By now, most firefighters have become informed and educated about the importance of wearing their particulate-blocking hood to help reduce the potential for the chemicals, chemical compounds, and toxic substances present in smoke to enter the body through the interface between the hood and the SCBA facepiece when they engage in interior structural firefighting.

But how well have they turned that knowledge into meaningful action during both live firefights and live fire training sessions? When firefighters don’t don or doff their particulate-blocking hood properly, it can create an avenue for skin absorption of contaminants.

Read the full article to learn how education, training, and buddy checks in hood donning and doffing provide critical tools to help reduce the risk of exposure to fireground toxins.