Firefighter Helmet Colors
akos...@my-dejanews.com
Are there any studies or technical information that would support that yellow
firefighter helmets provide?
a) enhanced visibility of workers ( given equal amounts of retroreflective
material with any other color of helmet particularly black)
b) reduced effects of heat radiation
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NMarkow125
Most depts my area use yellow helmits
except for line officers which is red for lt. and captain
and white for chiefs.
why they chose yellow im not sure. but will ask at next area meeting.
Hunter Schappaugh
I can't imagine that anything but the amount of reflective tape would affect
the visibility of a helmet. I wear a black helmet with the required amount of
reflectors on it, but the only thing that anyone ever sees is the 8" tall
reflective "68" on the back of it. BTW, in Houston FD Pipemen and Engineers
wear Black helmets, Captains wear Red and all chief officers wear white.
Hunter Schappaugh, P&L
Houston Fire Department
Eric Berry
On Tue, 9 Jun 1998 04:52:41 -0700, "Tom Clark" <t...@pe.net> wrote:
>The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection uses this color
>scheme:
>
>Yellow - Firefighters and Engineers (reflective tape is yellow for
>firefighters, red for Engineers
>
>Red - Fire Captains
>
>White - Chiefs
The New South Wales Rural Fire Services uses the following:
White - Firefighter
White with Reflective Red Stripe - Deputy Captain
Red with Reflective White Stripe - Senior Deputy Captain
Red - Captain
Yellow - Group Captain/Inspector/Superintendant
Cheers,
Eric
Ravpreet Singh Gill
In article <199806081915...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
nmark...@aol.com (NMarkow125) wrote:
>Most depts my area use yellow helmits
>except for line officers which is red for lt. and captain
>and white for chiefs.
Our helmets for Heavy Rescue are blue. Lt., Captian, Dep. Chief, and Chief
all have red as far as I know. Lt. and Captain are definitely red. I don't
think they want to give the Dep. Chief and Chief white helmets in order to
avoid confusion with the fire department. We did have yellow helmets, but
switched away from them.
>why they chose yellow im not sure. but will ask at next area meeting.
I'll ask the same once I get a chance to go back to NJ.
John W. Werner
I'm not aware of any structural, design, or safety variances in helmets
based solely on color.
As most of the other replys have mentioned, the color is used primarily
for quick or immediate classification and rank of firefighters on a
scene. In our area the color coding is as follows:
RED = Chiefs
WHITE = Officers
BLACK or= All Others
YELLOW
There was some talk a year or so ago about making yellow a "ROOKIE"
classification, however idea was shotdown.
John W. Werner
Whigham VFD #717
Tom Clark
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection uses this color
scheme:
Yellow - Firefighters and Engineers (reflective tape is yellow for
firefighters, red for Engineers
Red - Fire Captains
White - Chiefs
It is my opinion that the yellow helmets are the easiest to see in the
daytime. As for reflecting heat, believe me, they all can get hot enough to
melt under extreme conditions despite the color.
akos...@my-dejanews.com wrote in message
<6lh63c$cdi$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
Jeff
The Monroeville [NJ] Vol. Fire Comapny uses these colors:
Black: Regualr firefighter
Yellow: Junior "
Red: Captain
White: Chief
--
Jeff171
Reply in Newsgroup, do not send e-mail!
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Backdraft
> As most of the other replys have mentioned, the color is used primarily
> for quick or immediate classification and rank of firefighters on a
> scene. In our area the color coding is as follows:
> RED = Chiefs
> WHITE = Officers
> BLACK or= All Others
> YELLOW
> John W. Werner
> Whigham VFD #717
> akos...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> > Are there any studies or technical information that would support that yellow
> > firefighter helmets provide?
> >
> > a) enhanced visibility of workers ( given equal amounts of retroreflective
> > material with any other color of helmet particularly black)
> > b) reduced effects of heat radiation
> >
> > -----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
> > http://www.dejanews.com/ Now offering spam-free web-based newsreading
Hello, In my area we use the following color code
White Chiefs and Asst Chiefs
Red Capts. and Lts.
