The key to managing the risks of wildland firefighting is to continuously update the personal protective system that has been developed and refined over the past 30 years. In that light, specialists from MTDC have been active participants in developing the consensus for the newly approved National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard on "Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Firefighting, NFPA 1977-1993." The degree of quality established in the equipment developed by MTDC was used as a starting point, and the approved standard will provide managers from all Midland fire agencies with the basic safety components for the protection of their firefighters.
The NFPA 1977-1993 standard specifically addresses the helmet (hardhat), shirt and trouser (or jumpsuit/ coveralls), gloves, boots, and fire shelter.
In a major departure from its normal procedures, NITA used the USFS design specification for the fire shelter as written, rather than attempt to develop an untried performances specification on this most critical safety item. The current standard does not address brush coats, respiratory protection (except in the appendix), or other fire line accessories, such as backpacks and other web gear; these items will be addressed in the next scheduled update.
Ongoing work at MTDC in the area of wildland fire personal protective equipment includes a major effort to improve the forest fire shelter by changing materials and design to increase the protection limits in a burnover. The company is incorporating new fabrics (such as Nomex IIIA) into shirts and trousers to increase wearability and protection; redesigning firefighters' gloves from four sizes to five (xs,s,m,l,xl) to meet the sizing needs of a more diverse workforce; resizing fire trousers to better meet the needs of increasing numbers of women firefighters; developing an individual firefighter tent to offer a cleaner and healthier off-line environment for firefighters on multi-day assignments; and is improving portable water systems to minimize the risks of contamination in the wildland setting.
Entrapment situations are rare events in wildland fire, especially with today's superior intelligence in fire weather conditions and fire behavior, better educated and trained crews, and improved communications and firefighting equipment. However, due to human error, and because some aspects of wildland fire management remain more art than science, entrapments and burnovers still occur. By staying current with the ever-changing technologies of protective fabrics and equipment, personal protective equipment is becoming an even more effective first line of defense for the wildland firefighter.
Protective Clothing & Equipment
5100 Fire
October-November 1993
9351-2851-MTDC
Visitor
since October 1, 1999