aggressiveird:
I agree does feel more comfortable and gives better radioant heat protection in an agressive fire attack e.g. CFB. And from previous experience in wearing L3 Nomex and PBI Gold in the burn cells that point does stand. But wearing L3 Nomex in the cells was ok, and was bearable and I did not think my life was threatend at any time.
But the question strikeathird: If you are attacking a fire in "real life" at the same confined temperatures would you be doing it??. I don't know?? Would depend on the situation and the job.
Can remember from previous domestics I have attended and offensively attacked the fire inside the premises it did not seem to get as hot as it does in the "burn cells".
But would always depend on the job, the risks, and the logistical back up you have or on the way to the incident.
Of course, if your level 3 was worn out why wouldn't you get PBI Gold. But even so their is still political questions about it e.g. when or not to wear PBI Gold, and how to make that decision from a simple pager message. And this will a debate for a very long time.
We always improve and we have scene dramatic improvement in the last ten years, for example the phrase "out with the old and in with the new", sometimes this phrase is not always the best suitable to everything.
We would all agree that equipment e.g. appliances have improved from research and fire-fighters comments. And the same applies to PPE, look at the change in boots, look at the change at reflective clothing, look at the change of safety eyewear etc etc etc.
I quote from a famous footballer "We have eyes in the front of our head for a reason "to look forward and not back."
One day "Toast" we will all be the same and then you won't have to worry about it anymore.
