EXCEEDING NFPA STANDARDS Building quality PPE doesn’t stop with using the best materials available for Viking. The company is laser focused on fit and finish for all its gear, including the new VIKING Shield. “All good gear starts with a lot of research,” said Camilla Callesen, a team leader and design engineer for Viking. “Firefighters are dedicated, hardworking men and women and we need to make sure the gear we design is a better quality than what’s on ABOVE: With the snap-in liner turnout gear can be used for Technical Rescue/ Extrication or Emergency Medical Operations. It can also offer blood-borne pathogen protection. Without the liner it is fit-to-purpose for Wildland Firefighting. “If it fits better, and feels better, you will be able to wear it longer,” Grinstead said. “This one is not going to build up the heat like structural firefighting gear would when used in the same situation.” Many people don’t realize that NFPA standards dictate some of the manufacturing details like seam, cuff and hem sizes, Grinstead said. And Callesen added that Viking does a lot of research to develop just the right collar, thigh, and knee widths, among others, to make the most comfortable fitting gear available. the market. So, we don’t do the same as everyone else. Many people want “When we develop our gear, we do it in close cooperation with us to do things faster, but good quality gear takes time to make.” firefighters and conduct wear trials to evaluate the gear in real situations.” To that end, the VIKING Shield gear is tailored to fit the responders, and not just available in small, medium, large, and extra-large sizes like DETAILS MAKE A DIFFERENCE typical gear used for wildland firefighting. Other details that set the Viking gear apart from competitors is not “We can do better,” Callesen said. “We want to have the gear as light and only the high quality fabrics, but attention to quality in key details that fitted as we can, but without compromising the safety of the firefighters.” provide more comfort in the shoulder area such as shoulder padding Grinstead said VIKING Shield gear, like all the other Viking products to make it more comfortable, the creative design of the sleeves to are ergonomically designed to fit the responders and give them the conform to Wildland standards, removable liners with water tight comfort and range of motion the need to do their jobs. snaps and lay-flat pockets on the pants and coats. VIKING F I E L D R E P O R T 3
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