When I first got involved with the fire service in 1995, I wasn't issued a hood. The first time I went out to fire school for department ops, I didn't have a hood. I first got involved at age 17, I didn't know any better and didn't know who to listen to or who to follow. Within a year or two I was wearing my hood for all structure fire calls. When I'm at work in the city, I have my hood on anytime my bunker coat is on. No matter what the weather is like. If we are responding to anything structural, my hood is always up. I posted something on here recently about chin straps, and a way to don your mask and make sure you get both your hood on and in place and you chin strap secured with while having your face piece on. It's almost 2006 and you can go down the turnout gear rack in the two firehouses in my town and you'll see probably a hood hanging at the ready, in every other spot. Guys are a lot more safety concious now when it comes to hood. Like I said, at work, I'm bundled up like I'm going on an arctic expedition. I'm trying to get more and more guys on board with it out here as well. What has helped a lot is that several of the more active ex-chiefs are big proponents of using the hood. Before I had gotten into the city I was once told by an officer from out here that you needed to use your ears as thermometers to when it was time to get out. Only a few years have passed but I've come to the realization that this individual has never encountered fire conditions of that magnitude - and more than likely will not. So in a nut shell, I'm definitly pro hood. What's your take on the hoods?
The hood is an integral part of our PPE. I once went in with my hood on but forgot to put my helmet liner down, and felt the extreme heat on my ears right away. I would imagine that the reverse (liner with no hood) would be even worse. It takes 3 seconds to don, and I sure as hell don't want to fry any epidermis, so I can't imagine why anyone would go without.
had a nice conversation about this the other night, most of the guys there wear there hood. most times wether fire school or at a job, the reason for not donning it was they were rushed.. take the time and go over donning everything correctly and practice will make perfect even in a rush..Look back to sig 12's post. lose your helmet w no hood on you might as well sign yourself into the burn center now.. if you do enter a room and you realize?. as soon as you do, take a sec if possible and get it at least over oyur ears, yes, its possible for i have had to do it..of course being a proby at the timeand rushing to don the mask and hood and get to the officer.. officer left the fire w burns to the eartips and mine were red.. nice and warm. i wore the hood, he didnt..
wearing a hood is just one of those things, for whatever reason some guys just have to learn the hard way. like wearing a rubber. i wear mine always. how about riding the rig w/out gear on? i never do that either. some guys will only put gear on when responding to alarms. in my company, if ur on the rig u put ur gear on. if u dont you are considered out of the box.
Definetly in favor of the hoods. I've had several conversations regarding the types of hoods out there. Hoods definelty protect you. my only fear is guys in the truck or rescue wearing the "HEAVIER" hoods may get a false sense if not experienced, and may go to far.
Yes, years ago guys were taught that if the heat was soo intense your ears were killing you, it was time to get out. A couple of "CITY" guys have said if you're in the truck, you might pull the hood back exposing one ear. If conditions start to go bad, you can pull it back over the ear.
I came into the fire service when hoods were non-existant. I must admit, it took a bit getting used to. We recently had a basement fire in a P/D. Even though I positioned myself at/near the front door to handle the operations, i still had my hood and SCBA on just in case a problem arose.
i understand the "old school" guys when they say i didnt wear it then because they didnt have it back in the day...but they have them now, why not wear it? it can only help yourself. if it saves you a trip to the burn center and all that agony why wouldnt you wear it??? i always have my flaps down too. i must admit my hood isnt up on every call but its at least around my neck where i can pull it up if needed
Always wair my hood for every run it's on. I rivited buttons to the inner liner of my coat and to the bottom of my hood so it's always attached to my jacket. actualy works very well you never have to stop and take it out of a pocket if your on an mva then you get a fire call your always ready.
Now here is a question for you:
Do you pull your hood all the way up and then put your mask on or do you prefer to pull the hood up after you have masked up?
Now here is a question for you:
Do you pull your hood all the way up and then put your mask on or do you prefer to pull the hood up after you have masked up?
for now, i mask up then pull the hood over. i always did it the other way around because i figured that if the tough rescue guys do it, i should too. but, we did a test one day around the house and what we saw was that you lose more air than you might think... i got like 16 minutes out of a 30 min bottle with the mask on first and only like 12 with the hood up and what was a pretty good seal. i'd like to do it again to make sure that was accurate, because i'd like to be faster, but if it means i've got 4 minutes less of air i'll take the extra 15 seconds going in.
