Wildland Firefighter Shelters

T

he fire shelter is a mandatory item of personal protective equipment for all wildland firefighters and must be arried on the fireline by everyone on Federal wildland fires.  State, local, and rural fire departments may have different policies regarding the fire shelter’s use.  Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District requires all wildland firefighters to carry a shelter.  The fire shelter has been required equipment for wildland firefighters since 1977. Since that time, shelters have saved the lives of more than 300 firefighters and have prevented hundreds of serious injuries.  A new generation of fire shelter now offers improved protection from both radiant and convective heat. Even so, the shelter will not protect firefighters under all fire situations.  The fire shelter should be used as a last resort if planned escape routes or safety zones become inadequate and entrapment is imminent. Carrying a fire shelter is not considered an alternative to safe firefighting.

The New Generation Fire Shelter

The new generation fire shelter protects primarily by reflecting radiant heat and trapping breathable air. The new shelter has two layers. The outer layer is aluminum foil bonded to woven silica cloth. The foil reflects radiant heat and the silica material slows the passage of heat to the inside of the shelter. An inner layer of aluminum foil laminated to fiberglass prevents heat from reradiating to the person inside the shelter. When these layers are sewn together, the air gap between them offers further insulation.

Deployment of the shelter can be difficult even int he best conditions.  High winds can whip the shelter in the wrong direction, temperatures are increasing rapidly, little to no light, and the need for a safe area for deployment are all challenges.

Deployed Fire Shelter