ISA FIRE SUIT RULES

[rappy60guy]

i cant seem to find a specific rating required ? there seem to be many different ratings available. Can anyone chime in on this ?

[Jeff Knoll]

SFI 1 single layer is acceptable but consider what you are investing in when you make a purchase. here is a good article on the subject.

Racing Firesuits - Safety Ratings - Circle Track Magazine

[rappy60guy]

sorry jeff for the silly question but what is the difference in a fire suit and a KART suit besides abrasion resistance ...some of the kart suits have fire rating but would these be combersome in a utv?

[rappy60guy]

like this one

Alpine Stars2012 K-MX 5 Kart Suit-SafeRacer

[Jeff Knoll]

I want to add a few things in here regarding firesuits since we are on the subject. When I started racing cars I sat down with Joe from DJ safety and he basically scared the crap out of me for a couple hours about fires. When it was all said and done and I still wanted to race he gave me an over all plan for safety.

Some of the things he shared I will share here now. Protect your hands and feet. I wear fire proof socks, and shoes. I started with the socks, and as budget allowed I purchased shoes. I have been through a few pair of gloves. When the get soiled with grease, and they will. I replace them.

Never wear synthetics under your suit. If you can't afford nomex underwear, then wear nothing but cotton. Synthetics will melt under your skin. I have heard of our military wearing that cool new Under Armor stuff and having it melt to their skin in flash fires in combat.
Stick to cotton.

This goes for your pit crew, even the ladies. Leave the fancy underwear at home wear cotton if your working in the pits.

Pit crews that can't afford fire suits should consider thick cotton denim. Stay away from those fancy new impregnated synthetic shirts that look great at a trade show. They don't belong in your pit. I wear Carhart brand jeans with built in knee pads when I pit for a desert race. If I am fueling I wear my firesuit. The Carhart jeans are double layer on most of the front.

Keep plenty of Fire extinguishers in your pits. Don't cheap out. 10lbs or better plus whats on the car.

Mark your fuel storage area

and the most simple suggestion that has been used multiple times in my pits, keep a clean water source handy. It seems like someone always gets a minor burn from a hot part of the car. While a 5 gal bucket might be an issue, I have found a large construction cooler mounted on the chase truck serves double duty. It encourages people to drink water, and its a ready available clean water source for a minor burn.

It took me a couple years, but I have slowly upgraded my personal safety stuff slowly, and have almost two of everything now.

[Jeff Knoll]

Originally Posted by rappy60guy

like this one

Alpine Stars2012 K-MX 5 Kart Suit-SafeRacer

It does not look fire rated to me, but I may be missing it. Nice looking suit.

[AZCourt]

I'm pretty sure a kart suit would melt to you. Most are some sort of nylon. Not fire retardant, just abrasion resistant.

[Jeff Knoll]

Sparco USA

FireSuits

MasterCraft Safety®: Race Suits

Simpson Racing - Racing Fire Suits | Custom Drag Suit | Racing Gear

[rappy60guy]

Great info jeff , and by no means am i looking for a cheap suit im just trying to learn what all these ratings are and looks like some Kart suits have fire rating and some dont. So i guess ill keep away from them. Thank you for your time

[FabMan]

Jeff, Great post! Letting everyone from the new guy just getting into racing to reminding the experienced, SAFETY FIRST! We all know that nomex underwear is hot in the summer and the more the layers in the suit the hotter they are and so are gloves, and a neck brace.

I have experienced an intense fuel fire at close range this year that melted and warped the face shield of a full face helmet. I don't believe most people including myself until this year knew or knows what that heat really feels like to skin. Don't compare it to a super hot camp fire, compare a fuel fire to firing up your oxyacetylene torch and torching your skin with it. A wood and fuel fire are 2 different animals. I know a 2 layer suit, Nomex underwear, gloves, shoes, neck brace and full face felmet are not as cool as a new set of beadlocks or engine upgrades but you CANNOT put these things before your safety. NO, YOU WILL NOT BE OK! NO, THAT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN TO OTHER RACERS! Don't be the fool that had the cool race car but is scared over most of his body or dead because he put cool before safety! live to race another day! Thanks again for the great post!