Did you know that firefighters have something in common with astronauts?
Both wear uniforms made of the same material!
Firefighters used to predominantly wear rubber jackets and leather helmets, but modern suits have been redesigned and refashioned with PBI – a high-temperature, fire-resistant polymer also used by NASA personnel in space.
When fighting fires, PBI firefighter suits have proven to withstand temperatures of nearly 1300 degrees Fahrenheit! And unlike rubber, PBI fabric doesn’t melt when exposed to incredibly high temperatures.
Gwinnett County firefighters have been wearing PBI protective equipment since the 1970s — a result of our department’s first years taking place near the end of America’s Space Age.
