Next Generation PPE

•How has the market for CBRN PPE developed in the past ten years?

The New York 9/11 attack was almost certainly the turning point in CBRN PPE. Prior to this atrocity, CBRN (or NBC as it was formally known) was very much the domain of the Military organisations and something the Civil/ First Responder Community had very little exposure to.

Subsequent terrorist attacks such as the bombings in London and Madrid has seen the need for specific First Responder CBRN protection. This is not simply a traditional military garment made in blue but specific garments designed purposely for use by emergency responders.

The assessment on protection factor has changed significantly over this time. The original thought process of ‘protect to the highest possible level’ has advanced to be ‘protect to the highest necessary level, whilst enabling the responder to carry out their duties’. You may well have the highest protecting garment, however, if you can’t carry out your operational duties whilst wearing it, it is not fit for use and essentially a waste of money.

Today there is a range of CBRN PPE available on the market, from the traditional Level A fully encapsulated garments to membrane and carbon combinations.

Fundamentally the importance and significance of physiological burden, fitness for use and protection factor are crucial when choosing the best CBRN PPE.

•How have changes in threat altered the requirements from users? What additional capabilities have been sought?

The only constant in the world of CBRN is that the various elements of the threat i.e. time/ place/ toxic substance are ever changing. The security services have a significantly larger knowledge base about the key protagonists than ever before but essentially, by its very nature, a CBRN incident will inevitably catch its target unawares. As a result, garment protection needs to protect against as
many chemical/ biological/radiological elements as possible. However, we also know through real life incidents and incident trials that First Responders require protection which allows them to remain longer at the scene than previously considered in order to effectively control and manage. There are also different roles to consider e.g. Forensics, DIM, Mass Decon, Cordon Control etc Therefore protection garments must provide Responders with the capability to complete a wide range of essential physical tasks. CBRN protection needs to be as functional as possible and the ability to run, climb and crawl is high on the agenda for some organisations. Looking ahead, End Users are seeking the ideal ie protection in one 'standard' garment which may look as close as possible to existing regular uniforms but provides an appropriate level of CBRN protection.

•PPE CBRN protection levels have been quite firmly established internationally. What other factors are now considered important in the next generation of PPE (E.g. physiological burden, manoeuvrability, don times, etc)?

Protection Levels may be established by the relevant accreditation bodies, however there is still a huge amount of confusion within the First Responder community Internationally. There is still an element of ‘Emporer’s New Clothes’ when discussing CBRN PPE with End Users, and this looks likely to continue with the introduction of new materials and techniques such as nano-technology. It is an impossible task for End Users to keep up with the range of material technologies available so the onus is on manufacturers to ensure they guide and advise End Users responsibly.

The fundamental factors I mentioned earlier about physiological burden, fitness for use, and protection levels will always the main focus in CBRN PPE development for Lion. However integration with ancillaries like BA/respirators, boots and gloves is also important, particularly as these products are improved and updated. It’s obviously essential that all these products work together as one ensemble.

•What innovations is Lion bringing to the table in terms of sourcing textiles, garment build, etc to improve the PPE experience for First Responders?

Lion has a constant dialogue with its customers and as a result is building up a good understanding of global requirements and their continuous shift. Lion is constantly pushing existing suppliers for innovation in the materials they supply and our dedicated R&D team are continually evaluating emerging technologies. A good example of this is their work in nano-technologies, the current buzz-word which implies all sorts of new capabilities. However this area can be misconstrued and Lion has built up a strong knowledge network and resource team that relentlessly evaluates new innovations, ensuring greater garment integrity if and when new technologies are integrated.

•Does more manoeuvrability, lower physiological burden and faster don times necessarily mean lower levels of protection?

The short answer is not necessarily. It’s a common misconception that a lighter and thinner garment means lighter and thinner protection. Garments are complex multi-layered entities and it all comes down to which combination of garment design and materials are blended together.

•Is innovation in PPE more industry-led or user-led? To what extent can the users dictate specifications, and how much is limited by what technology/textiles are available at any time?

To answer your first question, innovation in PPE is increasingly being driven by End Users, particularly the knowledgeable responders that are tackling CBRN threats regularly. Their understanding of what protection they need and the operational environments they need to work in is driving innovation because they are simply asking for product that meets their clearly identified requirements.

