Deviated Septum

[Car809]

This is a question directed at any other Firefighters that have a deviated septum (no, I'm not on crack) and are SCBA users. 7 years ago when I joined, I could make a 30 minute bottle last almost the full time. Today, now that my nose is even worse, I breathe down a 45 minute composite bottle in about 20 minutes.

Working at mainly desk jobs and pushing papers has made me out of shape, but this concerns me a bit. I did a SCBA drill the other night and a bunch of probies still had over 1/2 a tank of air about the time my alarm was ringing. I am only assuming that this deviated septum is another contributor to me breathing down an airpack really fast? Has anyone else with this condition faced this problem?

[rangerbob]

I doubt that a deviated septum has anything to do with this. I had one for 25 years before I got it fixed and I'm the last guy to run out of air in the cylinder despite that fact that I still breathe through my mouth.

You need to hit the gym and practice your breathing techniques.

[zzyyzx]

Agreed. Improve your cardio and work on breathing techniques to control your breathing. These probies are probably in better shape, which as you know is a huge factor as to how quickly you drain a bottle.

[nmfire]

A deviated septum will cause no such thing. Its just that you're out of shape. Don't worry, so am I.

[Myfireangel]

Before my surgery, I had trouble breathing hiking up to wildland fires. I'm not sure if this was because of allergies/hay fever or because I always seemed to have a cold or runny nose. In academy I was one of the last recruits to run out of SCBA air on the stairs but I was also in better shape at that time. If you have any extra weight around your middle it can greatly affect your breathing. A deviated septum can affect your breathing to a point but if you know that you are out of shape, I would start there. Good luck!

[FWDbuff]

Working at mainly desk jobs and pushing papers has made me out of shape,

This is what has caused your problem, not your deviated septum; which by the way I also had before I had it surgically corrected at the same time I had my nasal turbinates roto-rootored.