Helmets? turtle shell or the new yorker style? what keeps your safe and which do you preffer?

I personally like the new york style helmets, Paul Conway style. When I was a kid my pops had the turtle shell and when i joined my dept, thats what I wore as a probie and when I became a full fledged firefighter I recieved my new yorker style, have to admit the new yorker looks better and is more tradional firefighter in my book. What is your opinions on both subjects. If these post "helmets and boots," are repeated post, disreguared commenting.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Meadows on December 18, 2010 at 1:24pm

Yea I know it's an outdated argument but it may well be a valid one. When I was doing this back in the 90's we had a few old timers that refused the hoods and hated the wristlets, although they had to take the wristlets it was on the gear. I learned a lot from them and I learn a lot every day from people who have done this longer and more steady than I have. One of the first things that I learned was pay attention to places where you aren't covered as well like your wrists and neck. If they get hot and you feel like you can't stand it then it's time to back out. Keeps you out of trouble for the most part although I've had my share of instructors tell me that is not the safest method.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Weber on December 18, 2010 at 1:45pm

I have had a Cairnes Houston for years and I love it.Yea,it's heavy but a friend of mine just showed me his turtle shell a couple days ago.Didn't take heat very well. On the other hand I wear my forestry brain bucket quite a bit anymore for MVA's and other non-fire calls.A lot lighter and with a pair of goggles it is more manuverable.The Houston just LOOKS like a fire helmet should.And its got a good suspension system.I can't come down one way or the other on this cause I use them both.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on December 18, 2010 at 3:49pm

I know... it's a losing proposition but if you had the chance to put one of the puppies on, you would also be convinced that it would be a cool tool. Why should fighter pilots have all the cool toys anyway and besides, it's Christmas and you just can't have enough bling!

CBz

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Hosack on December 18, 2010 at 6:45pm

i like the cairn's new yorker leather but i where a cairns' 1010 defender

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Permalink Reply by David Earl Gregory on December 19, 2010 at 10:04am

Coming from an ex-fireman, I've worn both styles and much preferred the traditional helmet. I wore a New Yorker quite a bit and it kept me from getting hurt many times. Then again, so did my turtle shell a couple times. Having seen some of the "improvements" to today's helmets, IMHO, the N5A's and N6A's look giant pumpkins with a board attached to the bottom. The bucket has to be so much bigger to accept all that extra stuff in there, it makes them top heavy to me. I guess it all comes down to what the individual departments allow/require and you have to go from there.

As to particular styles of helmets? Kinda like my old argument about apparatus color. "Real fire trucks are red and have American LaFrance written on them." Did I mention anywhere that I'm old school?

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Permalink Reply by Sparky3317 on December 19, 2010 at 10:35am

David, if your old school shouldnt the saying be real fire trucks are red and have mack written on them?

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Permalink Reply by Harold Richard Hair on December 19, 2010 at 10:56am

i like the traditional new yorker but i wear Morning Pride Ben 2 plus. They are light and i have put mine through hell and it has done awsome been n service for 7 years now. but i would choose new yorker over turtles

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Permalink Reply by Harold Richard Hair on December 19, 2010 at 10:57am

i agree ben 2 is awsome

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Permalink Reply by Sparky3317 on December 19, 2010 at 10:57am

Leather forever. Yes it does look cooler and is definately the tradition of the fire service; but I have been in the service for 9 years and I have just seen the difference in how much more a leather helmet can take compared to a salad bowl, a composite or a plastic helmet. Besides the cost a leather helmet, if not holding a 1000 things like chaulk blocks and such, are just as heavy or even lighter than the new composite and plastic helmets. Obviously they are not lighter than a salad bowl but then again theres not much to a salad bowl.

And they last alot longer. The only reason I had to hang my first leather helmet was because my inside suspension system got torn and carins doesnt manufacture my helmet anymore to have it replaced. I have seen firefighters go through plastics every couple years. That cost adds up quick.

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Permalink Reply by David Earl Gregory on December 19, 2010 at 11:21am

Now why would the FD have a concrete mixer truck?

Seriously, where I grew up most of the departments had ALF's and Seagraves. I've always been fond of the "looks" of the ALF and even worked for them a few years at the Atlanta service center. Now that Freightliner has bought them out, it just ain't the same.

My first ride on a "real" fire truck was when I was 6 years old. The department that served our area then had an open cab FWD with the loooong nose and siren mounted on top of the hood. It was cold and misting rain that night but my Dad knew all of them and they let me ride back to the station. One other time I got to ride tailboard back to the station with two of the firemen making sure I didn't fall off. I could barely reach the hosebed to hook my fingers into the folds but I'll always treasure those memories.

Nowadays with all the regs and sue happy folks, kids can't get those experiences. I've got 5 grown children now and only one of them has ever gotten to ride in a fire truck back to the station. My youngest son has volunteered with a couple departments and tells me now he'd like to be a firefighter.