BLANCHAT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
The Blanchat Restraint System is a 4-point full body harness which is located within the BATROPS (Blanchat Apparatus Transverse Roll-Over Protection System) Fire Attack Operational Areas, which follows SAE International Surface Vehicle Standard #J1194 for roll-over protective structures. (This is the same standard used for agricultural tractors.) Those areas inside the BATROPS transverse crosswalk are shown below in green.
"Blanchat is the only manufacturer that follows SAE J1194 for roll-over and impact protection in an exterior Fire Attack Position."
- Greg Blanchat
The BATROPS roll-over protection structure is built from steel as required to meet SAE J1194 side impact and crush standards for roll-over and impact protection in the two Fire Attack Operational Areas.
THE COMPONENTS
The Blanchat Restraint System is made up of one custom-built full body harness featuring four inline adjusters to accomodate for a wide range of sizes, a chrome-plated lift latch quick release buckle, shoulder pads for comfort, three "D" rings for easy "on & off" capability and utilizes high visibility webbing for safety and ease of recognition. There are four retractors in each Fire Attack Operational Area for a total of eight retractors in the crosswalk area which are covered, automotive quality, web sensitive, emergency locking retractors that release when you need extension, retract into their housing when not in use and lock down as the webbing spools out too quickly to keep the firefighter safely in place. Additional body harnesses are available as options.
THE BLANCHAT RESTRAINT VS. A STANDARD SEATBELT
The Blanchat Restraint System allows the firefighter to operate within the exterior Fire Attack Operational Area from a seated or standing position.
The difference between being strapped into your seat by a standard car seatbelt vs the Blanchat Restraint is the mobility it provides to the firefighter. The Restraint System acts like a seatbelt by letting you move normally within the Fire Attack Operational Area but locks when sudden unexpected movement occurs so that the firefighter cannot be thrown outside the protection of the Fire Attack Operational Area.
"The Blanchat Restraint System greatly reduces the possiblity of the firefighter being ejected from the fire apparatus in the event of an impact or rollover."
- Greg Blanchat