Article and photo by Alex Langbell

To this day, I remember my first pair of boots I was issued more than two decades ago. They were a pair of yellow and black rubber boots, size 10. They were beat up, scarred up, hand-me-downs with the slight smell of “used.” It didn’t matter, though. I was proud to carry them out of that old equipment room. I wasn’t sure where this new direction in life was going to take me, but I was ready for it and I had a cool pair of tough, rubber firefighter boots to carry me there. As my career in the fire service grew from the incipient stage of a volunteer in a small rural, fire department to a fully involved career firefighter for a large city, not only did my knowledge, training, and pay get better, so did my equipment. The biggest change was my structural firefighting boots. It was about a decade into my fire career when I got my first set of leather boots, and what a huge difference it made. I finally was wearing a firefighting boot that fit correctly on my foot and did not slip off my heel with every step I took. My ankles felt supported, my arches felt supported…it was a night and day difference to me.

The fire boot originally started out as a knee-high leather boot. In the 1930s, the fire boot transformed into a ¾-foot high boot modeled after a fishing wader boot. Its main function was to keep the foot dry. As time passed, like most personal protective equipment, injury helped improve the need for better footwear. From stepping on nails and broken glass to falling structural debris, boots had to improve as firefighters learned to advance deeper into the structure.

The modern day rubber boot still has benefits, such as being easier and faster to don versus leather. It’s also 100-percent waterproof. Leather boots or a those made of a combination of leather and other resistant materials tend to fit better and offer better ankle support and comfort. Auburn University and the University of Mississippi found that firefighters were four times more likely to injure themselves due to slipping and falling wearing rubber boots versus wearing leather boots. Another advantage of leather, which was proven by a study done by one boot manufacturer, is that leather sheds most chemicals when washed off with water compared to rubber boots. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) did a study comparing different boots on firefighters. They also found firefighters are more likely to be injured wearing rubber boots compared to leather boots, with the average rubber boots being 2 ½ pounds heavier than leather boots. They found the heavier the boot, the more likely the wearer was to trip. Heavier boots caused firefighters to exert more energy. They also found that the more flexible the boot’s sole, the less oxygen the wearer consumed, with the metabolic rates reduced by as much as seven percent. The one downside to leather is the cost compared to rubber. Leather boots can cost twice as much as rubber boots.

According to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1971, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, the standard that covers protective footwear for structural firefighting, firefighting boots must have a sole with a heel, an upper with a lining, an insole with puncture-resistance device, and an impact- and compression-resistant toe cap. When picking a boot, one must find a boot that protects from all fireground hazards, offers good ankle support allows for good agility and is comfortable. All boots sold by any reputable dealer should meet the NFPA standards, so you shouldn’t have to worry about the protective design of the boot. More concern should be directed toward the comfort aspect, which also constitutes a major safety factor. The only real way to determine how well a boot works is through actually wearing the boot. If you are the person in charge of buying boots for your department, or if you have the ability to choose your own fire boots, do your research by asking other firefighters on other departments. Try on different pairs if you have a local store that sells them. Get online and do research, looking at the different types of boots that are available. Almost every boot manufacturer will have sales reps. Contact your local sales rep and see about getting several different pairs to try on. Most of them will gladly give you a couple pair to try, especially if they know they are going to get a purchase from you.

According to NFPA 1851, you are required to perform an advanced inspection and cleaning once a year. Clean boots using a soft cloth and warm water, gently scrubbing any soiled areas. If you are cleaning leather boots, avoid using soap or detergents–this will reduce the water resistance of the leather. You can remove tougher stains using a silicone liquid, but make sure the leather is completely dry before applying. The best way to ensure longevity of your boot is to follow the directions on cleaning and maintaining your boots from the boot manufacturer and perform periodic inspections, especially after an incident involving hazards you might have exposed them to.

Alex Langbell is a captain with the Yakima (WA) Fire Department.