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 Every day your skills and experience as a firefighter or emergency service technician are put to the highest test. As a result, you expect superior performance from every piece of your protective apparel and turnout gear. That’s why you can count on NOMEX®. Because DuPont is committed to the protection of every firefighter and EMT who puts on garments made with NOMEX®, we utilize a number of critical thermal tests used in fire service today. These tests include THERMO-MAN® testing, Thermal Protective Performance (TPP), Radiant Protective Performance (RFP), the CCHR test, the 500°F Oven test, Vertical Flame test, and Non-Thermal Test Information.
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 THERMO-MAN®
The DuPont™ THERMO-MAN® is an instrumented, six-foot, one-inch tall, high-temperature mannequin system with 122 heat sensors used to test full-size garments and measure the protective performance of a variety of garments and clothing systems under realistic flash fire conditions. THERMO-MAN® is dressed in complete turnout and protective garments and engulfed in flames so that factors like garment construction, fabric weight, material type, style, fit and the impact of outerwear and undergarments can be taken into account. Results of these tests are then analyzed to determine the extent of thermal protection NOMEX® provides. It is the most advanced life-size thermal burn injury evaluation system in the world today.
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 Thermal Protective Performance
NOMEX® excels in the Thermal Protective Performance (TPP) test, which measures how well a fabric protects the wearer against second-degree burns in a flash fire. The higher the TPP value, the more thermal protection the fabric provides relative to other fabrics. Years of TPP testing have shown that protective apparel made from NOMEX® consistently outperforms chemically dependent fabrics, even when lighter weights of NOMEX® are compared to heavier-weight, chemically dependent fabrics like flame-retardant treated (FRT) cotton and FR modacrylic/cotton blends.
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 Radiant Protective Performance
NOMEX® performs well in Radiant Protective Performance (RPP) tests — the NFPA specification for proximity suits and wildland fire fighting clothing — which determine how much protection a fabric or a composite provides from a moderate or high level of radiant energy. It also measures the radiant heat energy required to cause a second-degree burn behind the fabric or composite. Under these tests, NOMEX® consistently provides superior protection when exposed to radiant sources such as aircraft fuel or wildland fires.
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 Compressive Conductive Heat Resistance
The Compressive Conductive Heat Resistance (CCHR) test determines how much protection a composite provides when compressed against a hot surface. CCHR measures how much time it takes for a 24°F temperature rise on a composite placed on a 235°F surface. The NFPA standard specifies a 13.5-second minimum performance for reinforced composites.
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500°F Oven
The 500°F Oven test determines the thermal stability of materials and measures whether a garment will ignite, melt, drip or separate after thermal exposure. In this test, NOMEX® has proven to be very stable when exposed to high heat.
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 Vertical Flame
Finally, NOMEX® also easily passes the vertical flame test — a basic pass-fail screening test that determines whether a fabric will ignite and burn after exposure to flames for 12 seconds. While fabrics made from NOMEX® pass the vertical flame test, fabrics of everyday cotton and polyester/cotton ignite and fail.
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Non-Thermal Tests
Thermal protection has traditionally been the key measure of protective apparel performance, whether that apparel is Stationwear, EMS wear or turnouts. Today, however, firefighters and emergency service personnel are being asked to do more than ever before. Recent NFPA statistics show that heat stress and strain are causing as many injuries to today’s firefighters and emergency service personnel as thermal hazards. As a result of these findings, the latest edition of NFPA 1971 includes a total heat loss limit aimed at reducing heat stress.
Some of the key non-thermal tests that can help you understand the performance of your turnout gear, Stationwear and EMS wear are listed below:
| Description of Test Methods |
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HEAT STRESS/MOBILITY/COMFORT |
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Total Heat Loss |
The ability of a composite to transfer heat away from the body |
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System Weight |
The total weight of the materials used in the three basic turnout components |
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Facecloth Friction |
The ease at which stationwear can move against the inner surface of turnout gear |
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Thermal Liner
Bending Stiffness |
The force needed to bend the heaviest layer of the turnout gear |
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Facecloth Wicking |
The ability of the inner surface of the turnout gear to absorb water away from the firefighter
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OUTERSHELL DURABILITY |
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Trap Tear |
The resistance of the fabric to propagating tears and rips |
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Grab Strength |
The resistance of the fabric to tearing |
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Taber Abrasion, CS10 |
The resistance to fabric/fabric abrasion, the type of wear seen in washing/tumble drying |
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Taber Abrasion, H18 |
The cut resistance of a fabric to a harsh surface such as concrete or an asphalt roof |
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