By Robert Tutterow

Earlier this year, I once again had the opportunity and privilege to be a peer reviewer for FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants program applications, a most fascinating process.

It almost defies imagination-a couple hundred of your peers donating time to the federal government. The process sheds light on the needs of fire departments across the United States. And, there are a lot of fire departments in desperate need of funding to adequately and safely protect their community and their firefighters. Peer reviewers are not permitted to discuss particular applications for grants, but I will say that the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 10-year rule for the life of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other fire equipment was a common denominator in the majority of the applications I reviewed.

NFPA 1851

NFPA 1851, Standard on Selection, Care and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, states that all “ensembles and ensemble elements shall be retired…no more than 10 years from the date the ensembles or ensemble elements were manufactured.” This includes helmets, hoods, coats, pants, gloves, and boots. This standard was referenced over and over again in the grant applications.

A bit of history. How did this 10-year rule come about? NFPA 1851, now in its third revision (2013), was first published in 2001. It was not until the second revision, 2008, that the 10-year rule was included. The substantiation was that there were far too many firefighters wearing PPE that was simply worn out and did not have near the protective properties for which it was designed and tested. The condition of PPE may be obvious or not obvious. For pants and coats, often the outer shell might look serviceable, but the thermal barrier or the moisture barrier (hidden behind the facecloth) might be totally destroyed.

The debate among NFPA Technical Committee members about how to address this issue was very, very long and thorough. Some members thought it should be fewer than 10 years while others thought it should vary among the elements. For example, some thought helmets routinely outlast the other elements. As in any respectful debate (not like the ones in which politicians engage), a consensus compromise was reached at 10 years.

Two NFPA Standard Revision Cycles

The underlying substantiation behind the 10-year rule is that it covers two revisions of NFPA 1971, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting. It is thought that after two revisions there are enough changes in the design and performance requirements to justify PPE replacement. Keep in mind that the requirement does not guarantee a 10-year life. Unfortunately, PPE does not have easily discernable criteria for replacement like the wear-bars on automotive tires. I like to explain the criteria from a firefighter’s “career” perspective. By this, if a firefighter has a 30-year career (either volunteer or paid), then he will have gone through at least three sets of PPE. To me, this seems reasonable, even for rural volunteer firefighters if they have been actively training as they should.

NFPA 1962

Many of the AFG grant applications were for fire hose. Although the NFPA does not have a requirement to retire fire hose after 10 years, there is a strong recommendation. NFPA 1962, Standard for the Care, Use, Inspection, Service Testing, and Replacement of Fire Hose, Couplings, Nozzles, and Fire Hose Appliances, for the first time in 2013 set requirements for replacement criteria of fire hose. Although there is no requirement to replace hose after a maximum of 10 yea

By Michael N. Ciampo

Although most apparatus have lights that shine down on the ground to show firefighters where the actual base or pad of the jack or tormentor will go, there will be times when the light is burnt out or its position has changed because of road vibration and loosening of the light’s components, which then provides the wrong location.

1 The six-foot hook placed into position and sitting off the road bed to help the chauffeur spot the outrigger placement. (Photo by John Simpson.)

In addition, on some apparatus these lights are mounted onto a sturdy surface, and a firefighter may climb up onto the apparatus and use the light as a stepping surface, knocking it out of the proper position. With some apparatus, the lights are mounted underneath the running boards or compartments. They have been known to be knocked out of place when the apparatus comes in contact with an object; some have even been bent and sheared off the rig. With all these possible scenarios, there is a little trick of the trade that firefighters can use to assist them in knowing where the outrigger will land.

2 A close-up photo of the hook’s head placed between the hinge pin and locking pin. (Photo by John Simpson.)

Using a Six-Foot Hook

The six-foot hook is one of the most common tools firefighters take off ladder company apparatus and into a fire. It makes perfect sense that the tool would be in close proximity to where they exit the crew cab. Since the tool is so close and easily accessible, firefighters can use it for another duty prior to even reaching the structure. A firefighter can place the hook’s head or butt end up against the apparatus (at a predetermined point, depending on the specific apparatus) to judge the outrigger’s placement. This would be a very beneficial thing for a member to do if the chauffeur was having a hard time looking in the opposite side mirror trying to spot the light mark on the ground from his seat. Plus, if an obstacle such as a curb is in question and the light is almost or partially hitting the mark, the hook may eliminate the guesswork and provide the answer if the obstacle is free from being struck.

