Bunker gear
{{Short description|Personal protective equipment used by firefighters}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2008}}
File:Turnout gear in the Czech Republic.jpg (yellow in the middle), and fire proximity suit (silver on the right)]]
file:Chicago fire fighters walking.jpg
Bunker gear (also known as turnout gear, fire kit and incident gear{{original research inline|date=July 2020}}) is the personal protective equipment (PPE) used by firefighters. The term is derived from the fact that the trousers and boots are traditionally kept by firefighters' bunks at the fire station to be readily available for use.
History
{{Globalize|section|US-centric section|date=April 2025}}
file:Feuerwehrsicherheitsgurt.jpg
The modern firefighter's helmet was developed in 1830 by luggage maker Henry Gratacap, a volunteer firefighter in New York City.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Fire Engineering |date=2008-06-16 |title=The History of Firefighter Personal Protective Equipment |url=https://www.fireengineering.com/fire-prevention-protection/the-history-of-firefighter-personal-protective-equipment/ |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=Fire Engineering: Firefighter Training and Fire Service News, Rescue |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Tradition, history of the American firefighting helmet |url=https://www.firerescue1.com/gear-gadgets/articles/tradition-history-of-the-american-firefighting-helmet-4tJZMJTWBhTf2YsZ/ |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=FireRescue1 |language=en}} This helmet is recognizable today as the "New York" style of helmet, and has retained the same basic shape. The helmet had a brimmed front to affix a leather shield, usually adorned with a company name and number. It featured eight rib sections on the dome for added rigidity and a long rear brim that channeled water away from the wearer's neck.{{Cite web |title=Fire Helmet, "N.Y. Volunteer Association" |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1332308 |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=National Museum of American History |language=en}}
The combination of modern triple-layer turnout gear with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), personal alert safety system (PASS) device, and modern communications equipment is intended to provide protection against smoke, heat, water, steam, flashovers, and even direct flame for a short time.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-16 |title=How Your Turnout Gear Works |url=https://blog.msafire.com/how-your-turnout-gear-works/ |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=The Scene {{!}} A head-to-toe safety blog from the experts at MSA Fire |language=en-US}} Modern turnout jackets and pants are made of fire-retardant fabrics, mainly aramids such as Nomex and Kevlar or polybenzimidazole (PBI).
In the United States, the National Fire Protection Association publishes the requirements for fire protective clothing under NFPA 1971, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting. In order to comply with the NFPA standard, protective clothing is required to be tested and certified by independent third-parties, and bear the certifying body's logo and a compliance statement.NFPA 1971: Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, 2007 Edition. National Fire Prevention Association: Boston, Massachusetts. 2007 Such third-party certifications are issued by the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) and UL Solutions.
See also
- {{annotated link|Hazmat suit}}
- Firefighter's helmet
- {{annotated link|PASS device}}
- {{annotated link|Self-contained breathing apparatus}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- NFPA 1500, "Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program"
- NFPA 1971, "Standard on Protective Ensemble for Structural Firefighting."
- NFPA 1975, "Standard on Station/Work Uniforms for Fire Fighters."
External links
{{Commons category|Firefighting clothing}}
{{Wiktionary}}
- [https://home.nps.gov/stli/learn/news/firebrigadedonationpr030513.htm Statue of Liberty Fire Brigade]
- [http://www.paulconwayshields.com Examples of Fire Helmet Fronts]
{{Fire fighting}}