Many important advances have been made over the past 15 years that have helped improve the effectiveness of firefighters and, more importantly, their health and safety. The fire service is constantly evolving to facilitate a safer work environment. Before the invention of many technological advances, firefighters were unable to fight an indoor fire due to the lack of sufficient fire protection. Without the technology to effectively fight fires, structures that could not be saved were inevitably burned down. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay It is also important to note that it is mandatory to remove all protective elements, with emphasis on fire helmets, at 10 years of age. Equipment must be replaced periodically in part because (National Fire Protection Association) NFPA standards are continually revised every five years and a 10-year period will represent two editions of standards. As with all technological advances, some firefighters didn't like the changes made. For example, when hoods were invented, many firefighters were opposed to their use in the field. Firefighters disliked hoods because they covered their ears, preventing them from hearing and understanding the world around them. Before the use of hoods, firefighters also used their ears as heat indicators to know whether or not it was too hot to stay in the structure. Fire protection hoods were invented in the late 1960s and early 1970s, along with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). A firefighter's PPE is only effective when all components are present and used correctly. High-tech fabrics have been shown to provide better protection and have undergone greater adaptations to become more effective. For many years, firefighters were vulnerable and wore little or no fire protection. Outdated protective gear included leather trench coats with wool linings before gradually being replaced by rubber clothing. In the 1970s, firefighters began asking NASA for help in creating a fabric that could withstand intense temperature changes like those in space. The U.S. Fire Administration subsequently developed Project FIRES and released its findings on May 1, 1980 to create a systematic approach to developing better technologies and protection for structural firefighters. The standards created from this research led to the creation and adoption of a performance test called NPFA 1971 to test thermal protection performance. When it comes to firefighting clothing such as boots, this garment has seen more advancement in the last 15 years than in the previous 200 years. . Today's boots fit and move better and are comfortable for a long period of wear while being water resistant and providing better protection against physical hazards such as tears, punctures and cuts. Helmets, for example, are now considered part of the retirement criteria after 10 years, along with participation coats and pants. In the firefighting community, there is some controversy over the removal of hoods, gloves and shoes. In the 1980s, materials resistant to.