Lewisville Fire Department
This letter is to let you know how awesome Lion Apparel Protective
Clothing recently held up at a building fire in Lewisville, Texas.
On March 11, 2007, the Lewisville Fire Department was dispatched to a building fire approximately five blocks from Lewisville Firehouse 1. Units reported heavy smoke showing while enroute, and upon arrival checked on-scene with a single-family dwelling fire, which had fire and smoke coming from the attic over the garage. As companies went to work, the inside team from Truck 161, consisting of Captain Chris Kirk and Fire Fighter Rick Donoghue, initiated search and rescue.
Initial conditions were reported to be very tenable, and the search was progressing quickly. As Captain Kirk and Fire Fighter Donoghue worked the search into the kitchen and laundry room area, Fire Fighter Donoghue was crouching and moving toward the garage walk-thru door. Fire Fighter Donoghue hit a wall in a small area that contained the washer and dryer on one side and the walk- thru garage door on the other. He turned to return to Captain Kirk waiting in the kitchen not 5 feet away. Smoke was starting to bank down; and the hose team from Engine 161 was entering the room when suddenly the walk-thru door failed, exposing Fire Fighter Donoghue to the smoke and by-products of the fire that had been burning in the attic and garage. Fire Fighter Donoghue continued his search, as he knew he got warm, but was not aware of the situation he had just been exposed to. Captain Kirk and Fire Fighter Donoghue continued the search of the residence and, upon exiting the building, Fire Fighter Donoghue started to feel very hot.
I believe the heat had slowly built up, and he was feeling the residual heat/stored energy that his gear had absorbed. It was at this time that he realized that his gear had kept him from suffering injury. Fire Fighter Donoghue's gear had lost reflective trim on his left sleeve. His Paul Conway helmet had the bourkes drooping down in front of his SCBA face piece, burned through the outer layer of his hood, burned a hole in the Nomex® on his helmet, and distorted his SCBA mask to the point of it being placed out of service. The moisture barrier is darkened under the PBI® Matrix outer shell, especially on the left sleeve and shoulder areas. Shoulder identification patches were melted as was more reflective trim on his left sleeve.
The Lewisville Fire Department has been wearing Lion Apparel protective clothing for many years, and we are glad Fire Fighter Rick Donoghue had it on this day. Thank you Lion Apparel for helping our personnel stay safe.
Darrell Brown
Assistant Chief
Lewisville, TX
