Bunker Gear Exposure to Children Family

[robs411]

I am writing a research paper and am looking for any resources or stories on health affects from "second hand" exposure to combustion products left on fire gear / uniforms.

In fire school I heard a story of a firefighter causing his kid to be sick and I believe dieing from what they suspected was exposure to contaminated fire gear, but after lots of googling I have not found anything similar to this.

Thanks,
-Rob

[FyredUp]

Rob,

I don't need a study to tell me that exposing my fiancee or my kids to the by-products of combustion from my PPE is a bad idea.

I have long held the standard that NO PPE is allowed in my house. My kids and my then wife were not allowed to handle it unless it was clean. In fact, my kids had their own PPE to wear. including helmets!

My standard is so strict that if I respond to a fire with my volly FD I don't allow anyone to touch me when I get home until my clothes are in the washer and I have showered. Some might call that overkill, I call it protecting my family.

[Boston Fire Gear]

Rob,

This is an interesting subject and I would like to read the results of your study.

Like Fyredup I also do not allow my wife or children to have any exposure to my bunker gear. It never comes home, even after an OT or out of station detail. Even when kids stop by the firehouse with their parents I usually tell them not to touch it.


STAY SAFE!
Roger Kendrick
Boston Fire Gear
www.bostonfiregear.com
"Gear design by Boston Firefighters & worn by Boston Firefighters".

[tree68]

Many stations now have "no bunker" areas.

My gear rarely, if ever, has come into the house. The rare instance is if the likelyhood of a call is high and I want to go out of the house "dressed" (severe weather).

You do, however, raise another point - We'll be doing our annual school visit this week, and a couple of the presentations (each grade gets a separate presentation) involve potential student contact with the gear. Sounds like it's time for a trip to the washer for those folks.

[Blulakr]

Rob,

.........Some might call that overkill........

Yep.

Not that this isn't an interesting research subject but I think we may be a little paranoid here.

Would you not have your children sit by a campfire (are you SURE it's only wood that's burning? No pesticides, paint, plastic wrappers....)

Would you not have your children with you when you're stuck in traffic breathing exhaust fumes from hundreds of vehicles some of wich may not be up to emissions standards?

What about charcoal barbeques?? On and on......

I wouldn't allow my children to play on or around my dirty bunker gear either but to not allow them to be in the same room\building seems a little silly. While I'm on call mine often sit in a corner by the kitchen door.

[DarkStarr]

Many stations now have "no bunker" areas.

My gear rarely, if ever, has come into the house. The rare instance is if the likelyhood of a call is high and I want to go out of the house "dressed" (severe weather).

You do, however, raise another point - We'll be doing our annual school visit this week, and a couple of the presentations (each grade gets a separate presentation) involve potential student contact with the gear. Sounds like it's time for a trip to the washer for those folks.

Same thing going on here this week, we'll be crawling around with preschool kids, packed up, to show them what a firefighter will look like. I just texted our LT to tell him that those of us involved may want to wash our gear, especially those of us that participated in our recent structure burn session.

[FWDbuff]

While I'm on call mine often sit in a corner by the kitchen door.

And if you knew all of the by-products of combustion (gaseous cyanide for one) you would re-think that procedure.

[DarkStarr]

On another note, I left my gear in my truck for a couple days once.. man did it reek, resulting in it being washed.. but I can't imagine what kinda crap was in the air circulation.

[nameless]

I remember hearing stories, but I can't remember exactly. I remember one of a police officer who was at some sort of crash with some caustic material leaking. Got it on his boots, went home, got it on the rug. His young child got chemical burns from crawling around on the now contaminated rug.

I also remember hearing of a police officer who had respiratory troubles from getting product on his boots, getting back into the squad car and turning up the heat (NYS in wintertime), and the off gassing causing problems.

I believe there was also something with a FF who's kid went to get the father's gear out of the car and got exposed.


Sorry I can't remember specifics, but maybe you'll be able to locate literature on the incidents.

[Blulakr]

And if you knew all of the by-products of combustion (gaseous cyanide for one) you would re-think that procedure.

