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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 lutan1 on
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As fascinating as this subject is, the bottom line is that no one is going to convince the majority of US firefighters to wear the Euro-Style fire helmet.
Anyway, the reality is that US firefighters love their leather and none of us Euro-fans will change that any-time soon.
Change hindered by 200 years of tradition????
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Andy, that's not accurate, at least for me.
I've worn a couple of different Euro-style helmets and I've also worn the old Federal Signal FH-2 and Toptex full-coverage helmets that were popular in the 1870's.
The climate conditions here might not be that much different than in parts of Europe, South America, or wherever, but what counts to me is the climate conditions around my head. The American-style helmets protect me from heat just as well as do the Euro helmets. The American-style helmets are much less heat stressful in hot/humid climates when operating at MVCs, wildland fires, and other non-fire emergencies.
The single advantage I can find to the Euro helmets is that they provide better side impatc protection. In 36 years of firefighting, I've never experienced, seen, or heard of a firefighter who has sustained an injury from a side impact while fighting ia fire.
That leaves your otehr point - popularity. I don't chose my fire helmet based on how popular a given style is with other people - I base it on how I like it. I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not likely to change my mind based on the better comfort, better hearing, and less heat stress in non-fire events I get from an American-style helmet.
Another thing I believe we'll see as an emerging trend is that we'll start seeing helmets that are increasingly minimilast, rather than big helmets with overkill protection. That trend is already emerging in the USAR business, where the impact-cap style helmets are losing ground to simple technical rescue type helmets that are lighter, more comfortable, and that cause less heat stress. I see a pattern emerging here...
Here's the Federal Signal version I wore in the 1970's.
Here's a link to an ad for the original Toptex version. It was adapted from a Bell fighter pilot helmet, if memory serves. There was also a very similar Federal Signal police riot helmet version.
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Permalink Reply by Joey H on
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Looks over function? Well since the Euro and US style helmets both, as mentioned above, are required to meet the same standards I think an opinion based on looks is acceptable. If safety was an issue I would then this argument would be foolish, but since current US designs are deemed safe by the NFPA rejection of the Euro style on the grounds of looks seems fair. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
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Sorry, here's the actual, working Toptex Fire Helmet link.
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Permalink Reply by RJ on
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UH huh...try wearing an SCBA with that thing on your head. Unless of course you never make entry into a burning structure...just sayin'
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Permalink Reply by Don Zimmerman on
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I am so glad someone else has finally noticed this style of helmet. I will grant you it does not 'seem' to be much of a fire helmet but then so does 200 years of tradition and not moving forward.
I saw these helmets about 10 years ago and at that time I recommended my department to move toward 'total encasement' of the head and neck. The one part of the equation was trying to find out how many and how did our current helmets protect us when on an incident, training, etc from downward force impacts and from side force impacts. I could never find the info I needed to make my case for switching. Somewehere out on the 'net' is the info to show that our current helmets 'appear' to only be able to protect from a downward force impact and I believe there never has been any testing conducted regarding the side force impacts. My personal thoughts are that full enclosure is a lot better than partial enclosure.
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Permalink Reply by Andy Turnham on
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You are not serious are you? Do you really think the hundreds of thousands of fire fighters outside the USA don't ever need to wear SCBA?
If anything, this style of helmet makes wearing SCBA far easier and more comfortable when using the correct mask clips for your set.
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try wearing an SCBA with that thing on your head. Unless of course you never make entry into a burning structure...just sayin'
Now there's an informed response- NOT!
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I'm not sure what looks have to do with it, since my comments don't have anything to do with looks.
My considerations in this discussion are about heat stress and function, period.
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I haven't seen any data on the current Euro helmets, but the Federal FH-2 and the Bell/Federal Toptex helmets became obsolete because they simply didn't protect the firefighter from downward impacts as well as did the traditional style or "turtle" style North American helmets.
The issue is that the Euro helmet shells don't do a better job of absorbing down force or deflecting it than do the U.S. helmets. That force gets transmitted to the firefighter's neck. The Euro helmet ridge can be effective in deflecting downforce if the force strikes one side of the ridge. A traditional leather has multiple ridges, which (at least theoretically) do a better job of deflecting force that arrives from a variety of directions relative to the helmet shell.
The other factor is the suspension system and impact-absorption system.
The North American helmets now have the crushable impact cap, which helps absorb impact forces. None of the Euro helmets I've seen have the impact cap. That means that more force gets transmitted to the firefighter's head and neck.
Side force impacts are very, very rare in the fire service. Heat stress is not. My experience is that full-coverage helmets increase the most common hazard while protecting from one that is much less common.
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Permalink Reply by Shane Simpson on
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I was fortunate enough to have utilized MSA helmets like the ones in France. While a Chief on a cruise ship we had a similar helmet with flip down eye protection...our difference was that at night time and in low lighting our helmets had a green glow to them. What I found is better protection to fire personnel by these helmets. It enclosed the head and even offered protection for the cervical spine. On ship we also had radio comms mounted inside. A speaker on either side of the head for each ear and a vibration mik at the top of the head....excellent communications! Another feature I got used to real fast was the BA mask. Two simple spring clip connections and the mask was held snugly against a firefighters face with no compromising the seal. It's also very fast to don and you don't have to take off the helmet.
All-in-all they may look a little weird but these helmets are very functional. I'd like to get my hands on one again!
Shane
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Actually, some of the "Rest of the World" (not just European) used the impact cap in some of their older designs but have moved on from them. These helmets are all tested for vertical impacts as well as oblique impacts and it is a fallacy that they transmit the impact to the wearers neck any more so than US designs. Don't forget that the ridges on a Traditional Cairns type design were/are seams to join the sections of leather and to give the shell some structural strength it wouldn't otherwise have not to deflect impacts.
If the US traditional helmet was so much superior to the "Euro Style" why is it not the dominant helmet style world-wide?
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