Hi Amanda,
Yeah i have the same problem too. I must of tried on hundreds of gloves, turn out gear and boots. I went to other stations in my area, and found a pair of boots, so id ask any FD in your area abt it, most of them have had girls and really small guys so they might have extra gear. I also use extrcation gloves for everything except when im in a fire of course. Well that is some of my advise i hope i helped alittle bit.
let me know if u came up with anything that works well too
thanks
KJB
Wish I had some good solutions or advice for gear fitting women, but I don't. The best thing I've gotten for my turnout gear to fit is a really small pair of suspenders to keep my pants on :) Getting your uniform professionally tailored should help.
Hi! Amanda
Have you been able to find a good pair of gloves that are functional for a women's hands, yet? I need a good pair that fit and I can have good dexterity with for tying knots, getting nails out of helmet band for to use for door chocks and connecting hoselines and my regulator to my face mask of the SCBA. Please let me know.
At 5:27pm on September 24, 2009, Jennica Stout said…
The trick to duty/EMS pants is to find the men's size that sits where you want on your waist, then have the seamstress that hems them take in the crotch. Same with turnouts, if you can find the right length they can fix the waist for you easily enough. It may have to be sent away with measurements, bet well worth the time and effort! Gloves just suck, no matter what. Polos and shirts? See who does your embroidery or screenprinting, and a lot of times they have a women's version they can do. Good luck, if I find anything interesting I'll let you know!
At 12:26am on September 14, 2009, Jan K Miller said…
Hi Amanda, I don't have any special turnout gear for female firefighters. I recently found out that they do have special gear for us girls but our department doesn't have any at this time. I would love to find some EMS pants that fit below the waist... let me know if you find any. Gloves are not fun to fit.. I'm somewhere between an xs and a small so I just deal with the small being a little bit big. Mostly it is trial and error, my Chief has ordered boots for me a few times and now I'm comfy...wish the turnouts weren't so bulky and uncomfortable though...I guess that is the price we pay for being women. Good Luck!
At 12:17pm on September 12, 2009, FlightRNKaren said…
Hi Amanda... I wish I could help you out with your question as far as clothing for FF's but since I'm not a FF... I really can't... We flight nurses commonly wear jumpsuits... TCSS
Oh, and regarding turnout pants... We wear morning pride. I like that you can sinch them at the waist on each side so they fit comfortably. And some may agree or disagree with me, but I removed the suspenders that came with them. Because I'm so short, I had to keep them adjusted as far as tight as
possible which made the hard plastic piece that's used to slide the suspenders up and down sit right on top of my shoulders. Now all you had to do was throw on your airpack and they were really digging into you. Nice big bruises once you took your gear off. With my pants cinched so they fit good I don't need the suspenders at all. Good luck !
Hi Amanda, being 5'2" 115lbs I can certainly identify with your problem. To make it even harder, Memphis Fire requires you to only wear what they approve which are sold at only three stores in Memphis. To buy outside of those vendors would be to risk beinc told you can't wear what you bought and waisting your money. What has worked best for me... I only buy mens pants. I'm sure you know how all womens pants are cut to have a waistline that can almost reach your bra. Mens pants aren't cut the same and fall lower on my waist. The mens are also made with elastic sewn into the waistband allowing for much better movement and comfort. I also take advantage of all the tailoring options. I hate pants worn over my navel, so I have the rise of the pants taken up. Much better. I've even had to have them taken in along the outside seem so I don't look like I'm wearing my boyfriends pants. The pants end up actually being comfortable. I also have the Memphis Fire tshirts we have towear special ordered in size small. For our button down "bus driver" shirts, I have the length shortened so I don't end up with my shirt tucked in down to my knees. As for gloves, for some reason God thought it'd be funny to give a 5'2" girl hands the length of a grown man. Worked out good for my fire glove. Sucks for EMS gloves. Small's too small, medium's too big. I just tried different brands as logistics would bring them and found one that worked and then called logistics and requested them to bring more for me. My turnouts fit great, that was a miracle, as do the leather boots they gave me. Not sure if that was any help. I just figured if I had to wear pants they had chose, I was gonna have to find a way to work for me.
