| Suffolk fire officer completes 2011 London marathon dressed in full fire kit |
On call fire officer Ivan Layzell, stationed at Haverhill Fire Station, wore a Cosalt structural fire suit, comprising tunic and overtrousers, as well as fire boots and helmet.
He was aiming to break the Guinness World Record of 4 hours 45 minutes for running a marathon in a fire suit but the hot weather slowed his progress and the 45-year-old grandfather finished the race in just over six hours.
Said Ivan: "Given the conditions it was great just to get to the finish line. Running a marathon in a fire suit was never going to be easy but Cosalt's new fire kit was very comfortable and performed very well. During the first couple of miles you obviously heat up but after that, the suit reaches a constant temperature and you start to feel cooler. At no time did I overheat and I was able to stay properly hydrated throughout the whole 26 miles."
For many years Cosalt has been one of the main suppliers of structural fire fighting and rescue kit to the UK fire and rescue services. The suit worn by Ivan is designed to provide fire fighters with a high level of protection while keeping weight as light as possible for maximum comfort and ease of movement.
The new ergonomic design along with the highly breathable combination of high performance specialised fabrics used to construct the clothing helps to minimise the possibility of heat exhaustion. The performance of the tunic and trousers, both in terms of heat transfer for flame and radiation, exceeds the minimum BS469:2005/AC:2006 level 2 requirement.
Ivan's generous efforts raised over £500 for East Anglia Air Ambulance and he is already considering whether to chase the record again next year by competing in the Cambridge Boundary Marathon.