Technical Information

 

Manufacturing and Testing

 NFPA 1999 & 1951 certified is where we start!
To meet NFPA 1951 & 1999 standards (2001 and 2007 ed.), garments must undergo numerous tests to guarantee their durability under hard use and effectiveness as barriers to liquid-borne pathogens. We manufacture all our EMS clothing in our ISO 9001 certified plant.

As tough as the NFPA standards are, creating garments that are just "good enough" to meet NFPA certification is not good enough for us. That’s why we engineer Ricochet EMS clothing in ways that go above and beyond the requirements of NFPA 1999 and 1951.

We use GORE-SEAM® tape, the most durably waterproof seam tape available, to seal all the tiny sewing holes in CROSSTECH® EMT clothing. Using specially designed equipment, all seams are heat-welded under highly controlled conditions to ensure that no possibility for seal compromise exists. Every Ricochet suit then receives eleven additional heat welds at high stress points - welds that are carefully hand-applied by skilled technicians. No Ricochet garment is shipped until it passes a specially developed, highly-demanding inspection program.

We put in the extra effort to give you the extra security and confidence you deserve.

Proudly made in the USA

Comparison of NFPA 1999 Standards

and Ricochet EMS Garments

 NFPA 1999  Ricochet
2003 Edition Standard Vantage Light Polyester Tri-Laminate Polyester Vantage II Microdenier Vantage II Nomex
3.6 oz 5.4 oz 4.3 oz shell 6 oz shell
    3.6 oz liner 3.6 oz liner
Tensile Strength Test-Grab Outer Layer 30 lbf 126.4 248.3 281.7 304
Inner Layer   55.3 238.8 193.8 193.8
             
Burst Strength Test Outer Layer 50 psi 137.08 577.73 369.58 667.32
Inner Layer   N/A N/A 254.81 254.81
             
Puncture Propagation Tear Test Outer Layer 5.5 lbf 31.58 64.74 32.81 54.72
Inner Layer     N/A 31.58 31.58
             
Tear Resistance Test Outer Layer 8 lbf 32.85 43.02 45.81 37.15
Inner Layer     34.42 39.77 45.93
             
Seam Break Strength Outer Layer 15 lbf 35.6 63 44.8 42.1
             
Total Heat Loss Test   450 watts/m2 746.5 616.2 633.7 474.5
CROSSTECH® Fabric

In our quest to produce the finest protective EMT clothing, we evaluated many different fabrics. It was clear that CROSSTECH® fabric from W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. is the best choice. Since then, we've used it exclusively in all Ricochet protective EMT clothing.

CROSSTECH® fabric offers protection that has not been previously available. It is certified to meet the garment material requirements of the NFPA 1999 Standard for Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical Operations. This standard ensures that EMT clothing offers protection against blood and body fluids, as well as liquid chemicals such as battery acid, gasoline, and hydraulic fluid.

CROSSTECH® fabric is fully waterproof and highly breathable, ensuring comfort in everyday use. It is highly vapor-permeable, allowing evaporated perspiration to escape at much greater rates than other films and coated fabrics. CROSSTECH® fabric keeps wearers drier, alleviating the potential for severe discomfort and heat stress problems.

Like GORE-TEX® fabric, CROSSTECH® EMS fabric remains durably waterproof after exposure to flexure and abrasion in cold and wet conditions, and after exposure to contaminants such as oils, fuels, insect repellents and other common chemicals. Gore’s manufacturing plant is ISO 9000 quality certified, ensuring the consistently high quality you expect from the inventors of GORE-TEX® fabric. At Ricochet, we know that the CROSSTECH® fabric membrane offers superior protection against blood, body fluids and chemical liquid dangers. That's why we made it a critical component of all Ricochet EMT clothing.

NFPA 1999 Bacteriophage Test
Elbow Lean Test