The process of donning turnout gear is simple — the technology and principles behind it aren't.
Boots? Check. Bunker pants? Check. Hood? Check. Coat? Check. Helmet? Check. Gloves? Check. SCBA? Check. It seems so simple.
Countless times a day, firefighters across the country go through the motions of dressing out to perform the duties of their occupation. But do they stop to really think about their PPE? Do they take the time to learn about what each component or element adds to the creation of a safety envelope that lets them do extraordinary things on a daily basis?
In other words, are firefighters dressed simply for success or for survival?
Firefighter deaths have dropped by nearly one-third over the last 30 years. NFPA statistics reveal sudden cardiac-related deaths have dropped from 2.6 per 100,000 structure fires to 1.3 per 100,000 structure fires. Meanwhile, structure fire-related deaths dropped from 79 in 1977 to 34 in 2006. Sounds like some real progress has been made, doesn't it?
The bad news is that structure fires have dropped by about 50% during that same time period. So, the proportion of fire-related deaths to structural fires has remained virtually the same. The U.S. fire service continues to experience devastating, high-profile losses, and the rate of non-cardiac, non-structural injuries and fatalities continues to rise. The last 10 years are particularly disconcerting, with a steady loss of more than 100 firefighters per year.
What does this have to do with PPE? According to the 2007 National Near-Miss Reporting System, “Wearing PPE is one of the most fundamental acts a firefighter can perform to insure individual safety.” Firefighter safety and survival is intrinsically dependent on the personal protective ensemble.
But it is more than just donning the ensemble. It also is a matter of understanding how PPE protects, respecting its limitations, recognizing attitudes about PPE and critically assessing the health and safety risks associated with firefighters' working environments. The safety envelope created by PPE can be examined from three perspectives: technology, culture and environment.
There also is a synergy between these three perspectives that is analogous to the proverbial three-legged stool. Take away our understanding of one leg and the entire protective envelope can collapse. The challenge over the past 30 years has been to keep up with these three perspectives in a balanced and coordinated approach.
Extraordinary Hazards
Given the possible working environments firefighters might encounter on any given day, the demands on PPE are extraordinary. The Project Heroes report identified 52 unique hazards that could contribute to firefighter injury or death, and the NFPA has developed specific PPE standards for specialized environments. Yet most firefighters have only NFPA 1971-compliant structural firefighting PPE as a safeguard. It is neither fiscally nor logistically realistic to outfit each firefighter in the myriad specialized PPE ensembles.
The NFPA 1971 committee understands this dilemma and goes to great lengths to ensure the standard document addresses protection for the broader spectrum of everyday working environments. As these environments change, so does the NFPA 1971 document. It is important to continually reassess fire service working environments by identifying key components and assessing potential risks to firefighter safety and health.
One of the more interesting areas of study right now is the definition of an “ordinary” fire in terms of thermal radiation. Homes are becoming more encapsulated and household items are being manufactured with increasing amounts of synthetic materials that burn at higher temperatures. These facts have tended to shift the range of “routine” and “ordinary” fires into higher thermal ranges.
Closely associated with this trend is the phenomenon of “stored energy.” A relatively new concept that has evolved over the past 10 years, stored energy refers to the thermal energy that is absorbed by the PPE composite as it protects the body from a high-heat environment.
The air spaces between the composite layers are part of the protective system. As a firefighter moves about in the course of firefighting activity, the air continually is mixed and moving. However, there can be spots where air movement is restricted and the temperature of the air in these pockets continues to rise. If this section of a composite is compressed suddenly, the hot air will take the path of least resistance to escape. This path might be toward the firefighter's skin, creating a burn with little or no degradation to the PPE composite layers.
If the fire service continues to fight structural fires the same way but in hotter environments, then technology and tactics need to keep up with the changing environment to ensure firefighters can function safely.
Technology's Impact
An understanding of the working environment has had a profound impact on the NFPA documents and the development of new technology, which has moved firefighters from the days of rubber-coated canvas turnout coats to the sophisticated garments they wear today.
