Fire Protection Training: Bunker Gear

Why do firefighters wear red suspenders?

To hold their pants up.

The 2009 Fire Prevention Week theme, “Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burn” is an outlook every fire fighter can take to heart when facing a raging fire on the fire ground. One basic and important item that helps keep the fire fighter from getting burned is the safe use of structure protective clothing or what I call as well as other fire fighters, “bunker gear.” There’s structural bunker gear for the building or MVA fire and there is also the ARFF bunker gear or silver proximity suit for aircraft fires/incidents. Both types of bunker gear I have worn, used, and it has provide me protection to a certain degree of keeping from getting burned. The bunker gear is not fire proof or fire resistant and all who wear this type of personal protective equipment (PPE) need to know what the limitations are. Let’s review some basic aspects of both types of bunker gear:

Structural Bunker Gear:

Structural fire fighters’ protective clothing is designed to protect its wearer from the thermal environments experienced during fire fighting. This includes protection from thermal radiation, hot gas convection, and heat conduction from hot surfaces. Fire fighters may receive serious burn injuries from each of these modes of heat transfer or a combination of them even though they are wearing protective clothing. In addition, fire fighters’ protective clothing is often wet when it becomes heated by the fire fighting environment. Hot vapors and steam are generated inside protective clothing systems that also produce serious burn injuries. Fire fighters’ protective clothing has definite physical limits associated with its ability to protect the wearer. These safe use limits are poorly understood and are not addressed in current fire service protective clothing standards.

Research groups are studying these physical safe use limits for thermal performance of fire fighters’ protective clothing, and developing new test apparatus and predictive tools that will provide insight into the causes of burn injuries. This effort is helping to develop a better understanding and define the safe use limits of fire service protective clothing. As a result, this research effort will assist in reducing the number of serious fire fighter injuries.

Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) Bunker Gear:

Aircraft firefighting/rescue protective clothing (also known as the proximity suit), better known as "silvers/silver bunker suit" is a fire suit designed to protect a firefighter from high radiant fire loads, such as those produced by JP fuels or other bulk flammable fuels. They are worn for aircraft firefighting. They are currently manufactured from vacuum deposited aluminized materials that reflect the high radiant loads produced by the fire. The suits are certified to meet the National Fire Protection Association Standard NFPA 1976-2000, Standard on Protective Ensemble for Proximity Fire Fighting.

Aircraft firefighting/rescue protective clothing is a prime safety consideration for personnel engaged in firefighting and rescue work. Metalized protective clothing offers a means of providing protection to firefighters because of its high percentage of reflectivity to radiant heat. It is important to point out that these garments are not classified as entry suits, but are known as proximity clothing to be worn with firefighter boots that have safety toes and soles.

Firefighters assigned ARFF duties shall be provided with a complete set of protective clothing that meets appropriate NFPA standards. A complete set of protective clothing includes trousers, coat, gloves, nomex hood and proximity helmet or hood and boots.

How do you don personal protective clothing for structural fire and aircraft fires/incidents? Simply put, you put it on to fully provide protection using all bunker gear issued to you.

Proper protective clothing is issued to each firefighter and its use is mandatory on any fire ground. Your personal safety and your value as a crew member depends on your utilization of the personal protective clothing correctly.

Here are a few YouTube videos where Captain Joe Bruni shows how to properly don structural personal protective clothing.…

With fire protection training to become qualified and certified in wearing the SCBA here’s Captain Joe Bruni once again showing in this YouTube video of putting it all together in donning both bunker gear along with the SCBA.…

Because of the variety of situations and exposures firefighters encounter, it is very difficult to provide personal protective clothing and equipment that will meet all needs. The firefighter must fully understand the shortcomings and limitations of various items of clothing and not exceed those limitations through training and use on the fire ground.

Regardless of the degree of protection afforded by any piece of clothing or equipment, much of the effectiveness will be lost if firefighters are not fully trained in its use and maintenance. The correct usage and maintenance of all items of protective equipment are heavily dependent on the individual firefighter's attitude, training and maintenance knowledge. All types of equipment are vulnerable to various forms of deterioration and failure of this piece of equipment would be extremely hazardous. Firefighters should receive instruction on inspecting equipment for deterioration or malfunction and trained, where applicable, in correcting defects.

Don’t get burned by not wearing fire protective equipment hap-hazardously, wear it correctly, and Be Fire Safe.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)

Safety Tips For Adults

Every 39 minutes someone in the U.S. is injured in a home fire.

