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Why don't we copy the French Fire Helmet Designs?
One of the coolest things I have ever received in the mail, ever... arrived at my house a couple of days ago. It was from one of the friends I made here on the FFN, and he is from France, where he works as a professional firefighter. Like many firefighters, we both like fire service related things and are involved with trading things back and forth. What amazed me however, was the functional design that I saw first hand.
Up to this point, I have only seen photographs of french firefighters wearing a very unfamiliar fire helmet style. To be honest, I blew off the design because they just did not look like fire helmets. After having the chance to actually wear one, I offer the following insight for those, like myself, who never have had the chance to see what our brothers and sisters across the Atlantic wear for head and face protection.
The world just keeps getting smaller... I invite everyone to take the time to get to know others around the world with the spirit of sharing and providing the most up to date training and response information available. We are not alone, we have each other.
Prenez garde à rester en sécurité, (TCSS)
CBz
The Casque Pompier (Fire Helmet):
Built in Safety Goggles:
Fire Helmet Protective Visor / Heat Shield:
View Through Fire Helmet Protective Visor / Heat Shield:
Fire Helmet Heat Shield:
05-25-2010 Update: I made direct contact today with MSA and spoke with one of two sales reps that have knowledge of the French Gallet F1-SF Firefighter Helmet. Here's what I learned:
• These "French" fire helmets are manufactured by MSA, which is 100% USA owned and is based internationally out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• MSA bought out the french company Gallet 7-8 years ago, which included this helmet design and manufacturing rights.
• Existing USA style fire helmets are rated to no more than 1500˚F, while this particular style is rated to 1800˚F. Why more? The same technology used by NASA for astronaut helmets visors are incorporated into this design. Both the helmet and face shield reflect the heat, keeping the interior of the helmet cool, with maximum interior helmet temperatures reaching around 95˚F.
• The existing F1-SF helmet does not meet NA standards as mentioned in one of the posts. However, there is such a demand now for this style that MSA is working on providing a NA approved helmet that has the same features but also possesses the necessary impact standards.
• What we are looking at is a glimpse of what the 21st century firefighters are going to be wearing, internationally...
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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If we were to start "following the French" we would be putting up a white flag and entertaining a foreign government as its servants.........I will stick to tradition... 8)
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what colors does it come in....? What color Firetruck does it work best in...? Can Jrs wear it when they get out of school early to watch a fire..? Are Vollies and Career people both allowed to wear it...? Get my point...? TRADITION........and functionality
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Permalink Reply by Justin Stoneham on
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We wear these Gallet helmets over here in the U.K. I can assure you that they are absolutely rubbish. I would give anything to be able to turn the clock back and have our old helmets again. I really envy you guys over the atlantic for keeping your traditional designs as you can't hear anything in these new things, all they want to do is fall forward over your eyes as they aren't balanced & lastly to be honest we look like a right bunch of prats in them!!! Don't believe the hype!!!
Regards
Stones U.K.
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By the way I've been in the UK fire service for 17 years and have used our old traditional yellow cork helmet, the cairns metro & this crap Gallet thing...the best of them was my old yellow cork helmet with no flash technology on it!! It was light weight, functional, didn't fall off & as we didn't wear flash hoods when I started, when you felt your ears starting to go crispy when internal firefighting you knew it was time to get out.
With all this new stuff your too insulated from the environment, which means you can go too far into a fire & not find out till it's too late!!!
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Permalink Reply by kara-lee allen on
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someone on my hall was just talking about this same thing.... pics are cool. now i see what he meant... looks space age to me... lol...
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would work well for confined space i think... i agree it may scare the children... and i also agree nothing wrong with my current helmet. i like it just fine and nothing bad has happened to my head thus far.... knock on wood:)
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Permalink Reply by Ryan James Johnsrud on
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Yeah I read the article on that helmet when they were testing them in England looks pretty sweet to me. Thanks for the cool pics!
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Permalink Reply by Tom Krauter on
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We use helmets in our FD, looking similar to french ones. My experiences are, real good for fire incidents inside. But what I am missing in accord to our old german helmets, is in any other situations like accidents, technical support and so on, you don't have free ears, to hear the commands and what ever will happen aeound you...
Yours
Tom
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Permalink Reply by Ashley Rivers on
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That's exactly what I was thinking.
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Permalink Reply by Captain Ron on
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Capt
I'm just too much of a traditionalist for that helmet. However... It would look good on my helmet shelf in the den!
Leather Forever
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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would work well for confined space i think
Not really. Most confined space operations don't require such a helmet and most depts that do operate with confined space have different gear and equipment. Such a helmet for confined space, collapse, or any tech rescue is overkill.
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Lets say I could build a helmet that far exceeds the standards, would it than be worth switching?
That is the issue seen already. You have those who's opinion is this helmet is superior or exceeding standards, but as long as there are other options, meeting the standards, why switch.
As we do agree, the helmet issue is not that big of a factor when it comes to what is killing FF's, so as long as the current styles out there meet the same standards, it gives options and in some of those options, tradition is definately worth hanging on to.
for the record I knew guys who got burned because they did not deploy their ear flaps - the Euro-style would have avoided injury
True, but the fact remains that the person didn't wear the equipment properly, it isn't a case of substandard equipment, just that FF's didn't wear it properly. In such a case, they should have learned from the incident, switching a style of helmet because some refused to wear the PPE properly is a knee jerk reaction. Such a statement can come off as big brother trying to protect yourself from yourself.
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