The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service have been a Northern Diver customer for many years. We started speaking to them about their rescue equipment needs, provided product samples and have been working with them ever since.
A new customer challenge.
Recently the F&R team contacted our SRE team because they needed some new and different suits for their airport team. The team from the IoM really liked the look of the Northern Diver Rescue & Response Surface Suit, however, they wanted to add their own text and logos while making a few minor changes.
Not a problem for our Specialist Rescue Equipment team!
Rather than create an entirely new suit design and ask the customer to wait while they were made and shipped over from our factory, we altered the suit the team liked at our HQ. In order to ensure satisfaction and a speedy delivery time to the customer, our SRE Team member Dan worked with the customer to ensure their exact specification was captured and could be met by the Rescue & Response Surface Suit.
After talking through options with the customer, Dan checked our huge in-house stock holding and had our Despatch team pick out the sizes required. He then asked our Repairs team to alter the boots - changing the yellow safety wellingtons for black drysuit safety boots, added a removable Flexi-Light and a removable Radio pocket, as well as neoprene seals.
Dan then worked with our Creative Team to add custom branding to the suit, adding reflective SOLAS strips to both arms with AIRPORT written on them. We added the team crest to the suit's large zipped transporter pocket and to the handy carry bag that our suits are supplied in.
All this could be turned around quickly and more cost-effective for the customer.
What did they love about the Rescue & Response suit?
As with the majority of our customers who purchase the Rescue & Response Surface Suit, they love that the surface suit is breathable yet durable. It was designed originally to cope with the most demanding weather conditions, supporting marine-based rescues whether in swift water, a flood or a rescue offshore.
The suit being front entry means that it's easy to don and doff, helping to make it ideal for fast rescue and swimming applications.
How quickly can Northern Diver turn around a project like this?
Our Creative department produce suit specification sheets on the same day. Once these are approved, and all artwork for the suit is approved, it can take as little as one day to add the wording and logos a customer has specified.
This particular request has taken less than a working week start to finish due to the dedication and commitment of our team as well as the speed of replies from the Isle of Man to Fire and Rescue Service. We loved working with them on this and look forward to supporting their future projects.