The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) released a request for information (RFI) about commercially available self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to meet the needs of emergency responders. The technologies will be considered for inclusion in a market survey being conducted by S&T’s National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). DHS is specifically seeking information on SCBAs that firefighters can use when entering smoke-filled environments. Interested parties have until 5:00 PM EST, March 25, 2022, to submit information about their products.
“The SCBA is one of the most critical and complex pieces of equipment used by the fire service,” said NUSTL test engineer Bhargav Patel. “In recent years, there has been massive growth in new capabilities integrated into the SCBA such as thermal cameras, new methods of communication, tracking and accountability features. We hope to capture all of these new capabilities and explain and map them out in the market survey report, so firefighters across the nation can better understand what is available for their safety and efficiency.”
To be included in the market study, the SCBA must consist of all required component and design requirements for a National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) certification. The products must be certified for a service time of 30 minutes, withstand pressure demand, and NIOSH approved no earlier than January 1, 2012. For inclusion in the report, the SCBA products must also:
- Have at least two end-of-service indicators
- Include a heads-up display
- Feature a voice communication system
- Have a rapid intervention crew universal air connection
- Include an independently operating breathing-air pressure gauge
The market survey report – produced by NUSTL’s System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) program – will be posted to the SAVER Document Library on the S&T website, where the findings can be accessed by state, local, federal, tribal and territorial response agencies making procurement decisions about SCBA.
Applicants can submit proposals until March 25, 2022 at 5:00 pm ET.