Unlike in past years, modern firefighters wouldn’t think of tackling a structure or vehicle fire without wearing a firefighting hood as protection—not only from heat and flames but also from particulate contaminants.
Over the past few years, personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturers have developed a wide variety of particulate-blocking hoods that shield firefighters from contaminants that could have detrimental impacts on their health.
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Liberty Malenich, Lion’s senior director of product management for essentials, says Lion makes two models of particulate-blocking hoods, which are part of Lion’s RedZone ensemble packages, with a third version being introduced shortly. She notes that the RedZone Prevent particulate-blocking hood is a full-coverage two-layer hood with Stedair PREVENT laminated between them. “Our two-layer fabric with a thin film Stedair particulate layer is much less noisy for the firefighter and has a thinner feel while having an extended bib design for optimal shoulder and neck coverage,” Malenich says. “The hood is wash-tested to 250 washes and still keeps its particulate protection.”
Malenich adds that Lion also is introducing the RedZone Prevent Clear particulate blocking hood that has no polyfluorinated materials in the laminate. Lion also makes the RedZone DuPont Nomex® Nano Flex particulate blocking hood made with a Nomex Nano Flex material sandwiched between the hood’s inner and outer layers. She says the hood’s single-layer construction is streamlined for easy movement, flexibility, and unobstructed hearing.
1 Lion makes the RedZone Nano Flex particulate hood in a single-layer construction. (Photos 1-2 courtesy of Lion.)
2 Lion’s RedZone StedAir Prevent hood is a full-coverage two-layer hood with a StedAir particulate layer laminated between the fabric layers.
Todd Herring, vice president of product innovation and strategy for Fire-Dex, says the company makes three types of particulate-blocking hoods. Its Captain Jim firefighting hood with Stedair Prevent is a two-layer hood, Herring points out, with a Nomex and rayon blend outer layer and an inner layer with Stedair Prevent laminated to a Nomex knit fabric. Fire-Dex also makes the Fire- Dex H41 Interceptor firefighting hood with Stedair Prevent in a two-layer model that Herring notes is built for durability and is effective at blocking fireground carcinogens even after 100 washes.
Fire-Dex’s H41 Interceptor firefighting hood with Nomex Nano Flex is the most popular model the company makes, Herring says. “It’s a three-layer hood with a six-ounce polybenzimidazole (PBI) Lenzing blend knit outer layer, a Nomex Nano Flex layer laminated between it, and a PBI Lenzing knit inner layer,” he says. “One of the benefits of this hood is it provides breathability and air flow through the layers, and it has a very close feel to a traditional hood but with particulate blocking.”
3 Fire-Dex makes the H42 Interceptor firefighting hood in two versions: one with a Nomex Nano Flex laminate (shown) and another with a StedAir Prevent laminate. (Photos 3-4 courtesy of Fire-Dex.)
4 Fire-Dex’s Captain Jim firefighting hood with StedAir Prevent.
5 Viking Life-Saving Equipment makes the triple-layer firefighter particulate blocking hood with Nomex Nano Flex. (Photo 5 courtesy of Viking Life- Saving Equipment.)
6 Viking’s particulate blocking hood is tested to 150 don and doff wash cycles.
7 PGI makes the BarriAire Carbon Shield Elite Pro Critical Coverage particulate hood. (Photos 7-8 courtesy of PGI.)
8 PGI’s BarriAire Gold Complete Coverage particulate hood.
Doug Dafler, director of sales for Veridian Fire Protective Gear, says Veridian makes two versions of particulate- blocking hoods, the Viper and Viper Max. Dafler notes the Viper Max hood has a Stedair Prevent particulate-blocking layer in between inner and outer layers of blended Nomex and fire-resistant rayon fabric. “The tailored design, with a seam-free top of the head, achieves less bulk and allows for maximum breathability and comfort,” he says.
Veridian also makes the Viper particulate blocking hood with a Nomex Nano Flex barrier between Nomex and PBI Lenzing inner and outer fabrics. Dafler says the nonquilted hood means there are no perforations in the garment, which also has a seam-free top of the head and is lightweight and stretchable for unrestricted range of motion.
Grant Grinstead, North America fire segment product manager for Viking Life-Saving Equipment, says Viking makes the triple-layer Viking firefighter particulate blocking hood with Nomex Nano Flex. “The way our facecloth is woven, it allows the Nano Flex to marry into the fiber of the soft facecloth, making it very pliable and comfortable to wear,” Grinstead points out. “The hood is tested to 150 don and doff wash cycles and retains 94 percent particulate blocking efficiency with zero shrinkage and fit.”
PGI makes a series of particulate-blocking hoods in its BarriAire Carbon Shield and BarriAire Gold models, all using Nomex Nano Flex particulate blocking barriers. In the Carbon Shield line, PGI offers a standard face opening and a Sure-Fit panel face opening in both Elite Pro and Elite Pro Short versions.
PGI’s BarriAire Gold models are made in complete coverage models with standard and extended bibs and rib knit face openings and comprehensive and Elite Pro models with extended or standard bibs and Sure-Fit panels and face openings.
Modern firefighting hoods have evolved to significantly enhance firefighter safety. These hoods shield firefighters from harmful contaminants while maintaining comfort, breathability, and ease of movement. This crucial advancement in PPE underscores the industry’s commitment to protecting firefighters from the inherent dangers of the job.
ALAN M. PETRILLO is a Tucson, Arizona- based journalist, the author of three novels and five nonfiction books, and a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board. He served 22 years with the Verdoy (NY) Fire Department, including in the position of chief.
