Evaluation of a Modular Layering Approach for Heat Loss Improvement in Structural Firefighter Turnout Garments

Heat stress, due to overprotection, is an important cause of firefighter fatalities in specific working conditions (Rossi 2005). There are two vital, yet contradictory factors, which play a role in the heat stress a firefighter experiences. The multi-layer construction of firefighter turnouts hinders the ability of heat loss to occur by increasing thermal insulation and evaporative resistance. e development of a modular approach was evaluated by eliminating specific layers, to analyze their specific contribution to heat strain in certain working conditions, where threat of heat and flame are not present. The results presented here focused on the thermal comfort and heat strain aspects of a modular solution.