We were doing a live fire 2 story structural exercise when I was in the USAF in Arkansas. Back then, out SCBA face pieces looked like elephant snouts. Being very young at the time and wanting to impress, as I ran in, I screwed the snout hose to my regulator hardly half a turn. That did two things.....Drained my air VERY quickly and had my mask barely connected. When I was coming off the stairs on the second floor, my snout hose came off. I was already exhausted and sucking air hard when it came off. I sucked in that GAWD AWFUL hot smoke and I thought my lungs were gonna lock up. I realized my hose was off. I managed to screw it back on even in a panic. I got just one or two good breaths when my air was GONE! My warning bell did not go off because the regulator had not been getting proper flow with the hose not attached. It felt like running a 50 yard dash and THEN having no choice but to hold your breath. I did a dive down the stairs and bolted for the daylight glow coming from the door. The milisecond I cleared that door, I yanked my mask off. It was a very hot muggy day but I have never felt such wonderful air. I was DAMNED lucky that was a controlled situation and I was not real far into a unknown structure. I tell ya what.....That was a lesson I carried the rest of my 34 and a half years. Never came close to happening again.
