Which of the following is a breathing time factor?

• A. Physical Ability of User
• B. Lighting Conditions
• C. Battery life of SCBA
• D. Ambient Noise

Answer: (A)

Breathing time is determined by how much air you draw from the SCBA, which mainly depends on how hard you’re working. When a person exerts themselves, their metabolic rate climbs, breathing becomes faster, and air is consumed more quickly. That’s why the physical ability of the user—and the level of effort they’re putting in—directly affects how long the air will last. Lighting conditions, battery life of the SCBA, and ambient noise don’t change the rate at which you breathe or the amount of air you use, even though they can affect safety or usability. So the factor that governs breathing time is the user’s physical ability and the effort they’re exerting.