By Sarah Bruce
The Daily Mail
SCOTLAND — In today’s world of equality, female firefighters are just as likely to feel the heat as their male colleagues.
But when it comes to protective clothing, they have had to make do with garments designed for men.
Now, for the first time, a female dummy has been built to test the clothing, with curves in all the right places.
Shapely SOPHIE — System Objective Protection against Heat In Emergencies — is part-funded by Gore-Tex manufacturer WL Gore, of Livingston, West Lothian.
She will be tested alongside her male counterpart RALPH — Research Aim Longer Protection against Heat.
The pair are subjected to intense heat from flamethrowing equipment to see how well they are protected by different materials.
Researchers believe there are differences between the way men and women’s shapes should be protected, and want to find out how to distinguish between the two.
Designed by Manchester based BTTG Fire Technology Services, SOPHIE has more than 120 heat sensors covering all areas of her body.
Dressed in the protective clothing to be tested, she and RALPH are subjected to full gas-flame envelopment for a specified length of time.
The sensors produce a “burn prediction” print-out recording the location and duration of predicted injuries according to five levels — ranging from none to feeling pain and then suffering first, second or third degree burns.
Scientists can then identify potential “weak spots” in equipment and, hopefully, build up a picture of tolerance levels and create the perfect safety suit for both men and women.
Gore spokesman Dave Frodsham said: “Discussion on the protection being provided to the increasing number of UK female firefighters led to two initiatives.
“One was a survey of the UK female firefighter population, the other a request to BTTG to produce a proposal for a “female form” fire test mannequin.
“In particular the fire service requested the new mannequin be designed so it could test almost complete ensembles of firefighter protective clothing — gloves, helmets, fire hoods — because of concerns about compatibility and integration of these diverse items for both female and male firefighters.
“Gore can now undertake much broader and more comprehensive testing than was possible with the previous and much less sophisticated early 1990s RALPH mannequin.
“As a company that prides itself on contributing benefits to society as well as successful business, it’s always good to give something back.”