Bunker Gear for Fire Fighters: Does It Fit Today’S Fire Fighters?
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Volume 9, Issue 3, 2015 Bunker Gear for Fire Fighters: Does it fit today’s fire fighters? Lynn M. Boorady, Associate Professor and Chair, Fashion and Textile Technology Department, State University of New York - Buffalo State ABSTRACT The fit of bunker gear is important to ensure the protection of the firefighter when they are combating structural fire and performing other hazardous duties. Bunker gear is regulated by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) which requires a range of sizes and certain fit regulations due to safety. Firefighters are a specific segment of the population which may be appropriate for a specific sizing scheme. Body scans of career and volunteer male firefighters were compared to SizeUSA data. Differences were found in the height and weight, with male firefighters being heavier and taller than the general population. This research also looks at the procurement and sizing of bunker gear, analyzes body scan data specific to the firefighter population and suggests developing a sizing system specific to this population. A larger study would need to be conducted in order obtain statistically significant results. Keywords: Bunker gear, Firefighter protection, Turnout gear Introduction is needed in order to create a sizing scheme The image of the heroic fire fighter is for this target market. iconic. Firefighting is considered a According to the U.S. Fire prestigious occupation by 97% of the Administration, in 2013 there were 1,140,750 American public, according to a 2006 Harris fire fighters in the United States. Of those, Poll. Fire fighters walk into fire engulfed 354,600 were professional (or “career”) and buildings to save lives, put themselves in 786,150 were volunteers (U. S. Fire danger when venting a roof to contain a fire Administration, 2015). As of 2013, there and work diligently to protect the public from were only 10,179 female fire fighters in the harm. On television and in movies, fire U.S. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). Fire fighters are portrayed as healthy, strong fighters work in a demanding and dangerous individuals who are in top physical condition. occupation. Their bunker gear must be able Firefighting is a physically demanding and to protect them through all aspects of their dangerous job. Since they are in a high risk duties, most importantly the hostile job the general perception is that fire fighters environment of a structural fire. Regulations would be in better physical shape than the exist that state the level of protection the average person. An understanding of the bunker gear must provide the fire fighter. anthropometrics of the fire fighter population However, gear that is ill fitting may not Article Designation: Refereed 1 JTATM Volume 9, Issue 3, 2015 provide complete protection, or may 1997). However as building structures and contribute to discomfort and added stress for materials changed fires were getting more the fire fighter. dangerous and fire fighters felt the need to be Bunker gear, sometimes also referred more aggressive and active than they could in to as “turnout gear,” consists of a coat and the longer protective clothing styles (LaBar, pants. Garments are available in different 1997). Bunker gear, which included a styles and materials, though all must adhere fingertip length coat and pants combination, to safety regulations set forth by the National was developed for better protection. The Fire Protection Association (NFPA). These transition to the new style of bunker gear was regulations cover everything including the slow, with the last department changing to performance requirements of the materials the new combination bunker gear in 2006 used in manufacturing the gear, the design (Dudek, 2006). elements of the gear, and the testing The National Fire Protection standards. Previously, the regulations on Association (NFPA), founded in 1896, helmets, gloves, footwear and clothing were develops codes and standards related to fire in separate standards but the 1997 edition of including building codes, processes, design NFPA standards combined these in to a and installation. Their codes are widely single document. In the most recent edition accepted and their standards have become (2013), the requirements for two different law in many cities around the country, hazard situations, proximity fire fighting and usually with minimal or no alterations to the structural fire fighting, were combined into a language. NFPA 1971 is the standard on single standard. “Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Structural fires are fires which Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting” and originate in and burn any part or all of a covers the requirements for bunker gear. building, shelter, automobile, aircraft, marine The NFPA