 Traditional vs European fire helmet
Traditional vs European fire helmet; In the context of Firefighter head protection, there are two main types of helmets that are most common now a days; traditional fire helmets and European fire helmets. Traditional fire helmets have been around for over a century and are made of leather or thermoplastic materials with high crown. In recent years, however, European fire helmets have gained popularity, with their sleek, streamlined design and lightweight composite materials.
Both types of helmets have their strengths and weaknesses, and different firefighting departments around the world have their own preferences. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the features and differences between traditional and European fire helmets with the purpose to help you in decision making.
Case study as experience of FDNY firefighter
The Fire helmet is the crown of firefighter safety professionals of any Emergency Service. This notion is true whether a firefighter is from The United States or elsewhere in the region, be it an FDNY firefighter’s Cairs leather helmet or the chrome Gallet G1. WorldRescuers asked members from one member Washington fire district. The interaction was to know the adopting international firefighting practices. Moreover, to share their experiences from the Training period while using the jet-style European helmets. The debate on traditional vs European fire helmets has remained a hot topic for a long.
Ed Hartin told us that he grew up in the fire service and observed his father and other service members wearing leather helmets. Joining the Fire service in 1974, he was issued an MSA Top guard helmet- like shown in a TV show name Emergency. He told us that he was not satisfied with that type of helmet. As it was not different from the hard hat used on construction sites.
Therefore, he bought a used helmet to wear during the onward service. During his first promotion as captain, he was issued a modern helmet- Cairds 660C.
This helmet was lightweight with a suspension system to reduce the impact of hitting force.
Furthermore, he told that he began attending training and coaching in Asia, Europe and South America. This provided exposure to and orientation of other useful variants of the fire helmets.
He also told that in view of his personal experience and discussion upon traditional vs European fire helmets with other firefighters, the European fire helmets are reliable. As they provide the required level of protection and functionality. Moreover, they are more compatible with SCBA facepieces.
 Features of Traditional vs European fire helmet
Why are European fire helmets different?
European fire helmets have gained a peak of popularity in the recent years due to their new innovative designs with modern material. Unlike traditional fire helmets, European helmets are made of by lightweight composite materials that provide excellent protection against impacts and other hazards.
These helmets allow firefighters to remain comfortable and protected for extended periods of time while firefighting. The streamlined design of European fire helmets also offers improved visibility to the firefighters in challenging environment. Because of these, it’s no surprise that European fire helmets have gained popularity in firefighting departments around the world. These are becoming their first choice because of these features.
Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue’s experience
In 2017, CWIFR decided to use a modern fire helmet- Rosenbauer HEROS-titan Pro, as a trial in the field staff. This Personal Protective Equipment was being tested to meet NFPA 1851 – Standards on the Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting (NFPA, 2014). Upon the End of the testing duration, the service received 10 new helmets. The members, volunteers and officers experienced these helmets and gave feedback. After a given period of three months for testing of HEROS-titan Pro, officials asked to provide feedback on their assessment of this jet-style helmet in comparison to the Morning Pride Ben II helmet that was in use by the service.
In conclusion, overall performance of the HEROS-titan Pro was much better than the traditional one. This evaluation based on the provided feedback by the users. Users highlighted that the comfort, balance, weight, eye protection, and overall performance of the HEROS-titan Pro was much better than the Traditional vs European fire helmet. At the same time it showed overall better performance . It is pertinent to mention that some members pointed out that they have experienced hearing reduction due to the covering of ears by the helmet.
How European helmet differ from the others?
The Europeans prefer to integrate SCBA Face Mask with the friendly use of a Fire helmet. The purpose is to reduce the exposure of the Face and Head to Heat. In the Debate of Traditional vs European fire helmet, European fire helmets are more suitable. Still, Both types of helmets meet the same safety standards. We assume the lighter helmet and more ergonomic helmet would be safer. Infect the data is not there yet to validate that statement.
Hi, I am John Smit a Captain in Fire Department City of Newyork with over years of experience in the field of Firefighting and HSE. My passion for fire safety started when I was a young boy and witnessed a neighbor’s house go up in flames along with precious lives. Since then, I had dedicated my life to ensuring the safety of buildings, properties, and individuals in case of a fire and medical emergencies.
