Monroe, NC—Scott Safety, now part of 3M, advances the proven, trusted performance of the Air-Pak X3 with the introduction of the Air-Pak X3 Pro, its most leading-edge SCBA to date. With a commitment to firefighter safety and a focus on the long-term effects of carcinogen exposure, Scott Safety engineered a product that enhances cleanability, comfort, and connectivity, while providing compatibility with the upcoming NFPA 2018 standards.

The Air-Pak X3 Pro combines high-performance material selection with an easy-to-remove harness for cleaning, decontamination, and serviceability. With minimal water absorption, the new harness assembly can be machine-laundered to minimize contamination and reduce long-term carcinogen exposure. Because the gear can be laundered at the station, firefighters have fast and easy access to their equipment when they respond to the next call.

“As an industry leader, our role at Scott Safety is not only to provide the best equipment to protect first responders, but to do our part to protect their long-term health,” said Jeff Emery, global business unit leader, SCBA and fire solutions for Scott Safety. “We take that responsibility seriously and are committed to instituting change, not only for the firefighters of today, but for the firefighters of tomorrow.”

Scott Safety designed the Air-Pak X3 Pro to keep firefighters safe while providing a higher level of comfort. A new shoulder harness design improves the ease of donning the SCBA and minimizes pressure points to reduce user fatigue. A naturally articulating waist pad provides the user a greater range of motion, while transferring weight to the hips for a more balanced load. Superior breathability offers minimal breathing resistance to reduce user burden and improve operational efficiencies.

Offering enhanced electronics with Bluetooth® technology, the Air-Pak X3 Pro supports wireless connectivity for improved firefighter safety and fireground accountability. An electronic PAR feature allows incident command to reliably communicate with firefighters without creating additional radio traffic. Data downloading and configuration changes are made easier using a wireless connection to smartphones.

“Scott Safety is committed to product development that makes the firefighter’s job easier and safer,” said Jason Cannon, senior manager, NFPA air-supplied products for Scott Safety. “With a cleanable, comfortable and connected product, we are working toward minimizing harmful exposure to carcinogens and providing improved peace of mind.”

For more information, visit www.scottsafety.com.

A brush fire that began Wednesday afternoon along a hillside between Granger and Satus was contained early Thursday morning after burning at least 2,000 acres. Crews from Yakima County Fire District 5 responded to reports of the fire just after 5 p.m. in the 3000 block of Tule Road. Firefighters arriving at the scene reported rapidly moving flames driven by strong winds and dry conditions, according to Joel Byam, deputy chief of operations for the fire district.
- PUB DATE: 10/19/2017 9:04:30 AM - SOURCE: Yakima Herald-Republic

Seats Incorporated is pleased to announce the promotion of Joe Brey to divisional manager of 911 (emergency vehicle), military, and step van seat sales. Brey has been with Seats for six years, previously holding the position of regional sales manager for a cross section of product lines including Turf, Industrial, Construction, Forestry, Step Van, Military, and Emergency Vehicle products. He states that, “Working with a wide array of products and customers in various market segments certainly increased my appreciation of Seats’ history as a manufacturer committed to innovation, progress, and customer support. Also, being involved with the R&D aspect in these divisions has given me insight into how concepts and ideas from our testing and design engineers can be utilized in multiple products/applications.”

Regarding what’s to come for the division, Brey says “The future for the Military/Emergency Vehicle/Step Van division at Seats Incorporated is incredibly bright. As our company’s strong presence in numerous industries continues to grow, the wealth of information we are able to gather and share across divisions is instrumental to our success.” When asked about the most important message he conveys to customers, Brey replied that “We view our customers as partners. While we do have an offering of proprietary seats, one of our core strengths is utilizing our design and manufacturing capabilities to fit customer-specific needs. The vertical integration throughout our business allows for quick responses to change - whether that change is altering current product or research and development into new products and features.”

In working for Seats Incorporated Brey most enjoys, “The empowerment given to the employees—everyone’s voices are heard and their opinions matter.” Brey looks forward to this new opportunity and finds great inspiration in, “The end result of hard work by countless people here at Seats—crafting safe, dependable products for our customers. “

For more information, visit http://www.seatsinc.com/index.php/seat-models/911-emergency-seating.

Firefighters in Kennewick have put out the fire that burned two homes this morning on the 1700 block of Rainier Street in Kennewick, and investigators are still on the scene trying to figure out how the fire started. Kennewick Police closed the area of Rainier Street this morning, while firefighters battled the fire.
- PUB DATE: 10/19/2017 6:44:02 AM - SOURCE: KEPR-TV CBS 19

HOUSTON, TX—Dräger has introduced the NFPA-compliant Sentinel 1500 SCBA monitoring system to the North American market. The Dräger Sentinel 1500 is a fully integrated electronic signal and warning unit designed to help increase the safety of firefighters. 

 “While all of Dräger’s new generation of SCBA components offer outstanding value, the Sentinel 1500 monitoring system offers even greater levels of affordability. This NFPA-approved system meets the highest standards for safety and quality, while giving fire departments an additional choice of monitors when configuring an SCBA system,” said Lothar Thielen, President & Regional CEO, Dräger North America. 

The Sentinel 1500 integrates a wireless heads-up display (HUD) and PASS device, which firefighters can wear at the waist or shoulder, depending on their preference. 

To further help increase the safety of the wearer, the Sentinel 1500:

• Makes sure the system is ready before the firefighter enters a hazardous zone by sending a wakeup signal to the PASS device and HUD when the breathing air cylinder is opened.
• Alerts the wearer when temperatures absorbed by the unit reach a critical level.
• Draws attention to a firefighter in distress by generating visual and audible alert signals.
• Reduces snagging hazards by reducing the need for additional cables or wires.

For more information, visit www.draeger.com/sentinel1500.