Abstract: For a firefighter or for an emergency rescue worker, an earpiece comprising a speaker, a microphone, and a temperature sensor comprises a programmable chip, which is programmed to sound an alarm via the speaker if and only if a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor equals or exceeds a preset temperature. The speaker and the microphone provide for audible communication between a wearer and another.

Abstract: As worn by a firefighter or by an emergency rescue worker, a protective garment having a lower torso-covering portion and two leg-covering portions is equipped with a drag harness or drag harnesses. Each drag harness is accessible through an aperture or apertures somewhere in the lower torso-covering and leg-covering portions. In the illustrated and described embodiments, the protective garment is equipped with two knee pads. Each knee pad is manipulatable between a position wherein such knee pad covers the aperture or apertures in a given one of the leg-covering portions and positions wherein such knee pad does not cover the aperture or apertures in the given one of the leg-covering portions. Each knee pad may serve as a flap or may be completely detachable.

Abstract: A protective glove (10) is provided and includes a palm face (12) that covers the palm side of the hand and fingers and a back face (14) that covers the back side of the hand and fingers. The back face (14) includes at least one seam (22,24,26) that defines a corresponding bubble space (32,34,36) overlaying one of the knuckle joints in the hand. Each of the bubble spaces (32,34,36) provides an open area into which a corresponding knuckle joint can extend so as to improve flexibility of a user's hand and minimize fatigue.

Abstract: For and in a protective garment having an outer shell, a liner having a barrier side and an opposite side and having, on the barrier side, a moisture barrier or a barrier against chemical or biological agents is folded along two folds, which are parallel when laid flat and straightened, so as to form a fin projecting from the opposite side. A seal providing a similar barrier is provided between the folds. A plural-part fastener, such as a snap fastener or a hook-and-loop fastener, is used to fasten the liner having the barrier to and within the outer shell. One part of the plural-part fastener is mounted to the liner and another part of the plural-part fastener is mounted to the outer shell.

Abstract: A drag harness for use with a protective garment for a fire fighter or emergency worker is provided. The drag harness includes a gripping loop having a pull strap affixed thereto. The pull strap extends from an aperture in the protective garment such that the drag loop can be pulled through the aperture to drag the wearer. Furthermore, the protective garment may include a pocket wherein a portion of the drag loop may be contained when in a stored state.

Abstract: A closure for use with a pocket for a protective garment is provided. The closure includes a margin, a closure body and an edge. The edge is thicker than the closure body so as to provide better tactile feedback for the wearer. The edge may also include an insert located within the edge.

Abstract: A protective garment for a firefighter or emergency worker is provided. The protective garment includes a generally cylindrically shaped limb covering portion such as a sleeve or pant leg. A pocket is affixed to the limb covering portion and includes a bottom portion having an inner margin with an unstressed shape conforming to the generally cylindrically shaped limb covering portion.

Abstract: For and in a protective garment having an outer shell, a liner having a barrier side and an opposite side and having, on the barrier side, a moisture barrier or a barrier against chemical or biological agents is folded along two folds, which are parallel when laid flat and straightened, so as to form a fin projecting from the opposite side. A seal providing a similar barrier is provided between the folds. A plural-part fastener, such as a snap fastener or a hook-and-loop fastener, is used to fasten the liner having the barrier to and within the outer shell. One part of the plural-part fastener is mounted to the liner and another part of the plural-part fastener is mounted to the outer shell.

Abstract: In a protective garment comprising an outer shell, an intermediate liner, and an inner liner, a visual indication whether each liner is being worn, is provided to a person observing the outer shell, while the protective garment is being worn, via a tab extending from such liner and being manipulatable to an indicating position, in which the tab extending from such liner can be detachably attached to another part of the protective garment. In its indicating position, the tab extending from the intermediate liner can be detachably attached to the outer shell. In its indicating position, the tab extending from the inner liner can be detachably attached to the outer shell, in one contemplated embodiment, or to the tab extending from the intermediate liner, in an alternative embodiment.

Abstract: A protective hood is provided for covering at least a portion of a wearer's head. The hood includes an upper head covering section, a posterior head covering section, a neck covering section and an anterior head covering section. The anterior head covering section includes a window through which a portion of the wearer's face is exposed. The window is adjustable from a first position to a second position, exposing different portions of the wearer's face.

Abstract: A protective hood is provided for covering at least a portion of a wearer's head. The hood includes an upper head covering section, a posterior head covering section, a neck covering section and an anterior head covering section. The anterior head covering section includes a window through which a portion of the wearer's face is exposed. The hood also includes an expansion gap which permits the wearer's head to pass through the window.

