Visibility and Protection
The bright-yellow shirt worn today is designed for use by wildland firefighters as a safety garment. Visibility on the fireline is critical for firefighter safety. Today’s brush shirts are made of flame-resistant material designed for high visibility and protection from fire.
Undergarments and Footwear
Beneath their fire pants and fire shirts, wildland firefighters must wear 100% cotton undergarments. Synthetic materials will adhere to the skin in extreme heat. Eight-inch, lug-soled leather boots provide firefighters ankle support, traction, and foot protection.
Historical Changes and Current Standards
Fire officials quickly switched the uniform color to yellow after aircraft mistook the orange for flames and dropped retardant on firefighters. The pants weren’t required until 1974. The shirts and pants are made of heat-resistant, synthetic aramid fabric designed to form a char that protects the skin.
Modern turnout jackets and pants are made of fire resistant fabrics such as Nomex, Aramid, or Kevlar. Fire helmets are red for deputies, officers, or captains; blue for lieutenants or EMS personnel; and yellow for lieutenants and regular firefighters. The reinforced helmet dome ensures objects falling on a firefighter’s head do not cause injury.
The Color Yellow in Firefighter Garb
Why do firefighters often dress in yellow or tan? The color yellow was proven in studies to be more visible in dark and smoky environments. The bright-yellow shirt worn today is designed as a safety garment for high visibility.
Contrast with Reporters and Firefighting Tactics
The suits the firefighters wear are darkened by smoke, soot and dirt as well as by a lot of sweat. In contrast to the reporters’ suits which are usually clean and bright yellow, the firefighters’ garments show evident hard work and wear. These trained crews suppress flames, extinguish areas of heat to protect wildlife, and work in smoky areas.
Firebreaks and Fireproof Material
One traditional method is to douse existing fires with water and spray fire retardants. Firefighters also sometimes work in teams, often called hotshots, to clear vegetation from the land around a fire to contain and eventually starve it of fuel. The resulting tracts of land are called firebreaks. When exposed to flames, the shirt is designed to burn rather than melt by forming a char that protects the skin.
True North Brush Shirt meets industry standards, NFPA 1977 certifications, and definitions.