Comparativeanalysis_Menard xTeacherrequiredcorrections
Leather firefighters helmet
TRADITIONS IN THE FIRE SERVICE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS 1
TRADITIONS IN THE FIRE SERVICE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS 5
Traditions in the Fire Service: A Comparative Analysis of Leather and Composite Fire Helmets
Jeffrey Menard
Columbia Southern University
Traditions in the Fire Service: A Comparative Analysis of Leather and Composite Fire Helmets
The American Firefighter is deeply rooted in American history. Benjamin Franklin is credited with starting the first formally organized volunteer fire department (The Union Fire Company) and the fire insurance company (Philadelphia Contributionship) in Philadelphia, but history shows Boston Massachusetts had the first publicly funded fire service in the late 1600’s. The early Boston Fire Department only protected its members where the Union Fire Company protected the entire community (Shreck, 2010). With the fire service being formed so many years ago, there are a number of traditions that still exist today. A firefighters’ helmet (also known as a hat) is one of the more debated traditions. Jacobus Turck is credited for the first leather fire hat in 1700’s; and the design looked like a top hat or stovepipe shape (Daskal & Rodah, 2009). Later, the design of the helmet was improved by Mathew Dubois, iron wire was sewed inside which helped hold its shape. In early 1800 Henry T. Gratacap, a well know luggage maker and New York City volunteer firefighter, took Jacobus fire hat and completely redesigned/reshaped it into the shape that is still used today (known as the New Yorker) (Shreck, 2010). Firefighters were given the nickname of leatherheads. Leather helmets were solely used until newer composite helmets were invented in the mid 1900’s. Before composite helmets came about some helmets were made of tin and were lighter, but it did not resist heat as well as leather.
Today, the biggest debate in the fire service is leather or composite helmets. Although, there have been a few tweaks to the shape of the fire hat and given different names such as the “Phoenix” or the “Bronx”, the “New Yorker” is still the most widely used fire hat. All helmets come in leather or composite and carry the same name to the shape like the “New Yorker”. While Leather and composite helmets offer the same protection, carry the same safety ratings by NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) and have the same shape, the leather helmet is more expensive, requires a lot more maintenance and is heavier than the composite helmet. All volunteer and paid fire departments offer firefighting equipment or an allowance to buy your own gear, so leather over composite many times becomes tradition over value.
NFPA 1971, standard on protective ensembles for structural firefighting governs what safety features a fire helmet must meet. Any fire hat that is produced, must meet or exceed this NFPA standard, whether leather or composite. The Cairns 1010 composite helmet and the Cairns N6A leather helmet, both manufactured by MSA, are exactly the same when it comes to safety in the eyes of NFPA
NFPA 1851, standard on selection, care and maintenance of PPE (personal protection equipment) states all PPE can only be in service for 10 years, therefore both the leather and composite hats can only be in service for 10 years. Unlike the composite helmet, leather helmets require constant upkeep, yearly deep cleaning, manufacturer repairs and repainting when needed. Neglecting to maintain your leather hat can and will reduce the 10-year life expectancy. Not caring for your leather helmet will cause the leather to deteriorate over time and deem the hat unrepairable. Not cleaning your composite hat will not harm or lower the life expectancy. Although a dirty hat does carry cancer causing carcinogens and covers any cracks that may have formed in the composite. A composite hat wins if a firefighter is not going to take care of equipment, then again if a firefighter is not going to maintain personal equipment, the fire service is most likely not a good career choice anyway.
The final differences between leather over composite are cost and weight. A Cairns 1010 costs $275 and weighs about 55oz, whereas the Cairns N6A costs $725 and weighs around 70oz. A difference of 15oz may not seem like much, but at an extended emergency scene that is almost an extra pound to carry on a person’s head for possibly hours. Just over $400 more for the leather helmet over composite is a major difference for most, on a firefighter’s salary. Weight and cost are the biggest differences when considering leather over composite.
