Abstract: A composite structure for a protective garment, such as a pair of bunker pants for a firefighter, a bunker coat for a firefighter, or a glove for a firefighter, has a moisture absorber, a moisture barrier disposed outwardly in relation to the moisture absorber, and an outer shell disposed outwardly in relation to the moisture barrier. The moisture absorber has a fibrous matrix incorporating a superabsorbent polymer, as particles or as fibers, and is disposed between an inner cover pervious to moisture and an outer cover. The inner and outer covers may be quilted so as to segregate discrete regions of the fibrous matrix. In one contemplated embodiment, the moisture barrier is affixed to the outer. In another contemplated embodiment, the the moisture barrier is affixed to the outer cover of the moisture absorber.

Abstract: A protective glove, such as a firefighter's glove has a back, a front defining a palm, a thumb, and four fingers. An outer shell of the protective glove comprises an expanse of a radiant reflective material, such as an aluminized fabric, and an expanse of a material defining a gripping surface, such as a sueded leather. The expanses are configured and are sewn together so that the radiant reflective material covers the back of the glove and covers the back, side, and end surfaces of the thumb and four fingers of the glove and so that the material defining the gripping surface covers the palm and the front surfaces of the thumb and four fingers. A separate piece of the radiant reflective material is sewn to the expanses so as to overlap a tip portion of the material defining the gripping surface, on the front of the thumb, at the tip of the thumb.

Abstract: Having shoulder straps that pass over a wearer's shoulders when it is worn, a harness of a type that complies with National Fire Protection Association 1983 Standard 4-3.1.3, is combined with suspenders, which are attached to the shoulder straps and which include front suspenders on each side of the harness and back suspenders on each side of the harness.

Abstract: In a protective glove, such as a protective glove for a firefighter, a thumb-covering portion has a generally uniform width except for a tip of the thumb-covering portion, and except for a wider region where the thumb-covering portion cover's at least one knuckle of a wearer's thumb, and each finger-covering portion has a generally uniform width except for a tip of that finger-covering portion, and except for a wider region where that finger-covering portion covers at least on e knuckle of an associated finger of the wearer. The wider regions facilitate flexing without binding.

Abstract: A breathing mask worn by a firefighter or by another wearer in a hazardous environment exposing the wearer potentially to heat and/or flame as well as to smoke and/or other chemical and/or biological agents is provided with an air filter, which is contained in a canister having an air inlet or air inlets and being connected to the breathing mask via a conduit, and with a protective cover for the conduit and for the canister. The protective cover comprises a fabric shell, which covers the conduit, essentially as far as the breathing mask, and which covers the canister, except that the fabric shell has an air inlet or air inlets communicating with the air inlet or air inlets of the canister. The fabric shell is made from a heat-resistant, flame-resistant fabric, preferably an aluminized fabric, such as an aluminized knit comprising approximately 33% polybenzimidazole fibers and approximately 67% polyparaphenylene terephthalamide fibers.

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.

Abstract: A protective pad is affixed to a protective garment having a moisture barrier and having an outer shell covering the moisture barrier, the moisture barrier being impervious to moisture and the outer shell being pervious to moisture. The protective pad has a moisture absorber incorporating a superabsorbent polymer and an outer cover pervious to moisture. The moisture absorber covers a region of the outer shell of the protective garment. The outer cover of the protective pad covers the moisture barrier. The outer cover of the protective pad is affixed to the outer cover of the protective garment, at least partly around the moisture absorber. The outer cover of the protective pad and the outer shell of the protective garment, in the covered region, are adapted to conduct moisture into the moisture absorber, in which the superabsorbent polymer is adapted to absorb much if not all moisture conducted into the moisture absorber.

