I have been in the fire service for more than 35 years, and much has changed. When I was 18 years old and joined my local fire department with all the excitement that comes with it, I attended a meeting and we prepped to start my first training. It was the mid-1980s, and the meeting was more about how not to die and the rules I was to live by until the formal state training was completed. I was first issued my set of gear and was told I could now ride and respond to alarms–not interior or on the first due or any mutual aid, just as a go-for until I completed the required training.

I can remember my first set of gear very well–tall boots, long coat, a helmet with earflaps and eye shield, a new set of fireball gloves. I didn’t know anything about the fire service–or fire, for that matter. The only thing I knew about my gear was that it did not keep me warm or dry in those upstate New York winters.

In the following spring, I was started my formal training with my first state class. At the time, bunker pants were not required by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and a few departments in my area had them. The uncomfortable fit and lack of protection afforded by tall boots became more noticeable. In the burn building, those with bunker pants and better fitting boots were more comfortable; the padding for the knees reduced the effects from the live burns.  During the time of pre-NFPA 1403, the training fires were, well, big.    

At my “first” fire after I became an interior firefighter, on our arrival, we were assigned to be the next crew on the line on the second floor. It was an old home, balloon frame with fire within the walls and attic. There was fire everywhere. I noticed just how hot it was, and the heat and water went down my boots and the back of my neck; I was just getting cooked. What a rush! Although I was protected, I was vulnerable.

Shortly thereafter, I was sized and received my first pair of bunker pants. We just cut down the tall boots we had to save some money and used them with our new pants. We were not fully protected. Soon after at a fire, I noticed the additional protection and comfort they gave me. This change in some ways made me feel bulletproof. Know this: Bunker gear is neither bulletproof nor fireproof. It is only resistant.

The advancements in my time in the fire service regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) have been great. We went from gear that was somewhat protective to highly engineered garments with advanced fabrics that shield us from heat and flames. So, where were we and what were the changes?

One of the first changes is the overall fit of the PPE. We are now measured and try on our PPE much the same way we are fitted for a suit that will be tailored just for us (photo 1). When the PPE fits correctly, you will not step on the cuffs of the pants. You will not stretch out the sleeves when working overhead. You will be able to breathe because the pants are not too tight. The fitted garment allows you to do the job better with less overall body stress.

In the past 15 to 20 years, the nametag has become more commonplace on our coats. In the past, the only lettering on the back of the coat was the department name and maybe a number. Now, many departments place the firefighter’s names for safety and identification toward the bottom of the coat. Some departments will place the shield number and, with the changes in coat colors, ranks. The additional reflective lettering is always good for nighttime operations, but the extra level of accountability by the incident commander seeing a name adds to our safety. 

When I started, the chiefs had white helmets and coats. It was tradition to have the chief in white.  As time went on and the outer shells were made with much better engineered fabrics, many could not be dyed, so the white coat started to go away. The extra identification noted above was not only nice to have but a necessity in some cases.

Along with the improved fit, the protection has greatly improved by bringing in new NFPA 1971 standards and improvement in material technology. Long gone are the old blanket inner liners; now there are high designed systems to protect from the high heat we encounter today while allowing our bodies to expel the heat and moisture we generate from working. The moisture barriers block water and other substances from coming in contact with our bodies and allow moisture from our bodies to pass through, greatly reducing heat stress.

In the past, any increase in thermal protection (Thermal Protective Performance, TPP) had a direct reduction in the PPE’s ability to release heat (Total Heat Loss, THL); this is not completely accurate anymore. While increasing the thermal protection, the improved designed garments and fabrics allow greater protection in both thermal and heat release.

In years past, gloves were just heavy leather that got soaked or that kept your hands dry but did not offer any degree of thermal protection. Now, gloves are ergonomically designed to the shape of our hands. Higher levels of thermal protection, water resistance, and task designed are the requirements. There are gloves for fires as well as extraction, rope, and technical rescue. Each is designed to work within the needs and demands at those alarms. 

The 1980s were also a transitional time for helmets. There was a move in many departments away from the traditional style helmet to the modern style such as the “Metro” and a move away from leather to composite construction. In the past few years, there has been the return to the traditional style and new modern “European” style helmets. The turnaround started with the increased need to protect the head and neck. It started with the earflaps and now particulate-blocking hoods and suspension systems with ratchet adjustments for the best possible fit with or without the face piece donned.

When I first started, the “saltier” the gear, the better. The most beat up, dirty, and disgusting worn-out gear belonged to the best firefighter in the house. It was the badge of honor to have the worst of the worst. It was proof you had been to the most and biggest jobs. In the past 10 to 20 years, that has changed. We now have many studies on cancer in the fire service–studies on particles making contact with our skin, the gases that remain that we can breathe during overhaul if we are not on air, the toxins that soak into fabric layers of our PPE that will leach into our bodies every time when donned.

Salty gear must be a thing of the past. How you and your department achieve that is up to you.  At a minimum is a cleaning program for all the PPE. Wash your hands after every alarm and drill. Clean out our cabs and think about the surfaces. Think about your families. Do not expose them to what you have attached to your gear and clothing. Leave it at the firehouse, and do not bring it into the living areas.

With all the improvements in PPE, there are some negatives. We do not notice the effects of the fire environment as we did with the older, less protective gear. Extreme heat levels are not being felt by the firefighter in many cases until it is too late and injuries occur.

We need to teach our newest firefighters that our PPE is not “proof” of anything; it is only resistant to the hazards we will encounter at the alarms we respond to (photo 2). It will not protect us from everything all the time.

“Little Drops of Water:  50 Years Later Part 1” Fire Engineering, February 2000, Andy Fredericks.

“Little Drop of Water:  50 Year Later Part 2” Fire Engineering, March 2000, Andy Fredericks.

Tim Pillsworth is past chief of the Winona Lake (NY) Engine Co. #2 with 35 years of service. He was a project engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and has an MS from Fairleigh Dickinson University.