Abstract: A work garment having a waist portion covering a lower back area of a wearer and a front closure, and a support member, attached to the garment, for supporting a lumbar region of the wearer. The support member preferably includes a plurality of elastic bands extending about the waist portion of the garment and having complementary closure members positioned adjacent to the front closure of the work garment, and a contact member, attached to the elastic straps, positioned to contact the lumbar region of the wearer. In one embodiment, the elastic straps are integral with the work garment, which may be a coverall, and in other embodiments with firefighter garments such as a jacket, pant, and girdle. In one embodiment, the contact member consists of a resilient pad centered in the lumbar area of the wearer, and in another embodiment, the contact member consists of a plurality of elongate, vertically-extending stays.

Abstract: A firefighter coat having an outer shell which includes body and collar portions, an inner thermal liner having body and collar portions, and a hood including a rear portion having strips of hook and loop fastener material, located on opposing surfaces, for engaging complementary strips of hook and loop fastener material located on adjacent surfaces of the outer and inner collar portions. The hood includes a front bib for protecting the neck of the wearer and which includes tabs of fastener material for attachment to the outer collar portion. The hood may be carried on the back of the coat when not worn, or removed from the coat entirely, wherein the strips of fastener material on the inner and outer collar portions join the collar portions together to make a complete collar for the coat.

Abstract: A firefighter's turnout apparel comprises a pair of pants wherein knee joint areas of lower leg sections are formed to include bellows at the bend of the knee joints for increased protection, flexion range, and comfort. The bellows interconnect material above and below the joint sections to reduce tightness at the outside of the joint areas and material bunching at the inside of the joint areas, permitting freer flexibility and reduced compression of thermal material. Added material in the bellows which extends around the outer joint area, produces a slight bend in the material at these points results in the turnout apparel having a more natural and comfortable shape through the knee joint region, improving the thermal protection due to the reduced compression. Additional thermal protection is provided by inclusion of an additional thermal layer in the bellows. In addition to improved thermal protection, the bellows reduce cuff travel of the pants to provide better protection of the ankle areas.

Abstract: A firefighter coat of the type having an outer shell, a moisture barrier and a thermal barrier includes a reservoir cuff which prevents liquid moisture from entering the open sleeve end of the coat and flowing between the moisture barrier and outer shell, and between the moisture barrier and thermal barrier. The reservoir cuff includes a reservoir member which is attached by a waterproof seal to the moisture barrier sleeve and extends to the end of the thermal barrier; the connections between the reservoir member, thermal barrier and moisture barrier being permanent and waterproof. The moisture barrier sleeve extends beyond the reservoir member and is attached to the outer shell at a hem which extends about the outer end of the shell.

Abstract: An arrangement for supporting a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) on a firefighter's turnout coat includes a vest-type garment composed of a back panel and shoulder and waist straps attached to respective upper and lower portions of the back panel. Releasable coupling devices are connected to the ends of the shoulder and waist straps for detachably connecting the respective ends together to tightly secure the vest-type garment on the wearer. The back panel of the garment can be secured to either the inside or the outside of the back of an outer protective shell of the coat. The shoulder and waist straps of the vest-type garment are located internally of an inner liner of the coat by extending from the back panel of the vest-type garment through slots in the inner liner. The SCBA supporting arrangement also includes an elongated flexible pouch mounted in the center of the exterior of the back of the outer shell of the coat for holding an air bottle of the SCBA.

Abstract: An improved suspender support arrangement for firefighter's trousers provides more even support for the inner liner and the outer shell of turnout pants. First fasteners, buttons or studs in two illustrated embodiments, are secured to the waist area of the inner liner of the turnout pants for receiving loop fasteners of a set of suspenders. Second fasteners, buttons or sockets in the two illustrated embodiments, are secured to the waist area of the outer shell of the turnout pants at a plurality of locations therearound. The second fasteners are aligned with and receive the first fasteners such that the set of suspenders supports both the inner liner and the outer shell of the turnout pants. In a third embodiment, suspenders are affixed to the inner liner which is in turn removably attached to the outer shell. The apparatus ensures that the turnout pants include an inner liner since the set of suspenders cannot be secured to the turnout pants without an inner liner.

