Fire-Dex Blog

When most firefighters think of training, they think of the basics. Throwing ladders, opening doors, prepping hose lines. Those activities are all related to the primary job of firefighting: getting to people in danger and attempting to save property. 

When it comes to firefighter training, realism isn’t just about smoke machines and fire props—it’s about preparing the mind as much as the body. 

Alexandria Brown, or Dria to those who know her, is an Ohio firefighter, founder of the group Female Firefighters of Ohio, and avid (and successful) Firefighter Challenge competitor.  

In the last few decades, turnouts have evolved from rubber coats to modern three-layer composites. Advances in materials and fit mean that gear performs at a higher level than it did previously.

Misty Rackley, warehouse manager of Fire-Dex’s production plant in Pelham, Georgia, has spent 20 years working in the same building. 

Summer shifts can be brutal. The heat’s relentless, the calls keep coming, and the job never gets any easier. All that is made worse by the fact that you’re wrapped up in what can be described as a winter coat and snow pants all day—aka turnout gear.

Jimmy Berry, a Florida firefighter of over twenty years and instructor for VentEnterSearch, is passionate about educating and training firefighters for aggressive rescue tactics in the fire service. 

While structural firefighting gear is essential for high-heat environments, not every call requires the full protection of turnouts or structural firefighting gloves. Wearing full structural PPE for every incident can lead to unnecessary fatigue, cross contamination, and increased wear and tear on

“Dynamic,” says Michelle Petrie. Of all the words that could be used to describe her time at Fire-Dex, this one felt the most accurate. “We're always hopping. We’re always full of energy, very family oriented.”

In the fire world, there’s no such thing as a 9 to 5.