gear

[FiftyOnePride]

I am just going to finish with a couple last thoughts.


Explorers, Juniors, Cadets, Youths... are in Fire Departments to learn a bout the activities of a FD, through participation, learning, etc. etc.

That being said, basic elements of the fire service are learned here and carried over into the FD when we all graduated from these ranks to the higher ones. I take that into account with safety, and I realize that I see no fire "action" besides live burns, but, I will later on. And that being said, I am going to get into the habit now, before it becomes a lost task on the "to-do" list. Which I am not saying it will necessarily become neglected further down the road, but a reinforced rule or practice now will continue solid through on down the line.

But besides that, I suspect that some "youths" (Because I don't want to spurt out the different divisions again) are issued gear that circulates throughout the dept. in its lifespan. I would not want to compromise my gear now for someone to get hurt in later. Because even if it is cleaned down the line, the damage could already be done.

Time contstraints are not excuses, it only takes like a day or two, depending, clean and dry gear. Spare gear can be issued temporarily for that time.

I could go on and on, but I am not going to preach, if I changed someones mind about keeping dirty gear, great. If I did not, then so be it. I was never here to do that, all I did was state my opinion.

Have a good day and Stay Safe.

[fdmhbozz]

I called up a neighboring department today, and asked if I could use their extractor to clean my gear. The said it was ok, so I drove over there, put my gear in, 37 minutes later, my pants and hood were clean. Threw the coat back in, and it came out clean after the second washing. Hadn't been washed in 10 years. Got done with all of that by 11, left it out in the sun, and it was completely dry by 6.

It doesn't take long, and I am going to wash mine pretty often while in the academy, because we will be doing a lot of live fire stuff, and I will be going on runs now with my department.

[42VTExplorer]

fdmhbozz,

Can you please explain WHY you want to keep your gear clean?

I don't think it's been drilled enough yet.

[fdmhbozz]

I like to keep my stuff clean. You kinda get that way after having to keep 11 black fire trucks clean. It can be a constant job.

Also, you do know that there are carcinogens that get into your gear during a fire, right? Not a good thing to have on you all the time.

[SFDbabyphat]

we just have good gear washed once a year "if we are lucky" but they still stay pritty clean

[ffexpCP]

I ran a portable extinguisher class today. Some of the extinguishers used were antique and still contained the original agent in them (REALLY nasty stuff, not used anymore). When we returned to the station, I immediately threw my gloves in the wash pile for the extractor. My gear will be next.

Why? Because it got dirty from overhauling, mud, oil, and stray extinguisher agent. I could still smell the chemicals, so I knew my gear was contaminated. I don’t know about the rest of you but I don’t want to be wearing all that if I can help it.

A little bit of maintenance goes a long way.

[42VTExplorer]

ffexpCP,

I think we're beating a dead horse now. They aren't going to change their minds, and I doubt they are going to reply to this anymore since the majority of the posts seem to be supporthing the "keep it clean" idea...

Oh well. If they want ****ty gear, so be it.

[Gx7E10]

No Just good gear option?

[CaptainMikey]

When you mean extractor, do you mean a washing machine, I dont mean to sound stupid, what is an extractor.

[fdmhbozz]

Yes, extractor = washing machine. Extractors are specially designed for washing turnout gear, and many automatically inject the different detergents to clean and decontaminate the gear.

[firefighterbeau]

I would also have to agree with keeping the gear clean, to answer the other question if our dept issues 2 sets, one to train/play in and one for response they don't. We have one set per person, and a few different sizes of backup gear. The training or playing terminology, I have had many instructors say lets go play with xyz equipment, just another way of saying lets go get used to working with xyz.

[fdmhbozz]

In some cases the term "play" can be used, like when you are using something like a remote controlled nozzle on the grass rig. Other times, it is not appropriate to use, because much of the training that you are given is very important to what you have to do, and should be taken seriously.

[SFD3468]

If you want to "play", you're in the wrong business. Get out now before you get someone hurt or killed. This job isn't a game, and we don't "play".

And for all you that think dirty gear is cool, remember the discussion about all the gases and other various nasty things that are in smoke? Well now that you've got your gear dirty and full of these potentially carcinogenic or toxic poisons, and you run the routine malfunctioning CO detector call, think of all the nasty crap you're dragging into someone elses house. You Explorers fail to realize that you're not impressing anyone with your "dirty" gear. And besides, when you guys wash it, it comes out completely clean. If you want to brag about dirty gear, wash it a few times under the "Heavily Soiled" setting and see if it comes out looking like you did something besides standing in the yard with your hands in your pockets. I bet you guys don't clean your helmets, either. Well FYI, leaving all that nasty crap on your helmet deteriorates the material used in construction and the material will eventually deteriorate to the point where the helmet is no longer safe for you to wear. Just something to think about.

