TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of protective hoods and their water content on the prevention of head burns in New York city firefighters
T2 - Laboratory tests and field results
AU - Prezant, D. J.
AU - Barker, R. L.
AU - Stull, J. O.
AU - King, S. J.
AU - Rotanz, R. A.
AU - Malley, K. S.
AU - Bender, M.
AU - Guerth, C.
AU - Kelly, K. J.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) is the largest fire department in the United States. In 1996, FDNY added the thermal protective hood to its modern protective uniform. The purpose of this study is to determine 1) the effectiveness of hoods in reducing head burns and 2) whether hood water content (dry, damp, or saturated) affects the level of thermal protection. Laboratory tests (radiant heat performance, thermal protective performance, and fully dressed manikin) and FDNY field results were used. Laboratory tests evaluated 4 different conditions (no hood, dry, damp, and saturated hoods) exposed to 4 different heat fluxes (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 2.0 cal/cm2/sec) equivalent to approximate air temperatures of 200, 400, 600, and 2,250°F. Field results compared FDNY head burns during 3 winters wearing the hood to 3 winters without hood. Wearing a hood dramatically reduced head burns. This was true for all laboratory tests, at all heat flux exposures, and all hood water content conditions. At 0.1 cal/cm2/sec, dry hoods were superior to wet hoods. At all other heat flux exposures, thermal protection was either not significantly different between water content conditions or improved as water content increased. Confirming these laboratory tests, FDNY field results showed significant decreases in neck burns (by 54%), ear burns (by 60%), and head burn totals (by 46%). Based on combined laboratory and field results, we strongly recommend the use of modern thermal protective hoods.
AB - The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) is the largest fire department in the United States. In 1996, FDNY added the thermal protective hood to its modern protective uniform. The purpose of this study is to determine 1) the effectiveness of hoods in reducing head burns and 2) whether hood water content (dry, damp, or saturated) affects the level of thermal protection. Laboratory tests (radiant heat performance, thermal protective performance, and fully dressed manikin) and FDNY field results were used. Laboratory tests evaluated 4 different conditions (no hood, dry, damp, and saturated hoods) exposed to 4 different heat fluxes (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 2.0 cal/cm2/sec) equivalent to approximate air temperatures of 200, 400, 600, and 2,250°F. Field results compared FDNY head burns during 3 winters wearing the hood to 3 winters without hood. Wearing a hood dramatically reduced head burns. This was true for all laboratory tests, at all heat flux exposures, and all hood water content conditions. At 0.1 cal/cm2/sec, dry hoods were superior to wet hoods. At all other heat flux exposures, thermal protection was either not significantly different between water content conditions or improved as water content increased. Confirming these laboratory tests, FDNY field results showed significant decreases in neck burns (by 54%), ear burns (by 60%), and head burn totals (by 46%). Based on combined laboratory and field results, we strongly recommend the use of modern thermal protective hoods.
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U2 - 10.1097/00004630-200103000-00015
DO - 10.1097/00004630-200103000-00015
M3 - Review article
C2 - 11302606
AN - SCOPUS:0035067975
SN - 0273-8481
VL - 22
SP - 165
EP - 178
JO - Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation
JF - Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation
IS - 2
ER -