No More Burnt Hands!
I decided to focus on something that rangers and wildland firefighters would need and would be useful. I asked my friend, Todd Bushman a wildland firefighter, for some insight. He said,
"We're always crawling around to stick our hands in the ash feeling for hot spots. Sometimes you burn your hands."
To prevent more hands from being burnt I wanted to make boots that read the heat of the ground. For this design there would be sensors embedded in the soles of the boots that send a signal to a handheld device that reads off the temperature of the ground.
-Research-
There is currently nothing available on the market. The boots out there now are protective but don't have any technology in them. The added devices will add to the price of these boots.
-Sensors-
Three sensors would be embedded in each sole to give an accurate reading of the ground. All readings would be sent to a hand held device that reads off the temperature. This would prevent any hands from getting burnt.
-Linings-
Each boot would be lined with GORE® CROSSTECH® footwear fabric. CROSSTECH® protects from fabric is a breathable, yet flame resistant. It is waterproof and protects the wearer from extreme heat and water. CROSSTECH® is also resistant to chemicals commonly found at the site of a fire.
-Price Points-
Wildland firefighter boots run from $130 to $400. These shoes would come in at over $400 with the technology in the boots and the hand held device.
This price is a little steep but, it's worth it to have protected hands.
After showing Todd, I was encouraged by his feedback. He said this would be worthwhile and would get used daily.
Wildland firefighters have a hard job. They can't do what they need if they have burnt hands. These shoes would prevent injuries and save time.
