South Yorkshire’s firefighters have been kitted out with a brand new piece of protective clothing, bought as part of a regional collaboration with neighboring fire and rescue services.
The multi-function rescue jackets are worn by firefighters at non-fire rescue incidents like road traffic collisions, as well as small fires in the open.
visibility, waterproof jackets
The high visibility, waterproof jackets are designed to be as lightweight and breathable as possible, helping fire crews to maneuver more easily and comfortably in incidents where a traditional fire kit is not required.
South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has bought the jackets in a joint venture with the services in North Yorkshire and Humberside.
best clothing and equipment
Our commitment to providing our firefighters with the very best clothing and equipment"
South Yorkshire’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer - Tony Carlin, said, “This is a completely new piece of kit for South Yorkshire and signals our commitment to providing our firefighters with the very best clothing and equipment with which they carry out their life-saving work."
He adds, “We are dedicated to working with our neighboring services and this is another clear example of a collaboration project that not only enhances the safety of our firefighters but ensures best value to the people we serve.”
best value for money
Steve Topham, Director of Service Support Delivery, at Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, said, “The new jackets have been well received by crews who now have a wider choice of clothing appropriate for non-fire incidents."
He adds, "The regional collaboration has been a real success and ensures that we deliver on our objective of getting the best value for money where possible when purchasing vehicles, equipment, and clothing.”
multi-function rescue jacket
Dave Winspear, North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service’s Director of Capabilities said, “We work hard to make sure that our firefighters are provided with the most appropriate kit for the job in hand and earlier this month we went live with our new multi-function rescue jacket."
He adds, "It meets all the requirements of a high-vis jacket and you’ll see our firefighters wearing them when attending non-structural incidents like road traffic collisions.”
collaborative working
UK fire and rescue services have been encouraged to work together to drive down the amount spent on essential goods such as frontline equipment and workwear. The Policing & Crime Act 2017 placed a new statutory duty on emergency services to look at opportunities to work collaboratively.