United Firefighters Union ACT Branch Secretary, Greg McConville, has welcomed the ACT Government’s budget decision to allocate $2.3 million for new protective outerwear firefighting garments. A story on this item appeared in the Canberra Times on 23 January 2019.
The clothing will consist of an outer tunic and over pants, in addition to the funding for new flamepoof, structural helmets previously announced in the Budget.
The clothing must meet the highest standards of durability and thermal resistance, yet maintain a degree of flexibility without being too heavy to wear. The material has to resist heat, moisture, smoke, micro-particles and blood-borne pathogens.