Avon Protection has launched the first purposely designed compact escape hood to protect against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) agents, for use by First Responders - Police, Paramedics and Fire crews. The Hood provides protection from principal CBRN agents for at least 20 minutes allowing sufficient time to escape from the contaminated area.

Previously escape hoods were either too bulky to carry conveniently or unable to match the high Protection Factor of 2000 provided by the EH20. The CE marked EH20 weighs less than 500g and is the first CBRN Escape Hood that can be carried easily on the person.

The vacuum-sealed hood is stored in a compact pouch small enough to fit in a desk drawer or wear on a belt. When needed, the Hood can be donned within 30 seconds over beards, long hair and even glasses. One size fits all. It has a shelf life of 10 years when correctly stored.

Transparent polyurethane is used to protect the head area and gives a wide and clear field of view, allowing for instant identification of personnel at an incident and protect against splashes of agent to the face area. Polyisoprene is used to provide the highly elastic non-skin irritant neck seal, which can stretch by up to 800% to allow the hood to be donned quickly and easily. Polyisoprene was chosen for the neck seal due to its ability to form a leak tight seal around a large range of neck sizes whilst remaining comfortable to wear.

The EH20 features twin low-profile folding filters, that contribute significantly to the to the compact size. The filters protect the wearer against both gases, particles and biological materials such as bacteria and viruses. Particle protection is achieved by utilising the latest PTFF controlled pore size membrane technology for high efficiency particle removal to P3 level. Gaseous protection is provided by activated charcoal formulated specifically to provide protection against a wide range of gases.

The EH20 not only protects against all airborne CBRN threats but also protects the face from splashes of agent. The clear material has a number of advantages; it gives a non threatening appearance, aids with recognition and also allows for better visual and verbal communication. Twin low profile filters on a unique hinge system feature the very latest membrane technology which reduces breathing resistance and also ensures ease of putting on.

Following a competitive tender the EH20 Escape hood has been awarded a contract by OGCbuying.solutions to supply Government bodies such as the Police and Ambulance services with this unique new product. The UK Police and Ambulance service have been strongly recommended to provide all operational staff with the EH20 to protect them against a possible CBRN threat.

Jim Naylor, Sales and Marketing Manager at Avon Protection, emphasised that “the EH20 Escape Hood is a breakthrough for First Responders. Emergency Services staff are vulnerable as it is not always possible to carry a traditional respirator or breathing apparatus at all times, but due to the size of the EH20, first responders now have instant protection if they are caught in a CBRN incident. Given the nature of the terrorist threat we face in our society, the introduction of this equipment represents a major breakthrough for our Emergency Services”.