| Fire Suppression |
| With the constant and rapid development of Boone County, the Boone County Fire District has evolved from a rural fire department into an urban and suburban fire department. Structural fire suppression challenges now, not only include agriculture facilities which pose significant herbicide and pesticide challenges but also, include structural fire suppression challenges in a community that is heavily urbanized with residential, commercial and industrial properties.
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Firefighters typically use a standard 1 3/4 inch hoseline during fire attack operations.
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| Personnel of the Boone County Fire Protection District must be prepared to combat structure fires in a wide array of occupancies which all pose there own unique challenges and hazards. In an effort to prepare Fire District firefighters for any eventuality in a structural fire environment, a variety of tactical training evolutions are routinely practiced. In addition, the organization attempts to provide the most current personal protection equipment available for these men and women who routinely risk their lives for their community.
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| On this page, you will see a picture of a fully protected Boone County firefighter. All of the personal protective equipment he is wearing meets current national safety standards. You will note that his “protective ensemble” is rather extensive. The coat and pants are made of a material that originated in the NASA Space Program designed to retard direct fire impingement. What is not readily visible are the many layers underneath the outer-shell, which provide additional heat and cold insulation and also provide a vapor barrier to minimize the potential for steam burns.
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| The hood worn by the firefighter, also developed in the NASA Program, is made of Nomex, another fire retardant material. Nomex is also found within the helmet package, in the gloves and in the boots.
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| The boots are insulated and are impregnated with steel plates in the soles, toes and shin area.
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| The helmet is designed with a suspension system designed to minimize the potential for electrocution in the event the helmet comes in contact with live electrical wires and with shock absorption qualities to minimize the impact of falling debris.
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Older homes represent special hidden fire challenges for firefighters.
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You will note a small yellow device on the chest strap. This is a motion detector called a personal alert safety system (PASS device). When the firefighter remains motionless in excess of thirty seconds, this device emits a strong shrill sound easily audible to other firefighters on the fire ground. In the event a firefighter goes down in a structural fire, this piercing sound allows other rescue personnel to locate the downed firefighter quickly.
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| The air mask or what is called the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is designed to provide breathing air to the firefighter when in a contaminated environment. It is a positive pressure device, which means that a slight constant air pressure is emitted into the face piece from the air supply to ensure that external toxic gases may not inadvertently be drawn into the face piece. Under heavy working conditions, an average sized firefighter can operate with this air supply for approximately 20 minutes. The air bottles on the rear of the SCBA are easily changeable and a large supply of additional air bottles is carried on all Fire District apparatus. During fire combat conditions, the firefighter who has expended his air bottle may exit the building and have his air tank replaced within 30-45 seconds to facilitate a quick return to the fire environment.
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