Published: April 13, 2008 12:37 am            

Enid firefighter develops new light

Darrell Wanzer often finds himself on his hands and knees, sifting through smoke and dust trying to blindly find his way through a house.

The situation obviously is dangerous, but it is all part of his job as an Enid firefighter. Visibility always is a question each firefighter has before he or she walks into a burning or smoke-filled building. Wanzer believes he has developed a way to help firefighters to increase their visibility, with the Inboard Fire Helmet Light system.

Helmet lights are nothing new for firefighters. For years, firefighter helmets have been equipped with lights that fit outside the brim of their helmets. Wanzer kept finding the lights would get caught on things inside buildings or cars he was going into. So, early last year he made brackets and mounted a high-visibility, LED Legacy flashlight just inside the brim of his helmet. The invention has since spread like wildfire, and many of Wanzer’s fellow firefighters have been equipped with one of the helmet lights.

Firefighters also are equipped with rechargeable flashlights they keep on their vests. Wanzer is quick to point out his light is not meant to take the place of these or any other flashlights distributed to firefighters.

“It is something that complements other lights,” Wanzer said. “I’ve had guys tell me they like them whenever they are doing searches in structure fires, and I’ve got guys that really appreciate them at nighttime traffic accidents.”

The idea came to Wanzer, who is a captain at Enid Fire Department, after he found himself disoriented and unable to see in a house fire. The lights he had mounted on the outside of his helmet kept getting caught on wires and cords and falling off. He needed something that was more convenient, accessible and safe.

What he came up with allows Wanzer to see without obstructing his vision through the helmet’s face shield, and it moves with the motion of his head.

“You would be surprised how often you go into a house or building filled with smoke, and that (older helmet) light can become tangled on low-hanging cords or things like that,” Wanzer said. “You just don’t even notice you have done it, until it has already happened. There is a lot there in structure fires for your light to become tangled on.”

Wanzer’s light also allows firefighters to see each other inside buildings, so if he or another firefighter is checking a basement or attic, they can see if there is another firefighter already in the room. This makes their search more efficient.

Wanzer noted suppression firefighters find it more convenient when they are searching for additional fires hidden inside or behind things in a building or home.

Other EFD firefighters soon took notice of Wanzer’s hands-free light.

“About a year ago, (EFD) Assistant Fire Chief Joe Jackson noticed I had fastened one of these to my helmet,” Wanzer said. “He took it to the fire chief (Phil Clover) and talked to him about outfitting all the suppression guys with it.”

Clover gave his approval, and almost all of the suppression firefighters’ helmets at the EFD are now fitted with the light.

At the time, Wanzer was not actually in production of the brackets, so EFD had a local machinist make each of the brackets.

The benefits have been more than just occupational. EFD has found an economic benefit to Wanzer’s light.

“I’d hate to speak for the chief, but he indicated that this would save money in the long run, because the batteries on the rechargeable lights are so expensive,” Wanzer said.

The Inboard Fire Helmet Light is the only helmet light on the market that fits inside the firefighter’s helmet. Wanzer currently is working on getting a patent for the bracket. The bracket is made of lightweight, aircraft-grade 6061 aluminum and can hold a 14 LED Legacy flashlight and is compatible with almost every type of firefighter’s helmet, including Cairns, Morning Pride, Safeco, Paul Conway, Chieftain and Bullard. Wanzer sells the brackets and flashlights as a package.

Volunteer firefighters from Hunter, Waukomis and Drummond have started using Wanzer’s helmet light. He has started marketing the product and has an Oklahoma City and a Tulsa firefighter now selling them to firefighters in their cities.

After 18 years as a firefighter, Wanzer isn’t quite sure this will be something that will allow him to retire.

“That would be nice, if that is how it turns out,” he said with a laugh. “We’ll just have to see how it goes. I don’t have any big dreams, but we are going to promote it for the next year or two and see what kind of interest it gets. If the interest continues at what I’ve experienced thus far, then it should be a successful business.”

For information, go to www.inboardhelmetlights.com.