PPE: Modern day firefighter needs

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) garments are essential to the day-to-day running of a fire service. Without PPE firefighters would not be able to enter a burning building and extinguish flames without severe health implications, let alone save civilian lives and other personnel.  

Mark Naylor, Head of Response and Resilience at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service comments: “The high-quality garments provided by manufacturers are essential protection from fire and reduce the physiological effects of heat on the body, thereby enhancing the performance of our firefighting teams and helping them to provide a first class service to our communities” 

So why is PPE so important, besides the obvious? New surveys are currently underway to determine the real issues our firefighters face when protecting the public. A new survey from life-saving garment manufacturer, FlamePro will help drive innovation across the industry in the PPE sector. The survey will be submitted by hundreds of firefighters, from the front line responders who have boots on the ground and can speak from experience. The anonymous research will provide a rare opportunity to gain insight into the minds and experiences of frontline firefighters. It’s hoped the project will help shape the future of the industry and ensure the safety of firefighters. 

The survey is designed to increase transparency across the firefighting industry, by providing an authentic, undisputed viewpoint into the sentiment of firefighters on the ground. The findings of the survey will be released and distributed amongst key industry professionals as a full written report, to help further drive innovation across the sector. 

Reece Buchner, Technical Sales Manager at FlamePro, said: “The purpose of this survey is simple. We want to better understand how we can support the industry by speaking to those that have their boots on the ground. Even when you take into consideration just the past 12 months – the role of the firefighter has changed drastically as a result of the pandemic. Yet, for an industry experiencing such rapid change, we worry that modernisation within the sector is falling behind.  

“We want to use this research as an opportunity to shine a spotlight on industry change, and help to support innovation from the ground upwards – something we know there is an appetite for at all levels.” 

The survey will help instigate change in the PPE sector and invite innovation back into the market which will tackle the new challenges currently facing firefighters. So what innovations are we currently seeing in the marketplace? 

Structural firefighting PPE 

Bristol Uniforms, a designer and manufacturer of protective clothing for emergency services across the globe, has launched a brand new PPE designed for structural firefighting, offering advanced protection to combat the new and emerging risks faced by modern day firefighters. 

EOS, named after the Greek goddess of the dawn, builds on the success of Bristol’s XFlex and UK Collaborative Framework ranges, retaining the popular ergonomic sports styling and advanced protection provided by high-quality specialist fabrics. The new style is sleek, modern and ultra-flexible, enabling even better manoeuvrability. This is partly due to the introduction of HEX-TT, a distinctive, supple reflective taping. The precise cube-pattern of the new taping features tiny gaps, resulting in an outer layer that is significantly more supple and flexible, and easier to repair.