Helmets - wearing the wrong one

[pumprescue]

I am noticing more and more that people are wearing their PBI and rural helmets, are people getting confused, or are we not explaining the difference in helmets to people?

I have seen several people wearing them, and pictures on the promotions site with brigades wearing rural helmets, eg Bordertown and the recent shed fire at Meningie.

Is this a serious problem or are people just forgetful? It just worries me that we aren't explaining things clearly, it was highlighted in my own brigade with a member that transferred from a Region 6 brigade, he had no idea, we issued him a Cairns 660 and it sits on the shelf, he got caught out the other day going to a building fire with a rural helmet, he seriously didn't know.

Who is to blame here, I think our lack of official guidlines regarding PPE is to blame, we were told by region to refer to the volunteer article on PPE for the guidelines.

What do you guys think?

(PS: Adam from Meningie, I mean no offence, but the picture speaks for itself I am afraid, by the way, good job saving all that you did, crew needs a pat on the back)

[TillerMan]

Yes it is a worry.....Don't forget that to make a garment structure fire rated you need the whole kit, PBI pants and coat, Structure helmet, Structure boots, Structure gloves and Flash hood.

[bittenyakka]

I Honestly don't know yet one training night i put on my structure gear (Nomex I am waiting ) and grabbed my structure helmet to be warned by a brigade member that the captain had told him off for wearing his structure helmet. I was only going to let it sit in the truck and as it was raining i thought i could assume if there happened to be a call it would require structure gear.

Personally what are the guidelines
At a RCR PBI and rural helmet sounds reasonable
and how come some captains ware structure helmets to bushfires yet FF get in trouble? ( you are stupid if you do)
Should Non BA get structure helmets? ( and does your brigade issue them?)


end rant ( I might start a new on later)

[24P]

How does it make it stupid to wear a structure helmet to a bushfire? A structure helmet is all some people use, i personally have had no problems with wearing one for any type of job.

[pumprescue]

Those of us who have structural helmets wear them to everything, but you can wear a rural if you want to, and thanks for calling me stupid, but anyway, I take it off when going for water to abide by the no longer than 45 mins rule.
The issue with taking the rural helmet for all jobs is that from where I am your more than likely to get a run on call and its more than likely to be an urban job, also, not all the visors for rural helmets are rated for RCR work, and frankly, those helmets are pretty poxy. But I guess its up to the wearer, just remember, if you go to a BA job, don't bl**y wear it !! You are far better off wearing the structural all the time in my humble opinion, but there are no handouts with the guidelines, so it seems to be up to out of touch group officers to make up the rules, some of which haven't fought a fire since khaki overalls were in fashion !

[fireblade]

Bittenyakka I think the reason you should not wear a rural helmet at an R.C.R. incident is  the visor on them does not provide the shatter resistance of an urban helmet. I could be wrong but thats what I heard.

As for guys wearing rural PPE at a structure and PBI gold to rural incidents I think it can be stopped at brigade level with proper training and policing from Capt's Lt's and Seniors.

But in saying that I'm a bit naughty and wear my urban helmet everywhere. Don't like the rural helmets, never felt fatigued due to wearing it and already have two sets of gear cant be bothered with lugging around another helmet.
 

[bittenyakka]

Ok
I stand corrected on the RCR bit i didn't consider the shatter resistance of the visor.

Mabey more freedom in what helmet your wear is required and not having people higher up who will blast you for taking the wrong one.

 

[uniden]

The older type structure helmets (bullard type) were awfully heavy and completely unsuitable to wear at rural jobs. The newer Cairns etc helmets are so much lighter most people dont have a drama wearing them for everything. Saves carrying 2 helmets.

[Pipster]

I wear my structure helmet to bushfires...it is much more comfortable than the rural one I have (the rural one gives me a headache, the structural one doesn't)

The biggest problem of all is that we have so many different bits of gear, designed for different roles - rural gear, structural gear, and as I understand it, we get rural & structural boots too!!
   

I was at a meeting this week, where a Regional Commander made the comment that we still don't have guidelines for when we can wear PBI Gold, and when we can't....so if the staff don't know, how can we be expected to know?

In addition to that, there seems to be mass confusion about Nomex gear too....can we still wear it to bushfires (minus the liner, and can we still purchase it new, or can we only by new Proban gear...?


Is it any wonder people get confused as to what they are meant to wear when?

