By Fran Spielman
The Chicago Sun-Times
Copyright 2007 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

CHICAGO — There is no protective clothing for firefighters manufactured anywhere in the world that could have withstood the 2,800-degree heat generated by molten metal that burned holes in the protective pants of two Chicago firefighters, a union leader acknowledged Thursday.

After overseeing testing by a Virginia laboratory and reviewing the lab report, Tom Ryan — vice president of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 and chairman of the union's health and safety committee — said he's satisfied there is no fundamental flaw in the "bunker gear" purchased by the city from Ohio-based Lion Apparel at a cost of $10 million.

"Molten iron burns in excess of 2,800 degrees. The best material out there is only rated at 1,200 degrees. No matter who the manufacturer was or what the material was made of, it would not have withstood those temperatures. It can't happen. It's simple science. Molten metal burns too hot. There's no material in fire service today that would have withstood those temperatures," Ryan said.

"We were still unhappy with the process and the way [the vendor] was chosen. We felt we were shut out. Simply having Local 2 members test the gear does not equate to being part of the process. There should have been a controlled setting [test] with all the gear so you would have credible criteria to make a decision, then send it out to firehouses to check for durability. But this is what we have to work with."

The Sun-Times reported earlier this week that two recent incidents — one at a warehouse fire, the other during fire academy training — had raised renewed questions about the city's choice of manufacturers.

'PANIC' UNWARRANTED
Both firefighters burned a hole in the pants of their so-called "bunker gear" while using a high-powered saw to cut through a metal fence. Sparks flew, a piece of red-hot metal hit the pant leg and damaged the outer shell. The thermal barrier and inner lining of the pants were not penetrated.

Neither the firefighter-in-training nor the veteran doing it for real in the 1300 block of West Exchange were injured.

On Thursday, Ryan said the incidents "started a panic" among firefighters that turned out to be unwarranted. Local 2 had favored a rival bidder, Total Fire Group/Morning Pride.