Although leather and composite helmets have the same functionality, shape and safety. The cost, care and weight are very different. Most firefighters that opt to wear a leather helmet do it for tradition. The department I work for provides us with a composite helmet and doesn’t allow leather helmets. The day my department allows leather helmets is the day I will buy a leather helmet. Tradition is one of the few things we have left from the early fire service, let’s keep our traditions.
References
· Barry S. Daskal & Dave Rodahan (4/1/2009) Whats on Your Head. Fire Engineering
· Steve Shreck (12/1/2010). History of The Leather Helmet. Frozen Leather
· (2014). NFPA 1851
· (2018). NFPA 1971
TRADITIONS IN THE FIRE SERVICE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
1
Traditions in the Fire Service: A Comparative Analysis of Leather and Composite Fire Helmets
Jeffrey Menard
Columbia Southern University
1
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:17:48-08:00
Good job on your Title Page, Jeffrey.
TRADITIONS IN THE FIRE SERVICE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS 2
Traditions in the Fire Service: A Comparative Analysis of Leather and Composite Fire Helmets
The American Firefighter is deeply rooted in American history. Benjamin Franklin is
credited with starting the first formally organized volunteer fire department (The Union Fire
Company) and the fire insurance company (Philadelphia Contributionship) in Philadelphia, but
history shows Boston Massachusetts had the first publicly funded fire service in the late
16
00’s.
The early Boston Fire Department only protected its members where the Union Fire Company
protected the entire community. With the fire service being formed so many years ago, there are
a number of traditions that still exist today. A firefighters’ helmet (also known as a hat) is one of
the more debated traditions. Jacobus Turck is credited for the first leather fire hat in 1740; and
the design looked like a top hat or stovepipe shape. Later, the design of the helmet was improved
by Mathew Dubois, iron wire was sewed inside which helped hold its shape. In early 1800 Henry
T. Gratacap, a well know luggage maker and New York City volunteer firefighter, took Jacobus
fire hat and completely redesigned/reshaped it into the shape that is still used today (known as
the New Yorker). Firefighters were given the nickname of leatherheads. Leather helmets were
solely used until newer composite helmets were invented in the mid 1900’s. Before composite
helmets came about some helmets were made of tin and were lighter, but it did not resist heat as
well as leather.
Today, the biggest debate in the fire service is leather or composite helmets. Although,
there have been a few tweaks to the shape of the fire hat and given different names such as the
“Phoenix” or the “Bronx”, the “New Yorker” is still the most widely used fire hat. All helmets
come in leather or composite and carry the same name to the shape like the “New Yorker”. While
Leather and composite helmets offer the same protection, carry the same safety ratings by NFPA
(National Fire Protection Agency) and have the same shape, the leather helmet is more
2
3
4
5
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:19:
11
-08:00
This is a comma splice error.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:21:01-08:00
Nice job on your introduction and thesis. However, much of this information would not be considered common knowledge. Therefore, properly formatted in-texts citations are needed to indicate where you located this information. Be sure to consult the CSU Citation Guide for further assistance, instructions, and examples.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:21:47-08:00
No comma is needed after the word “Although”.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:22:26-08:00
A comma is needed before the word “and”.
TRADITIONS IN THE FIRE SERVICE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS 3
expensive, requires a lot more maintenance and is heavier than the composite helmet. All
volunteer and paid fire departments offer firefighting equipment or an allowance to buy your
own gear, so leather over composite many times becomes tradition over value.
NFPA 1971, standard on protective ensembles for structural firefighting governs what
safety features a fire helmet must meet. Any fire hat that is produced, must meet or exceed this
NFPA standard, whether leather or composite. The Cairns 1010 composite helmet and the Cairns
N6A leather helmet, both manufactured by MSA, are exactly the same when it comes to safety in
the eyes of NFPA
NFPA 1851, standard on selection, care and maintenance of PPE (personal protection
equipment) states all PPE can only be in service for 10 years, therefore both the leather and
composite hats can only be in service for 10 years. Unlike the composite helmet, leather helmets
require constant upkeep, yearly deep cleaning, manufacturer repairs and repainting when needed.
