Emergency Services personnel, including firefighters, police, military, Public Utilities workers and EMS professionals rely upon their protective gear to keep them safe from the elements they encounter during the performance of their very important work. These dedicated professionals are entitled to at least the same levels of protection from bacteria, mould, fungus and odour as athletes and we're pleased to be able to provide that important service.

Not all Emergency Services and Utility Services Personal Protective Equipment is covered under the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 1851 standards. However, our process, materials and equipment all comply with those standards and all PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) we service is cleaned to the same high standards as those covered by NFPA 1851.

NFPA 1851 establishes basic criteria for the selection, inspection, cleaning, decontamination, repair, storage, retirement and record keeping for protective ensembles and ensemble elements. While most organizations are familiar with the selection of protective clothing, the expertise for cleaning, inspecting, repairing and record keeping varies substantially. NFPA addresses this by providing specific recommendations.

As a provider of Inspection, cleaning, maintenance and repair services of Protective Ensembles and Ensemble Elements, Parker Sport & Gear Cleaning operates as an ISP (Independent Service Provider) as defined in Section 3.3.49 of NFPA 1851.

We understand that the protective ensembles and ensemble elements we service are relied upon as life support devices by their end users. We also recognize that the consequences of a failure involving an ensemble or ensemble element due to poor workmanship on our part may result in an injury or death to the user.

Therefore, Parker Sport & Gear Cleaning is fully committed to providing the highest levels of quality and service to our clients. To demonstrate our understanding of, and compliance with, NFPA 1851, our owner, operations manager and equipment operators have all completed the Esporta PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) Level 1 Training Program in Kelowna, BC.

Our customer service representatives will work closely with your Emergency Services or Public Utility organization to help you develop and implement a "Gear & Equipment Care and Maintenance Program" that will comply with NFPA 1851.

The standard requires advanced inspection of PPE elements at least once a year. The inspection must be conducted by a person who has been trained in how to properly inspect structural firefighting protective equipment. The findings of these inspections must be documented.

Routine cleaning of PPE is an essential requirement in order to maintain a safe and healthy working environment. NFPA states that the end user is responsible for routine cleaning of their ensemble and ensemble elements. The end user should manually remove dry debris and follow the manufacturer's recommendations for routine cleaning and drying procedures.

Personal Protective Equipment must be cleaned on a regular basis to ensure the integrity of the gear and the safety of those who wear it. It also helps to achieve a maximum life span for each ensemble and its components. The standards for Routine Cleaning are explained clearly in NFPA Section 7.2 - Routine Cleaning.

We, at Parker Sport & Gear Cleaning, are available to help you develop a set of routine parameters to help ensure your personnel are using safe, well-maintained equipment and that you are complying with the standards set forth in NFPA 1851.

The accumulation of foreign substances and bodily fluids on the ensembles and ensemble elements creates an environment that presents challenges to good health and hygiene. Advanced cleaning restores a healthy working environment by cleaning and disinfecting the equipment to remove bacteria, mould and fungus.

NFPA 1851 clearly states that Advanced Cleaning should only be performed by personnel who have received training to a level determined by the manufacturer in the advanced cleaning of protective ensembles and ensemble elements. It further states that advanced cleaning should be performed at least every 6 months (and before any repairs are conducted) following the parameters designated by the manufacturer. Advanced Cleaning requires that the ensemble be temporarily taken out of service.

Advanced cleaning is only to be performed by machine and must follow the procedures are provided in detail in Section 7.3.7 of NFPA 1851. The Esporta Wash System, which we use, complies fully with (and often exceeds) the standards stated within NFPA 1851.

Our cleaning technicians have been trained in accordance with PPE manufacturers' standards and are recognized by major PPE manufacturers to perform inspection, cleaning and repair services in compliance with Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) standards of quality and design. We employ OEM processes and use only OEM materials as stipulated by NFPA 1851 in the performance of all repairs.

All repairs and alterations performed by Parker Sport & Gear Cleaning, a recognized repair facility, are performed to meet the manufacturer's specifications using the same materials and following the same processes as the manufacturer. Parker Sport & Gear Cleaning has invested in the necessary equipment and materials to ensure all repairs and alterations match the construction of the manufacturer including work on moisture barriers.

Our facility is recognized by major PPE manufacturers and we work in conjunction with those manufacturers to perform repairs and alterations that match the original manufacturing standards.

NFPA 1851 defines the parameters of Record Keeping very clearly and in great detail. We recognize that this time-consuming task may strain the resources of many organizations so we have developed a program to help. We use professional software applications to track and record the inspection, cleaning and repairs associated with each ensemble and ensemble element in compliance with NFPA 1851. These records are available to our clients and are maintained in an orderly and timely manner.

Our team is ready to help your organization comply with NFPA 1851 and to ensure the safety and health of your personnel. We have a process that cleans, kills 99.9997% of all bacteria and refreshes PPE and other garments and gear with a reliable process and state-of-the-art equipment.

The following is a list of some of our related services:

Our expert service representatives will be happy to meet with you to custom design a program to meet the needs of your organization. Contact us today to set up an appointment.