DuPont Protection Technologies recently unveiled its new Nomex firefighting garments tailored specifically for the hot and arid conditions of the Middle East.

The outer shell of the garments consists of DuPont Nomex, a flame-resistant fiber that has been used by fire fighters and emergency responders around the world for over 40 years, and Kevlar, a protective material five times stronger than steel, a statement from the company said.

The material traps heat in the fiber to increase the insulation barrier between the heat source and the skin, providing firefighters with extra time to escape and remove the garment before sustaining serious body burns.

User comfort and mobility were prime considerations in the development of these garments, the statement said. Modern membrane technology was adopted to allow body vapor to easily escape, preventing fatigue and overheating. Design details also make the garment 20% lighter than others in its class.

“Our new Falcon line of Nomex firefighting garments is customized to fit the Middle East’s unique fire fighting requirements. We are pleased to bring this product to the Middle East market, and we expect these garments to become a standard part of the repertoire of emergency responders throughout this part of the world, who need exceptional gear that can withstand the rigors of multiple roles that go beyond fire fighting,” said Amr El-Moniem, Regional Marketing Manager, DuPont Protection Technologies.

Tests conducted on DuPont Thermo-Man, a life-sized instrumented mannequin system DuPont developed for observing the quality of fire fighting materials in an open flame, show that this Nomex firefighter gear can protect wearers from second and third degree body burns even after eight-second exposure to fire produced by 12 propane gas burners.

Standards incorporated into these new lightweight Nomex firefighting garments meet the stringent certification requirements of the NFPA 1971 Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting. Garments are available in different colors and name logos can be applied.