Bullard Firefighter Helmet Interview

Intro: Firefighters trust Bullard helmets with their lives. Today we’re asking why. We’re not pulling punches — we’re talking tradition, trust, safety, and the decisions that follow. You can still be a veteran — but lead by example.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): Hi guys, I’m Sara Gerdes, Head of Marketing at Firepenny. Today I’m introducing what I hope is the first of many episodes in our cross-promotional brand series. We’re joined by Chris Fallon from Bullard.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): Before we dive in, I want to introduce the CEO and founder of Firepenny, Brian Mo. Brian — what made Bullard an easy choice?

Brian (Firepenny): Our first Bullard price sheet was 2011. Bullard said yes when a lot of people were saying no. They’ve been a mainstay — a pillar of our business.

Brian (Firepenny): From my side, it’s the ease of working with the vendor — getting answers fast, speed that’s top 1% of manufacturers we sell. If I call Chris for help with a department, he shows up a week later and we make it happen.

Chris (Bullard): Thank you for having me. Appreciate it.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): What is it about Bullard that makes firefighters trust your helmets?

Chris (Bullard): Bullard is a family-owned company, started in 1898. Our current CEO is fifth generation. The family atmosphere is engaging, and the company is truly committed to the US fire service. Everything is built with the safety of the firefighter in mind.

Chris (Bullard): In Cynthiana where our manufacturing operations are, there are dedicated employees working under one roof to build high-quality fire helmets — made in America.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): I found that Bullard’s founder invented the original hard hat. How different are modern helmets from that original design?

Chris (Bullard): The first safety helmet was based off the traditional Doughboy military helmet. It was a technique for laminating materials to produce a hard shell with a front and rear brim.

Chris (Bullard): It was state-of-the-art at the time and it led to hard hats that were notably used by workers building the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): What makes a Bullard helmet stand up to heat, debris, and the day-to-day demands of the job?

Chris (Bullard): Helmet shells are largely made of two materials: high-temp thermoplastic or laminated fiberglass. Both stand up well to impact and ambient/radiant heat.

Chris (Bullard): If applications are extreme, you may choose one material over another. Thermoplastic has strong heat resistance over long periods; laminated fiberglass has tremendous chemical resistance.

Chris (Bullard): Both are approved by NFPA with an in-service duration of 10 years to meet the standard.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): Firefighters wear helmets for long periods. That has to be grueling on the head and neck. How is Bullard addressing that?

Chris (Bullard): Laminated fiberglass does the best job of reducing weight overall. We introduced our US Traditional Lightweight and reduced overall helmet weight by about five to six ounces depending on configuration.

Chris (Bullard): Over extended wear, that difference is very noticeable. Depending on configuration, it can be among the lightest helmets available.

Brian (Firepenny): You wear it for two minutes, maybe not — but for an extended period, it makes a big difference.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): How do wildland firefighters choose a helmet? And beyond wildland — how do firefighters choose the right helmet overall?

Chris (Bullard): For wildland, best sellers are full brim, like the FH911. It provides greater protection from the sun’s rays and radiant heat. Fit and comfort are key.

Chris (Bullard): For structural, feedback says weight and overall comfort are major drivers. Some may prioritize eye protection options like a retracting lens or flip-down shields.

Chris (Bullard): Bullard has a program called Test the Best. If you’re a department with 25 or more members and part of your membership is wearing a brand other than Bullard, we’d like to send you a helmet sample in your configuration to trial.

Chris (Bullard): The program is completely free. After about six months, we follow up to learn what you thought — good, bad, or indifferent.

Chris (Bullard): Build Your Bullard is the configurator: color, finish, striping, suspension type, and custom leather fronts. Save your spec and submit the Test the Best form and we’ll build it and ship it.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): Okay — very easy. Great.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): What should firefighters consider to accessorize their helmet safely?

Chris (Bullard): We offer options for color, striping, and leather fronts, and everything shipped from the factory is already certified to NFPA.

Chris (Bullard): In the field, firefighters personalize heavily — adding flashlights, stickers, door wedges, and more.