Hey the best gloves that I have ever worn were size small made by Morning Pride they fit perfect and had reflective on them so they were easy to see if I dropped one at a call,they cost around 80 dollars if I remember right..how is school going?? :)
Hi Miss Jerzzy I read you problem about clothes not fitting for us challenged people ( short or women) It was always so hard for the fire deptment to find anything that would fit me including my helmet...No Joke... so I will help you find a company that make turn outs
Mike
At 10:03am on September 9, 2009, Jo-Ann Lorber said…
Hi Amanda...
I really wish I could help you on clothes that fit. Unfortunately, I am having problems myself trying to find pants that fit me since I lost 20 lbs and now I'm down to a 26" waist. My guys at Support Services/Logistics have to order pants for me and then have them takeen in. Sometimes they fir well and other times the waist is up to my neck. Dress shirts are not that bad since we can get them in women's sizes (bust). Fire gear we get sized by the manufacturer every few years so at least I know that will fit. Fire gloves are hard since small is usally too small and medium is a tad big. We purchase fire boots [Pro Warrington 5006] leather boots and theey fit great. Work boots are either Bates or Thoroughgood womens. I woulod suggest going to a uniform store and try to get female work pants or dress pants [be careful cause they sometimes can go up to your neck too]. I hope this helps a little. If you get any good information please pass on.
Hey Amanda, I wish I could tell you that someone out there was taking the time to make gloves and clothes and boots to fit females but...... well if they are I haven't seen it. I did have a pair of gloves called proTech 8, they were great until I got in a really hot house fire and found out they didn't withstand the heat as well as the bulky gloves. So, I'm sorry but I can't really suggest anything at this time.
Hi Amanda. Sorry that I've taken so long to reply. Unfortunately, I can't be of much help. We don't have a choice in the gear we get - we are outfitted by our uniform quartermaster system. So, my gear is all that I know and it is not gender specific. If you contact the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services (IAWFES), they should have a lot of information on the topic.
Hi
Honestly i'm fairly new to this myself and for the past year I have been looking for a decent fitting pair of gloves so if you do get some helpful advice could you please pass it on?
hey Amanda! Come say "hi" ill be doing sound for "Apache Stone" at lachanson, sept 18/19. ill introduce you to |Mike Lombardi from rescue me,( Marty EHFD
on one more thing. polo's check with the uniform store they do have female cut polos in 5-11 tactical gear. and they wash up and wear great. and they are even better if you get them embroidered.
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Yeah i have the same problem too. I must of tried on hundreds of gloves, turn out gear and boots. I went to other stations in my area, and found a pair of boots, so id ask any FD in your area abt it, most of them have had girls and really small guys so they might have extra gear. I also use extrcation gloves for everything except when im in a fire of course. Well that is some of my advise i hope i helped alittle bit.
let me know if u came up with anything that works well too
thanks
KJB
Have you been able to find a good pair of gloves that are functional for a women's hands, yet? I need a good pair that fit and I can have good dexterity with for tying knots, getting nails out of helmet band for to use for door chocks and connecting hoselines and my regulator to my face mask of the SCBA. Please let me know.
possible which made the hard plastic piece that's used to slide the suspenders up and down sit right on top of my shoulders. Now all you had to do was throw on your airpack and they were really digging into you. Nice big bruises once you took your gear off. With my pants cinched so they fit good I don't need the suspenders at all. Good luck !
Mike
I really wish I could help you on clothes that fit. Unfortunately, I am having problems myself trying to find pants that fit me since I lost 20 lbs and now I'm down to a 26" waist. My guys at Support Services/Logistics have to order pants for me and then have them takeen in. Sometimes they fir well and other times the waist is up to my neck. Dress shirts are not that bad since we can get them in women's sizes (bust). Fire gear we get sized by the manufacturer every few years so at least I know that will fit. Fire gloves are hard since small is usally too small and medium is a tad big. We purchase fire boots [Pro Warrington 5006] leather boots and theey fit great. Work boots are either Bates or Thoroughgood womens. I woulod suggest going to a uniform store and try to get female work pants or dress pants [be careful cause they sometimes can go up to your neck too]. I hope this helps a little. If you get any good information please pass on.
Honestly i'm fairly new to this myself and for the past year I have been looking for a decent fitting pair of gloves so if you do get some helpful advice could you please pass it on?
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