Perhaps CFS could look at purchasing the new helmets desgined for both - you remove the outer skin of the helmet to swap from one to the other.....

Pip

[wilma]

Pip i wouldnt eaven think of touching the two shell helmets the outer shell is not sucured properly and dosnt take much to disloge the best helmet i have found so far is the scott aspen only because the visors and harneses are the same for structal and rural helmets ( and no its not a sales pitch ) just what ive found out as equipment officer

[fireblade]

I can see some issues with those dual purpose helmets as people wearing them will forget which shell is on the helmet.

Personally i see nothing wrong wearing a structural helmet to a rural job I've been doing it for years. Even when we did have bullards. I have not yet fallen over!

If you want to wear a rural helmet go for it, but some clowns just have to remember than you cant use them for anything else.

Pip i wear my old level 3 nomex gear to rural jobs with the liner out. Seems to be stronger and better wearing than the proban garbage. PBI gold to structure and R.C.R. incidents as our R.C.R. equipment is on our urban appliance and we have sometimes been responded from one job to the other. Keep rural gear in a bag just in case.

If you wait for the paid staff to work out what to do and not to do. We will be in the next ice age and not have to worry about it.

[bittenyakka]

The older type structure helmets (bullard type) were awfully heavy and completely unsuitable to wear at rural jobs. The newer Cairns etc helmets are so much lighter most people dont have a drama wearing them for everything. Saves carrying 2 helmets.

How do you tell the difference? all i know is my structure helmet weights a ton  

[RescueHazmat]

I wear my structural to all incidents.. Quite frankly I dont think the Rural helmets offer the same level of protection, and hence I won't wear one... - The day someone tries to make me wear one, is the day I don't get on an appliance. - Safety First ..  (Hey, i've heard that somewhere !!)


 

[5271rescue]

How many people check the date of manufacturing on there helmets?? Not sure the fully story but we had to supply the dates from our urban helmets to the group equip officer?

[CFS_Firey]

I wear my structural to all incidents.. Quite frankly I dont think the Rural helmets offer the same level of protection, and hence I won't wear one... - The day someone tries to make me wear one, is the day I don't get on an appliance. - Safety First ..  (Hey, i've heard that somewhere !!)

Same here - we're not even issued with rural helmets, and I've never had a problem with my structural...

[Sam]

Structure helmets all the way.

PBI gold at MVA's can be a little bit awkward in small places for the rcr operators, but if needed it offers a good blood and sweat lining.....

[mack]

you guys have two differant helmets???


another waste of money.....

[Mike]

We have also been issued 2 helmets... not that i ever use the rural one. Donated my rural to a needy cadet who was still using a top gaurd....

[bajdas]

How many people check the date of manufacturing on there helmets?? Not sure the fully story but we had to supply the dates from our urban helmets to the group equip officer?

I understand that helmets have a shelf life before they are deemed unsafe. I am not sure of specifics, but that is what I have been advised.

[backburn]

was told if you have dropped them from the truck or on to cement they should be replaced straight away. Structural and wildfire helmets have a life span of 5 to 7 years well thats what my group have said then we have to replace them after that.

[mack]

was told if you have dropped them from the truck or on to cement they should be replaced straight away. Structural and wildfire helmets have a life span of 5 to 7 years well thats what my group have said then we have to replace them after that.

hmmm thats a worry... i cant imagine how many times my helmet has gone for a tumble due to various reasons.....

also re; the lifespan, that sucks.... i dont think they make our helmets anymore do they ?  cairns 660s.....

[snr1]

hmmm thats a worry... i cant imagine how many times my helmet has gone for a tumble due to various reasons.....

also re; the lifespan, that sucks.... i dont think they make our helmets anymore do they ?  cairns 660s.....



You can still buy Cairns 660 helmets in white, not in yellow!  Have just placed order for some in the last week with our supplier.

We also have rural and structural, but rural dont get used much as members perfer wearing structural helmets.

[mack]

You can still buy Cairns 660 helmets in white, not in yellow! 

maybe thats what im thinking of....

[probie_boy]

I love wearing my topguard. Its light and comfortable. I wear it everywhere.



please, that bit was a joke.

na I only have a structural helmet, and I'm happy with that setup. I've tried on and seen the rural helmets and I feel like im wearing a bike helmet.

structural lid every time.

[Jono]

Structure helmet FTW.

Rural helmet FTL.