Gloves, whether for structural firefighting, rescue, wildland, or EMS work, are integral parts of a firefighter’s personal protective equipment (PPE). In responding to firefighters’ needs, glove manufacturers have developed a wide array of glove designs to protect firefighters from the many hazards on the job.
Fire-Dex makes the Dex-Pro Structural Firefighting Glove that’s designed for comfort, dexterity, and thermal protection to meet the demands of a firefighter’s job, says Todd Herring, Fire-Dex vice president of product innovation and strategy. “With 60+ thermal protective performance (TPP) and two layers of thermal lining that extend down the fingers, the Dex-Pro glove provides nearly four times the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirement for heat protection,” Herring says. Features of the Dex-Pro are its 3D design, seamless rollover fingertips, naturally bent Dex-flex fingers, keystone thumbs with 360-degree range of motion, and reinforced knuckle and palm guards.
1 Fire-Dex makes the Dex-Rescue Gloves that have a 3D finger design prebent for a natural fit and rollover fingertips with no seams. (Photos 1-2 courtesy of Fire-Dex.)
2 The Dex-Pro structural firefighting glove, by Fire-Dex, has two layers of thermal lining that extend down the fingers.
Herring points out that Fire-Dex launched its new Dex-Rescue Gloves late last year, which have many of the design features of the Dex-Pro structural gloves. “It’s NFPA 1951, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue Incidents (2020 ed.), compliant,” he says, “has a 3D finger design that’s prebent for a natural fit; rollover fingertip with no seams, which is important for dexterity; and no seams on the keystone thumb that has a full range of motion. The glove has some cowhide in it as well as a lot of pigskin and goatskin for dexterity and release of moisture. A firefighter can use an index finger or thumb to use a smart device without removing the glove.”
Lion makes several models of structural firefighting gloves, says Liberty Malenich, product marketing manager for helmets, boots, gloves, and hoods at Lion. “Our PRIMUS® glove has heat resistance as well as maximum cut and abrasion protection,” Malenich points out. “The glove’s dynamic 3D design offers dexterity, grip, and comfort, while cuff and lining enhancements make donning and doffing quick and easy. The added Lite-N-Dri™ and innovative knuckle pad on the back of the hand increases thermal and impact protection in high-heat and high-abrasion areas.” Other structural firefighting gloves Lion makes include the Commander™, Commander ACE™, Victory™, and Defender™ models.
Lion also makes the Bravo XT™ EMS glove that is compliant with NFPA 1999, Standard on Protective Clothing Ensembles for Emergency Medical Operations (2018 ed.), she notes. “This glove has a 3D design for high levels of dexterity, and a GORE® CROSSTECH® insert protects against moisture, bloodborne pathogens, and common chemicals,” Malenich says. “It has cut and puncture resistance for extra protection during rescue operations and knuckle and finger guards to protect from impact and abrasion.”
3 Lion makes the Commander structural firefighting gloves along with four other structural models. (Photos 3-4 courtesy of Lion.)
4 Lion’s MechFlex XTreme extrication glove has a 100% nylon outer shell and Spandex padding on the back for abrasion, cut, and tear resistance.
For extrication, Lion makes the MechFlex™ XTreme™ glove with a 100% nylon outer shell; Spandex padding on the back for abrasion, cut, and tear resistance; and padded knuckles with stretch for extra impact protection from jagged metal and broken glass, Malenich says. “The extrication glove has a heavy duty synthetic leather palm and sidewalls, Armortex®/Kevlar® reinforced palm and finger patches for dexterity and puncture resistance, and a slip-on debris-control elastic cuff.”
Veridian makes five models of structural firefighting gloves, says Doug Dafler, Veridian’s director of sales. “Our Fire Knight Prosleeve is a true three-dimensional glove with a curved finger design and inset thumb,” Dafler says. “It has a gold Pioneer three-layer, composite-sleeve outer shell, Stedair 3000 moisture barrier, and Nomex® IIIA sewn to cuff of Fire Knight structural glove. It’s designed to fit completely over the end of the coat sleeve to prevent gaps in thermal protection at the wrist area and provides reduced liquid and particulate infiltration at the coat sleeve/glove interface.”
Veridian’s Fire Knight 3D structural glove uses a PBI and DuPont Kevlar knit back that provides flexibility, dexterity, and protection, Dafler notes. “Fire Knight has a contoured two-piece knuckle guard form-fitted design for increased flexibility and protection and a GORE® CROSSTECH® insert for durability and barrier protection and uses an exclusive breathable adhesive to secure the liner so it will not pull out.” Other structural gloves Veridian makes are the Fire Armor, Fire Hog, and Fire Pro II models.
5 These San Antonio (TX) Fire Department firefighters are wearing Veridian’s Fire Knight structural firefighting gloves. (Photos 5-6 courtesy of Veridian.)
