The NFPA 1851 standard provides fire departments resources for appropriate levels of training for in-house PPE maintenance programs and an assurance of proficient services for fire departments that choose to outsource. The 2008 edition also flattened the hierarchy for determining who can provide compliant services by eliminating the need for PPE manufacturers to recognize or authorize organizations or other entities that provides services to their brand.
Fire departments have two primary resources for training on advanced cleaning, advanced inspection, basic turnout repairs and all repairs to helmet, boots, hoods and gloves – element manufacturers and verified independent service providers.
Fire departments can outsource services to Verified ISPs. The standard:
• does not require verified ISPs to be recognized or authorized by the element manufacturer
• does require that verified ISPs be manufacturer trained to perform advanced cleaning and advanced inspection
• does not require verified ISPs to have manufacturers’ training to perform advanced repairs on turnouts
Third party verification by a certification organization ensures that the ISP has suitable knowledge and expertise to repair any brand of gear.
The intent of the standard is to provide fire departments resources for training and services that are validated through third party certification organizations. It removed manufacturers’ endorsement of specific training or service providers giving fire departments the right to choose any resource that complies with the standard.
If your fire department wants to implement an in-house maintenance program for Lion brand PPE, you may visit www.liontotalcare.com for internet training. Any verified ISP may repair Lion turnout gear, and upon completion of our internet training, may provide advanced cleaning and inspection service to turnout gear and all services for other Lion brand elements.
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