Nomex Hood Vs Burning Ears?

[RWC130 594]

In today's Fire Service we have made some great advances

in Firefighter Training and Equipment including Turnout Gear (PPE)

Is it too good? First thought comes to mind... "It can never be too good"

ABSOLUTELY AGREED!!!

What I mean is as a Firefighter I often hear stories from a lot

of Senior Firefighters and Officers both Career and Volunteer

on the issue of Nomex Hoods.

Do any "Senior" Firefighters feel that when you didn't have a Hood and

you would feel your ears start to get hot it was time to back out?

Let me STRESS I am all for FULL PPE!

Helmet, Hood, Coat, Pants, Boots, Gloves, and SCBA

I am just curious how some of you might feel on the "Burning Ears"

theory???

I can remember FF's running in with a Helmet, Coat, Hip Boots, and Jeans

oh yeah... Remember the Orange Rubber Gloves?

Has anyone on here got too close?

Baking your Leather New Yorker in the Oven does NOT count! LOL!

THOUGHTS?

BE SAFE!

[Guest partyrock]

Good topic. When I first got on, one of the guys I was with was 2nd generation. His head was all full of the when men were men crap. This guys 2nd or 3rd job was a hot and nasty basement fire. He was first due, on the knob, and in full glory. At every training fire he'd been in and his previous fires he had the hood around his neck, but not ontop of his head. Never an issue and he claimed it was going to save his life one day. They go in make a good agressive attack and knock it down. Fire was so hot it roasted his gear and even set flame to the strap and chocks on his lt's helmet. My buddy no longer has the tops of both his ears. it looks like someone came in with sheers and trimmed off the part at the top that curls away from his head. The fire was so hot that when he first noticed the pain it was all ready too late. When he thought it had cooled because the pain had stopped it was just the nerve endings cooking. End of the story, he's lucky he was all ready engaged because those are some seriously f-ed up looking ears.

PS, now not only does he wear his hood at every run, but he has to wear ear protection in the cold and that white zinc oxide in the summer.

[ex-commish 490]

In today's Fire Service we have made some great advances

in Firefighter Training and Equipment including Turnout Gear (PPE)

Is it too good? First thought comes to mind... "It can never be too good"

ABSOLUTELY AGREED!!!

What I mean is as a Firefighter I often hear stories from a lot

of Senior Firefighters and Officers both Career and Volunteer

on the issue of Nomex Hoods.

Do any "Senior" Firefighters feel that when you didn't have a Hood and

you would feel your ears start to get hot it was time to back out?

Let me STRESS I am all for FULL PPE!

Helmet, Hood, Coat, Pants, Boots, Gloves, and SCBA

I am just curious how some of you might feel on the "Burning Ears"

theory???

I can remember FF's running in with a Helmet, Coat, Hip Boots, and Jeans

oh yeah... Remember the Orange Rubber Gloves?

Has anyone on here got too close?

Baking your Leather New Yorker in the Oven does NOT count!  LOL! 

THOUGHTS?

BE SAFE!

←

Let me just say I didnt have the hood on once ( and I mean just once) and paid a small price. Ceiling collapseed on me...no hood, collar not closed and snapped...why?? was in a rush to get in with my crew...burning embers down the back of my neck.... you figure the rest. Wear your PPE.

[eckyphats 0]

i also agree with full PPE, i actually have a small hole (smaller then a dime) in the side my hood. I am protected but theres a little spot where i can feel the heat. But with the advances in the fire service today most FF's can tell when its time to go or you your advancing to far in ( IE your TIC craps out or whites out (happened to me once) thats usually a sign its too hot. Use your gut instinct, if you feel that something is not right your usually right. Also take a normal sized classic ranch house. If after 5 minutes or so and you still have not been able to locate the seat of the fire thats anothetr sign to back out and try something else.

[IzzyEng4 427]

I too came from the old school ways and at one point in time never used the flap on my helmet either. Stupid me. I was working inside a structure and got that good ol' tingle, little did I know that my skin was bubbling. I had blisters on my ears for weeks but thankfully I still have my ears and never gain will I be that stupid. I may take out the flap in my helmet but I'll never go without a hood again.

(I had long hair when I was younger and lost a good chunk of it in the middle-back section but that's another funny story )

[HFD750 6]

I wear a hood and I also stress to my guys to wear one also. I just learned a little something from a young member who just came out of FF1,So now I put my hood sticking out of my boot so it's the first thing that goes on,Works out well for me. You never stop learning.