Selecting fire protective clothing is not a simple task; it requires extensive analysis to ensure that the garment selected is suited for the needs of each specific fire department. The many factors that must be considered often make the process confusing and time-consuming. Influencing this process are the manufacturers of individual components and organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that set standards related to product stewardship.
In this process, manufacturers often lose sight of the fact that the first priority of firefighters is emergency response and training, not analyzing and reanalyzing the properties of fire protective clothing. As manufacturers, we are responsible to present those facts simply and in a way that relates to the user’s needs.
The two most recognized standards regulating fire protective clothing are NFPA 1971, Standard on Protective Ensemble for Structural Fire Fighting, and the European Committee for Standardization’s EN-469 Performance Requirements for Protective Clothing for Firefighting. Both standards specify safety parameters for fire protective garments. By referencing industry-recognized test methods and procedures, manufacturers submit their respective garments for third-party testing to determine whether they meet those requirements. Both standards include severe testing that allows firefighters to determine a level of field performance that meets their department’s needs. When compared, both standards are thorough in their assessment of a garment’s performance. NFPA 1971, however, offers some slightly more elevated requirements for heat resistance, garment breathability, and overall garment integrity. This mainly relates to the tactics required to fight fires in structures typical to North America.
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