The Federal Fire and Aviation Leadership Council (FFALC) has selected a new design for the next generation of fire shelters. While the redesigned fire shelter offers improved protection from radiant, thermal and convective heat, all firefighter training continues to emphasize entrapment avoidance as the priority in fighting wildfires. The FFALC chose the redesigned shelter while reminding all wildland firefighters that there is no product that will guarantee survival of firefighters in an entrapment situation. Firefighters who adhere to the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and LCES - Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes and Safety Zones - should never need to use their fire shelter.
The FFALC comprises the Fire Directors for the USDA Forest Service, and the Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Fish and Wildlife Service.
The selected shelter was designed by equipment development specialists at the Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) and created after an extensive private industry search for flame resistant materials. MTDC worked for over four years to gather data, develop testing protocols with Universities and private contractors, and collect and test new materials for the redesigned shelter. The criteria considered for the redesigned shelter include resistance to radiant, thermal, and convective heat, toxicity, time to deploy, size, bulk, weight, and cost.
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