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Rescue teams to receive high-tech suits made of Demron

17 Mar '11

3 min read

With Japanese authorities warning that the population immediately surrounding the nuclear plant in Northern Japan faces serious health risks from radiation leaks, Ronald DeMeo, M.D., president with Radiation Shield Technologies (RST), is issuing a global call-to-action to provide critical nuclear protection gear and counter-measures to protect first responders and the public.

“The radiation has surged to more than six times the legal limit, reaching levels that will clearly impact the human body, and I'm shocked to see the medical professionals and other first responders wearing cotton scrubs that provide little or no protection from the harmful gamma rays and other threats,” said Dr. DeMeo, who routinely speaks at global conferences and consults with U.S. Congress, national security, police and fire officials regarding nuclear radiation counter-measures.

“The Japanese government and other authorities should learn about and use these new technologies to protect first responders and the public. Radiation exposure can increase cancer risk, disrupt the body's natural control processes and allow an uncontrolled growth of cells. Symptoms can range from altering a person's blood chemistry to nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and depending on the dose, death within two months or sooner.”

Dr. DeMeo, the noted surgeon and entrepreneur who invented Demron, is offering to donate several of his company's patented Demron Full Body Suits – currently the only gear on the market that provides total chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protection from all types of threats as well as heat stress. However, a massive deployment of Demron is needed, he said. “In addition, all manufacturers of any other gear that provides gamma protection should step up and donate whatever they can. During this crisis, every bit of help is needed.”

The Demron armor is currently deployed throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the United States. The technologies are used globally by members of the military, first responders, HAZMAT teams, police and fire-rescue personnel and health care professionals, among others. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) recently selected it to help improve firefighter safety. However, the suits are not yet being used by emergency teams in Japan.

The cool, lightweight, flexible full-body suits are made of the only impermeable CBRN fabric that permits heat exchange and enables the wearer to be cooled externally, enhancing athletic performance and survivability. In addition to the suit, RST's personal-protection line includes high-energy anti-nuclear ballistic blankets and ballistic vests.

The Demron fabric has been proved to provide multi-hazard protection against gamma rays, chemical and biological threats and X-rays by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), GEOMET, and Kansas State University.