When it comes to fire truck equipment, what you should own is an important consideration for any firefighter or fire department. Having the proper equipment is essential to keeping firefighters safe, as well as allowing them to protect the public by doing the best job possible to extinguish fires.
One crucial component of fire truck equipment is the fire hose. A fire hose carries either water or fire retardant chemicals (or a combination of both) to the fire. It hooks up to a fire hydrant or a standing pipe that is connected to a plumbing system.
Today’s fire hoses are much lighter than old style fire hoses, which reduces strain on firefighters and makes them much easier to use. They are also stronger because they are constructed with high quality synthetic materials. Fire hoses come in a variety of lengths and diameters.
The ladder is another important piece of fire truck equipment. There are a variety of ladder types including the turntable ladder, the tower ladder and the tiller ladder, all of which are mounted on the fire truck. Smaller ladders are also equipped on fire trucks which can be moved and carried by firefighters as needed to gain entrance to buildings or to access people in need of rescue.
Firefighter’s breathing apparatus is an essential part of fire truck equipment. The self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) allows firefighters access to oxygen and prevents them from inhaling smoke and dangerous toxins.
The SCBA consists of three parts: a high-pressure tank of 2200 to 4500 psi, a pressure regulator and a face mask or mouthpiece. These components are mounted on a frame that allows the firefighter to remain mobile and active while using it.
One of the most important pieces of fire truck equipment is the firefighter’s turnout gear. Turnout gear is the protective clothing firefighters wear to stay safe. It consists of the fire protective coats, pants, gloves, boots, masks and helmets. Perhaps the most important component of the turnout gear is the turnout coat. It has three layers: the outer shell, the thermal liner and the moisture barrier.
The outer shell is constructed to be flame resistant and tear and puncture resistant. This protects the firefighter from burning, but also preserves the integrity of the inner portions of the coat. It contains about 30 percent of the total thermal protection of the entire coat.
The thermal liner is the most important part of the turnout coat because it provides the highest level of thermal protection. It traps air between layers of quilted material which provides insulation from heat. The moisture barrier keeps water, fire retardant fluids and chemicals from penetrating the turnout coat.
When deciding on what fire truck equipment you should own, all of the above should be taken into consideration.
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