Women in firefighting: you deserve to be protected.
From your head to your toes, your turnout gear should fill you with confidence, so you can work hard without worrying about your safety. Because, in this line of work, mediocrity isn’t an option. Unfortunately for many females in firefighting, this level of comfort, safety, and protection just isn’t normal.
But Women's History Month is a time to remember how far we’ve come and reflect on our commitment to women’s wellness, on and off the fireground.
For many female firefighters, turnouts can feel like a necessary evil—you can’t work with it, but you can’t live without it. Shockingly, 15-21% of female firefighters don’t even wear all their PPE onto the fireground, because it doesn’t fit them and this contributes to the fact that women in firefighting have an even greater risk of occupational exposure because of problems in fit. That’s because a lot of gear for female firefighters is just smaller sizes of gear that’s designed for males.
At Fire-Dex, we don’t believe that any of this is okay.
Female firefighters deserve a fit that was made for them. A turnout that gives them all the comfort and protection they could wish for. That’s why Fire-Dex is so committed to designing and producing turnouts with the best mobility, most customizable fit, lightest materials, and toughest protection on the fireground. That’s why we designed AeroFlex, and that’s why we are still working with the future in mind—so you are as safe as possible.
Fire-Dex is working hard to prioritize female fit and continually developing cutting-edge technology that makes it easier to find turnouts that suit your body. Our elite turnout AeroFlex, is just one example of how we are doing this.
Unlike other turnouts on the market, AeroFlex is customized to the individual. That’s because instead of one pattern, we offer multiple fit types to ensure that every firefighter has gear that fits right. That means gear that’s actually made custom for females, not just resized gear off the shelf. AeroFlex is also extremely light and breathable, allowing for better mobility and less heat stress. All these factors compound on the fireground, resulting in better safety for our firefighters.
Fire-Dex has a unique perspective when it comes to prioritizing women’s wellness because we’re run by women. Fire-Dex CEO Lauren Burke DeVere and her sister Taylor Burke Gilman (president of Gear Wash, the largest ISP in the world) are the foundation of the Fire-Dex family. As the second generation of the Burke family to lead Fire-Dex, they offer a unique perspective in the PPE industry.
Lauren is enthusiastic about supporting women in the fire industry. When asked about her proudest accomplishments from her time in the company, Fire-Dex’s Female Fit campaign was at the top of the list. She says, “[T]he fire service is predominantly males, but it has seen a lot of growth on the female side of firefighters… [It’s] something I’ve been extremely passionate about.” And they aren’t only making strides in their own product, but also within their own companies, providing flexible work hours for moms, and a new maternity leave program.
Fire-Dex not only offers superior turnouts that are made specifically with women in mind, but also promises to continue field research, case studies, and design initiatives so we can continue to pioneer elite gear for women. Because we still believe the best is yet to come! And to our women on the fireground—we are committed to your safety.
So, here’s to Women’s History Month, and to the women who keep on making history.