Firefighters are some of the most important members of any community. They work hard every day to keep your homes and your families safe. But they wouldn’t be able to do this without proper gear. If one piece on a fireman’s gear isn’t made of the right materials, it could lead to severe injury or worse!
For example, firefighter webbing needs to be durable, fire-resistant, and of course protective. So you need to choose this material carefully when you’re making gear for firefighters. But how do you choose the right fire-resistant webbing to use?
Read on to learn why OTEX fire-resistant elastics are the best choice for webbing for your local firefighters.
1. Multiple Configurations
At OTEX, we can create your fire department’s webbing to fit its needs. You can choose between lightweight and heavyweight webbing, for example. The kevlar is also blended with various other fabrics to add to its strength.
You can even specify the tensile strength so that we can create the exact webbing that your firefighters need for their equipment.
2. High Tenacity
One thing that firefighters will always need is for their gear to have a good grip on their bodies. This prevents ashes and other debris from getting inside their gear while they work.
That’s why OTEX webbing has high tenacity. It ensures a firm grip on the user so that nothing can get under their gear. This means that you and your firefighters can be sure that they will always be protected while they work.
3. Abrasion Resistance
The abrasion resistance of OTEX webbing means that your firefighters will be better protected when they have to go into burning buildings. They’ll be protected from even minor abrasions with this kevlar webbing on their side.
That means they won’t need to worry so much about potential injuries. They can continue to do the brave work that they’re so passionate about instead. And their families will have more peace of mind knowing that the webbing in their gear is designed to protect them.
4. Cut Resistance
Along with abrasion resistance, OTEX’s kevlar webbing is also very cut-resistant. Firefighters never know when they’re going to come into contact with something sharp. And it can be dangerous if something punctures or cuts their gear.
With this kevlar webbing, there is very little risk of that. Firefighters should still be careful, of course, but this webbing makes it much more difficult for something to cut through their gear. This means that they can focus more on the task at hand instead of worrying about minor cuts.
5. Mold and Mildew Resistance
Between jobs, firefighting gear has to be stored somewhere. This will usually be in some kind of closet.
But these rooms are dark. If they don’t let their gear dry properly between uses, then this can lead to the growth of molds and mildews. That’s why the mildew resistance of OTEX’s firefighter webbing is so important.
This prevents mold and mildew growth, maintaining the integrity of the webbing and the health of your firefighters.
6. High Strength and Durability
If you want to use webbing for items like harnesses, then you need to be sure that it has high strength and durability. It’s the only way to have confidence in the gear firefighters are using to scale down the sides of buildings.
That’s why OTEX ensures that all of its kevlar webbings are of high strength. This keeps the firefighters and anyone their rescuing safe when they need that extra support on the job.
7. Chemical Resistance to Solvents
Firefighters also often have to deal with chemicals and solvents. Not all webbing can stand up to the abuse that this can subject them to. It can leave them damaged, and even moldy.
Chemical resistance to these solvents helps reduce this effect. This allows fire departments to use the same gear over and over again for much longer than they would with other webbings. This saves the department money so that they can focus on the issues that really matter.
8. High Elongation Break
Webbing for firefighters should also have at least some elasticity to it. This is true both in their protective gear and in any harnesses they might use.
For harnesses, this allows them to hold a little more weight than they would if they had no elasticity to it. And gear may change hands a few times before it needs to be replaced.
That’s why OTEX makes sure that all of its webbings have a high elongation at break percentage so you know you’re getting high-quality webbing.
9. UL Certified
If you want to include some wiring in your webbing for communications purposes, then it’s best to use electronics that you can trust. Any webbing that has been integrated with wire is certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). They’ve examined and tested our materials first so you know you’re getting material that works safely.
This is a third-party certification that you should be looking for whenever you shop for electronics. And OTEX is honored to have their certification.
10. No Melt No Drip
And most importantly, OTEX webbing is no-melt no-drip guaranteed. This means that it can stand up to the extreme heat the firefighters have to experience daily. This is something that fire departments absolutely need.
That’s arguably the single most important function that firefighting gear can have. It’s what guarantees a firefighter’s safety when they’re helping to put out fires. If it were to melt, it would damage the firefighter’s skin before they could finish their jobs.
Purchase Firefighter Webbing Today
If you’re making gear and equipment for firefighters, then you need firefighter webbing that you can trust. It should be strong, dependable, and long-lasting. And of course, it needs to survive going through fires.
OTEX is dedicated to providing the highest quality textiles on the market, including webbings. We want developers like you who are dedicated to helping firefighters get the protective equipment they deserve. And our staff is ready to help you pick the right webbing for your design project today.
All you need to do is contact us today to get started.
