Monitoring equipment advice

[markb911]

Hi everyone.

Many of our department members just took the Hazmat IQ training. Through this class, we have identified some equipment needs and I wanted to run these by some other hazmat people for ideas:

FID - Photovac MicroFID good or bad? Other options?

Refrigerant/freon detector - Is there one that's better suited for fire service use than another?

cheapo CGI for use in a corrosive/flammable gas environment to make sure you're working below your 1% LEL while in Level A or B and able to calibrate to Pentane.
I'd hate to fry an expensive 4-gas detector if there's a better option.

Thanks,
Mark

[jbrescue]

Industrial Scientific makes the M40, its $600 for a 4 gas or $550 for a 3 gas. 2 year bumper to bumper warranty, sensors included. Then pitch it and get another one.

[gunnyv]

We took that class a couple of years ago, thought it was great. We'd been asking for a PID for years and finally got one after those guys helped us sell the Chief on it. We looked into the FID but it was very expensive and we felt unable to justify it.

[DFD258]

Stay away from and FID for emergency response, they are touchy and you will run out gas just when you need it. I have 8 IS M40s at work, (I am an EHS MGR at a chemical plant)they do a good job and if they get trashed well, you haven't lost 2K. My department has MSA 4 gas units, when they work their great, but maintenance is required or at 2am you have a piece of plastic. For an area sensor go with a PID, I recommend a mini Rae with the optional alkaline battery pack, you may not be near a charger, but you always can keep batteries in the truck. Get a sales rep to let you try some out first, they should have loaners.