Month: April 2024

Explaining EN ISO 15384:2020 +A1:2021 – Wildland Firefighting Clothing

Posted on by Dominic Beasty

Explaining EN ISO 15384:2020 +A1:2021 – Wildland Firefighting Clothing

There are a wide variety of standards that personal protective clothing and equipment have to conform to – in this blog we’re explaining EN ISO 15384:2020 +A1:2021 – wildland firefighting clothing and has replaced EN15614:2007

 

Having different kit for different uses is important as UK firefighters attend a wide variety of incidents, from structural fires to road traffic accidents. Always turning out in full structural kit is often too heavy and cumbersome and provides a level of protection the job doesn’t need. It also means an often protracted level of wear on the firefighters’ most expensive garments.

 

How Often Is Wildland Firefighting Needed?

 

An article in New Scientist in April 2019 reported that there had already been more wildfires in 2019 than in any other year on record – almost a hundred. At the start of that year there had been a dry spell and hot weather over Easter which resulted in 96 major wildfires affecting 25 or more hectares of land. 2019 ended with 137 wildfires of >25 hectares, according to the European Forest Fire Information System.

 

And in April 2020 National Geographic reported that wildfires are getting more frequent in the UK. In 2020 so far there have been notable wildfires in the Peak District and Wales, so it’s clear that wildland firefighting is an increasing activity for the UK’s state firefighting brigades.

 

Although forest and wildland fires primarily happen during the summer, the start of 2020 has shown that it’s possible for this type of incident to happen at any time of year. According to Statista there was a more than three-fold increase on wildfires from 2022 (6,236) to 2023 (20,362) which is still down from the 2019 (28,754) highs. Wildfires are becoming more and more prevalent in the country.

 

What Does The Standard Cover?

 

In the UK, wildland fires tend to burn slowly rather than raging swiftly through large swathes of land meaning that firefighters have to spend large amounts of time in conditions where radiant heat can be elevated.

 

Firefighters attending wildland fire incidents may also have to walk long distances from appliances, meaning their kit has to balance providing protection from heat with being light and effective, reducing the chances of firefighters suffering from heat stress.

 

EN ISO 15384:2020 +A1:2021 specifies standards for the design, minimum performance levels and testing methods for all wildland fire kit.

It covers:

 

  • Radiant heat protection
  • Function and performance of fastenings and badges
  • Tensile strength
  • Thermal resistance
  • Water vapour resistance (which creates breathability)
  • Reflective material proportions

 

EN ISO 15384:2020 +A1:2021 is more stringent than the superseded EN15614 with higher performance requirements for Tensile strength, Tear strength, Seam strength and Heat resistance.

 

What Does EN ISO 15384:2020 +A1:2021 Not Cover?

 

As the standard for wildland fire fighting, EN ISO 15384:2020 +A1:2021 does not apply to clothing which is intended for fighting structural fires. EN469 is the standard which covers kit intended for this purpose.

 

It also doesn’t cover clothing which needs to protect firefighters against chemical, biological, electrical or radiation hazards.

 

Wildland Fire Clothing From The Experts

 

Our wildland fire range is approved to the relevant standard, but designed to meet the needs of the firefighters who have to wear it. All of the range is fire-resistant, thin and light, without the unnecessary thermal protection needed from structural firefighting clothing. This makes the clothing more comfortable to wear over longer periods, reducing heat stress on firefighters.

 

To speak to one of our experts about our comprehensive range of EN ISO 15384:2020 +A1:2021 accredited wildland fire fighting clothing, give us a call on +44 (0) 1332 341030.

ESPO Framework

Posted on by dev@cda.group

We have been awarded a place on the ESPO Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) & Clothing framework (144), which makes buying FlamePro kit easier than ever for the public sector.

 

This framework offers a range of personal protective equipment and clothing; Ranging from corporate workwear, schoolwear and leisurewear to fire/rescue service workwear and police workwear.

 

 

 

 

 

There are some key benefits of using the ESPO 144 framework:

 

● You can view a list of supplier prices which enables you to purchase directly. No need for further competition.

 

● This framework is compliant with UK/EU procurement legislation – they’ve done the work, so there’s no need for you to run a full EU procurement process.

 

● ESPO gave us a full assessment during the procurement process. They checked our financial stability, track record, experience and technical & professional ability.

 

● Pre-agreed terms & conditions underpin all orders.

 

 

Your next steps:

1. Register for ESPO.
2. Download the User Guide
3. Enjoy saving time on time-consuming EU-compliant advertising and supplier vetting.

 

 

If you have any questions about this process or framework at all, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’re here and happy to help.

Explaining EN16689:2017 – Technical Rescue Clothing

Posted on by Dominic Beasty

All protective clothing and equipment has to conform to certain UK, European and international standards – EN16689:2017 is the European standard for technical rescue clothing for firefighters.

