Baltimore County Fire Department Protective Clothing and Equipment S.O.P. #: 400-26

General Provisions and Protective Clothing Itemization

• Objective and Accountability: This Baltimore County Fire Department Standard Operational Procedure ($400-26$) establishes standards for issuing and wearing protective clothing. The primary goal is the safety and well-being of all personnel. Protective clothing of sufficient specifications and grade is provided to every member required to operate in unsafe environments. Officers in command are strictly accountable for the implementation of this procedure and the safety of assigned personnel. It is explicitly noted that issued gear provides no protection if it is not utilized.

• Standard Issued Items ($Section\,1.A$): The following items shall be provided to each uniformed member:

  • $1$ Firefighting helmet.

  • $1$ Turnout coat.

  • $1$ Turnout pants with suspenders.

  • $1$ Pair of turnout boots.

  • $1$ Firefighting hood.

  • $2$ Pairs of firefighting gloves.

  • $1$ Personal Alert Safety System (P.A.S.S.) device per riding position.

  • Personal hearing protection devices.

  • $1$ Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (S.C.B.A.) per riding position.

  • $1$ Pocket mask with one-way valve.

  • Nitrile gloves.

  • $2$ Personnel Accountability Tags.

  • Fire Department issued face and eye protection.

  • Facepiece with bag.

  • Personal issued gear bag.

  • $NFPA\,1971$ compliant leather footwear for firefighting/EMS responses.

  • $1$ Pair of station footwear (steel-toe, ANSI approved).

  • EMS responder boot.

• Apparatus Requirements: S.C.B.A., P.A.S.S. devices, and hearing protection must be provided at every riding position. Universal protection kits (gown, face mask, gloves, and eye protection) must be placed on every vehicle operated by department personnel.

• Compliance and Alterations: All items must meet or exceed current $N.F.P.A.$ standards at the time of purchase. No alterations to turnout gear are permitted unless requested in writing, approved by the Fire Department Safety Officer, and performed by the Quartermaster.

Personal Alert Safety System (P.A.S.S.) Device Protocols

• Operational Wearing ($Section\,1.E$): The P.A.S.S. device must be worn continuously during any incident. It should be attached to the turnout coat when the S.C.B.A. is not in use. Deactivation occurs only when the assigned equipment is released from the incident and the device is returned to the riding position.

• Pre-Entry Operational Check: Before entering a working atmosphere, personnel must check for a blinking light on the front of the device, which indicates it is fully operational. (Note: Life Guard II models do not feature lights). If the light is not blinking, the battery needs replacement; if this happens during an incident, the member must remain with another individual at all times.

• Shift Change Inspection: Personnel on the oncoming shift (day and night) are responsible for checking devices at their riding positions:

  1. Turn the switch to 'auto' by pushing and turning.

  2. Confirm the light is blinking.

  3. Place the unit on a flat surface undisturbed for approximately $25\,\text{seconds}$. The unit should emit short beeps (notification of lack of movement).

  4. Within approximately $5\,\text{seconds}$ after the short beeps, the device must enter full alarm.

  5. Drivers are responsible for checking devices in unoccupied riding positions.

• Battery Maintenance:

  1. Batteries must be replaced in April and October regardless of their condition.

  2. Required battery type: Duracel MN-1604 or equivalent.

  3. Replacement batteries are obtained via the Station Procurement Procedure.

  4. Devices failing to function after battery replacement must be sent for repair.

• Documentation: A record of all P.A.S.S. devices per unit must be kept in the company journal, including serial numbers, battery change dates, and repair history.

Turnout Gear Specifications and Helmet Identifiers

• Turnout Gear Colors ($Section\,2.A$):

  • Chief Officers: White gear.

  • All other uniformed members: $N.F.P.A.\,Standard\,\#1971$ Yellow or PBI Tan.

  • Boots must be knee-length.

• Helmet Color Coding ($Section\,2.C$):

  • Chief Officers: White.

  • Captains: Red.

  • Lieutenants: Blue.

  • Fire-Rescue Academy / Safety Office: Orange.

  • Fire Investigation: Black.

  • All other Personnel: Yellow.

• Decal Guidelines:

  • Color: White for Officers; Blue for Engine/Truck and EMS personnel.

  • Placement: Centered on the front, with the bottom of the decal on the seam where the helmet rim meets the shell.

  • Only department-approved decals are allowed. Substitutions like leather shields or Cairns $1000/1010$ shields are permitted if costs are borne by the employee.

Hearing, Eye, and Face Protection Procedures

• Mandatory Hearing Protection Use ($Section\,2.D$): Devices must be worn during:

  • Response in emergency vehicles with warning devices active.

  • Medevac operations.

  • Air Unit/compressor operations.

