Wildland Fire PPE

Required PPE for the Wildland Firefighter

What is PPE?

Wildland Fire PPE

-Personal

-Protective

-Equipment

PPE

Personal Protective Equipment refers to a variety of gear, equipment, and clothing that is worn to mitigate the risk of injury to the wearer’s body when working in hazardous conditions.

Wildland Fire PPE

The National Wildfire Coordination Group (NWCG) requires, at a minimum, the following PPE be worn while working on a wildland fire incident:

8-inch-high, lace type work boots with a Vibram® nonslip, melt

resistant soles and heels

Aramid (Nomex) shirts

Aramid (Nomex) trousers

Hard had with chinstrap

Leather gloves

Fire shelter

Water canteen

Wildland Fire PPE

8-inch-high, lace type work boots with a Vibram® nonslip, melt-resistant soles and heels.

Most of the terrain that wildland firefighters work in is steep, uneven terrain. Because slips and falls account for more than 15 percent of injuries to wildland fire fighters a non-skid sole is essential. Because of the proximity to high heat sources, steel-toed boots are not recommended

Boots

Wildland Fire PPE

Aramid (Nomex) shirt

Aramid (Nomex) pant

Yellow shirts and green pants are the most traditional PPE worn by wildland firefighters. While NWCG has not specific requirement for color, agencies may.

Aramid fabric is durable and provides a good layer of thermal protection. Aramid fabric will burn when in direct contact with flames, however it will stop burning once the flame is removed. The fabric will form a char that helps protect the skin. Clothing should be loose-fitting.

Boots

Wildland Fire PPE

Hardhat with chinstrap

Hardhats are used to protect the head from rolling or falling debris such as rocks, gravel, or tree limbs. Typically they are made of polycarbonate or fiberglass. Hardhats were not designed to withstand radiant heat exceeding 350° F. Firefighters typically do not wear the chinstrap while fighting wildland fires, but it is required if personnel are traveling in a helicopter or are working near a heli-base.

Hardhats must be inspected frequently for signs of wear and degradation. Hardhats must be marked with an issue date when it is assigned to personnel. Any hard hat that exceeds 10 years from the date of manufacture (DOM) must be removed from service. Hardhats must have a six point suspension.

Hardhat

Wildland Fire PPE

Leather gloves

Glove must be able to protect hands against blisters, cuts, scrapes, and minor burns while being used in active fire suppression efforts. They are essential to fire entrapment shelter deployment. Gloves should fit comfortably and not be too loose or too tight.

Gloves

Wildland Fire PPE

New generation fire shelter

The fire shelter is considered the most important part of wildland firefighters PPE. It resembles a mummy sleeping bag. There are two layers. The outer later is aluminum foil bonded to woven silica cloth. The inner layer is made up of aluminum foil laminated to fiberglass.

The outer layer reflects 95 percent of radiant heat, and the silica material slows the passage of heat to the inside of the shelter. Convective heat is slowly absorbed by the exterior layer of the shelter. The inner layer is designed to prevent heat from reradiating to the person on the inside of the shelter.

Fire Shelter

Wildland Fire PPE

Water canteen

Water is essential to survival of all living beings. Wildland firefighters need an average of 4 to 6 liters of water to stay hydrated. When heat gain is gre4ater than heat loss people are at risk of suffering heat-related illnesses. Wildland firefighters are required to carry a minimum of 1 liter of water on their person.

With new technology the traditional 1 liter standard issue water bottle is not the only way to carry water. The use of single use water bottles, camelbacks, or “cubees” is common practice among wildland firefighters.

Canteen

Wildland Fire PPEFire Pack and ExtrasAgencies may have requirements in addition to NWCG.

Fire line packs

Handheld radios

Tools such as pulaski, combi-tool, or shovel

Eye protection

Neck and face shroud

Ear protection

Chainsaw chaps

Wildland Fire PPEStructural wildland fire PPE vs. Government or Agency PPE

Is there a difference between the PPE that structural firefighters wear and what government or agency firefighters wear?

There are times when structural firefighters will wear a different style of Nomex pant and shirt. This is typically is for cost saving measures.

Traditional structure PPE is heavy and bulky. There are garments made that can be used in a wildland urban interface (WUI) where structure protection is being done. It is important to note this gear should only be worn in a WUI situation and not used to fight traditional structure fires.

Wildland Fire PPEStructural wildland fire PPE vs. Government or Agency PPE

Why shouldn’t I wear structure PPE to fight a WUI fire?Quite simply, heat. Most structure gear is doubled layered. It is not designed for continuous exposure for long periods of time.

When structure PPE is worn while constructing fire line, heat from the body combined with the high temperatures of constant exposure to flames can cause serious injuries or even death.

Wildland Fire PPEStructural wildland fire PPE vs. Government or Agency PPE

Wildland Fire PPEReferences

Domitrovich, J., & Sharkey, B. (2010). Heat Illness Basics for Wildland Firefigthers. Fire Tech Tips, June 2010 (5100), http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/safety/heat-illness.pdf

National Interagency Fire Center. (2011). National Fire Equipment System Cache Memorandum no. 11-01. Boise, ID

National Widlfire Coordinating Group. (2014). Wildland Fire Incident Management Field Guide (PMS 210 NFES 002973).