Dept. issued gear vs. personal gear

[Guest]

My dept just announced that we can no longer use personaly owned gear. Just a guess but I think about half the members own there own helmets, and a few have their own gear. I own my helmet and leather boots but the rest is dept issued. I bought my own helmet because I wanted leather, and the boots because my issued boots were worn out and the fd would not replace them. A few members have there own gear for various reasons. The long standing rule has been that you could use your own gear but if damaged, the dept will not replace it. In 10 years, I saw 1 helmet get damaged, and some of the members chipped in and raised enough money for the guy to replace it. I was wondering what rules some other departments have and the reason.

[fitzjr11 17]

Our department allows members to purchase their own gear, as long as it is OSHA approved and meets all dept safety guidelines. Our explorers do not purchase their own gear.

[HFD750 6]

Our department allows you to buy whatever you want as long as it is OSHA approved.

[Bababoosky 24]

OUr department generally prefers that you use the supplied turnout gear from the department, but for things such as gloves, hoods, and helmets there is some degree of flexibility, as long as it is OSHA and NFPA compliant.

[DOC22 1]

Our Department (District) does not allow the use of personally owned gear. But they are quite good about getting new members gear within a reasonable time after they are accepted as members.

[Guest]

With us, OK as long as it is NFPA compliant and black in color. The only piece of gear I have that's dept. issued is my helmet.....

[Tanker 10eng 140]

maybe the reason for not allowing personally owned gear is for insurance.... Suppose your in an incident and the gear, ( your gear ) fails, and your badly hurt, some of these insurance companies catch wind of this, they might claim your not covered under the departments policy, as you were not wearing department issued safety gear equipment..

my opinion, question that, and maybe settle for what they give you... but basically cover your own a**

plus, you volunteer your time, why foot the bill for equipment ??

[bmfd231 3]

Our department supplies the equipment. This had not always been the case. A strong position taken by a past chief to increase and maintain budgets for such things made it possible for most to have equipment replaced and upgraded.

[21Truck 8]

I don't believe my dept. has anything set in stone as to whether or not we can purcahse our own gear. Right now if guys want to go buy helmet's gloves and things like that they don't care. I bought my own helmet because all I will wear is a leather new yorker. We just brought in a new guy from a neighboring dept who had his own gear and he is able to wear it with no problems. Personally i'd buy my own gear if it wasn't to expensive

[ONLOCATION 24]

Alot of Buddies of mine including myself have bought personal stuff helmets, Etc. all just bassed on prefrence. Also in some cases there department has purchased or issued items that they just weren't comfortable with or just didn't like. If it is Osha and or NFPA approved it should be just as good or better than issued gear. But completly understand the Whole Insurance thing, this is a subject worth looking into in more detail for real.

[x635 4,066]

I'm just curious about the uniformity aspect of things.

Maybe it is so that all firefighters look the same way, and have gear that operates the same way.

I see the liability issue, but that can be circumvented by having the chief approve the gear first.

[BFD1054 1,552]

In Buchanan, members are fitted for gear and it is payed for by the Department. They are usually given spare gear until they get fitted and the gear comes in.

Personally, i went out about a year ago and purchased my own gear. I purchased a full set of Morning Pride turn-outs and i also have a full set of Globe gear that is department owned. It was just a personal decision of mine and i liked Morning Pride better than Globe. I have also purchased my own helmets, as my department buys Metro helmets for us and i don't care for them. As long as my personal gear is OSHA approved and doesn't get damaged, my department could care less.

[Guest]

Something to think about if you plan on buying your own helmet...

Find out if your Department (or their insurance) requires it to be OSHA or NFPA compliant. They are VERY different!

An example:

Bourkes (or "flip downs") are approved by OSHA but NOT by NFPA as eye protection. NFPA requires you to have a minimum 4" facesheild or goggles.

Model 1010 With Bourke Eyeshield Std. Configuration, OSHA

Model 1010 With Bourke Eyeshield Standard Configuration includes Flannel Cushion Liner, Nomex Earlaps, 6" Silk Screened Maltese Cross Front Holder and Bourke Flip-Down Eyeshield. NOT NFPA. (OSHA).

Model 1010 With 4" Faceshield. Std. Configuration, NFPA

Model 1010 With Faceshield. Standard Configuration: Includes Flannel Cushion Liner, Nomex Earlaps, 6" Silk Screened Maltese Cross Front Holder. NFPA.

HTH.

-cmc-

[TRUCK6018 50]

Bourkes (or "flip downs") are approved by OSHA but NOT by NFPA as eye protection.  NFPA requires you to have a minimum 4" facesheild or goggles.

←

Rumor has it that in the new edition of the standard, the face shield will no longer be acceptable. It will have to be goggles.

[Guest]

Rumor has it that in the new edition of the standard, the face shield will no longer be acceptable.  It will have to be goggles.

←

Interesting...

I assume they will have to grandfather in all of the helmets out there with facesheilds.

I better get my new helmet in for approval... we are not allowed to wear them until we finish our Probie year so I have got until March ...but if the standard is changing I should try to get it approved now with the "promise" that I won't wear it!

(My fiance' bought me a 1010 as an Academy graduation present.)

-cmc-

[Jared1979 19]

fire depts should be able to buy gear for the firefighters and it is a good idea to have secondary gear as well. Many volunteer fire companies when they have new members they usually give the new guys the old long gear and eventually they buy new gear. Globe and Morning Pride hands down make the best turnout gear. The difference between the two is globe gear has the zipper and Morning Pride has the hook- dee. Fire-Dex also manufactures good gear and has the the same design as Globe. White Plains firefighters wear Morning Pride turnout gear. I feel that depts should have rules pertaining to the gear that firefighters wear today. All turnout gear that firefighters wear today should be the standard of fire fighting today.

[truckie45 1]

I believe if the firefighter wants to buy his own gear he should be able to, especially if the gear he buys is better then what they give. Its your life on the line.

Truckie45

[ltjay157 10]

Interesting...

I assume they will have to grandfather in all of the helmets out there with facesheilds.

I better get my new helmet in for approval... we are not allowed to wear them until we finish our Probie year so I have got until March ...but if the standard is changing I should try to get it approved now with the "promise" that I won't wear it!

(My fiance' bought me a 1010 as an Academy graduation present.)

-cmc-

←

to be NFPA compliant, the helmet will need to also have googles. you can still have bourkes or a faceshield but will need to add goggles to be compliant. i have a leather with bourkes & i keep a pair of goggles in my pocket for when i need them ie extrications. so enjoy your helmet the way it is & keep goggles in your pocket for when you need them.

[houlidsa 76]

Your statement is not completely correct. A helmet can not have factory installed Bourkes and be NFPA compliant. There are some floating around out there that have the label but the oops was realised so they stopped labelling them that ways. Here is the reason why: NFPA drip test the helmet goes under the burners, the eye protection can melt but cannot drip below the brim, the bourkes are mounted below the brim hence the helmet fails by default. Next year bourkes are slated to become an "accessory" so they will be exempt. To be NFPA compliant at the moment for eye protection and have bourkes a helmet would need to be purchased with "permanent" mounted goggles and then have the bourkes installed after market. A helmet that is not NFPA compliant can not become NFPA compliant but Cairns will provide you with a letter stating that it meets criteria of a NFPA compliant helmet.