Firefighter garment specialists, VIKING and AW Hainsworth have partnered successfully to win a US firefighter contract.
VIKING garments incorporating TITAN 1220, a Hainsworth Technology outershell, have been selected by firefighters in Albuquerque, the largest municipality in the state of New Mexico, USA. Renowned US dealer of PPE equipment, Unifire will be responsible for rolling out the kit, to more than 800 firefighters in the city.
PPE offering optimal thermal protection
VIKING is the only manufacturer in the USA to use TITAN 1220, which is a double cloth construction with DuPont Nomex on the face, so as to provide optimal thermal protection, abrasion resistance and color fastness.
Grant Grinstead, VIKING’S Western US Sales Manager, said “Winning the bid was the culmination of more than three years’ work. This included extensive trials with the training academy in Albuquerque and then a field trial on one of the fire service’s busiest engines. The climate in Albuquerque is extremely warm, reaching more than 100F in the summer, which meant that heat stress management and firefighter fatigue were big issues in the bid process.”
TITAN 1220 minimizes heat stress
TITAN helps to minimize heat stress with its open breathable structure"
He adds, “TITAN helps to minimize heat stress with its open breathable structure, maximizing flow of sweat vapor through the inner garment layers. Its patented double cloth construction allows for a lighter weight thermal barrier, reducing overall garment weight significantly, while providing excellent thermal performance.”
“More than 70 per cent of firefighter calls in the US are non-fire related. Instead, they involve car accidents or medical-related matters. This means the kit they wear has to contain a number of performance properties, including flexibility to suit the different scenarios crews face,” said Grant Grinstead, who combines his role with VIKING with a full-time job as a firefighter in Colorado, adding “The feedback we have had so far is that the firefighters love their new kit.”
VIKING – AW Hainsworth partnership
Stuart Allen, Export Sales Executive for AW Hainsworth, said “We like working with Hainsworth. They have the same philosophy centered on providing the best possible products and service. We are delighted to have been able to partner with VIKING to help them secure a prestigious contract with Albuquerque. There is an increasing awareness in the United States that there are alternatives to those fire purchasers would traditionally consider.”
Stuart Allen adds, “Hainsworth spends a lot of time working with our partners, listening to firefighters about their requirements and providing them with the knowledge about innovation in garment and fabric development, and manufacture. Whenever we show US crews our gear, we get a great reaction. Firefighters in Albuquerque particularly liked the fact they could move to lighter weight, more flexible garments.”