Limitaciones de los registros de representación

THE SPINE CARRIESAND SUPPORTS MOST OF OUR BODY WEIGHT. IT ABSORBS SHOCKS LIKE A RESILIENT ROD AND SPREADS THEM AROUND THE BODY. FRE- QUENTLY CARRYING HEAV Y LOADS PL ACES GREAT STR AIN ON OUR BACKS – PARTICUL ARLY IN TIGHT SPACES OR DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENTS. SPINAL INJURIES ARE DANGEROUS AND CAN LIMIT OUR PHYSICAL ABILITIES.

STRAIN

THE SPINEis not just the boney core of our bodies, it also connects all other parts of the skeleton together.

AROUND ONE IN EVERY THREE PEOPLE

suffers from frequent back pains, while around 70 percent of Central Europeans suffer back pain at least once a year.

SERIOUS INJURIESto the spine, which damage the spinal cord, can lead to paraplegia.

51 DRÄGER IS TECHNOLOGY FOR LIFE

THE CARRYING SYS TEM OF THE “DRÄGER PSS 7000” IS AL SO A CENTR AL S TRUC- T UR AL PILL AR.THE COMPRESSED AIR BRE ATHING APPAR ATUS SUPPORTS FIRE FIGHTERS WHEN EVERY SECOND COUNTS. THE SYSTEM ALLOWS EMER- GENCY SERVICES TO BREATHE FOR AROUND HALF AN HOUR IRRESPECTIVE OF THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT. A RESPIRATORY PROTECTION DEVICE LIKE THE “DRÄGER PSS 7000” CAN WEIGH UP TO 15 KILOGRAMS DEPENDING ON THE MODEL. THAT IS QUITE A WEIGHT IF YOU ARE FACING A FIRE. THE ERGONOM- ICALLY DESIGNED CARRYING SYSTEM OF THE COMPRESSED AIR BREATHING APPARATUS CAN BE INDIVIDUALLY ADJUSTED TO FIT USERS’ BODIES, EVENLY DIS- TRIBUTING WEIGHT FOR INCREASED SAFET Y AND A HEALTHY BACK.

WHEN FIRE SERVICES RISK THEIR OWN LIVES TO SAVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS, THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ABLE TO RELY ON THREE THINGS: THEIR INSTINCTS, THEIR FITNESS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT.

15 kg

THE CARBON FIBER REINFORCEDbackplate of the “Dräger PSS 7000” offers optimal carrying comfort and protects the wearer’s back against dan- gerous hits.

REFLECTIVE,luminescent tubing covers ensure rescue workers standing out in the field.

PRESSURE REGUL ATORS,shoulder and chest straps are equipped with quick release mechanisms and can be fastened in an instant.

52

Tight spaces, scorching heat and billowing smoke. When Greg Porter and his team go to work, extreme conditions are the norm. Greg Porter is Fire Chief of the Etna Volunteer Fire Department in Pittsburgh, USA. His greatest challenge: Every day he has the task of leading his team through critical situations with the mini- mum of danger and keeping an eye on everything. Greg Porter is well aware of this responsibility: “I always try to make safe deci- sions for the guys and make sure that if we’re going to risk our lives that there is some benefit. And you learn over the years how best to take these risks. You come to know what’s dangerous, what’s worth the risk and what’s not.” But January 26, 2008 is one day Greg Porter will never forget. When his team arrived at a blaze on that day, the fire already seemed to be under control. The rescue workers had to try and get to the second floor of the building. “The temperature, the weather conditions, the smoke conditions – we had some concern with that. But our assess- ment of the second floor was that it was safe and a reasonable operation. So we made an attempt to enter,” recalls Porter. RELIABLE IN THE FIELD

This sort of operation is only possible with reliable protective equip- ment. Etna Volunteer Fire Department has been using Dräger’s respiratory protection systems for years. The compressed air breathing apparatus “Dräger PSS 7000” has been specially devel- oped for fire services’ requirements. It not only ensures that res- cue workers have the necessary air to breathe, it makes the entire job safer as well. This is thanks in no small part to a variety of design details which all come together to form an ergonomic over- all design. Take the breathing hoses of the “Dräger PSS 7000” for instance – they are integrated into the backplate, keeping them safe and at the same time space saving. This in turn makes them more comfortable to wear and reduces the danger of snagging. Dräger designers also put a lot of effort into developing the belt and harness system. The apparatus’ shoulder straps and waist- belt are specially padded, while the straps’ anti-slip surface ensures that the device grips the body. That means making tiring adjust- ments in the field becomes a thing of the past, always leaving fire service personnel with both hands free. One particularly practical feature is the backplate of the “Dräger PSS 7000”. It can be adjusted to perfectly fit the individual body size of wearers thanks 15 KILOGRAMS| DRÄGER PSS 7000

A LIFE INSURANCE FOR LIFESAVERS

01The “Dräger PSS 7000” protects fire service

personnel against the dangers posed by fire.

02Its ergonomic carrying system can be adjusted

53

serious injuries. He landed on his equipment – with his com- pressed air tank taking most of the impact. Greg Porter is con- vinced that this protected Steve from breaking his spine: “The events of that day changed something in every one of us. It could have ended very differently. But the equipment that we issue is one of the safest that we could get and Steve had brand new gear on that day. The new Dräger pack, face piece, hood, gloves, boots: Everything was top of the line equipment and that certain- ly played a major role in his survival.” The “Dräger PSS 7000’s” intelligent design supports fire services in their work, offering them what they need to most: A life insurance for lifesavers. to its height adjustable shoulder harness and its sliding and piv-

oting waistbelt assembly. This system ensures that the weight of the equipment is evenly distributed across the entire back. With its carbon fiber reinforced material, a well fitting backplate pro- tects users’ backs and guards against excessive strain. Before every job, the team at Etna Volunteer Fire Service checks if the systems are perfectly adjusted to individual team members’ backs and if waistbelts are completely secure around the hips. COMPREHENSIVE PROTECTION

On that day in January, this kind of care and attention really paid off. Just a few minutes into the job, the unexpected happened: “There was a cracking noise that grabbed our attention but didn’t give us any time to react. I wanted to start looking around to see where the guys were, and as I was doing that the ceiling came down.” Greg Porter’s colleague Steve fell around three meters through the roof and was buried under debris. When rescue work- ers reached him Steve was conscious and had not suffered any

DRÄGER IS TECHNOLOGY FOR LIFE

54 108 DECIBELS| DRÄGER X-ZONE 5000

Sounds over 100 decibels

are very loud

to our ears. Sudden noises at this volume