It’s important that brigades have access to a range of protective clothing for their firefighters, especially as fighting fires accounted for only 28% of firefighting incidents in the UK, according to the latest data.

We thought it would be useful to explain what this standard covers and how it’s different to the other main standards for firefighting clothing.

 

What is technical rescue?

 

In firefighting terms, technical rescue refers to shouts which don’t involve structural fires. The term technical rescue applies to incidents such as road traffic accidents and working around collapsed structures, often as a result of natural disasters such as landslides. Usually there’s limited exposure to heat and flame. Incidents could also involve working in public places or in confined spaces.

As a result of the types of incident that technical rescue clothing is needed for, the specification for this type of kit is different to the usual fire-fighting kit, which needs to primarily protect against heat and flame.

 

What does the standard cover?

 

The standard covers a range of factors including clothing design and performance levels. It also specifies the way clothing meeting the standard should be tested. In particular, EN16689:2017 specifies minimum standards for:

• Flame spread resistance – despite the main intended use for this type of kit not being about fighting fires
• Breathability (referred to in the standard as water vapor resistance)
• Protection from contact heat
• Mechanical resistance
• Resistance to blood-borne pathogens
• Visibility

 

What does EN16689:2017 not cover?

 

The standard is not intended to cover protection for hands, feet or head. And it doesn’t cover protection against other hazards such as chemicals or risks from electrical equipment.

There are other standards for different types of rescue, including EN469, which is the standard used for protective clothing intended for fighting fires and EN15614:2007, the standard for wildland fires.

 

Buying technical rescue clothing

 

Our Technical Rescue range all conforms to EN16689:2017, along with other associated standards covering footwear, helmets and gloves.

Available in a range of colours including red and navy, the range has been carefully designed to ensure that it performs under technical rescue conditions. Our extensive research with firefighters means this kit also has everything you need – from pockets in the right places to reinforced knee pads and adjustable ankle and waist tabs on some garments.

Many of our technical rescue products also double-up as wildfire firefighting gear, meeting EN15614:2007 as well.

For a conversation about buying your next technical rescue kit that conforms to EN16689:2017, give one of our friendly team a call on +44 (0) 1332 341030.

Care and Maintenance

Posted on by dev@cda.group

Crucial to keep your team safe

 

Keeping fire kit clean and structurally intact isn’t optional nowadays. It’s about keeping the team safe because today fire is far from the only risk they face.

 

Today’s firefighters face today’s risks

 

Historically, firefighters wore smokey and well-worn kit as a badge of honour, an indicator of experience. This is no-longer how firefighters and brigades can afford to think.

 

Keeping clothing clean and properly maintained is not only a way to extend the life of the clothing but also the firefighter, because without it firefighters will potentially be exposed to harm whilst fighting a fire and even whilst they’re not.

 

Today’s firefighters are being exposed to ever more complex materials when they attend incidents. Plastics, fillings, chemicals, foams – each has the potential to be harmful through air-borne particles that are inhaled, but there is also increasing evidence of the danger of particulate harm through the skin.

 

A structural fire suit and accessories like gloves and hoods are not just designed to protect the firefighter against heat and water. A modern fire suit has layers that allow heat and moisture from perspiration to escape but block harmful contaminates like chemicals, blood and indeed particulates from passing through the layers of the suit.

 

However, if a firefighter is exposed to those harmful particulates, they will remain on the outer layers of the suit as well as gloves, boots, fire hoods etc and these garments need to be de-contaminated. Contaminates will remain and have the potential to harm the firefighter as they return to the station or the next time any of the garments are worn.

 

Modern risks need a modern approach

 

At FlamePro we have developed a state-of-art Care and Maintenance package, specifically designed to meet the needs of modern day firefighters.

 

Our Care and Maintenance package is completely tailored to the needs of your organisation. With a network of 22 service depots across Britain and state-of-the-art online resources we know that we can put together the right Care and Maintenance package for you.

 

Our Care Package

 

FlamePro offers our customers a turnkey solution for the care or maintenance of their turn-out gear, keeping garments, clean, de-contaminated and free from defect.

 

We offer a seven-day SLA as standard on the laundry service, using the latest technology to scan and identify individual garments before processing so that we can create a history for each garment. Take a look at the various elements of our package.

 

Cleaning and de-contamination

 

Firefighter protective clothing must be clean to give optimum performance. Dirty fire suits can insulate less, conducting more heat and even electricity. They will also not shed liquids as effectively.

 

However, as we’ve highlighted above many contaminants are carcinogens and toxic skin chemicals which can endanger the life of the firefighter. Suits need to be washed and de-contaminated in line with prescribed protocols.