Also, if you ever wisen up and decide to wash it, be careful about drying it in the sun. UV rays can also deteriorate the material used to construct your gear.

[SFD3468]

Originally posted by ExplorerFFchik8
dude! i wasnt bragging sorry if it came off that way! Fer real dude i was just wondering if we were the only posts with 2 sets, because like 2 or 3 weeks ago we had a bunch of kids from around the state come down and they were like "oh wow dang you guys have alot of stuff that we dont have" yada yada yada and i was just curious if we really did have alot or what! Fer real dude you might wanna try a couple midol they might help you settle down!! And it might do some good!

Before you go jumping on his case for giving you good, intelligent advice instead of the filth that's usually plastered in here, maybe you should listen to what others have to say, it may help you.

And lay off the Backdraft quotes, that movie really wasn't all that good...

[CaptainMikey]

I do agree with SFD backdraft did suck, royaly.And playing around can get people hurt or worse. Just for clarification, if you have a set that sits around to look nice, why would a dept waste $1300 on gear that will just sit around??? Also what fireground/training activies do you classify as playing?

Also to help the seasoned members around here. Please learn to spell (this goes to every forum browser/member) It does alot to portray the person that you are. First impressions are the ones that last forever, I know first hand, my first impression as Expvol was not a good one.

[outoffocus]

Our post was able to find gear (some mismatched) for our members. Most was old stuff of the departments. Our department has several hundred firefighters, they would laugh if we asked to get 2 sets of gear, including a "nice" set that just sits around. There is no reason to need two sets, or for that matter nice new pretty gear for our post. We cannot participate in "live" burns. Our department is of course a career one, so we are not there to help with anything except maybe grabbing a tool or something little like that on ride-alongs, we are there to watch. I hear some of the guys complain because their gear isn't the "cool" color, or one of their boots has a nick or tiny hole in it. I usually just keep quiet, but really just want to tell them that IT DOESN'T MATTER for what we need it for.

Also, thanks to reading posts on here going a ways back, I have tried to press upon the other guys that it's not cool to walk around with crusty gear trying to make a fashion statement.

On another unrelated positive note I have also started making sure I remember to wear my seatbelt on ride-alongs, I know, I'm sure all departments require this for all of their members anyways, but it is easy to sometimes get caught up in the excitement of the call. Since I usually am the first on the rig anyway, I put it on, and hang on for the ride (feeling a little safer for that matter). I always wear it in my car, no reason to act macho and not wear it on a call.

[ExplorerFFchik8]

And playing around can get people hurt or worse. Just for clarification, if you have a set that sits around to look nice, why would a dept waste $1300 on gear that will just sit around??? Also what fireground/training activies do you classify as playing?

Im not sure why we have "good gear" ive thought about asking but never really have, aka ive never thought about it at a meeting. Also we do light and fights, saving your own, search and rescue, ladders, donning and doffing(lights on and off and the advisors have you turn around and they mess with your pack and also they put all the packs in a pile and spread your helmet and gloves and mask around the bay and we hjave to find it all with very little lights, like i can tell you what we do just a sec and ill get the calender.

Sept. 30th- Fire Service Ladders, climbing, working off and roof ladders
Oct. 7th- Public ed. activities
Oct. 21th- Confined Space rescue techniques
Oct 28th- Live Fire Incident command system
Nov 11th- Saving our own skills
Nov. 18th- Light 'em and Fight 'em
Dec. 2nd- Smoke divers SCBA skills
Dec. 9th-Fire cause and origin class

sometimes things change or if we dont have everybody we just clean up, orginize that type of stuff. for instance the calender said coordinated fire attck evolutions and we did a light and fight we just do all kinds of hands on stuff

[N8sfd333]

this is all personal opinion.

I think it's funny how someone can come up with such useless unimportant mindless thoughts for polls and threads as if theres nothing else more important to talk about yes gear is obviously important to keep clean, duh. and what does it matter what other posts wear? This is all personal opinion but the great staff of firehouse.com has given us this great place to meet and talk and go over post policies and how to win over the stubborn members of the fire dept. who dont support you and training ideas and such not things like well whose gear is dirtier, its juvinile. Your here because your better than 90% of the other teenagers you go to school with because you already know what your doing and all you can think about is what kind of gear is better diry or clean. Common which would you rather wear in a fire.

[SFD333DFD720]

DUH NATE! Dirty gear of course!