lifespan of a helmet?

[Rescue101]

Nicely done DM. T.C.

[HuntPA]

When I say ringer washer, this is what I meant. This is what we could afford and would take the abuse of washing gear.

[FFFRED]

The persons who told me and 100s others at the same meeting that the NFPA pushed for and the committee voted against overwhelming evidence that aruged against this gift to manufactures...thinly disguised as a safety measure....are on the list presented earlier. I've spoke to two of those people numerous times over the past years in regards to gear issues as have many others.

They are the rare ones who have broke ranks (mainly because their clients, us, drove them too do so, certainly not because it was in their financial interest) The rest of the "experts" who are far from disinterested in the outcome of this process choose to ignore actual rational proof that this standard was ill-advised.

A number of you can continue to can attempt to rationalize this idiotic standard. But the numbers were presented to the NFPA committees and they put fleecing you, your department and your city before reasonable fact based policy recomendations.

[DeputyMarshal]

When I say ringer washer, this is what I meant. This is what we could afford and would take the abuse of washing gear.

Thanks, I know what a wringer washer is. We had one in the house growing up.

The point is that anything with an agitator will shorten the service life of your gear. IOW, a "bargain" washer is actually costing you money in lost service life for some of the most important equipment in the firehouse.

I'd worry less about the abuse the washer takes from the gear and more about the abuse the gear takes from the washer.

[nameless]

I wonder if they'll see a drop in sales in the leather helmets. I was seriously thinking of buying one, but if I can't use it for my career I might as well just keep using whats issued. Wonder how many other guys share my feelings.

[PaladinKnight]

I'd worry less about the abuse the washer takes from the gear and more about the abuse the gear takes from the washer.

Damn... I have to agree with DM on this one.

Just because your PPE is seemingly tough stuff, it is rather fragile against an agitator. It is kind of like beating the crap out of it.

Remember, your PPE is your 2nd skin... if you damage it, it won't be worth spit when you really need it.