As part of a life-saving team, every fire department member has an important role to play in keeping the community safe from different emergencies, and your helmet is probably one of the essential tools you'll have to use for complete protection. Because helmets can be quite expensive, a common question among those buying helmets is if they expire and how long they can last.
Do Firefighter Helmets Expire?
If you're thinking about buying a new Firefighter helmet, it might be a good idea to consider whether they last for as long as other gear pieces.
The life cycle of any piece of equipment depends on several things, including the quality of the product and how well it was manufactured. Firefighter helmets are no exception to this rule. While high-quality helmets can be reasonably expensive, if you look around for a good deal, you might find that a quality helmet can be purchased for much less than you expect. It's important to know what to look for in a quality helmet.
How Long is a Firefighter Helmet Good For?
Firefighter helmets have a 10-year service life from the manufacturing date. They are required to get pulled out by the time they reach that lifespan, even if they're still in good condition. This requirement is part of the NFPA standards.
"National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1851, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting. The standard requires that any element (helmet, hood, gloves, boots, turnout coat, and trousers) of the PPE ensemble be removed from service after ten years from the manufacture date."
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How to Choose The Right Firefighter Helmet
Here are a couple of things to look for when shopping for a new firefighter helmet:
One of the most important characteristics of quality helmets is the type of padding, which covers the face. Firefighters have to put their heads through tremendous amounts of pressure on a daily basis, and quality helmets will have comfortable padding and will fit snugly.
In addition to having the proper padding, you should also look for protection to the wearer's eyes, ears, and jaw. You want a helmet that has enough padding to protect your entire head, but it shouldn't be too tight that it restricts breathing.
Full-Size vs. Half-Size Helmet
Firefighters need the right helmet to protect their head from possible impact. Here are just a few of the things to consider when you want to keep your helmet safe and effective.
The first thing to look at is whether the fire truck helmet is a full-size helmet or a half-size helmet. Full-size helmets are made to fit over the entire head, while half-sized helmets will be worn over the top of your head.
To Wrap Up
Naturally, it is usually advisable to issue helmets within the required service years stipulated by the NFPA. If you want to keep your head protected from fire emergency hazards, then finding the right type of protective gear can make a huge difference.
