Firefighters have seen their roles change significantly in recent years, as they respond to the challenges of the modern world. Today, in addition to fire-related emergencies, fire crews attend a wide variety of other incidents including traffic accidents, medical emergencies, flooding, chemical spills, public unrest, and collapsed buildings.
As a result, firefighter PPE has been steadily evolving to reflect this change, with manufacturers and designers striving to produce protective garments to suit a variety of environments and operations, and to help minimize health risks. Whether attending an incident at the roadside, at an intense fire or in extremely cold conditions, emergency responders need to maintain a comfortable body temperature and stay dry.
Gore Varde fabrics
RescueFlex consists of a rescue jacket and trouser based on Bristol Uniforms’ popular XFlex design
They also need protection against harmful chemicals, carcinogens and pathogens, and need full range of movement to carry out the job in hand. RescueFlex is Bristol Uniforms’ range of cutting-edge technical rescue PPE, meeting the CEN standard, EN 16689:2017. Specifically developed for use in Technical Rescue and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) operations, it is also ideal for many everyday situations faced by the modern firefighter, where lighter and more flexible clothing can be more appropriate than full structural PPE.
RescueFlex consists of a rescue jacket and trouser based on Bristol Uniforms’ popular XFlex design. It incorporates two layers: a flame-retardant outer layer and a waterproof membrane, in a choice of specialist materials which offer a high level of protection against wind, water and flame. Fabric options include the new Gore Varde fabrics, which are particularly lightweight and breathable.
additional physical protection
Quilted padding at high risk points such as the knees and elbows provides additional physical protection, and importantly, the coat and trouser can be zipped together to maintain protection when maneuvering and crawling. RescueFlex is also tear and puncture resistant and provides protection against blood-borne pathogens – essential when attending to casualties.
Crucially, RescueFlex offers a particularly high level of flexibility for excellent maneuverability in confined spaces and is lightweight to minimize heat stress. It is available in a range of colors including red, navy, orange, Hi-Viz orange and Hi-Viz yellow.
