Leigh  Borders  –  PPE  Solutions  Specialist  

¡  US  Fire  Administration  performed  an  extended  study  in  1993  to  investigate  the  risks  associated  with  Urban  Search  and  Rescue  type  incidents  

 ¡  USAR  incidents  pose  multiple  and  potentially  unexpected  threats  

§  Heat  stress  §  Physical  hazards  §  Incidental  fire  contact    

¡  USAR  documented  LODD  (1987  –  1990)  §  18  –  heart  attack  §  3  –  burned  §  1  –  heat  stroke  

¡ Ensembles  should  be  provided  to  protect  against  the  potential  hazards  of  the  mission  

¡ Should  also  be  lightweight,  rugged,  breathable  and  provide  adequate  thermal  protection  

U.S.  Fire  Administration  Study  (1993)  FA-­‐136  

NFPA  1951  –  1997  –  Standard  on  Protective  Ensembles  for  USAR  Operations  

NFPA  1951  –  2007  –  Standard  on  Protective  Ensembles  for  Technical  Rescue  Incidents  (Current  Edition)  

NFPA  1951  –  2012  –  Currently  being  developed  

¡  This  standard  covers  protective  clothing  and  equipment  used  in  urban  technical  rescue  incidents  that  include    §  Victim  search  §  Rescue  §  Body  recovery  §  Site  stabilization      

¡  For  the  following  types  of  operations  §  Building  or  structural  collapse  §  Vehicle  or  person  extrication  §  Confined  space  entry  §  Trench  or  cave-­‐in  rescue  §  Rope  rescue  

¡  The  title  of  the  2007  edition  was  changed  to  reflect  a  broader  application  beyond  Urban  Search  and  Rescue  (USAR)  teams  to  include  any  emergency  services  organization  that  performs  technical  rescue  operations  

 

¡  The  standard  allows  for  3  different  types  of  gear  

 §  Utility  Technical  Rescue  Ensemble  §  Rescue  and  Recovery  Technical  Rescue  Protective  Ensemble  

§  CBRN  Technical  Rescue  Incident  Protective  Ensemble  

 

¡  This  type  of  gear  is  designed  to  address  the  three  most  prominent  hazards  of  technical  rescue  incidents  §  Heat  Stress  §  Physical  Hazards  §  Thermal  Hazards  /  Flashfire    

¡  Requires  the  highest  Total  Heat  Loss  (THL)  of  any  NFPA  standard  –  650  W/m^2  resulting  in  highly  breathable  ensembles  

 ¡  Thermal  Protective  Performance  (TPP)  must  be  at  least  10  

§  This  same  test  is  performed  on  turnout  gear  but  the  specification  is  higher  (35)  §  TPP  of  10  =  5  seconds  until  second  degree  burn  in  simulated  flashover  

conditions  

¡  This  type  of  gear  is  designed  to  address  the  four  most  prominent  hazards  of  technical  rescue  incidents  §  Heat  Stress  §  Physical  Hazards  §  Thermal  Hazards  /  Flashfire  §  Hazards  from  body  fluids    

¡  THL  requirement  is  reduced  to  450  W/m^2  so  a  significant  amount  of  breathability  is  sacrificed  

 ¡  These  ensembles  are  similar  to  Utility  Rescue  Ensembles  but  must  have  a  

moisture  barrier  

¡  This  type  of  gear  is  designed  to  address    §  Heat  Stress  §  Physical  Hazards  §  Thermal  Hazards  /  Flashfire  §  Hazards  from  body  fluids  §  Chemical,  Biological,  Radioactive  and  Nuclear  Threats  

¡  THL  requirements  are  further  reduced  to  250  W/m^2  

¡  Additional  testing  required  for  liquid  splash  and  vapor  penetration  resistance  

 

Test  Name  Hazard  

Addressed   Specification  

Thermal  Protective  Performance  (TPP)   Thermal   >=10  

Flame  Resistance  after  100  washes   Thermal   <  4.0  inches  

Thermal  Shrinkage   Thermal   <  10%  

Total  Heat  Loss  (THL)   Heat  Stress  >650  W/m^2  (Utility)  

>450  W/m^2  (Rescue  and  Recovery)  >250  W/m^2  (CBRN)  

Cleaning  Shrinkage   General   <5%  

Breaking  Strength   Physical   >=  90  lbs  

Tear  Resistance   Physical   >=  6.75  lbs  

Abrasion  Resistance   Physical   >=  50  lbs  

Water  Absorption  Physical  /  Heat  

Stress   <=15%  

¡  Standard  BDUs  (poly  /  cotton)  §  Pros  ▪  Lightweight  ▪  Breathable  ▪  Comfortable  ▪  Cost  

§  Cons  ▪  Not  flame  resistant  –  No  thermal  /  radiant    protection  ▪  Limited  protection  against  physical  hazards  ▪  Non  repelling  (weather  hazards,  other  liquids)  ▪  No  NFPA  certification  (potential  liability)  

¡  Wildland  Firefighting  Gear  (common  on  vehicle  extrications)  §  Pros  ▪  Lightweight  ▪  Breathable  ▪  Cost  

§  Cons  ▪  Only  rated  for  radiant  heat  protection  –  not  tested  for  flashfire  performance  

▪  Limited  protection  against  physical  hazards  ▪  No  NFPA  certification  (potential  liability)  

¡  Full  Turnout  Gear  §  Pros  ▪  Highest  level  of  thermal  and  radiant  heat  protection  ▪  Fully  certified    ▪  Protection  against  physical  and  liquid  hazards  

§  Cons  ▪  Minimum  breathability  =  high  heat  stress  ▪  Heavy  /  bulky  =  less  mobility  ▪  Expensive  ▪  UV  light  degradation  ▪  Unnecessary  wear  and  tear  =  costly  repairs  ▪  Jackets  often  removed  =  lack  of  protection  

¡  Technical  Rescue  Incidents  have  inherent  dangers  that  should  be  addressed  by  the  proper  use  of  PPE  

¡  It’s  not  just  for  USAR  operations  anymore  -­‐  Many  of  the  common  responses  of  fire  and  EMS  workers  fall  into  the  category  of  Technical  Rescue    

¡  Heat  stress  continues  to  be  the  #1  hazard  faced  in  these  incidents  along  with  physical  and  thermal  hazards  

¡  Solution  you  choose  should  address  the  hazards  appropriately  

¡  Full  turnout  gear  is  a  poor  choice  for  these  types  of  incidents  due  to  heat  stress,  mobility  and  cost  factors  

For  questions  or  comments  please  feel  free  to  contact  us.    888-­‐603-­‐8883  info@tecgenxtreme.com  www.tecgenxtreme.com