There are few situations that are more dangerous for a firefighter than entering a burning and smoke filled building while searching for victims. The smoke is maybe even more dangerous than the flames themselves because of the heavy and cumbersome breathing apparatus that must be worn to survive it and also by the way it blinds a firefighter and makes the search and rescue task so much more arduous. It is a task which is bravely undertaken by many firefighters across the country every day and one practice that absolutely needs to be made safer. Well, help is on the way as new helmet technology is still in development and could be on the front lines of firefighting in full force soon.
C-Thru Smoke Diving Helmet
A company in Sweden has been developing a helmet for years now that should make navigating through buildings during fires much safer. The helmet is appropriately called the C-Thru Smoke Diving Helmet. It uses technology that is similar to some technologies found in military heads up displays and is designed to help navigate through some of the perils that are associated with building fires. The helmet’s main purpose is to help the firefighter that wears it get to any potential victims quickly and get back out of the building just as fast.
For starters, the helmet is a one piece set up that incorporates an oxygen hookup, goggles, protective helmet, neck and shoulder protection and radio communication all into one easy-to-put-on configuration. Currently, firefighters have to put on layers and then the add-ons such as oxygen and radio communications before they can go into a building. This takes precious time away from getting to or finding victims and getting them out safely. Almost as quickly as a fireman can put on his boots, he can put on the C-Thru Smoke Diving Helmet.
It helps a firefighter see through smoke because its display is able to show a wire frame vision of the current room layout by means of sensors in the helmet itself; this saves valuable time because the firefighter no longer has to feel their way around slowly in a smoke filled room. It also has some sound limiting capabilities which will make it easier to hear command communications.
A Work in Progress
Getting the kinks out of the helmet and getting it into widespread production have proven to be a challenge. The C-Thru Smoke Diving Helmet has been in the making for over 2 years now. It has also been a challenge to make the helmet as cost effective as possible with all the sophisticated equipment that is built into it; expenses are not a problem in most cases for big budget city fire departments but an expensive C-Thru Smoke Diving Helmet may be too much for smaller departments and volunteer fire companies to afford. It would be a shame for everyone not to have access to potentially lifesaving equipment if it is available.
Hopefully manufacturers will continue working on such devices as the C-Thru Smoke Diving Helmet to make firefighting in the future as safe as possible.
Disclaimer: The content in this article is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of US Patriot Tactical.
