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EMSWORLD.com | APRIL 2016 39 thicker threads are interwoven in thinner cloth. A similar effect may be achieved by weaving two or three fine yarns together at smaller intervals. Besides firefighting protective clothing, ripstop construction is also used in items such as sails, hot air balloons and parachutes. A relatively new addition to the design of turnout coats is the drag rescue device (DRD), designed to help firefighters rescue an injured or unconscious colleague. The DRD is meant to assist in pulling or drag- ging an incapacitated firefighter along a flat surface, especially a floor. It's not designed to raise or lower a person vertically. The DRD isn't unique to the fire service; it may be adapted to other professions or types of clothing where needed. But in general, a drag rescue device for use with a structural firefighting turnout coat consists of a loop of ribbon-shaped material that includes left and right sides, with the portions joined to each other at a drag end of the loop, which is then configured to pass through an open- ing at the base of the neck of the coat, and held closed with Velcro. It's this piece that's accessed and grabbed by a rescuer, allowing him to pull the incapacitated firefighter to safety. A DRD may be manufactured from materials such as nylon, Kevlar, Nomex or other materials; it may be made from a single loop of material and permanently attached to a coat or it may be an entirely separate piece, which is slid between the coat layers. Removal In May 2015, a firefighter in Matthews, NC, fell through an attic floor. He was rescued but unconscious when removed from the house. 4 It was believed he may have slipped on a rafter or possibly had a seizure. This is a real-world example of a firefighter suc- cessfully rescued from inside a building, unconscious, and the nature of the injury or illness wasn't clear. In a scenario like this, an injured fire- fighter may be rescued from inside a structure fire because of several factors: the proliferation of literature concerning rapid intervention procedures and teams; the subsequent availability of training in these procedures; and the development of rapid intervention bags now carried on some fire apparatus (Figure 3). 36" or 48" long track Emergency Vehicle Seating Did you know that 74% of EMS worker deaths are transportation-related?* Don't let your staff become part of the statistic. Protect them with safety seating from EVS, Ltd. Since 1993, we've produced more safety seating products than anyone in the EMS industry, through investing in research and development and dynamic testing. What are you doing to keep your medical staff safe? Specify EVS seating in your next vehicle. Our only business is seating safety for the EMS industry! (800)364-3218 · International (574)233-5707 E-mail: evssales@evsltd.com · www.evsltd.com EVS 1769 Seat with Mobility 1 Tracking System • Seamless seat with 3-point belting system • Tracking system allows access to equipment and patient while belted • Available in 36" or 48" long track • Seat attachment to base may be offset to gain additional space *According to the National Association of EMS Physicians. Tilt-forward to transport a second patient or fip-up when not in use S E AT O P T I O N S For More Information Circle 33 on Reader Service Card Figure 3