By Jamie Thompson
FireRescue1 Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — With a new internal harness system hitting the market, bosses at Globe decided it was not enough to merely show firefighters the new product at FDIC.
Instead, they constructed a 25-foot tower in the middle of the exhibit floor to allow firefighters to learn more about it first-hand.
Dozens of firefighters took the chance to test out the company’s new internal safety harness, which was developed in conjunction with members of the Washington, D.C., IAFF Local 36.
“We didn’t want to just tell firefighters what this is like, we wanted them to be able to experience it for themselves,” said Mark Mordecai, director of business development at Globe. “This is how most firefighters like to learn.”
Mordecai said the new offering is different to typical internal harnesses, which he said are often heavy, hard to adjust and restrictive.
The fire harness pants use hidden Kevlar leg loops between the shell and the liner without the need for any hardware.
DC firefighters first approached Globe last summer after conducting studies and tests of various escape systems currently available. They had selected the Petzl EXO personal escape system as their preferred choice, but wanted to find out if they could create a harness to specifically meet their needs.
Globe came back with turnout pants featuring an integrated harness with a large carabineer, a sliding D-Ring that allows the EXO system to be pre-connected to the harness and a one-step closure that fastens the pants and the harness at the same time.
“The reaction here has been very good,” said Mordecai from the show floor at FDIC. “Everyone who has used it has commented on the lack of restriction this offers.”