- Author
- New South Wales Department of Bush Fire Services
- Title
- Evaluation of Firefighters Protective Clothing.
- Coporate
- Department of Bush Fire Services, New South Wales, Australia
- Keywords
- protective clothing | fire fighters | fire fighting | garments | laundering | exposure time | flammability | heat release | comfort | fabrics
- Identifiers
- radiant heat protection; metabolic heat release
- Abstract
- Following the fires that affected New South Wales in January 1994, the NSW Department of Bush Fire Services implemented a review of the various fabrics used for protecting its firefighters in both rural and urban firefighting. The Department began to undertake the following: 1. A literature review of previous testing undertaken in Australia, including the results from CSIRO Project Aquarius. 2. Investigation with various suppliers and manufacturers of the range of fabrics that are now available for use as protective clothing for firefighters, particularly new fabrics that have been developed or improved since Project Aquarius. 3. Investigation of various test procedures and laboratory facilities. 4. Investigation of the test parameters to adequately reflect "real" bush firefighting situations.