PPE Designed for Emergency Medical Services Work

By Alan M. Petrillo

Emergency medical services (EMS) responders need different kinds of protection in the personal protective equipment (PPE) that they wear to medical calls compared with traditional structural firefighting PPE. So, turnout gear makers have designed PPE for EMS personnel that protects them not only from external hazards but also from liquids and bloodborne pathogens.

Alysha Gray, product marketing director for fire PPE at Lion, says Lion makes MedPro™ rescue wear that is compliant with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1999, Standard on Protective Clothing and Ensembles for Emergency Medical Operations. She says that MedPro has a Milliken Textiles Westex® DH fire-resistant outer shell with a fiber content of 48% Tencel, 40% Modacrylic, and 12% Aramid for durable protection against flash fires and a Gore® CROSSTECH® EMS moisture barrier that protects against blood, bodily fluids, and water while remaining breathable.

She points out that Lion’s EMS gear is custom fit in 2-inch increments for the chest and waist; the coat has a biswing back and underarm bellows for greater mobility; and the pant has a banded crotch, PCA-reinforced knees with Lite- N-Dri padding, pant leg take-up straps, PCA-reinforced cuffs, and zippered legs to make it easier to don and doff over boots.

MedPro EMS gear is available with Lion Ventilated 3M™ Scotchlite™ II reflective material, lime-yellow triple trim, or 2-inch silver solid high-visibility trim. Lion also offers a removable winter liner for the EMS gear to give added protection against cold temperatures, Gray says, and a detachable lined hood for head protection.

courtesy of Lion
1 Lion’s MedPro EMS PPE has a Milliken Textiles Westex DH fire-resistant outer shell and a Gore CROSSTECH EMS moisture barrier. (Photo courtesy of Lion.)

Gray notes that Lion also makes the TR51™ rescue/EMS turnout gear that is dual compliant with NFPA 1999 and NFPA 1951, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue Incidents. TR51 turnouts are made with a Safety Components Sigma™ outer shell with a fiber content of 45% Meta-Aramid, 32% Lenzing FR, 17% Polyamide, and 6% Para-Aramid, she says, and a Gore CROSSTECH® SR removable liner for penetration resistance to water, common chemicals, blood, and other bodily fluids. The TR51 coat has a biswing back and bellows underarm to help prevent hem rise when the wearer reaches up, and the pant has a banded crotch seam so there are no intersecting seams and pre-bent self-fabric knees.

courtesy of Fire-Dex
2 Fire-Dex makes EMS gear with either a TECGEN51 or Nomex Essential outer shell and a CROSSTECH EMS inner moisture barrier. (Photo courtesy of Fire-Dex.)

Todd Herring, vice president of product innovation and strategy for Fire- Dex®, says the company makes EMS Gear, which is compliant with NFPA 1999, and USAR Gear, compliant with NFPA 1999 and 1951. He notes that the EMS gear is made with either a TECGEN51 or Nomex Essential outer shell and a sewn- in CROSSTECH EMS fabric that provides breathability and heat stress relief while maintaining liquid penetration resistance from blood, bodily fluids, commonly encountered chemicals, and water.

Herring says that Fire-Dex’s USAR gear can be made with TECGEN51 for the outer shell, which allows greater flexibility and breathability, or Nomex, along with a lining of CROSSTECH EMS fabric for protection against common chemicals and blood and bloodborne pathogens.

He adds that both Fire-Dex’s USAR and EMS gear have the same Fire-Dex ergonomic features as well as 16-inch zippered legs, two full bellows pockets, two mic clips (one on each chest), a radio pocket on the right chest, two combination semibellows/hand-warmer pockets, an easy-on elastic waist, reinforced cuffs and knees, woven hook-and-loop cuff adjustors, a choice of 3M Scotchlite™ reflective triple trim or reflective comfort trim, and optional zip-in fleece or nylon liners.

Grant Grinstead, fire segment sales manager for North America for VIKING Life-Saving Equipment, says his company makes VIKING Shield gear that allows firefighters to handle EMS operations, technical rescue and extrication, and wildland fires. He points out that VIKING Shield is compliant with NFPA 1999, NFPA 1951, and NFPA 1977, Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting and Urban Interface Fire Fighting, giving VIKING Shield gear a three-in-one application.

VIKING Shield’s outer shell is made from Safety Components Sigma, while its Gore CROSSTECH SR moisture barrier specialty rescue liner protects against bloodborne pathogens, common chemicals, and water ingress. Grinstead points out that as well as being multifunctional, VIKING Shield gear is tailored to fit responders rather than being limited to standard sizes.

Viking Life-Saving
3 Viking Life-Saving Equipment makes VIKING Shield gear that allows firefighters to handle EMS, technical rescue, and wildland fires as it is compliant with NFPA 1999, 1951, and 1977. (Photo courtesy of Viking Life-Saving Equipment.)

ALAN M. PETRILLO is a Tucson, Arizona- based journalist, the author of three novels and five nonfiction books, and a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board. He served 22 years with the Verdoy (NY) Fire Department, including in the position of chief.

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