Firefighters are breathing easier thanks to the integration of LEDtronics' LEDs into the respiratory protection features on Scott
Health and Safety’s groundbreaking Air-Pak® NxG2™ Self-Contained
Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). LEDs illuminate the Air-Pak’s Buddy
System Indicators that enable firefighters to keep tabs on each other
while in hazardous environments, and the Heads-Up-Display
that shows the air level of the SCBA to the firefighter.
A new federal safety regulation stipulates that a firefighter must
have an unobstructed view of how much air is in the SCBA's cylinder. To
comply with this standard, Scott Health & Safety designed a Heads-Up-Display
that mounts onto their E-Z Flo® II Regulator. The regulator then attaches
to the facemask, positioning the gauge in the firefighter’s field
of view. To light up the Heads-Up-Display, Scott engineers selected LEDtronics'
LEDs due to outstanding reliability and striking brilliance. With nearly
two decades of experience in LED technology and an extensive install legacy,
LEDtronics has a reputation for reliability and innovation.
After studying Scott’s design and specifications, LEDtronics’ field
representative Gary Anderson (Eastern Electronics in Raleigh, North Carolina)
recommended sunlight-visible surface mount LEDs (LEDtronics part number
SML10xx-TR). Measuring 0.118"L x 0.057"W x 0.018"H, they
fit the display’s space allotment on the regulator, but most importantly,
the LEDs are radiant and easily seen in dense smoke. LEDs of different
colors (green, yellow and red) represent air volume levels: full, three-quarter,
half and one-quarter. Other factors contributing to Anderson’s selection
of the SML10xx-TR Series are their sparing use of energy and low generation
of heat. In a battery-operated application such as the Air-Pak NxG2, the
low power consumption of the LEDs means that the Heads-Up-Display can
function for a prolonged period of time without taxing the battery pack
of the SCBA. The cool operation of the LEDs is significant due to the
Heads-Up-Display’s proximity to the firefighter's facemask.
While the Heads-Up-Display can only be seen by an individual firefighter,
the NxG2’s Buddy System Indicators are visible to other firefighters.
Two LEDs, one to each side of the air cylinder, are positioned on the
backframe. When operating normally the LEDs emit an intense blue-green
light; however, if assistance is needed, the LEDs change to vivid yellow
to alert other firefighters.
With the application requiring a multicolor-capable LED, Anderson proposed
the LEDtronics standard sunlight-visible 5mm RGB LED (LEDtronics part
number DIS-1024). Scott Health and Safety was pleased with the LED’s
color and vividness, but thought that the LED in its standard discrete
form was too susceptible to damage. Proving its reputation for innovation,
Anderson and LEDtronics worked with the Scott engineers and created a
sturdy housing for the LED.
They attached a wire harness to the leads, placed the LED inside a clear
lens (LEDtronics part number LCD470W-CW), encapsulated it in water-clear
epoxy, and then secured the final assembly to the backframe with a nut
and lock washer. The collaborative effort yielded a panel-mount LED (LEDtronics
part number PNL-1147-001) of stunning brightness and exceptional durability.
Solid-state circuitry makes it resistant to the incidental impacts and
the harsh environments that firefighters experience in the course of their
work. Moreover, its piercing luminosity serves as a high-profile Personal
Alert Safety System (PASS) indicator that makes it easier for firefighters
to keep a watchful eye on their colleagues.
Buddy System Indicators, Heads-Up-Display and other technologically advanced
features are sure to make the Air-Pak NxG2 the preferred choice for self-contained
breathing apparatus among firefighters for years to come. Like the firefighters
who pick Scott products because of their time-tested performance and brand
integrity, Scott Health and Safety selected LEDtronics' LEDs for the brightness
that makes them visible in thick smoke; for the solid-state circuitry
that allows them to endure the punishment of fighting fires; and for the
reliability that equals that of the firefighters depending upon them.
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LEDtronics Inc.— located in Torrance, CA — manufactures an
array of LED products ranging from discrete surface mount indicators to
direct incandescent replacement LED lamps and bulbs for applications such
as transportation, panel indication and decorative lighting. LEDs come
in visible (400-700 nanometers), infrared (830-940 nanometers) and ultraviolet
(370-410 nanometers) wavelengths. For additional information, contact
LEDtronics toll free at 1-800-579-4875 or click
here to email us.
Visit our website at www.LEDtronics.com.
Scott Health and Safety manufactures and markets self-contained breathing
apparatus and other respiratory protection equipment, thermal imaging
cameras, and breathing air compressors as well as portable and fixed gas
detection instruments. Scott is perhaps best known for its Air-Pak brand
of self-contained breathing apparatus used by firefighters and other first
responders. Scott Health & Safety—headquartered in Monroe, NC—is
a part of Tyco’s Fire and Security business segment. For information
on the Air-Pak NxG2, go to website: http://www.scotthealthsafety.com