Why is it called “turnout gear”?
Turnout gear is the protective clothing everyone associates with firefighters. It consists of boots, pants, suspenders and a jacket. Sometimes called bunker gear because it is stored next to the firefighter’s bunk, turnout gear earned its name as a result of efforts to save time in responding to a fire.Early HistoryIn the 19th century, fire clothing usually consisted of wool or cotton pants, a shirt, boots, gloves, and an overcoat of leather. Donning specialized outer protective clothing was not yet required.Material DevelopmentBy mid-20th century, pants and coats were being made of multiple layers to resist heat and repel water. Boots were made of rubber. Getting dressed became time-consuming because of the bulkiness of the clothing.The BottleneckMany procedures have developed to speed up the response of a fire company. Fire poles speed firefighters from living quarters to response vehicles. Donning pants, then boots, followed by the jacket became the bottleneck in getting ready quick
