By Alan M. Petrillo
At one time not long ago, rubber boots were the norm to complement a turnout coat, bunker pants, helmet, and gloves. Not anymore.
Manufacturers are turning out a wide array of firefighting boots in leather models that are functional, are ergonomically designed, provide safe footing and protection, and are more comfortable compared with their rubber ancestors.
Stats
Rob Mills, president of Black Diamond Group, notes that one data source he reviewed shows that through the first half of 2015, approximately 65 percent of the structural firefighting boots sold in the United States were leather models.
Steve Allison, director of sales and marketing for Fire-Dex, thinks the percentage of leather boot usage in the United States is closer to 70 percent, which he believes will continue to grow.
Karen Lehtonen, vice president of innovation and product management for Lion, agrees that many fire departments either have made the switch from rubber to leather boots or are contemplating doing so when budgets permit.
Sandy Longarzo, marketing administration manager for Haix North America Inc., says information gleaned at the Fire and Emergency Manufacturers and Services Association (FEMSA) annual meeting shows that the proportion of leather structural firefighting boots has grown in the overall market nationally to about double the number of units compared with rubber structural boots.
Mark Mordecai, director of business development for Globe Manufacturing Co., Mark Winters, senior technical project manager for Honeywell First Responder Products, and Jeff Burns, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Thorogood Shoes, each estimate that leather structural firefighting boots make up between 60 and 65 percent of the national market.
Lion
Josh Frank, Lion’s product manager for footwear, says that with leather structural firefighting boots like Lion’s Marshall 14-inch-high model, “the first thing the wearer notices is the comfort, which you can’t get in rubber boots.” In addition, he says, Lion’s leather boots are more flexible and form-fitting. “We use a Lock-Fit Ankle Support system that clicks the foot into place inside the boot,” Frank points out. “The boot is designed to be comfortable to prevent excess fatigue and to fit well so that slips and falls are uncommon.”
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| 1 Lion makes the 14-inch-high Marshall structural firefighting boot that has a Lock-Fit Ankle Support system built in. (Photo courtesy of Lion.) |
Lion boots have a slip-resistant Vibram Fire & Ice sole, breathable and absorbent Cambrelle lining, polyfelt and aluminized felt insulation for protection from radiant heat, Pierce-Protect Arch Protection System, a molded thermoplastic heel counter, and a tempered steel safety toe. Besides the Marshall model, Lion also makes the 12-inch-high Commander lace-up leather boot with a side zipper for easy entry and the Battalion boot for structural firefighting, proximity firefighting, and liquid splash protection, Frank says.
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Posted: Jan 8, 2016
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
Read more
- 545
- Article rating: No rating
Posted: Jan 8, 2016
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
Read more
- 543
- Article rating: No rating
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