Abstract: A liner and an insole, which are attached at a sole portion of the liner, are wearable with a boot, which is provided with a recess where an upper structure of the boot is affixed to a sole structure of the boot, at a heel end of the sole structure. At a heel end of the insole, the insole extends beyond heel portion of the liner so as to provide a tongue, which is fittable into the recess. The liner may be fixed to a pants leg. When the tongue is fitted into the recess, the liner is restrained against inverting and pulling from the boot, when the foot of the wearer is removed. The boot, liner, insole combination can be advantageously worn by a wearer, such as a firefighter, who needs quickly to don the combination and to doff the combination.

Abstract: A garment for a firefighter, a rescue worker, a forestry worker, or another worker having to carry a rope of a given diameter when unstressed, the garment has an expanse of fabric and two elastic bands are fastened, which are spaced from each other. Each band is fastened to the expanse of fabric by a series of spaced rows of stitches, which define a series of sleeves. Each sleeve is defined by an associated portion of the expansive region of the garment and by an associated portion of a respective one of the elastic bands. Each sleeve is adapted elastically to stretch at the associated portion of the respective one of the elastic bands so as snugly to hold two lengths of a rope. Each sleeve is adapted readily to release the lengths held by such sleeve when the rope is pulled from such sleeve. When the garment is equipped with a rope, the rope is arranged in a zig-zag pattern defining a series of loops, each loop having two lengths of the rope and a bight joining the lengths of such loop.

Abstract: A garment, such as a coat, shirt, or jacket, for a firefighter, a rescue worker, a forestry worker, or another worker having to carry a rope has a back portion and two front portions, each front portion extending from the back portion at one side of the garment. A back pocket extending at least substantially across the backs portion, between the sides of the garment, is adapted to carry a rope placed in a zigzag pattern. A front pocket extending at least partially across one of the front portions of the garment communicates with the back pocket, through a slit in the garment, so that a rope carried within the back pocket is removable through the slit and through the front pocket. A front flap overlies the front pocket and the slit. The back pocket is accessible from the interior of the garment and the front pocket is accessible from the exterior of the garment. A strip coacting with the back portion to define the back pocket has an upper edge and a lower edge.

Abstract: For a firefighter, rescue worker, or chemical worker or for a person engaged in an outdoor activity, a protective garment wearable as an outer garment or as a lining system under an outer shell and with a pair of boots having leg-encasing portions, comprises a pair of pants including a pair of leg portions. Fitting into an associated one of the pair of boots when the garment and boots are worn together, each leg portion has an outer layer being a moisture barrier and terminating in an outer sock and has an inner layer being a thermal liner and terminating in an inner sock or in a stirrup. The garment further comprises a pair of cuffs, each cuff being attached to and around the outer layer of an associated one of the leg portions so extend downwardly, over and around an upper area on the leg-encasing portion of the associated one of the boots when the garment and boots are worn.

Abstract: A combination of protective garments for a firefighter, a rescue worker, or a chemical or biological worker, comprises an inner garment having two sleeves, one at each side, a pair of inner gloves, a pair of outer gloves, and an outer garment having two sleeves, one at each side. At each side, the sleeve of the outer garment is adapted to cover the sleeve of the inner garment, the inner glove is securable, as by taping, at its wrist-covering portion to a wrist-covering portion at one end of the inner garment sleeve, and the outer glove is adapted to fit over the inner glove. At each side, the sleeve has a slit extending from the wrist-covering portion of the outer garment sleeve toward the opposite end of the outer garment sleeve.

Abstract: A garment, such as a coat, shirt, or jacket, for a firefighter, a rescue worker, a forestry worker, or another worker having to carry a rope has a back portion and two front portions, each front portion extending from the back portion at one side of the garment. A back pocket extending at least substantially across the back portion, between the sides of the garment, is adapted to carry a rope placed in a zigzag pattern. A front pocket extending at least partially across one of the front portions of the garment communicates with the back pocket, through a slit in the garment, so that a rope carried within the back pocket is removable through the slit and through the front pocket. A front flap overlies the front pocket and the slit. The back pocket is accessible from the interior of the garment and the front pocket is accessible from the exterior of the garment. A strip coacting with the back portion to define the back pocket has an upper edge and a lower edge.

