Firefighters PPE.

Firefighters PPE Overview guide:

A firefighter’s Personal Protective Equipment is the same throughout the country, albeit the manufactures may differ from one Fire and Rescue Service to another. This is however changing and a new PBI gold uniform which will be introduced nationally. To be effective the components are designed to be worn in combination to provide the fullest protection to the firefighter.

Personal Protective Equipment for firefighting includes:

1 x impact resistant helmet with inbuilt visor, safety goggles and torch

2 x flash hood (Balaclava) - flame and heat resistant

2 x tunics - flame and heat resistant

2 x overtrousers - flame and heat resistant

1 x pair gloves - flame and heat and puncture resistant kevlar lined

2 x boots with steel toe caps and steel sole plate

Fire kit
Consists of a two piece kit a tunic and overtrousers.

The garments have to undergo a number of tests to ensure that they provide adequate protection against both radiant and convective heat. In addition the garments must also meet the requirements for resistance against water penetration and tearing. Usually manufactured in three layers of fabric; outer layer, moisture barrier and thermal barrier. The cuffs of the tunic must overlap the wristband of the firefighter’s gloves, and the overtrousers must over lap the fire boots.

Non Fire kit

A new bright red kit is being rolled out, starting in Scotland, with the Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service in 2010, before being adopted nationally. Although flame resistant the suits are lighter and more flexible. They will be worn at incidents that do not involve fires, such as road traffic collisions, and search and rescue operations.

Flash hood / Balaclava
The flash hood is designed to protect the face and neck from radiant heat and flame. Usually supplied in a standard one size fits all the hood is soft and durable and is worn with the fire kit unless directed otherwise by an officer in charge. Flash hoods should be donned prior to the wearer putting on a fire tunic, making sure it is smoothed down, inside the tunic with the tunics throat tab closed over.

Gloves
The outer material used is an extremely strong, fine pored, non-shrinking Multi-Block-Leather. Materials used in the glove are waterproof, breathable anti-bacterial, and anti-static and provides wearers optimal protection from blood, bodily secretions, and pathogenic germs. The palm, the back of the hand and the fingertips are additionally reinforced with silicon-carbon coated Kevlar and therefore cut-proof, anti-slip and wear-proof in these sensitive areas. The gloves are usually worn at all times when firekit is worn and any other time to afford working comfort to the wearer.

Helmet

Helmets have changed over the years from the good old days of brass, cork, to the modern firefighter’s helmet of today. Many Fire and Rescue Services who adopted the Cromwell 600 and Gallet helmets for a number of years, are changing to the Heros-xtreme helmet. Constructed of, a glass fibre composite material. Meeting all the current safety standards, the helmet has a high impact and penetration resistant shell even at high temperatures. It has a revolutionary new lamp system on top of the helmet, easily detachable to use as a hand lamp, with a face shield and eye protection visor.

Fire Boots
There are two types of fire boots in circulation in the Fire and Rescue service leather and rubber.

Leather:
Leather fire boots, have leather upper and a replaceable synthetic sole and heel. The boots also have steel toecaps to protect against drop hazards and a steel midsole plate to give protection against penetration of nails or similar hazards.

Rubber:
Rubber fire boots have a one piece seamless outer with a seamless antibacterial lining. They have steel toecaps to protect against drophazards and a steel midsole plate to give protection against penetration of nails or similar hazards. The sole and heel unit is heat, oil and flame retardant. Loops are attached to aid pulling on the boots.