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British Fire Department Phases Out Traditional Helmets
Lancashire Telegraph
THESE futuristic helmets are the latest line of defence for firefighters in Lancashire.
The headgear, featuring integral goggles and a reflective face shield, is being piloted in Haslingden before being introduced across the fire service.
The helmets will provide the best protection yet against heat, and feature a torch that can be safely used even in situations where firefighters are surrounded by flammable vapour.
The MSA Gallet fire helmet is also more padded than traditional headgear, and will be a better fit thanks to adjustable straps.
Already members of the Haslingden team, who will be using them during active service over the next two months, have been trying them on for size.
Andy Coulton, Rossendale watch manager, said: "The purchase of the new helmets emphasises Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service's commitment to ensure protection of their employees, even in times of great economic difficulty for public services.
"The helmet fits the head snugly and will not tip, or shift sideways, essential in testing situations such as animal rescue and waterside incidents, as well as firefighting.
"Other features include integral goggles and a reflective face shield which provides additional thermal protection, and a helmet-mounted torch rated as 'intrinsically safe' for those situations where flammable vapour could be ignited by incandescent bulb illumination."
The traditional-style firefighting helmet will be phased out over the next few months after serving officers for more than 10 years.
Fire experts said advances in materials and technology have superseded the current design.
Haslingden Fire Station was chosen to be one of three stations to roll out the helmet's evaluation following successful trials at Washington Hall near Chorley last year.
Related
Lancashire firefighters blazing a trail with new helmets
Copyright 2010 NewsQuest Media Group Limited
All Rights Reserved
July 14, 2010
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on
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I'd wear one!! Then I'd look like a badass SPACE fire-slayer!!
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Permalink Reply by John Carder on
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The linked article shows a picture which raises two questions:
1) How does the helmet integrate with SCBA?
2) Does the "integral goggles and reflective face shield" restrict breathing? I'd hate to have that on doing traffic control on a black highway in August. It could get toasty.
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Hey John,
I believe the goggles/shield filp up out of the way sorta like bourkes, and the clear piece that trims along the bottom of the mask becoms the visor of the helmet. I'm not sure about a standard SCBA mask, maybe the UK equivelent fits under the shield. It looks like it is molded to fit around a mask of some kind. MSA Gallet has several more pics on their website...
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Permalink Reply by Márcio Teixeira on
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Hi,
in my FD, we use this helmet.., is very look like that in the post
about the questions of Reg Mathis..
1) you put the mask of scba, and then put the helmet, its very comfortable
2) no breathing restrict, the face shield pulls up, and behind the face shield there is the integral googles, that pulls up and down, sorry my english, its a little bit rusty..
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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Marcio, your English is much better than out Portugese! I have a question for you, Potugal is a warm country, do you find that the Gallet helmet is hot to wear in summer when working outside? My FRS has no intention of changing to that style of helmet, I'm not sure whether that's good or bad!
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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How do you wear an SCBA mask...? And communications...?
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Hi Tony, im From Faro (Algarve) and the weather in the summer is very warm, the gallet helmet to work outside, for example in a road accident, and you are working to extract the victim, it can be a little hot, but it´s comfortable, and you have the integral googles or the face mask.
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hi Paul..
the face mask, lay with the three straps and then put the cowl and then the helmet, about the comunications, we have the regular radios, and we speak, but we have to speak with carefull because we have the face mask,
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i wrote wrong, its not face mask, its face shield
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From what I've read elswhere, BA can be worn now without pulling the visor down of course, which would suit me as I don't lower my visor anyway when wearing BA. I think Draeger masks can be fitted to the helmet itself with some makee(s)?
It might be Draeger that also has the internal radio fittings?
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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and feature a torch that can be safely used even in situations where firefighters are surrounded by flammable vapour.
I understand the term used for flashlight in the UK is torch.....however, such a sentance speaks all sorts of oxymorons to me here in the states.
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Permalink Reply by JOSEPH MONTONDO on
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I DONT SEE HOW THIS WOULD BE NFPA COMPLIANT BEINGS THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO HAVE A SECONDARY FACE SHIELD WHILE WEARING SCBA.
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