Commercial Laundry Equipment for Fire Departments

Contaminated turnout gear exposes firefighters to potentially life-threatening chemicals, biological agents and particulate matter. To keep firefighters safe, the NFPA recommends promptly washing dirty gear in a highly programmable washer-extractor. Continental Girbau washers deliver superior programmability to properly and gently clean turnout gear according to NFPA 1851 guidelines and manufacturer recommendations. When it comes to properly decontaminating and drying protective gear, fire departments throughout North America rely on Continental washers and NFPA-compliant Continental ExpressDry® Gear Dryers and StationDry Cabinet Gear Dryers. We also provide:

• Laundry design and layout services
• Industry-best warranties
• Disinfection options
• Chemistry and machine programming
• Installation
• Replacement parts for most makes and models
• Service by factory-trained technicians

View Laundry Solutions for Fire Departments

Meeting Laundering Standards Required for Fire Departments

NFPA 1851 Gear Cleaning Guidelines
To ensure the safety of American fire fighters the NFPA recommends fire departments clean dirty gear after exposure to fire, body fluids or hazardous materials. The NFPA is also careful to avoid cross-contamination by warning against cleaning gear in homes or public laundries. For a summary of how Continental Girbau laundry equipment is compliant with NFPA 1851 guidelines, please see our gear laundering recommendations sheet.

Commercial Gear Washers
CG West offers hard- and soft-mount washers to fit the needs of your fire department. Hard-mount washers must be bolted to a reinforced concrete foundation. Soft-mount washers do not require a reinforced concrete foundation or bolt-down. Soft-mount Continental washers slide easily into place and can be installed in truck bays, utility rooms and storage areas. While installing a soft-mount washer takes less time and costs less, it is generally a higher-priced machine than a hard-mount washer. Both Continental options offer superior programmability, automatic chemical injection and effectively clean turnout gear according to manufacturer recommendations and NFPA guidelines.

Superior Programmability
Fire department gear is costly and should be washed carefully according to manufacturer guidelines to prevent damage. That means water temperatures and levels, extract speeds, baths and cycle times must be programmable. Using different programs, a fire department can wash a variety of items — turnout suit shells and linings, truck towels, EMS jump suits, and more. To ensure the right cleaning chemicals are used at the appropriate water temperature and cycle, Continental industrial washers offer automatic chemical injection capabilities, an essential feature for fire departments. Auto injection eliminates the need for adding detergents manually. Through the consistency of automatic chemical injection, protective gear is properly cleaned without chemical overuse and resulting damage. Just load, enter a program number and press start.

Commercial Dryers for Fire Departments
ExpressDry Gear Dryers are engineered to safely and quickly dry personal protective equipment, including turnout gear, helmets, gloves, boots, face masks, and self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA). Available in multiple models, ExpressDry Gear Dryers work by blowing a large volume of high-pressure air safely through the garment, drying even hard-to-reach areas. NFPA compliant, they accommodate up to six turnout suits simultaneously, ensuring firefighter gear is safely dried and returned to service in hours, not days.

Does your fire department qualify for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program?

Each year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides hundreds of millions in grants to help fire departments better protect their firefighters and the greater public. Hundreds of fire departments each year receive funding for new Continental laundry equipment, essential for decontaminating protective gear. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program assists rural, urban, and suburban fire departments throughout the United States. Funds are used by the nation's firefighters to increase the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs, new fire apparatus, emergency medical service programs, and fire prevention and safety programs. To find out more about the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, visit www.fema.gov.