Black Engineers
Yellow Firefighters
Take Care
P.S. I agree that the color has nothing to do with what the helmet will
take, I have ruined Yellow, Black and working on the Red right now.
Chad
Lt. Madison Fire
Sean
At my station it is:
White - Chief/Captain
Red - Lt. / some firefighters
Black - Engineer
Yellow - Firefighter
Green - Juniors
Blue - EMT
-Sean
Mike
New Zealand Fire Service uses:
Yellow with red tape = Firefighter
Yellow with Blue Tape = Officer
White with white tape = Chief
Blue = Fire Police
Red = Rookie
Mike
akos...@my-dejanews.com wrote in message
<6lh63c$cdi$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
Sean
Hallo:
In my area:
white = chief officer
red = lieutenant or captain (and sometimes engineer, also)
yellow = fire fighter
black = fire fighter (or sometimes junior or probationary fire fighter)
blue = EMS or EMS officer
Sean
Jon
Nothing like a thread that unravells........
To answer the original question of, "
>>Are there any studies or technical information that would support that
>yellow
>>firefighter helmets provide?
>>
>>a) enhanced visibility of workers ( given equal amounts of
retroreflective
>>material with any other color of helmet particularly black)
>>b) reduced effects of heat radiation
I doubt the color of the helmet lends itself to any significant heat
reflectiveness. Regarding the light reflection, only the Scotchlight or
similar product is retroreflective, so the helmet won't do anything. Yellow
looks like black which looks like red and white at night.... (helmets that
is...)
Jon Kavanagh
jk...@customnet.com
Michael Taylor
I will tell you one thing that White helmets attract.
News reporters, that why when we are finished, I put my back in
the truck.
Mike
Have a good one.
Jon wrote in message <6lv5m2$jts$1...@noc1.gwi.net>...
pigg...@frontiernet.net
Colored helmets....sheeeesh! Are the chief's on these departments SOOOO
lacking that they cant tell an officer from a FF ?? That would scare
me. Because if he can't distinguish who HIS men are, then i'm SURE he
won't have the faintest idea where they are in a building or at an
incident. This is just another DUMB "dingerish" idea that has NO value.
EXCEPT now we can all look soooo "pretty" in our different colored
little helmets. This rates right up there in stupidity as this 2 in 2
out baloney. Gee, let's see just how STOOOOOPID we can make ourselves
look.
We spend hours upon hours dreaming up this garbage, but never has 2
minutes been spent considering the idiocy of these useless ideas if they
are put into effect. It's high time we get back to the basics of
firefighting and get away from this glory-seeking, camera-hound
mentality that seems to have crept into decent fire departments.
"CHANGE" for the better is always good. "CHANGE" for the sake of change
or to look pretty in front of the cameras makes me sick.
--
Tom Clark
I think you are a little off track in your response. I am a Fire Captain, I
wear a red helmet. We work large fires, with many different departments
involved. It is much easier to report to the Incident Commander if we can
identify him amongst a crowd by his white helmet. In addition, if someone
is looking for the Captain of an engine crew or hand crew, it is easy to
pick him out. I have never considered my red helmet "pretty", it signifies
my rank, just like my bugles and badge. In addition to wearing yellow
helmets, our firefighters have their unit (engine) number on their helmets.
This makes it a lot easier to find someone off "Engine 21" on the firescene
when you need to report to them, find their Captain, etc.
pigg...@frontiernet.net wrote in message <3583AF...@frontiernet.net>...
Todd Mesick
In my area
White = Chiefs
Black or yellow for everyone else, but crest stickers denote title
Todd Mesick
In my dept.
White = Chiefs
Black or yellow for everyone else, but crest stickers denote title
Todd Mesick
Ames NY VFD
Backdraft
pigg...@frontiernet.net wrote:
>
> Colored helmets....sheeeesh! Are the chief's on these departments SOOOO
> lacking that they cant tell an officer from a FF ?? That would scare
> me. Because if he can't distinguish who HIS men are, then i'm SURE he
> won't have the faintest idea where they are in a building or at an
> incident. This is just another DUMB "dingerish" idea that has NO value.
