Self-Guiding Tour

#11   1940’s Proximity Suit

The first suits were developed in the 1930’s, and such as this one at the museum from the 1940’s, were developed for industrial workers. They could withstand ambient temperatures up to 1500°F; not much different than the temperatures some of today’s proximity suits are created for.

However, these early suits used asbestos fabric as the protective layer, which has long since been replaced by increasingly high-tech fibers and metallic materials that reflect the high radiant loads produced by a fire.

Suiting up required the assistance of a helper, and at least two people had to dress on every one of these types of calls. This still rings true today.

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