Kappler, an innovator in protective apparel, has introduced DuraChem®500, the only NFPA-certified terrorism response suit to meet one elusive goal: maximum protection at an affordable price.
DuraChem 500 will be welcome news as the only economically priced garment certified to the NFPA 1994 Class 1 Chem-Bio standard.
The garment addresses a critical need for military and law enforcement agencies trying to balance responder protection with tight budgets.
The NFPA 1994 standard is designed to protect first responders against an array of deadly terrorism hazards collectively known as CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear).
DuraChem 500 is certified to the most demanding Class 1 level of the standard, with dual certification to Class 2 in process.
DuraChem 500 offers incident responders a tactical garment alternative to traditional hazmat suits.
The new suit also features a unique rear-entry design that eliminates cross-contamination concerns when doffing the garment.
One of Kappler’s key motivations in developing a lower-priced certified suit is the belief that suit decontamination for re-use is inherently risky, because of permeation concerns.
DuraChem 500 is a ‘multi-use, single-exposure’ garment, based on the safety-first practice of discarding garments once exposed to hazardous materials.
Other suits certified to NFPA 1994 are sold as traditional re-usable garments, intended to be decontaminated and worn again to justify the higher price.
“Agencies responsible for terrorist incident planning have struggled with the high cost of certified garments,” said Laura Kappler-Roberts, president and CEO of Kappler, Inc.
“Combining NFPA certified protection with a real-world price point makes DuraChem 500 a game-changer.”
DuraChem 500 Style Details
- Includes dual certification to NFPA 1994 (2018 Edition) for both Class 1 and Class 2 (Class 2 pending).
- Provides CBRN protection and general Hazmat protection in tactical-style non-encapsulating suit.
- ‘Multi-use, single-exposure’ garment provides maximum protection at affordable price compared to expensive reusable garments.
- Unique rear-entry design facilitates doffing to eliminate cross-contamination concerns.
- Rubber face opening gasket fits snug around respirator, eliminates need for taping.
In addition to the Chem-Bio requirements, which include warfare agent testing, the new 2018 edition of the NFPA 1994 standard also covers general Hazmat response.
(Learn More about new 2018 edition of the NFPA 1994 standard, which covers selection criteria, inspection, cleaning & decontamination of the products & more. Courtesy of Kappler Inc. and YouTube. Posted on Jan 15, 2018)
