Item 2019.106.2 - Globe Firefighters Proximity Trousers

Identity area

Reference code

2019.106.2

Title

Globe Firefighters Proximity Trousers

Date(s)

  • 2010 (Creation)

Level of description

Item

Extent and medium

3

Context area

Name of creator

Globe
(1887-)

Administrative history

Globe Manufacturing Inc. was founded in 1887 in Lynn, Massachusetts by J.D. Cleaver (d. 1901) who was a manufacturer of leather harnesses and fire suits. In 1901 Cleaver’s brother-in-law Courtland F.H. Freese acquired the business, relocating it to Pittsfield, New Hampshire. In 1918 Globe obtained a patent for a waterproof coat that incorporated an outer shell, a waterproof barrier and a thermal lining, and began selling the world’s first firefighter suit (known as turnout gear in the United States). This system of layers is still used by manufacturers of personal protective equipment (PPE) for firefighters today. In 1953 the company began to use 3M Scotchlite reflective trim on its PPE to aid visibility. They introduced the flame-resistant fabric DuPont Nomex into their PPE in 1966, the performance fabrics PBI for outer shells and waterproofs, and breathable Gore-Tex for moisture barriers, in 1985. In 2007 the company produced more than 114,000 suits, making Globe the largest manufacturer of structural fire suits in the world. By 2008 the company had 400 employees and more than 100,000 square feet of manufacturing and distribution facilities. Globe acquired Cairns Protective Clothing in 1995, and MSA Safety, Inc. acquired Globe in 2017. The company continues to manufacture PPE, including firefighter suits.
Sources: Congressional Documents and Publications; globe. msasafety.com; US Fed News.

Repository

Westminster Menswear Archive

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Content and structure area

Scope and content

Silver-coloured trousers made from aluminised fabric, featuring integral braces. The trousers have a belt threaded through a channel at the waist, fastening with a metal locking clip, while the back waist is elasticated for comfort. There are two large reinforced patches on the knees and rectangular bellow pockets with flaps on each outer thigh. The braces are constructed from black webbing and are secured with black plastic fastenings.

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Accruals

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      Label on lining: 11/2010

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      Note

      Invisible Men exhibition label:

      FIRE PROXIMITY SUIT
      Globe
      2010

      This fire proximity suit is made with an outer layer of vacuum-deposited aluminised material. It is designed to allow firefighters to work safely in situations of extreme heat and danger, such as chemical or aircraft fires.

      Aluminized PBI
      2019.106.1 and 2019.106.2 and 2019.106.3

      Note

      Name 'Picariello, Travis' hand written on masking tape attached to the inside lining crotch.

      Note

      From Inside the Westminster Menswear Archive:

      FIRE PROXIMITY TROUSERS
      Globe
      2010
      These fire proximity trousers are made with an outer layer of vacuum-deposited aluminized material, designed to allow firefighters to work safely in situations of extreme heat and danger, such as aircraft rescue and firefighting. It can provide ambient heat protection up to 260°C. The trousers have integrated webbing braces and a belt that passes through a channel at
      the waist and is secured with a metal locking clip. The trousers have two large patches on each outer thigh and rectangular bellow pockets with flaps on the knees. They are intended to be worn with a jacket made of the same reflective silver material and a protective hood with a reflective visor window coated with a thin layer of gold, allowing the wearer to remain cool.
      Aluminized PBI
      Archive no. 2019.106.2

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