Personal Protective Equipment

In wildland fire situations, NCFS personnel wear specialized Personal Protective Equipment, commonly known as "PPE". Using this safety equipment and adhering to wildland fire safety guidelines is a critical factor in keeping personnel safe when working in what are often extremely hazardous environments. Wildland fire PPE includes:

• Eight inch high leather lace-up boots with fire resistant lug soles
• Leather gloves
• Fire Shelter
• Fire shirt and pants made of flame resistant material
• Hard hat with shroud
• Earplugs
• Goggles or Safety Glasses
• Portable communication device
• Headlamp

The Fire Shelter
The fire shelter is one of the most important pieces of safety equipment available to forest fire-fighters. Designed to be used only when all escape options from a blaze have been exhausted, the shelter is a proven lifesaver. When deployed, the shelter assumes the shape of a single-person pup tent. It's special aluminum skin can deflect up to 95% of radiant heat. Over the past twenty years approximately 250 lives have been saved by these shelters.