Todd Herring, Vice President of Product Innovation and Strategy at Fire-Dex, discusses how alternative PPE helps firefighters stay safer, reduce fatigue and extend turnout gear lifespan
There’s no blueprint for fighting wildfires, much less the countless other emergencies firefighters must respond to. Recently, we’ve witnessed how quickly California’s Santa Ana winds can turn a small blaze into a raging inferno. Conditions and circumstances change in an instant—fires suddenly explode in size, while rescue missions can stretch for hours and miles, and firefighters must adapt on the fly.
Simply put, daily workloads have no quick in and out or predictability. Responders must be ready to endure exhausting shifts, sometimes for days at a time, haul heavy gear over rugged terrain, or manage all the unknowns that may accompany a motor vehicle accident (MVA).
In fact, NFPA statistics show that all firefighters are taking more calls than ever, including hazardous materials and hazardous conditions.
That’s why PPE manufacturers like Fire-Dex are designing gear to help ease stress on the fireground and beyond. Advances in material science, smarter designs and a changing philosophy are creating the next generation of apparel that’s designed to work with—not against—first responders and keep them in the fight longer.
Rethinking PPE
For a long time, many firefighters have worn the same PPE for every call. That usually means full turnouts for everything from a structural fire to an MVA in the July sun. But increasingly, research is revealing the downside of this thinking, making way for an approach that calls for the right gear for the right call.
The shift is long overdue. While structural fire incidents have dropped significantly over the past 40 years, EMS calls have surged by 421%, and all other calls have nearly tripled according to the NFPA. Yet firefighters are still expected to wear turnouts for non-fire emergencies where no thermal protection is needed.
Turnouts are great when you need them—but wearing them all day? That’s just added weight and stress on your body. Heat stress and overexertion are the top causes of firefighter line-of-duty-deaths (LODDs), and sometimes, lighter gear is the smarter choice.
Alternative PPE provides the right level of protection for most calls while preventing unnecessary fatigue and keeping structural gear fresh for when it’s truly needed.
There’s also the issue of contamination. Firefighters don’t just fight fires—they bring part of them back. Moving between the scene, the truck, and the station in the same gear means contaminants can come along for the ride.
Studies show that air pollution inside fire stations poses significant risks, especially in living quarters and engine bays where gear and equipment are stored.
Pollutants can also concentrate inside fire trucks. Alternative PPE, as an option for non-fire calls, can help mitigate these risks by reducing the likelihood of cross-contamination.
The alternative PPE advantage
Not all PPE is created equal—especially when it comes to alternative gear. It’s not just about making something lighter; it has to be built to perform. Firefighters don’t just face one type of hazard. Even on non-fire calls, there’s still heat, abrasion and unexpected risks.
That’s where strategic material selection comes in. The best alternative PPE doesn’t overload firefighters with unnecessary bulk, but it also doesn’t skimp on protection where it’s needed.
Todd Herring
It’s a delicate balance: Use materials that provide the right protection for the right call, without adding extra bulk that weighs you down. Without the need for the heaviest materials, firefighters can choose PPE that breathes better and lets cool air circulate around the body.
Regulating core body temperature is essential for reducing heat stress and fatigue, both of which can significantly impact a person’s cognitive function and reaction time. When body temperature rises, the body naturally cools itself through evaporative heat loss—but traditional turnout gear can trap sweat, preventing proper heat dissipation.
One suit, many uses
Not every emergency is a structure fire, and not every call should require hauling around full turnouts. In response, the market offers many multipurpose options like Fire-Dex’s TECGEN51 Multipurpose PPE. As a two-piece or coverall, it’s dual-certified to NFPA 1951 (technical rescue) and 1977 (wildland performance) for non-fire calls like MVAs, electrical issues and search and rescue missions—it’s lightweight, breathable and built to move.
The reason is the TECGEN fiber, an inherently flame-resistant material with a high-density carbon shell and a flexible core. That combination provides increased durability over typical carbon-based fibers.
This technology enables the development of fabrics that simultaneously offer high levels of thermal protection (TPP) and breathability (THL). That’s to say, there’s less trade-off between the two, making a multipurpose garment more viable and effective than ever.
Most people don’t think twice about sweat, but firefighters don’t have that luxury. Battalion Chief Andy Starnes of Insight Training warns that wearing turnouts unnecessarily—especially in hot, humid conditions—can cause serious issues: “It makes managing moisture critical because drenched gear isn’t just annoying—it’s dangerous.
Exhaustion doesn’t happen all at once—it builds until every move in heavy, sweat-soaked gear feels like a fight. And that’s a cycle no firefighter wants to be stuck in.”
Andy Starnes
Beyond the materials, design choices affect the safety and useability of gear. For example, multipurpose PPE might feature a bi-wing back design in the jacket that improves shoulder and arm mobility, so it’s easier to climb and maneuver in tight spaces without feeling restricted.
As another example, a Mandarin-style collar with a throat closure might be used to prevent debris from getting inside the jacket, but without the bulk and discomfort of traditional collars.
Even little changes can make a big difference. Pant legs, for instance, might seem a trivial consideration, but features like oversized legs with long zipper bottoms can make it much easier to pull the pants over your boots without struggling. In all cases, the goal is to help wearers stay focused on their gear instead of fighting it.
With advances in alternative PPE across the fire industry, achieving the right level of protection and mobility without the strain of full turnouts is possible. Busy departments wanting to know more should contact their gear specialist to arrange a demo where firefighters can give instant feedback on the features and fits that work best for them.
Of course, for many fire departments, alternative PPE can seem like a large investment in an entirely new class of gear. The financials, however, are not to be feared. The use of multipurpose PPE can greatly extend the useful life of pricier turnouts by letting them hang out at the station when non-fire calls come in. Furthermore, manufacturers may bundle gear like turnouts, alternative PPE and accessories at a discount to customers.
Firefighters give everything they’ve got to the job. Their gear should give just as much back. The latest PPE innovations can help keep them safer, cooler and more comfortable. Ask your specialist for a cost analysis—you could be looking at additional years before you need structural replacements again.
About the author
Todd Herring is the Vice President of Product Innovation and Strategy at Fire-Dex, with over 20 years of experience in the protective textile industry.
Passionate about innovating fire service personal protective equipment (PPE), Todd joined Fire-Dex in 2015 through the acquisition of TECGEN. He advanced to Director of Marketing and Product Development in 2016 and was elevated to his current role in 2021.
Todd holds a Bachelor of Science in Textile Engineering from NC State University, excelling in product development, management, marketing, rationalisation and strategy.