Home fires result in hundreds of people being burned and even killed in the United States of America each year. That’s why teaming up with local fire departments across the country for Fire Prevention Week 2009 to urge all residents to “Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned.”

Fire Prevention Week 2009 focuses on ways to keep homes fire safe and prevent painful burns. By following simple safety rules, you can “Stay Fire Smart!”

Don’t Get Burned

* Keep hot foods and liquids away from tables and counter edges so they cannot be pulled or knocked over.

* Have a 3-foot “kid-free” zone around the stove.

* Never hold a child in your arms while preparing hot food or drinking a hot beverage.

* Teach children that hot things hurt.

* Be careful when using things that get hot such as curling irons, oven, irons, lamps, heaters.

* When using heating pads only use for 15-20 minutes at a time and don’t lie, sit or place anything on the pad.

Just Right?

* To avoid scalds, set the thermostat setting in your water heater to no higher than 120 degrees F.

* Remember young children and older adults skin burns more easily.

* Consider having “anti-scald” devices on tub faucets and shower heads to prevent scalds.

* Test the water before placing a child or yourself in the tub.

* Never leave young children alone in the tub, shower or near a sink.

* Be careful about scalding water. The water should feel warm, not hot. Before you put your child in the tub, test the temperature with your wrist, elbow, or the back of your hand. Don't rely on a tub with a temperature indicator, such as a drain plug that changes color to indicate too hot, too cold, and just right. If you're using a thermometer with a read-out, infant bath water should be no more than 100 degrees. Even when using a thermometer use your wrist, elbow, or the back of your hand as your main guide.

Cool a Burn

* Treat a burn right away. Put it in cool water for three to five minutes. Cover with a clean, dry cloth.

* If the burn is bigger than your fist or if you have any questions, get medical help right away.

* Remove all clothing, diapers, jewelry and metal from the burned areas.

Cooking with Caution

* The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.

* Pay attention to what you are cooking. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food.

* When you are simmering, boiling, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you.

* If you must leave the room even for a short time, turn off the stove.

* If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible.

* Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the stove.

* When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting or short sleeves.

* Allow food cooked in a microwave oven to cool for a few minutes before you take it out.

* Open micro waved food slowly. Hot steam from the container can cause burns.

The Heat is On…

* Have a 3 foot kid-free zone around open fires and heaters.

* Use a fireplace screen to keep sparks inside the fireplace.

* Turn portable space heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.

* Keep things that can burn, such as paper, bedding, or furniture, at least 3 feet from heaters.

* Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected each year by a professional.

* Make sure your portable space heater has an auto shut-off so if it is tipped over, it will shut off.

* Have your chimneys cleaned and inspected before each heating season.

Take it Outside

* Ask smokers to smoke outside.

* Give smokers deep, sturdy ashtrays.

* Never smoke if you are tired, have taken medicine, drugs, or alcohol that makes you sleepy.

* Keep smoking materials away from things that can burn, like bedding, furniture, and clothing.

Stay Grounded

* Keep lamps, light fixtures, and light bulbs away from anything that can burn, such as lamp shades, bedding, curtains, and clothing.

* Replace cracked and damaged electrical cords.

* Use extension cords for temporary wiring only. Consider having additional circuits or receptacles added by a qualified electrician.

* If you have young children in your home have tamper-resistant electrical receptacles.

* Call a qualified electrician or landlord if you have recurring problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers, discolored or warm wall outlets, flickering lights or a burning or rubbery small coming form an appliance.

Neighborhood Watch

* With the economic downturn, it is important to keep a watchful eye on your neighborhood.

* Encourage your community to implement an anti-arson program.

* Keep trash from collecting on your property.

* Remove abandoned vehicles from your property.

* Remove dead branches that could be used as a fuel source.

Fire-Safety Basics

* Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.

* For best protection use both photoelectric and ionization technology. You can use individual ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or combination units that contain both technologies in the same unit.

* Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.

* Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.

* Make sure everyone can hear the sound of the smoke alarms.

* Have a home fire escape plan. Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible, and a meeting place outside. Practice your escape plan twice a year.

* When the smoke alarm sounds, get out and stay out.

* If you are building or remodeling your home, consider a home fire sprinkler system.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)

Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned!

Fire Prevention Week is October 4 – 10


Fire Prevention Week is October 4 – 10. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), along with local fire departments and other safety advocates nationwide are urging people to Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned.

