USA
Xeros has introduced polymer cleaning system for laundering firefighters’ turnout gear that is fully compliant with NFPA 1851 (National Fire Protection Association’s Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting). The company says the system is gentler on turnout gear, which helps extend its life and saves on replacement costs.
Firefighters wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to shield them during the dangerous work they perform. However, if their turnout gear is soiled it can be hazardous and put them at risk for further health and safety issues. According to Xeros, soils and contaminants can cause PPE to become flammable, toxic, absorb rather than reflect radiant heat, and even conduct electricity.
Firehouses often clean PPE in top load washing machines where the temperature and speeds are too high and detergents are too harsh, says Xeros. This compromises the durability and integrity of the protective elements of the turnout gear.
In the Xeros system, polymer beads replace water as the primary cleaning agent. By combining the molecular structure of the beads with a proprietary detergent solution, contaminants from soiled gear are attracted and absorbed by the beads, producing cleaner results. The Xeros system also includes cabinet dryers that are engineered specifically to safely dry firefighter gear for return to service in a matter of hours.
More details can be found at the Xeros website.
