Irked by their old uniform’s heavy jackets and trousers with no pockets for scissors or walkie-talkies, a group of paramedics have spent spare time in the past two years designing their new threads.
“In the past they’ve been really heavy,” Wellington Free Ambulance spokesman Ross Cameron said.
“If you’re doing CPR for half an hour in a high-vis jacket you really start to build up some heat.”
The new jade green uniforms, made by Swazi, feature lightweight Gore-Tex jackets, leg-pockets for scissors and other items, and the option of an all-in-one squad suit.
They were trialled by paramedics who headed to Christchurch following the February quake as a final test, before being rolled out during last Friday’s late shift.
