Dayton, Ohio — July 26, 2016 — Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced the new Honeywell Life Guard Hood for firefighters that features an innovative, patent-pending design and proven fabrics that provide better blocking protection against hazardous particulates compared to traditional hoods.
The new Life Guard particulate hood is Honeywell’s latest breakthrough in safety and comfort for first responders. Replacing the traditional “sock hood,” the Life Guard Hood delivers new laboratory-proven levels of particulate-blocking protection with a lighter, more roomy fit that integrates with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and turnout gear to ensure the highest level of comfort and safety.
“Honeywell has leveraged its considerable resources in collaboration with the firefighting community to develop a particulate-resistant hood that adds an extra layer of safety to the traditional one worn by first responders on the fireground,” said Ken Schmidt, vice president and general manager of Honeywell First Responder. “Life Guard Hood reflects Honeywell’s deep commitment to provide firefighters with solutions that enable them to perform at the highest level, while protecting their long-term health and safety.”
New building materials have made structure fires far more hazardous. Modern synthetics release lethal gases and toxins when burned. Studies show that the skin and glands of the neck and face are especially prone to absorbing toxins, and some cancer rates have now been proven to be higher for firefighters than the general population.
Cancer is the most dangerous and unrecognized threat to the health and safety of our nation’s firefighters, according to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN). Specifically at risk are the face, the angle of the jaw, the neck and throat — yet the most permeable piece of personal protective equipment is the hood.1
The particulate-blocking protection of the Honeywell Life Guard Hood is laboratory-proven in Fluorescent Aerosol Screening Test (FAST) testing by RTI International. In testing, the Life Guard Hood provided dramatically advanced protection from particulates versus a 2015 International Association of Fire Fighter (IAFF) test by RTI showing very heavy deposits on the head and neck areas that resulted with the use of a standard knit hood.2
Fire Smoke Coalition President Jason Krusen said, “When training first responders around the country, we receive many questions about how firefighters can protect themselves better from the toxins that are present in fire smoke. Hoods such as Life Guard go a long way towards protecting responders better from airborne toxicants and particulates, and reducing the long-term health risks.”
Designed with fire fighter input at all stages of development and testing, features of the new Honeywell Life Guard Hood include:
- Blocks carcinogenic particulates in both air and water.
- Highly-breathable multi-layer composite material, coupled with a roomier design that promotes the safe flow of air around a user’s head and neck, yields a greatly improved wearing experience
- Balanced Thermal Protective Performance (TPP) and Total Heat Loss (THL) design supports a drier, breathable and comfortable wear — even after hours of use
- Materials with proven durability yield a long wear-l