History

NFPA history goes back into the late 1800s. However, wildland fire was not included until 1993 when the first edition of NFPA 1977, the Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting was published. 

What does NFPA 1977 certification mean? Personal protective equipment (PPE) certified to NFPA 1977 meets the minimum performances requirements set forth in the standard for wildland firefighting. When you see the NFPA 1977 label, it means that the item has been third-party tested for compliance with requirements for labeling, design criteria, performance standards, and user information specific to the issued item. PPE testing methods and procedures are stated in the NFPA 1977 standard to ensure consistency of testing across different third-party testing laboratories, see inset for testing examples.

Is your gear compliant with NFPA 1977?

Look to your label… There will be variances between labels based on the manufacturer and the year certified. All labeling will meet the minimum requirements specified by the NFPA 1977 edition year the item was certified to and will contain the third-party testing laboratory’s certification mark.

Of note, for the 2025 edition, the NFPA 1977 standard was consolidated with two other standards (NFPA 1951 and NFPA 1999) resulting in a name change to NFPA 1950, Standard on Personal Protective Equipment for Technical Rescue Incidents, Emergency Medical Operations, and Wildland and Urban Interface Firefighting (for wildland firefighting items, labels will have NFPA 1950 [1977]).  

Can you wear items certified to previous NFPA 1977 standards? Yes, those items met the requirements for certification at that time and there is no shelf life on wildland PPE. However, it is important to inspect your equipment and ensure it is still in good working condition (clean, free of holes and other damage, etc.).

It is important to note that other certifications exist. For example, you may see clothing labeled “flame-resistant.” Often these items are certified to NFPA 2112, a different standard that does not apply to wildland firefighting conditions.

Why is certification important? It ensures your equipment meets performance criteria to best protect you in the environment in which you work. 

Important things to note on each label:

• NFPA certification year (typically at the top of the label) must specify NFPA 1977 for items certified to the 2022 edition and before, or NFPA 1950 (1977) for items certified to the 2025 edition.
• Third-party certification mark (Safety Equipment Institute [SEI] or Underwriters Laboratory [UL]) and date of certification.
• Manufacturer’s wear, care, or cleaning instructions.

Below are labels for a flame-resistant (FR) shirt (split label) with 1998 edition certification, a fireline pack with 2025 edition certification, and FR pants with a 2022 edition certification. 

A Snippet of NFPA testing:

• Flame Resistance Testing – the ability of a material to self-extinguish once flame is removed
• Melting Test –whether a component used in the construction of an item meets the same minimum heat resistance as the fabric (e.g., thread, components of fireline pack)
• Total Heat Loss –the amount of heat that can be transferred out of the garment (sweat evaporation, think heat- related injuries)
• Radiant Protective Performance – how quickly radiant heat is transferred from outside the garment to inside