As one of the busiest departments in the country, St. Petersburg (FL) Fire Rescue has committed resources to elevate the protection of its firefighters at the fire scene. For two years, the department’s Safety and Training Division has been researching health and wellness issues as the industry continues to publish studies about fireground contaminants. It has focused its first efforts on upgrading fireground protocols and turnout gear, specifically related to hoods.

A member of the Safety and Training Division, Lieutenant Robert Neuberger, says, “Several firefighters in our area have needed aggressive treatment for neck and throat cancer, so this has been an important issue for our department. Our unit decided we needed to upgrade the department-issued hoods to NFPA-compliant particulate hoods to provide better protection against fireground particulates.” The group evaluated various particulate hoods on the market and set the requirements for a hood that provided the highest level of protection after being washed repeatedly using the NFPA laundering protocols. 

The Safety and Training Division ran a wear trial during which firefighters from the two busiest stations evaluated the hood for more than 60 hours, which included responding to structural fire and hazmat calls. They had two important reasons for the wear trial. First, they wanted to ensure that the hood performed well in real fireground conditions. Second, and just as important, they wanted to make sure that the firefighters liked the particulate hood; the firefighters that evaluated the new hoods have been in the service for many years, so this would be a change for them. According to Neuberger, the firefighters’ feedback was very positive, saying, “The GORE^® Particulate Hood was comfortable, and it provided better protection. It fit around the neck and the longer length stayed tucked in. They really liked the combination of the inspection opening and the red stitching that was only on the outside. The stitching helps them be sure they have the right side out after using the inspection opening to visually check the particulate-blocking barrier for cuts, tears, or holes.” So, based on this feedback, St. Petersburg purchased 400 GORE^® Particulate Hoods.

St. Petersburg Fire Rescue personnel wearing the GORE^® Particulate Hood during training.

The Safety and Training Division talked with its MES dealer, John Schmidt, about decontamination protocols. As a retired firefighter, John had been doing his own research, and he had been developing protocols at his department before he retired. St. Petersburg has just ordered an additional 400 hoods so that each firefighter can swap out his or her hood during rehab at the fire scene. Neuberger explains, “It doesn’t make sense for us to stress wearing a clean hood for every call if they don a filthy hood when they return to the scene after rehab. Once we receive the additional hoods, our protocol will require all firefighters to don a fresh hood after rehab to help avoid contaminating their neck and face if they were to pull on a dirty hood.”

When asked about dealing with the increased costs of this program, Lieutenant Neuberger said the Safety and Training Division faced this potential issue directly. “We justified the investment by researching the total cost of our health and wellness programs, including health insurance and the impact of sick days. We also considered the importance of the morale of our firefighters. If they know we are looking out for their health and welfare by providing the best possible gear, then that has a positive effect on thei

PITTSBURGH, PA—Global safety equipment manufacturer MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE: MSA) announced that its new jet-style fire helmet, called the Cairns® XF1, has received third-party certification as compliant with the 2018 edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 1971 performance standards for structural firefighting. It is also compliant with the 2013 edition of the NFPA’s 1951 performance standards for technical rescue. With this , MSA can begin shipping orders for the Cairns XF1 immediately.

The Cairns XF1, which was previewed in April at the Fire Department Instructor’s Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis, Ind., represents a new addition to the MSA firefighter helmet line. The helmet, which resembles a firefighter jet pilot helmet, represents a significant design departure from the “brim-style” helmet traditionally preferred by North American firefighters. The new style delivers enhanced technology integration while maintaining the quality, durability, and safety performance firefighters have come to expect from MSA’s Cairns brand.

The XF1 helmet incorporates a number of optional user features, which include a protective visor, an integrated communication system and LED lights that, because of their placement on either side of the helmet, rather than at the top of the head, significantly improve visibility without blinding others on scene.

Additionally, and like all other Cairns helmet models, the XF1’s soft goods are removable, washable and replaceable – all without requiring the use of tools – which will help firefighters comply with various cancer prevention directives published by leading agencies like the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN).

Jason Traynor, MSA’s General Manager for Global Respiratory Protection and Fire Helmets, explained that the introduction of MSA’s newest jet-style helmet is not meant to replace any of the traditional helmet models the company currently manufactures, but rather serve as another option when choosing a fire helmet.

“Choosing a fire helmet is a very personal decision. It’s an icon of the profession and, for that reason, it represents a source of pride for many firefighters. And that’s why we solicited feedback from hundreds of firefighters throughout the design process. From these Voice-of-Customer conversations, we knew the time was right to bring a jet-style fire helmet to the North American fire service market,” commented Mr. Traynor.

“At MSA, we’re dedicated to providing firefighters with the latest technology to help protect them when lives are on the line,” Mr. Traynor continued. “The Cairns XF1 looks entirely different than the ‘traditional’ brim-style helmet that U.S. firefighters wear today. And that’s the point. The Cairns XF1 represents a new and now NFPA compliant option that wasn’t previously available. As the global leader in fire helmets, we’re excited about the opportunities this helmet will bring to the possibility of interconnected personal protective equipment.”

For more information, visit http://www.msafire.com/xf1.