The federal government has awarded the International Association of Fire Fighters a contract to develop new structural firefighting personal protective gear.

The goal is to create certified protective clothing that is as indistinguishable as possible from current structural firefighting gear and affords improved CBRN protection without sacrificing thermal protection, comfort and functionality.

“Fire departments do not have the resources to provide multiple garments for each responder, so one multi-purpose suit will offer the best way for firefighters to ensure they're protected against any hazard,” said Harold Schaitberger, IAFF general president.

The IAFF has put together a project team of leading fire service organizations and universities. The team is pursuing a two-track development that will involve the selection of ensemble materials for the garments, gloves, footwear and hood combined with the design of ensemble element interfaces to afford protection consistent with current protective clothing standards.

The short-term track involves identifying and selecting available materials to optimize a composite with barrier material that provides thermal, physical and chemical performance.

Prototype ensemble designs will undergo extensive laboratory testing to validate the overall product performance and the effect of human factors. Personnel in major metropolitan fire departments will help evaluate the prototypes. At the end of its contract term, the IAFF plans to deliver complete specifications for a field-ready firefighting protective ensemble.