Oct 17, 2022 12:30 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Structural and wildland firefighting personal protective clothing (PPC) is primarily developed for the male firefighter, despite the growing number of female firefighters in the fire protection community. Female firefighters wear the same turnout suits and wildland gear as their male counterparts and are at a higher risk of injury and fatality due to ill-fitting PPC. Research has found that female firefighters are wearing PPC that is not sized for the female form and therefore has an unsatisfactory fit. Sizing data from other organizations have demonstrated that PPC needs to be designed specifically for women and that simply downsizing the garment is not an appropriate solution. This webinar will disseminate the findings of the study, including end-user feedback, the first female firefighter anthropometric database, and a discussion around the challenges and barriers of designing and producing gear for the female firefighter population.
Presenters:
• Dr. Meredith McQuerry, Associate Professor, Florida State University
• Dr. Cassandra Kwon, Research Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University
Fire Protection Research Foundation 2022 Webinar Series Sponsors:
American Wood Council
AXA XL Risk Consulting
FM Global
Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co., Inc.
Telgian Engineering and Consulting
The Zurich Services Corporation