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: A protective helmet (10) of the type worn by a firefighter or other emergency worker has a crown (12) and a brim (14) that projects forwardly and laterally from the lower part of the crown (12). An eye protector (16) is provided on the helmet (10) in the form of a pair of transparent eye shields (18) that are mounted to the underside of the brim (14) by a bracket (20) for manual movement between a storage position and the usage position. A snap fit connector or hinge is provided on either the bracket (20) or each of the eye shields (18) to pivotably connect the eye shields to the bracket (20) for movement between the storage and usage positions.

Abstract: A self-contained breathing apparatus includes a tank of compressed air and an associated connector. A coaxial conduit extends from the connector to a face plate which might be used by a first responder. Air from the tank is coupled to the face plate via an internal conduit. Exhaled air from the face mask is carried away via an external conduit that surrounds the internal conduit, at least in part, and insulates the air being coupled to the face plate from ambient temperatures. The breathable air, flowing in the internal conduit also cools the exhaled air in the external conduit prior to that air flushing spaces between protective layers of the first responder's coat.

Abstract: A drag harness (20) is provided and includes two arm loops (40), each of which is adapted to receive a separate arm (42) of a wearer (24), and an elongate handle (44) having a length (L) extending from a first end (46) to a second end (48) spaced from the first end (46) by the length (L). One of the arm loops (42) extends from the first end (46), and the other of the arm loops (42) extends from the second end (48). The handle (44) is a separate component that is attached to the arm loops (42) whereby a rescuer (26) grasping the handle (44) can drag the wearer (24) with the wearer (24) in a supine position.

Abstract: In an ensemble for a firefighter or for an emergency rescue worker, protective trousers and a protective coat are provided with elastomeric gaskets, such as neoprene gaskets, one of which lines an inside surface of a distal margin of each leg of the protective trousers and is adapted to be snugly stretched around a protective boot, another of which lines an inside surface of a distal margin of each arm of the protective coat and is adapted to be snugly stretched around a protective glove, and another of which lines an inside surface of a lower margin of the protective coat and is adapted to be snugly stretched around the protective trousers. Such gaskets extend from and, preferably, are unitary with liners, such as neoprene liners, which provide moisture and/or chemical barriers. When stretched snugly, such gaskets inhibit ingress of potentially harmful materials, whether gaseous, liquid, or particulate.

Abstract: A protective hood (18) of a protective garment (16) is provided for use with a face piece or mask (12) worn by a user. The hood (18) includes an outer shell (30) having a peripheral edge (20), and a gasket (22) that extends from the peripheral edge (20) to an interior of the hood (18) for sealing engagement with the face piece or mask (12) with the gasket (22) being covered by the outer shell (30) of the hood (18) when worn by a user.

Abstract: An eye protector (16) is provided for mounting to a protective helmet (10) of the type worn by a firefighter or other emergency worker. The protective helmet (10) has a brim (14), and the eye protector (16) includes a bracket (20) mounted to the brim (14), an eye shield (18) movable between a storage position extending along the brim (14) and a usage position extending downward from the brim (14) to shield the eye of a wearer, a hinge (22) to connect the eye shield (18) to the mount bracket (20) for movement between the storage and usage positions, a spring (36) engaged with the eye shield (18) and the mount bracket (20) to resist movement of the eye shield (18) from the storage position and from the usage position, and at least one torsion member (38,50) engaged with the eye shield (18) at a location spaced from the spring (36). The at least one torsion member (38,50) applies a force to the eye shield (18) that urges the eye shield (18) toward the brim (14) in the storage position.

Abstract: An eye protector (16) is provided for mounting on a helmet (10) of the type worn by a firefighter or other emergency worker, the helmet having a brim (14) that projects forwardly and laterally from a lower part of a crown (12). The eye protector (16) includes a bracket (20) mounted to the brim (14), a pair of eye shields (18) movable between a storage position extending along the brim (14) and a usage position extending downward from the brim (14) to shield the eyes of the wearer, and a pair of hinges (22) to connect the eye shields (18) to the bracket (20) for movement between the storage and usage positions.

Abstract: A protective helmet of a type worn by a firefighter or by an emergency worker, wherein the protective helmet is equipped with a mounting device, by which a badge having a front face bearing indicia is mounted to the protective helmet. The mounting device comprises a fitment, which is mounted to the protective helmet and which has a recess opening downwardly and receiving an upper portion of the badge, the upper portion comprising an upper end of the badge. The mounting device comprises a blade, which is mounted to the protective helmet and which has a portion extending upwardly along a back face of the badge as far as the upper edge of the badge, or farther. The badge may be predominantly made of leather. The blade is a leaf spring, which biases the badge frontwardly.

