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melted or blacked helmets
heres a post to share storys. photos, etc. I personally dont have many storys bc my dept is lucky to get a structure fire once a month. A paid dept nearby has alot of guys with melted helmets but ive heard they usually do it playing around in live burns. so im just trying to see how others have blacked and/or melted theirs? and those for or against it?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Orbell on
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A member on our dpt was in venting in a house fire when she met an in coming water stream, the intense heat and sudden cold burst of water melted her face shield, luckly her BA mask saved her face, her helmet was badly blackened.
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Permalink Reply by joe on
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my feeling are mixed on this one , i am old school in blackened or darkerned lids is battle scares or trphys of the jobs that you have been on . but if it is totally blacked out then you must clean it or replace it just the same as gear . some job on it is good i say.
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Permalink Reply by Band of Brothers pipes and drums on
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If your helmet is blackened from jobs thats one thing but a melted helmet, while on a TRAINING FIRE?!?! Its irresponsible and destruction of department property. Officers along with the firefighter should be called to task for such stupidity. There is no justifible excuse for melting an entire helmet.
Face shields I believe distort and bubble around 475-500 degrees, and since I had melted one by accident it hasnt been a problem since. I realize the kind of heat it takes to melt a face/eye shield but to melt a helmet must have caused the firefighter some pain. Unless the numbnutz was just holding his hat in the fire.
If you melt a helmet then your just plain doing it wrong and will get hurt and maybe someone else too.
My 2 cents...
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Permalink Reply by J Mac on
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A firefighter’s helmet is kind of a history of where they have been. The helmet that I wore with my FD was thoroughly blackened. This wasn’t due to being irresponsible but rather being in the right place at the right time and taking care of business.
My helmet from the Fire School was like wearing a charcoal briquette on my head. Not bragging about this, the helmet was cleaned often, it was just the nature of the beast.
All that being said I have caught students wiping soot on their helmet at the fire school to give it the salty look. In front of the entire class I handed them a bottle of cleaner and a rag. In the FD I had heard of firefighters extending their helmet through a basement window on a pike pole to give it the look. That is destruction of property and that poser should be exposed for what they are.
The helmet is one of the most important pieces of your PPE right behind your mask. If a little dirt is going to ignite your brain bucket you are probably in a place that you don’t belong and it isn’t going to make much of a difference.
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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Definitely against it- there's no way in hell this could NOT be causing some damage either seen or unseen.
Talk to the manufacturers- I'm vertai nthey'd be against it.....
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Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on
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My helmet was blackened only once. We were doing a primary and the crew in the basement came roaring up yelling to get out. We were in the hallway and had to pass the basement door as the fire then roared out at us. Other than that, it's gotten dirty (which I believe is not the same as blackened) and scratched, but I take pride in my gear and clean it when it's dirty (well gear is cleaned by department and sent out for special cleaning twice a year, I take care of the helmet, boots, etc).
My friends were in a super hot fire where they had to bail, spent time in the hospital and two of them off the floor for a year (one for more), their visors melted, their vehicle identifiers melted, but the helmet did not. Heat was estimated to be over 600 degrees in their room, if your helmet is melting, you're melting. They were badly, badly burned and nearly died to escape the fire from over 35 feet above the ground. Helmets don't just melt in a practice burn (or most fires for that matter, unless you are close to flashover), and if they do, your officers should be taken to task, and you should be treated for your burns.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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I swear some of our guys must put their helmets on their BBQ grills at home! Our probies got their new helmets and then a few days later some look very "seasoned"!
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Permalink Reply by Greg Pierce on
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Sean,
I can relate to that. I am on my 3rd leather in the past 12 years. They certainly seem to hold up better and offer more protection, but as with anything, you really need to keep tabs on their condition. As mine gets worse over the years, I replace it. As leathers are subjected to high heat, the natural oils get baked out, and the leather eventually gets brittle and breaks off (see pics). I dont see any reason to carry "extras" on my helmet. I used to have a flashlight but it melted. I carried wood chocks but they charred up. That's why I have pockets. Obviously, this helmet is OOS and nothing more than a conversation piece now. - Attachments:
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2008_042820080001.JPG, 1.3 MB -
2008_042820080002.JPG, 1.4 MB
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2008_042820080004.JPG, 1.4 MB
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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People who intentionally "bake" their helmets in training fires are only biding time. In due time they will make an error when doing it, and end up killing themself. Wonder if there will be a color match? Harsh but a reality, stop the stupidity.
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Just a safety note to all who have had their helmets blackened, burns and dents in FD helmets decrease it's structural integrity and should be taken out of service
Keep Safe!
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Permalink Reply by daniel smith on
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Hey here is another bit of proof that were not doing our jobs and training people correctly! Darkening because of soot is one thing. (Usually you can clean it off with windex) However my point is that house fires are hotter than they were even ten years ago! If your helmet is getting darkend and it won't rub off you were up to high in the fire! That brain bucket protects the most important tool we have! So why was your head up that high? I take pride in my skill as a firefighter and when I go in with anyone one thing we agree on before we go in is to stay on the floor! The smoke eaters use to stay under the smoke to be able to breathe. With todays hotter fires maybe we need to go back to that way of thinking. Not to mention fires flash faster. Be safe guys.
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