Greenville, SC — June 29, 2016 — “I’m feeling hotter in my turnout gear” is a common phrase stated by firefighters year after year. This epidemic is largely attributed to fires burning hotter with ambient air temperatures also continuing to rise. Safety Components, the global leader in firefighting fabric technology has listened and answered the call by developing a game-changing solution—Glide Ice thermal liners engineered with DuPont™ Nomex® filament. 

Glide, consistently worn by more U.S. metro cities than any other thermal liner and the world’s leading high performance thermal liner for firefighters since 1997, just got better. Glide Ice will build on the “slicker, softer and more comfortable” pedigree found in all Glide thermal liner options produced by Safety Components over the past two decades. Glide Ice feels cool with its ice blue design woven in Safety Components patented weave that combines 60% DuPont™ Nomex® filament yarns with 40% DuPont™ Nomex®/Lenzing® FR spun yarns. Utilizing DuPont™ Nomex® filament, Glide Ice features superior performance in breathability, freedom of movement, comfort, heat blocking capability, moisture management and fast dry times. Our patented high lubricity weave is lighter and slicker than competitive liner systems. Glide Ice, with DuPont™ Nomex® filament, guarantees better freedom of movement and longer lasting freedom of movement than any thermal liner in the world today. 

Guy Lucas, Director of Marketing, SCI, commented, “At Safety Components, we always do what is best and what is right for first responders. Our continued commitment to the development of FR fabric solutions with enhanced safety, innovative design and life-improving technologies is unwavering.” Mr. Lucas went on to say, “We are truly excited to bring Glide Ice to dedicated firefighters around the globe.”

Glide Ice thermal liners ensure you stay cooler, drier and more comfortable in the hottest situations. Glide Ice, the coolest way to fight fire. 

Glide Ice is fully UL approved and certified for a seamless transition from Glide Gold with DuPont™ Kevlar® filament to Glide Ice with DuPont™ Nomex® filament. With the full support of Safety Components and DuPont™, fire departments will start receiving Glide Ice in Q4 of 2016. 

DuPont™, Nomex® and Kevlar® are registered trademarks or trademarks of E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates.

During the past 17 years, Safety Components has led the fire service by developing more outer shell and thermal liner fabric innovations than any other textile company in the world. Safety Components’ outer shells contain a patented, durable, water repellent finish that offers safer, lighter, and dryer gear. These same outer shell fabrics also contain solution dyed fibers for the highest resistance to fading after thermal exposure.

Safety Components, Inc. (SCI) is the market leader in technology-driven fabric solutions for high performance textiles. The main focus of SCI is to design and manufacture textiles for markets including: first responders (fire service, USAR, and EMS), military

As the Fourth of July approaches, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is reminding the public that there’s no safe way to use consumer fireworks. According to NFPA, coordinator of the Alliance to Stop Consumer Fireworks, U.S. fire departments responded to an annual average of 18,500 fires caused by fireworks between 2009 and 2013. These fires included 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires, 16,900 outside and other fires, and killed two people per year. Last year, two NFL players made headlines by losing fingers in accidents involving fireworks. The two separate high-profile incidents raised awareness about the dangers of consumer fireworks...

Another suspicious fire sent crews racing to a Renton high school early Wednesday morning. Firefighters have put out several blazes around Lindbergh High School this month - and they all sound suspicious. Crews also had to respond to at least one fire at nearby Tiffany Elementary School earlier this month.
- PUB DATE: 6/29/2016 7:39:55 AM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 and Radio 1000

New Sales Staffing Structure, Online Ordering Platform for Dealers, On-Demand Chat Option, and Increased Customer Support Introduced

Putnam, CT – Kochek has recently announced significant company changes, including the introduction of a new online ordering platform designed specifically for dealers, an increase in customer support personnel including a new online ‘live-chat support’ option, and a restructuring within the sales division.

Lou Thomas will continue to lead Kochek’s sales force while assuming a new title of Director of Sales and Marketing. Reporting directly to Lou, Laurie Prucker has been promoted to Senior Account Manager. Rodney Furgison will also assume increasing responsibility in his new role of National Sales Manager. Kochek’s new regional account managers include Eric Lane (East Coast), Annie Lussier (Northwest), and Justine Lane (Southwest). David Mihailides will now assume the role of Business Development Manager, reporting directly to Dan Olm, Kochek’s Vice President and General Manager.

Dan Olm said “Over the past year, we’ve been listening to our customers and collecting intel on ways in which we can refine and improve elements within our organizational structure. Most importantly, we are confident that these recently implemented changes will support much of the positive change that has recently occurred. There is no question that we are poised and ready for a period of unprecedented growth.”

Kochek has increased on-the shelf items by 45 percent and now carry over 500 items. These items are available for immediate shipment and can be ordered using Kochek’s new easy order Web site. Kochek’s new easy order site was designed to make ordering stocked product as simple and straightforward as possible while dramatically improving on-time delivery rates. According to Olm, “We are currently deliver these stocked items within 24 hours with a 99-percent fill rate. We continue to supply special order items in all the configurations our customers have grown accustomed to. We are a one-stop shop for our customers.”

Any dealers who have questions or need assistance with Kochek’s new online easy order platform are encouraged to reach out directly to their account manager.

At FDIC International 2016, Kochek hosted a breakfast for dealers and unveiled several of these recently introduced measures.

Kochek President, Charlie Kozey, said “While there has been a lot of recent changes here at Kochek, it is important to state that we are still the same company at our core. We move water and make connections. That is the consistent theme throughout everything that we do. At Kochek, we understand that people’s lives depend on our products, and we stand committed to serving the families, communities and brave men and women who rely on the performance of our products each and every day.”

More: https://www.kochek.com/

Mike Burnett thinks his fire department is well-positioned to fight wildfires this summer. The chief of Chelan County Fire District 1 has made some upper-level staffing changes, gotten the fire district’s helicopter up and flying earlier than last year, and has fire district employees out canvassing neighborhoods next to wild lands so they can tell homeowners how to make their homes more fire resistant.
- PUB DATE: 6/29/2016 3:34:57 AM - SOURCE: Wenatchee World - metered site