FlamePro, a British manufacturing specialist of life-saving garments for firefighters, has announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind fire kit, having worked with its suppliers to bring new, innovative technologies to the market.

The new Valiant structural fire suit has been designed to ensure firefighters no longer have to compromise between comfort and protection. For more than a decade, firefighter suits have seen little evolution. However, the new Valiant suits represent a significant and revolutionary development in firefighter protection, utilising brand new fabrics, membranes and components.

This includes a new fabric assembly, which incorporates an integrated 3D woven structure and state-of-the-art membrane, to provide exceptional breathability, moisture transportation and thermal performance.

Revolutionary fabric technologies

As well as giving brigades the choice of five outer fabrics to suit their budget, the Valiant suit is available with new moisture-barrier innovations, resulting in a membrane that is the same weight as traditional structures, yet offers increased breathability, moisture management and high-temperature wash durability, as well as delivering better thermal performance against radiant heat.

Another innovation in the Valiant suit is a 3D woven thermal lining layer, which offers market-leading breathability, as well as excellent moisture transportation and thermal performance.

When these technologies are combined, the full assembly offers a garment that has been shown to be one of the most effective at transporting moisture away from the firefighter, which helps to keep them cool and prevent any trapped moisture conducting heat and causing potential burns.

Wearer trials of this garment system have shown it performs better than conventional and dual systems in scenarios such as climbing ladders, hot-house trials and crawling through enclosed spaces.

Sportswear ergonomics meets firefighter protection

Both the jacket and trousers of the Valiant suit feature ergonomic shaped panelling, which is designed to maximise ease of movement and comfort for the firefighter. The new fabric system also offers additional benefits including low perceived bulk and quick drying.

The jacket and trousers have both been designed down to the smallest details to ensure they are better and more comfortable to work in, and to provide the firefighter with the features they need to do their demanding job.

Game-changing glow-in-the-dark visibility

The new garments are also the first on the UK market to include luminous tapes as standard, in addition to reflective tapes. These glow-in-the-dark, phosphorescent strips aid location of colleagues in near, or even total, darkness.

Meanwhile, the flame-retardant reflective tape featured on the fire suit has been tested to more than 50 industrial washes, and sewn on with twin needles to ensure added strength and durability.

The smaller details

The fire suit also includes abrasion- and puncture-resistant fabrics at the elbow and knee, thanks to the use of Kevlar fibres, while all the seams of the garments have been sewn with twin-needle structural seams to deliver added strength to the suit.

The garments have also been designed to feature generous grab tabs on the pockets and loops, for easy use when firefighters are wearing gloves.

Finally, the sleeve cuff, jacket hem and trouser hem have all been designed using reinforced fabric to increase the lifespan of the PPE through increased abrasion resistance and garment durability.

Commenting on the launch of the new fire kit, FlamePro’s Technical Sales Manager, Reece Buchner, said: ‘This new fire kit is a real game changer in the firefighting industry. We’ve been working with our suppliers for many months to develop these cutting-edge technologies – the likes of which have never been seen before.

‘Our new material assembly is truly unique – both the 3D woven structure, as well as the new moisture-barrier membrane are very much a first for the industry, and demonstrate a major leap forward in PPE options for firefighters.

‘As well as protecting front-line workers from the dangers of extreme heat and flames, making sure PPE is a comfortable fit is a top priority for us. With these new technologies that we’ve developed, and our brand-new designs, we know we are setting a new benchmark for structural suits across the whole industry.’

For more information, go to www.flamepro.com