There are more than 1.1 million firefighters working across the United States at the moment. These play an essential role in keeping American citizens safe at work, on the road, and in their homes.
However, for firefighters to stay safe while at work they need proper firefighting PPE (or personal protection equipment). So what do firefighters wear? Read on to find out everything you need to know about firefighter protective gear.
Basic Firefighting PPE
Basic firefighting equipment involves all the standard firefighting clothing. This includes:
- A fire helmet
- Turnout pants and jackets
- Gloves
- Boots
All fire helmets and clothing have to be made of extremely durable, heatproof equipment. Pants and jackets generally have two layers of fabric to keep heat and moisture out.
All clothing and helmets feature bright colors and reflective strips. This makes it easier to see them in dark or smoke-filled rooms.
The color of a firefighter’s helmet can also tell you something about their rank. Rank-and-file fire fighters usually wear yellow helmets, while captains wear red or orange ones. White helmets are exclusively worn by fire chiefs.
You can read more on bkfireradios.com to find out about the attributes of effective PPE.
Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
Firefighter gear doesn’t just have to protect a person’s exterior. A lot of firefighting environments can contain materials or gases that could cause internal damage if inhaled. In fact, this is the most common cause of death in house fires across the country.
Because of this, self-contained breathing apparatus is also a standard part of all firefighting PPE. This can protect against smoke and toxic gas inhalation.
Breathing apparatus includes a face mask that connects to an oxygen tank. This tank is usually worn on the back when entering a housefire. It should provide at least 30 minutes worth of safe, breathable air.
This makes it easier and safer for firefighters to search for victims in smoke-filled environments.
Personal Alert Safety Systems
Just because firefighters have brilliant training, this doesn’t mean that they’re invincible. In fact, they are regularly exposed to life-threatening environments. So it is very important to keep their personal safety in mind.
This is why every firefighter should have a Personal Alert Safety System (also known as PASS) as part of their PPE. This is a wearable device that monitors the position of each firefighter. This allows other safety officials to track a firefighter’s location from a distance.
A PASS also contains a transmitter that a firefighter can activate if they get into difficulty. This device automatically activates if the PASS doesn’t detect movement for a certain period of time. The alert makes it easier for firefighters in the surrounding area to locate their colleague in trouble.
Firefighter PPE Saves Lives
Firefighting PPE keeps firefighters safe across a whole range of duties. So having high-quality and up-to-date equipment is absolutely essential.
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