Neglecting to maintain your leather hat can and will reduce the 10-year life expectancy. Not
caring for your leather helmet will cause the leather to deteriorate over time and deem the hat
unrepairable. Not cleaning your composite hat will not harm or lower the life expectancy.
Although a dirty hat does carry cancer causing carcinogens and covers any cracks that may have
formed in the composite. A composite hat wins if a firefighter is not going to take care of
equipment, then again if a firefighter is not going to maintain personal equipment, the fire
service is most likely not a good career choice anyway.
The final differences between leather over composite are cost and weight. A Cairns 1010
costs $275 and weighs about 55oz, whereas the Cairns N6A costs $725 and weighs around 70oz.
A difference of 15oz may not seem like much, but at an extended emergency scene that is almost
an extra pound to carry on a person’s head for possibly hours. Just over $400 more for the
6
7
8
9
10
11
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:22:50-08:00
A comma is needed after the word “maintenance”.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:23:25-08:00
No comma is needed after the word “produced”.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:24:01-08:00
A semicolon is needed (rather than a comma) after the word “years”.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:24:35-08:00
A comma is needed after the word “repairs”.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:25:11-08:00
This is a comma splice error.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:26:43-08:00
This sentence is somewhat hard to follow. How might you reword/revise it so that your audience knows exactly what you are trying to convey?
TRADITIONS IN THE FIRE SERVICE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS 4
leather helmet over composite is a major difference for most, on a firefighter’s salary. Weight and
cost are the biggest differences when considering leather over composite.
Although leather and composite helmets have the same functionality, shape and safety.
The cost, care and weight are very different. Most firefighters that opt to wear a leather helmet
do it for tradition. The department I work for provides us with a composite helmet and doesn’t
allow leather helmets. The day my department allows leather helmets is the day I will buy a
leather helmet. Tradition is one of the few things we have left from the early fire service, let’s
keep our traditions.
12
13
14 15
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:27:00-08:00
No comma is needed after the word “most”.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:27:25-08:00
This is a sentence fragment.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:27:37-08:00
A comma is needed after the word “care”.
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:28:00-08:00
The word “who” should be used here (instead of “that”).
TRADITIONS IN THE FIRE SERVICE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS 5
References
Fire Engineering 4/1/2009, Barry S. Daskal & Dave rodahan
Frozen Leather 12/1/2010 Steve Shreck
NFPA 1851 2014 edition
NFPA 1971 2018 edition
16
Julie Mc Manis @ 2019-03-07T12:29:31-08:00
Jeffrey, these Reference entries are not formatted correctly. More importantly, there are no corresponding in-text citations to indicate where you used this material in the essay. Be sure to consult the CSU Citation Guide for further assistance, instructions, and examples.
Comment Summary
Page 1
1. Good job on your Title Page, Jeffrey.
Page 2
2. This is a comma splice error.
3. Nice job on your introduction and thesis. However, much of this information would not be considered common knowledge.
Therefore, properly formatted in-texts citations are needed to indicate where you located this information. Be sure to
consult the CSU Citation Guide for further assistance, instructions, and examples.
4. No comma is needed after the word “Although”.
5. A comma is needed before the word “and”.
Page 3
6. A comma is needed after the word “maintenance”.
7. No comma is needed after the word “produced”.
8. A semicolon is needed (rather than a comma) after the word “years”.
9. A comma is needed after the word “repairs”.
10. This is a comma splice error.
11. This sentence is somewhat hard to follow. How might you reword/revise it so that your audience knows exactly what you
are trying to convey?
Page 4
12. No comma is needed after the word “most”.
13. This is a sentence fragment.
14. A comma is needed after the word “care”.
15. The word “who” should be used here (instead of “that”).
Page 5
16. Jeffrey, these Reference entries are not formatted correctly. More importantly, there are no corresponding in-text citations
to indicate where you used this material in the essay. Be sure to consult the CSU Citation Guide for further assistance,
instructions, and examples.