PPE Care and Maintenance--Defining the Landscape
Casey Grant, Fire Protection Research Foundation

Format: Audio MP3 Download: $18
Audio Compact Disc: $23

Today's fires are volatile and increasingly dangerous, and personal protective equipment (PPE) used by the fire service is of the utmost importance. Currently, NFPA 1851, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, defines the lifespan for fire service PPE; however, it lacks specificity. Replacing firefighter gear too infrequently might influence contamination risks such as presumptive cancer, while replacing it too frequently incurs significant expense. This session addresses background information critical to guiding standards revisions and to supporting future research needed to fully clarify and resolve the issue.