United States (New York) - Small volunteer fire departments are struggling to come up with funding to replace old turnout gear, the protective pants and coat that firefighters wear while they battle blazes. New National Fire Protection Association guidelines say that firefighters should only wear turnout gear that is less than 10 years old inside burning structures.

So as suits age, some departments face a big upcoming expense -- since each set of turnout gear can cost up to $2,000 just for the bunker pants and coat. On top of that, departments need special fire-resistant boots, gloves and helmets to complete their firefighters' uniforms.

"Fire departments are challenged in so many different ways, and there's no easy way to skimp," said J. Curtis Varone, manager for the public fire protection division for the NFPA. "When you really look at this issue, though, for a firefighter who spends 30 years in the fire service, you need three sets of gear. That's not unreasonable."

The National Fire Protection Association, which is a non-profit standards-making organization, conducted multiple tests on how equipment ages before making the recommendation. Mr. Varone said the special materials that make turnout gear fire-resistant start to degrade and deteriorate over time.

"It's easy to be lulled into a false sense of security that your turnout gear is adequate, but when you look at the risks, it's worth replacing," he said. "To the untrained eye, it may look fine, but all it takes is one point of degradation and you could risk somebody getting steam burns. Somebody could be seriously injured."

The West Potsdam Volunteer Fire Department is trying to find enough money in its annual budget to purchase a couple of new sets of turnout gear each year. That way, the department doesn't have to struggle to raise a large amount to replace a lot of suits at once.

"We have a small contract with the town (of Potsdam), but the majority of funds are raised through bingo or our demolition derby. The mandate is a burden on a small department like ours," said West Potsdam Chief Robert B. Pierce.

"There's a lot of stuff we're getting forced to comply with, and there's no funding coming along."

Heuvelton Fire Chief Mark Basford recently told trustees there that his department is also struggling to budget for the estimated $88,000 it will cost over 10 years to replace all the turnout gear for its 44 firefighters.

He said that even if the older gear passes all necessary inspections, volunteers will not be able to use them inside of structure fires.

"We can still use them outside, but we won't be able to use them inside burning structures," Mr. Basford said.

Public Safety Complex Director Martin J. Hassett, who is a volunteer firefighter in Richville, said he encourages the county's 41 fire departments to apply for state and federal grants to offset the cost of purchasing turnout gear.

"All of these fire departments want to comply. Especially with all of the people who do this on a volunteer basis for no pay -- they should at least have good gear to protect them," Mr. Hassett said. "If you had an accident or someone was injured, or heaven forbid someone were killed, and it were investigated, then it would come into play. If the turnout gear is too old, it opens the door for lawsuits."

Joel Barkin, a spokesman for the state Department of State, said the state Department of Labor oversees the enforcement of the turnout gear guidelines. He added that state fire trainers follow the regulations and replace their uniforms every 10 years.

Mr. Varone said while it may be costly for departments to replace turnout gear, he thinks it's worth the investment to avoid serious burn injuries -- which are expensive to treat -- and to ensure that firefighters are well-equipped to take on big blazes.

Written by Watertown Daily Times