BODY PIERCINGS??

Here is a subject that I havn't seen discussed on here, and I am curious as to how other departments handle this. As for us my department dosen't allow any piercings, whether male or female, and we are having more and more recruits of both gender show up with them, and some of them have made a fuss about it. Is it just us or do most departments go by this rule we do not even allow earrings.

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Permalink Reply by BFDFF8 on March 21, 2009 at 4:05pm

This is a very good point. My volunteer department has also had a run in with this with our new recruit class. Some firefighters have facial piercings and others dress with baggy jeans down to their knees wearin their hat backwards. Some members of the department have put up a fuss about it because they dont want a bad image representing our fire department. The officers have basically said, since we our volunteers we cant tell people how to live their lifes, which includes telling them how they can and cannot dress. The piercings dont interfer with the seal of an SCBA mask so there really is nothing we can do. I think all fire departments, mainly volunteer departments, need to remember that times have changed. The new generation of teens is not the previous generation. Teens now a days are all about expressing themselves. I know other departments may have a different view. This is our approach with this topic.

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Permalink Reply by bouchie88 on March 21, 2009 at 4:10pm

well to be honest, im not sure what our policy is on it but i dont thinnk its a good idea to be walking onto a fire with piercings

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on March 21, 2009 at 4:16pm

too much information...

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Permalink Reply by Jason Koontz on March 21, 2009 at 4:35pm

In uniform gotta look professional. In bunkers and inside a burning building, everything comes out and off. Thats the rule I've always seen used. It may be different in the regs, but thats the rule all my past departments have gone by. There have been one or two that wanted to whine or complain, but they didn't last long, usually for a multitude of reasons.

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 21, 2009 at 4:55pm

If earrings are a heat transfer problem, then so are watches, rings, or any other metal worn next to the skin.

Metal zippers in the uniform pants - they'd have to be gone.
Metal badges, name plates, or collar brass under the gear - they'd have to be gone, too.

"No jewelry" rules in the interests of safety don't have a lot of evidence in their favor.
If it's a grooming rule, just say so in the rule book.

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Permalink Reply by Kyann Miner on March 22, 2009 at 11:20pm

I am a volunteer EMT-B and firefighter and have my ears pierced 9 times, my nose and my bellybutton pierced, none of my piercings intervere with any of my PPE. In this day and age piercings are becoming more and more the norm and people with them should not be judged or punished by having to remove them. I have also not had any problems relating to the metal getting hot in a fire. Though I would suggest if you are wearing any type of hoop or dangling earrings to remove those on the way to the scene.

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Permalink Reply by Deanna on March 22, 2009 at 11:45pm

Pretty much anything that could be considered offensive to anyone is a no no. I have my tounge pierced, had it for years, but when I am in uniform or at a function I know well enough to be respectful about it.

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Permalink Reply by Chris on March 23, 2009 at 7:16am

As a profesional fire fighter, we are not permited to wear any peircings while on duty, and I think it is a good call. I am in no way against them, had my eyebrow done for years, but when you are in the public eye you should look like a profesional, give respect and be respected.

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 23, 2009 at 8:43pm

Is this because of the dozens of firefighters who have been burned due to piercings while engaged in wildland firefighting?

Oops, sorry, there haven't been any reports of any firefighters being burned due to piercings - wildland, structural, or ARFF. If you're going to get burned, a piercing won't make any difference.
Neither will wedding bands, wristwatches, bracelets, or the St. Florian medals that so many firefighters wear.

If you're going to have a "no piercing" rule based on a grooming standard, just call it what it is - an appearance rule. If you're going to base a rule on safety, make the rule the result of some evidence that there is a real safety problem, not just someone's opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Liz Grzybek on March 23, 2009 at 9:21pm

Well, I have an eyebrow piercing. I had it when I joined the fire company as I still do now. It was never really a big deal, but I do remove it for training, espicaly when we are working with the SCBAs. I try to keep eyebrow rings that are on the smaller side so that if I were to ever need to put an air pack on, the ring would be small enough to not break the seal on the mask.