6 This Fayetteville (NC) Fire Department firefighter is handling the hose wearing a pair of Veridian’s Fire Armor structural gloves.
Veridian also makes wildland firefighting gloves that use flame-, heat-, cut-, and puncture-resistant cowhide suede leather, with a black leather palm on the glove’s wear surface and gold leather on the back of the glove for visibility, Dafler says. “The wildland glove has a 4-inch-long double layer knit Nomex wristlet with a leather pull patch on the palm side and provides hand dexterity with an enhanced grip ability under dry and wet conditions.” He notes the glove is UL-certified and is compliant with NFPA 1977, Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting and Urban Interface Fire Fighting (2022 ed.).
5 These San Antonio (TX) Fire Department firefighters are wearing Veridian’s Fire Knight structural firefighting gloves. (Photos 5-6 courtesy of Veridian.)
6 This Fayetteville (NC) Fire Department firefighter is handling the hose wearing a pair of Veridian’s Fire Armor structural gloves.
Scott Gohl, president of Dragon Fire Gloves, says his company’s new flagship structural firefighting glove, the Dragon Fire X2, is compliant with NFPA 1971, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting (2018 ed.) and has a natural leather outer shell of Italian cow and goat leather for wet grip strength; wear and grip pads on the fingertips and thumb; cut, rip, and abrasion resistance; a Kovenex® thermal liner made from a special patented blend of high-performance fibers; and an anatomically correct ergonomic design. “Its unique features are its extreme dexterity with no sacrifice of protection,” Gohl says. “The glove refuses to harden or stiffen and remains soft and pliable after repeated use, it conforms and takes on the unique hand signature of the user after repeated use, and the hand can be effortlessly inserted and removed when the glove or hand is wet or sweaty.”
7 Dragon Fire makes the BBP Rescue glove with a sewn-in flame-, cut-, puncture-, thermal-, and abrasion-resistant liner; a vapor/BBP barrier; and a Kovenex thermal layer. (Photos 7-8 courtesy of Dragon Fire.)
8 Dragon Fire’s Model 19 wildland glove has a natural leather outer shell and a Kovenex thermal layer.
Dragon Fire also makes the TEXAN structural firefighting glove that has similar properties to the X2 and the new Model 19 wildland glove that is NFPA 1977 compliant. Gohl says the Model 19 has a natural leather outer shell made of fire-, heat-, and abrasion-resistant top grain goat leather; a Kovenex thermal liner that’s fully bonded to the outer shell; and either gauntlets or wristlets of Para-Aramid knit trim.
Gohl says Dragon Fire makes three rescue glove models: BBP, First Due, and TRU-FIT. The BBP Rescue glove has a sewn-in flame-, cut-, puncture-, thermal-, and abrasion-resistant liner with a vapor/BBP barrier and a Kovenex thermal layer. The palm is synthetic leather with strategically placed wear pads, and the knuckles are protected with a form-fitting impact protection pad finished in wear-resistant synthetic leather. The First Due Rescue Glove and the TRU-FIT glove both have the same liners and thermal barriers as the BPP, wear pads on the palm and knuckle areas with high-dexterity outer shells, and double-stitched flexible diamond profile rubber wear pads, he adds.
Ryan Pennington, marketing manager for Vanguard Safety Wear, says Vanguard makes the MK Ultra and MK-1 structural firefighting gloves that are NFPA 1971 compliant. “The MK Ultra is the kangaroo skin version of the MK-1 with enhanced strength, durability, and suppleness and 10 times the tensile strength of cowhide,” Pennington says. “The MK Ultra has five layers of 100% Kevlar Para-Aramid knit for thermal, cut, and puncture resistance; a cowhide reinforced back shell for long-term radiant heat resistance; a sculpted fingertip design for a high level of tactility; and sewn-down palm layers for a more efficient grip.”
9 Vanguard Safety Wear makes the MK-1 Ultra structural firefighting gloves with a kangaroo skin outer shell. (Photos 9-10 courtesy of Vanguard Safety Wear.)
10 The Squad-1 extrication gloves, by Vanguard Safety Wear, have a Kevlar Para-Aramid palm side inner liner and flame-resistant back side outer shell.
Vanguard also makes the Squad-1 extrication gloves with a 100% Kevlar Para-Aramid palm side inner liner and flame-resistant back side outer shell, a synthetic leather palm shell reinforced with a kangaroo skin outer layer, Kevlar Para-Aramid laminate reinforcements on the backs of the fingers, and padded knuckle protection.
ALAN M. PETRILLO is a Tucson, Arizona-based journalist, the author of three novels and five nonfiction books, and a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board. He served 22 years with the Verdoy (NY) Fire Department, including in the position of chief.
