Station wear

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Station wear often refers to the standard uniform worn by firefighters when they are around the station. It usually consists of Nomex uniform pants, a Nomex uniform shirt, and a pair of steel-toed uniform boots. The color of the uniform may differ from department to department. These are often worn under firefighting bunker gear, also referred to as PPEs (personal protective equipment), as an extra layer of protection against fires.

Most firefighter gear contains Nomex® and Kevlar® fibers. These revolutionary fibers work together to deliver proven protection, durability, and comfort from the inside out. Firefighters are already carrying a significant load; their turnout gear should not add to it.

The firefighter mask is called SCBA

A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), also known as a compressed air breathing apparatus (CABA) or simply a breathing apparatus (BA), is a device that is worn to supply breathable air in an environment that is immediately harmful to life or health. They are commonly seen in firefighting and industry.

Because synthetic materials (nylon, rayon, or polyester) would melt into the flesh under intense heat, all firemen are obliged to wear 100% cotton undergarments beneath the brush pants.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firefighter</span> Rescuer trained to extinguish fires

A firefighter is a first responder trained in firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires that threaten life and property, as well as to rescue persons from confinement or dangerous situations. Male firefighters are sometimes referred to as firemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Self-contained breathing apparatus</span> Breathing gas supply system carried by the user

A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), sometimes referred to as a compressed air breathing apparatus (CABA) or simply breathing apparatus (BA), is a device worn to provide breathable air in an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to life or health. They are typically used in firefighting and industry. The term self-contained means that the SCBA is not dependent on a remote supply of breathing gas. If designed for use under water, it is also known as a scuba set. When not used underwater, they are sometimes called industrial breathing sets. Unofficial names include air pack, air tank, oxygen cylinder or simply pack, which are mostly used in firefighting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firefighting</span> Actions to protect people, animals, goods, lands, and other objects from fire

A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter or fireman. Firefighters typically undergo a high degree of technical training. This involves structural firefighting and wildland firefighting. Specialized training includes aircraft firefighting, shipboard firefighting, aerial firefighting, maritime firefighting, and proximity firefighting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nomex</span> Flame-resistant meta-aramid material

Nomex is a flame-resistant meta-aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed in 1967.

In firefighting, the policy of two-in, two-out refers to United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) policy 29 CFR 1910.134(g)(4)(i). The respiratory protection standard requires that workers engaged in fighting interior structural fires work in a buddy system; at least two workers must enter the building together, so that they can monitor each other's whereabouts as well as the work environment. There must also be at least two standby personnel outside the fire area prepared to rescue the inside firefighters should the need arise. One of these outside firefighters must actively monitor the status of the inside fighters but the second outside firefighter may perform a variety of other duties, such as pump operations, incident commander or outside hose line operation. There are no provisions in the standard to waive the requirements for either the "two-inside firefighters" or the "two-outside firefighters", although the circumstances under which this provision applies are more limited than generally understood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PASS device</span> Device used to set off an alarm when a firefighter is in distress

A PASS device, also known as a Distress Signal Unit (DSU) or ADSU, is a personal safety device used primarily by firefighters entering a hazardous or Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) environment such as a burning building. The PASS device sounds a loud (95 decibel) audible alert to notify others in the area that the firefighter is in distress. On a fireground, the sound of an activated PASS device indicates a true emergency and results in an immediate response to rescue the firefighter(s) in distress. In the United States, the National Fire Protection Association sets standards for PASS devices in NFPA 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breathing apparatus</span> Equipment allowing the user to breath in a hostile environment

A breathing apparatus or breathing set is equipment which allows a person to breathe in a hostile environment where breathing would otherwise be impossible, difficult, or hazardous, or assists a person to breathe. A respirator, medical ventilator, or resuscitator may also be considered to be breathing apparatus. Equipment that supplies or recycles breathing gas other than ambient air in a space used by several people is usually referred to as being part of a life-support system, and a life-support system for one person may include breathing apparatus, when the breathing gas is specifically supplied to the user rather than to the enclosure in which the user is the occupant.