Abstract: A pad, such as a knee, elbow, or shoulder pad, is wearable over an articulatable joint involving an arm of a wearer or a leg of a wearer and is constructed so as to define two flexing lines extending between an upper edge of the pad and a lower edge of the pad, which flexing lines define a central region of the pad and two lateral regions of the pad, so as to define a flexing line spaced from the central region and extending through each of the lateral regions, and so as to define plural flexing lines spaced from the upper and lower edges and from one another and extending across the central region, between the lateral regions. The pad comprises plural layers, which are sewn so as to define the flexing lines, and at least some of those layers are fabric layers.

Abstract: In a protective garment comprising an outer shell and a lining system, the outer shell has a front closure, which is openable and closeable, and the lining system has a front closure, which is openable and closeable. Each front closure extends along a generally vertical path when said front closure is closed while the protective garment is being worn by a wearer standing vertically. The front closures are staggered so as not to overlie one another when the front closures are. closed while the protective garment is being worn. In one embodiment, the front closure of the outer shell is arranged so as to be approximately centered between two arm-covering portions of the protective garment, when the front closures are closed while the protective garment is being worn.

Abstract: A helmet for a firefighter or for an industrial, chemical, or emergency rescue worker has a crown and a brim projecting forwardly from the crown. The helmet is equipped with a pair of eye shields, each of which is mounted to the helmet, each of which is adapted to be manually moved between a storage position and a usage position, and each of which in the usage position, but not in the storage position, projects downwardly so as to shield an associated one of the eyes of a wearer. The helmet is equipped with a pair of face-conformable gaskets, each of which is disposed along an outer edge of an associated one of the pair of eye shields and which is adapted to conform to the face of a wearer when the associated one of the pair of eye shields is moved into the usage position.

Abstract: A protective garment for a firefighter or for an emergency rescue worker is equipped with a drag harness and with a litter, which, when not deployed, is stored within a pocket of the garment and wherein the drag harness and the litter, when deployed, facilitate carrying a wearer. A back-covering portion of the protective garment has the pocket, which is located where the back-covering portion covers a lower region of the back of a wearer. The drag harness has two arm loops and a drag grip, which is attached to the arm loops and which extends outwardly through apertures in an upper region of the back-covering portion. The litter has two, flexible, longitudinal members, each of which is attached to one of the arm loops of the drag harness, and multiple, flexible, transverse members, which extend between the longitudinal members, outside the pocket, when the litter is deployed.

Abstract: A protective garment conforming to NFPA standards is combined with a measuring scale, which is displayed along a portion of the protective garment, such a sleeve, body, or leg, so as to facilitate taking a measurement, while the protective garment is being worn by a person. In a preferred mode for carrying out this invention, the measuring scale facilitates taking a measurement, while the garment of the combination is being worn by each person in a series of persons, to facilitate tailoring a similar garment for each person in the series of persons. In an alternative mode for carrying out this invention, the measuring scale facilitates taking a measurement, while the garment of the combination is being worn by just one person, to facilitate tailoring the garment of the combination to fit such one person.

Abstract: In a pair of protective trousers having a fly, in which a flap extending from a first edge of a torso-covering portion covers a second edge thereof in a closed condition of the fly but not in an opened condition of the fly and in which the first and second edges are secured releasably to each other, as by a hook-and-loop fastener, in the closed condition, a gusset extends along and between the first and second edges, in the opened and closed conditions.

Abstract: In a protective garment comprising an outer shell, wherein a reflective, fluorescent, or vision-enhancing strip is sewn to the outer shell on a generally tubular portion of the protective garment so that one end of the reflective, fluorescent, or vision-enhancing strip overlaps and is sewn to an opposite end of the reflective, fluorescent, or vision-enhancing strip, a protective strip, which covers the seam of the reflective, fluorescent, or vision-enhancing strip and which covers the end that overlaps and is sewn to the opposite end of the reflective, fluorescent, or vision-enhancing strip, is sewn to the outer shell and to the reflective, fluorescent, or vision-enhancing strip. The protective strip-is-made from a wear-resistant fabric.

Abstract: In a protective glove for a firefighter, an emergency rescue worker, or another worker in a high-heat area, a leather face has a peripheral edge, a leather back has a peripheral edge, a leather forchette has a peripheral edge sewn to the peripheral edge of the leather face and a peripheral edge sewn to the peripheral edge of the leather back, and a heat-resistant cover made from an aramid or polybenzamidazole fabric has a peripheral edge sewn to the peripheral edge of the leather back. The heat-resistant cover covers the leather back so as to protect the leather back against direct exposure to high heat that would tend to shrink the leather back if the leather back were not protected by the heat-resistant cover.

Abstract: A protective garment comprises an outer shell, which provides abrasion resistance and puncture resistance, a thermal liner, and a liner including a moisture barrier. Each liner being adapted to be separately and detachably attached to and within the outer shell. The garment is adapted to be selectively configured with neither said liner so attached or with the thermal liner so attached, for a firefighter fighting a wildland fire, with both said liners so attached, for a firefighter fighting a structural fire, or with the liner including the moisture barrier so attached, for a firefighter engaging in a technical rescue.