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The new Janesville CB-Xit has been certified fully compliant to NFPA 1971 - including the CBRN option |
The new CBRN PPE Lion showcased at FDIC is now NFPA certified
With global terrorism threats increasing, first responders around the world must be ready to respond to the unthinkable threat of a chemical or biological disaster.
Lion Apparel today introduces the world's first, fully certified NFPA 1971 compliant structural firefighter turnout ensemble that also meets the standard's optional chemical, biological and radiological particulate terrorism agent protection criteria (CBRN option).
With Lion's all-new Janesville® CB-Xit™, first responders now have a breathable protective envelope with the thermal and moisture resistance needed for firefighting, along with single-exposure protection from sarin, mustard and other chemical warfare agents in the event they need to escape from a chem-bio incident.
While Lion's Janesville® CB-Xit™ looks like regular turnout gear and incorporates the mobility and comfort features that firefighters expect in a set of Lion turnout gear, this ensemble is anything but ordinary.
The CB-Xit™ delivers the added assurance of CBRN protection. It works by combining the formfitting, contoured mobility features of Lion's V-Force® turnouts with the chem-bio protection of W.L. Gore & Associates' GORE® CHEMPAK® barrier technology. Lion's CB-Xit™ ensemble positions the CBRN barrier deep within its unique Shadowbox™ liner composite to help shield the barrier from abrasion.
When the ensemble's properly donned, its CBRN protection is always ready to help the firefighter escape at the first sign of a CBRN incident.
"Fire departments considering CBRN turnouts should assess their risk and test the ensemble," said Nick Curtis, vice president of global product development for Lion Apparel. Criteria such as the region's likelihood of being a target for a chem-bio or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) terrorist attack is an important consideration. "If the feasibility exists, we recommend that the department test the CB-Xit™ in actual firefighting scenarios before committing to purchase," Curtis said.
Based on independent laboratory testing required for certification by Underwriters Laboratories, CB-Xit™'s protection factor is significantly higher than the level required by the NFPA 1971, CBRN option. CBRN turnouts are certified for a single exposure only, and that protection level allows a firefighter to escape from a terrorist agent scene.
Lion is the world leader in the development of cutting-edge CBRN protective equipment for law enforcement, fire service, military and other first responders," said Steve Allison, senior vice president of Lion Apparel's Protective Systems Group.
"We are a global company, and the threats of terrorist attacks are not limited to our borders."