MSA Safety Incorporated today announced it has been awarded a $9 million contract from the London Fire Brigade to supply firefighters with MSA’s new M1 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and telemetry technology. The contract was formally awarded in early July, with equipment deliveries expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year. Today’s announcement also represents the beginning of a multi-phase SCBA training and deployment process involving the Brigade’s more than 4,500 firefighters.
The decision to upgrade London’s SCBA technology was made after an extensive and comprehensive evaluation process.
“The M1 SCBA represents the most advanced, ergonomic and modular SCBA that MSA has ever introduced to the European and International markets,” said Nish Vartanian, MSA Chairman, President and CEO. “We are incredibly proud to establish this new partnership with one of the oldest and most respected fire brigades in the world. Most importantly, we’re honoured that the London Fire Brigade has entrusted MSA with the responsibility of protecting the men and women who keep the residents of London safe each day.”
London Fire Brigade Deputy Commissioner Richard Mills said “following a competitive tender process, we’re really looking forward to developing our exciting partnership with MSA. The new state-of-the-art breathing apparatus equipment will be lighter and easier to carry and provide enhanced safety for our firefighters. The improved equipment shows how we are transforming as a fire service and investing in the latest technology to help protect London and Londoners.”
The groundbreaking design of the MSA M1 SCBA was a key factor in London’s selection of the new SCBA platform. The breathing apparatus includes several patented and customizable features that help to enhance ergonomics and improve firefighter comfort and hygiene. These include the industry’s lightest-weight backplate with a unique one-handed height adjustment; an advanced hip belt that evenly distributes the weight of the SCBA; and a padded harness that is fully water-repellent, making the entire SCBA system machine washable without disassembly.
Other features that factored into the Brigade’s selection of the M1 SCBA include a high-pressure cylinder connection for fast cylinder exchanges; compatibility with MSA’s industry-leading G1 facepiece; and integration with FireGrid, which gives incident commanders the ability to evaluate and manage multiple situations in real time and from any location. MSA’s Entry Control Board (ECB), designed specifically to meet the unique needs of the UK fire service, also played a key part in the Brigade’s decision to choose the MSA brand. Serving as a cloud-connected fire-ground management tool that provides Incident Commanders with air and alarm status of all telemetry-enabled breathing apparatus on scene, MSA’s ECB is also capable of providing post-incident reporting and automated documentation.
As part of the contract, MSA will also provide London with a new communications system that provides enhanced voice communications. Called the C1 Headset, the device attaches easily to the outside of the SCBA facepiece.
Mr. Vartanian commented that the SCBA contract with London represents the beginning of a new and exciting partnership. “As a company whose only mission is worker safety, we are incredibly proud to be associated with a brigade that is regarded as a genuine industry leader and advocate for firefighter safety. London is one of the most progressive and respected fire brigades in the world and, as part of our Voice of the Customer process, we will certainly be seeking their input on future product development initiatives,” he concluded.
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Media contact
Rebecca Morpeth Spayne,
Editor, International Fire Buyer
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922
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