Proper usage and maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is critical in keeping you safe from many of the hazards of firefighting. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), through a Fire Prevention and Safety grant, has created six short videos on PPE to help you effectively protect yourself and your fellow firefighters.
The video series provides quick, simple tips and ideas for cleaning, maintaining, replacing, and funding PPE, with a goal of reducing firefighter injury, illness, and death due to improper use of PPE. All six videos are now available on the NVFC’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/nvfccommunications and on the Equipment Resources page of our web site.
NVFC partners donated time and expertise to help produce the videos. The tips and information included in each video are provided by industry experts from a wide array of backgrounds. The videos in the series include:
- The Importance of PPE During Overhaul - Chief Brett Bowman, Manassas (VA) Fire Department
- Guidelines for Cleaning Your PPE - Pat Freeman, Technical Services Manager, Globe Manufacturing Company
- When and Why to Replace Your PPE - Pat Freeman, Globe Manufacturing Company
- Protective Clothing and Equipment Standards – Dave Trebisacci, Public Fire Protection Division, National Fire Protection Association
- Securing Grants for PPE - Jerry Brant, Senior Grant Consultant and Grant Writer, FireGrantsHelp.com
- New Regulatory Standards for PPE - Josh Burnheimer, Marketing Program Manager, Scott Safety
The videos are the newest resource supplementing the NVFC’s Volunteer Firefighter Health and Safety Priorities. Set forth in a series of B.E.S.T. Practices for the volunteer fire and emergency services, the priorities are divided into four main focus areas: Behavior, Equipment, Standards and Codes, and Training. These B.E.S.T. practices include providing and requiring the proper use of full PPE and maintaining all equipment based on established safety recommendations.
Whether you are a veteran department leader or a new recruit, the videos offer tips for enhancing safety and keeping PPE ready for the next call. View the videos today at www.youtube.com/nvfccommunications - and share them with your department members.
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About the National Volunteer Fire Council
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, emergency medical, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides invaluable tools, resources, programs, and advocacy for first responders across the nation. Find out more at www.nvfc.org.