North Highlands Brush Fire 4/27/2009

[NHFD21255 141]

[FiftyOnePride 100]

Are those pink tips on those boots? I have yet to see such a thing, nice!

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[NHFD21255 141]

Most of our girls have pink tips ( Pink Ducktape )

Are those pink tips on those boots? I have yet to see such a thing, nice!

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[Goose 188]

Dress down PPE day. Cool.

[x129K 1,393]

Dress down PPE day. Cool.

You've never wore structural gear to a brush fire in the 90's have you?

[FiftyOnePride 100]

Most of our girls have pink tips ( Pink Ducktape )

Very cool - I was curious how they went about that.

[Turborich 12]

So I guess Stephanie is back in town huh?

[effd3918 34]

Dress down PPE day. Cool.

I believe at a brush fire you are allowed to wear jeans and work boots with a long sleeve shirt will suffice. Especially on a day like yesterday or today. We would lose a bunch of firefighters if they were wearing their regular gear. And I dont believe it looks she is doing and firefighting. looks like more of a cleanup.

Edited April 29, 2009 by effd3918

[NHFD21255 141]

At that point it was in the clean up stages. Our policy is either bunkers and a helmet or out wildland firefighting gear. Those who question wearing bunker gear at brush fire have obviously never fought a brush fire in 90 degree weather

[helicopper 1,050]

I believe at a brush fire you are allowed to wear jeans and work boots with a long sleeve shirt will suffice. Especially on a day like yesterday or today. We would lose a bunch of firefighters if they were wearing their regular gear. And I dont believe it looks she is doing and firefighting. looks like more of a cleanup.

Isn't there a wildland firefighting PPE standard? Will jeans and a long sleeve shirt afford you any fire protection?

Obviously structural firefighting gear is inappropriate for the conditions so why is it the norm? Are there no safety officers out there looking after you?

[x129K 1,393]

Isn't there a wildland firefighting PPE standard? Will jeans and a long sleeve shirt afford you any fire protection?

Obviously structural firefighting gear is inappropriate for the conditions so why is it the norm? Are there no safety officers out there looking after you?

Who can afford to outfit there members with full wildland PPE when the department has about 12 brush fires per year?

Bunkers, Gloves, a helmet, and eye protection are suffucient in my eyes.

[FiftyOnePride 100]

Bunkers, Gloves, a helmet, and eye protection are suffucient in my eyes.

This.

Edited April 29, 2009 by FiftyOnePride

[huzzie59 75]

THis PDF file gives the breakdown of PPE for wildfires.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/wild...ctive_equip.pdf

[hilltophunter 1]

we are fortunate enough to have PPE for brush fires. I couldnt imagine trudging around in full gear.

[jayhalsey 6]

Dress down PPE day. Cool.

What is the PPE for packing up/rehab?

[Goose 188]

What is the PPE for packing up/rehab?

Cool your jets. I didn't know spaghetti straps were part of the protocol.

[ajsbear 11]

Cool your jets. I didn't know spaghetti straps were part of the protocol.

I think you can wear them only on "dress down days."

[helicopper 1,050]

Who can afford to outfit there members with full wildland PPE when the department has about 12 brush fires per year?

Bunkers, Gloves, a helmet, and eye protection are suffucient in my eyes.

Using that logic, why do you invest in structural firefighting PPE when the department has about 4 structure fires per year?

[jayhalsey 6]

Cool your jets. I didn't know spaghetti straps were part of the protocol.

Easy there, kid.

If you cant answer my question, why did you respond?

[IzzyEng4 427]

Cool your jets. I didn't know spaghetti straps were part of the protocol.

Goose your just jealous because you don't look as good in a halter top!

[Goose 188]

Goose your just jealous because you don't look as good in a halter top!

You've got me there bronamath!

[NHFD21255 141]

Isn't there a wildland firefighting PPE standard? Will jeans and a long sleeve shirt afford you any fire protection?

Obviously structural firefighting gear is inappropriate for the conditions so why is it the norm? Are there no safety officers out there looking after you?

I think the reason why bunker gear is the norm is because responding to any alarm on the rigs you must be in full PPE. When you do get to the brush fire most of the time it's hot and humid so the FF's do shed some clothes, other wise like someone else said we would be droping like flies.

