1st stage free flow question

[stretchthepenn]

Can first stages free flow too? Is there any difference in how the problem manifests itself - in other words, am I just going to see a continuous stream of air coming out of my second stage that doesn't stop when I create back pressure, much like if the second stage had frozen? Would it come out of both of my second stages and drain the tank twice as quickly?

I once had a "free flow" in a first-stage, but it was because of a loose fitting in that first stage regulator. Specifically, I was diving sidemount, and the connection between the left tank and my left first-stage regulator's DIN connection was tight, but the connection between the DIN post and the regulator itself was loose, resulting in a stream of air coming out of the left first stage. There was no immediate effect on the second stage, but I shut down that side right away and didn't try breathing from it.