By Jeffrey O. and Grace G. Stull
The fire service begins each new year hoping for improvements in firefighter personal protective equipment — and with it reducing firefighter fatalities and injuries.
New technology in the fire service can drive changes that can result in greater protection, or at the very least contribute to a better understanding of that protection. But the correct use of existing protective gear can go a long way to avoiding avoid injury and/or fatalities. For example, investigations of firefighter injuries and fatalities repeatedly show that coat collars and helmet ear flaps are not properly deployed and that some PPE elements simply are not used. This simple attention to detail can reduce many burns and other injuries.
There is also the need for firefighters to recognize the limits of their protective clothing and associated equipment. Unfortunately in some cases, as new PPE is introduced, the advances in protective capabilities that are intended to keep firefighters safe under certain conditions are sometimes lost. Many firefighters believe that they can now go further into the fire or stay longer. Technology cannot prevent all fatalities and injuries, but when properly used, can certainly minimize potential losses.
New choices
For the new year, industry will resolve to present the fire service with a number of new choices of materials, designs and products. Expectations are that new material advances will provide gear that is lighter and more flexible, with the achievement of minimizing the stress on the already severely burdened firefighter. For clothing, the objective is gaining a balance between light weight, improved mobility, easy donning and comfort with protection against an inestimable number of thermal, physical, and liquid hazards.
These same principles apply to the other elements of the firefighting ensemble — helmets, gloves, footwear and hoods. Achieving this objective is not easy and as with any PPE, a number of adverse situations can easily overpower the clothing’s capabilities. Thus, proper selection combined with thorough training can aid firefighters in knowing their limits of protection and maintain the firefighter’s safety. Firefighters and their departments are gaining a better understanding of where their common risks lie. For this reason, manufacturers will also resolve to provide better and more detailed information about their products and technology.
Fire departments will be encouraged to ensure that its members have suitably fitting clothing and equipment, which is properly integrated and provides complete protection. Increased firefighter education in these areas will place emphasis on ergonomics in the coming year.
 The new year will also find fire departments and manufacturers resolving to improve the service life of their offerings.  | ||
In 2009, fire departments will resolve to be more cautious about their spending habits and achieve the best value for their investments in firefighter health and safety. Replacement of clothing and equipment will be carefully examined so that any changes are justified in providing quantifiable improvements in protective capabilities. This will mean that departments will conduct more field testing to compare products with the intent of providing objective ratings of competing items and technology.
It will further result in departments trying to gain larger protection advantages in proven technology, where more notable improvements in clothing and equipment characteristics are sought to be able to substantiate outlays by local governments and other groups for authorizing new purchases. Under these conditions, some larger departments may be more likely to seek to ways to maximize their clothing budgets and incorporate PPE care and maintenance as part of the overall process.
Service life
The new year will also find fire departments and manufacturers resolving to improve the service life of their offerings through better care and management of PPE. Considerable controversy arose during 2008 with the implementation of a new selection, care, and maintenance standard for fire fighting protective clothing and equipment. Mandatory requirement of ensemble elements and the extra levels of inspection and maintenance in particular were intended to better assess and ensure that protective qualities of fire fighter PPE remain in place.
However, during the coming months, fire departments, in conjunction with manufacturers and suppliers, will be looking for ways to better address issues related to wear and tear and to ensure proper care for extended use. Many fire departments will be in a position where they have no other choice but to make certain that their existing gear continues to provide appropriate levels of protection. This approach can only be accomplished through greater attention to having the department and its members appropriately clean, inspect, repair, and store their existing PPE. These programs can no longer be of secondary importance.
During the coming year, we will continue to address key issues in the field of PPE as they arise and provide a source of education on protective product technologies. There are a number of emerging advances and new developments that we will be reporting on. We want to thank our readership for their numerous questions, suggestions and concerns. Let’s resolve that the next 12 months will be a prosperous and safe year for the fire service.
