Chapter 6
Personal Protective
Clothing, Equipment, and
Ensembles
Introduction
• Difference between injury and safety
determined by personal protective
equipment (PPE)
• PPE provides a minimum level of
protection
• PPE is the primary layer of protection
• PPE includes full protective clothing
plus a self-contained breathing
apparatus (SCBA)
– Personal Alert Safety System (PASS)
device
6.2
Introduction (cont'd.)
• Defined collections of personal
protective clothing designed for
different firefighter hazards
• Exceeding limitations of ensemble's
components can cause injury
• Firefighters must don the equipment
properly
• Many factors influence PPE design
and use
6.3
Figure 6-1 A hostile fire within a structure creates
an IDLH environment. Personal protective
equipment can help the firefighter work in an IDLH
environment.
6.4
Personal Protective
Equipment Factors
• Firefighter PPE has evolved over two
decades
• Result of labor groups such as
International Association of Firefighters
• National Fire Protection Association
provides forum for consensus building
• Federal government involved in PPE
equation
– Development of regulations and guidelines
6.5
Standards and Regulations
• NFPA developed standards for:
– Firefighter protective clothing
– Equipment
– Ensembles
• NFPA developed “use” standard
• All protective clothing worn must
meet current applicable standards
• OSHA responsible for development
and enforcement of regulations
6.6
Figure 6-3 NFPA-compliant PPE components should
have a permanently affixed label.
6.7
Types of Personal
Protective Ensembles
• Ensemble:
– Multiple elements of protective
clothing and equipment worn together
– Provide protection from some risks
• All components must be utilized as
recommended
6.8
Structural Firefighting
Protective Ensemble
• Protective ensemble for structural
firefighting:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Coats and trousers
Helmets
Eye protection
Gloves
Footwear
Protective hoods
Hearing protection
Station/ work uniform
6.9
Figure 6-4 A full structural firefighting ensemble
includes more than the NFPA minimum required
components.
6.10
Proximity Firefighting
Protective Ensemble
• Most often associated with aircraft
rescue and firefighting (ARFF)
• Aluminized coating reflects radiant
heat
• Not designed for fire entry
• Hood features a full face shield
coated with anodized gold material
6.11
(A)
(B)
Figure 6-14 Proximity firefighting ensembles can utilize
(A) a special helmet or (B) a full hood. Either can interface
with an SCBA. Note the gold-anodized visors.
6.12
Wildland Firefighting
Protective Ensemble
• Called brush gear
• Addresses specific needs of wildland
firefighters:
– Lightweight and breathable
– Firm ankle support
– Hot ember protection
• Synthetic material should never be
worn under wildland ensembles
6.13
Wildland Firefighting Protective
Ensemble (cont'd.)
• Fire shelter: last-resort protective
device (see Figure 6-17)
• Web gear: keeps personal items
within easy reach
6.14
Figure 6-15 Wildland PPE is lightweight
but still provides protection from hot, flying
embers.
6.15
Technical Rescue Ensemble
• Operations such as confined space,
structural collapse, and trench
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Durable pant and overshirt
Lace-up leather boots
Tight-fitting durable gloves
Lightweight helmet
Hearing protection
Eye protection
Harness
6.16
Ice Rescue Ensemble
• Areas with frozen lakes and
recreation ponds
• Ensemble includes:
– Buoyant, insulated suit
– Form-fitting face seal and hood
• One-piece suit has sealed gloves
and boots
• Worn with chest harness and
lightweight helmet with face screen
6.17
Swift-Water Ensemble
• Ensemble includes:
–
–
–
–
–
Typical work uniform
Personal flotation device (PFD)
Harness with throw-rope bag
Lightweight helmet with face cage
No-slip gloves
6.18
Care and Maintenance of
Personal Protective Clothing
• Follow specific instructions given by
manufacturer
• Clothing exposed to biological and
chemical contaminants should be
decontaminated
• PPC exhibiting damage should not be
worn until repaired
6.19
Personal Protective
Equipment
• PPE includes:
– Personal protective clothing (PPC)
– Self-contained breathing apparatus
(SCBA)
– Personal alert safety system (PASS)
6.20
Self-Contained Breathing
Apparatus (SCBA)
• One of the most important items of
PPE
• Allows firefighters to enter
hazardous atmospheres
• Used at non-fire incidents as well:
– Hazardous material incidents
– Confined space situations
6.21
Personal Alert Safety
System (PASS)
• Small, motion-sensitive unit
– Includes loud audible warning signal
– Some include small flashing beacon
• Senses firefighter's motion
– Chirps after Inactivity for 30 seconds
– Goes into alarm mode if no motion follows
• Can fail due to:
– Water immersion or high heat
– Position of downed firefighter can muffle alarm
6.22
(A)
(B)
Figure 6-21 PASS devices can help save a firefighter’s
life—but they must be activated. (A) A manual PASS
device must be armed by the wearer. (B and C) An
integrated PASS device on an SCBA, which is activated
when the wearer opens the SCBA bottle.
6.23
(C)
Figure 6-21 (cont’d.) PASS devices can help save a
firefighter’s life—but they must be activated. (A) A
manual PASS device must be armed by the wearer. (B
and C) An integrated PASS device on an SCBA, which
is activated when the wearer opens the SCBA bottle.
6.24
Personal Protective Equipment
Effectiveness: “Street Smarts”
• Firefighters must develop “automatic
behaviors”
• Simple steps can help achieve these
behaviors
6.25
Good PPE Habits
and Attitude
• Departments spend thousands of dollars
equipping firefighters with PPE
• Good PPE habits and positive attitude
toward safety can eliminate injury
– “Wait and see” attitude leads to shortcutting
PPE and affecting immediate actions
• Develop good habits in donning PPE
• Good habits take nothing more than selfdiscipline and practice
6.26
Figure 6-22 Duty personnel should set up their gear for
rapid—and complete—donning. Establish good habits to
help eliminate shortcuts.
6.27
Perfecting Practices in
PPE Use
• “Streetsmart” suggestions:
– Keep PPE clean, inspected and
serviceable
– Practice “team checks”
– Position PPE for rapid complete donning
– When doffing PPE, take time to prepare it
for next response
6.28
Figure 6-23 Firefighting teams should check each other’s
PPE for complete donning. This “team check” can help
prevent a burn or other injury.
6.29
Perfecting Practices in
PPE Use (cont'd.)
• “Streetsmart” suggestions (cont’d.):
–
–
–
–
–
Exercise prudent judgment
Wear PPE properly
Perfect practice makes perfect
Be the PPE success example
Increase water consumption to stay
hydrated
6.30
Figure 6-24 Wearing equipment improperly is asking
for trouble. The improperly fastened straps on this
firefighter’s SCBA create an entanglement hazard.
Also note the entanglement hazard created by the
improper use of the firefighter’s suspenders.
6.31
Lessons Learned
• PPE is the first and last defense against
injuries and illness
• NFPA standards for manufacturing
criteria and “use” standards
• Different ensembles exist for different
environments
• Care and maintenance of PPC is
essential to its readiness
• PPE effectiveness dependent on the
firefighter’s good PPE habits and positive
attitude
6.32