Experimental Investigation of the Factors Affecting Performance of Firefighters' Protective Clothing

The role of a firefighter is crucial in safeguarding lives, property, and the environment, as firefighters bravely confront the formidable challenges posed by fires and emergencies. The protective clothing worn serves as a vital barrier, allowing firefighters to operate in extreme conditions while minimizing the risks to their own well-being. This paper characterises a multi-layer material used by NSW Fire and Rescue through cone calorimetry, a powerful fire testing equipment under ISO5660. The multi-layer material was compared with single layer materials used in the 2013 and 2022 Rural Fire Service (RFS) jackets to determine its feasibility to be used by the RFS. Results demonstrated that the time to ignition (TTI) of the multi-layer material, under all heat flux levels, was significantly longer than the two single layer materials. Additionally, it exhibited a lower peak heat release rate (HRR), however, releases greater total thermal energy due to its larger thickness and mass. Both these properties of the material indicate the greater fire resistance of the multi-layer material, but more importantly highlights that this material will allow for an extended time to recognise endangerment and prevent second degree burns.