Jeffrey O. and Grace G. Stull

PPE Update

Jeffrey and Grace Stull are president and vice president, respectively, of International Personnel Protection, Inc. They are members of several NFPA committees on PPE as well as the ASTM International committee on protective clothing. Mr. Stull was formerly the convener for international work groups on heat/thermal protection and hazardous materials PPE as well as the lead U.S. delegate for International Standards Organization Technical Committee 94/Subcommittees on Protective Clothing and Firefighter PPE. They participate in the Interagency Board for Equipment Standardization and Interoperability and have authored the book, "PPE Made Easy.” Send questions or feedback to the Stulls via email.

Full list of Jeffrey O. and Grace G. Stull results

Standards changes ahead: An upcoming transformation in gear care and maintenance
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Detailing emerging issues of concern with respect to PPE programs, gear selection, cleaning and decontamination, verification for ISPs, and PPE retirement
Independent service providers: A valuable FD resource for PPE care and maintenance
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How to use an ISP to navigate the implementation of your NFPA 1851 PPE program
Your questions answered: Gear Up for Changes – What’s Ahead for NFPA 1971
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Gain insight into the future of firefighting PPE standards with Jeff Stull as he answers FireRescue1 readers’ most pressing inquiries
Why it’s so difficult to change gear service life requirements
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Understanding the various factors that impact PPE service life – and why retirement rules aren’t so simple
Turnout gear service life: Will we ever have clear 'keep or retire' guidelines?
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Determining what gear can be reasonably expected to survive and for how long is still subject to interpretation
Why testing standards for gloves may be the firefighter PPE weak link
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Thermal protective performance testing can fall short on accurately representing glove heat insulation
Firefighter footwear: Evolution, advancements and new requirements
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Detailing changes to firefighter boots over the years, plus insights into fireground contamination, and what lies ahead for NFPA 1971
Flash Fire Cylinder: A new approach for measuring turnout clothing insulation
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The thermal protective test, flash fire manikin and Flash Fire Cylinder are three methods for measuring the thermal insulation of firefighting PPE fabrics
The future of turnout gear is about to be decided
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Significant questions arise as turnout-focused standards are consolidated
New standards set stage for improved gear cleaning and decontamination
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Updates to NFPA 1851 establish a cleaning verification process
Gear expectations: Firefighters expect more from their turnouts
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Is it time to establish new metrics for assessing the longevity of modern firefighting gear?
Is the fire service ready for a PPE shake-up?
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Despite drastic technological advances over the decades, firefighter PPE remains relatively unchanged
Contamination and cleaning of wildland firefighting gear
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Studies shed light on dangers of soiled wildland gear; researchers seek additional information to develop best practices
Is there a place for multi-functional gear in the fire service?
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Increased fire service diversity in response operational hazards is not easily met with a one-size-fits-all PPE solution
PPE cleaning products and processes: Ensuring the claims match the science
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A simple checklist helps fire service leaders evaluate PPE technology and cleaning claims
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