Webinar - Assessment of Liquid Carbon Dioxide as an Enhanced Cleaning Procedure for Turnout Gear

Firefighters’ exposure to toxic contaminants during fire suppression activities has been one of the major research interests over the last decade. NFPA 1851 washing procedures have shown to have limited efficacy in removing certain contaminants from turnout gear. One new technique that shows promise is the use of liquid carbon dioxide (liquid CO2) due to its efficacy, limited effect on the material, and environmentally benign nature. This webinar presented by Bryan Ormond will discuss the basics of liquid CO2 cleaning, its efficacy in removing difficult contaminants, and its impact on material durability compared to a conventional washer extractor process.

R. Bryan Ormond

Ph.D, Assistant Professor

N.C. State University

As a researcher in the Textile Protection and Comfort (TPACC) since 2007, Dr. Ormond has focused on developing test methods, standards, equipment, and ensembles for first responders and military personnel to address protection from chemical, particulate, and thermal hazards. His doctoral research with TPACC focused on developing N.C. State University's Man-in-Stimulant-Test (MIST) Facility to evaluate the whole ensemble protection provided by chemical protective ensembles. He has organized and conducted all MIST testing projects in the facility’s decade of operation and has had the opportunity to investigate the factors affecting the test.

He currently serves as the chairman for the ASTM F23.30 subcommittee on chemical hazards and is a member of the NFPA Technical Committee on Hazardous Materials Protective Clothing and Equipment as well as being an active participant in the NFPA Technical Committee on Structural and Proximity Fire Fighting Protective Clothing and Equipment.

Dr. Ormond has secured numerous grants and contracts with federal and industrial agencies and organizations for research and development of more effective protective equipment and practices to address the cancer concerns in the fire service. These projects include the development of a smoke resistant turnout ensemble, a comprehensive evaluation of particulate-blocking firefighter hoods, an evaluation of enhanced cleaning procedures for turnout gear, and an assessment of the protection of fire investigator ensembles and preliminary exposure reduction strategies. In 2021, Dr. Ormond has also begun two projects focused on the tradeoffs associated with PFAS in firefighting gear and the dermal absorption of PFAS compounds from gear.