Claustrophobia

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Permalink Reply by Alex on October 26, 2008 at 1:09pm

Put the mask on his face and hold him down.

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on October 26, 2008 at 6:52pm

Alex? That is a stupid thing to say.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica Travis on October 26, 2008 at 1:11pm

bad idea, he started hyperventilating and then got sick.

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Permalink Reply by T.J. on October 26, 2008 at 1:18pm

We've got guys like that and their's a LOT more then just putting on a face piece in firefighting, he can drive trucks, do water supply, be the guy who changes bottles, be a pump operator and the list goes on.

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Permalink Reply by NOVAFireman on October 26, 2008 at 1:22pm

I hear the Police are looking for applicants.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on October 26, 2008 at 1:31pm

Sure he can....Take scene support operations class....there is a hell of a lot more to firefighting than putting a pack on and going inside....Hanging ground ladders...scene safety....laying hose lines...helping with water supply....tool control....accountability....driving trucks....there are countless jobs that one can do....BUT...unfortunately all paid departments have their people go through Firefighting training before they get to a unit...and if that;s his goal then he must overcome his fears...cold hard honest truth....not everyone can nor should everyone even trry to go past their personal limits....Stay safe and always keep the faith.....Paul......if he freaked out just putting the mask on he would go over the edge when the face peice is covered or blacked out I am sure.....

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Permalink Reply by Just Plain Craig on October 26, 2008 at 1:32pm

I'll give you a serious answer to a serious question. When I first started I didn't like to maskup. Then someone did something amazing for me. He wipe the condensation off that you get when you first put it on. I still don't like it but I do it. We had one member who wore a mask while watching TV just to get used to it. Another problem is that they might not be getting air.

I have been driving for the last 10 years and only had to mask up twice. But as a driver or anything else in the fieservice you need to be ready to go inside, it might be the difference between life and death for someone.

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Permalink Reply by Lawrence W on October 26, 2008 at 3:01pm

Each person is different, but regardless of our personal limitations, if you want to overcome them, then it comes down to facing them head on and working through them a little at a time.

Wearing the mask a little at a time in an environment where you are most comfortable has worked for many people whom I have worked with in the past. This gives you the ability to limit time in the mask, ensure that you can maintain your visibility and maximize your comfort with the equipment. This is not an insurmountable challenge, but it may take quite some time to get there. Remind him to be patient and don't force it. All things in time.

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Permalink Reply by Teresa on October 26, 2008 at 2:31pm

there are plenty of things a person can do in the department..I went through the same thing for my firefighter 1 class..the instructor knew me from when i was a fire explorer so he let me finish the class. I can still do things outside the scba area.. I can work with my guys to get more comfortable with the air pack so that way one day i can go interior.. i can do scene support, hydrant work, accountability..and many other things.

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Permalink Reply by rfdjumper on October 26, 2008 at 3:25pm

If his dream was to be a career firefighter then he should really work hard overcoming this prior to applying in the future. If he can't overcome it then I'd suggest another line of work. If his goal is to be a volunteer firefighter, then I'd say good luck, you can probally find something to do, though he'll never get certified FF1, and that is normally the prerequisite of most other classes.

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Permalink Reply by PFC Harmon on October 26, 2008 at 3:29pm

If he still wants to try, just have him wearing street clothes, no pack and just wear the mask if he wants to to it he can try taking small steps. Maybe at first dont tighting the mask down all the way then the next time tighting it down let him get used to it. Then try it with a pack or gear. Just have him take small steps. Hope that helps Good luck and stay safe

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Permalink Reply by Captain Busy on October 26, 2008 at 3:32pm

there are other things to do for this individual until he overcomes his issues... it's sad to say... this job is not meant for everyone...

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