Second Mobile Mask Training Maze Serves Maryland Fire Fighters
A second breathing apparatus training trailer is now in service at the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute at the University of Maryland in College Park.
The demand became so great for use of the first trailer in the breathing apparatus III unit of the institute’s 60-hour basic fire fighter course that John W. Hoglund, institute director, decided to obtain another vehicle. The trailers, known as mobile teaching laboratories, contain both a maze and a smoke area.
Two years ago, the institute bought a used, 40-foot, moving van type Fruehauf trailer with tandem axles and air suspension, and work was started on converting the trailer into a second breathing apparatus mobile lab. The Training Academy staff, part-time instructors and students participated in the conversion work under my supervision as time permitted between other duties and assignments.
The project was designed to preserve the basic construction of the trailer interior, use the cargo doors to increase the available square footage and reduce the several hours required to set up the original trailer facilities at a training site.
Interior construction
The interior of the new lab is divided by a smokeproof partition that provides approximately 178 square feet at the front of the trailer for a smoke area and approximately 176 square feet at the rear for a maze.
The smoke area is divided by a partition to give the effect of two rooms. The interior walls and roof of the trailer are covered with ¼ -inch Masonite and painted black to protect the aluminum construction and provide a smooth surface for easier cleaning of the smoke and tar residue. Interchangeable brackets were installed on the walls so that electric shut-off switches, a gas meter and standpipe connections can be attached to the walls for training evolutions.
Additional square footage is gained in the smoke area by opening the right side cargo doors at 90 degrees to the trailer sides and hinging plywood panels, accordion style, to the doors to form a front entrance. A roof panel is then hinged to the top and a floor panel is hinged to the bottom of the cargo door opening. By using these design features, the panels can be stored inside the trailer.
The roof and side walls of the maze area in the rear half of the trailer are covered with plywood and Masonite to protect the aluminum of the trailer. The maze is framed with 2X3s covered with ½-inch plywood. To achieve complete darkness the interior walls are painted black.
Walk, crawl and climb
Students, wearing breathing apparatus walk, crawl and climb through about 100 feet of maze. They encounter different types of obstacles, such as diminishing clearance, a double hung window, doors, steps, short fire ladder, open attic joists, inclines, drop off, and crawl areas.
The rear cargo doors also are used to gain additional area. By opening these doors and hinging roof and floor panels to them, a “ready area” is created for students about to enter the maze. These panels also can be stored within the trailer. The mobile lab has an electrical system for lighting inside and outside. There is a ventilation system for air circulation and an exhaust system is scheduled to be installed in the smoke room.
Because of the trailer’s large size and the use of its cargo doors, two people can set up the new breathing apparatus training lab in 15 minutes. This permits the lab to travel to a class location and return the same day. The original lab, because of its smaller size and different design, requires approximately two hours and four persons on-site assembly. This means that the trailer has to be taken to the class location prior to the day of the class.
With the second breathing apparatus mobile teaching laboratory, plus the permanent facilities at the MFRI Training Academy at College Park, breathing apparatus training classes can be conducted in three locations at the same time.
