When my son began playing little league football a couple of years ago, I was impressed with the protective clothing that was issued and the time that was taken to explain the proper way to use and care for it.

The pads and especially the helmet had to fit properly or they would not be issued. Both player and parent had to acknowledge that they understood the proper way to wear the equipment and how to take care of it. Further, the quality of the equipment is outstanding. This was a far cry from my own experiences many years ago when you just took what was issued and figured it out on your own. Exact fit was rare, close to the right size was great, and lessons on how to wear it properly were nonexistent. I am certain the changes have been made in response to concerns about player safety and avoiding preventable injuries.

Fire Service Parallel

This parallels my fire service experience. Not too long ago-and maybe even now-new employees were shown to the stockroom and told to pick out something that would fit. Hopefully, they had your size. If not, you took whatever was close. It was evident that properly fitting footwear was not essential and was just an inconvenience that would not affect your ability to do the job. Of course, this led to many blisters when you operated at incidents of long duration. You may or may not have had access to a helmet that met the current standard. You could be asked to take an older version until a newer model could be purchased. The fit of the coat just had to be in the “neighborhood.” Basically, you had a choice of older gear and did the best you could with inferior quality compared with what was available in the industry.

Quality protective clothing that fits properly should be the expectation of every firefighter asked to go into harm’s way. I realize there are budgetary constraints, but this should be an area with minimal “hoops to jump through” to stay current. If protecting our most valuable resource actually means something, then we need to prioritize accordingly. Of course, some of the arguments that make acquiring proper protective clothing come from the firefighters themselves. They argue for the comfort and performance of what they have and in some ways become emotionally attached to the gear. They don’t want to give up the helmet that is finally getting broken in or the coat that has obtained a certain amount of character through some years of use. They may even argue that the “new and improved” is not new or improved and doesn’t offer the same level of protection. Indirectly, they are saying that the research and development along with the changing standards should not take precedence over their preferences and habits.

Leadership Responsibility

Getting football players to develop good habits from the start of their playing will have a positive effect throughout their playing days. They get used to doing things a certain way and have the safety message become part of the way the game should be played. It does not make the game any less fun for those playing it. In the same way, organizations need to inculcate the need to wear protective clothing and wear it correctly. This requires education for most so they know the expectations. But for others, it will take supervisors acting as supervisors and requiring proper wearing. A football player not wearing required gear does not get to play, and the team may even be penalized. When working in dangerous environments, the same should be true. Good habits need to be established and maintained.

State-of-the-art, proper turnout gear that is worn as intended and maintained as best as possible offers the best protection, which minimizes risk to firefighters. An organization’s leadership and management have the responsibility to provide the best equipment