Author Topic: Answers please  (Read 4721 times)

Offline fire_freak

  • Forum Recruit
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Answers please
« on: September 04, 2006, 10:28:37 AM »
I was just wondering about some of the equipment. standard (the stuff you have to wear while completing your training) firefighter equipment how much does it weight? the strength of the hose can anyone compare that to something for me? and what is a firefighters standard equipment? and anything else a new-bie should know would be appreciated thanks.
Love is the only fire that can't be controlled

corecutters

  • Guest
Re: Answers please
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2006, 02:07:58 PM »
Possibly contact HQ for the correct answers.



Any imparticular reason you are wanting to know?




CC

Toast

  • Guest
Re: Answers please
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2006, 01:01:56 AM »
Well the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can vary. We generally use two uniforms, one for wildfires (Grass/Scrub/Bushland etc) and another one for structure fires. The wildfire one is made of a single layer of a yellow meterial called Nomex, and is generally lightweight. On the other hand, our structural PPE is brand spanking new and is made from a material called Polybenzimidazole (or PBI for short) this is the light brown PPE that you will see more and more around the fire ground. The PBI structural PPE is made up of multiple layers and is much heavier than the wildfire PPE. Both types of PPE can be worn to other incidents, but you wont wear wildfire gear to an internal structural attack, nor will you wear the structural gear to a wild fire unless you like heat stroke.

Then we have two types of helmet, wildfire and structural (notice a trend?) Of these types of helmet we have many different brands used, ranging from both old and heavy models to the latest in lightweight Kevlar construction. Ill weight all this PPE for you if you want in the next few days to be exact.

For structural attack, we wear Breathing Apparatus (BA), the CFS BA sets weigh in at about 16kg, whereas the MFS BA sets use a lighter cylinder and hence weigh less. Ive no idea how much exactly, but its about half of the CFS ones.

In terms of hose weight, we use three different diameter hose, 25mm, 38mm and 64mm. These start off as rather light (25mm) to horridly heavy (64mm). I cant remember the exact weights, but I *THINK* that 30m of 64mm hose weighs about 100kg when charged with water.

Its late, so more later :)
« Last Edit: September 05, 2006, 03:14:19 PM by Toast »

Toast

  • Guest
Re: Answers please
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2006, 03:22:12 PM »
Firefighters standard equipment consists of fire fighting boots (many types in service, although the current standard have both a steel capped toe and steel sole plate) the aforementioned bunker pants/tunrout coat PPE and helmet as well as leather gloves for wildland fire fighting or multilayered structural gloves. Other things that we carry include flash hoods, for use with BA to protect the neck, a variety of small tools, eg: Knives/multitools. Short lengths of rope for controlling doors inside buildings, torches, its all up to personal preference. Most of the small gear is not supplied by the CFS brigade but that can vary.

corecutters

  • Guest
Re: Answers please
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2006, 05:34:43 PM »
Steel sole plate?

Offline CFS_Firey

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,250
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Answers please
« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2006, 06:59:36 PM »
Quote
Steel sole plate?
I think that means a plate of steel on the sole of the boot to prevent punctures from underneath....

Toast

  • Guest
Re: Answers please
« Reply #6 on: September 05, 2006, 08:04:02 PM »
Steel sole plate?

There is a name for it, but I can't remember it for the life of me. But yes, its to prevent punctures.

corecutters

  • Guest
Re: Answers please
« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2006, 04:58:05 PM »
I have both structural boots for work, and the front zip up style for CFS (Taipans)... They are fairly flexible, I doubt there is a steel plate across the soul... I would have thought this wouldnt enable the required flexibilty for ones foot ?  but, your qite possibly correct..

Toast

  • Guest
Re: Answers please
« Reply #8 on: September 06, 2006, 06:41:37 PM »
I have both structural boots for work, and the front zip up style for CFS (Taipans)... They are fairly flexible, I doubt there is a steel plate across the soul... I would have thought this wouldnt enable the required flexibilty for ones foot ?  but, your qite possibly correct..

Ah ha, found it. Steel mid sole is its name, I have been led to believe that it is part of our boots.

corecutters

  • Guest
Re: Answers please
« Reply #9 on: September 06, 2006, 08:21:03 PM »
Is it only in the mid of the soul? or is it heel to toe?