  • Emergency generator testing.

  • Operation of gasoline-powered saws, lawn equipment, or shop grinders.

  • Pump operations at fire scenes.

  • Any situation where noise exceeds normal conversation range.

• Protective Device Maintenance:

  • Earplugs: Must be inserted by pulling the ear up and back to achieve an airtight seal. They should be inspected for hardening or cracks and removed with a slow twisting motion.

  • Earmuffs: Must form a seal around the entire ear. Cushions must be cleaned with mild soap and water. Hair, eyeglasses, or sideburns under the cushion will reduce effectiveness.

• Eye and Face Safety ($Section\,2.H$):

  • Required for all fire suppression or hazardous operations, except when wearing an S.C.B.A. facepiece.

  • Helmet face shields must be worn with approved additional eye protection. Safety glasses must meet $ANSI\,Z87.1$.

  • Logger Style Helmets: During non-IDLH operations involving gas-powered saws, the operator and spotter must wear a Logger Style Helmet providing total eye, ear, head, and face protection, along with turnout pants. Career Truck Companies must carry $2$ such helmets.

Operational Requirements and Response Protocols

• Response Standards ($Section\,3.A$):

  • Personnel on major units must use hearing protection while responding to calls.

  • S.C.B.A. or P.A.S.S. may be donned enroute only in enclosed cabs and at the officer-in-charge's discretion.

  • Drivers: Turnout gear is optional during response but must be readily accessible for 'Two-In Two-Out' procedures. Helmets are mandatory once exiting the cab at a fireground.

  • Tillerman: Must be in full turnout gear when responding. Helmets are required at the scene but optional during the actual response.

  • EMS: Turnout gear not required enroute but mandatory for extrication at the scene.

  • The officer-in-charge must ensure all members are seated and belted before the apparatus leaves the station.

• Emergency Incident Operation ($Section\,3.B$):

  • Helmets with chinstraps must be worn at all times at fire, rescue, or Haz-Mat incidents.

  • Incident Commanders, in consultation with the Safety Officer, may permit the removal of turnout coats during lengthy events for personnel comfort.

Equipment Identification and Replacement

• Marking Requirements ($Section\,4$): All gear must be marked with the Personnel Identification Number using black permanent ink in these locations:

  • Helmets: Underside of rear brim.

  • Gloves: Outside, near the wrist cuff.

  • Turnout Coat: Underside of collar on the left side.

  • Turnout Pants: Inside near the waist; underside of suspenders.

  • Boots: Inside, just below the rubber coating.

  • Hood: Underside of the shoulder section.

• Replacement and Repair ($Section\,5$): Requests use the Personal Supply Requisition form. Non-individually issued gear is 'Red Tagged' for Supply or the B.A. Repair Shop. Exchange for coats, pants, helmets, hoods, or gloves is done one-for-one at the Supply Depot with a signed Form $133-P$.

• Contamination ($Section\,6$): Contaminated gear must be examined by the Incident Commander, removed from service, and bio-bagged. A Form $58$ must be sent to the Safety Office and Quartermaster. Loaner gear is available at Station $1$.

• Inspections ($Section\,7$): Formal inspections (Form $35$) occur twice yearly ($January$ by Battalion Chief/Division Chief; $July$ by Captain). Reports are stored for $1\,\text{year}$.

Appendix 1: Personnel Options for Helmets and Boots

• Alternative Helmets: Members may wear personal helmets (e.g., Cairns N6A1 Sam Houston, Phoenix TL2, Cairns 1044, 1000, 1010) if they meet $NFPA$ and $OSHA$ standards. Costs are borne by the employee. The County-issued helmet must be returned to Supply via Form $58$.

• Helmet Colors: Must match department standards (e.g., Captains Red, LTs Blue).

• Front Piece Standards:

  • Engine/Truck/EMS Personnel: Blue front piece.

  • Officers (Suppression/EMS/Chief): White front piece (Chiefs may use gold leaf).

  • Specific layouts are required for leather front pieces, including vehicle numbers, rank, and "B. Co. F. D."

Appendix 3: Life Safety/Rescue Harness

• Harness Provisions: Employees may temporarily affix a Class II Life Safety/Rescue Harness to turnout pants. This is optional and for personal safety only—not for department rescue operations.

• Approval Process: Must meet $NFPA\,1983$. Employees need written approval from the Safety Office, including certification of training sanctioned by the ATR Team. Costs are employee-funded.

• Installation and Maintenance: Tabs must be installed by a department-approved contract vendor. Personnel must inspect the harness at the beginning and end of every shift and after each exposure to fire. Any harness subjected to an impact load (free fall greater than $3\,\text{feet}$) must be removed from service and inspected by the manufacturer.