Bourkes that are finally NFPA!

[simsride]

For any of you that made it to FDIC this past week, you may have seen these. There is a company out there that just released these new Bourkes that are NFPA compliant. They are essentially the same design, size, mechanism, etc. except the material is different so that they do not melt and drip when exposed to high levels of heat. Instead they just singe back when exposed to high temperatures. They are completely interchangeable so that if you have a current helmet with bourkes, you can simply buy these new ones and switch them out without problems. I put my name on a mailing list to have a dealer contact me, as they were not for sale yet @ FDIC. FYI- I believe they are going to be marketed under the name EZ flips and should be available by late May. It's a small battle, but it seems like we may have won this one!

[jomo320]

Do you by any chance remember the name of the dealer?
I'm having a problem at one of my stations.

[jbrescue]

Who makes these and where is the literature? Here is what I found (see link). Unless there is something else out there, they are not NFPA. I would love to be convince they are compliant. Show me the info!! LOL

http://www.firebrakeco.com/inc/sdetail/135

[MemphisE34a]

I am skeptical. I have always been told it is not the fire damage, but the lack of some NFPA magicians dreamed up number of surface area to protect your eyes from flying debris.

Last I heard full 4" flip down face shields did not meet NFPA, you had to go with 6.

[TC33FF]

4" shields still are NFPA. They only count as secondary eye protection. The only 2 things that provide fill eye protection per NFPA are googles and SCBA mask. NFPA wants to make it a requirement for all helmets to have a primary eye protection on the helmets. That is why you can buy a helmet with googles and bourkes. and it is still NFPA. Chris

[Squad1LT]

And for NFPA requiring goggles to be attached to fire helmets is the most retarded thing ever. That rule was made up by someone who has never made a real interiot attack. We have to put goggles on our helmets, the first fire that I had after those goggles were on my helmet they were so smoked up you couldnt use them even if I wanted to. My safety glasses that are in my pocket still work fine thank you.

[JHR1985]

And for NFPA requiring goggles to be attached to fire helmets is the most retarded thing ever. That rule was made up by someone who has never made a real interiot attack. We have to put goggles on our helmets, the first fire that I had after those goggles were on my helmet they were so smoked up you couldnt use them even if I wanted to. My safety glasses that are in my pocket still work fine thank you.

Same here. I feel your pain

[oaattx934]

Not anymore! In this last revision of the PPE standards they now allow removable goggles to be compliant due to that very reason!

[ftfdverbenec770]

maybe its just me, but you guys seem alittle wound up over the burkes being nfpa now. i mean, really, do you guys really use them for anything? it doesnt matter what nfpa says, they still dont cover your eyes for crap. you still have to carry around a pair of goggles. your not going to find anything better than that for eye protection.

[FFFRED]

maybe its just me, but you guys seem alittle wound up over the burkes being nfpa now. i mean, really, do you guys really use them for anything? it doesnt matter what nfpa says, they still dont cover your eyes for crap. you still have to carry around a pair of goggles. your not going to find anything better than that for eye protection.

I use mine for eye protection and they work just fine.

FTM-PTB

[RFDACM02]

Last I heard full 4" flip down face shields did not meet NFPA, you had to go with 6.

I don't kow about NFPA but our State DOL cited us a few years back for not having 6" faceshields on all helmets. We fought them as we could not find replacement shileds that met the standard and didn't void the manufacturers warranty. They let it go. Of course whenever they see our Bourkes we have to tell them they're "decorative/tradition" and that the wearer uses his/her SCBA mask for face protection. Oh and they want full face protection, one asked me how I protected my mouth with the hole in the front of my mask? At that point I was thinking he needed protection for his mouth! These morons are out of control with some of this stuff!

[MemphisE34a]

you still have to carry around a pair of goggles. your not going to find anything better than that for eye protection.

Maybe YOU still have to carry around a pair of goggles. I have NEVER used a set of goggles in or outside a fire building, ever.

Safety glasses I can understand; goggles rediculous.

[BackstepFF]

I use mine (Bourkes) for eye protection and they work just fine.

Same here.

Maybe YOU still have to carry around a pair of goggles. I have NEVER used a set of goggles in or outside a fire building, ever.

Ditto.

...it doesnt matter what nfpa says, ...

At least we can agree on that.
NFPA = Not For Practical Application.

[grasstrimmer]

All I have ever used is a 6 in. shield. We are looking at helmets with the bourkes. Do they give you enough eye protection? or do we need to get
the bourkes and goggles or go back with the 6 in. shield?

[BackstepFF]

All I have ever used is a 6 in. shield. We are looking at helmets with the bourkes. Do they give you enough eye protection? or do we need to get the bourkes and goggles or go back with the 6 in. shield?

I can only relate my own experience and observations:
I have used Bourke Eye Shields for most of my 26 years on the job and have never had a single problem. They are convenient and easy to use, therefore more likely to actually be used. I use them mostly for fireground stuff like pulling ceiling, overhaul, etc. For extrication and rescue work I carry a pair of safety glasses in my inside turnout coat pocket.
I found the goggles to be the least desirable option. They require two hands to deploy, meaning you have to stop what you’re doing; they fog up, limit peripheral vision and are uncomfortable to wear. A little bit of soot staining on the goggles and you might as well be working blind. The 6 inch shield sits too far out from the face allowing debris to come up from underneath. It is bulky and gives the helmet a larger profile that I do not care for.
Bourkes have been in use for decades in the busiest fire departments in the US. They have probably seen more actual fire duty than any other form of eye protection out there -- the departments that have used them would not do so if they were contributing to eye injuries. It also depends on how much your department is “hung up” on NFPA. I would suggest trying them and then go with what works best for your department. Good luck.

[firemed9]

I have used bourkes for 11 years on my leather and have yet to need anything else. I carry a pair of safety glasses for extrication, but my bourkes work for all else.
My only complaint about bourkes is how cheaply made the new ones are. When I first started, my bourkes would go 2-3 years before needing replacment, now I seem to have to replace them after 2-3 fires.

[Marmoraguy]

Do you by any chance remember the name of the dealer?
I'm having a problem at one of my stations.

The manufacturer is Total Fire (Morning Pride)

[simsride]

Sorry guys that I haven't kept up with the post, but here is the E-mail I sent to Total Fire Group asking about the EZ flips.

My e-mail:
I am trying to find the vendor that had the new
Bourke style "EZ Flips" that were NFPA. Was that you guys? If so, when
will they be available and do you have any more literature on them?
Thanks!


Their E-mail back:
It was Total Fire Group with the NFPA Certified E-Z Flips. They are
available now, and we will have pricing and etc out to our dealers in
the next week. You can contact your local distributor for pricing and
etc.

Warren Fire Equipment, George Pasaeno, would be your closest
representative. He can be contacted at 614-778-0940.

Thank you for your interest and please let us know if you have any other
questions.

Stay Safe,

Patrick Murty
Total Fire Group

[fireman4949]

I have used bourkes for 11 years on my leather and have yet to need anything else. I carry a pair of safety glasses for extrication, but my bourkes work for all else.
My only complaint about bourkes is how cheaply made the new ones are. When I first started, my bourkes would go 2-3 years before needing replacment, now I seem to have to replace them after 2-3 fires.

Ditto here!

[jbrescue]

Do they actually have any documentation to support this. Everything that I have found for EZ-flips says OSAH only. Any ideas?