Here at National Fire Fighter Corp., we know that many brave men and women put their lives on the line to fight fires. We are dedicated to helping our customers, and all firefighters, protect themselves. For us, that means providing quality equipment that is rigorously tested to ensure it meets the highest standards of safety.
Thanks to the USDA Forest Service’s National Technology and Development Program, new technology allows equipment to be tested to even higher standards–including those that mimic the extreme temperatures of summer wildfires, as well as their behavior. They created a simulator that can mimic a variety of landscapes, fuel types, and more to better test equipment and firefighting techniques.
How can these improved safety tests help us keep firefighters safe? Let’s dive in.
Better Preparation
By understanding fire behavior on different landscapes, firefighters can be better prepared. One of the benefits of the National Technology and Development Program’s testing is that it can mimic a variety of landscapes: hills, mountains, lakes, rivers, and so much more. By understanding how a fire will behave on these different landscapes, firefighters can better prepare to fight a fire in that kind of landscape and adjust what equipment they will bring and what techniques they will use. This can make a huge difference in saving lives and preventing further damage.
Choosing the Right Equipment
When a firefighting crew’s equipment has all been tested to the highest standards, it can make the difference when dealing with a fire. In many wildfires, especially in the northwest, temperatures at the high end can reach over 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. Imagining that kind of heat is near impossible–so adequate testing is the only way to know how equipment will stand up the heat. When you’re dealing with a larger wildfire, you want to ensure that your team has the equipment they need to stay safe. Choosing equipment that has been tested to the extreme temperatures you encounter is important.
Increased Testing Improves Our Knowledge
The best part about the National Technology and Development Program’s fire simulation is that it has given us even more information to continue improving safety tests and information to keep firefighters safe and prevent wildfires. With increased data about how long the simulator took to ignite fires under certain conditions, how landscape impacted fire behavior, and what kinds of wildfire exist, we are able to ask even more questions about how wildfires behave and how they can be prevented and fought. Knowledge is power!
Preparing For Wildfire Season with NFFC
The National Fire Fighter Corporation strives to provide customers with the products they need to protect themselves, their communities, and their property from the devastating effects of fire. NFFC is a trusted source for quality, reliable firefighting gear to help effectively extinguish fires, stay protected, and minimize injury. With innovative designs, and high-quality, durable materials, NFFC wildland fire equipment and products help keep the brave men and women fighting fires safe when things get hot.