Firefighting jargon includes a diverse lexicon of both common and idiosyncratic terms. One problem that exists in trying to create a list such as this is that much of the terminology used by a particular department is specifically defined in their particular standing operating procedures, such that two departments may have completely different terms for the same thing. For example, depending on whom one asks, a safety team may be referred to as a standby, a RIT or RIG or RIC, or a FAST. Furthermore, a department may change a definition within its SOP, such that one year it may be RIT, and the next RIG or RIC.

This is a glossary of firefighting equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flight suit</span> Full-body garment

A flight suit is a full-body garment, worn while flying aircraft such as military airplanes, gliders and helicopters. These suits are generally made to keep the wearer warm, as well as being practical, and durable. Its appearance is usually similar to a jumpsuit. A military flight suit may also show rank insignia. It is sometimes used as a combat uniform in close quarters battle or visit, board, search, and seizure situations, for its practicality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hazmat suit</span> Protective suit against chemical, bacteriological, and nuclear risks

A hazmat suit is a piece of personal protective equipment that consists of an impermeable whole-body garment worn as protection against hazardous materials. Such suits are often combined with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to ensure a supply of breathable air. Hazmat suits are used by firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, researchers, personnel responding to toxic spills, specialists cleaning up contaminated facilities, and workers in toxic environments.

A firefighter assist and search team (FAST), also known as a rapid intervention team/rapid intervention crew/rapid intervention dispatch (RIT/RIC/RID), is a team of two or more firefighters dedicated solely to the search and rescue of other firefighters in distress. Firefighter Assist and Search Team personnel shall have no other operational assignment during any incident. Multiple alarm fires may require multiple FAST/RIC teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firefighter's helmet</span> Safety helmet worn by firefighters to protect them from heat, cinders, and falling objects

For centuries, firefighters have worn helmets to protect them from heat, cinders and falling objects. Although the shape of most fire helmets has changed little over the years, their composition has evolved from traditional leather to metals, to composite helmets constructed of lightweight polymers and other plastics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bunker gear</span> Person protective equipment used by firefighters

Bunker gear is the personal protective equipment (PPE) used by firefighters. The term is derived from the fact that the trousers and boots are traditionally kept by the firefighter's bunk at the fire station to be readily available for use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire proximity suit</span> Suit designed to protect from high temperatures

A fire proximity suit is a suit designed to protect a firefighter or volcanologist from extremely high temperatures. They were first designed and used in the 1930s. Originally made of asbestos fabric, current models use vacuum-deposited aluminized materials.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to firefighting:

Firefighting is the act of extinguishing destructive fires. A firefighter fights these fires with the intent to prevent destruction of life, property and the environment. Firefighting is a highly technical profession, which requires years of training and education in order to become proficient. A fire can rapidly spread and endanger many lives; however, with modern firefighting techniques, catastrophe can usually be avoided. To help prevent fires from starting, a firefighter's duties include public education and conducting fire inspections. Because firefighters are often the first responders to victims in critical conditions, firefighters often also provide basic life support as emergency medical technicians or advanced life support as licensed paramedics. Firefighters make up one of the major emergency services, along with the emergency medical service, the police, and many others.

A breathing tube is a hollow component that can serve as a conduit for breathing. Various types of breathing tubes are available for different specific applications. Many of them are generally known by more specific terms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light and air unit</span>

An air and light unit, also known as a breathing support unit, is a specialized piece of firefighting apparatus used by firefighters to provide supplemental lighting and SCBA air bottles at the scene of an emergency. During prolonged emergencies, particularly structure fires, where firefighters must remain on air, these air bottles will need to be replaced and refilled. The air and light unit has the ability to refill the SCBA bottles while in the field using onboard air compressors (cascade). It also carries a supply of spare air cylinders. These units are highly customizable and can vary greatly between departments. These multifunctional units are also equipped with diesel generators which supply electricity to power portable lights and overall scene illumination equipment. This is usually done via a roof-mounted telescoping light bank. The unit also has the ability to supply electrical power in an emergency to a shelter, base camp, or medical facility.

3M Scott Fire & Safety is an American manufacturer of respiratory and personal protective equipment including supplied air and air purifying respirators, compressors, gas detection systems and thermal imaging cameras. The company was founded in 1932 as Uniloy Accessories Corporation, and is located in Monroe, North Carolina. In 2001 it was acquired by Tyco International and in 2017 it was acquired by 3M.