Practical PPE split from --> Re: Interesting Fire and Emergency Related Paging

[Hazmat206]

*CFSRES INC023 20/01/09 09:03,RESPOND Assist SAAS,ADDISON AV,ATHELSTONE MAP 108 N 4 TG182,PT WITH BROKEN LEG 30MIN WALK UP GHOST T,REE GULLY TRACK, MEET SAAS AT END OF ADD,ISON.,ATHL19 GLY221

good way to test your fitness in this weather!

[Zippy]

yeah go for it! saves having to do fitness all by yaself at another time in the week

[bittenyakka]

In this case would it be appropriate to leave the proban/nomex/pbi at the truck and walk up the hill in you own hiking boots? especially on a hot day?

[Zippy]

wear PBI gold, get the sweat pouring!

carry a defib, if required.

[Pixie]

From OH&S perspective, i am pretty sure most OIC's would be wanting you wearing long pants and a long sleeve shirt. remember PPE doesn't just protect you from fire. there are many other nastys that you may come across on a job like that such as angry wildlife and UV radiation.
But as far as boots and helmet go, i think it is a matter of personal preference, although, i would still encourage some type of head wear be worn

[RescueHazmat]

Sure as heck wouldn't see me hike for half an hour in T/O gear..

[6739264]

PBI and Flashhood for me.

[Alex]

Bunker pants, workshirt, boots & CFS issue baseball cap.

JMO

[bittenyakka]

Well how about boots baseball cap and sunscreen. I would happily bush walk in that how is this any different?

[Alex]

I guess the thing to remember is that we are there as the CFS, so if it was CFS field uniform then sure.... but random cargo pants and who knows what shirt probably doesn't cut it.


At the end of the day, if you can't wear your PPE and walk for 30mins in the sun, then its time to re-evaluate things anyway considering one of our core businesses is running around the place chasing grassies.

[bittenyakka]

That is a different way to look at it.

[misterteddy]

Well how about boots baseball cap and sunscreen. I would happily bush walk in that how is this any different?

JUST boots and a ball-cap???......take plenty of sunscreen...and don't scare the lil children 

[bajdas]

The current emphasis within SES is for long sleeve shirts & sleeves on overalls to be worn down. Thus giving the arms more sun protection & scratch protection from abrasion.

leather riggers gloves or debris gloves can be used to give hand protection if going through thorny bush or creek beds.

Baseball caps I personally believe do not give you enough sun protection, but that is what we are issued with. A wide brim hat can be a pain in strong wind. But if I am out on a land search, then the cheap crushable akubra is in the bag. Many times I have bashed through a creek bed bush keeping the head down and the akubra protects the face & neck  

SES wear the same zipup steelcap boot has CFS. They are part of the standard PPE to give firm footing and ankle twisting protection.

I assume the CFS rural overalls are similar to SES orange two-piece. Please correct me if I am wrong (the SES overalls are proban protected).

Crew will also carry extra equipment (first-aid, rescue helmets, water bladders, rescue or backpack stretcher, etc) if required. This depends on the area. For example, some will carry vertical rescue gear to check old mine shafts during a land search.

So unless I am missing something, I would hate to see the comments/winges/complaints if the crew was requested at a all-day land search.

[fridgemagnet]

The current emphasis within SES is for long sleeve shirts & sleeves on overalls to be worn down. Thus giving the arms more sun protection & scratch protection from abrasion.

Good call Bajdas and great comparison.

I was on a land search with with a mixed crews of both CFS and SES one CFS Brigade came with all members in 2 piece pants, long sleeved riggers shirt and terry toweling hat. The shirts were all the same and Brigade issued. It gave a very professional look by both services.

Yes Badjas the CFS crew certainly had a small work out that day doing a land search.

[6739264]

If only the CFS would make a two piece field uniform A) in Navy Blue and B) Available to volunteers, not just paid staff.

We have the ability to look very professional with the dress uniform, the field uniform and our turnout gear, but apparently us mere volunteers don't need anything but our turnout gear.

[chook]

Bajdas - the NSW blouse type top is better that the two piece top SA uses, but the pants are pretty poor (SA ones with knee pads are far better).
Numbers why navy blue? Why not SES style in yellow?
Here RCR crews wear slip on steel caps and overalls, everyone else gets rescue boots (no steel caps), black Dunlop volleys for roof work & big floppy hats. And a back pack to keep it all in!
Anyway totally agree with your comments (glad someone pays attention on Landsearch courses).
cheers

[6739264]

Numbers why navy blue? Why not SES style in yellow?

Because Fire Brigades wear navy/dark/light blue. If you notice, most of the Urban CFS Brigades have their station wear in blue (like the rest of the world) whereas the brigades from the sticks adopt the bottle green style. I believe that the CFS need to adopt a more universal approach to their uniform colour, rather than continue to attempt to reinforce the fact that we fight BUSHFIRES in the COUNTRY.

Please note I'm talking about the style of "Field Uniform" that has been adopted by the CFS paid staff, which if was able to be used by volunteers (and providing it could be upgraded to meet the relevent standards) would allow a very streamlined and professional look for general station wear, rescue work and could be used in combination with a Lvl 1 coat for Wildfire work. I think that blue works well when combined with the yellow/brown of the current turnout gear, it creates a nice contrast. A yellow field uniform would look just... well...yuk.

[Pipster]

There are several CFS Volunteers who have the green field uniform....a number of Ops brigades and some CFS volunteer instructors....

Pip

[6739264]

There are several CFS Volunteers who have the green field uniform....a number of Ops brigades and some CFS volunteer instructors....

Pip

Thats hardly being openly available to the volunteer firefighters that work on the ground.

[chook]

Yep no worries Numbers - I agree with the yuk comment, just thought you may have seen the uniform of a "special" group of SES payed staff & volunteers who wear Navy blue cargo pants and work shirts. Only available to specialist Instructors (VR), always questioned why one group should be different to everyone else & not in the uniform manual.
The things people need to be very careful of is 1) dark colors are hard to see in some field environments - so not sure that color uniform is great for land search ops 2) looking like Star group/SOGies may not be good for community relations (NSW GD police also wear the Navy blue gear in certain circumstances)& 3) being distinguishable between law enforcement/military personnel is important for the community & if we ever need the protection Geneva Convention (Protection of Civil Defence personnel - not that it means much any more). Mind you I like the look of the new Navy cam gear
But you are quite correct you guys do need something other than your yellow gear!
cheers