Tips and Tricks
Tips and Tricks from field use.
1. If a vest panel is damage in use, then instead of throwing away the entire vest, a vest in stock can be cannibalized to replace the damaged panel. As such that leaves the other two panels in stock for use as replacement parts for another time. Thus saving money instead of buying a complete new vest each time a vest is damaged in use.
2. These vests can be seen over 2,000 feet away at night, so ensure they are worn correctly and fastened at the front to maximize visibility.
3. Why so many pockets? These days they can carry cell phones, radios, notes, maps, pens, whistles, and so much more. For example, in the heat of summer ice packs can be inserted into each pocket to act as a cooling vest. In winter warming pads can be inserted to deliver a source of heat on a long job outside. Most of our pockets are self-sealing so even if you had to evacuate a building head first down a ladder, your contents will be safe from spillage.
4. Why the black stripes either side of the orange stripes? In heavy smoke environments you might be using a thermal camera. If so, a “normal” plain yellow of plain orange vest will blend in with the background, even a plain yellow and orange combo vest will blend. So we add the black stripes to define our safety vests in order to identify other colleagues in those rooms, thus saving time and confusion and lives.
5. AS at 4. the black stripes help controllers identify personnel quickly if they are viewing a crowd scene through black and white CCTV cameras. That little extra definition can save lives.
6. The vest bag is to store your vest and help keep it clean. However many fire depts. insert a personal safety line in these bags which makes it really easy, quick and simple to deploy in times of need.
7. The vest bag can also be used to store a spare set of goggles for use when needed.
8. Washing our vests is simple, easy and fast, insert in washing machine with cold water and wash, let air dry if possible.
9. ID pocket is multi-functional, there’s one pockets for quick and easy access and another to secure an ID card which can only be removed deliberately, thus ensuring no accidental loss and exposure.
10. Ensure the vest is fitted closely to your body to ensure you do not become a snagged.
11. For personal safety a simple whistle can be kept in one of the vest pockets just in case of emergency. A sharp whistle tone is much more noticeable at a major scene than someone yelling a warning to others.
12. Pulsing LED lights can be fitted to our vests for added visibility and enhanced safety.
13. We can add reflective lettering to our vests when ordering.
14. Black lettering and customization can be added to our vests when ordering.
15. Full color crests, badges and corporate logos can be added to our vests when ordering.
16. Individual GPS tracking devices can be added to our vests to ensure personal safety. we have three different GPS tracking devices that range from basic, to premium to advanced. depending on the model, they carry a two way ping, two way voice, low battery alert, easy, Fast GPS locate, history, geo fencing, global operation, and 5m to 15m accuracy. Simply slip it into one of the sealed pocket once activated. Useful for forest fires, search and rescue operations, wilderness, complex buildings, large buildings.
17. Why snaps? Have you ever used hook and loop? Hook and Loop is almost magnetic, it attracts anything and everything from other vest, uniform, grass, fluff etc. Hook and Loop can also generate a spark! YES seriously some hook and loop when pulled quickly as in a break away action generates a spark. Test hook and loop out in a totally dark room, you’ll be shocked, literally. Now if that happened in an explosive environment? So we use plastic snaps, non-conducting, non-sparking, non-corrosive, non-irritating.
18. ID Cards. We can also design, create, produce and deploy full color high-resolution ID cards for large and small depts. to add to the security of staff, contractors and the public alike.
19. User database info can also be collated and integrated for record purposes. For example: At a chemical incident 3 pumps and a ladder unit were deployed. Using the GPS tracking devices the exact location of each firefighter can be compiled during the incident. Say 2 weeks later radioactivity was detected at the incident site after the fact, these records can be accessed and on a map, graphically it is easy to see instantly who was near the source or who was actually inside the fallout cone and therefore who was most at risk and for how long they were exposed. All that after the fact, days, weeks, months even years later. Now that’s safety and accountability.
20. Point 19 ensures good follow up and follow through and effectively helps medical resources be focused on those in need and not those who might actually just put a claim in because they were there. That saves costs, reduces workloads, direct resources and reduces stress, strain and worry of those potentially affected. This system pays for itself over time, let alone the lower stress and workloads.
21. Heat Kills. Over heating can be a major concern for firefighters at fires especially and Police Officers wearing bullet or stab resistant vests. Heat can build up under uniforms, dehydration quickly follows and heat exhaustion and or heat stroke can ensue. OUR FLEX 2 vests have many pockets already inbuilt. In order to reduce exposure to these conditions ice packs can be inserted into the pockets. The ice packs that have multiple sealed blister packs are perfect for this application. Easy to use and insert, quick to free, reusable, and cheap they make a great companion to our Flex 2 vest. Indeed, ice packs in the pockets can also aid first aid being rendered to victims of heat exhaustion as well. Stay Kool, HEAT KILLS.