Fire Escape Hoods
Details on what fire escape hoods are, how to put them on, and other common questions.
Overview
Fire escape hoods support our firefighters with the rescues and evacuations from fire-related emergencies, offering protection from smoke and hazardous gases.
Fire escape hoods are carried and fitted by all firefighters in emergency incidents which involves wearing breathing apparatus (BA) to enter fire-related emergencies. Our firefighters will assess the incident and, if appropriate, will offer a hood to a member of the public unable to escape a building due to the presence of smoke or fire gases, or who may be exposed to smoke or fire gases while being rescued or evacuated.
How to put them on
Firefighters will briefly explain how the fire escape hood is fitted and assist if required. There are instructional pictures on the fire escape hood packaging which can be used if required to assist firefighter’s communications with members of the public.
The hoods are pulled over the individual wearer’s head and a tight seal offers protection from smoke and hazardous gases. This means the only air an individual will breathe will pass through a specialist filter, which removes any hazardous gases to deliver clean, safe air for 15 minutes.
No attempt to fit the hood against the recipient’s wishes will be undertaken.
Once fitted, the wearer will either be guided to safely by the firefighters or firefighters will stay with the wearer until a safe exit route is established.
Frequently Asked Questions
The smoke produced by fires contains harmful toxic gases and fire escape hoods are
designed to be pulled over the head and filter these gases to prevent breathing them in
The fire escape hoods have to be tight-fitting in order to form a seal around the neck, nose
and mouth to prevent ingress from smoke.
Persons with smaller faces may need to press the inner mask over their mouth and nose for
a better seal.
If the fire escape hood is to be used on a child, a firefighter will make sure that the inner
mask is positioned correctly over their chin and nose.
As part of fitting the fire escape hood, firefighters will carry out tests to ensure that a seal has
been achieved. If not suitable for use then alternative methods of rescue and evacuation will
be assessed.
Advice from the manufacturer states that full beards, deep scars and long sideburns can
cause leaks and put the wearer of the device at risk.
As part of fitting the hood, firefighters will carry out tests to ensure that a seal has been
achieved. If a seal cannot be achieved then alternative methods of rescue and evacuation
will be assessed.
The fire escape hood is one size and must be a close fit around the neck, nose and mouth.
To achieve this, a firefighter may ask you to remove a head covering or any other item that
may interfere with the correct fitting of the hood. Cultural and religious sensitivity will be used
by crews in this scenario, but the urgency of the situation and the need to evacuate must be
taken into account by persons asked to use a fire escape hood.
No attempt to fit a fire escape hood will be undertaken against anyone’s wishes. If the fitting
of a fire escape hood is not possible or unwanted, alternative methods of rescue and
evacuation will be assessed.
The following assurance has been sought from the Muslim, Jewish and Sikh community that
in a lifesaving scenario, any items that may interfere with the fitting and operation of the fire
escape hood can be removed or adjusted:
- Jewish-Policy Officer SCOJEC
“The Jewish community very much welcomes any
development that may assist in saving lives. Indeed, the requirement to save life is central to Jewish belief - Jewish religious law states that "one who saves a single life is regarded as if he had saved the whole world", and almost all other religious obligations must (not "may") be set aside in order to do so. So we would not anticipate any objections to the use or format of the fire escape hoods.” - Muslim Council of Scotland
“On the head/ face coverings, if required to be removed, some women would find that very
traumatic. However, Islam is a very practical religion, which would prioritise the saving of life
and reduction of injury over the dress code. However, not every Muslim is fully aware of that
so this is a point that is worth being aware of.”
Fire escape hoods are used to save lives and support evacuation and will only be deployed
if necessary.
Firefighters will treat members of the public sensitively, give reassurance and explain the
process of fitting a fire escape hood.
If a member of the public is showing signs of anxiety whilst fitting a fire escape hood, fire
crews will confirm they are happy to proceed.
Firefighters will carry out tests to ensure that a seal has been achieved, which involves
placing a hand over the filter inlet and the wearer breathing in to check that a vacuum is
created.
No attempt to fit a fire escape hood will be undertaken against anyone’s wishes. If the fitting
of a fire escape hood is unwanted or not suitable, alternative methods of rescue and
evacuation will be assessed.
Firefighters are trained to make an assessment on the safest and most effective method of
rescue or evacuation to use in given situations.
No attempt to fit a fire escape hood will be undertaken against anyone’s wishes.
If the fitting of a fire escape hood is not possible or unwanted, alternative methods of rescue
and evacuation will be assessed.
Firefighters will give assistance to put on the fire escape hoods if needed.
Firefighters will explain to the wearer how the fire escape hood is fitted and where
appropriate will give assistance to members of the public to put it on.
Firefighters are trained to guide members of the public to a place of safety.
There are instructional pictures on the fire escape hood packaging which can be used to
assist firefighter’s communications with members of the public.
Firefighters will explain to the wearer how the fire escape hood is fitted, however, because
they will be wearing breathing apparatus equipment this may be difficult to hear clearly and
will prevent lip reading, so the pictures will be used to show what to do if needed.
Firefighters will give assistance to put on the fire escape hoods where appropriate.
Firefighters will guide the wearer safely out of the building or they will stay with the wearer
until a safe exit route is established.