Today’s EMT / EMS uniform selections are very different than they used to be. More than just clothing, a uniform is another in an EMT / EMS’s many tools of the trade. Providing uniforms that are functional, durable, and comfortable is imperative when dealing with biohazards and possibly contaminated fluids. Providing that extra barrier and quality in an EMS / EMT uniform can literally be the difference between a healthy outcome and a possibly life threatening situation.
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) professionals and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) are health care providers trained to provide emergency medical care. In potentially life threatening situations, it is imperative that technicians put as much forethought into their safety before an emergency in order to improve response time and to ensure no safety measure is forgotten in a moment of crisis. In an emergency, timing is everything, EMS / EMT uniforms have made advances such as, adding blood born pathogen barriers, adding a great biohazard-resistant quality, double layering with fabrics and additives, such as Teflon Brand moisture resistance, and moisture wicking for amazingly faster drying performance.
Modern EMTs perform a wide variety of medical procedures and responds to many types of emergency calls. Therefore the Uniforms for these services are specialized to carry all emergency equipments. The newest generation in uniform design has features that help Paramedics, EMT, ambulance and other emergency medical professionals maintain their composure and performance in the stress of the moment.
Many quality names have added these types of upgrades to their EMT / EMS uniforms. These companies recognize the importance of keeping EMT’s protected. Just a couple of examples of newer technology in EMS uniforms include the Blauer Brand which offers a new 3XDRY, a unique and patented finish that provides durable water repellency on the outside of the garments and moisture wicking for dramatically faster drying performance. The Perfection Brand Matrix Series provides enhanced comfort, mobility, and extended wearlife with High Performance Stretch Poly/Combed Cotton Twill Blends, enhanced by H2Tech H2UltraDye and H2Flex from Swift Galey and there are many more choices, depending on the budget.
Made from heavy-duty tactical material that retains its composure under heavy stress and increasingly designed for versatility and comfort, new EMS / EMT uniforms are worth taking another look at. As much as EMT / EMS technicians have evolved to be more than merely ‘ambulance drivers’, the uniforms for EMS / EMT technicians have evolved more specifically as well. With features specific to the emergency profession, uniforms are becoming more than just clothes but an asset, protecting the EMS technician from potential work hazards as well as serving as a professional uniform.
It seems that the answer to that question is much harder to answer than you might think. For most other public safety uniformed professionals, like police officers, sheriffs, and firefighters, although the particular colors might change slightly from department to department, the overall appearance of the actual uniform itself is very similar across many of the branches of the same profession. And this uniformity in what these separate departments choose to outfit their staff with creates a recognizable standard for their uniform across the country that most public citizen’s know without even thinking about it. For the most part if you see a man or women dress in dark blue paramilitary type garb with a badge and a duty belt, you know you are looking at an officer of the law and that they should command a certain level of respect. But what is this easily recognizable standard of uniform for the everyday EMS professional? Other than the fact that they jumped out of an ambulance when you saw them, would you quickly recognize an EMT or paramedic at the scene of an accident?
