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Thermal Insult Recognition Training
How many of you here are certified firefighters but have still yet to be taught how to identify the limitations of your PPE? With gear becoming better and better each year, do you or your Chief really know what is the weakest link in your personal protective ensemble?
This past weekend I hosted a class on Thermal Insult Recognition. We were able in a controlled environment, to NOT only tell you about "heat" like many classes but show/feel thermal insult recognition while wearing some of the best gear on the market.
All firefighters who go "interior" deserve to be trained in thermal insult recognition. Otherwise... what are they going to base their decision making process from? Is it when the low air alarm rings.... or is it when they exinguish that small or simulated fire with very little heat in a firefighter 1 class? Thing is most newly certified firefighters are so eager to be banged out to a job, do you feel comfortable with there training, experience or exposure to the elements? When the non-controlled fire rapidly escalates to untenable for the trained firefighter.... are they going to react positively or wait just a few extra seconds and we are hanging the bunting...
Firefighters need a systematic approach to sizing up the interior conditions, what I like to call the
Interior Benchmarking model. (FETC exclusive training, which will be offered at FDIC-2011)
Training firefighters for real world situations is what it is all about...
So again I ask, when your gear is at 100% heat saturation, what is the weakest link on your firefighters PPE?
Take Care and Stay Safe Brothers...
FETC
Photo Credit: Sarah Whitney Property of FETC Services, all rights reserved. No use without written permission from FETC and/or the photographer.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Actually, I don't know - at least if FETC is looking for one definate part failure.
Really, it's somewhat situational. The weakest link depends upon the mix of equipment and how it is worn together.
Based upon my experience, I'd have to say that the weakest link in a short-term, high-heat event is the SCBA facepiece or second-stage regulator, depending on the manufacturer and materials used. I've seen two injuries and one fatality caused by facepiece failures and a couple of lucky bailouts after second-stage regulator failures - all thermal insult-related.
Another possibility is the glove/coat wristlet interface, if they're not designed to work together or if the coat sleeves are too short to fit propertly.
Another possibility is the velcro closures on the coat and pants - if the flap is open.
For longer-term events, the PASS is a weak link as they've been shown to not work propery in high enough heat. However, a PASS failure generally is not a thermal insult problem as I understand FETC to define it, as that doesn't directly cause a burn injury to the firefighter - it just makes it more difficult to find him/her.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Russell Brannan on
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Well I am really shooting in the dark here but have some light to put on it. I know there has been certain SCBAs that once they reach a certain degree mainly relating to the PASS device. It has caused air flow issues resulting in failure of the SCBA. The SCBA mask is some what made of the materials as the fire helmet shields. I know many of them breakdown at 400 degree F. Then you have the issue of SCBA compressed air bottle in which over time the air can be heated to the point of becoming a life threating issue, even with the best gear. When looking at what I know about most gear reguardless of brand, it seem to have a greater protection barrier than the actual SCBAs in super heated conditions. Once again this is a very intersting topic and have enjoyed the comments I have read. Please advise back on your thoughts.
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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Bingo Brother! The properly dressed firefighter, donned in quality gear is ready for insult. Our gear provides approximately 74% of our protection from heat from the inners. But the SCBA mask lens has to meet the NFPA standard for which it is about 1700 degrees +/- for ten second blast test before total catastrophic failure.
Now exposure time for which our gear can take is relative to each individual manufacturers choice in materials, engineering and thickness, etc. Many exceed 500+/- degrees for 5 minutes non direct flame contact. So the issue surfaces when you have reached maximum saturation of our PPE (coat and pants) and the lens on the mask is above 400 degree mark. Many times the mask starts to ripple, distort, sag onto the nose cup or pin hole. I have witnessed all of the previous examples. Therefore, when we start to feel heat inside our gear the weakest link is already working overtime. Stand up for just a second, to vent a window for example and lenses can suffer catastrophic failure due to previous exposure time. Now where near the temperatures used for the 1700 blast test.
In my class, I had firefighters slow down the adreneline and concentrate on sensing when the air inside his/her mask is starting to become warm. Most agreed, that it occurred before total gear saturation. This is real world thermal insult recognition.
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This gear had catastrophic failure due to not being donned properly. The velcro though stitched with nomex thread is the weak link (normal velcor) when NOT worn correctly. It melted before total saturation and dripped onto the exterior shell and caught fire.
Learn to close the bellows pockets after removing your gloves from storage.
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Permalink Reply by Gregory Borg on
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Very interesting, you had me actually thinking, it hurt but I did it. I see where your clues were leading. I will take notice of that during our next training or fire. Thank you for the thoughtful dialog.
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Great thread. Glad I could participate. Very good stuff. Thanks.
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Excellent Ben. Alot of times the wrong gloves are purchased with non-thumb hole wristlets or gaunlets. That combination makes or breaks the compliancy.
Very good on the mask/lens/ and regulator, nice.
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Sometimes you can go through a whole dialogue by myself and wonder if anyone even reads it? I appreciate to two way conversation brother.
Thanks stay safe on the west side Brother!
Bill
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Permalink Reply by Derek R. on
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Agreed. Great post, FETC. Always glad to learn somethng new. Thanks.
KSHF
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