> EXCEPT now we can all look soooo "pretty" in our different colored
> little helmets. This rates right up there in stupidity as this 2 in 2
> out baloney. Gee, let's see just how STOOOOOPID we can make ourselves
> look.
> We spend hours upon hours dreaming up this garbage, but never has 2
> minutes been spent considering the idiocy of these useless ideas if they
> are put into effect. It's high time we get back to the basics of
> firefighting and get away from this glory-seeking, camera-hound
> mentality that seems to have crept into decent fire departments.
> "CHANGE" for the better is always good. "CHANGE" for the sake of change
> or to look pretty in front of the cameras makes me sick.
> --
Piggies, you must be on a SMALL department or have a department that
dont call for mutual aid to help you.My department only runs 45 ppl and
it is hard to keep track of who is who and especially when I have other
Engine companies and stuff on our scenes. I am a Lt. and the Red helmet
makes it easier for my men and women to find me or lets them know I am
an officer. I am not bashing you or anything, but cant understand how
you could think it is for "looks".
Chad
"Backdraft"
John W. Werner
Do you think that pigg...@frontiernet.net was serious? It sounded as
if he was... I hope not.
Piggies, if you read this... I simply don't understand your point of
view, while I do respect it, I can't see how a firefighter with any time
in could have that point of view...
Greg Halpin
Backdraft wrote:
>
> Piggies, you must be on a SMALL department or have a department that
> dont call for mutual aid to help you.My department only runs 45 ppl and
> it is hard to keep track of who is who and especially when I have other
> Engine companies and stuff on our scenes. I am a Lt. and the Red helmet
> makes it easier for my men and women to find me or lets them know I am
> an officer. I am not bashing you or anything, but cant understand how
> you could think it is for "looks".
I work in a combination department with 70 career personnel and about
30-40 active firefighting volunteers. Not big by any standard and I know
everyone in the department. At a fire scene, I can tell you that
different helmet colors and coat colors are a benefit.
Let me explain our colors:
Chief Officer (career only) - White helmet, white coat
Career Lieutenant - Yellow helmet, red coat
Career Firefighter - Red helmet, black or natural PBI coat
Volunteer Line Officer - Yellow helmet, yellow coat
Volunteer Firefighter - Black helmet, yellow coat
Volunteer personnel do not operate any front line apparatus in our
department, so being able to differentiate between career and volunteer
personnel is a bonus. If I'm standing in a group of people, my chief can
pick out my red coat and yellow helmet without any difficulty
whatsoever. And obviously, finding the chief in a white coat and helmet
is a definite benefit. Besides, when the press arrives later in the
incident, you can always say "you need to talk to that guy in the white
coat over there" without getting the blame! :)
But seriously, with everybody geared up and in SCBA, it's certainly not
easy seeing faces and telling people apart. The color code definitely
helps here.
Greg Halpin, Lt.
York City Fire/Rescue (PA)
Matt
Backdraft <Back...@prodigy.net> wrote:
>pigg...@frontiernet.net wrote:
>>
>> Colored helmets....sheeeesh! Are the chief's on these departments SOOOO
>> lacking that they cant tell an officer from a FF ?? That would scare
>> me. Because if he can't distinguish who HIS men are, then i'm SURE he
>> won't have the faintest idea where they are in a building or at an
>> incident. This is just another DUMB "dingerish" idea that has NO value.
>> EXCEPT now we can all look soooo "pretty" in our different colored
>> little helmets. This rates right up there in stupidity as this 2 in 2
>> out baloney. Gee, let's see just how STOOOOOPID we can make ourselves
>> look.
>> We spend hours upon hours dreaming up this garbage, but never has 2
>> minutes been spent considering the idiocy of these useless ideas if they
>> are put into effect. It's high time we get back to the basics of
>> firefighting and get away from this glory-seeking, camera-hound
>> mentality that seems to have crept into decent fire departments.
>> "CHANGE" for the better is always good. "CHANGE" for the sake of change
>> or to look pretty in front of the cameras makes me sick.
>> --
>
We have 5 different company colors, and a big numeral on the front for
the company, with the department numbers on the side in addition to
decals like engineer, paramedic, rescue, captain, etc.
Officials have white helmets.