MSA Safety Incorporated announced it has been awarded a $7 million contract to supply firefighters from five Fire Authorities in the United Kingdom with MSA's M1 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and connected firefighter technology. The Fire Authorities include West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority; Cleveland Fire Brigade; Hereford and Worcester Fire Service; Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service; and Warwickshire Fire Service. The contract was formally awarded late last month, and equipment deliveries are expected to begin later this year.

The announcement builds on the company's success in the region, coming nearly a year after the London Fire Brigade announced their selection of MSA respiratory protective equipment. The decision to upgrade the Fire Services' breathing apparatus technology was made after an extensive and comprehensive evaluation process, which was focused on utilizing enhanced technology to improve firefighter safety. MSA Safety's Connected Firefighter technology was a key factor in the Authorities' selection of the MSA®?

M1 SCBA platform. A key feature of this enhanced technology is the MSA Entry Control Board (ECB), which is designed to meet the unique needs of the UK fire service. Serving as a cloud-connected fire-ground management tool, it provides Incident Commanders with air and alarm status of all telemetry-enabled breathing apparatus on scene.

MSA's ECB is also capable of providing post-incident reporting and automated documentation and integrates seamlessly with FireGrid, a cloud-based MSA software platform that gives incident commanders the ability to evaluate and manage multiple situations in real time on scene, and from any location in the world. Several other patented and customizable features that enhance ergonomics, hygiene and firefighter comfort factor into the Authorities' selection of theM1 SCBA.