Melbourne Fire Invests in High Quality, Custom Turnout Gear

Published on April 09, 2026

The protective turnout gear that firefighters wear goes through extremely rigorous and strenuous situations, such as fires, hazmat calls, and auto accidents. It can be damaged by heat, chemicals, rips, or anything in between

Because of this, the Melbourne Fire Department issues each of our firefighters two sets of gear: a primary set and a backup set that are both up to national standards.

Each firefighter’s turnout gear is custom-tailored to them. Whenever new gear is needed, our vendor comes to the station and measures each firefighter as if they were being fitted for a tailored suit. 

“We work hard to ensure each firefighter has the best possible gear and that it fits well—that it’s not too small, too baggy or anything in between,” said Division Chief of Logistics Clark Simmons. “This is especially important in a fire because heat can actually transfer through the gear to the person if the gear doesn’t fit right.”

If turnout gear gets contaminated or damaged when responding to an incident, it is sent to a specialized professional cleaning and repair service where it is cleaned, inspected, and repaired, if needed. It is then tested to be sure it is back to factory standards before it goes back in service.

“We take all of our assets very seriously at the Melbourne Fire Department, and our number-one asset is our personnel,” Division Chief Simmons said. “In doing so, we make sure that we put the best of the best gear on them and make sure we take the best care of it.”