3 A firefighter measuring the outrigger placement off a Seagrave Aerialscope. (Photo by John Ciampo.)

Some instructors teach with certain apparatus that a firefighter can stand an arm’s length away from the apparatus and then extend his other arm or stand with both arms outstretched to determine where the outrigger will most likely end up being. It seems logical for some, but when we look at the physical makeup of each firefighter, we clearly can see we all have different lengths of reach. Another method often seen is a firefighter grabbing one of those large jack pads and twisting it back and forth a few

By Michael N. Ciampo

Although most apparatus have lights that shine down on the ground to show firefighters where the actual base or pad of the jack or tormentor will go, there will be times when the light is burnt out or its position has changed because of road vibration and loosening of the light’s components, which then provides the wrong location.

1 The six-foot hook placed into position and sitting off the road bed to help the chauffeur spot the outrigger placement. (Photo by John Simpson.)

In addition, on some apparatus these lights are mounted onto a sturdy surface, and a firefighter may climb up onto the apparatus and use the light as a stepping surface, knocking it out of the proper position. With some apparatus, the lights are mounted underneath the running boards or compartments. They have been known to be knocked out of place when the apparatus comes in contact with an object; some have even been bent and sheared off the rig. With all these possible scenarios, there is a little trick of the trade that firefighters can use to assist them in knowing where the outrigger will land.

2 A close-up photo of the hook’s head placed between the hinge pin and locking pin. (Photo by John Simpson.)

Using a Six-Foot Hook

The six-foot hook is one of the most common tools firefighters take off ladder company apparatus and into a fire. It makes perfect sense that the tool would be in close proximity to where they exit the crew cab. Since the tool is so close and easily accessible, firefighters can use it for another duty prior to even reaching the structure. A firefighter can place the hook’s head or butt end up against the apparatus (at a predetermined point, depending on the specific apparatus) to judge the outrigger’s placement. This would be a very beneficial thing for a member to do if the chauffeur was having a hard time looking in the opposite side mirror trying to spot the light mark on the ground from his seat. Plus, if an obstacle such as a curb is in question and the light is almost or partially hitting the mark, the hook may eliminate the guesswork and provide the answer if the obstacle is free from being struck.

3 A firefighter measuring the outrigger placement off a Seagrave Aerialscope. (Photo by John Ciampo.)

Some instructors teach with certain apparatus that a firefighter can stand an arm’s length away from the apparatus and then extend his other arm or stand with both arms outstretched to determine where the outrigger will most likely end up being. It seems logical for some, but when we look at the physical makeup of each firefighter, we clearly can see we all have different lengths of reach. Another method often seen is a firefighter grabbing one of those large jack pads and twisting it back and forth a few

By Michael N. Ciampo

Although most apparatus have lights that shine down on the ground to show firefighters where the actual base or pad of the jack or tormentor will go, there will be times when the light is burnt out or its position has changed because of road vibration and loosening of the light’s components, which then provides the wrong location.

1 The six-foot hook placed into position and sitting off the road bed to help the chauffeur spot the outrigger placement. (Photo by John Simpson.)

In addition, on some apparatus these lights are mounted onto a sturdy surface, and a firefighter may climb up onto the apparatus and use the light as a stepping surface, knocking it out of the proper position. With some apparatus, the lights are mounted underneath the running boards or compartments. They have been known to be knocked out of place when the apparatus comes in contact with an object; some have even been bent and sheared off the rig. With all these possible scenarios, there is a little trick of the trade that firefighters can use to assist them in knowing where the outrigger will land.

2 A close-up photo of the hook’s head placed between the hinge pin and locking pin. (Photo by John Simpson.)

Using a Six-Foot Hook

The six-foot hook is one of the most common tools firefighters take off ladder company apparatus and into a fire. It makes perfect sense that the tool would be in close proximity to where they exit the crew cab. Since the tool is so close and easily accessible, firefighters can use it for another duty prior to even reaching the structure. A firefighter can place the hook’s head or butt end up against the apparatus (at a predetermined point, depending on the specific apparatus) to judge the outrigger’s placement. This would be a very beneficial thing for a member to do if the chauffeur was having a hard time looking in the opposite side mirror trying to spot the light mark on the ground from his seat. Plus, if an obstacle such as a curb is in question and the light is almost or partially hitting the mark, the hook may eliminate the guesswork and provide the answer if the obstacle is free from being struck.

3 A firefighter measuring the outrigger placement off a Seagrave Aerialscope. (Photo by John Ciampo.)

Some instructors teach with certain apparatus that a firefighter can stand an arm’s length away from the apparatus and then extend his other arm or stand with both arms outstretched to determine where the outrigger will most likely end up being. It seems logical for some, but when we look at the physical makeup of each firefighter, we clearly can see we all have different lengths of reach. Another method often seen is a firefighter grabbing one of those large jack pads and twisting it