Patent ID: 6892394
Filing Date: 2005-05-17
Classification: A41D

Abstract:
1. A method for protecting a military or paramilitary firefighter or emergency worker, wherein the method comprises providing the military or paramilitary firefighter or emergency worker with a protective garment having an outer shell, which has two expansive surfaces comprised of a surface of high visibility and a surface of low visibility, the outer shell being reversible so that, when the protective garment is worn, one said surface becomes an outer surface of the outer shell and the other surface becomes an inner surface of the outer shell, the outer shell having portions that are reflective, fluorescent, or both on the surface of high visibility but not on the surface of low visibility, the protective garment having an inner liner, which is attachable detachably to the outer shell so as to be wearable within whichever of the expansive surfaces becomes the inner surface of the outer shell. whereby if a tactical situation, in which a need for low visibility overrides a need for high visibility, develops or is expected to develop, the military or paramilitary firefighter or emergency worker wearing the protective garment with the shell of high visibility facing outwardly may have an opportunity to doff the protective garment, to detach the inner liner, to reverse the outer shell, to re-attach the inner liner, and to re-don the protective garment with the surface of low visibility facing outwardly.