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Fire fighters who are exposed to a flashover, backdraft, or other flame and high heat environments are at
EXTREME risk for extensive burn injuries and death even while wearing their NFPA Compliant Structural Fire
Fighting Footwear.
Do not confuse the component testing requirements that are part of NFPA Standards with the conditions in
which fire fighting personnel work. For example, the requirement that certain components must not melt, drip, or
separate when exposed to convected heat temperatures of 500° F for 5 minutes is in no way intended to indicate
that emergency responders face that condition in their work, or could be expected to withstand that condition
EVEN WHILE WEARING NFPA Compliant FOOTWEAR CORRECTLY without suffering serious injury or death.
Your NFPA Footwear is made of different types of materials that may absorb heat at different rates. Some parts
may be much hotter than other parts. Avoid contact of skin with outer Footwear surfaces during and after fire
fighting operations, until you are certain that the Footwear is a safe temperature.
Overexertion in hot conditions while wearing an NFPA Compliant Protective Ensemble, including Footwear,
can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Symptoms of heat exhaustion are a general feeling of weakness,
dizziness, rapid pulse, low blood pressure while standing or sitting, and/or a headache. The skin may feel moist
or clammy. If you feel symptoms, get to a cool place, remove your complete protective ensemble, and drink
fluids. Failure to seek attention could lead to severe coma or death.
DANGER
!
WARNING
!
WARNING
!
WARNING
!
10.5 HEAT STRESS: A SIGNIFICANT CAUSE OF RESPONDER INJURIES
Physical work in a warm or hot environment causes a rise in the temperature inside the
body. To protect the body against heat, the heart begins to beat faster so that more blood
can be moved to the skin surface. Blood vessels near the skin dilate so that they can carry
more blood. In this way, blood in the interior of the body can be brought out near the
body’s surface and cooled. Most importantly, the body produces sweat that evaporates
off the skin to provide cooling. Those natural responses do not work very well for any or all
of the following conditions: the ambient air temperature is at least 75 degrees or higher,
the garment’s insulation blocks the transfer of heat away from the body, the garment
blocks the evaporation of sweat, or the exertion of the muscles produces more heat than
the system can remove. When the body temperature gets elevated too high, the results
can be heat stress, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke.
