Requirements for a deployment site include bare mineral soil and no adjacent flammable materials. Firefighters following safe firefighting practices should never experience the reality of having to use their fire shelters. The fire shelter should be the very LAST line of defense. Recent testing using new technology and equipment has allowed us to learn more about the shelter's limitations. We now know that direct flame contact will cause the release of flammable glue vapors which may ignite within the shelter.
Fire shelters have a proven track record.
They have already saved about 250 lives and prevented an equal number of serious burn injuries. We still believe that it is safer to be inside a fire shelter than outside during a burnover event.