For over seventy years, the secret behind PGI's growing leadership has come right from its roots in America's heartland: Green Lake, Wisconsin. Today the range and sophistication of PGI protective garments is unsurpassed. From high-tech protective gear to industry-leading flame resistant fabrics, our garments reach their full potential with PGI's detailed performance design and manufacturing capabilities.
More firefighters have been diagnosed with cancer in the last two years then in the previous 10 years combined. One in three firefighters will die of cancer. There’s a minimum of nine Group 1 carcinogens in all fire smoke. All smoke is hazardous and potentially lethal at high enough concentrations. These dangerous carcinogens can enter the firefighters' bodies through absorption through the skin. PGI has developed a new line of fire fighting hoods we’ve named Cobra™ BarriAire™ which incorporates a proprietary Particulate Barrier fabric which we’ve strategically located in areas which have the greatest risk of exposure to the firefighters - the neck and jaw. These hoods maintain the exceptional stretch and recovery properties of our regular hoods allowing them to interface seamlessly with SCBA masks and mask hardware. Additionally, the Particulate Barrier fabric is extremely supple and lightweight weighing only approximately .5 oz./sq. yd. – making it barely detectable. The fabric also has excellent breathability maintaining the comfort currently only attainable by hoods without a Particulate Barrier and allows body heat to escape around the neck and head reducing the likelihood of heat stress. Cobra™ BarriAire™ hoods were developed in an effort to reduce firefighter exposure to potentially dangerous and toxic particles routinely encountered while on a working call.
I have been using a chainsaw for many many years and I've never experienced what happened the day your chaps got tested. I had just cut down a small oak tree about 8 inches in diameter. After I had the tree cut up I came back to the stump to cut it off closer to the ground. Rather than just moving the saw through the stump from right to left I was evidently rotating the saw around the stump. I'm assuming the momentum of the saw kept coming around in an arc. After the stump had been cut through, the saw then hit my leg above the knee (I was on my knees at the time) and the saw was instantly stopped by the chaps. Needless to say I was stunned and couldn't believe what had just happened.
Proudly showing off their new Fireline Wildland uniforms, Majuba Fire & Rescue in South Africa plans to make the suit a standard part of its gear.
With plans to order 40 more suits shortly, the response from the crew has been nothing short of positive. Five big thumbs up!
Firefighters on the Rim Fire continue to make progress on the containment of the fire with line construction and large burnout operations, but the fire on Sunday was active on the south and southeast sides. The west side has been quiet for a few days.