Lewiston Tribune
MOSCOW, Idaho — The standard-issued “yellows” and cargo-style pants for wildland firefighters don’t have much sympathy for the human body, particularly if the firefighter’s body type isn’t the norm.
How comfortable the traditional yellow shirts and green pants are is not typically a forefront concern for firefighters, said Sonya S. Meyer, University of Idaho School of Family and Consumer Sciences director. But, she noted, ill-fitting clothing can pose concerns for safety and efficiency on the fire line.
“For their body, this is the protective gear,” Meyer said of the clothing.
That’s why researchers at several universities throughout the country have spent the past three years researching how the clothing fits firefighters, specifically the seasonal crew members, what issues are present and how they can be improved in a way that will make the gear more comfortable and help firefighters be more efficient.
The research is part of a five-year clothing redesign project initiated by Meyer in 2012 while she was a professor at the University of Wyoming. Meyer, along with a colleague at Colorado State University, spearheaded the project that now includes researchers at Iowa State University, Louisiana State University, Oklahoma State University, Oregon State University and Catherine Black at Washington State University.
Meyer’s interest in wildland firefighting gear stems from a couple of places, but her idea for the research initiative came from a woman who approached her at the University of Wyoming. The woman was a wildland firefighter who had experienced some real issues with the standard trousers.
The woman explained that the trousers would loosen around her waist the longer she wore them and she had to cinch them in place with her belt. But that created another problem, causing bunching around her waist where her pack rested. Meyer said the woman experienced chafing and skin abrasions that led to a fungal infection.
She then asked her son, who was a Bitterroot Hot Shots crew member for five years, if the woman’s issues with the gear was an isolated problem or one that other firefighters encounter. She learned the discomfort of the clothing and sizing issues, particularly for seasonal firefighters who receive standard-issued gear, was fairly common.
Meyer has since spoken with several other firefighters who also relayed challenges with their gear. A petite woman explained the sleeves of her yellow shirt - intended to protect her skin while on the fire line - were too long so she was forced to roll them up, causing the sleeves to be baggy and bulky around her wrists. The baggy shirt also prevented the collar from protecting her neck and embers got inside the shirt.
In another instance, a woman was given the smallest-sized gloves available that were still far too large for her hands. Meyer said the woman ended up working without gloves, exposing her hands to flying embers and blistering from digging lines.
The challenges are not just among women, Meyer said. Some men experience issues with the cargo pockets on the pants hitting them in the knees. There is also concern for both men and women who get overheated.
Meyer said she has primarily been researching the structure of the shirts and pants, or finding what challenges and discomforts are felt among firefighters. She has also been coordinating with Tony Petrilli, a former smokejumper and U.S. Forest Service equipment specialist at the Missoula Technology and Development Center, to review prototypes he’s developed to address some of the issues found.
Petrilli’s prototypes included the addition of Velcro adjustment straps at the shirts’ wrists and on a newly designed high collar. The pants also have built-in size adjustments around the waist and a higher side pocket. He’s developed a few different T-shirt types using various fibers to make them lighter and breathable.
“I think the direction Tony is going is right on track, but the other hurdle is manufacturing,” Meyer said.
The standard-issued firefighting gear is mass produced by various manufacturers, Meyer said, and anytime a design is changed that adds to the cost. That will be a factor that needs to be considered as the research group works toward finding solutions for the poor-fitting clothing.
Meyer said she knows clothing challenges are not a top priority for wildland firefighters, especially when they’re on a fire. But finding ways through different designs, material, sizing and fit to make them more comfortable can help them to be safer and more efficient. She said one of her students described the project as “trying to do a better job of protecting them, so they can protect us.”
“This is what we’re trying to do, and hopefully we’ll be able to come up with some solutions,” Meyer said.
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