The right fit for All Wales

In 2019 following a competitive tender, the All Wales Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) procurement group, representing South Wales FRS, Mid and West Wales FRS and North Wales FRS, appointed Ballyclare to provide its Xenon structural PPE for the nation’s 3,000 firefighters.

Tony Jackson, Group Manager on the Operational Appliances & Equipment Team at South Wales FRS, reflects on the rigorous selection process and the successful delivery of this contract, from sizing and roll-out to ongoing care and maintenance:

“Although we have separate budgets and financing, the three fire and rescue services in Wales frequently procure firefighting equipment together, so that we can benefit from shared resources and economies of scale. In 2019, we were looking to replace our structural firefighting kit, so published an All Wales tender outlining the industry standards to be met and our agreed specifications.

In general, there were four key elements we were looking for.  The first was breathability. We needed the kit to be significantly more lightweight and breathable so that it would be more comfortable to wear on hot days.  Our existing kit was hot, heavy and cumbersome.

Our next requirement was durability.  We wanted kit that was tough, long-lasting and resistant to wear and tear, particularly in susceptible areas such as the elbows, knees and shoulders. We find shoulders are a typical point of abrasion due to the fit of our self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and also when operating firefighting jets or hose reels. 

Another important consideration was visibility.  A high vis element was needed to help   keep our crews seen and safe.

Finally, we were keen to offer a wide range of sizes to ensure all our firefighters had comfortable kit that fitted them properly.    

As part of the tender process, we undertook wearer trials with a team of volunteers from all three FRSs. The volunteers wore sample kits for a series of typical firefighting activities including hose running, crawling, wearing SCBA sets and climbing ladders.  We then used a scoring matrix to gather feedback on specific points such as comfort, flexibility and suitability for the task. Wearer feedback is crucial to our tender processes. We want our firefighters to feel supported and involved in the decision making process, particularly for kit they will be wearing almost every day.

Based on the tender submission and the trials, Ballyclare kit came out as the clear front-runner.  The final decision was based on a combination of performance, comfort, cost and customer service.

The Xenon structural kit meets all our requirements.  It’s lightweight and comfortable to wear, it’s our firefighters’ ‘go to’ kit. Even on warmer days working on incidents not involving fire, they tend to wear it rather than our current technical rescue kit. It has reinforced elbows, knees and shoulder panels designed to resist wear and tear, and has highly effective high vis reflective and photoluminescent tape for visibility.  It’s almost eerie on a dark night to see the fighters glowing as they move around the fire ground!

Ballyclare provided us with a wide range of sizes for both male and female firefighters and came to the stations to undertake a sizing programme to ensure everyone got the right fit. At SWFRS, we decided to purchase two sets of personal issue kit for each firefighter, whereas colleagues at MAWWFRS and NWFRS opted for a pool system for their kit.

Roll-out was tricky as the country was hit with the first wave of COVID. We agreed to pause for six months to let the situation settle before delivery got underway. Ballyclare handled the entire process efficiently and without incident despite the challenging circumstances. All crews switched to the new kit on the same day, which worked well and presented us as a unified team.

We also opted for Ballyclare’s ongoing care and maintenance service, which is fulfilled by a professional laundry company and works well.  We have weekly collections of used kit, which is cleaned, dried, inspected, repaired if necessary, and returned within seven days.

Over the years, our experience with Ballyclare has been very good and we have an excellent working relationship with our account manager, Lee Porter. We continue to work closely together to fine tune our processes and procedures.

Above all, our firefighters are really pleased with the kit. They find it comfortable and easy to work in, and they trust it to keep them safe.”