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Permalink Reply by Peter Reilly on September 2, 2012 at 5:31pm

Hi all, 

    I agree with FETC on this. I do come from a large department that had a large call volume. I made it a habit to wash my gear once a week. I know that it should be washed more often , but it was the best I could do. I have just retired three years ago. There were thirty of us that retired and fifteen of them have come down with cancer of some form or another . The cancer in the fire service across the nation are going up at a alarming rate. If you do not believe just go on the internet and type it in ( cancer in the fire department ). I had to do a paper on this for my master and I my self was shock on this. If we can slow down this rate just by washing our gear than  I am all for it. Knowing that it a simple thing to do.   

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Permalink Reply by FETC on September 2, 2012 at 5:46pm

Thanks Peter, and congrats on retirement brother. Retirement is supposed to be enjoyed and not spent waiting to die in a hospital bed from the job we all love so much. 

 

Marc, You guys are reading into this too much. I didn't say to run it through a gear washer after every call. I said after a fire, then again not everybody on the fire ground gets dirty so then it really isn't every fire too. For the guys who have two sets of gear, then I do not see the issue of having the gear washed after a fire for which you get dirty. Unless you don't have access to the machine.  I have two sets and we do about 4000 calls and it is a rareity that we see two jobs in the same shift.  The big city guys with more fires are the minority and most of the fire service population sees a fire and there is alot of time in between the next one.  There is some (not all) guys wanting to wear salty gear, for which you are contaminating not only yourself, but the truck, your POV, your PPE gear bag and if the gear is out laying around the station, some even let the kids who visit the station don the salty stuff. Science is now looking into stomach cancer and guys eating in rehab with dirty contaminated hands....

The issue of dirty gear is going to be a bigger issue down the road, studies are showing we are dying of more different types of cancers and the smoke / gear is an issue.  My suggestion to the guys who didn't have a gear washer was find an old house washer (possibly even donated) and just run gear through it.

I understand, that fiscal reality is one set. So that being said your personal health is less important than cleaning the gear and being personally out of service for 12-24 hours??? Come on, nobody is a one man fire department.

What I find is guys who are onboard with health and safety, and others who just want to run the way we always have. Thats fine, your choice, barriers happen every day and some guys look outside the box to address it.  Sounds like Peter did while he was on the job.

Once every six months is routine cleaning schedule and that is for typical contaminates like soot from station exhaust, etc and not after being heavily contaminated at a fire.  We have even thrown perfectly good looking gear away as it was contaminated with stuff that commercial washers will not clean. Bill the homeowners under a hazmat.

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Permalink Reply by frans on September 3, 2012 at 6:49am

hello Sir. so what should I wash my gear every time after I came home from fire calls? how do I wash it? if frequently washed, whether can cause rapid gear is damaged / torn?

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Permalink Reply by FETC on September 3, 2012 at 11:31am

Frans, straight from the manufacturer we use. 

 

http://www.globeturnoutgear.com/turnout-gear/user-info/basic-care-c...

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Derek J Sinesi on September 3, 2012 at 1:39pm

We have a washer and dryer in are department. The problem is we don't run a lot of fire calls so most of our guys don't think about washing their gear. So a couple of us just take a couple of sets a week and wash it for them. Most never even know that it has been washed. It is important that gear is washed on a regular basis. It is your health that is at risk!

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Permalink Reply by frans on September 3, 2012 at 8:20pm

Hello MR Derek, Thank you for join to discussions.

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Permalink Reply by Moose on September 4, 2012 at 11:31am

Thanks for the great info FETC, it's appreciated and I will pass it on to the other officers in my department.  Just one question though and I am sorry if you already covered it in one of your links (Im at work and cant look at all the links right now!)

Doesnt the cleaner used in gear extractors/washing machines degrade the shell a little?  I was told around me, that frequent washing will wear the fabric quicker as well.

I wash my gear with the hose after every entry I make, and we use our neighbors machines at least once if not twice a year, depending on availability and help to move the gear and return it to service.  I know it is not enough but we average 140 calls a year, average about 5-6 working structures, and mostly car fires and brush fires and EMS. 

I am also a Haz-Mat Technician and see where you are coming from there, we go through decon after the entry and than throw away the level "A" suit anyway and replace it, because not every hazmat gets removed during washing and you can get exposed even after decon. 

Thanks again for the info and insight, stay safe.

Moose

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