Chris (Bullard): The Track Light is an integrated feature on the front brim with eight LEDs powered by a rear-mounted battery pack and switch. There’s a pilot/buddy light in back to notify those behind you that your light is activated.

Chris (Bullard): This is a task/proximity light — great for EMS work that won’t blind a patient. It won’t replace a high-lumen dedicated flashlight, but integrating it is a design win.

Chris (Bullard): Batteries last roughly 8–10 hours depending on conditions. It can also be retrofitted onto certain helmets.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): Can you talk about materials and which ones perform better in different situations?

Chris (Bullard): The majority of helmets used by the US fire service are likely laminated fiberglass because it’s lighter out of the box. High-temperature thermoplastic has strong chemical resistance properties.

Chris (Bullard): For structural response, fiberglass and thermoplastic will do the job. For models: US Traditional Lightweight is fiberglass. PX is thermoplastic; FX is fiberglass (PX for thermoplastic, FX for fiberglass).

Chris (Bullard): The ReTrak is a fully deployable full visor. It works on a dual-cam system so when lowered it juts out to accommodate prescription glasses.

Chris (Bullard): NFPA requires eye protection on all calls. This can help close the gap between the brim of the helmet and the visor. It’s tensioned through its cycle so it won’t drop and hit you on the nose.

Chris (Bullard): People love ReTrak — it’s a top seller.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): Can you show off your wildland line — features, accessories, all of it?

Chris (Bullard): Our standard wildland helmet is the FH911 full brim. It can be ordered with goggles and elastic guides.

Chris (Bullard): A best feature going forward is the Comfort Fit insert — padding that dissipates pressure points for all-day wear during longer wildland deployments.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): Do you see a difference in longevity between structural and wildland helmets? How long do helmets last?

Chris (Bullard): Structural fire helmets have an approved duration of 10 years. They’re date-coded upon manufacture and have a finite life no matter how little they’re used.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): How can firefighters spot unsafe or compromised gear at a glance?

Chris (Bullard): A good visual inspection — on thermoplastic, look for cracks, often from long UV exposure. UV stabilized doesn’t mean UV proof; over many years materials can become brittle.

Chris (Bullard): We offer decon cloths for gross decon on scene — wiping wrists, neck area, face. The goal is getting particulate off the skin right away.

Chris (Bullard): There’s a trend where a cooked leather front or crusty helmet shell is a badge of honor. You can still be a veteran and leader — but lead by example. Clean your PPE.

Brian (Firepenny): If you have those decon packets at the scene, you can get a lot off right away — don’t wait hours for a shower. They really work.

Chris (Bullard): That immediate post-incident time is when firefighters are often exhausted and perspiring — it’s the best time to mitigate exposure.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): Many firefighters are stationed at volunteer departments with tighter budgets. What makes Bullard worth the investment?

Chris (Bullard): We build the best helmet in the fire service and we’re competitive. Test the Best lets them trial without obligation. We also work to make pricing palatable — a great product isn’t enough if it’s out of reach.

Brian (Firepenny): We can generally ship helmets in under two weeks. Made-to-order helps departments get the full 10-year service life — not 8 or 5 due to shelf time.

Chris (Bullard): Because helmets are highly customizable, made-to-order is often smarter than holding slow-moving inventory.

Sara Gerdes (Firepenny): Looking ahead — what’s driving innovation in firefighter helmets in 2026?

Chris (Bullard): We’re going to introduce a helmet variant in 2026 — likely continuing innovation in lighter weight, lower profile, improved heat management. Our structural helmets have extensive adjustments in suspension and bracket settings.

Chris (Bullard): Last summer we introduced FireFit — the comfort system available for structural helmets. It’s a one-piece design that reduces pressure points, is perforated/vented, improves stability, and is launderable with NFPA approval.

Brian (Firepenny): That one is a game changer — comfort isn’t a word we hear often. Usually it’s just “it fits.”

Outro: Chris, thank you for joining us today. To everyone watching — stay safe out there.