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Making Your PPE “Smart”
When you stop and think about it, a firefighter’s personal protective equipment (PPE) is downright amazing. You carry the air you’ll need on your back, cloaked in fire-resistant fibers that allow you to move through burning buildings; your boots are designed not to melt as your feet encounter burning materials, and your helmet has undergone years of testing to ensure that it affords the greatest protection against impact.
But these items that you wear and bring with you are static—whether you encounter a dumpster fire or a multi-apartment blaze, your PPE stays the same.
Until now.
On Tuesday, DuPont Personal Protection is officially launching its new product, Nomex on Demand, that’s been the buzz of the PPE world for a few months now. And with this new material, DuPont promises to do something no other PPE does—change according to the conditions it encounters.
I spoke with Dale Outhous, global business director for DuPont Personal Protection, and Jeff Jung, business development manager, about Nomex on Demand. They told me that the product, which is a smart fiber installed in the thermal liner of the turnouts, provides 20 percent more thermal protection when the firefighter encounters temperatures 250 degrees or higher. The fiber is self-activated and expands to trap more air, thus providing more protection. “Under normal conditions, the fiber stays thin and flexible, so the gear is more comfortable,” Outhous said. “But when exposed to extreme conditions, it expands up to five times its original size—when and where you need it.”
The example Jung provided: Most firefighters lead with their left shoulder when entering a fire, so departments tend to see a lot of burn injuries in that area. If the firefighter is wearing a turnout coat made with Nomex on Demand, that part of the coat activates, providing the enhanced protection and shielding the firefighter from the burn. The rest of the coat may not activate—it all depends on the level of exposure.
Now, before your imagination gets the most of you, Outhous and Jung ensured me that you won’t “look like the Michelin man” after the fiber activates. Although the turnouts will expand slightly, it’s not enough to transform the appearance of the gear, and DuPont says the PPE will still be usable—mobility and performance aren’t compromised.
How realistic is it to assume that Nomex on Demand will become standard in turnouts? The answer will depend in part on the departments already testing the product and additional departments that will begin testing now that the product is commercially available. However, Outhous notes that “This is a premium thermal liner. The cost is in the range of about 10 percent higher than other premium liners”—which he says should raise the overall cost of the PPE about 1-2 percent.
As with most purchases, individual departments will have to weigh the benefit of additional cost over the protection it can afford. Departments that engage mostly in defensive operations or who respond to very few fire calls are less likely to find the increased cost worthwhile. Although Outhous and Jung acknowledge that, they also encourage every department to evaluate the technology, and they note that the initial response from the volunteer community has been very positive.
Nomex on Demand is certainly a development to watch, especially if your department plans on speccing new turnouts soon. If you’ll be at FDIC in April, ask the various PPE manufacturers about the availability of Nomex on Demand, and how it could change your turnout from a static garment to one that senses the conditions and responds—smartly.
Shannon Pieper is managing editor for FireRescue magazine.
Video - DuPont Introduces Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) to better protect ...
Animation - DuPont(TM) Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) activates when needed
But these items that you wear and bring with you are static—whether you encounter a dumpster fire or a multi-apartment blaze, your PPE stays the same.
Until now.
On Tuesday, DuPont Personal Protection is officially launching its new product, Nomex on Demand, that’s been the buzz of the PPE world for a few months now. And with this new material, DuPont promises to do something no other PPE does—change according to the conditions it encounters.
I spoke with Dale Outhous, global business director for DuPont Personal Protection, and Jeff Jung, business development manager, about Nomex on Demand. They told me that the product, which is a smart fiber installed in the thermal liner of the turnouts, provides 20 percent more thermal protection when the firefighter encounters temperatures 250 degrees or higher. The fiber is self-activated and expands to trap more air, thus providing more protection. “Under normal conditions, the fiber stays thin and flexible, so the gear is more comfortable,” Outhous said. “But when exposed to extreme conditions, it expands up to five times its original size—when and where you need it.”
The example Jung provided: Most firefighters lead with their left shoulder when entering a fire, so departments tend to see a lot of burn injuries in that area. If the firefighter is wearing a turnout coat made with Nomex on Demand, that part of the coat activates, providing the enhanced protection and shielding the firefighter from the burn. The rest of the coat may not activate—it all depends on the level of exposure.
