Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I can confirm that Essex County Fire & Rescue Service does hold this information.
Please see below the answer to your request.
Initial Request:
You issue your operational staff with Velcro thin red line patches for their personal protective equipment. What testing have these patches undergone to ensure they can withstand the rigors of operational firefighting?
Final Response:
The Velcro badge was tested in conjunction with our firefighting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by the supplier Bristol uniforms and conforms to the following standards:
Fire Tunic – EN 469, level 2 - Protective clothing for firefighting and the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992. Bristol Uniforms are the supplier to the national PPE collaborative framework.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to apply for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of your original email and should be addressed to: Internal Review, Performance & Data Team, Kelvedon Park, Rivenhall, Witham, Essex CM8 3HB.
Please note that the response and data released to you as part of this request will be published on the Essex County Fire & Rescue Service website. The website address is http://transparency.essex-fire.gov.uk/. All requests will be anonymised and no personal information including contact details will be disclosed as part of this process.
Thank you for your interest in Essex County Fire & Rescue Service.