Firefighter's Gear
A firefighter's coat and pants set (turnout gear) can cost as much as $1,000! It costs so much because there's a lot more to a firefighter's clothing than regular material. Each coat and pants set is made up of three separate layers:
- The outer shell, the outside layer, is a synthetic, flame-resistant fabric. This material (one brand is called Nomex®) doesn't catch on fire or melt when exposed to flame. Instead, it forms harmless char. Race car drivers wear protective covering made from this same material, and it's also used in hot air balloons.
- The middle layer, a moisture barrier, is a water-resistant layer. It's like the material of a raincoat. This layer is also made of a synthetic fabric, designed with tiny openings big enough to let air molecules through but too small to let water molecules through. This layer keeps scalding steam and boiling water away from the firefighter's body.
- The inner layer, a thermal liner, is basic insulation that protects the firefighter from extreme heat. The thermal layer and moisture barrier together form the liner, which fits inside the outer shell of fire-resistant fabric.
The coat and pants protect the firefighter's body, but what about his or her head and face? A firefighter's helmet is like a wide-brimmed construction helmet, made of hard plastic. Many helmets have built-in liners made from fire-resistant material. The traditional long brim in the back was originally designed to keep water from flowing down a firefighter's neck, into his or her coat.
The firefighter's name is printed in reflective material on the back of the helmet, so firefighters can recognize each other. Helmets may be color-coded to show rank. For example, the fire chief may wear a white helmet, while captains might wear red helmets, and other firefighters might wear yellow helmets.
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Protective clothing - check. Protective head covering - check. What else is there? Turns out, these aren't the only items firefighters wear to a fire scene:
- The nylon tool belt has loops to hold an axe, a hydrant wrench and various other tools. It also has a loop that firefighters can use to anchor themselves to a ladder or moving fire engine.
- The electronic motion alarm (it's clipped to the nylon tool belt) has a built-in electronic motion sensor and timer. If it stays still for 30 seconds, it will whistle loudly to alert the rest of the team that a firefighter may be unconscious or unable to move.
- The self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is a lot like SCUBA diving gear. It includes a 30-pound metal air tank that holds enough compressed air to last for 30 minutes. It has a regulator that adjusts the air pressure to make it breathable, and a mask that fits over the mouth, nose and eyes. If a firefighter panics and breathes rapidly, he or she will use up the air more quickly. A glow-in-the-dark pressure gauge lets firefighters check their air supply at any time. If the air supply drops too low, an electronic pressure sensor alarm sounds to warn the firefighter.
- The halligan bar is basically a crow bar crossed with a cutting blade. Firefighters use it to break through doors and windows, move heavy objects and pry or cut away burning material.
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