Now, before your imagination gets the most of you, Outhous and Jung ensured me that you won’t “look like the Michelin man” after the fiber activates. Although the turnouts will expand slightly, it’s not enough to transform the appearance of the gear, and DuPont says the PPE will still be usable—mobility and performance aren’t compromised.
How realistic is it to assume that Nomex on Demand will become standard in turnouts? The answer will depend in part on the departments already testing the product and additional departments that will begin testing now that the product is commercially available. However, Outhous notes that “This is a premium thermal liner. The cost is in the range of about 10 percent higher than other premium liners”—which he says should raise the overall cost of the PPE about 1-2 percent.
As with most purchases, individual departments will have to weigh the benefit of additional cost over the protection it can afford. Departments that engage mostly in defensive operations or who respond to very few fire calls are less likely to find the increased cost worthwhile. Although Outhous and Jung acknowledge that, they also encourage every department to evaluate the technology, and they note that the initial response from the volunteer community has been very positive.
Nomex on Demand is certainly a development to watch, especially if your department plans on speccing new turnouts soon. If you’ll be at FDIC in April, ask the various PPE manufacturers about the availability of Nomex on Demand, and how it could change your turnout from a static garment to one that senses the conditions and responds—smartly.
Shannon Pieper is managing editor for FireRescue magazine.
Video - DuPont Introduces Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) to better protect ...
Animation - DuPont(TM) Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) activates when needed
Add a Comment
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Comment by Jason Kirby on March 21, 2009 at 5:23pm
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I find it hard to beleive that the THL does not go down.
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Comment by Shannon Pieper, FireRescue Magazine on March 21, 2009 at 5:05pm
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Just to address a few things in the comments... According to the DuPont reps I talked with, the expansion of the fiber IS a one-time event, meaning it doesn't go back down, but they stressed heavily that the expansion in no way makes the gear unusable--it just means that more protection is provided all the time in the area where the expansion has occurred. Now, it can be expected that a significant expansion over a large portion of the turnout would mean the turnouts would be less comfortable and flexible than they were before. But DuPont seems to be saying that because they're starting out with a turnout that's inherently more flexible, lightweight and comfortable than traditional turnouts, this shouldn't be a problem. They did stress that the gear does not get heavier and heat loss is not affected after expansion of the fiber. Of course I'm just repeating what I heard; like some of you have suggested here, we will need to see this fiber in action and understand exactly how it works before we can determine whether it will be an innovation that changes the PPE world or a special, expensive option that only big-budget departments spec.
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Comment by Jeffrey Miller on March 19, 2009 at 3:52pm
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I would have to see what this stuff is really like. A great many of the "old timers" in my department say that the more thermal protection provided by the gear the less they are in favor of it. The sya it goes with the old saying that when your ears get hot it is time to get out. Is it the protection that this new gear offers that may actually be harming our brave men and women and attributing to more fire related injuries?
Just a thought from one who learned from The Old Guys.
PS My opinions are my own; they are NOT a reflection of any organizations of which I am affiliated!!!!!!!
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Comment by Greg Ramsdell on March 18, 2009 at 1:02pm
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So far it sounds like it's a "one shot" advancement. Not that that is bad but I haven't noticed DuPont speaking to the issue. That would be quite an expense burden in those higher call / paid department areas.
Wonder if it provides a constricting feeling when activated too, or there are different levels of expansion based on environment?
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Comment by Robin Inman on March 17, 2009 at 11:25pm
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Wow, hopefully this product will turn out to be as good as the producers make it sound......if it is, hopefully departments will see it's worth the extra cost. It's nice to see companies moving along with products to help ensure fire fighter safety. Keep up the good work and Happy St. Patrick's Day to all you brothers and sisters.
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Comment by andrew shapiro on March 17, 2009 at 9:55pm
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very interesting. wondering if the fiber expansion will meaningfully distort any of the lab test results during the NFPA certification process. The testing processes necessarily tend to lag behind component and design development.
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Comment by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on March 17, 2009 at 2:16pm
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Well; we know what it will do when it gets hot.
What does it do when it gets cold?
What does it do when the body temperature of the firefighter increases? Will it allow his body heat to release or will it "steam cook" him?
What is the over all weight of the turnouts compared to the weight of them now?
And finally; has anyone heard if the rescue straps on the coats are prematurely fatiguing that area of the coat because of the stress of the pulling?
I would like to see turnout gear that will let heat out but also keep heat out.
After all, studies show narrowing of arteries from heat stress, disorietation, arrhythmia and other cardiac problems due to heat stress.
Art
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