The document discusses an upgrade to second stage regulators on self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The new regulators have the same manual override and reset buttons in the same locations under a new exterior. The upgrade improves the seal between the regulator and facepiece mask, reducing slight air leakage when the hose is pulled forward. The manufacturer discovered this potential minimal leakage issue and developed the upgraded regulators to address it, while noting the original regulators remained safe and effective. The upgrade is being implemented on frontline SCBAs.

1. Frontline Firefighter
You may begin to see new 2nd
stageregulators on your SCBA. They work justlike
your old 2nd
StageRegulators. They are aligned the sameway with the Bypass
knob in the same place. The Manual Over-rideand Reset Button are all in the
same location, they are justcovered in a new skin.
Many of you will remember when we replaced the black Air Klics in your mask
with the grey ones that should be in there now. This new 2nd
Stage Regulator is
the second half of the upgradeto improvethe 2nd
Stageto Facepiece seal. You
should feel an improved Air Klic fit and get a better Air Klic to 2nd
Stage Regulator
seal.
The manufacture’s upgradeverbiagereads as follows:
Honeywellhas discovered that it is possiblefor a CBRN second stage regulator to
be fully inserted into the Air Klic in all Twenty/Twenty Plus HUD-stylefacepieces
but still havea slight amountof air leakage around the interface of those two
components. This leakage primarily occurs when the second stage hoseis pulled
forward, causing thesecond stage to moveslightly forward atan angle within the
Air Klic, breaking the seal between the Air Klic o-ring and the second stage
regulator. The potential leakage is minimal, amounting to aboutone minute’s
worth of air volume using a 30-minuterated cylinder at a 40 liter per minute
breathing rate, and only if the second stage hose is being constantly pulled
forward. If the hoseis never pulled forward or is only pulled forward
intermittently, the leakage would be significantly less. Because of the positive
pressuremaintained in the facepiece, the leakageis only outward, preventing
the intrusion of contaminantsand maintaining theuser’s protection.
Please understand this is not a recall. Your old 2nd
Stage Regulators are safeand
have passed Flow Testing for the pasteight years, this is merely an upgrade. I am
working to get all Frontline SCBAs moved through my little one man shop,
upgraded, tested and moved out the door as efficiently as I can…pleasebear with
me…and Thank you for your attention.