They don’t just battle fires. Today’s firefighters respond to accidents, chemical spills and medical emergencies. They jump into harried situations — environments with toxic chemicals, biohazards and other health risks — depending on high-tech gear to protect them.

Keeping that gear clean is critical to its performance. That’s why fire departments throughout the nation are installing freestanding, highly programmable Continental washer-extractors. They aren’t the kind of washers mom used to rely on … Fire departments require advanced machines that properly clean turnout gear, EMS jumpsuits and more, according to the National Fire Protection Association and manufacturers' guidelines. The washer must remove a wide variety of chemical and particulate matter from protective fabrics. After all, dirty gear is dangerous.

Fire departments should follow manufacturers’ recommendations and NFPA 1851 guidelines for the care and maintenance of protective apparel. By washing soiled protective gear in a highly flexible and programmable, front-load washer-extractor, it can be properly cleaned according to NFPA guidelines. If and when those guidelines change, a programmable washer can be adjusted to meet those requirements.

Highly Programmable Washers Critical to Proper Clean
But, not all washer-extractors are created equal. Continental soft-mount washers allow the user to program every variable of the wash process, such as extract speed (from two up to 387 G-force), multiple baths, water temperatures, water levels, cylinder rotation options, mechanical action, wash time and automatic chemical injection. By investing in a highly programmable washer, fire departments can clean virtually any fabric type properly. Once the machine is programmed, the user just enters a code and presses start. The gear is cleaned automatically and properly every time with the right mix of chemicals, water temperature, water levels and extract speed. So no matter who is doing the wash, the load results are perfectly consistent every time.

Freestanding, Soft-mount Design Equals Easy Installation
Recently, the Fond du Lac (Wis.) Fire Department replaced its hard-mount washer with a new Continental 55-pound-capacity, soft-mount washer-extractor. Installed near the truck bay, it features a freestanding, soft-mount design that eliminates the need for bolting the machine to a concrete foundation. The Continental washer, as a result, slides easily into place. “There’s a lot less vibration compared to our hard-mount machine and it will be easier to move if we ever need to,” says Jim Patt, an engineer firefighter for more than 27 years.

In cases where installation is over a floor with in-floor heat, a freestanding, soft-mount design is critical. A hard-mount washer simply won’t work.

Clean Gear Lasts Longer
“It’s important to keep the gear clean because it lasts a lot longer, and because in a fire situation, soot and smoke that settles on the gear can become combustible,” says Patt. “Clean gear lasts longer because it doesn’t have particles in the fabric.”

That’s important. The department recently purchased new turnout gear at $2,500 each.

Ensure Ease-of-Use
The quartermaster on each shift washes the gear, so ease-of-use and consistency in chemicals also is important, according to Patt. “The machine has automatic chemical injection so we get the correct amount of detergent and chemicals for the load you are washing,” he says. Towels, turnout gear shells and liners are washed separately with different extract speeds, chemicals, water temperatures, etc. “There aren’t empty detergent bottles spread all over and it allows other people to do the wash. You just punch in the cycle number and press start,” he adds.

AFG Grants
Because proper cleaning of protective gear is essential to reducing risk to firefighters, Continental washer-extractors often qualify for the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. AFG grants are used by the nation's firefighters to increase the effectiveness of firefighting and emergency response operations and to improve firefighter health and safety programs. Fire departments can apply online at www.firegrantsupport.com.