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City Council approves $227,277 bid for firefighter turnout gear

Robert C. Reed | Hickory Daily Record

Hickory Fire Department Capt. Josh Crisp wears a new set of turnout gear.

By Richard Gould | Hickory Daily Record

Published: November 17, 2009

Hickory - Hickory firefighters are getting outfitted with new turnout gear that will protect them from head to toe.

The new ensembles consist of a helmet, jacket, pants and boots and cost $1,959 per set — that's
$227,277 for the 116 sets needed by the fire department.

The decision to accept Municipal Emergency Services' low bid for the gear came as a result of a unanimous vote at Tuesday's Hickory City Council meeting.

The new ensembles conform with the National Fire Protection Association safety standards requiring new levels of protection, said Battalion Chief Matt Hutchinson.

"Most of the gear they're wearing now was bought in 2000," said Deputy Chief George Byers.

"We're about two years ahead of where this gear's going to be obsolete," Hutchinson said.

The NFPA will require the new gear to be replaced after 10 years, he said.

The new jackets and pants are outfitted with a number of advanced safety systems, including an inner vapor barrier designed to prevent steam burns and an outer shell that serves as a heat barrier.

A flap on the back of every jacket opens to reveal a drag device that can be used to pull a fallen firefighter to safety. The device consists of a loop connected to a stout harness built into the jacket.

The pants will be worn with a rescue belt that a rope and clip can be attached to a rope and carabineer system allowing the firefighter who's in trouble to get to safety quickly, Hutchinson said.

The equipment worn when a firefighter goes into a burning house can weigh from 60 to 75 pounds.

The gear includes a Nomex hood, helmet, face piece, jacket, pants with suspenders, air pack, gloves and boots.

After firefighters are dispatched on an emergency call, whether it's to a traffic accident or a house fire, they are required to wash their gear in a heavy-duty washing machine before hanging it in a specialized drying chamber, Hutchinson said.

Firefighters also are required to visually inspect their protective clothing to make sure it is not ripped or damaged, Byers said. If it is, it is sent for repairs.

"They've got to have the mindset, 'This is protecting my life,'" Hutchinson said.

The Hickory City Council approved the purchase of the new gear from the city budget, Hutchinson said.