Natural disasters linked to climate change, such as wildland fires, earthquakes and floods all impact our communities and lead to both environmental and financial losses. These phenomena have increased in frequency and as a consequence, fire and rescue services are more frequently called to rescue missions that pose new and unfamiliar challenges. This has made their safety and comfort an increasing priority for fire and rescue brigades around the world.

Aurelie Favre, Senior Marketing Manager, First Responder and Government, EMEA at MSA Safety spotlights the GALLET F2XR, its integrated hearing protection accessories with communication system, and how it helps first responders feel safe on the job in this new environment.

Hearing protection with optional communication system

Equipment that’s optimised and adaptable for rescue challenges such as earthquakes or rescue at height is key to undertaking those missions safely. The GALLET F2XR, with its hearing protection and optional integrated communication system is ready to take on long-lasting rescue missions with optimal safety. Fully integrated electronic ear muffs enhance protection from hazardous noise without blocking out important background sounds or messages from the incident command. The hearing protection module also comes with an optional adjustable boom microphone, providing reliable team communications on any intervention scene.

Water rescue ear protection

As rising water levels are putting urban and rural areas all over the world at an increasingly high risk of flooding, fire and rescue services are the first to respond. To rescue victims during floods or other interventions on rivers, emergency responders require helmets that are suitable for water rescue and approved for wear on both non-motorised and small, fast motorboats. The GALLET F2XR, with its innovative accessories such as removable ear protection panels, has been tested and approved for water rescue missions like these according to EN1385:2012 standard and compliance with the British Standard PAS028 for use on small fast motorised boats.

Additionally, user experience has proven that the panels can provide extended ear coverage to protect against potential projection hazards during technical rescue missions as well.

The intuitive attachment points of the accessories allow for streamlined connecting and removal, to easily adapt to different missions whenever needed. This makes the GALLET F2XR a truly multifunctional and versatile helmet, eliminating the need for different helmets for every mission. In turn, this also offers fire and rescue services more efficient asset management with a lower cost of ownership.

Head protection for the future

Awareness and preparation are essential to rescue missions caused by climate-related dangers, and it’s now crucial for fire and rescue services to consider the type of equipment that will respond to their needs in the face of climate change and other new dangers on the horizon – concluded Favre.

To learn more about MSA’s F2XR rescue helmet, click here.