 

Maintenance

 

Every garment that is sent for cleaning or de-contamination also undergoes an inspection to look for garment damage, not only to the outer and seams of course, but also by inspecting the thermal liner and the moisture barrier layer.

 

With a set of agreed criteria, garments are ether repaired (this could include re-proofing as well) as part of the service, or if repairs are un-economic we can follow agreed procedures to either ask for authorisation to retire the garment and issue a replacement or replace it automatically as agreed.

 

 

 

If you want us to, we can hold a stock of garments in order to be able to immediately get a garment out to your firefighter.

 

Any repairs are made with the same care and to the same high standards we use when manufacturing the garment. It is vital that we maintain the integrity of the garment in order that it can do its job and protect the firefighter.

 

Wardrobe Management

 

You can manage everything by merely logging onto our dedicated Wardrobe Management Portal (WMP) to arrange collection of dirty or damaged kit.

 

Our WMP also gives you access to your account with the ability to drill-down to individual wearers, seeing the history of their garments with details on cleaning, repairs and maintenance. This crucial insight gives you real-time information and analysis into the garment lifecycle as well as analysis of the costs of cleaning and repairs.

 

The WMP also allows new kit orders, ordering garments to be manufactured and pulling garments from held-in-reserve stock. We can also manage all Rank Change Requests through the user profile within the WMP.

 

Call and chat to one of our friendly experts by calling +44 (0) 1332 341030.

National Ambulance Resilience Unit

Posted on by dev@cda.group

 Bespoke Garments: Supply and Distribution of PPE for the National Ambulance Resilience Unit HART.
 Timeframe: 6 – 8 weeks
 Contract Size: 1175 full ensembles per annum

 

Overview: The United Kingdom contract for Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to the National Ambulance Resilience (NARU) Unit HART teams involved in National Emergencies and Crises, included full ensembles of equipment for a total of 1,175 personnel across the country.

 

The delivery time for these bespoke garments to be made to order is 6-8 weeks. The personal protection equipment is critical in keeping the team safe and assisting them playing a vital role in UK’s health services and emergency resilience. NARU is part of the National Health Service (NHS), funded by the Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response Department of NHS England.

Ministry of Defence – United Kingdom

Posted on by dev@cda.group

Bespoke Garments – Supply and distribution of PPE for the Ministry of Defence

Distribution: 97 sites globally

 

Contract Size: 5,000 full ensembles

 

Overview: The United Kingdoms Ministry of Defence (MOD) issued a contract to globally fit out all 97 UK defence sites with the supply and distribution of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). This included full ensembles of equipment for 2,500 personnel, and logistics cover beyond the United Kingdom to strategic UK defence sites around the world.

 

Ministry of Defence – United Kingdom, Poland, LENP

Posted on by dev@cda.group
  • Arctic Sleeping bags (-30 degrees) 12,000
  • Arctic Bivvy Bags 12,000
  • Thick Roll Mats 12,000
  • Waterproof stuff bags 12,000

Timing: 7 weeks, shipments every 2 weeks

 

Overview: It was announced that the UK would send 12,000 sleeping kits to the Ukrainian Armed Forces to assist them in grueling winter conditions. Suppliers, however, had lead times of 6-12 months on the sleeping systems, and the MOD needed them in 12 weeks. Once DE&S and MOD had successfully validated our product, we used one of our contracted factories to successfully supply and ship the product. We carried out third-party inspections during production and carried out a final pre-shipment inspection for every shipment per week. Working closely with our factories, we enabled fast and efficient deliveries to be made to the UK MOD. This, in turn, allowed the MOD to fulfil the promise of the government to the Ukraine, on time, and in full for the Ukrainian winter period.

G4S Case Study

Posted on by dev@cda.group

Customer name – G4S
Location – Rosyth , Scotland
Business Sector – Industrial
Business Requirement – : Prioritise safety, address functionality concerns of existing gear, and seamlessly transition from outdated equipment.

 

Enhancing safety and boosting morale at G4S

 

G4S has revolutionised its Emergency Response Team with FlamePro’s cutting-edge structural fire suits. With an impressive 18-year legacy safeguarding a sprawling 303-acre site for Babcock International, G4S identified the pressing need for advanced protective gear. The mission was clear: prioritise safety, address functionality concerns, and seamlessly transition from outdated equipment.

 

For Shaun Fyfe, G4S Service Delivery Manager, the results speak volumes—boasting not only a significant enhancement in safety protocols but also a remarkable boost in team morale.

