It is well known that fire fighters expose themselves to many hazards, from toxic gases, structural collapse, to fire and extreme heat. They don’t do it for glory but for the desire to help protect property and the people in their community. To help minimize risk to their health and safety, fire fighters use and carry protective equipment and wear specialized protective clothing, known as PPE. The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the fire truck and equipment it carries has evolved drastically from the first fire fighters to now. The original fire fighter helmet was made up of leather and had long brims coming down the back and both sides of the helmet. The brims would curl to help avoid water from getting inside the coat and on
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Fire fighters originally used uniforms consisting of thick wool and a red shirt. Wool was the fabric of choice because it gave the fire fighters protection from heat and cold, as well as water and flames. It is said that the first fire fighters only used the uniforms on special occasions such as parades and celebrations. They would wear their regular clothing to fight burning buildings because they wouldn’t go into the structure to fight the fire, they would fight the fire from outside. After World War II the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) implicated standard equipment and mandated that fire fighters have to wear multiple layers as part of their uniform. These layers consist of flame-resistant fabric that will not be destroyed by charring, separating, or melting in 500 degrees ferinhieght for a period of five minutes. It also includes a moisture-resistant layer, to prevent moisture from penetrating to the fire fighter. Lastly, it has a thermal resistant layer to provide thermal insulation from radiant conducted heat and convective heat. The NFPA also requires all fire fighter turnout gear, including pants, coat, gloves, boots, and helmet to have reflective trim to provide visibility in many different circumstances during any fire. The bunker coat can weigh up to 15 pounds while the bunker pants can weigh up to 30 pounds so fire fighter use suspenders to help keep their pants …show more content…
On most pumper fire engines, the water tank is inside the vehicle and can hold up to 1000 gallons of water. A drop tank is like a huge, above-ground swimming pool that can hold up to 2000 gallons of water. Using a six inch diameter hose, water can be sucked out of the tank or any other water source. The water that is stored inside the pumper truck, or that is sucked from a source, can then be used by attack lines connected around the fire
Fire fighters originally used uniforms consisting of thick wool and a red shirt. Wool was the fabric of choice because it gave the fire fighters protection from heat and cold, as well as water and flames. It is said that the first fire fighters only used the uniforms on special occasions such as parades and celebrations. They would wear their regular clothing to fight burning buildings because they wouldn’t go into the structure to fight the fire, they would fight the fire from outside. After World War II the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) implicated standard equipment and mandated that fire fighters have to wear multiple layers as part of their uniform. These layers consist of flame-resistant fabric that will not be destroyed by charring, separating, or melting in 500 degrees ferinhieght for a period of five minutes. It also includes a moisture-resistant layer, to prevent moisture from penetrating to the fire fighter. Lastly, it has a thermal resistant layer to provide thermal insulation from radiant conducted heat and convective heat. The NFPA also requires all fire fighter turnout gear, including pants, coat, gloves, boots, and helmet to have reflective trim to provide visibility in many different circumstances during any fire. The bunker coat can weigh up to 15 pounds while the bunker pants can weigh up to 30 pounds so fire fighter use suspenders to help keep their pants …show more content…
On most pumper fire engines, the water tank is inside the vehicle and can hold up to 1000 gallons of water. A drop tank is like a huge, above-ground swimming pool that can hold up to 2000 gallons of water. Using a six inch diameter hose, water can be sucked out of the tank or any other water source. The water that is stored inside the pumper truck, or that is sucked from a source, can then be used by attack lines connected around the fire