Will every Fire Department in the united states let you wear a leather helmet or does each department have there own guidelines for PPE

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Short answer is no.

At work, we have to wear what the department issues. Which in our case happens to be the Cairns 1010.
Each department has its own standards on what they will allow to be worn or what is issued. I know some departments wont issue you a leather because of the cost, which is understanable, but if you pay the difference from a non leather and a leather they will let you wear one or you can sometimes just buy your own.

But I do know of a few departments that when it comes down to wearing certain PPE is strickly one company and one style only no variations allowed.
Strictly dept policies. One of my depts issues black leather helmets whereas the other will let you buy the composite "traditional" helmet, however not leather.
Our Dept. uses Bullard traditional helmets with face shields.
Two things Devan,
all departments must have bunker gear that meets a standard of production, those standards are st by NFPA (national fire protection association). This group is made up of manufacturers, firefighters both paid and volunteer, fire chiefs, etc. So all bunker gear, helmets, SCBA etc must meet the appropriate standard.
The each fire department get to decide from the approved choises what their gear will look like. Lots of variation in cost as well as protection. Hope that helps. Oh yeah, some states have standards that must be met also.
I forgot the leather part. No all departments will not let leather be worn. Los Angeles for example, you must wear the department issued style. Our department just let us start wearing leather again, we wore leather until 1972 then stopped. The union negotiated an deal to let people wear leather if the member buys the helmet, of course they have to be NFPA compliant. Many departments will not let people wear self purchased gear or leather helmets.
Our department has aleays furnished helmets for us. Never had a request to wear a leather helmet. I guess it would be ok, as long as it meets NFPA specs.
Nope every Department has thier own SOP's regarding PPE Gear.
Los Angeles began allowing "approved" leather helmets shortly after 9/11/01 as a way to promote so

lidarity with 343 fallen brothers.. One of the issues everyone seems to forget is many states accepted NFPA regulations while others accepted OSHA standards which a Lesser of the two, Those are the MAIN authorities that states use as standards a Cairns n5a meets OSHA but NOT NFPA then your city or township authority gets to write SOG /SOP based upon the legal standards... Most Departments are NOT going to spend the kind of money they expect to get for a leather, these manufacturers have tryed in the past (70's) to make the labor intensive leathers go away....hence the bogus standards to begin with.... keep in mind if the city /insurance workers comp gets aclaim because you were injured wearing BETTER gear then what they issue then something will come of it when the rank and file learns of it .. & "allowing JOHNNY to wear what HE wants becomes a real pain" , you will have guys wearing green plastic ST patrick's day derbies since the SOG says Plastic.. is ok while leather isnt ...... lol
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