Question for Firefighters

Delancey

Most people would be familiar with the silvery asbestos protective suits used by specialised teams like airport and naval firefighters.
I've never seen these suits being used by the ' general ' firefighting services ike DFB - why is this ?
Are they unsuitable for use inside a building for example ?

starviewadams

I've actually another question for DFB firefighters but didn't want to start a whole thread about it:

Is there a different turnout bell for different appliances in the station?ie would the whole crew have to make their way down to the fire engine only to find that the call was for an ambulance?

Cheers!

Paulzx

Each appliance has a different bell so you only respond to your own appliance turnouts

Coriolanus

Interesting question. So interesting I didn't want to wait for the answer!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_proximity_suit

Sounds like the kind of thing that DFB etc, and presumably the airports, would have in stock but thankfully we've not had any major airfuel or chemical fires that would require that level of protection.

One of the three types protects up to 2000 C!!#

Entry suit—used for entry into extreme heat and situations requiring protection from total flame engulfment. Most commonly made of Fyrepel and not aluminized. (Entry suit ambient protection ~2,000 °F (1,093 °C)) for short duration and prolonged radiant heat up to 1,500 °F (816 °C).

Paulzx

DFB would not have any of these in stock.

The equipment worn day to day is designed to be used in a variety of different situations from fires to RTA's. The suits that the op is talking about are much more role specific and would not be practical for a normal firefighter

goldie fish

Delancey wrote: »

Most people would be familiar with the silvery asbestos protective suits used by specialised teams like airport and naval firefighters.
I've never seen these suits being used by the ' general ' firefighting services ike DFB - why is this ?
Are they unsuitable for use inside a building for example ?

The silver suits are no more, the latest one is mostly wool, usually dull white. Most household fires do not happen where the source is surrounded by (a) white hot steel and (b) large quantities of fuel. The priority in "normal" fire services is to get in quick, evac casualties, get out and then fight the fire. Aboard ship however, the priority is to fight fire, evac, then fight fire till its out. Because you can't normally isolate the fuel source, you will have to remain in the hot zone for a long time.

The Wool suit just isn't practical for normal, routine fiefighting, rta etc.