What is a self-rescuer and how to use it?

No one is immune from emergencies. Therefore, it is better to be ready for them, this will help not to get lost at a critical moment, to help yourself and your loved ones. It will be useful for everyone to know what a self-rescuer is and how to use it.

A self-rescuer is a special device that can provide a person with personal respiratory and vision protection (RPE) during evacuation in an emergency from any building, be it a residential building, institution or production facility. Specialists of the fire protection service repeatedly remind that in a fire a person dies or gets serious health problems precisely because of the products of combustion, which are toxic. That is why it is so important to protect yourself in the first minutes, to have time to evacuate, or, in extreme cases, to hold out until the rescuers arrive.

The fire regulations of the Russian Federation prescribe that organizations and institutions located in high-rise buildings have personal protective equipment for all employees. Such institutions include hotel complexes, homes for the disabled, boarding schools for the elderly, cultural and sports institutions.

Such kits can and should even be bought for personal use., since, as practice shows, fires and gas leaks occur in residential buildings, when people need to leave the site of a disaster, and the paths are already cut off by poisoned air. It is in these situations that the self-rescuer will help.

The device itself includes the following elements:

• a hood that is not afraid of high temperatures;
• half mask with a breathing valve;
• filtration cartridge or oxygen cylinder;
• storage case.

There are models that can be equipped with a cape that protects the body. Thus, there is a chance to leave the building without harm to health, if you do everything quickly and follow the instructions.

When using this device, it must be borne in mind that the time of its action is not unlimited, most often the service life in extreme conditions does not exceed half an hour. It is during this time that you need to have time to leave the danger zone. There are models, the duration of which is even less. All this is indicated in the instructions - you need to familiarize yourself with it in advance, and at the same time learn how to use the product, since during an emergency there will not be a minute for such manipulations.

The hood has a bright color, which allows rescuers to orient themselves even in poor visibility and spot a person in need of help in time.

These include:

• the product must include all the necessary elements (hood, half mask, filter cartridge or oxygen cylinder, storage bag);
• the protection time provided by a general-purpose device should not be less than 15 minutes, and for a special-purpose device - not less than 25 minutes;
• the time it takes to put on the self-rescuer should be no more than 1 minute;
• the content of carbon dioxide should not exceed 3%;
• the user must calmly endure the temperature that is created inside the mask;
• excess weight is unacceptable (usually within 2 kilograms);
• it is necessary that the product is reliable, resistant to various external influences;
• tightness and comfort for the user are valued in the hood;
• a prerequisite is ease of use.

The shelf life of such devices does not exceed 5 years. After this period, unused products must be disposed of. Therefore, when buying such devices, you need to pay attention to the date of manufacture. Indeed, sometimes a person's life can depend on it.

Self-rescuers are of different types, and before purchasing such a product, you need to understand how they differ.

Respiratory protection products are insulating and filtering.

• Air does not penetrate into insulating materials... The self-rescuer is supplied with oxygen or compressed air from a cylinder. The oxygen apparatus is designed so that the breathing mixture is saturated with oxygen, passes through the cartridge and enters the respiratory system. Air circulates inside. A device with an oxygen cylinder contains a supply of air in a container, and air is exhaled into the environment.

• Filtering masks function with ambient air. Air flows through the filter. A special adsorbent neutralizes harmful vapors. And the air enters the respiratory system purified. Such a self-rescuer is usually small-sized, which makes it convenient to use. But this portable universal unit can be used only where the oxygen content does not fall below 17%. In other cases, an industrial gas mask is already required.

All devices on this basis are divided into 2 groups.

• General purpose. The individual self-rescuer is easy to use, every adult can handle it. Such a device is relevant when, in the shortest possible time, it is necessary to leave a building filled with smoke. It is effective for 20 minutes.

• Special purpose... Such devices are used by the staff of the institution. They are usually located in separate boxes that every employee should be aware of. The effective action time reaches half an hour and varies based on the parameters of the model.

In Russia, there are enough enterprises that produce all kinds of funds that are used in various disasters and emergencies. Some of them are presented below.

• JSC "ARTI-zavod", located in Tambov is a leader in the production of personal respiratory protection. The assortment of the enterprise includes self-rescuers in case of fires, gas masks for protecting employees of special units, filtering gas masks for civilian use, filter boxes for industrial gas masks and cartridge respirators.

