FEATUREDPRODUCTS

4WLT6 - Rescue Mat

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2FLK5 - Ring Buoy

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3RPT5 - Sorbent Boom

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2FLH8 - Flotation Vest

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2NCW8 - Ice/Water Rescue Suit

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Hypothermia is an abnormally low body temperature often caused by over-exposure to cold temperatures, such as a person immersed in a cold body of water (40 degrees and lower) for a period of 30 minutes. If not treated quickly, victims of hypothermia are prone to drowning because the condition eventually leads to complete heart and respiratory failure. Other symptoms include confusion and lethargy, which can cause victims to behave in counter intuitive ways, putting them at even higher risk. The key to rescuing a person in a possible drowning situation is to be able to get to them as quickly as possible before the symptoms of hypothermia can take over.

 By the time a firefighter or rescue professional can get to a particular lake, pond or flood evacuation site to rescue someone from drowning, the odds are that victim has already been in the water for several minutes or more. Once they arrive on the scene, it’s critical to be able to get to that victim as quickly as possible. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, most drownings occur within 10 feet of safety or 50 feet from shore. This fact, as well as the need for speedy access to a potential victim is what inspired the people at First Alert®, a leading manufacturer of safety products, to create a product that would address this need.

To create this new product, First Alert held a series of product development meetings which included important input from fire chiefs, captains, and other rescue professionals. The resulting product, Rescue Mat™ is a 25-foot long, 5-foot wide floating device that is rolled out with no inflation required and can be deployed in seconds. The mat is constructed of an ultra-buoyant foam core that is reinforced with a heavy duty polyethylene woven fabric outer covering that enhances surface grip. It will hold up to 1,250 pounds in open water with remarkable stability. The product has been tested for physical construction and performance, and has met or exceeded established ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) testing criteria.

“We learned during those product development meetings that instant deployment of this mat was a major advantage, with several participants citing how the speed of rescue may help prevent victims from succumbing to hypothermia,” said Deborah Hanson, Director of External Affairs at First Alert. “One fire chief told us, ‘If you can roll out a 25-foot mat and actually stand on this thing, holy cow,’” Hanson said. “Another added, ‘With this, you could zip out there very quickly.’”

The official unveiling of the product occurred at the 2009 Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) in April. Highlights included a product demonstration that actually took place in water at the Indianapolis Canal. (View the demo video by clicking on the link under Related Links below).

“[It deploys rapidly], it’s user friendly, low-tech, does not require a lot of training, and the product can be incorporated with other systems you have in place,” noted Trevor Hanshew, Chief of Special Operations for the Indianapolis Fire department. “Using it,” he added, “is a no-brainer.”

Rescue Mat holds up to 1250 lbs. in open water with remarkable stability.

For storage, Rescue Mat can be rolled up and placed on its side. The rolled mat measures 5 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter and weighs 55 pounds. It is packaged in an easy-to-fasten carrying case with multiple handles for quick transport from the vehicle to the point of entry.

“Several fire chiefs noted the size and durability of the mat as key benefits as well,” Hanson said. “Essentially, there is no specific competitive product on the market today. The closest in comparison are the more expensive boat-type devices that usually require lengthy setup time upon deployment. Hanson Added, “This product offers life-saving pros a new method to assist them in performing vital water and ice surface rescue operations.”