Category 14 Product Innovation (technology, fabrication and fabrics) SPECIAL COMMENDATION

Company Name: A & B Canvas Australia

Project title: Radiant Heat Shields

Project location: Western Australia

Fabric name: OKCA507, INT400, EKA407, EKSS200

Fabric supplier: TBA Textiles

Component supplier: Paskal

What are the project specifications?

Radiant Heat Shields are a barrier consisting of four layers of fire-proof and fire retardant textiles, the outer with a highly reflective aluminised coating. The Shields are fixed within the cab of a fire-fighting vehicle. If faced with a burn-over situation the shields are quickly deployed and provide protection to the crew whilst taking refuge within the cab of the fire-fighting vehicle. The aluminised reflective surface gives superior radiant heat reduction with the fire barrier ensuring flames will not burn through the material(s) and breech the cab. The properties of flexible textiles enable the shields to be rolled and stored unobtrusively when not in use.

The radiant heat shields are a four layer system consisting of:

• Aluminium Coated Pre-Oxidised Acrylic

• 2 layer fire blocking fabric - Proban treated calico and composite organic needlefelt

• Aluminium Coated Fiberglass

• Silicon Coated Fiberglass

• All stitching completed with Kevlar thread.

• All Velcro, webbing, bindings etc. fire retardant.

What was the purpose of the project?

After the death of a volunteer fire fighter in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, the subsequent enquiry found there was not adequate protection for the bush firefighters that found themselves in a situation of being trapped by a bushfire. In use in other jurisdictions around the country, protective radiant heat shields, fitted to the cab of the fire fighting vehicles, effectively turn the cab into a fire haven should the firefighters be caught in a burn over situation.

In an emergency the firefighting crew could return to the vehicle, deploy the radiant heat shields and take shelter while the fire passes.

As a consequence of the enquiry it was decided that radiant heat shields should be installed into all Western Australian firefighting vehicles (approximately 1200 vehicle).

What is unique or complex about the project?

In Western Australia there are approximately 30 different models of vehicle used for firefighting and each model has different idiosyncrasies depending the year built.

For each vehicle style we were required to:

• Create a pattern of all window areas.

• Once patterned each style need to be proto-typed.

• Prototype installed into available vehicle

• DFES departments would then scrutinise the proto-type which would be altered until finally approved. This process went through at least 3 different divisions and demanded a meeting for discussion at each stage.

• Structural Engineer certifies vehicle with curtains fitted.

• Department of Transport certifies vehicle for use on WA roads.

• Digitise patterns.

• Manufacture Radiant Heat Shields.

• Install on site (typically at rural fire station).

As the shields would roll-up above the windows inside the cab of the vehicle we had to ensure:

• The roll above the windscreen would not inhibit the drivers view.

• The side windows would not impact on the head space of driver and passenger(s).

• Rear curtains did not inhibit rear vision.

• Could easily be deployed and positioned with gloved hands.

• No gaps between shields

• No gaps between shields and doors, dash etc.

Some vehicles had little or no room above the glass area to securely stow the heat shields. Many times we needed to reinvent the brackets and devise elaborate folding systems to meet these requirements.

What were the results of the project?

Since the completion of the project the radiant heat shields have been used in at least two incidents where they have been accredited to saving the lives of firefighters in the field.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-08/bindoon-volunteer-firefighters-survive-burnover/6007450

Is there any other relevant information?

Once awarded the contract to manufacture and install Radiant Heat Shields we had to work closely with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES). We partnered with the manufacturer of the raw materials and a local body building company that specialises in emergency vehicles.

Together with the body building company we designed brackets, to which the shields could be attached, for each vehicle. These brackets had to be manufactured and installed so as to not compromise the structural integrity of the vehicle. It became the task of the body building company, to fabricate the brackets and then go into the field and install the brackets and curtains to the fleet of vehicles across the whole state (WA).

Political pressure was coming from above and we were entering into fire season. The minister for emergency services in WA, himself appointed a team to oversee the project and use political clout to assist us through some of the red tape associated with dealing with government. There were countless meeting with the project team and also concerned sub-branches to ascertain the exact requirements of all interested parties and co-ordinate access to vehicles for the proto-typing stage of the project.

Along with the manufacture of the radiant heat shields we also created:

• Installation Manual

• Training and proper use guide

• Care instructions

• Full QA system to track material batch and conformity of each panel.

• Full tracking register to identify each panel in each vehicle.

Any panel in any vehicle can be traced back to the batch every piece of material came from, which machine that was used to sew it and machinist/technicians that had any part in its manufacture.

The initial process took over 6 months before we could finally install the first working system in the field. The frustrations of dealing with so many different divisions within the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the fact that we could not get access to vehicles as they were on standby for fire season, at times made me wonder if it was all worthwhile.

The project was closed out in a little over 18 Months, final delivery in June 2015.