I'm well aware of the hazards associated with combustion. My point is that there are many sources of harmful combustion gases that we expose ourselves and our families to regularly without a second thought.

Our small volly dept just doesn't deal with a lot of structure fires (maybe 10 per year) so I suppose that's why it's less of a concern to me.

I'm more concerned with blood and\or bodily fluids since we respond to alot of traffic accidents. That stuff gets cleaned up immediately upon return to the firehouse.

[NobodyAnymore]

And if you knew all of the by-products of combustion (gaseous cyanide for one) you would re-think that procedure.

Am I the only one wondering why this stuff is harmful to fiances and children, but apparently it's perfectly fine for the firefighter wearing it? I mean, the firefighter has to touch it when he or she is putting it on or taking it off. The firefighter is going to be around several other people wearing gear covered with the same stuff.

To me, some of what's being said in this thread sounds just like people who used to say that smoking was more dangerous for the innocent non-smokers who happened to be around, because they were getting unfiltered smoke. Apparently they didn't realize that the smoker was getting that, too, in addition to what he or she was deliberately inhaling. This sounds just like that to me. Sure, maybe the stuff on turnout gear is dangerous, but wouldn't it be more dangerous to the person who actually wears it and is around other people wearing it?

I'm not saying you should take it home and let your kids lick it or anything, mind.

[Blulakr]

Am I the only one wondering why this stuff is harmful to fiances ........

Fiancee's, absolutely. Wive's, yeah I suppose.

Mother's in law, not so much.

[FyredUp]

Yep.

Not that this isn't an interesting research subject but I think we may be a little paranoid here.

Maybe in your opinion. Mine differs.

Would you not have your children sit by a campfire (are you SURE it's only wood that's burning? No pesticides, paint, plastic wrappers....)

Or vinyl or nylon or plastic or insulation or household chemicals or any other of the myriad of by-products of a structure or vehicle fire that have no comparison at all to a campfire. Really this is a silly comparison that has nothing to do with what bunker gear is exposed to.

Would you not have your children with you when you're stuck in traffic breathing exhaust fumes from hundreds of vehicles some of wich may not be up to emissions standards?

Dude, if this is all you have you really are stretching.

What about charcoal barbeques?? On and on......

See my post directly above...

I wouldn't allow my children to play on or around my dirty bunker gear either but to not allow them to be in the same room\building seems a little silly. While I'm on call mine often sit in a corner by the kitchen door.

And that is your choice. Care to show me where I attacked anyone else's choice? Your choice? Told anyone else what to do? You can't because I said clearly IT IS MY STANDARD.

Look, I could care less what YOU do with your bunker gear. I choose not to have it in my house and that is my choice.

[FyredUp]

The simple fact is we are exposed to those by-products, we are responsible for washing our gear after it is exposed. The difference is we signed up or volunteered to be a firefighter and we understand and accept the risks. To be so cavalier about exposing your loved ones is beyond negligent all the way to stupid. I prefer to keep my family safe by not exposing them at all.

Anyone who would seriously compare a BBQ, or a campfire, to the by-products of a structure fire, or carfire, is either completely ill informed about fire by-products or someone that is delusional about the dangers involved. Of course charcoal and wood have combustion by products...do they compare to the witches brew of a structure fire or car fire? Not a chance.

[robs411]

I want to thank those that contributed to this thread. I have completed my research paper draft.

Some may think I suffer from paranoia but sleep comfortably, it was a required assignment for a college course.

To those that compared a camp fire/BBQ grill to a structure fire: I ask would you make smores from the burning car or house fire you last fought? I sincerely hope not.

The mocho-man attitude of having the dirtiest gear in the department, is “old school” thinking. At the end of my report I concentrate heavily on the education or lack there-of. Some traditions we need to keep, others we need to learn to let go.

A day of moving your gear from station to station is one thing, thirty years of using it for an arm rest in your pick-up truck to impress your friends is another.

Just use common sense, after a fire wash your gear, properly.