Fire departments responded to an estimated 1.5 million fires in 2008. These fires resulted in 3,320 civilian fire fatalities, 16,705 civilian fire injuries and an estimated $15.5 billion in direct property loss.

“Every 22 seconds a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the United States,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of communications. “Fires kill roughly 3,000 people each year and injure thousands. These statistics are especially tragic because most fires can be prevented and the deaths and injuries associated with them can be avoided. Fire Prevention Week is dedicated to focusing on important safety information that will help you stay safe from fire year round.”

This year’s campaign, Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned focuses on ways to prevent fires, and the deaths, injuries, and property loss they cause. Eighty-four percent of all fire deaths were caused by home fires. By providing valuable information on fire and burn prevention and safety tips, the campaign aims to help the public keep their homes and the people who live there safe from fire and burns.

Here are some very important YouTube videos for Fire Prevention Week 2009, that cover concerns everyone needs to know and be aware of when it comes to being Fire Safe:

Have a great Fire Prevention Week 2009. Remind family, friends, and co-works of daily Fire Prevention Practices. Make it a practice that is done 24/7 year round. Remember also…

Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned!

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)

Home Fire Safety - A Good Escape Plan is Essential

By: RJ U Smith

The key to survival from any type of fires is a safe escape. Whereas commercial buildings have official fire exits and regular fire drills, most ordinary residences do not. Thus, during home fires many victims suffer from death or physical injuries because there is no specific fire exit and, usually, no formal training on what to do during a fire.

But this should not be the case. Although fire prevention is still the best measure to combat home fires, you need to prioritize and emphasize safety practices for you and your family to do during an actual fire. As accidents can occur any moment, it is always best to be prepared for any eventuality so that damage can be minimized. And since family safety is a top priority and escape is the key to survival, you should have an effective escape plan firmly established for the entire family to take.

While it is good to start planning for your escape during a fire, you should not overlook having a smoke alarm installed if you still have not done so. A smoke alarm alerts you that a possible fire is building up giving you the chance to escape.

Gather the family together and discuss the steps to follow and pointers to remember when escaping from a home fire.

* Since it may be smoky, get down or stoop while exiting as breathing and seeing may be easier in these positions. Cover your nose as toxic gases may be present in the smoke, and these may affect your mental faculties, or cause you to faint.

* Once you are out of the house, never go back inside for anything. Once out, keep out.

The type of fire may affect the progress of your escape. A gradually growing smoldering fire may progress without detection for a while before it finally flares up into enormous flames and tremendous heat. A swift flaming fire on the other hand allows a little amount of time before the leaping flames and scorching heat intensify. You should remember that in either form of fire, you should stay out once you are out.

The following are a few specific tips to remember when escaping from either form of fire.

In a gradual smoldering fire:

This form of fire progresses gradually hence may not be picked up by smoke alarms immediately. But a photoelectric smoke alarm can detect a smoldering fire a few seconds faster than its ionization counterpart. Regardless of your smoke alarm however, be sure to go out as soon as you hear the sound of the alarm.

* If you have an established escape plan, it can significantly lessen the amount of time you spend in exiting your burning home. Thus, safety is more assured.

* As soon as the smoke alarm sounds, leave your home as fast as you can since you cannot predict when a smoldering fire will explode into huge burning flames.

* Smoldering fires generate a great amount of smoke so be sure to keep low while exiting to help you breathe and see better, thus avoiding or minimizing the inhalation of toxic gases which may be present in the smoke.

* Try an alternative escape route like a window or another door if your primary exit is blocked by smoke, flames or heat.

In a swift burning fire:

This type of fire allows limited time for escape. An ionization smoke alarm can detect a flaming fire several seconds faster than a photoelectric one. But these few seconds will surely count in a rapidly sweeping flaming fire which can determine your escape.

* A pre-established fire escape plan can minimize the time you need to get out of your home safely.

* As this fire grows swiftly, leave your home as fast as you can because the flames, heat, and toxic gases can magnify very rapidly.

* Again, use an alternative exit path if your main escape route is blocked by flames, heat or smoke.

Bear in mind too that in any emergency it is vital that your ability to think clearly and focus remains intact. Teach your family not to panic but to concentrate on the task of escaping to safety. It is even advisable that you regularly practice a fire drill in your home to ensure that every family member knows the escape plan.

RJ Smith frequently writes articles in an effect to educate others and raise public awareness on a variety of today's important current developments.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rj_U_Smith

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)