Technical Specifications of Functional Design for Firefighter Uniforms

The personal protective clothing (PPC) for the protection of firefighters usually comprises layered thermal protective clothing and a uniform under the fire protective clothing. A uniform is also worn for official businesses and operational duties. The function and comfort of the daily uniforms are very important to firefighters. In this paper, a satisfaction survey on the daily uniforms of contemporary firefighter in Hong Kong was conducted. After analysis, the subjective requirements for the uniforms of firefighters were obtained. This study provided viable references for the design of innovative firefighter uniforms for daily use. Furthermore, the functional requirements of these uniforms were systematically analyzed in the physical, physiological, and psychological aspects. The relationships between the functional requirements of uniforms and characteristics of fabric materials were established. Accordingly, technical specifications for firefighter daily uniform fabrics were proposed, and the functions of fabric properties were characterizes including basic characters, thermal function, protection, and handle properties. Subsequently, 10 types of fabrics were characterized following the technical specifications for shirt, long pants, and undershirts of uniforms. Finally, the respective requirements of fabrics for shirts, long pants, and undershirts were also described.