substances, basic chemicals or miscellaneous dirt. This cleaning removes surface and encrusted contaminants and reduces the unit’s toxicity level.

• Three chemo-mechanical cleanings
• Two complete brushings
• One rinse
• Pulsed-air drying

Certain levels of toxicity require certain actions to be repeated. Time required for assembly/disassembly, brushing(s) and drying of equipment are extra.

No, our equipment is not designed to be moved.

Currently, there are no standards requiring specialized cleaning, but several jurisdictions are currently analyzing this challenge for firefighters to establish regulations in this regard.

This challenge is the effective maintenance of SCBAs in fire stations within fire departments. The fact is that the cleaning of fire station equipment depends largely on the firefighter in charge of the task, and on various factors that can influence its effectiveness: the intensity of the cleaning, the water temperature, the products used, the type of contaminant accumulated during the intervention, etc. What is certain is that the firefighter in charge of the task is not the only one to be concerned.

One thing is certain: the first time equipment is exposed to contaminants, it becomes impregnated with substances that are harmful to the health of workers, and requires high-quality cleaning.

CSA standard Z94.4:18 clarifies the SCBA cleaning protocol that should be followed.

No, however, we strongly insist on this recommendation. As a specialized service center, we are concerned with protecting our customers’ health. As an employer, we have an obligation to protect the health of our employees. As soon as we receive your SCBA, we have to take precautions in handling it because it is contaminated.

So the minimum we require is that you complete the Declaration of Exposure to Contaminants to find out the nature of the contamination and enable us to determine the precautions to be taken by our employees.

We encourage you, wherever possible, to consider protecting the health of your workers. That’s why we recommend specialized cleaning on a minimum annual basis. Also, by adding this service to the annual test bench, you’ll reduce your transportation costs to one shipment.

There is no agreed frequency. However, we recommend specialized cleaning at least once a year. If the number of interventions is high and the quality of cleaning in the barracks is not controlled, it is advantageous for the health of the responders to proceed at a higher frequency.

The challenge of effectively maintaining SCBAs in the fire station is a major one for fire departments. The fact is that the cleaning of fire station equipment depends largely on the firefighter in charge of the task, and on various factors that can influence its effectiveness: cleaning intensity, water temperature, products used, type of contaminant accumulated during the response, etc.

CSA standard Z94.4:18 clarifies the SCBA cleaning protocol.

The basic price is the same, regardless of model or brand. However, the final price will vary according to the following criteria: the level of cleaning required, which is determined by the extent of accumulated contamination, and the components (voice amplifier, protection of electronic, pneumatic and electrical components, backup system, etc.) of the equipment that require additional time and care. In all cases, you’ll receive a quote specific to these criteria.

The smell of smoke will be reduced, but it is possible that it will persist. The purpose of specialized cleaning is to eliminate toxins that have accumulated on the SCBA. Regular specialized cleaning will eliminate the odor more thoroughly over time.

It all depends on the nature of the stain. Regardless of the level of specialized cleaning, our process is designed to eliminate encrusted substances that are harmful to the health of those involved. The levels are graded according to contaminant accumulation.

The fire department completes the Declaration of Exposure to Contaminants. This declaration is essential. It identifies the contaminants to which the respiratory protective equipment has been exposed.

Upon receiving your SCBA, based on the Declaration of exposure to contaminants and the technician’s inspection, the level of cleaning is determined by the technician, and a quotation is sent to you for approval of the specialized cleaning.

Yes, it is possible to have your cylinders cleaned. However, cylinder maintenance is much simpler in fire stations, as their surfaces are much easier to reach. Our research and expertise is focused on equipment that is more difficult to maintain over the long term against accumulated contamination from combustion residues and other contaminants in soft materials, such as SCBAs, helmets, boots, etc. These are items for which effective manual cleaning is more difficult.

We are currently analyzing the possibility of offering this service.

We are currently analyzing the possibility of offering this service to fire departments near our offices.

Yes, we recommend packing the SCBA preferably in a reusable box (available from Areo-Fire or elsewhere) or, as a last resort, in a closed plastic bag and cardboard box. Make sure that your SCBAs are accompanied by a Declaration of Exposure to Contaminants.

Shipping costs vary according to distance, generally between $28 and $40 for the shipment of two SCBAs.

Yes, you can purchase our reusable boxes designed to hold two SCBAs per box and be sealed during transport. This is the preferred method of transport, as it’s much more environmentally friendly than using plastic bags and cardboard boxes.

SCBAs that have undergone specialized cleaning are easily identifiable. They all have a blue sticker indicating the month and year of the specialized cleaning. The invoice also specifies the service performed. The history of your invoices is available on your WEB customer portal. Fire departments are responsible for keeping this type of record up to date.

No scientific tests are carried out, as it is difficult to fully assess whether a SCBA is fully disinfected. A specialized laboratory would have to be called in for each respirator cleaned, which would considerably increase the time needed to recover the equipment, and the cost of specialized cleaning would explode.

Our solution is based on industry best practice, inspired by existing standards such as NFPA 1851. The products we use are those tested and approved by respiratory equipment manufacturers, and the equipment we use is tested and approved by external bodies.