PPE Accessories news

LION, the largest family-owned manufacturer of first responder personal protective equipment (PPE) in the United States announced its acquisition through an asset purchase of the Elbeco brand. For decades, Elbeco has been a designer, manufacturer, and distributor of performance uniforms for law enforcement, EMS, firefighters, and other public safety professionals. Established in 1907 by the Lurio family, for four generations Elbeco has been driven to make exceptional products through a commitme...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has announced that interested individuals can join presenter Richard Kline for a webinar, scheduled to take place on February 17, 2022, at 2 pm ET, which will explore issues that challenge the fire service leadership, in their quest to offer comprehensive health and fitness programming to their members and offers solutions to these leadership obstacles.  

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is pleased to announce that it will host its second annual in-person Recruitment and Retention (R&R) Experience on September 16 and 17, 2022, in Mesa, Arizona, USA. The NVFC is now accepting proposals from qualified instructors and speakers for presentations to educate first responders about critical volunteer staffing issues in the fire and emergency services. The deadline to submit proposals is March 1, 2022. 2022 NVFC Recruitment and Retention...

The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support celebrated the retirement of three civilian employees, during a ceremony held on Jan. 26, 2022, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Lauren Marie Lohr of the Medical supply chain, retired after 41 years of service, Robert DiPentima of the Clothing and Textiles supply chain, retired after 40 years of service and Linda Farrell, also from the Clothing and Textiles supply chain, retired after eight years of service. DLA Troop Support retirees honored Thei...

Defense Logistics Agency’s (DLA) Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, Special Commodities Branch has won the DLA’s Team Performance of the Year Award, in the medium team category. Within this dedicated group of 42 employees, over 530 years of practical floor experience and high levels of technical expertise combine to drive and shape the day-to-day operation of cold chain management for DDSP.  The Special Commodities Branch The Special Commodities Branch is responsible for...

Passed in January 2022, New York's new Family and Firefighter Protection Act regulates the use of flame retardant chemicals. New York joins 4 other US states (Delaware, Georgia, Iowa and West Virginia) in passing this type of regulation according to Safer States, a network of diverse environmental health coalitions and organizations. New York's legislation regulates specific chemicals in upholstered furniture, mattresses and electronic enclosures. Reasons behind the legislation These che...

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in partnership with the Washington State Military Department’s Emergency Management Division, will open a Disaster Recovery Center on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022, in Ferndale, Whatcom County, Washington, USA, in order to help survivors of the November flooding and mudslides. New Disaster Recovery Center The new recovery center’s location will be Ferndale Chamber of Commerce, 2007 Cherry Street, in Ferndale, Washington The new recovery cente...

A road safety barrier firm is now protecting the planet as well as people by recycling every item of PPE when it reaches the end of its life. Hardstaff Barriers, which manufactures and supplies vehicle restraint systems (VRS) and security barriers, is now ensuring that all personal protective equipment that can no longer be worn is recycled rather than disposed of. Personal protective equipment PPE has been widely used in the workplace for many years, but since the outbreak of COVID-19, its u...

2022 is the year in which Granite Workwear will focus on providing even more sustainable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly workwear. Throughout 2021, it released many sustainable-focused workwear garments, including the Leo Workwear Kingsford High-Vis Trouser, the Leo Workwear Combesgate Snood Sweatshirt, and many more. Towards the end of 2021, Granite’s focus on a greener policy grew, with COP26 becoming more popular as the world shifts its focus to being environmentall...

Cancer is a leading cause of death among firefighters, and research suggests firefighters are at higher risk of certain types of cancers when compared to the general population. Educating fire service members To educate fire service members about this problem and empower them to take steps toward detection, treatment, and prevention, there are several new resources available from: The Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) - In partnership with the International Association of Fire Fight...

As the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus spreads rapidly, 3M has been providing information about the company’s 3M N95 respirators, including information on where to buy them, how to ensure a proper fit, and why they are considered the standard equipment for protection. “As we have throughout the pandemic, 3M is committed to making sure everyone who needs an N95 has access,” said Raymond Eby, the President of 3M’s Personal Safety Division, adding”3M's N95 respi...

The tragic loss of life from the 19-story apartment building fire that occurred in New York City on Jan. 9 reminds of the fire and life safety challenges that tall buildings present to the emergency services and to the occupants who live or work in them. Challenges and features Because of the inherent nature of tall buildings and a series of historic fires, the practice of protecting the people who live and work in high-rise buildings has evolved over the years. Very specific sets of precautio...

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, has been widely used in the workplace for many years to protect employees from health or safety risks. But since the outbreak of COVID-19, the use of PPE has skyrocketed. While this protective clothing ensures the safety of the workforce, what about the effect that the increased production and subsequent disposal of this PPE are having on the environment? Textile destruction and recycling service In the UK, approximately one million tonnes of clothing is...

ImageTrend, Inc. released the second issue of the Collaborate Short Report: Pediatric Behavioral Health Incidents in the Pre-hospital Setting, from January 2018 to October 2021. Studies have found an increase in emergent pediatric behavioral health incidents over the last two decades and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. Collaborate Short Report This Collaborate Short Report focuses on how these incidents have changed across age groups and different regions from 2018 to 2021, by look...

Personal Protective Equipment, vernacularly known as PPE, is a term users have all come across several times amidst the global pandemic. From the shortage of PPE kits to countries ramping up the manufacturing process, are some of the only topics that made headlines most of 2020 and through the latter 2021. In between all this, the cardinal question of 'What is PPE?', comes to mind. Personal Protective Equipment From being used by beekeepers as reported in ancient literature, to 16th-century p...

