Hi,
My Name is mark Wesseldine. I have been a career fireman for the past 19 years. I work for the FDNY on a Tower ladder in the south Bronx. I have been a proponent of PBI since it 1st came on the market. I am also a volunteer fireman and an instructor at the Rockland County Fire Training Center (FTC).
When I first started researching PBI I was Captain of the local Vol. fire Co. I believe it was around 1983 or 84. I ordered a brown PBI coat from “Globe” to test out. Tests went well. As soon as it was available in black I purchased a black PBI coat for my own use at work in the city. This was also a “Globe” coat. Since around 1986 this coat has been to thousands of fire calls. Some of the more significant fires to us were; “El Hoyo” night club, “Happy Land” social club, Con Edison Explosion, and the “World Trade Center” bombing.
Like I said, I’ve been to thousands of calls wearing this coat. Crawled down hallways, worked past the fire room to search rooms, been in windows off fire escapes when I was “close”. Once, the chief kept stressing over the radio that I didn’t have to make the room. I was wearing a complete set of PBI tailed turnout gear provided by “Carns”. I also had on a PBI hood that Mr. Pete Hardick from Cairns had given me to try out. With the PBI gear, the Scott mask and the PBI hood I searched 3 of the most exposed rooms. All of which turned out “negative”. But you would never have guessed it from the screaming going on in the street. I believe with the new gear and a lot of experience and confidence, I made this and countless other searches possible. This was just one story that stood out. If I had on the standard ¾ boots, regular “Nomex” coat, and no hood I doubt I would have been able to search all 3 rooms.
I now have two sets of Morning Pride PBI bunker gear issued to me in the city. I have a complete set of Globe (Cairns) turnout gear at the vol. firehouse.
Again I am proud to say that through proper training and products like PBI we can keep firefighters alive so that they can go home and tell “War Stories”. We train over 1000 fireman & officers per year at the RCFTC. When they come through the classes one of the inevitable questions is “what kind of gear do you use or recommend?” We tell them “PBI” is the best, spend the extra money!
Thank you for a Fine Product…
Mark Wesseldine
