Chesterfield County Public Libraries (CCPL) is a public library system in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The system contains 10 branches across the county, with the main branch being located at the Chesterfield County Government Complex..
Fire fighter gear is required to be no melt/drip consistent with the NFPA 1975 Station Wear Standard in order to reduce the risk of injury. This standard does not address what is worn underneath the gear. Anecdotal evidence suggests that polyester or blends tend to melt. Traditional testing has been performed on upright thermal manikins fitted with sensors that determine burn injury and garment performance. To date, this has not been reported in tests that replicate an actual burn scenario. The purpose of this study is to create a model that more accurately recreates a flashover event in order to determine the effect of what is worn underneath a Fire Fighter’s gear and how it relates to injury potential. We designed three scenarios utilizing “sand” mannikins outfitted with commercially available turnout gear. Each mannikin was outfitted with 9 “puck” style sensors and 2 backups. The sensors were placed in the same locations for each manikin: center chest, center lower back, and outside under the air pack. The sensors were then modified with extended T-type thermocouple wire, fitted with fireproof insulative sheathing and tape, and the wire ends mated with ceramic plug ends to connect to a mobile data acquisition box. The mannikins were then placed into Flashover containers with infrared cameras to record the event. Data was collected at 30, 20, and 1-2 second flashover events. Our results show that the polyester and poly/cotton blends melt under commercially available turnout gear during flashover events. There is a direct correlation between the presence of melted polyester and blend materials and worsened injury to the mannikin simulating severe burn injuries when compared to cotton undergarments. Polyester and poly/cotton blends melt under turnout gear during flashover events leading to increased injury to our mannikin model. This data supports the avoidance of these materials under Firefighter gear as a way to reduce risk of significant burn injury. We are working to raise awareness of that what you wear underneath your gear matters as our Firefighters matter to us. Synthetic base layers melt during firefighting conditions. This information should be used to help inform and protect our Firefighter community. The turnout gear, Manikins, sensors, and undergarments were all donated for this study.
The need to support learning and provide equal access to information does not stop when a health emergency arises. It becomes even more important, and as such, libraries of all types in the Commonwealth quickly responded to 2020's emerging crisis by enhancing existing services and creating innovative new services, proving that once again, library staff are vital participants in providing for the well-being of patrons. This column explores how library workers and libraries in Virginia quickly adapted to restrictions imposed as the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread.
The Editorial Board is pleased to present volume sixty-five (Vol. 65) of Virginia Libraries. This volume reflects a wide range of articles, in terms of both topic and article type, and the Editorial Board is grateful to all the authors who worked with us this year. Amidst the uncertainty of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, change and adaptation is a theme that runs through this volume. From career changes, to changing services in response to the pandemic, to reflections on the challenges of making institutional changes, the authors in this volume offer practical suggestions, examples, and best practices for those engaging with change in many forms.
The Virginia Libraries Editorial Board is pleased to present volume sixty-four (Vol. 64), including a brief report on Editorial Board focus areas in 2020. While Virginia Libraries solicits and publishes articles on all topics related to libraries and information science, a focus on evidence-based approaches runs through the articles published in volume sixty-four. Each article includes methods, recommendations, or examples to consider for approaches at your library, along with ideas for further research.
The Virginia Libraries Editorial Board is pleased to present volume 63 (Vol. 63), and with it, a transition to a new publishing platform, Ubiquity, provided by our publisher, VT Publishing of University Libraries, Virginia Tech. While Virginia Libraries journal solicits and publishes articles on all topics related to libraries and information science, a focus on communities and connections runs through the articles published in volume sixty-three. Each article includes suggestions for practical application, with programming examples or other ways to try something new to build community and connections @ Your Library.
