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Firefighter Safety Gear
Zachariah Heneidi
College of Safety and Emergency Services, Columbia Southern University
MSE 6301: Risk Management
Professor Robert T. Uda, Ph.D.
4/3/2022
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Firefighter Safety Gear
The target audience for this article is for firefighters, leaders of fire departments, and
even companies who sell/create safety equipment for firefighters. This article examines the gear
used by firefighters in their departments and associated injury to firefighters (Kahn et al., 2020).
Current departments could use this article to increase the safety of their current employees.
Companies who create and sell firefighter safety gear could also use this article to help create
enhanced products and better teach individuals how to get the best possible outcomes while
using their products.
Introduction
Firefighting Equipment
The authors’ start the article off by discussing the overall risk of being a firefighter.
While the number of fatalities has decreased over the past decade, there were still over 60 line of
duty deaths in 2016 and there were more than 30,000 firefighter injuries reported at the
fireground in 2015 (Kahn et al., 2020). Close to 10% of these injuries are related to smoke
inhalation and burns (Kahn et al., 2020). The authors move on to talking about firefighter
equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatuses and turnout gear which are both
engineered specifically for firefighter safety (Kahn et al., 2020). I think it’s important that the
authors took the time to point out the specific devices and even noted that they are designed
specifically for firefighters.
Issues with Equipment
The authors outline that over 40% of firefighters either use their gear improperly or
completely fail to wear it (Kahn et al., 2020). “One study found that misused or poorly fitting
equipment contributed to up to 70% of firefighter injuries” (Kahn et al., 2020, p. 299).
It was
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further described that failure to properly use self-contained breathing apparatuses and turnout
gear were two of the main causes of line-of-duty firefighter deaths (Kahn et al., 2020). I believe
it’s important to point out these statistics because it not only draws the reader in, but also sets the
tone for the necessity of the review of safety equipment.
Purpose
The authors endorse that the purpose of this study is to review the gear compliance habits
and injury rates when looking at fire departments in the southeast United States. This article is
the first of its kind. The authors are hopeful that they will be able to identify trends which can
inform future outreach and further firefighter education (Kahn et al., 2020).
Methods
The authors pulled data from Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi while at a
firefighter safety conference in 2016. The conference was open to all. Each station was able to
choose who they wanted to send. Each firefighter was then given an anonymous survey. The
survey included questions regarding demographics, characteristics of their department, whether
they fought fire without pieces of their gear, and practices related to cleaning, sizing, and
compliance for station wear (Kahn et al., 2020). All attendees were able to fill out their survey
privately and then returned the forms before the end of the conference. If any of the attendees
were previously injured, they were asked about the incident surrounding their injury and
aftercare. This is a relatively randomized trial, as no one was aware the survey was being
conducted until they arrived at the conference.
Results
The survey response rate was found to be 72%. “Over half of the respondents (62%)
reported that they had previously fought fires without a complete set of gear, with the hood
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(58%), gloves (22%), earflaps (22%) omitted most frequently” (Kahn et al., 2020, p. 299). Upon
further questioning it was found that 14% of firefighters had not had their gear sized in the last 2
years and 41% of firefighters did not have their gear regularly cleaned (Kahn et al., 2020).
About 41% of the respondents suffered a burn injury at some point in their career (Kahn et al.,
2020).
Discussion
Omission
This study found that disregarding equipment in dangerous situations is the simplest form
of misuse. Furthermore, results from this study reaffirm the relationship between gear omission
and injury, with those reporting burns being almost twice as likely to not have used the proper
equipment (Kahn et al., 2020). The authors also found a correlation between areas of most
frequent burn injuries and the types of equipment omitted. This is essential for firefighters and
their higherups to be aware of.
Poor fit
It’s important to know that poorly fitting gear can lead to injury. Gear that is too small
can reduce overlap articulation points, which can expose body parts to flames and heat (Kahn et
al., 2020). Studies have shown that the average firefighter gains about 3lbs a year, however,
most have not had their gear sized/resized in the last two years. I think this statistic is
paramount. Firefighters must be aware that their equipment must fit properly in order to have the
highest level of protection.
Poor Maintenance
“Almost 40% of firefighters stated they did not regularly clean their gear” (Kahn et al.,
2020, p. 300). Dirty gear increases heat conductance and puts firefighters at risk for inhaling
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carcinogens as the chemicals become entrapped in their soiled gear (Kahn et al., 2020). The
authors try to decipher why firefighters do not use PPE properly. They point out cultures of
“toughness”, ageism, complacency, and risk desensitization (Kahn et al. 2020). The authors of
this study believe the best wait to solve these problems is to promote a culture of safety (Kahn et
al., 2020). “Top-down approaches via policy and best-practice statements have helped
drastically reduce casualties in the fire service but the recalcitrant cultural factors remain a
significant barrier” (Kahn et al., 2020, p. 400).
Conclusion
In conclusion, I support this article. I think the authors did a great job pointing out both
the potential hazards of firefighters neglecting their PPE and the reasons for which they may
choose to do so. I think this article helps to promote the “knowledge is power” aspect of
learning. If firefighters and heads of departments are aware of the potential barriers to PPE, they
will be better suited to protect themselves and to create policies to protect everyone. Firefighter
safety is of utmost importance to both the firefighters themselves and the communities they
serve.
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References
Kahn, S. A., Leonard, C., Lee, Y. G., Boatwright, R., Flamm, T., & Woods, J. (2020). A pilot
survey of Southeastern firefighters: Safety practices, use of protective gear, and
injury. Burns: Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries, 46(2), 298–302.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.burns.2019.03.012