CYPRESS, Texas – Harris County ESD #13, Cypress Creek Fire Department, would like to congratulate Assistant Fire Chief Jason Blackman on his recent appointment to the Committee on Respiratory Protection Equipment, a sub-committee of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

These committees are made up of a diverse group of stake holders including industry, equipment manufacturers, fire service personnel, and regulators. Members must undergo a lengthy application process before being appointed to a committee.

Committee positions are very prestigious and require a high level of expertise on subject matter, as the work they accomplish is extremely technical in nature. CCFD is honored to have one of its own now inducted to an NFPA committee.

The NFPA Committee on Respiratory Protection Equipment has jurisdiction over NFPA Standards, 1852, 1981, 1984, and 1989. These standards establish criteria for the implementation and care of Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBAs), Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS), and Breathing Air Quality for Emergency Services Respiratory Protection. Chief Blackman will be participating in the process that reviews and revises these national standards on a regular basis.

Standards set and reviewed by the NFPA are enforced by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP), “a Texas state governmental agency takes with overseeing and regulating all paid fire departments, and firefighting standards within Texas” (tcfp.texas.gov). Therefore, changes to NFPA standards have a direct impact on CCFD operations.

Due to the frequency of standard revisions, TCFP allows for Fire and Emergency Departments to upgrade the components to no-more-than two standards above the manufactured standard on any issue. To maintain compliance, Fire Departments must constantly update their equipment, policies, and procedures.

To ensure Firefighter safety and compliance with NFPA Standards, the US Department of Transportation, and TCFP, all respiratory equipment is required to have a limited lifespan. For instance, each SCBA cylinder, or air tank, worn by Firefighters has a lifespan of approximately 15 years before it needs to be replaced.



CCFD is in the early stages of a project to update its SCBA equipment in order to remain within NFPA and TCFP compliance. The department has budgeted $750,000 and the project should be completed by the years 2022-2023.