Abstract: A firefighter garment having an outer shell with a waist portion covering a lower back area of a wearer and a front closure, an inner liner having a thermal layer and shaped to fit within the outer shell and a support member, attached to the outer shell, for supporting a lumbar region of the wearer. The support member preferably includes a plurality of elastic bands extending about the waist portion of the garment and having complementary closure members positioned adjacent to the front closure of the outer shell, and a contact member, attached to the elastic straps, positioned to contact the lumbar region of the wearer. In one embodiment, the elastic straps are integral with the garment, preferably a pant, and in another embodiment, the support member comprises a girdle which is attachable to the firefighter pant and includes buttons for attachment to suspenders, thereby forming a component of a pant suspension system.

Abstract: A firefighter garment comprises an outer shell made of a flame-resistant material, a moisture barrier positioned within the shell and an inner thermal barrier layer positioned within the shell and including at least one layer of a mesh fabric. The mesh fabric creates a layer of air between the wearer and the outer shell sufficient to protect the wearer from a high temperature external heat source and yet promotes heat and perspiration vapor transfer from the wearer's body. In a preferred embodiment, the inner thermal barrier layer includes two layers of mesh material, the material having between 8 and 16 holes per inch, quilted to a facecloth material which is located facing the wearer's body.

Abstract: A firefighter jacket of the type having an outer shell and an inner, removable liner includes a closure assembly having multiple layers of material in excess of the number required to provide sufficient thermal and moisture protection is improved in that the closure assembly is displaced from the central portion of the jacket to one side sufficiently to clear the high perspiration area of the central chest, whereby the high perspiration area is covered only by the minimum acceptable layers of material so that heat loss and perspiration evaporation through this area is not impeded excessively.

Abstract: A firefighter pant support system for use with firefighter pants having an outer sheel of a fire and moisture resistant material and an inner liner of a heat resistant material wherein the inner liner is removable from the outer shell. The support system includes a vest member having a body preferably made of a heat-resistant open mesh, and a waistband having a plurality of button holes for receiving fasteners, such as buttons or fastener studes, such that the vest member supports the pant liner and outer shell when worn by a user. In an alternate embodiment, the vest member is stitched permanently to the liner to make a jump pant. The vest member distributes the weight of the pant liner and pant shell over a broader area than conventional suspenders, provides a layer of thermal protection for the upper body of the wearer and can carry reflective trim detectable when the wearer removes his firefighter coat.

Abstract: A combined turnout pant and boot provide an effectively continuous moisture barrier. Each pant leg includes a moisture barrier liner and may include a first cuff. To fasten the boot to the liner, a second cuff, which may be attached to the top of the boot, is pulled up to the bottom of the moisture barrier liner and first and second corrugated connections are sealed together. The corrugated connections may be at one end of the second cuff and at the bottom of the first cuff; at the other end of the second cuff, with the second cuff being an extension of the liner and the first cuff, and at the top of the boot, or at both ends of the second cuff and at the first cuff and at the top of the boot. Excess material on the second cuff permits the second cuff to fold down, tending to fall over the boot with the liner extending down over the boot with it, thereby providing a substantially complete moisture barrier betwene the pant and the boots.

Abstract: A firefighter's turnout coat comprises a body portion cut to define armholes, shoulder sections, neck sections, a hem and a front opening of the coat wherein the shoulder sections are formed to include excess front to back material to form a shoulder having a shallow angle wherein shoulder pockets are formed at the upper ends of the armholes. Distances of the armholes to the hem of the body portion range preferably from 22-23 inches for a body portion having a length of approximately 35 inches. Full length sleeves include excess circumferential material within the mid-portions thereof to increase the fullness of the sleeves. Bellows for interconnecting the lower portions of the sleeves to the raised armholes are enlarged in their width dimensions such that firefighters wearing a turnout coat can raise their arms above their heads with substantially reduced ride-up of the hem and sleeves of the turnout coat to thereby reduce potential exposure of their torsos and wrists in a shorter, lighter weight coat.

Abstract: A protective coat for firefighters comprises an outer shell, an inner liner and a flap. The outer shell has a front and back portion defining a neck opening and right and left sleeve openings, and right and left sleeves attached to the right and left sleeve openings, the back portion having a lower edge. The inner liner also has a front and back portion defining a neck opening and right and left sleeve openings, and right and left sleeves attached to the right and left sleeve openings, the back portion having a lower edge. The sleeves of the inner liner are insertable within the sleeves of the outer shell and the neck openings are coincident so that the inner liner is secured within the outer shell. The flap is extendable downwardly in a first position below the lower edge of the back portions of the outer shell and inner liner and is foldable upwardly in a second position thereabove to provide a visual indication that the inner liner is missing.