Abstract: An eye protector (16) is provided for mounting to a protective helmet (10) of the type worn by a firefighter or other emergency worker. The protective helmet (10) has a brim (14), and the eye protector (16) includes a bracket (20) mounted to the brim (14), a first stop surface (38) carried on the bracket (20), an eye shield (18) attached to the bracket (20) for movement between a storage position extending along the brim (14) and a usage position extending downward from the brim (14) to shield the eye of the wearer, and a second stop surface (37) carried on the eye shield (18) and abutted against the first stop surface (38) with the eye shield (18) in the usage position to limit movement of the eye shield (18) beyond the usage position.

Abstract: A pair of protective pants, such as firefighter's pants or rescue provider's pants, has an upper portion, which when covers a lower region of a wearer's torso, and two leg portions, each of which when worn covers one of the wearer's legs. Each leg portion has an upper region, which extends downwardly from the upper portion, and a lower region, which extends upwardly from a lower end of such leg portion toward the upper region and which terminates not higher than where such leg portion when worn covers the wearer's knee. The pair of protective pants, at the lower region of each leg portion but not elsewhere, has an outer layer of puncture-resistant material.

Abstract: A self-contained breathing apparatus or a respirator can be equipped with a sensor of ambient airborne conditions. A display unit can be carried by a face mask for the apparatus or respirator. Responsive to output signals from the sensor, the display unit can present an air quality indicator, or a breathability indicator to a user of the apparatus or respirator.

Abstract: A protective garment (10) is provided for use by a firefighter or other emergency worker. The garment includes a torso covering portion (20, 50), a belt (24, 54) having a length extending around the torso covering portion, an attachment (25, 56) between the belt and the torso covering portion to limit relative movement of the belt along the length of the belt relative to the torso covering portion, and a belt receiving tunnel (28, 58) on the torso covering portion, the tunnel including a wall portion (40) that is movable between a closed position enclosing the belt in the tunnel and an open position allowing access to the attachment.

Abstract: A protective glove (10) is provided for use by a firefighter or other emergency worker. The glove (10) has a hand covering portion (16) with a plurality of fingers (18) extending therefrom. The protective glove (10) includes a palm face (12) to cover the palm side of the hand and fingers of a wearer, a back face (14) to cover the back side of the hands and fingers of a wearer, and at least one fourcette (22) connecting the palm face (12) to the back face (14) around a perimeter of at least one of the fingers (18) of the glove (10) to define a 3-D type construction for the at least one of the fingers (18). The palm face (12) is joined directly to the back face (14) around a perimeter of at least another one of the fingers (18) of the glove (10) to define a pancake-type construction for the at least another one of the fingers (18).

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 high visibility safety vest for use with an air/oxygen bottle such as used with a SCBA. The vest includes a torso covering portion of high visibility material. The torso covering portion includes a back panel with an air/oxygen bottle receiving cover of the high visibility material formed in the back panel to extend therefrom and cover an air/oxygen bottle of a SCBA worn by a wearer of the vest.

Abstract: A protective hood for use by a firefighter or other emergency worker. The hood includes a crown portion to cover the top of a wearer's head, the crown portion being made from a material having a primary stretch direction oriented to extend in a transverse, ear-to-ear, direction across the top of a wearer's head; and a lower portion that extends downward from the crown portion, the lower portion being made from a material having a primary stretch direction oriented to extend in a circumferential direction around a wearer's head.

Abstract: A drag harness comprises two arm loops, each of which has a fixed length and is adapted to receive a separate arm of a wearer, and a gripping loop having a fixed length, joined to the arm loops. Rather than one gripping loop, a pair of gripping loops, each having a fixed length, can be advantageously used. The arm loops are made from a non-abrading material, which may be rope, such as cotton rope or polyester rope. Alternatively, the non-abrading material may be a material, such as strapping, webbing, or rope, which has a surface finish providing the material with a non-abrading characteristic.

Abstract: A gasket system (18) is provided for use with a protective boot (12) and a pant leg (16) of a protective garment (14) for a firefighter or other emergency worker. The boot (12) includes an outer boot (24) and a moisture/vapor barrier liner (26), and the leg (16) includes an outer shell (20) and a moisture/vapor barrier liner (22). The gasket system (18) includes a first gasket (30) fixed to the liner (22) of the pant leg (16) and defining a first annular interlock (34) to encircle a wearer's leg received in the pant leg (16), and a second gasket (32) fixed to at least one of the outer boot (24) and the boot liner (26) and defining a second annular interlock (36) to encircle a wearer's leg received in the boot (12). The first and second interlocks (34,36) are engageable with each other to form a seal with a leg received in both the boot (12) and the pant leg (16).

Abstract: A firefighter's coat including an outer shell and a liner. The outer shell has an inner surface, an outer surface, a front opening with a closure, and a downwardly extending rear tail. The liner has an outer surface facing the inner surface of the shell providing a barrier against the environment. The liner outer surface has a bottom edge loose from the outer shell inner surface to facilitate air circulation for drying when the coat is not in use, and a pocket is defined along the bottom of the outer shell tail and adapted to receive the rear of the liner bottom edge when the coat is in use. A releasable fastener is adapted to releasably secure the liner in the pocket.