The popular image of a firefighter is someone who, well, fights fires. And while that’s certainly a big part of the job description, the fact is that most calls aren’t actually structure fire related.  

Since 1980, fire calls have decreased by 54% while EMS calls have increased by 421% and all other calls have increased by nearly 300%.  

That means most of your calls aren’t fire related.  

But many firefighters still treat every call like it’s a fire call, donning their most protective gear for everything from an MVA to an elevator rescue.  

Alternative PPE to the Rescue 

More and more firefighters are reaching for a different class of PPE. Made to be worn for non-structural emergencies, alternative PPE provides the protection you need for 90% of your calls.  

One of the most important pieces of kit is your boots. Many boots on the market offer either too little protection—putting you at risk of punctures, bloodborne pathogens, flash fires, and other dangers on non-structural calls—or provide too much protection, adding unnecessary bulk and decreased breathability—increasing your risk of exhaustion.  

Either way it’s the same: whether you’re injured after an MVA call or you become too exhausted to make that structural call right after, the wrong gear can leave you unprepared to meet the challenges of the job.  

All-day boots should be just that—boots you can wear all day, adding additional protection where necessary but giving you the confidence to wear it to most of your calls. It’s the goldilocks option, not too much protection, but not too little either. It’s just right.  

Alternative PPE in Action 

So, what does this look like in person?  

We recently gave a pair of our FDXL90 Boots to Derek Currao of MissionCIT, an organization that provides training, testing, and strategic services to the firefighting community.  

The FDXL90 Boot is dual-certified to NFPA 1951 (technical rescue) and NFPA 1999 (EMS operations), making it the perfect choice for 90% of calls. It provides the puncture and crush protection you expect, as well as protection against liquids and bloodborne pathogens. But it’s also comfortable and incredibly breathable; it’s made for easy donning and doffing so you can wear it all day and take them off in a hurry. 

We asked Derek to put our claims to the test. After all, if they can’t perform in the real world, what’s the point? 

Here’s what Derek had to say about his experience: 

“These boots performed extremely well and were very comfortable. I have worn a lot of boots in both construction and in rec rescue environments. These boots never made my feet hurt or and in my opinion are top of the line. All the guys at work were asking about them and by the end of class they were jealous. I LOVE these boots. Even after long days of structural collapse training, I never felt like I just wanted to get my feet out of them.”

By protecting your feet and providing all-day comfort, non-structural boots like the FDXL90 Boot unlock a whole new class of PPE that meets your needs.