Application: Wildland

When you are busy fighting fires and rescuing people, you might not have thought about how to maintain your firefighting kit.

Anyone involved in firefighting knows that their kit is their best friend. This safety barrier protects people working on the frontline from all manner of hazards, from freezing cold temperatures to the most extreme heat, from toxic chemicals to the invisible hazard of particulates.

But the kit can only do so much on its own. Making sure the kit is up to the task is, at least in part, down to the user.

So how can anyone involved in firefighting and associated activities preserve the life of their kit through regular maintenance?

New British Standard for maintaining your firefighting kit

BS8617 was published in 2019 with detailed guidance for the inspection, testing, cleaning, decontamination, drying, repairs, replacement, and retirement/disposal of firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE). While it recommends that each fire service should have a contract provider for cleaning and maintaining kit, there are also steps individuals can take to preserve their equipment.

Understanding your durable water repellent layer (DWR)

The DWR layer is the element of your structural suit that makes the biggest difference between it being professional safety equipment and normal clothes. As the name suggests, it keeps out water, but it also protects you from other liquids, including battery acid and other corrosive chemicals.

Crucially, though, by making the fabric non-porous, the DWR also keeps out particulates, which are now widely recognised as one of the biggest dangers to the health of a firefighter. Particulates in a firefighting scenario can penetrate the skin and get into the blood stream, where they can be carcinogenic. We have a whole blog post on particulates here.

Maintaining your DWR is a simple yet effective measure against these known poisons. To check whether your suit is still water (and particulate) tight, simply spray it with water from a spray bottle. If the water pools in droplets on the surface, the DWR is working effectively. If it soaks into the fabric, the DWR has failed and the garment needs to be re-treated.

When to repair and when to replace your firefighting suits

Within BS8617 is provision for keeping excellent records and traceability for all PPE items. This provides the opportunity to keep a close eye on maintenance spending, monitoring how much money is spent on each item. If a new jacket costs £200 for example, and you have already invested £150 in repairs, there’s a good chance it will be more cost effective to replace the jacket the next time it is damaged instead of paying for another repair.

Garments will also need to be retired if they are over 10 years old (or older than the lifespan determined by the manufacturer) or if they have been contaminated by chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear agents.

Good maintenance protocols go hand in hand with constant kit inspections to flag issues as they arise. Read more about kit inspections here.

Now you have more information about how to maintain your firefighting kit, if you’ve identified that replacement is better than more repairs then take a look at our full range of structural, wildland fire, HVP and rescue kit here, or call one of our experts on +44 (0) 1332 341030.

A revised version of the European standard for firefighter protective clothing – BS EN469 – has been published in 2020 so we wanted to take the time to explain why UK state brigade kit must meet BS EN469 Level 2 standards.

The new European Standard makes several key changes and improvements on the 2005 version and our previous blog explains what the new revisions mean.

One element that we know UK-based crews are struggling to make sense of is the Level 1 and Level 2 standards, so here we explain the difference, why it exists and how it applies here in the UK.

Understanding the levels

The European Standard specifies Level 1 kit for fighting fires in the open, wildland fires, for example. Level 2 kit is full structural kit, the kind that is intended to keep you safe no matter what you are doing. The kind that repels water, contaminants and steam, but lets out sweat.

Some clothing meets Level 1 and some clothing meets both Levels 1 and 2.

Why UK crews need Level 2 kit and why Level 1 exists

Within the EU, particularly in France and Spain, and also in the US, firefighting crews can be split into two units – the ones who go into burning buildings and those who stay outside. Since full structural kit is intended to protect against structural fires, including flashovers, there’s a trade-off between comfort and safety. For those who stay outside, lighter, more breathable kit that conforms to Level 1 will keep the crews safe enough, but those facing the heat and intensity of the fire need far higher levels of protection.

Here in the UK, most Fire and Rescue Service crews operate a single crew model, where everyone has to be ready to deal with all situations and levels of risk, meaning full structural kits that conform to Level 2 standards are a must for everyone.

Of course, there are still situations where Level 1 kit will do the job: wildland fires, rescue operations (although there are specific wildland and rescue firefighter clothing standards) and clear up operations are easier to do in lighter kit that doesn’t need the same heat or water resistance.

