Central Lake Armor Express, Inc. ("Armor Express"), a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-performance body armor solutions, announced today the expansion of its advanced ballistic systems, carriers, helmets, rifle plates and other related accessories to support the growing need for personal protection by Fire and EMS officers. Armor Express will demonstrate its latest products in Booth #5363 at the 2017 Fire Department Instructor’s Conference (FDIC International), slated for April 26-29 at the Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

“This is a significant step in our commitment to broaden product and service reach to key sectors that rely on innovative body armor solutions certified to meet the most demanding requirements. Among these sectors are Fire and EMS where now, more than ever, firefighting, rescue and medical emergency personnel are facing increasingly dangerous environments and finding themselves in harm’s way,” stated Rex McGrath, Armor Express’ Channel Manager for Fire/EMS. “Building on our successes and lessons learned in Law Enforcement, we are actively investing in R&D and next-gen systems and technologies to bring to market the highest-performing, most versatile and comfortable ballistic armor that safeguard all first responders.”

Firefighters and EMTs have long been taught to operate at a safe distance from potentially violent incidents and await word from law enforcement that the area is secured. That paradigm is now shifting with the rise of active-shooter/mass casualty incidents (AS/MCI), as seen with the Columbine High, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook Elementary, San Bernardino Inland Regional Center and Orlando nightclub attacks, as well as the World Trade Center and Boston Marathon bombings. Sadly, we are all too aware of the headlines highlighting how much our emergency officers are at risk. With entry into unsecure areas known as warm zones, more departments are looking closely at body armor to protect their officers. They recognize the growing need to provide the proper equipment and training to first responders who may face ballistic orexplosive threats, while needing to quickly triage, treat and extricate the wounded.

Armor Express is focusing its resources on U.S.-made solutions that offer the highest level of flexibility, mobility and stopping power that today’s firefighters and EMTs need. Considering that most jurisdictions do not supply all of their first responders with armor and that budgets are limited for purchasing equipment, the Company is collaborating closely with departments to meet their core requirements. Using guidelines like that of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Armor Express has developed packaged solutions for the head and body, including Level IIIA ballistic vests, special outer carriers, Level IV hard armor plates that are capable of withstanding rifle rounds (used in more than 25 percent of active shooter incidents), and Level IIIA ballistic helmets.  

Multi-compliant Ballistic Armor Protects First Responders in the Line of Fire

Among the latest products that will be demonstrated at FDIC are Armor Express’ advanced ballistic systems certified to the most stringent standards, including the NIJ Standard-0101.06, FBI and DEA protocols, and special-threa

By Rita Reith

The Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) continues to take aim at Cancer in the Fire Service with the recent purchase of a Chemical Detox Sauna, built to help firefighters eliminate deadly toxins from their body after fighting fires.  Firefighters from IFD first discovered the Chemical Detox Sauna at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC International) in 2015, when Canadian Rodney Palmer, owner of SaunaRay, attended as one of the 875 vendors who exhibit at the conference every year. IFD Firefighters were conducting a full court press with their efforts to eradicate cancer in the fire service and looking for ways to help keep themselves safe.  SaunaRay built a product that fully understands a target demographic desperate to stop yet another firefighter dying from Cancer.  With the advantage of having the FDIC Conference in Indianapolis, IFD gratefully acknowledges that over the last 22 years they have benefitted from the opportunity to learn the latest techniques in firefighter safety, health and training, while utilizing the newest in fire ground tools and apparatus. Not to mention the over 25 Hands on Training classes, 80 workshops and 200 classroom sessions afforded firefighters in Indianapolis and surrounding areas as a thank you from FDIC for the teamwork and hundreds of hours it takes to make the conference happen.  Firefighters from over 53 countries are represented amongst the over 30,000 firefighters who attend every year.

Palmer was approached by several IFD Firefighters at the 2015 conference, all asking how the product worked and why it was so beneficial.  This deadly disease now reaching epidemic proportions within the fire service, had stricken one too many IFD firefighters and as a department IFD was prepared to strike back.  Please see the attachment with information about the SaunaRay Chemical Detox Sauna.  In late 2016 Chief Ernest Malone reached out to the 43 House Captains on IFD asking for a wish list of sorts.  Within the IFD budget was a small amount of money that he was willing to allocate to one or more “special projects” requests that the house captains thought might benefit the firefighters at their station.  One reply came from Station 44 Captain Tim McDonnell, a 30 plus year firefighter and cancer survivor.  His wish list request? A SaunaRay Chemical Detox Sauna. He was one of the members who inquired about the sauna at the conference in 2015 and knew from the subsequent research that this could be the IFD’s next step.  Chief Ernest Malone couldn’t agree more.  A small price to pay for the enormous opportunity to give the firefighters the necessary tools to stay safe and ownership in the knowledge that ours is a dangerous profession but it doesn’t have to kill us.

In August of 2015, Chief Ernest Malone announced the official and full implementation of the 11 recommendations as published by the non-profit Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN National) Cancer White Paper “Taking Action Against Cancer in the Fire Service." IFD was the first department in the US to utilize and mandate all 11 recommendations.   IFD personnel received training and equipment recommended by the study as part of its ongoing effort to reduce the risk of firefighters exposure to deadly carcinogens. IFD firefighters were provided with the latest protective clothing, equipment and participation in initiatives such as the "Tobacco Free: IFD" (since 2001),” Annual Physical and Wellness Evaluations through Public Safety Medical, full participation in the IAFF Ten Cities Wellness Fitness Initia

At least a dozen RVs went up in flames early Thursday morning at a Snohomish storage facility. The storage facility, in the 2020 block of Bickford Avenue, caught fire around 3:30 a.m. after a caretaker called 911, fire officials say. The two-alarm fire burned through the RVs quickly, firefighters say.
- PUB DATE: 4/20/2017 6:47:05 AM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 and Radio 1000