There are many organisations/ end users however who are new to the CBRN field and as a result the range of protection available is very much a learning curve for them. They naturally tend to look to industry and accreditation bodies for guidance.

As a manufacturer, Lion welcomes Users dictating the specifications of what they need and we thoroughly enjoy working with End Users who have a clear understanding of their protection requirements. There is one caveat to this however. It vital that End Users have an understanding of what is physically possible - both in terms of materials that are available in the quantities they require and the commerciality of manufacturing these products. There is a lot of talk about innovative new textiles and coatings etc, but currently very few can be replicated at the manufacturing levels and quantities that are required. That’s not to say it’s not ever going to happen, it undoubtedly will in the future, but it’s important to distinguish between what is currently realistic and available and what is on the horizon in the next 5 - 10 years.

To what extent does Lion work with users to meet their needs? Any examples of best practice?

Lion is essentially divided into two areas, the manufacture of PPE, and the supply of PPE. TotalCare® is a service that all Lion business units offer around the World, and it enables End Users to lease or purchase their PPE over an agreed time frame. During the life of the contract Lion can control all aspects of the End Users' needs for PPE. The service can be individually tailored and includes distribution, maintenance, repair, replacement, laundry and delivery. Lion has secured contracts with a number of large Responder organisations around the World e.g. the Bavarian Police in Germany. Through this network of TotalCare® contracts Lion has a unique one to one access with its customers, ensuring we address End Users needs and continually work to improve our service.

•Although the fire service is traditionally the first responder of choice in a hot zone, police and ambulance teams are increasingly developing a CBRN protection capability. What can Lion offer such teams?

Lion has proactively created a range of garments which take into account many different operational requirements and many different level threats. Police and Ambulance are increasingly developing a sophisticated CBRN protection capability and whilst they are very clear on their requirements and Lion actively services those needs, its notable there is more crossover than ever before in the selection of garments.

For example, the Fire Department City of New York has just upgraded its CBRN protection capability with the help of Lion's MT94, a single layered lightweight garment which is ideal for HazMat and search and rescue. FDNY chose the MT94 because it will provide its HazMat teams with a more functional alternative than wearing traditional Level A suits. Increasingly we are finding that End Users are not afraid to challenge the existing protocol and seek out new science from other First Responders if it can be of benefit to their role, and this is exciting.

•To what extent is there a trade-off between conventional protection (eg against fire) and CBRN protection? Are the two compatible, or are two separate garments needed?

The ultimate garment will be the one that protects against everything - no matter what - and whilst this is a way off for a number of reasons, Lion's CB-Xit garment is a good example of a new garment which delivers fire protection for everyday firefighter requirements but also provides a level of NFPA approved CBRN protection. The ideology is that the fire fighter has always got a level of CBRN protection, every single day. In the event of an incident, it will allow him to vacate the area safely, rescuing injured personnel if required. Lion believes this type of combined garment, which provides some CBRN protection for every working life, is a real breakthrough in the way that First Responders are being protected and welcomes the opportunity to discuss this with existing and new customers globally.

•What additional support can companies like Lion offer first response organisations to assist with the procurement storage, care and management of PPE?

A decade ago, Lion launched a unique managed service that included garment maintenance and distribution to many Brigades within the UK Fire Service which delivered complete peace of mind protection for fire protective clothing. Already a proven success with Fire Services in the USA, this revolutionary TotalCare® system broke new ground. For the first time procurement officers were given the opportunity to off-load the management and maintenance of their top-to-toe fire garments, handing this responsibility to more than 800 highly-experienced garment specialists within one single dedicated source. In essence, the garment supplier had not only provided the wide selection of protective apparel but had also taken complete responsibility for its management and maintenance, including repairing, washing and replacement. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) is one brigade to benefit from such a fully integrated service for all of its PPE. Lion now wishes to introduce TotalCare® into the world of CBRN, managing all the storage, care and maintenance of an organisation's CBRN PPE. This ideology is a real step forward in removing some of the responsibility and uncertainty from the procurement officer and it is a real step forward in ensuring that manufacturers and end users stand together to face the unknown.

Please email cbrn@lionapparel.com, visit www.lionapparel.com or call +44 (0)1895 237 359.