Technology is the result of understanding and scientifically quantifying the synergistic relationship between protective clothing and the environment. The science built into PPE is phenomenal and explains why the NFPA 1971 document has grown from an eight-page pamphlet to a 125-page book in 35 years. Technology has enabled the transfer of materials and concepts from the space program and the military and effectively blend them with working environments unique to the fire service to create some truly outstanding PPE elements and components.
Just think about how Kevlar has been woven into the fabrics that make up coats, pants, boots, gloves and helmets. And, there are dozens more products just like it that have profoundly changed the fire service and raised the bar regarding what is now considered minimal protection.
Countering Culture
The term “culture” speaks to those non-scientific or technical aspects of the fire-service world that impact how firefighters select, care for and use PPE. Fire service traditions run strong and deep — sometimes to a detriment. Have you ever tried to get a veteran firefighter to turn in old turnout gear for a brand-new set of clean, bright yellow bunker pants and coat? Unfortunately, the fire-service culture does not have kind words for PPE that does not look “experienced.”
This attachment to tradition also is evident in the style of PPE elements that are the most popular. The helmet is at the top of that list. The traditional-style fire helmet continues to be the hands-down favorite of firefighters. It does not provide any more protection than the newer styles and its weight can contribute to overall fatigue, yet it remains an icon of the American firefighter.
Manufacturers are keenly aware of how culture plays into the selection of PPE and strive to meld performance and safety into a protective element that will be desirable to the members of the fire service. If firefighters won't use or wear an item, then it has not achieved the goal of becoming an integral part of a firefighter's protective ensemble. A classic example was described in a report following the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon that described a tractor-trailer load of air-purifying respirator canisters that sat virtually unused because they were pink.
The reluctance to separate core functionality, technology and appearance works against the fire service. Fire service leaders must take the time to understand these changing environments, diligently examine their expectations for the tools of the trade and objectively determine what technology meets those expectations. It often takes a leap of faith and courage — and knowledge — to break away from the crowd.
Educational Opportunities
Knowledge is a wonderful thing. It empowers firefighters to provide exceptional service to the customer while at the same time protecting their own health and safety. The personal protective ensemble plays an integral role in ensuring a safe outcome as firefighters meet everyday challenges.
For 10 years, the NFPA 1971 committee has identified PPE education as the number-one need of the fire service when it comes to personal protection — not better technology or design. Unfortunately, education is not within the purview of the NFPA 1971 document. NFPA 1851, Selection, Care and Maintenance of PPE, comes much closer but still misses the mark envisioned by the committee members.
After many years of wrestling with this dilemma, members of the NFPA 1971 committee this spring delivered the first annual PPE Symposium, in conjunction with the fire-service section of NFPA and the Fire Industry Equipment Research Organization, and hosted by the Charlotte (N.C.) Fire Department.
Topics ranged from selection and risk assessment, the science behind the technologies, care and maintenance, PPE standards, and SCBA. Leaders and subject-matter experts spent two-and-a-half days sharing their knowledge and insight on a plethora of PPE topics, all designed to educate firefighters, logistics personnel, safety officers and fire service leaders about the personal protective ensemble. And every presentation touched on technology, environment and culture.
The symposium was attended by nearly 400 fire-service members from across the country. Speakers were asked to prepare material that would speak to both new and seasoned fire service members. From the feedback that the symposium coordinators received the speakers all hit the mark dead-on. Presentations not only informed the audiences on the history behind many aspects of PPE but gave listeners a taste of things to come. Many firefighters came to the event to understand the concepts behind PPE and empower themselves when it comes to selection.
The next PPE symposium will be held May 2-4, 2011, in Charlotte.
By the response of the audience in Charlotte, the time is ripe for expanding PPE education.
Donna Brehm is a regional liaison for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. She previously served on the NFPA 1971 committee and chaired the NFPA 1999 committee. She has a bachelor's degree in biology from Old Dominion, a master's degree in public administration from Golden Gate University, and holds the Chief Fire Officer Designation.
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