I dont think we should ignore and stanards when it comes to PPE but lets look at the stanard. We do have the type of brush fires around here like they do out west where the stanard was probley created for. I've never seen in over 20 years of fighting brush fires someone get burned or hurt because they did'nt follow the "Stanard".

Using that logic, why do you invest in structural firefighting PPE when the department has about 4 structure fires per year?

For many reason's above and beyond just structural firefighting. Auto accidents, keeping warm in the winter while standing out there directing traffic and so on and on

[markmets415 524]

we are fortunate enough to have PPE for brush fires. I couldnt imagine trudging around in full gear.

We're hoping to join you by summer and outfit the membership with the wildland PPE, maybe even those pink tipped boots, gotta see what the NYS Chief's show offers.

[JM15 386]

Does anyone know how much a set of Wildland gear is?

[Guest]

Just looking online quickly, it looks like it would be a bit more than $500 for pants, coat, boots, and helmet. Then I'm guessing you would have to add in gloves, eye protection, and anything that NFPA requires for wildland firefighting.

[NHFD21255 141]

Does anyone know how much a set of Wildland gear is?

When we got ours apx 6 years ago or more it cost about 500.00 for everything. I could only guess it's more now.

[mkronick 0]

You can’t pick which standards you are and are not going to follow. May be a little less chrome on the next engine, wildland gear is about $350.00 a firefighter, a little cheaper than a stay in the hospital for heat stoke or burns. Buy a few sets and keep them on your brush truck. $5000 will get you a lot of wildland PPE, but only two sets of structural gear. Been a structural firefighter for about 18 years now and doing wildland firefighting for about 8 years now, I do my best not to use structural gear at a brush fire.

http://www.wildlandwarehouse.com/index.cfm

http://www.firecache.com/

Just because you can start a chain saw, you’re not a lumber jack!

[Guest]

I think you can wear them only on "dress down days."

Must of been a friday fire

[16fire5 693]

A previous poster touched on this but that NFPA standard was written for wildland firefighting meaning out west mainly. New York does not see crown fire at brush fires here. For the most part fires here are cover fire and ground fire. The chance of being over run is almost nil. Wearing long sleve cotton shirts, jeans and work boots in combination with gloves goggles and helmet are adequete protection. That is what the NYS forest rangers are wearing. I'm sure you pureist are not on board but look at it from a risk management standpoint. I would venture to guess almost all firefighter deaths in NYS at brush fires were the result of heart attacks. Wearing the safe atire above reduces heat stress and the risk of heart attack. By all means the brothers in California need that NFPA ensamble but it is a bit overkill here.

[helicopper 1,050]

A previous poster touched on this but that NFPA standard was written for wildland firefighting meaning out west mainly. New York does not see crown fire at brush fires here. For the most part fires here are cover fire and ground fire. The chance of being over run is almost nil. Wearing long sleve cotton shirts, jeans and work boots in combination with gloves goggles and helmet are adequete protection. That is what the NYS forest rangers are wearing. I'm sure you pureist are not on board but look at it from a risk management standpoint. I would venture to guess almost all firefighter deaths in NYS at brush fires were the result of heart attacks. Wearing the safe atire above reduces heat stress and the risk of heart attack. By all means the brothers in California need that NFPA ensamble but it is a bit overkill here.

I respectfully disagree. Standards are standards and if you pick and choose the ones you're going to follow sooner or later someone is going to get hurt. You're certainly right that we have different types of fires here in the northeast then they do out west but that doesn't change the fact that the standard exists - and it exists for one reason alone - to protect firefighters. Does the NFPA standard say "only applicable west of the Mississippi? I think not.

All the qualifiers in your post seem to diminish your certainty that FF in NYS do not need appropriate PPE. Aren't the NYS Forest Rangers wearing the heavy duty yellow shirt and green pants? Isn't that fire resistant material and able to withstand snags, abrasions, etc.?

Maybe you're right that cotton shirts, cotton jeans and work boots are appropriate but is that enforced? Looking back at several recent fires I'd say, no.

My original point is that structural FF PPE is not appropriate for brush or wild fires and the appropriate stuff should be made available to you.

Please don't give me the expense excuse. Departments duplicate heavy equipment all the time - we need two hurst tools on this truck and two on that truck "just in case". Save one set of Hurst tools and buy the right PPE! I can't believe that it's the cop ranting about the right PPE and the FF saying it's not necessary.