An initiative of India’s Ministry of Textiles, National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM) has announced its support to a groundbreaking project that aims to create ‘Specialized Firefighting Suits.’
Being developed by the Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) in collaboration with 5S, these advanced suits are essential for personnel engaged in Firefighting and Emergency Services, Defense forces, Oil & Gas sector, Aerospace & Aviation, Power Plants & Thermal Industries, and similar high-risk environments. Currently, India produces such specialized firefighting suits, often referred to as fire entry suits, on a very limited scale, often compelling it to import them from Europe, the US, and China.
The current annual demand for these suits in India is around 1,000 sets. However, the introduction of an Indian-certified aluminized suit may dramatically increase this consumption. With the commercialization of their product, System 5S has an initial annual production capacity of 1,000 suits.
According to EN 1486, a European Standard outlining requirements and testing for firefighters' protective clothing, specialized firefighting gear must offer full-body protection, including the head, hands, and feet, against intense radiant heat and direct flame exposure. This ensemble includes a garment, a hood (either integrated or separate), gloves, and over boots. Furthermore, these suits are designed to be used with respiratory protection, with variations depending on whether the breathing apparatus is worn inside or outside the protective clothing.
System 5S has successfully developed an indigenous Specialized Fire Fighting Suit that meets the stringent requirements of EN 1486 or ISO 15538 standards. The suit is designed to ensure the safety, comfort, and ease of firefighters. It has been constructed using aluminized coated glass fabrics, OPAN (Oxidized Polyacrylonitrile) nonwoven batting, and FR (Flame Resistant) viscose fabric, with all inner layers quilted together. Trial production of these suits has already commenced and full-scale commercial production will begin after successfully completing the fire manikin test, as mandated by the EN ISO 13506 standard.