That's a good question. I was taught to wear it after putting the mask on. To be honest with you, more times than not, I pulled the hood on and than slipped my mask on. In 12 years I haven't had a problem thankfully. In the textbook OSHA mode, I reason it'"s deemed to be donned properly after a FF has the mask on first and then pulled up to the edge of the facepiece.
always wear your hood...no exceptions...ask anyone who has been burned...it wasnt worth it and it really doesnt take long if you practice with all the gear on....there are methods to get your face piece on...hood up...helmet on in a few short seconds...hoods are a must no reason not too...every call every time
When I first started, I didn't know what a hood was. We didn't have them. Eventually, we got them and I wore it "most" of the time. I have to admit, it was hard changing habits.
One night at a job, I was officer of the line and my guys had knocked down all of the fire on the first floor kitchen area. While standing by for the truckies to pull the ceilings, a nice sized chunk of ceiling came down (on fire of course) on my head. The way I turned my head to duck the falling piece, part of it went right down the back of my neck into my turnout coat. It took a few seconds to realize that my neck was now burning!! I had the nozzelman open up the line down the back of my neck into the coat. Man....that hurt!!!! Had nice blisters for a long time!
The moral of that story is that I had my hood.......IN MY POCKET!!!! I had forgotten to put it on. Needless to say, I have never forgotten it since!!
My hood is on for every run. .Some guy’s keep their hood in their inside pocket. Then they get on the rig and put their mask on and have to undo everything to get to it. I prefer to keep it around the collar of my coat while on the rack.. It’s the first thing I put on.. Wouldn’t have it any other way…….
My hood is on for every run, regardless of what it is. Lets say we are at an MVA and get sent to a reported house fire it's one less thing to think about doing. And the hood works. I forgot to put it up at a basement job and felt the heat. Putting the hood up made the difference and we made the push down the stairs. Someone at that job who did have his hood up, with a little exposed skin got burns around his face from what was exposed. I pass this info on to the new guys. If you have the equipment, use it! Make sure you go home in the same shape you left your house.
With the way things are in the volunteer fire service toady, with current recruitment and retention, the few old timers that are still active, the amount of fires that we respond to and the current building construction and materials used in houses and in the contents of your average house, any old timer that tells you not to wear your hood because you need to feel some heat ... probably never really felt any heat themselves. It takes two seconds to put your hood on before you put your coat on. Put it on, put your coat on and leave it in place. When you don your face piece, pull it back, put your face piece on and then pull it back up. If your working outside and you want it down, fine. But when you realize that you need it, it may be too late. The hot whether is no excuse for not wearing your hood.
Maybe hoods weren't worn back in the day, but niether were masks. Guys searched from window to window, vented for life and sucked air at each window. They didn't have to deal with the toxins that ordinary household combustibles give off today. Those same ordinary combustibles that make fires burn so much more hotter today than yesterday. Perhaps a truckie can get away with not covering up 100% ... if he is in a remote position, like the roof or the outside vent. But he's foolish for not doing so. Anyone on a handline has no choice in the matter. It's wear the hood or take the burn. Anyone that stops making a puch because they now want to pull their hood up is no firefighter that I'd want to work with. Everyone else is relying on that line being advanced. That engineman's hood should have been in place before he pushed in. Guys who didn't wear hoods back in the day either wear them now or have retired. Guys with "time" now do wear their hoods. Anyone out here who's said that you need to feel some "heat" probably experienced their hottest fire in the taxpayer basement out at Bethpage. WEAR THE HOOD.
You hear more and more about firefighters getting burned for not having all of their PPE on. But you rarely hear about a firefighter not being able to monitor deteriorating conditions because he was too protected.
Gotta agree with follow me. My hood is draped over the collar of my jacket and is the second thing I put on after my pants. That goes for every other member in my house too.
As for an officer rushing you, as an officer one of the things I do before I go in is make sure all my crew I can see have there gear on. If not I say "hey get your f'n hood up". Your first job as an officer is to make sure you come back with everyone you left with (and not have to pick them up at the hospital).
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Do you wear your hood?
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