Personal Protective Equipment
Boots:
Two styles of boots are available to the volunteer. Bush fire boots are issued to members who complete the Bush Firefighter course and additional "structural" boots are issued to volunteers who undertake the specialist "Breathing Apparatus" course.
Gloves:
All RFS members in the field should wear gloves. Gloves are issued for both bush fire fighting and defensive fire fighting.
Fire Helmet:
The bush firefighters helmet is designed for both bush fire fighting and defensive structural firefighting (i.e. firefighting from outside the building).
The helmet is designed to protect against falling objects, radiant heat from a fire and hot embers. It is fitted with a fire resistant neck flap, an adjustable head-band and a neck strap
Bush Firefighter's Protective Clothing:
A bush firefighter's protective clothing consists of a two-piece set of trousers and jacket, or single piece overalls. They are designed for both bush firefighting and defensive structural firefighting (i.e. firefighting from outside the building). The garments are designed to be worn over your own normal natural fibre clothing (e.g. wool or cotton).
Cold Climate Jacket:
In some areas, firefighters may be issued with a black wool jacket. These have a yellow shoulder cape and high visibility, retro-reflective taping and back marking. They can be used during defensive structural firefighting (i.e. firefighting from outside of a building) and operations in cold weather conditions.
Flash Hoods:
Flash hoods are designed to be worn during offensive structural firefighting and to be donned when bush firefighting if in danger of fire overrun.
Offensive Structural Clothing:
Clothing for offensive structural firefighting (i.e. fighting fires inside structures) is more resistant to heat. It is bulkier and holds in body heat much more than bush firefighting PPE, but usually does not have to be worn for as long a time. It consists of firefighting over-trousers (worn over the standard bush firefighting trousers), an offensive firefighters jacket (with an outer shell and an inner insulating layer, worn over a normal natural fibre undergarment), structural firefighters boots, structural firefighters helmet, structural firefighters gloves, flash hood and compressed air breathing apparatus (CABA).
Structural Helmet:
The structural helmet is much heavier than that used for bush firefighting and incorporates a close fitting aramid ear and neck protector and a clear, retractable visor.
More information on the range of RFS Personal Protective Equipment can be found here...