Going into a burning building for a professional firefighter is the ultimate thrill. If you were to ask a firefighter what his favorite part of his job is, most of them will tell you that it is "putting the wet stuff on the red stuff." Translated into plain English this means using the hose to put out the fire. Without the proper safety gear, this job would be all but impossible. From the earliest days of organized fire departments the proper gear has included some form of fire helmet. Cairns is one of leading manufacturers of fire helmets in the world today. The Cairns fire helmet got its start from very humble beginnings in 1836 when H.T. Gratacap a luggage manufacturer and volunteer firefighter in New York City along with his comrades in arms decided that they needed a better form of head protection than the hats that they had been wearing. He is credited with creating the very first fire helmet, popularly known as the "New Yorker". While the original design has been revamped several times in its history this model is still sold to many fire departments today. After the creation of the first helmet Cairns company owned by two brothers decided to mount an identification badge to front of the Gratacap helmet making it easier to identify firefighters and which station they belonged to.

When Gratacap retired in 1850 the Cairns brothers took over the company and the first Cairns fire helmets were produced under their name. Throughout the history of the company they have focused on creating a variety of safety gear for the men and women who spend their lives fighting fires. Many of today's Cairns fire helmet designs are based on innovative firsts attributed to the company. Including the fires aluminum helmet in the 1920s, followed by a custom low profile helmet named the "Philadelphian", which was made for the specific needs of firefighters in the City of Brotherly Love. In the late 70s the company created the Phoenix which was the first helmet designed with full thermal/impact qualities. Following its tradition of innovation Cairns fire helmet technologies have led to the first fiberglass, plastic and now Kevlar helmets.

Although the company is now owned by the Mine Safety Appliance Co. they still produce many of the finest fire helmets in the world and continue to research new designs to keep our fire fighters safer than ever before while involved in their dangerous job. If you are interested in equipping your fire fighters with a Cairns fire helmet you will find a wide selection available at Feld Fire. With several models to choose from and several options you will be able to find the helmets your department needs at prices that will allow you to keep everyone on your department safe every time they step into the blaze. You will also find a full range of fire fighter safety gear and equipment available all in one convenient location to fully equip your crew and station so that they are always ready when the bell rings.