Traffic Vest

Hey everyone,

Im in charge of putting the firefighters into traffic vest. anyone use them? what type? were to get tem? do you like them? what would you want different? we have about 160 FF that I will be outfitting so some money will be spent im trying to do some research on them before hand...any help would be great!!

thanks much and stay safe

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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on June 9, 2009 at 7:11pm

Brandon, I hate the vests. I support the idea of safety and being seen. Its just one more piece of equipment that we are forced to purchase by folks that are padding their pockets. That said, we use a vest by Blauer that meets Ansii requirements. They have plenty of reflective stripes and are adjustable per size. We added Glow-Flex triple trim which really makes them stand out.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Everson on June 9, 2009 at 8:04pm

Hey Brandon. I agree only buy them for positions in the apparatus. If you get them for everyone who is going to see that they have them when needed. I have seen them at GALLS.com and looking in the catalog, there on page 246-251any where from $5.99- $50.00 each.

Paul

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Permalink Reply by Tyson Ward on June 9, 2009 at 9:07pm

I think it is wise to get vests for all the seats on your trucks. We have been useing them for about half a year and most of us dont like to where the vests. I think we got ares from the firestore.

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Permalink Reply by Ron King (Fire Chief) on June 9, 2009 at 10:45pm

Hey Brandon, we all have vest we are to wear them anytime we are on a roadway unless there is fire. they meet all requirements and are the new rip away type. they are very nice with all the bells and whistles. I think around forty dollars each. They are issued gear when you get on the dept.

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Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on June 9, 2009 at 10:51pm

My sentiments exactly, Chief! I am considering trying to locate a flashing beacon for the top of my helmet as well. The fact is that a growing majority of drivers today are inattentive, at best. Do I hate wearing the vest, YES! But not as much as I hate bouncing off of the hood of "Tiffany's" SUV because she was busy chatting with "Brittany" on her cell phone....

venting complete...

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Permalink Reply by Mick Shelley on June 9, 2009 at 11:04pm

I'm with Chief Ron, we all have them, and they are the new rip off type.

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Permalink Reply by Michael C. Harrison on June 10, 2009 at 2:01am

I personally do not like the vests, I fail to understand how if a driver doesn't/can't see a piece of fire apparatus (or numerous pieces) with flashing lights, and can't see the scotchlight on my coat....a vest is magically going to make me visible.

DISCLAIMER :the above is MY opinion.....as asked by the poster of this thread.....now that we got THAT out of the way

Look for the regulation that now requires the vests, I believe it is a D.O.T. regulation (the NFPA only makes recommendations.....so an NFPA vest MAY(I said MAY)not also meet the Federal requirement) and you don't want to spend a bunch of money on something that may end up having to be replaced

Some people have recommended getting them only for riding positions (and I believe that is what the regulation states) but IF your dept. has "home response" or people are allowed to go to/stop at emergency scenes with their private vehicles.....then you may be better off buying individual vests for all members.

Also look for any grants that may be out there.....if the Fed's require it, they should help flip the bill for it

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Permalink Reply by Trainer on June 10, 2009 at 6:38am

As mandated we have been wearing them for some time, purchased ANSI type III which has sleeves, but I would go with type II as long as they are tear-a-way, the sleeves are a bitch but we wanted more visibility. Buy for everyone and leave them on your gear to be removed when not needed as they are a hell of a lot easier to take off then put on. Agree or disagree is of little consequence as this is a fed requirement, not a standard. With the law written the way it is “any federal funded highway”, don’t take a chance even your local roads may get some fed money.

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Permalink Reply by Dillon on June 10, 2009 at 7:47am

any time we are around the road its either the scba has to be worn, or the traffic vest. for example onscene at a car fire where scba is worn the vest can stay in the truck. But when the car fire is finished and traffic control is still needed the scba comes off and he vest goes on

we wear somthing like this,

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Permalink Reply by Swen Swenson on June 10, 2009 at 8:44am

I myself don’t mind the safety vest like others said putting on the safety vest sure beats getting bounced off the hood of someone car. Both the paid department and the volunteer department issues the vest to everyone and then we have extra on each of the trucks usually one for each riding position that away if someone lost or forgot to repack there vest there is always one for them to use. We got all of our vest though a local supplier I can get the name of the place its in Florida they put Fire rescue on the back at no charge and they were under 20 bucks each.
For the ones that have nothing better todo and want to read the ruling I have uploaded the doc on it.

Attachments:

fhwafinalrule11242006.pdf, 85 KB

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Permalink Reply by DOWNS290 on June 10, 2009 at 8:51am

BIG PIECE OF ADVICE...... I HAVE HEARD THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO NFPA AND OSHA ARE GOING TO BE UPPING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TRAFFIC VESTS. MEANING THAT ALL OF THE MONEY WE JUST SPENT OR ARE GOING TO SPEND ON VESTS IS POINTLESS BECAUSE THEY WILL NO LONGER BE COMPLIENT IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.

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Permalink Reply by Trainer on June 10, 2009 at 12:47pm

Interesting….NFPA can issues all the standards they want on this, OSHA and DOT carry a bigger stick. Maybe they will have some common sense and allow ANSI stripping on the bunker gear, no wait…then we’ll have to buy new gear, or maybe they’ll realize that if the big red truck with all the lights don’t work, then a little green/yellow vest won’t either…I see a federally funded study lurking. I’ll offer a piece of advice, if you are not wearing them now, then you are in violation of federal law.