Outfitting Firefighters

Two-way radio
Wherever a firefighter is, communication is essential. Firefighters wear two-way radios at all times, which they use to talk to each other and their dispatcher.

Leather boots and rubber boots
Leather boots (worn by Tom) are the traditional footwear of the firefighter. They are significantly lighter than rubber boots and offer more ankle support, reducing leg fatigue, which can be important when climbing stairs in a high-rise fire situation.

Rubber boots (worn by Ed) have strong pull loops at the top of the boot, allowing firefighters to quickly pull them on. They have a heavy felt lining for comfort and protection, steel toes, and slip-resistant soles.

When firefighters are at their station they keep the shank of their boots inside the cuff of their turnout pants and position them next to the fire trucks so they can don their boots and pants in one swift motion when responding to a call.

Turnout pants
Turnout pants, also called bunker pants, are made of many different layers of fire-resistant synthetic materials, such as Nomex, Dermoflex, neoprene, and Kevlar, which protect firefighters from extreme heat. A firefighter's turnout pants are held up by suspenders, which make them easy to get into and comfortable to wear.

Hood
Similar to a ski mask, the so-called "anti-flash" hood protects the firefighter's neck and head from extreme heat and flames with a single layer of fire-resistant Nomex material. The hood can also be used as a crude air filter in smoky environments.

Helmet
Following tradition, a firefighter's helmet is made out of leather, lined with a hard protective shell. The helmet is stitched to create vertical ribs across its top, which protect the head from blows to the side. A long bill on the back of the helmet keeps water and debris from dropping into the firefighter's coat. Inside the helmet are built-in flaps to protect the ears. Many helmets have flip-up face shields attached to the brim, which provide face and eye protection without inhibiting vision. On the front of a firefighter's helmet a shield denotes the wearer's rank and engine company number.

Turnout coat
Firefighters' heavy turnout coats, which weigh over 20 pounds, are made of a combination of fire-resistant synthetic materials, such as Nomex, Dermoflex, neoprene, and Kevlar. The coats are emblazoned with fluorescent stripes, reflectors, and the firefighter's last name, which make the wearer easy to see and identify. Turnout coats, also called bunker coats, have ample pocket space for storing small tools.

SCBA tank and SCBA mask
The self-contained breathing apparatus, or SCBA, delivers clean, cool air to firefighters in atmospheres of hot, noxious gases and smoke. Weighing more than 30 pounds, the SCBA (seen here in yellow) adds significantly to a firefighter's load.

The SCBA is similar to the SCUBA gear used by divers, but instead of delivering air on demand as with underwater breathing devices, the SCBA offers a constantly flowing stream of air (a so-called "open circuit") through the firefighter's face mask so he or she does not have to inhale to initiate airflow. Depending on the nature of the fire, a firefighter will carry a tank that holds between 30 minutes and one hour of air.

PASS motion alarm
All firefighters wear PASS ("Personal Alert Safety System") motion alarms, which are activated automatically when there is airflow from the SCBA. The PASS alarm sounds when its bearer does not move for at least 30 seconds, letting others know he may be unconscious or trapped and signaling his location. The alarm's high-pitched squeal gets increasingly louder until it is manually turned off. Some new model PASS devices also monitor ambient air temperature.

Flashlight
Firefighters carry flashlights or wear them on their helmets. Their flashlights are specially made so that they will not spark and ignite flammable gases.

Gloves
Firefighting gloves are made from pigskin. They are durable and shrink-resistant if they become wet.

Rabbit tool
The Rabbit tool, aka the Hurst hydraulic spreader, enables firefighters to quickly cut through or pull apart twisted wreckage and pry open doors. The Rabbit tool is similar to the Jaws of Life but is significantly lighter and therefore more portable. It also does not require a connection to a fire truck to operate, making it more likely to be used in a high-rise scenario.

Rake
Also known as the pike pole or plaster hook, the rake is a long-handled forcible entry tool useful for reaching up high or to other inaccessible locations in a building.

Irons
Firefighters fit their axe and Halligen tool together when they carry them and call both tools "irons." The axe (seen in red and yellow) is used to break through locked doors and scatter combustible material. The Halligen tool (seen in silver) is useful for prying doors and windows open to gain entrance to or ventilate buildings.

Fire extinguisher
In a high-rise fire, a firefighter would carry a fire extinguisher for putting out relatively small spot fires inside the building.

Hose
Hoses come in a variety of diameters, which are chosen according to the specific size and nature of the fire. In a high-rise situation, firefighters would carry a two-and-a-half-inch hose, like the one Ed is carrying, made of Kevlar with a rubber inner core. Most likely, a high-rise would have water spigots for hook-up at various locations within the building. The standard length of a hose is 50 feet.

Thermal-imaging camera
The most hi-tech tool in a firefighter's toolkit, the handheld thermal-imaging camera (a Bullard model is seen here) allows firefighters to locate a trapped person in a poor-visibility situation or detect a smouldering fire behind a wall. In the latter case, a building may sustain less structural damage, because the camera allows firefighters to pinpoint areas in need of targeted water or wall removal.

The camera works by imaging the levels of heat in a room, from very dark (coolest) to very light (hottest). A firefighter searching for a victim in a fire would look for dark areas; when searching for a hot spot behind a wall, he would look for light areas.

Safety Line
Firefighters carry a Kevlar safety line, usually 200 feet in length, for use in finding their way out of a smoke-filled space. The line can be used between two or more firefighters in a building or between a firefighter and a victim.