Kit for on ships

Marine companies must have firefighting kit on board. Few ships have a dedicated firefighting crew, rather a team with firefighting training but other on-board responsibilities. Most fire situations on a ship can be dealt with using a fire extinguisher, while larger events will lead straight to an evacuation, but in the event that crew members face a fire that needs fighting, they’re going to need kit that is similar to EN 469:2020 Level 2, but the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) have their own standards.

It can be tempting to save costs with a lower specification suit, but in the confined environments on a ship, clothing equivalent to EN 469:2020 Level 1 kits will not be sufficient, exposing firefighting crew to an unnecessary level of risk.

The FlamePro Beacon fire fighters kit provides the full range of safety measures for firefighting on the high seas.

What to look out for when buying kit

The word “lightweight” will be music to the ears of anyone who has had to don full structural firefighting kit, but these items are lightweight for a reason. Lightweight often equals less protection, less heat insulation and no moisture barrier.

Moisture barriers are essential for structural kit as they prevent water, pathogens and steam getting to the skin, causing burns and contamination. Level 1 compliant suits don’t have to have this.

Not only can FlamePro Level 2 compliant suits be relied on to keep the wearer safe, they also have a fully-fledged PTFE membrane that allows the maximum amount of vapour (sweat) out of the garments. Others may have PU membranes which are more like plastic bags.

To understand the British and international standards that apply to firefighting kit, visit the certifications and standards page of our website. Each item in our catalogue, lists which standard it is compliant with so you can buy with confidence, which is useful. now you know why UK state brigade kit must meet BS EN 469 Level 2 standards.

If you would like any further advice on what to look for when specifying your firefighting kit don’t hesitate to get in touch or call one of our experts on +44 (0) 1332 341030.

From holding your baby to lifting a cuppa to your mouth, from feeling your way through a building dark with smoke to gripping a ladder, there’s no doubt hands are precious – keep them safe with gloves.

There are 17,000 touch receptors and nerve endings in the palm alone, picking up sensations of pressure, movement and vibration. A chemical or fire burn compromises our sense of touch and our ability to fully interpret the world as we travel through it – as well as your ability to be an effective firefighter.

Gloves are your hands’ best friends

It’s important that your crew wears the right gloves for the right situation. For example, increased heat resistance can come at the cost of dexterity. However, if you’re facing a structural fire, you’ll need the heat resistance. Finding the right balance is worth taking the time over as comfort is an important element when it comes to safety – it makes your crew more likely to keep their gloves on their hands, where they belong.

To help you find the balance between the right level of protection and being able to do what you need to do with your hands, washable gloves can offer much more flexibility than traditional leather ones. When leather gloves go through any kind of washing, they can become stiff, making them less comfortable and less flexible, which reduces the wearer’s dexterity.

As a result, firefighters often end up wearing their gloves when they’re dirty instead of handing them in for laundering. This not only makes it harder to do their job, but could pose a risk of exposure to particulates.

How often have you seen a colleague take off their gloves and stow them in a helmet while cleaning up after attending an incident? How often have you done it yourself? Know we know about the risks of particulates – now think about the journey they go on, from the gloves from the inside of the helmet, from the helmet to the firefighter’s skin and from the skin into the bloodstream, where they can have deadly consequences.

Choosing gloves that are designed to be washed and retain their comfort and dexterity can make a huge difference to a firefighter’s willingness to wear them.

When to wash

Gloves should be washed every time the rest of the kit is washed. Don’t throw them in a locker after a shower assuming they’re clean enough for another call-out. Even if they don’t appear to be dirty, they can have hidden risks, contaminants from appliance handles.

How to wash

Washing in hot soapy water might clean away some of the surface muck, but there’s no way of knowing that all contaminants have been cleaned away so all kit should be laundered through a professional laundry service.

Choosing gloves

FlamePro stocks the full range of Holik firefighting gloves, which are designed to be laundered. They have been tested after 40 washes, to ensure they will stand up the toughest of situations.

