Alex Langbell的文章和照片
直到今天,我还记得我第一双靴子was issued more than two decades ago. They were a pair of yellow and black rubber boots, size 10. They were beat up, scarred up, hand-me-downs with the slight smell of “used.” It didn’t matter, though. I was proud to carry them out of that old equipment room. I wasn’t sure where this new direction in life was going to take me, but I was ready for it and I had a cool pair of tough, rubber firefighter boots to carry me there. As my career in the fire service grew from the incipient stage of a volunteer in a small rural, fire department to a fully involved career firefighter for a large city, not only did my knowledge, training, and pay get better, so did my equipment. The biggest change was my structural firefighting boots. It was about a decade into my fire career when I got my first set of leather boots, and what a huge difference it made. I finally was wearing a firefighting boot that fit correctly on my foot and did not slip off my heel with every step I took. My ankles felt supported, my arches felt supported…it was a night and day difference to me.
历史
火靴最初是作为膝盖高的皮革靴子开始的。在1930年代，火靴转变为钓鱼卷靴后建模的¾英尺高的靴子。它的主要功能是保持脚部干燥。随着时间的流逝，像大多数个人防护设备一样，伤害有助于提高对更好的鞋类的需求。从踩指甲和破碎的玻璃到掉落的结构碎屑，靴子必须改进消防员学会了更深入地进入结构。
Rubber vs. Leather
The modern day rubber boot still has benefits, such as being easier and faster to don versus leather. It’s also 100-percent waterproof. Leather boots or a those made of a combination of leather and other resistant materials tend to fit better and offer better ankle support and comfort. Auburn University and the University of Mississippi found that firefighters were four times more likely to injure themselves due to slipping and falling wearing rubber boots versus wearing leather boots. Another advantage of leather, which was proven by a study done by one boot manufacturer, is that leather sheds most chemicals when washed off with water compared to rubber boots. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) did a study comparing different boots on firefighters. They also found firefighters are more likely to be injured wearing rubber boots compared to leather boots, with the average rubber boots being 2 ½ pounds heavier than leather boots. They found the heavier the boot, the more likely the wearer was to trip. Heavier boots caused firefighters to exert more energy. They also found that the more flexible the boot’s sole, the less oxygen the wearer consumed, with the metabolic rates reduced by as much as seven percent. The one downside to leather is the cost compared to rubber. Leather boots can cost twice as much as rubber boots.
Picking a Boot
根据国家消防协会（NFPA）1971年的说法，Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting，涵盖保护性鞋类的标准结构消防188金博网网址多少，，，，188金博网网址多少靴子必须具有带有脚跟的鞋底，带有衬里的鞋垫，带刺穿装置的鞋垫以及抗冲击力和压缩的脚趾帽。挑选靴子时，必须找到保护免受所有火灾危害的靴子，提供良好的脚踝支撑可以使敏捷性且舒适。任何信誉良好的经销商出售的所有靴子都应符合NFPA标准，因此您不必担心靴子的保护设计。应该更多地关注舒适性方面，这也构成了主要的安全因素。通过实际佩戴靴子来确定靴子的工作状况的唯一真实方法。如果您是负责为您的部门购买靴子的人，或者如果您有能力选择自己的消防靴，请通过询问其他部门的其他消防员来进行研究。如果您有一家本地商店出售它们，请尝试不同。在线进行研究，研究可用的不同类型的靴子。几乎每个引导制造商都将拥有销售代表。请与您的本地销售代表联系，并查看有关获得几对不同的尝试。 Most of them will gladly give you a couple pair to try, especially if they know they are going to get a purchase from you.
保养/维护
According to NFPA 1851, you are required to perform an advanced inspection and cleaning once a year. Clean boots using a soft cloth and warm water, gently scrubbing any soiled areas. If you are cleaning leather boots, avoid using soap or detergents–this will reduce the water resistance of the leather. You can remove tougher stains using a silicone liquid, but make sure the leather is completely dry before applying. The best way to ensure longevity of your boot is to follow the directions on cleaning and maintaining your boots from the boot manufacturer and perform periodic inspections, especially after an incident involving hazards you might have exposed them to.
亚历克斯·兰贝尔是亚基马（WA）消防局的队长。