first developed a set of vessel or other structure. Operations may standards for bunker gear, NFPA 1971, in include fire suppression, rescue or property 1975 and have renewed or updated this conservation. Proximity fire fighting is a manual about every five years since. The special area within structural fire fighting and newest version is dated 2013. The NFPA it includes the same operations but involves standard requirements that describe the commercial and military aircraft, bulk proper fit of bunker gear are found in section combustible fires and fires which produce 6.1.11. Size ranges are given by body extreme levels of radiant heat. Fires which dimensions for both men and women. The burn acreage are referred to as wildland fires. sizing increments are also stated in the The clothing worn to fight wildland fires standard: for chest and waist dimensions the differs from structural fire fighting bunker sizes may not have a greater than 2” gear. This research focused on structural fires increment between sizes, for sleeves the and the bunker gear worn by structural fire standard is 1”, and for inseams it is 2”. It is fighters. also required that “men’s and women’s sizing shall be accomplished by men’s and Background women’s individual patterns” (NFPA, 2007, Prior to 1989, fire fighters wore long p. 24). This information is reproduced in coats and hip boots for protection (LaBar, Table 1. Table 1: NFPA Table 6.1.11 Available Coat / Trouser Size Ranges Men Women Increment Dimension mm In. mm In. mm. In. Chest 865-1525 34-60 710-1270 28-50 50 2 Sleeve 820-965 32-38 710-865 28-34 25 1 Waist 760-1525 30-60 710-1270 28-50 50 2 Inseam 660-915 26-36 610-865 24-34 50 2 Article Designation: Refereed 2 JTATM Volume 9, Issue 3, 2015 Additional requirements which may for everyone, an improved sizing system affect the design include that the collar must could reduce the number of custom garments be 3” in height, long enough to cover the neck and reduce cost. but not so long as to interfere with the helmet Career fire fighters have their bunker (NFPA, 1971, p. 24). These standards are gear ordered for them through a procurement followed by the manufacturers of bunker gear officer or other person (or committee) in so that they may claim compliance when charge of outfitting the workers. Usually the marketing their gear to fire fighters. Many of procurement officer chooses manufacturers the tenders put forth by fire departments to from which to make the purchases, based on ask for manufacturers bids will require that meeting the standards, feedback from the fire the gear be NFPA 1971 compliant. Another fighters and cost. If a bulk order is placed, a such regulation is that the coat must overlap manufacturer will usually send salesmen to the pants by two inches to provide adequate the fire station to measure the fire fighters and protection. This can be achieved either by a choose the sizes which fit best. It is also not finger length coat paired with pants which sit unusual for the manufacturer to send a set of at the waist, or a shorter coat which is paired “sizing garments” for the fire fighters to try with high-waisted pants. Different types of on to help determine the best size to order. closures are used down the front of the coat Volunteer fire fighters must either and the pants fly and both must be designed purchase their own gear or accept what is to create a moisture proof barrier. available from the station. A volunteer There are numerous companies department will order gear irregularly, which provide bunker gear that meets the usually when their gear has been through a performance standards as required by the certain number of fires and has degraded or NFPA. Among the largest are Globe there has been significant personnel turnover Manufacturing, Lion Apparel, and Fire-Dex. requiring gear to be purchased. In the The garments are expensive, around $1,000 meantime, new volunteers must wear for a coat and $700 for pants though bulk whatever fits them best among what has been orders receive discounts. There are only a few left by the departing volunteers. Therefore it materials that meet the required standards for is not unusual for a volunteer to be wearing bunker gear and are able to withstand the bunker gear that is too small or too large rigors of the job, therefore the selection of a (Gary A. Woodson, Emergency Services manufacturer to purchase from is often based Coordinator, Personal Communication, June on customer service issues (how fast can they 10, 2009). turn an order around, how much service do Fire fighters must wear bunker gear they provide before and after the sale?) and according to fit, not style. Fit, in this instance the quality of their manufacturing (LaBar, does not refer to personal preference or style 1997). Stull, Connor and McCarthy (1996) but for safety. Poor fitting bunker gear can be stated that most fire departments base their dangerous.