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<br /> <br /> <br />Lino Lakes Public <br />Safety Department <br />Memo <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />DATE: June 17, 2020 <br /> <br />TO: John Swenson, Public Safety Director <br /> <br /> <br />FROM: Daniel L’Allier, Deputy Director Public Safety - Fire Division <br /> <br />RE: Structural Fire Turnout Gear NFPA 1851 Ten Year Expiration <br /> <br />The textile industry has made great advancements in the fibers that are used in structural <br />firefighting turnout gear in the last 20 years. This new fire turnout gear has allowed firefighters <br />to be better protected from high heat and flash over exposure compared to gear before the year <br />2000. The structural firefighting turnout gear is manufactured to the NFPA (National Fire <br />Protection Association) 1971 Standard. <br /> <br />The firefighting industry was still experiencing firefighter turnout gear failures in structure fires. <br />These failures led to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) and UL (United <br />Laboratories) to commission studies on firefighting turnout gear, and how that gear held up to <br />exposure to chemicals, thermal, and cardiovascular risks for the wearer. This study also looked at <br />the impact to firefighter turnout gear when laundering and firefighter hood design. <br /> <br />The scientific findings of these tests were clear that as firefighting turnout gear starts to degrade <br />at the time of manufacture. Sunlight, use on the fire ground, laundering the gear after a fire <br />response, chemicals at other emergency scenes like vehicle crashes all add to firefighting turnout <br />gear degrading and aging. The studies look at average calls for service and typical exposure to <br />firefighting turnout gear for the average North American fire department. The findings showed <br />that all pieces of structural firefighting turnout gear needs to be replaced at 10 years from date of <br />manufacture. <br /> <br />In 2014, NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) made a revision to NFPA 1851 standard <br />which states that structural firefighting ensembles shall be retired no more than 10 years from the <br />date the ensembles or ensemble elements were manufactured. This standard includes all <br />ensembles to include firefighting helmets, hoods, gloves, and boots, along with the turnout coat <br />and pants. All these items need to be retired at 10 years from manufacture. <br /> <br />61