Removal of Super Heated Gear

[firemoose827 324]

I saw an interesting article included with my Fire Engineering issue this month and wanted to see just how many of you out there think of this and know what to do if this should happen. Lets discuss this openly and professionally.

What do you do if a member of your department has been subjected to direct flame impingement while operating interior? Their gear has become super heated and they need to be cooled off, what do you do? Lots of people would instantly turn the line on them, but does this help them or hurt them more?

If you see this happen, turning water on them would be the worst thing to do. The water would saturate the gear and instantly start to turn to steam, causing the firefighter to receive steam burns, which could be a very serious thing depending on percentage of body surface involved, any other EMT's out there that know what I mean?

A good thing to do first would be to tell the firefighter to stand up with arms extended to their sides to allow some of the heat to dissapate faster, than you would move in and assist them to "Rapidly Doff" their gear. You would release the tension on the pack straps and tell them to slip it off, than you can work on the coats. With the coats that have the zipper front this is easily achieved by grabbing the collar and "ripping" the zipper and velcro open. With the coats removed you can than apply some fog or light amounts of water to the firefighter to assist in cooling them down. Too much water applied too fast could cause them serious medical issues, so only apply a light fog stream or dump some bottled water over their head and neck.

Is there anything else you could do in this situation? Anyone have anything to add?

[FiftyOnePride 100]

I have only a video to add to this topic, which is a good one:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player...tid=28639394001

[NYMedic37 22]

I have only a video to add to this topic, which is a good one:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player...tid=28639394001

Excellant training video. I learned a lot. Thank you.

Paul Aiello

[efdny2003 16]

I have only a video to add to this topic, which is a good one:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player...tid=28639394001

That was in deed a great training video. Not only did they take the time to show you, they said move by move what was being done to remove the super heated gear. I have on question though which wasn't really mentioned in the video and I'm not sure if it would be done as they showed; at the end when they went to remove the SCBA mask, they rolled his hood off on to his neck, if that is super heated which I'm sure the hood would be to...is rolling the hood back like that going to cause additional pressure which could cause burns? Other then that great training video.

[ny10570 745]

The hood doesn't have enough mass to retain that much heat that long.

[gpdexplorer 46]

Great video, as well as the others. Definately recommend guys watch 'em.

[capt2102 64]

Filmed at the Fairfield Regional Fire School flashover training unit. http://www.fairfieldfireschool.com

Edited October 8, 2009 by xfirefighter484x
Fixed Hyperlink

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I've never dealt with this on the street but do often deal with it as an instructor in the Class A burn module at Westchester FTC. If not being assisted by another instructor...or if I am assisting another instructor the one thing I do not do is touch my helmet or any other metal on the PPE without gloves on as it gets extremely hot. As NY said my hood is the only object that has never caused me a problem in regard to retaining heat or being uncomfortable or down right nasty to touch. Everything else is. When helping another instructor who is superheated I try to take note not to cause the gear to come into anymore contact with their skin/clothing as possible as to not cause more conduction of the heat to occur. Often what eases the uncomfortableness of being that heated is once you get to ambient air the gear starts to cool off and any of the spots where the heat is being directed on to my body dissipates as the gear moves getting some cooler air movement between the layers of the shells. I try to remember that the vapor barrier works in both directions...that is why wearing wet gear be it by water or sweat is not the best thing to do.

[x129K 1,393]

...or if I am assisting another instructor the one thing I do not do is touch my helmet or any other metal on the PPE without gloves on as it gets extremely hot.

You only make THAT mistake once...I promise you that!