Protecting our Protectors – even in the heat

With the recent Labor Day holiday, summertime has come to an end in the United States. However, for parts of the country, the heat is far from over. Earlier this month, Northern California experienced record

high temperatures of up to 109° Fahrenheit. For our law enforcement officers and first responders, their protective gear makes these hot days feel even hotter.

Officers may find relief in their precincts or their air-conditioned patrol vehicle, firefighters in their stations or rigs and EMS personnel in their ambulances or an ER, but what about when they’re responding to incidents outdoors, in large crowds or in locations without air conditioning?

Many precautions and preparations can be taken, such as: staying hydrated, standing in the shade when possible, wearing sunscreen and taking frequent breaks. EMS and firefighters may even consider leaving that protective soft armor behind, but heat should be no reason to sacrifice safety.

Dyneema® assures they don’t have to and provides those who work to protect our communities with a solution that is:

• Stronger:
  
  As the world’s strongest fiber™, Dyneema® is 15x stronger than steel. We manipulate our materials at the molecular level to ensure high tensile, tear and breaking strength – providing wearers unmatched bullet, stab, and fragment protection.
   
• Lighter:
  
  With all that strength, Dyneema® is still light enough to float on water. When used in body armor, wearers receive the same level of protection in a soft armor vest that is 35% lighter than aramid or a hard armor plate that is 75% lighter than steel. This results in increased comfort, concealability, mobility and maneuverability for those wearing it.
  
  Lighter protective material means that end-users can wear it for longer periods of time with no need to sacrifice their ability to jump, crawl, balance, lift, carry or engage in combat. Less weight also reduces fatigue and mitigating injuries associated with the cumulative effects of daily armor use.
   
• More Breathable:
  
  Because less material is required to reach the same levels of ballistic protection, Dyneema® is thinner and cooler. With thermal and moisture management properties, protective armor made with Dyneema® has good ventilation, is air permeable, water repelling and quick drying. This breathability is the difference maker when worn on the hottest of days.

Law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMS sacrifice enough. No matter the temperature, they shouldn’t need to sacrifice their protection. With Dyneema®, wearers can feel confident they are equipped with the strongest, lightest and most breathable protective material on the market.

These are important considerations for department decision makers. If you are looking to provide your unit with stronger, lighter and more breathable armor, click here to learn more about the world’s strongest fiber™ in protective armor.