 

The challenge

 

The need for FlamePro construction of new class aircraft carriers, the Queen Elizabeth garments came about when the construction of new class aircraft carriers, the Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales, required a dedicated Emergency Response Team. The existing fire protection teams needed upgraded equipment, as the old suits were becoming outdated and did not provide the necessary fit functionality required when working in confined shipbuilding spaces, where their kit could easily get caught. The primary objectives were to enhance safety, ensure functionality in confined spaces, and address issues with the previous gear, such as bagginess and wear and tear.

 

The product selection process

 

The quality of the work garments was paramount, given the intense and critical nature of their work. While budget constraints were a consideration, the focus was on ensuring the right equipment without compromising on safety and functionality.

 

“FlamePro’s Valiant garments stood out for their superior design, providing a great fit and flexibility essential for working in confined spaces. The decision-making process prioritised safety and functionality over cost, with a long-term perspective to avoid frequent kit renewals” says Shaun.

 

Outcomes and impact

 

G4S initially purchased 21 sets of FlamePro Valiant fire suits and was the first security team in Scotland to trail the brand-new Gallet helmets with integrated torches to prevent snagging. They are looking to roll out a further 15 sets in the coming year.

 

The feedback from the Emergency Response Team has been overwhelmingly positive. The new suits offer improved flexibility, better fit, and enhanced protection with features like Kevlar and carbon fibre components.

 

“There has been a significant reduction in wear and tear compared to the previous gear, leading to increased longevity” says Shaun.

 

The adoption of the Valiant kit at G4S has not only addressed safety concerns but has also significantly boosted the morale of the Emergency Response Team. The improved
functionality and comfort of the FlamePro gear have made the team feel like “superstars,” contributing to a positive work environment and feeling of belonging as more than a support function.

 

A lasting customer relationship

 

“Working with FlamePro has been seamless and I would recommend them to others” says Shaun, who also expressed satisfaction with the prompt responses and support provided by the FlamePro customer service team.

 

FlamePro demonstrated a commitment to customer satisfaction by addressing specific needs in a timely fashion, such as sourcing Gallet helmet covers to enhance product longevity.

FlamePro fire kit: The trusted solution for Farnborough firefighters

Posted on by dev@cda.group

When Farnborough Airport Rescue & Fire Fighting Service (FARFFS) sought to renew its personal protective equipment (PPE) contract, its criteria extended beyond exceptional safety gear. They were in search of a supplier capable of delivering outstanding customer service and prompt delivery. FlamePro, a renowned provider of life-saving garments to firefighters worldwide, with exceptional dedication to customer satisfaction, successfully secured the contract, offering 31 kits to FARFFS.

 

Positive trial feedback and enhanced mobility

 

FlamePro submitted a tender for the 10-year PPE contract, initially providing tunics and leggings for trial purposes. Following extensive trials by FARFFS, the feedback received was overwhelmingly positive, with the crews highly satisfied with the performance of the gear.

 

Firefighters particularly commended the integrated knee pads and praised the remarkable freedom of movement provided by our garments. The adjustment period for our PPE was minimal, quickly adapting to the body and allowing firefighters to carry out their duties without limitation.

 

Also, our boots garnered high praise for their immediate comfort, eliminating the need for an extended breaking-in period, unlike other brands. These lightweight boots don’t impede firefighters during incidents, enabling them to move swiftly and perform their duties efficiently.

 

Based on the positive trial experiences, our PPE emerged as the preferred choice for FARFFS’ firefighting operations.

 

Ed Knighton, Station Manager, expressed his satisfaction, saying, “The fit of FlamePro PPE is excellent, ensuring unrestricted movement and enabling our firefighters to respond effectively to emergencies and training exercises. I was impressed with how light the kit was and how easy it was to control body temperature.”

 

Flexible PPE solutions

 

Having secured the decade-long contract, FlamePro began providing 31 firefighters with boots, leggings, jackets and trousers, gloves, particulate flash hoods and helmets. Specifically for this project, we provided repairs, recycling, and laundering for these garments.

 

Emphasising firefighter health and safety

 

Recognising the risks associated with firefighter cancers, FARFFS prioritises clean equipment and post-incident PPE. Our washable gloves play a crucial role in limiting exposure to harmful particulates. In contrast to traditional leather gloves, which pose contamination risks and lack proper washing capabilities, the FlamePro washable gloves ensure efficient cleaning, alleviating concerns of contamination.

 

FARFFS also commended FlamePro’s industry-leading particulate flash hood, which provides an additional layer of protection against cancer-causing particulates. From the first use, this hood offers above 99% protection, surpassing alternative products.

 

Conclusion

 

FARFFS’ selection of the FlamePro fire kit stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to equipping firefighters with the finest gear available, guaranteeing their safety and effectiveness in the line of duty.

 

“As a seasoned firefighter with 32 years of experience, I have no hesitation in recommending the FlamePro fire kit”, concludes Ed.