How Much Does Firefighter Gear Weigh?
Firefighters are trained to be nimble and careful while working around through fires and other disasters, despite wearing heavy, bulky protective gear. Their equipment varies from one situation to another, but standard firefighting gear usually weighs 60 to 70 pounds, and
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Helmet
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A typical firefighter helmet
The firefighter helmet protects the head from heat and falling debris. The helmet usually is made of fiberglass and weighs five pounds.
Bunker Gear
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The bunker gear, which can also be referred to as turnout gear, is composed of boots, trousers and a jacket. This gear is made of a fire-retardant material that keeps firefighters warm, dry and protected from smoke and flames. The coat weighs 15 pounds and the boots and trousers can weigh as much as 30 pounds.
Mask and Air Pack
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Firefighters need to have a constant supply of oxygen, even in smoke-filled quarters. A firefighter usually wears a SABC (self-contained breathing aparatus) consisting of an oxygen tank (worn on the back) and a mask that covers his face and delivers the oxygen through a tube. This gear weighs around 30 pounds.
Supplemental Gear
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The 60 or 70 pounds that firefighters carry with them does not include supplemental gear which they often use, such as a fire ax or a fire hose. This can add several more pounds to a firefighter's burden.
Training With Gear
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Because firefighter gear is so heavy and unwieldy, firefighting cadets have to spend many hours training in the full gear. A typical exercise may be to crawl through a large attic or crawlspace in full bunker gear while wearing the SABC. After countless exercises, a firefighter learns to quickly put on the equipment and move deftly while in it.
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Related Searches
Resources
- Photo Credit Firefighters in full gear, from Nozzlehead.com
Comments
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cafirefighter
May 24, 2010
I'm a firefighter in Canada and like the idea that you're giving information to the public as to what we have to endure. The only two things I'd really like to touch up on are that it's actually SCBA (not SABC), and we breathe compressed air, not oxygen. Using oxygen in our workplace, which can be often greater than 500 degrees celsius would be dangerous due to it explosive nature. In modern times, firefighting gear is becoming lighter. For example, my turnout coat is only about 10, pants are 15 and boots are only 5, with full shank and toe protection. Our tools are becoming lighter as well with the advancement of synthetic components. Although technology and modern equipment make our job a bit easier, the two biggest factors that most people overlook are these: Although our gear isn't that heavy, and our tools are becoming lighter, when you are working in extreme heat,...
