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Polos or Class-B shirts.... thoughts?
Hello everyone,
just a question, from firefighters to Chiefs of departments, what's everyone's thoughts on polos or class B shirts? Here's my two cents... Let's keep it civil, ha ha ha.
Pros:
Polos- Cheaper than class B's, due to no badges, medals, nameplates, collar brass, etc.
Don't wrinkle as easily
More comfortable under bunker gear
You don't roll over onto your badge while you're asleep (that hurts)
Can be embroidered
Class B- Nothing looks more professional than badges and medals.
Easy to tell rank, neighboring fire departments and civilians alike.
Can be repatched, where polos are embroidered once and thats it.
Cons:
Polos- Can confuse neighboring departments if you don't have different colors by rank.
Certain manufacturers polos (5.11 comes to mind) can run you up to $50 a piece (even discounted)
Class B- Can be confused with Law Enforcement (I dunno about you're department's territory or what your local PD wears, but in my neck of the woods light blue is the same as the PD, and we don't got bulletproof vests)
Stains show very easily on class B depending on color
Require starch and iron
just a question, from firefighters to Chiefs of departments, what's everyone's thoughts on polos or class B shirts? Here's my two cents... Let's keep it civil, ha ha ha.
Pros:
Polos- Cheaper than class B's, due to no badges, medals, nameplates, collar brass, etc.
Don't wrinkle as easily
More comfortable under bunker gear
You don't roll over onto your badge while you're asleep (that hurts)
Can be embroidered
Class B- Nothing looks more professional than badges and medals.
Easy to tell rank, neighboring fire departments and civilians alike.
Can be repatched, where polos are embroidered once and thats it.
Cons:
Polos- Can confuse neighboring departments if you don't have different colors by rank.
Certain manufacturers polos (5.11 comes to mind) can run you up to $50 a piece (even discounted)
Class B- Can be confused with Law Enforcement (I dunno about you're department's territory or what your local PD wears, but in my neck of the woods light blue is the same as the PD, and we don't got bulletproof vests)
Stains show very easily on class B depending on color
Require starch and iron
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jacob Feldman on
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As far as NFPA goes, I'll leave that to my white shirts to make the final decisions, I just punch the clock and do my job.
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Permalink Reply by FF Nick on
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"Some examples of Non-Compliant materials include polyester, high percent polyester blends and wool."
Most B shirts that I've seen (at least the ones we're supplied with) are a 50/50 poly/cotton. Not sure what would be considered high percent, safely assuming <50 percent, but we have the option of either wearing polo or B shirt. Most of us wear polo due to them being more breathable than the B shirt. I'll throw mine on occasionally when I forget to do laundry.
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Permalink Reply by INSP Daniel A. Onyskin on
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As a fire inspector, I wear a Tactical 5.11 polo with collar brass. My name and rank is embroidered as well as a maltese cross and department name on the left. I usually where the badge on my belt or on a neck chain. My class B I wear for special events.
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Well I'd like to see a bridge between the two. Something designed like a class-b out of polo shirt material, embroidered with patches, A little more professional than polos but not quite dressed up as a class b.
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Cole on
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All members are required to maintain a class B uniform in lockers for wear at public events and ceremony in which the class A is not required. Otherwise during the period from May to October they are permitted to wear the department-approved "polo" shirt with emblem and name embroidered. There is a long-sleeve polo for winter use as well.
From June to September, or otherwise under certain weather conditions they are permitted to wear SHORTS. And yes we do EMS including ambulance transport. Personally, having done EMS work since 1980 I disagree with the opinion of shorts being someehow "unsafe". They don't have to wear shorts if they don't want to. But unless you mandate long-sleevess all year-round, I don't see any valid argument when your arms are more exposed than anything else.
How many departments ACTUALLY enforce the use of mask, or full facial protection and wear it on every run, but balk at the use of shorts?
Mandatory for all MVC's or industrial-type accidents, etc. is the wearing of bunker pants.
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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I'm with Mike and others- I think both thave their place, depending on what you're doing.
For more formal occassions such as inspections, meetings, etc, then the more formal option. For aroudn the station, then polo's are great....
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Permalink Reply by Katina L Phalen on
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I would love to wear Polo's! I wear a class B shirt 5 days a week and I'm about sick and tired of sticking my self and putting all the stuff on my shirt. You can get a Polo embrodered with everything that's on ur class B shirt. Yes and when I go to the McDonald's kids mistake me as a cop and they don't even have the same uniforms. We were told we could wear polo's on the weekends, but during the week we had to wear our class B's when we leave the station except for getting fuel and calls. I sweat my a** off everyday, I have dark blue bdu pants on dark blue t-shirt, black boots, and a light blue class B shirt on. It's 106 with the heat index! Hello dying here if anyone has noticed. I agree with the look professional but come on people get out of your office and work in the heat and see how you like it!
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Permalink Reply by Oldman on
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We went from the polo back to a tactical "Class B" shirt. There is little difference between them temperature wise. When it's 130 on the pavement, both are terrible. I don't starch them either. As far as being NFPA compliant, I have bunker gear. IF my shirt catches fire under my bunker gear... I'm pretty sure my bunker gear probably has flamage too.
As far as being mistaken for law enforcement, when someone asks,tell them, "No. I don't like doughnuts".
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yeah... I guess I see that about the arms being exposed.... It's a damned if you do and damned if you dont huh? I agree with the use of nitrile gloves too but wouldn't that kinda fall into the same category? if your arms are exposed but your hands are covered isnt that kinda strange? I don't say I don't wear medical gloves because I do, every call. But my question is doesn't it fall into the same arguement?
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HEY! lol. If you ever see me in an office pushing paper shoot me! ha ha ha ha ha. Where you work that it's 106?
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As far as being mistaken for law enforcement, when someone asks,tell them, "No. I don't like doughnuts".
HAAAAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! Or you could say, "No, I'm the guy they could've been had they gotten 10 more points on their civil service exam.
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