Chicago Sun-Times Editors
Re: January 16, 2007, Fran Spielman Article: Metal burns holes in city's new firefighter gear. No one hurt, but union official says clothing "failed".
Dear Sirs:
On January 16, 2007, the Chicago Sun-Times published the above-captioned article regarding the Chicago Fire Department's new firefighter protective gear. The headline, quoted above, and the accompanying text by Fran Spielman were highly misleading, and falsely put a negative spin on what should have been a very positive story for Chicago's new firefighter gear and its supplier, Lion Apparel.
Independent testing for the Chicago Fire Department after the incidents referenced in the article clearly demonstrated that the gear protected the firefighters from injury caused by direct contact with extremely dangerous molten metal.
It is a shame that by repeating and headlining an anonymous unsubstantiated accusation by an alleged "union official" that the gear failed, when in fact its performance was excellent, Chicago's firefighters and public will now be misled.
The independent testing mentioned in the article was performed by Dupont, a recognized leader in the technology used to create the synthetic fibers from which flame resistant firefighter protective gear is manufactured. Dupont performed microscopic analysis, including Energy Dispersive X-Ray, at its Virginia laboratory. The analysis showed that the damage to the gear was the result of prolonged exposure to molten metal at temperatures in excess of 2800 degrees F. The human body begins to sustain first degree burns when the skin reaches only about 120 degrees, yet the Chicago firefighters walked away totally unharmed.
Furthermore, the Chicago firefighter gear manufactured by Lion Apparel was tested by Dupont on an instrumented mannequin, and this very intensive testing resulted in absolutely no burn injuries under the protective clothing during simulated "flashover" or "backdraft" conditions. This testing is universally regarded as the closest approximation of the most catastrophic fire conditions faced by firefighters.
Mr. Spielman's article should have applauded the performance of Chicago's new firefighter gear in protecting the firefighters in these severe conditions, rather than misleading the public regarding the gear.
The public deserves to know that its expenditures to protect its firefighters paid off. It is not a "failure" for molten metal to damage modern turnout gear. To the contrary, the gear performed exactly as designed. The prevention of injuries in these incidents, as well as the most recent Dupont Thermo-Man test results, prove again that the Chicago firefighters' sophisticated new turnout gear, manufactured by Lion Apparel, far exceeds national safety standards and provides superior protection. In fact, now that the Chicago Fire Department has adopted NFPA compliant gear and the most progressive fullservice maintenance and cleaning program in the country, they are way ahead of their counterparts.
Lion Apparel is a leading manufacturer of top quality state of the art, protective clothing for firefighters called "turnout gear." Lion's protective "turnout gear" is used by firefighters, seven of the top 10 major fire departments, the military, and private businesses throughout the United States and in many foreign countries. In selecting Lion Apparel's firefighter protective gear, the Chicago Fire Department went through an extensive evaluation process, including evaluating such factors as safety, comfort, durability, and service.
Regrettably, disappointed competitors have attempted to disrupt this successful contract by attempting to mislead and confuse firefighters and the public. If any person claims that a competitor won the Chicago wear test, the claim is false.
We request that the Chicago Sun-Times correct the misinformation that has been disseminated to the public. I would be very pleased to discuss any aspect of this matter with you, and provide you with any further information you request in order to substantiate the quality and performance of Lion Apparel's protective gear, and Lion itself. Lion's gear deserves to be applauded for its protective performance in Chicago, rather than disparaged.
Stephen A. Schwartz
President