Wildland firefighting is a physically and mentally demanding job, with many stressors that can take their toll on a wildland firefighter's mental health. To address this issue, a new module, Wildfire Mental Health, has been added to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) RT-130: Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR). The new module The new module emphasizes the importance of asking for help, offers information about accessing mental health care resources, and provid...

Without significant warning, a vicious wildfire quickly destroyed hundreds of homes in just hours in Colorado. The American Red Cross is responding there, where tens of thousands of people have had to leave their neighborhoods. Spurred by strong winds, the fire spread very quickly. Thousands are without power and gas, leaving them without heat in single-digit temperatures and facing a winter storm warning. Red Cross Response Red Cross disaster workers, some of whom have had to evacuate their o...

AW Hainsworth is proud to announce that they have been accredited with ISO 45001:2018, which focuses on occupational health and safety in the workplace. ISO is recognized worldwide as a respected standards body, and this standard focuses on improving employee safety, reducing workplace risks and creating better, safer working conditions. This reinforces the company’s commitment to their workforce by ensuring they provide their employees a healthy and safe place of work. ISO 45001:2018 ac...

To help communities plan for the threats and hazards of climate change, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released its updated Long-Term Community Resilience Exercise Resource Guide: Designing Whole Community Exercises to Prepare for the Effects of a Changing Climate PDF in November 2021. Increase preparedness As the impacts of climate change are being felt across the country, this resource offers communities low-risk and cost-effective ways to increase preparedness with: Tools...

A major new order has shone the spotlight on the latest evolution of Ballyclare’s Xenon firefighter rescue jackets. The order has been awarded by three fire and rescue services in the Yorkshire and Humberside region and covers the rescue jacket requirements of some 3,200 firefighters. “PPE rescue jackets are subject to constantly evolving customer demands because of the ever-widening range of duties which fire and rescue crews face, many of which are not fire-related,...

Many of the customers work outside whether that’s in the transport industry, emergency services industry, or even utility industry. And as users are reaching the cold, wintery months, it’s always a good reminder of how to stay warm in cold weather. This article focuses on: Base Layers Thermal Workwear Accessories Base Layers Base layers are great because they not only add an extra layer underneath the workwear but also hold the muscles tight to improve blood flow, improve o...

MSA, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are helping volunteer fire departments obtain much-needed gear through MSA’s and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. Now in its tenth year, the program has provided over $1 million worth of gear to assist volunteer fire departments in need. In 2021, 13 departments will each receive four sets of turnout gear and four helmets to help enhance the safety of their firefighters. The first 500 applicants also received a one-year ...

Six fire engines and 2,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) have started their journey across Europe to Ukraine.  The de-commissioned fire engines have been donated to Fire Aid by Kent Fire Rescue Service (KFRS), together with a vast array of equipment, including PPE donated by fire and rescue services from across the country. KFRS Supports Fire Aid Mission In Ukraine KFRS Station Manager, Mike Pitney, said: “Last year, hundreds of Ukrainian firefighters worked for weeks...

Decontamination used to be a word used after a hazmat incident when everyone was moving slowly around in brightly-colored encapsulated suits. Suits that, if broken down into their chemical parts, would likely be as dangerous as the chemicals they were protecting the wearer from. House Insulation Then came the inexpensive furniture made of chipboard glued together with one chemical compound and laminated in a second.  Then houses were insulated in chemical compounds and dry walled in oth...

For the workforce, working at industrial sites or work that involves risks of major or minor hand injuries, protective gloves are the most basic and necessary equipment to be included in their PPE kit. Hand protective gloves can be of different types, suitable for different work. Some are best for work that involves exposure to harmful chemicals and sharp surfaces, while others resist punctures and make it suitable to work in extreme temperatures.  While every workforce requirement ma...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and CHEMTREC are excited to announce that in honor of CHEMTREC’s 50th anniversary, five NVFC members have been awarded US$ 10,000 for their volunteer fire departments, through the 2021 CHEMTREC HELP (Hazmat Emergencies Local Preparedness) Awards. Funding is provided to strengthen the fire department's hazardous materials incident response capabilities and increase local readiness for hazmat events. 2021 CHEMTREC HELP Awards winners: Gilsum Fi...

Notices were recently posted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Personal Protective Technology Library (NPPTL) concerning the safety and quality of 2 types of personal protective equipment (PPE) used frequently by emergency medical services personnel: medical gloves and N95 particulate filtering facepiece respirators. Medical gloves notice Medical gloves notice is issued by the FDA on Oct. 29, 2021. Thi...

UKAS is pleased to publish the Annual Report for the financial year of 2020/2021.  In line with the new logo, symbols of accreditation and website, that were unveiled at the start of 2021, the Annual Report has also been updated to reflect the refreshed branding. Importance of accreditation The content of the report has also been expanded, containing a range of articles that highlight the importance of accreditation in its role of delivering confidence in the products and services t...

A youth rugby team in South Wales, United Kingdom (UK), has been scoring tries in style this season, thanks to a brand new kit. This season, players from Croesyceiliog Rugby Football Club (Croesyceiliog RFC), based in Gwent, Wales have looked the part in their new team strips, bearing the club’s crest. New kit for Croesyceiliog RFC team The new kit was funded by Asset VRS and Hardstaff Barriers, the globally renowned manufacturers and suppliers of roadside safety barriers and perimeter s...

Hardstaff Barriers has continued to show its support for local businesses and communities by sponsoring a charitable event in aid of Nottinghamshire YMCA. Formed in 1871, Nottinghamshire YMCA is one of the county’s oldest charities, providing accommodation for the homeless and promoting youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Raising funds Hardstaff, a safety barrier manufacturer, donated staff from the branding agency Three rooms, based in Nottingham, and completed...