The Crystal firefighting gloves are all-rounder fabric gloves, designed to be comfortable to wear with additional protection on the back and fingertips for enhances safety. The Hunter fire gloves are cut for comfort, filled with shock absorbers and additional reinforcement. And the Maris gloves are reinforced with hidden protection, offering high protection against radiant heat. All these gloves are washable.

Alongside the structural gloves, FlamePro also stocks a range of Holik rescue gloves, specifically for rescue suits rather than structural suits. The Miwa rescue gloves are strong yet comfortable, flexible and breathable. They have built in cut resistance and elastic wristbands. Read our blog on rescue kit.

No matter what the call out is, the right gloves are available and keeping them clean and well maintained will protect your firefighters. For a whole range of operations, in work and at home, hands are precious – keep them safe with gloves.

If you would like any further advice on what to look for when specifying your firefighting kit don’t hesitate to get in touch or call one of our experts on +44 (0) 1332 341030.

The European standard for firefighter protective clothing – BS EN469 – has been revised and published in 2020. The new standard makes several key changes and improvements on the 2005 version, which we thought it would be helpful to explain for you here.

Key changes in BS EN469 2020

The updated standard increases the requirement for flame spread and heat resistance testing of:

• Any reinforcement material

• Anti-wicking barrier – which also has size limitations added

• Drain mesh – which also has size limitations

• Hardware – must be tested for heat resistance only

• Any label (> 10cm²), badges and retro reflective materials must be tested for flame spread as part of the whole garment

It also sets a design requirement and specifies performance testing for external pockets and gives detailed instructions about how to test hardware. The heat resistance of sewing threads must now be tested to 260°C.

But the biggest change in the new standard relates to testing the ability of a garment to perform in its “as received” state. The previous standard – BS EN 469:2005 – only required garments to meet the standard after having been laundered five times. The new standard makes it clear that garments need to provide relevant protection against heat transfer and radiant heat from day one of use.

Why testing “as received” is important

It’s critical that firefighters have confidence in their kit and it’s ability to protect them from the extreme conditions they can face. In theory, the fibres of fabric fluff up and fabrics open up during laundering, increasing the heat protection a garment can provide.

As the previous standard stated garments had to meet the requirements after being laundered five times, it is technically possible that a brand new garment didn’t meet the standard.

The impact of this change to testing might be that garments need more insulation to ensure they pass the test parameters in new condition. This could make garments heavier, so needs careful consideration when specifying new kit.

Aiming for a lower HTI (Heat Transfer Index) value will deliver the same heat protection to your crews. A value of 18 should be the new expectation, where 20 might have been the previous spec. There will be a weight difference between garments delivering 18 and 20 when tested as new.

Changes to chemical repellancy testing added to BS EN 469:2020

Firefighters’ protective clothing needs to provide a level of protection against chemicals by repelling them to stop them soaking into the garments and potentially getting on to firefighters’ skin.

BS EN469:2020 makes a couple of changes to the requirements for testing a garment’s ability to repel chemicals, reducing the list to just two for outer fabrics – H2SO4 and O-xylene – and adding a new requirement for testing the deterioration of a garment’s ability to repel chemicals due to cleaning.

There have also been a number of changes to the annexes in BS EN 469:2020:

• Annex A: Assessment, evaluation, and determination of the property values for rating and performance classification

• Annex B: Contamination during use: guidance on cleaning and risk prevention

• Annex C: Summary of the clothing heat and flame protection; selection, use, care and maintenance guidance

• Annex D: Updated information on the optional whole garment test for level 2 garments using EN ISO 13506-1:2017 (currently under revision)

• Annex E: Information on the new test method available for assessing the physical impact of the suit using a sweating torso

The timeline for changing to all firefighter garments complying with BS EN469:2020

As when all standards change, the new standard is not retrospective, so it is not the case that PPE has to immediately meet the new standard.

Here at FlamePro we’re making sure that all of our new launches will meet the 2020 standard and we’ll re-test and re-certify any items in our range as part of our ongoing certification updates. So you can continue to buy FlamePro firefighter PPE with confidence knowing that it will protect your crews the way it needs to.

If you want some help with explaining the changes to BS EN469:2020 – the firefighter protective clothing standard, give one of our friendly team a call on +44 (0) 1332 341030.