Darlington protecting firefighters with ballistic shields

DFD Lieutenant Josh Williamson wearing one of the department’s new ballistic shields; the interior core of the ballistic shield contains Kevlar, porcelain, and shrapnel-catching material.

By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net

First responders are usually quick to arrive at scenes of emergencies – fires, auto collisions, serious injuries, and other incidents where emotions can run high. In the worst-case scenarios, these tense interactions can literally put emergency workers in the line of fire, and the Darlington Fire Department has recently acquired protective gear to shield their people against the threat of gunfire.

“Our city manager, Howard Garland, talked to us about finding a way to protect our people. So we met with the folks from Independent Armor, which does all the vests for the Darlington Police Department. They talked with me and the assistant chief and out lieutenants about what needs we had,” says DFD Chief Pat Cavanaugh.

Traditional Kevlar vests cost around $800 and are fitted to an individual, making them a costly and inefficient choice for gear that would need to be shared among several people. Plus, firefighters are already weighed down with heavy protective gear when actively engaging a fire, so the DFD needed a smaller, quick-deploying option for those times when responders are providing medical care in a potentially unsafe environment.

Cavanaugh says the department chose ballistic shields because they are a “one size fits all” option, using heavy-duty nylon straps and sturdy dual side release buckles. Firefighters can easily slip them over their shirts or coats and buckle them in place very quickly, and the small shield offers protection for the vital organs without restricting movement.

The DFD purchased eight of the ballistic shields, which cost less than $500 each. Cavanaugh notes that firefighting gear is usually quite expensive – a uniform consisting of fire-resistant jacket and pants costs $1,750 – so shelling out $500 for a swappable piece of gear that could save someone’s life seems like a genuine bargain.

“It seemed like a no-brainer, to protect a life for less than the cost of one jacket. That’s why we did it,” says Cavanaugh.

Weighing about 40 pounds, the ballistic shields are made of Kevlar, porcelain, and safety materials designed to capture shrapnel. The shields have a five-year shelf life and are good for one severe impact, but they must be thrown away if damaged or compromised.

Cavanaugh says a policy will be drafted dictating when and how the shields should be used. He also says that having the shields does not mean firefighters will start recklessly charging into gunfights to provide medical care.

“We’re still not going to run into a scene that’s not secured by the police. The police will communicate to us if a scene is safe or not safe. The shields are just in case we are there on site and a second shooter comes around, a drive-by shooting takes place, or something else along those lines,” says Cavanaugh.

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