Abstract: In a garment, such as a firefighter's garment, which has a collar having two front portions, a foldable chinstrap having a primary portion, a secondary portion, and two opposite ends may be fastened in a substantially permanent manner, as by sewing, at the primary portion to one such front portion of the collar, near one such end of the chinstrap. In an unfolded condition, in which the primary portion of the chinstrap is disposed below the secondary portion, the primary portion of the chinstrap can be releasably fastened, as by a hook-and-pile fastener, to the other front portion of the collar, near the other end of the chinstrap. In the unfolded condition, moreover, the secondary portion of the chinstrap can be releasably fastened, as by hook-and-pile fasteners, to the front portions of the collar, near the opposite ends of the chinstrap.

Abstract: A garment, such as a turnout coat for a firefighter, comprises a body, which has a front portion and a back portion, a left sleeve, a right sleeve, and a collar. Each sleeve is sewn in a raglan pattern to an associated gusset, which is sewn to a lower part of front portion of the body, at the front portion of the body, and is sewn in a dolman pattern to the back portion of the body. The collar is sewn to the left and right sleeves and to the front portion of the body. The garment is openable and closeable at the collar and at the gussets.

Abstract: In an assembly comprising a protective helmet and an eye protector, which is adjustable between a usage position and a storage position, a fabric panel has a portion affixed to the protective helmet and a portion extending from the affixed position. The extending portion is adapted to wrap a portion of the eye protector and to be releasably fastenable to the affixed portion so as to form a fabric cover from the fabric panel. The fabric cover is adapted to secure the eye protector in the storage position and to protect the wrapped portion of the eye protector in the storage position against soiling. A hook-and-pile fastener is used to fasten the extending portion of the fabric panel to the affixed portion of the fabric panel. In one contemplated embodiment, the eye protector is a face shield. In another such embodiment, the eye protector is a pair of goggles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a protective pad which may be used in a protective garment such as firefighter's garment. The pad of the present invention is designed to provide both insulation to the area covered by the pad, and dispersal of heated vapors and/or liquids away from this area. The pad of the present invention comprises an insulating construction that features a plurality of channels which allow the pad to accept and disperse heated vapors and/or liquids. The present invention also includes a firefighter's garment containing such a protective pad.

Abstract: In a protective garment, such as one worn by a firefighter, a rescue worker, or a racing car driver, in which fasteners, such as snap fasteners, are used for attaching a liner detachably to a coat, a hood having a cape hanging downwardly is provided with loops. Each loop has two ends and is affixed at each end to the cape. Each loop is adapted to extend around a respective fastener, between the coat and the liner, so as to attach the hood detachably when the liner is attached detachably to the coat. In one contemplated embodiment, the ends of each loop are affixed to each other and to the cape. In another contemplated embodiment, the loops are defined by a continuous ribbon affixed to the cape at spaced intervals defining the ends of the loops.

Abstract: A protective garment, and preferably a protective garment for firefighters, utilizing two strips of moisture impermeable, wick resistant material adjacent one or more openings of the garment in which the wick resistant materials form a shingle effect to prevent transmission of toxic liquids through seams of the garment for contamination of the wearer.

Abstract: The present invention is a protective garment comprising a puncture-resistant member disposed so as to protect the knee portions and forearm portions of the garment from injury from sharp objects. The protective garment of the present invention comprises an upper body portion comprising a torso portion and two arm portions and a trousers portion comprising a torso portion and two leg portions, and comprising a material providing abrasion resistance to the garment and providing thermal protection to the wearer. The dorsal forearm portions and ventral knee joint portions each comprise a puncture-resistant member disposed so as to protect these portions of the garment from complete puncture, thereby protecting the emergency worker from injury from sharp objects, such as hypodermic needles.