Sept. 14, 2017 —
Boarding team members, such as this boarding team from Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk conducting joint boardings with a Sierra Leone law enforcement detachment, must wear head protection during operations. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Victoria Bonk.
The Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) completed a review of standards for personal protective helmets in February, and the recommendations from that review are informing the service’s ongoing purchase of new equipment.
The RDC project gathered information on boat crew mishaps over a 14-year period, evaluated how well the helmets protected crewmembers in those accidents, and recommended strategies to provide adequate protection at a reasonable cost. The recommendations informed the Office of Boat Forces’ requirements and request for proposal (RFP) to purchase up to 15,200 boat crew helmets. The service is evaluating industry proposals based on the RDC’s recommendations.
A recent Coast Guard Compass blog post highlights the project in more detail.
For more information: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation program page