ToGS Turnout Gear Selector

Turnout Gear Selector (ToGS) helps the manufacturers, purchasers and users of fire turnout gear evaluate and select the turnout coat and pants ensemble that best meets their needs. There are a total of 41 ensembles available for evaluation. Each ensemble is a system of components: there are 9 different outer shells, 5 moisture barriers, 8 thermal liners and 7 face cloth materials. Data on Performance Attributes of these ensembles are based on performance tests conducted and published by DuPont in its Internet-based “EZ Spec Machine.”

ToGS ranks all turnout coat and pants ensembles by their user-weighted performance test scores to identify which ensemble system has the best overall performance independent of cost. These results help you determine which ensembles warrant a request for bids.

ToGS consists of four tabbed panels which can each be brought to the foreground for display in the main window. The panels are: Overview, Importance Weights, Ensemble Performance Data, and Results. All of the functions of ToGS are accessible in these four panels.

The Importance Weights panel allows you to specify the relative value that you place on each of the Performance Attributes. For guidance, ToGS offers a set of initial, default Importance Weights established by a group of twelve experts, including firefighters and manufacturers of turnout gear convened for this purpose in 2005.