• LLC "Breeze-Kama" (Vladimir) produces a wide variety of devices. Speaking specifically about self-rescuers, these are the Breeze-3401 GDZK and Breeze-3402 GDZK models, as well as the Minispas filtering self-rescuer.

• JSC Sorbet (Perm). This company also offers a wide range of products that can purify polluted air. Also in his arsenal are gas and smoke protection units of various modifications.

• TsPB "Zashchita" (Omsk). Along with fire fighting equipment, it also produces various versions of self-rescuers. Among them are a self-rescuer "Phoenix" gas mask, a gas and smoke protection kit GZDK, a civilian gas mask GP-7.

But in order to buy personal protective equipment, it is not necessary to know all the names of the companies that produce them. It is enough to know what product is needed and visit a specialized store where the seller will give the necessary advice, or find specialized sites selling such products.

In order to choose the exact kit that you need, it is necessary to take into account several factors.

• If there is a risk of fire, then a filtering device can be dispensed with. It will be enough to have time to use it and quickly leave the premises, while calling the appropriate services.
• When it comes to a large industrial enterprisewhere there is a risk of poisonous particles entering the atmosphere, it is better to purchase an insulating self-rescuer.
• The minutes during which respiratory protection devices can be used should also be taken into account.... Isolating options provide protection from 20 or even up to 45 minutes. But the filtering devices can last from 15-30 minutes.
• It must be borne in mind that it is necessary to find the right place to store the device, because if the storage conditions are violated, the device can be disabled and at the most critical moment it can fail, and this is already a threat to life.
• For some, the price may be of great importance. Here it must be borne in mind that filtering devices will cost much less than isolating specimens.

To make it easier to make a choice, you need to know how certain designs differ.

• Self-rescuers GDZK protect the respiratory system from harmful vapors and gases during the occurrence of a fire source. The device has a fire-resistant cap, a viewing window, a half mask, an exhalation valve, and a filter box. Long curls, a beard and glasses will not interfere with using this device. The duration of the protection is about 35 minutes, in open flame conditions - 5 seconds. The price is about 3 thousand rubles.

• Self-rescuers "Chance" are considered to be quite effective. The simple system of fastening the mask allows you to cope with putting it on in a matter of seconds, which is especially valuable in an emergency. Two filters provide good air purification, the bright yellow color of the hood makes the device visible even in heavy smoke. The protection time is half an hour. The cost, depending on the modification and additional functions, can vary from 2,400 to 2,900 rubles.

• Self-rescuers "Phoenix". Protect against the release of toxic fumes in case of man-made disasters. The device consists of a mask, filter, nose clip, protection time from 20 to 30 minutes. The cost is 1600-1800 rubles.

In any disaster and even ordinary fires, people are killed or injured simply because they did not have a protective device at hand. And even if such devices are available and are in case of emergency, you need to study the rules of use in advance. To do this, you need to at least read the instructions. Indeed, in a state of panic, not every person is able to think clearly and clearly, especially women and children are able to panic. Therefore, basic knowledge will be useful to everyone.

First you need to remove the mask from the sealed bag. After inserting your hands into the hole, you need to stretch it, and then quickly and carefully put it on your head so that the filter is located opposite the nose and mouth. Check the tightness of the hood to the head. If necessary, you can adjust this with a special rubber band.

If we are talking about enterprises, then keep all protective equipment in special containers... They should be located close to emergency exits. Each employee must know where the cabinet with a special designation is located, where is the gas mask or protective mask. Every enterprise must undergo training, which explains where the protective equipment is stored and how to use it.These events cannot be ignored. Employees working in crowded areas should not only put on protective equipment and quickly leave the building, but also, if possible, help visitors get to the exit.

As for home storage, after purchase, you can familiarize yourself with the instructions, rules of use, but you cannot violate the tightness of the package. The product should be stored in a dry place, in a separate cabinet, out of the reach of small children. But this should be such a place that an adult will surely remember and can easily get a self-rescuer at the right time. It shouldn't be an attic, basement or pantry cluttered with things. A self-rescuer is not an item that you can put away on a distant shelf and forget about where it is, because any emergency comes suddenly, and no one is immune from it. And how successfully we can cope with it without harm to health and threat to life depends only on how we are prepared for an emergency.

In the next video, you will find an overview of the ShSS-T self-contained mine self-rescuer.