Dangers of Not Wearing a Suit

Not wearing a firefighter suit when you are  firefighter is not a good idea. The suit is meant to protect you from all the dangers that are expirienced whie in buildings that are engulfed with flames. If a fireman goes into a burning building he or she will most likely end up with very severe burns that will scar themfor life if they do not die.

The Suit in the Summer

In the summer season it is very uncomfortable to be in the firefighter suit. Since the weather is a lot hotter in the summer the heavy suit does not make a fireman's job easier. Firemen get extremely hot and uncomfortable in the summer. They are already carrying 50-75 ponds in equipment on a daily basis. In the summer their job is a lot harder.

Recent Changes From Over the Years

Over the years the firefighter suit has changed a lot due to the technology that has come out. Many little improvements has been made like the suits fitting the firemen better to give them more comfortable attire. In addition to the better fit there has also been added more reflective strips to the suit to ensure that the firemen will be seen while in dark areas of a burning building. Finally the last name of the firefighter wearing the suit has been added to the back of the jacket so that the men and women can easily be identified by their fire chiefs.

Design of the Jacket

The firefighter suit has a very specific design. First it has many stripes of reflective strips about the entire jacket an pants. The suit has reflective strips so that when the firemen are in dark places while on the job they can easily be seen. Also if a fireman or women gets caught under a lot of debris and they are almost entirely covered even the littlest piece of the reflective strip can be seen is a flash light is flashed along it.

Another design feature that the firefighter suit has is it has many pockets along the chest area and in the thighs of the pants. These pockets are important because they store many of the smaller tools that the firemen use while on the job. Some of the smaller pieces of equipment in like walkie talkies and flash lights.

Finally the fireman jacket has a zipper as well as hooks to ensure that the jacket will not fly open while they are in areas with extreme conditions such as heat and flames. It is very important that the jacket of the suit stay closed throughout the entire time that the firefighters are in dangerous situation because their body could be very injured if exposed to those type of conditions.

As you can see the design of the firefighter suit is very important to the safety and function that the fireman suit uses everyday. Every piece of the suit ad its location is there for the fire fighter's protection and convenience.

Aluminized Suits

There are 3 types of aluminized suits: the approach suit, the proximity suit, and the entry suit.

Approach Suit
The approach suit works in general high temperatures such as steel mills and smelting facilities. It has heat protection up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Proximity Suit
The proximity suit is used for aircraft rescue and firefighting. This suit can protect up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Entry Suit
The entry is used for entering extreme heat, like being totally submerged in flames. It is made out of Zetex and it is not aluminized. For a short duration of time it can protect people up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

What Makes up the Firefighter Suit?

The firefighter suit is made up of 2 main matirials: Kevlar and Nomex.

Nomex
Nomex was developed in the 1960's however it was not marketed until 1967. This material is flame and melt proof so it resists the possibility of melting in extreme heat conditions. Nomex is not only used in firefighter suits but it is used in military clothing and in industrial workers. It lasts 2-3 times longer than any other protective fabric.

Kevlar
Kevlar is a synthetic fiber that was created in 1965. It was created by the company DuPont and is light weight, durable, and flexible. It is also used in attire for the Olympics.


DuPont
DuPont, the company that created Nomex and Kevlar, is an American Chemical Company. The full title of the company is E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company known commonly in America as DuPont. DuPont was founded in July 1802 as a gun powder mill by Eleuthere Irenee du Pont. It was the 3rd largest chemical company in the world based on market capitalization. In the 19th century DuPont was the largest supplier of gun powder. In 2009 it was the largest chemical company in the world based on revenue. In the 20th century DuPont developed many new polymers including Nomex and Kevlar which make up the firefighter suits. Thermal protection is top priority at DuPont. They develop things that are flame resistant so they do not melt, drip, support combustion, and the flame resistance cannot be washed out.

Costs

Costs
 The pants and coat of the firefighter suit cost $2,200. Also the helmets cost $200. A pair of boots for the firefighters cost $100. My primary source of the firefighter suit, Mr. Roy, informed me that his fire department pays for the firefighter suits that he uses. A piece of equitment that the firemen use, the Scott Air Pack, the system that helps firemen breathe in burning buildings costs $6,500.

9/11 Firefighting

On September 11, 2001 343 firefighters gave their life trying to rescue the people in the World Trade Center. Firefighters that responded to the 9/11 scene have a 19% increase in cancer risks. Many people wonder if the dust caused them to get this.

Future of Firefighting Suits

The Bleex 1 & Bleex 2

The future of firefighting is very interesting. The University of Berkly is working on the developement of the exoskeleton. Bleex 1, the first model of the exoskeleton, is used for lower extremities. Right now they are working on the second version of the Bleex 1. The exoskeleton can climb many stairs with lots of equitment and gear. It is also useful when rescuing people from buring buildings as well.

While developing the Bleex 1 they have come across many problems and issues. First they have had a difficult time making the exoskeleton light enough for it to be worth it for the firefighters to wear it.

The Bleex 2 is going to be a lighter verson of the Bleex 1 because the lighter the exoskeleton is the easier it will be for the firemen to have on their backs. Also it will haeva quieter engine because right now the engine is extremely loud. Finally the agility of the system will be improved as well as the flexibility. Sadly, it could be decades until this is completed.

Jacket's Outer & Inner Layers

Outer Layer or Shell

The Firefighter's suit outer layer is also known as the shell. It is made out of fire resistant matirial which prevents the firemen from becoming on fire. The outer shell has reflective strips that make it so they can be seen while in a dark fire, If another firefighter comes in and shines their flash light the reflective tape will easily be seen due to the color of the tape. Finally the firefighter suit has the last name and town in big letters on the back of the suit so the firemen can be identified if anything bad happens in the fire.

Inner Layer

The inner layer is a liner to the suit. It is detachable from teh outer layer and shell. This is the water resistant layer which prevents the firemen from becoming uncomfertble and wet. In addition to it being a vapor barrier it protects the fire men and women from the heat. The human body is not meant for being exxposed to extreme heat  conditions like the firemen are everyday. This layer protects them from becoming over heated as well as not becoming wet.