GORE-TEX® CROSSTECH® PYRAD® Rescue Stretch closes a long-standing gap in technical rescue protection: the trade-off between bulky structural gear and lightweight suits that offer limited protection when things go wrong. The laminate combines GORE-TEX CROSSTECH®, a blood borne pathogen barrier that prevents ingress of blood and body fluids; PYRAD® technology for incidental flame and flash-fire protection; and 4-way stretch for genuine freedom of movement. Rescue Stretch is certified to EN 343 Class 4 for wind and waterproofing and EN 16689:2017 for technical rescue protective clothing.
Shepparton Search & Rescue (SSR), a volunteer-run emergency service organisation, were the first service to adopt GORE-TEX® CROSSTECH® PYRAD® Rescue Stretch in Australia. The squad services the Greater Shepparton area and turns out to a diverse range of incidents from head-on collisions to industrial and workplace accidents. Before they were issued with Rescue Stretch they’d been attending incidents in generic rescue overalls – which did the job, but as team member Brendan explains the garment was “outdated with little to no technology”.
Rescue Stretch started proving itself straight out of the bag, the garments features continued to build confidence within the team job after job. GORE-TEX® products are durably waterproof, blocking liquid ingress while remaining breathable – an invaluable feature while attending a high-speed incident where a car had flipped at speed. Brendan was operating beneath the vehicle, lying directly in leaking fuel, blanketed by firefighting foam. “If we were in our old gear, I would have been wet from head to toe from the foam and the fuel”, he says. “I got nothing in, nothing in there. No fuel, no foam”. PYRAD® delivered confidence while executing the rescue with fuel on the ground. If there had been accidental ignition of the fuel, the inherent FR properties of the PYRAD® technology would have taken care of this by self-extinguishing and flames on the textile.
The waterproof nature of Rescue Stretch came through for Brendan again during a training exercise. Tasked with crawling through a mud pit to reach a car on its side – then hosed down afterwards – Brendan remarked that “underneath, [he was] completely dry”. After training, the team was surprised with how clean the garments were – after a simple hosing down.
The knee support in Rescue Stretch may not sound like a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but Brendan felt that the support makes a difference on scene when kneeling down on rocks or uneven ground. Rescue Stretch being a two piece ensemble has streamlined donning & doffing for the team. Brendan explains “being able to pull your pants on, put your boots on in the truck is an advantage”.
On dark country roads, the high-vis garment and reflective trim are highly visible “we’re by far the brightest on scene” Brendan says with a big smile. “I’ve been able to see [team members] from 200 metres away when they’re highlighted by vehicle headlights – every single piece of trim reflects.”
Being a small volunteer organisation, SSR experienced issues around minimum purchases with more customised uniforms. Pac Fire, the Australasian supplier of GORE-TEX® CROSSTECH® PYRAD® Rescue Stretch was able to work with the squad and deliver 30 sets in the team’s signature Hi-Vis Yellow/Lime. “That was a big deal”, Brendan continues “the selling point was [Pac Fire] could do 30 sets instead of 500”.
When asked to sum up the previous twelve months using Rescue Stretch for a colleague who hasn’t worn it yet, Brendan kept it simple and to the point “[Rescue Stretch] gives you confidence in a critical situation”.
Special thanks to Shepparton Search and Rescue for taking the time to tell us about their experience with GORE-TEX® CROSSTECH® PYRAD® Rescue Stretch and organising a live demonstration of the garments in action.
GORE-TEX® CROSSTECH® PYRAD® Rescue Stretch, and MSA Bristol garment and other technology from W. L Gore and Associates is available throughout Australasia from Pac Fire. For updates delivered straight to your inbox subscribe to our newsletter, Newsflash. Video content and tutorials are available via our YouTube channel and subscribe for more fresh content in your daily feed.
