Fire Fighter Safety Equipment

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Fire Fighter Safety Equipment

    Fire fighters are dependent on the quality and proper use of their fire safety
equipment, from their turnouts and boots to life sustaining self-contained breathing
apparatus to provide protection and support. OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration has required specific criteria for the protective equipment utilized by fire
fighters and has even provided an outline of testing procedures to determine the fire-
retardant nature of outer gear, especially turnouts and helmets. It is necessary that fire
safety uniforms meet specific standards in order to insure the safety of individuals who often
put themselves in hazardous situations as an element of their work.
    Approximately 1.2 million of America's 1.5 million firefighters and rescue workers are
volunteers, but this does not diminish the importance of utilizing appropriate safety
equipment and protocols
(Walters 6). It has readily been recognized that ineffective use of equipment, especially
protective gear for firefighters, is one of the most significant causes of injury and death
among firefighters. Over 100,000 fire fighters were injured in the line of duty from 1990-
1992, approximately 280 of those injuries resulting in death (Anonymous 231).
    The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recognized that
the following four factors are the most important elements in reducing the chance of death or
injury for fire fighters:
1. fire fighters must follow established policies and procedures; 2. fire fighters must
understand and use an adequate respirator maintenance program; 3. fire fighters must be
made accountable for their action at a fire scene, and recognize their role within the fire
fighting team; and 4. fire fighters must be trained in the use of self-protection equipment,
including the use of personal-alert safety-system devices at the fire scene (Anonymous 231).
A number of these elements can be directly correlated to the personal equipment utilized by
each fire fighter and demonstrates the need for protocol adherence and specific use-related
training.
    One of the most problematic issues in considering the personal equipment and
uniforms utilized by firefighters is that while this equipment is necessary for the safety of the
fire fighter, personal protection gear, especially turnouts and boot combinations and helmets,
can be especially limiting to the range of movements and reaction times for firefighters.
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