hey there guys, new here, actually still going to the Academy..

anyways, had a question.. I got sponsored by Orlando Fire Dept and as part of the sponsorship they gave me all the gear for free instead of renting.. well on my helmet (cairns) the shield is completely yellow from being used.. i can barely see through it..

so i was wondering what you guys thought about this..

i used to work at advance auto parts and we sold this stuff for headlight housings that would clear up the foggy crap that would set in from exposure to the sun and just from being old.. basically what it was, was just wet sanding the housing on the headlight and had lubricant in it as well that you use as the "wet" part of the sanding process..

just curious if that was a good idea, or not so much, considering the chemicals and what not..

otherwise, i was thinking about just buying a new shield and putting it on, and then when i give OFD my gear back, they will have a new shield.

thanks for any help!

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well, to be honest, i've never been a fan of the big face shields. i carry safety glasses in my gear since the shields aren't NFPA approved anyway. i say just take it off, but that's just my 2 cents.
i actually dont liek the shields either.. but its what they gave me.. but at the same time, i dont like goggles.. i thought about using my brothers extra set of lfip down eye shield..

thanks for the reply
Sorry but I too don't use the "shield"....I have the "Defender" eye protection on my Cairn's 1010...I think plastic polish would do it....BUT I caution putting anything on it without the manufacturers recommendation.....the shield may become brittle or affect the heat resistance.....Sorry I can't help more....Stay safe and always keep the faith.......Good luck in the academy......Paul
the defender's are a great system. i loved having those when i had my 1010.
sorry code, don't mean to hijack your thread.
stay safe!
What shields are not NFPA approved? The only helmet option that is not NFPA approved is Bourkes. A faceshield, Defender, goggles or combination are all compliant. Unless you have goggles with Bourkes, the are only OSHA compliant.
Either replace it, or give back as is. They know that it was going to discolor and get dirty when they gave you the gear to use. Faceshields are relatively inexpensive and they probably have replacements one available anyhow. I applaud you for thinking about taking care of the gear though.
thank you Paul.. and ya, thats what i was thinking wiht the compounds and what not, and the chemicals being on the shield, and then going into a live fire.. could be bad ju-ju if you know what i mean..
no worries, i like hearing that kind of stuff because i get to hear what other people like over other equipment..

i wasnt familiar with the "defenders" so i looked em up, and those dont look to bad.. but the ones im thinking, the flip down ones, what do you guys normally think about those..

thanks for the info!
well to be honest.. one of my instructors said the same thing, and to see if they would give me a new/different one or a different helmet.. but in my opinion, i just dont want to be that guy that gets all this free gear ($800 worth) and then goes back and complains about something because its not as good or whatever and be picky.. i just want to appreciate what they gave me and show them how much i really do.. i dont want to be that guy if you know what i mean..

which is also why i just bid on a shield on ebay, and ill just "donate" (lol my $20 donation) to the dept for the next time it needs to be used..

kina like that old saying.. "when you borrowing something, return it in better condition that when you got it" .. that type of thing..
The "flip down ones" I assume you mean bourkes? My first helmet 10 years ago was a modern style bullard with a face sheild, I hated it. Ever since I have had a traditional style with the bourkes and ess goggles. I use the goggles on wrecks and when I need eye protection in a hurry I can flip down the bourkes. The only downfall of the bourkes is they get hot and melt easy but they are pretty cheap and easy to replace. Plus not that it matters but the bourkes look alot better than a bid ugly face shield. Hope that helps.
thats exactly what im talking about.. and yes.. i think they look 1,000 times better as well..

but im not gunna lie, i think the shield is probably better with the surface area that it covers verse the bourkes ..

but thanks for the good info!
bravo. that sounds like a worthwhile cause to donate to. i'm really surprised you have to provide your own gear. not like i'm some old school FF with a million year fighting fire, but i can't imagine why the county can't provide you with stuff.

i have bourkes on my conway, and i love them. yeah, they're not really all that great for eye protection, but DAMN they look cool. hahahaha.

ss, and good luck in the academy.

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