Image: Paramedic Ross Griffin at the Wales Air Ambulance airbase in Swansea
Wales Air Ambulance paramedics have received summer flight suits in preparation for the busiest time of the year for the crew.
They have been made bespoke to air ambulance operations, and are designed and manufactured around the needs and protection of the crew.
The new suits are a two-piece rather than the current all-in-one suit, and are made from lightweight material, allowing the crew to be cooler and move more freely in the hotter months.
Paramedic Ross Griffin from the charity’s Swansea base, said: “The old one-piece suits were made out of a heavier heat resistant nomex material, similar to what F1 drivers wear.
“They don’t let heat out so on a hot day when you generate a lot of your own body heat it builds up within the suit.
“These thinner, lighter suits are beneficial to us as it prevents us from over-heating when we encounter hotter conditions, and are much more efficient for us to work in.”
With the warmer weather approaching, there is a huge increase in incidents that are outdoors on beaches, mountains and at caravan parks. With more people outside, there is also a rise in the number of road traffic collisions that the crews attend.
The helicopter can reach intense temperatures, especially when flying above clouds and when the crews are working hard to treat a patient in-flight.
The new flight suits would benefit the crew when they are at their busiest, when it is most important.
The two-piece suits offer protection from fire, contamination and they are hard-wearing. They are around two kilos lighter than the ones the crew currently wear, which is a crucial difference with every kilo of weight affecting the performance of the aircraft.
Ross added: “The additional pockets on the new suits mean we can also easily carry kit such as our stethoscopes, scissors, tourniquets, safety glasses and bandages. This helps us administer aid to a patient even faster.”
Flight suits are an essential piece of kit that each crew member needs in order to fly safely and to ensure the safety and protection of them in the difficult climates and environments that they work in on a daily basis.
The charity relies entirely on donations to raise over £6 million needed each year, which includes meeting the costs of specialist kit for their crew.For more information, visit walesairambulance.com and follow the air ambulance on Twitter @air_ambulance or facebook.com/walesairambulance.