(Elkton, Maryland - April 10, 2008) In an effort to assist the fire industry in implementing NFPA 1851, 2008 Edition, W. L. Gore & Associates has developed a CD-based instructional guide that addresses compliance with this updated Standard as it relates to liner systems and, specifically, to Gore's family of moisture barriers. Drawing on Gore's 25 years of expertise in leading-edge barrier technology, this guide discusses cleaning, inspecting, testing, and repairing CROSSTECH® 2-Layer Moisture Barrier, CROSSTECH® 3-Layer Moisture Barrier, and GORE™ RT7100 Moisture Barrier.
The new edition of NFPA Standard 1851 identifies the necessary considerations for selecting gear and procedures for reducing risks that result from poorly maintained or contaminated gear. As a result, the Standard now places a new emphasis on the ongoing compliance and durability of structural and proximity firefighting ensembles, which translates to a more rigorous inspection of the entire garment and all of its components. Gore's new instructional guide responds to this emphasis by providing information regarding inspecting, testing, and repairing its moisture barriers. For example, the guide includes step-by-step demonstrations of both the leakage evaluation test and the water penetration test to identify potential repairs needed to ensure barrier effectiveness. It also provides some basic information regarding the thermal liner light evaluation test.
According to Holly Blake, Gore's product specialist for structural firefighting garments, compliance with NFPA 1851, 2008 Edition means that departments have many issues to address - decisions like how to assign the various compliance responsibilities, how much of the compliance work to do within the department, whether to contract an independent service provider (ISP) for all or part of the services needed, and how to train all personnel on their individual responsibilities. Blake says, “For over 25 years, Gore has worked closely with the fire service industry to develop the most effective products to meet the industry's performance expectations of moisture barriers. As the industry addresses inspecting, testing, and repairing turnout gear, we felt it may be beneficial to share our expertise on these issues. By creating this instructional guide, we continue to support manufacturers, ISPs, and fire departments as they develop their specific procedures for ensuring compliance with NFPA 1851.” .
With more than $2 billion in sales and 8,000 employees worldwide, W. L. Gore & Associates specializes in fluoropolymer innovations that improve the quality of life. Gore has applied its world-renowned expertise to thousands of high-performance solutions in pharmaceutical, consumer, industrial, electronic, medical, and surgical markets. Specifically in the protective fabrics arena, Gore has been a pioneer in developing high-performance barrier products for use in firefighting, EMS, technical rescue, law enforcement, military, and domestic preparedness applications. The company operates more than 45 facilities worldwide with headquarters in Newark, Delaware, USA. For more information about CROSSTECH® Moisture Barriers, call 800.431.GORE or 410.392.3600, or visit crosstech.com.
