NFPA 1851

WHAT IS NFPA 1851?

NFPA 1851 is the Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting. It provides the minimum requirements for the inspection, cleaning, repair, storage, and retirement of personal protective equipment (PPE).

The purpose of this standard is to reduce the health and safety risks associated with soiling and contamination of firefighter turnout gear and related PPE, in addition to improper care and maintenance.

While NFPA 1851 establishes the minimum requirements for the care and maintenance of PPE, the actual garment manufactures have cleaning guidelines for their products. If there is a question regarding cleaning or contamination of gear you should contact the garment manufacturer, or you can send the gear to a 3^rd party verified Independent Service Provider (like us).

911 Clean is a fully compliant NFPA 1851 facility and we take pride in our capabilities as it relates to abiding by the Standard. We perform the necessary Bunker Gear Cleaning, Bunker Gear Inspection, and Gear Repairs/Alterations of firefighter turnout gear, as well as keep records on every garment that comes through our doors.

3^rd PARTY VERIFIED ISP

WHAT IS AN ISP?

911 Clean is a third party verified ISP. ISP stands for Independent Service Provider, which is a company that has been audited by a third party to perform the advanced cleaning, advanced inspection, and advanced repairs of firefighting PPE. An ISP must go through annual third party verification in order to ensure that it is proficient at cleaning, inspecting, and repairing garments according to the NFPA 1851 Standard.

WHY CHOOSE ONE?

As we are sure you all know, turnout gear and related PPE is NOT cheap. Therefore, it is imperative that gear is properly cared for and maintained throughout its useful life. Improper care or incorrect upkeep of turnout gear can easily reduce the overall service life of the PPE. To prevent this from happening, individuals and departments should think carefully when selecting an ISP for their turnout gear.

HOW TO CHOOSE AN ISP

You should make sure to choose an ISP that has been appropriately verified to perform the necessary cleaning and repair work. Determining if the ISP is third party verified is a great way to establish whether the ISP has met the requirements stated in NFPA 1851. Third party verification ensures that ISPs can repair and restore textiles and protective clothing to their original integrity. Verified ISPs are required to purchase the equipment necessary to care for garments via the NFPA 851 Standard, in addition to developing quality management plans. The verification certificate of ISPs must be renewed every 12 months, so make sure that the ISP you are considering has up to date verification status.

If possible, you or someone in your department should conduct a site visit of the ISP. While at the site, note the condition of the facility and its equipment, including age, cleanliness, and maintenance, in addition to the working conditions. You should also take into consideration the ability of the ISP to handle the volume of garments needed for cleaning and repair. 911 Clean is a third party verified ISP and we are open for tours during business hours. If you are interested in a site visit please Contact Us.  

If you have determined that the ISP meets your expectations, you can send test garments out to the ISP, in order to experience their process, customer service, and quality of garment care and repair.