INDUSTRY INTERVIEW: North American Rescue

 

As CTO, I now leverage my knowledge and experience in order to continually expand the company vision. By aligning scientific innovations with NAR’s business strategy, I guide the integration of company processes with synergistic technologies.

Q: How would you describe North American Rescue?

A: North American Rescue is a major provider of tactical emergency response equipment and training solutions to the U.S. military and, increasingly, to law enforcement and firefighters [and other] first responders. The company is at the forefront of combat casualty care, developing components and kitted products that decrease preventable death in the tactical environment.

Q: What are your primary products?

A: The company’s major products include:

• The Warrior Aid a nd Litter Kit [WALK]: This is a vehicle-centric capability that is part of a family of systems approach to providing the best possible care to the wounded soldier. Due to force structure, non-linear battle space and the asymmetric threat, most wounding events do not happen in the immediate area of trained medical personnel. The WALK is intended for use by all soldiers and is specifically targeted at the core soldier skill set to provide self aid/buddy aid under the principles of tactical combat casualty care. The WALK is designed to address and provide interventions for the leading causes of preventable death on the battlefield: extremity hemorrhage, tension pneumothorax, airway compromise and hypothermia.

• Combat Application Tourniquet [CAT]: This is a small and lightweight one-handed tourniquet that completely occludes arterial blood flow in an extremity. The CAT uses a self-adhering band and a friction adaptor buckle to fit a wide range of extremities combined with a one-handed windlass system. The windlass uses a free-moving internal band to provide true circumferential pressure to an extremity. The windlass is then locked in place—this requires only one hand—with the windlass clip. The CAT also has a hook-and-loop windlass strap to avoid accident release of the windlass during patient transport.

• The Hypothermia Prevention & Management Kit [HPMK]: This has a reinforced heat reflective shell [HRS] that is strong, flexible, lightweight and impervious to wind and rain. Utilizing NASA-pioneered science, the HPMK is specifically designed to prevent hypothermia during tactical casualty evacuation. The HRS is constructed of a four-ply, composite fabric with a protected non-conductive reflective layer that provides excellent thermal insulation. Rapid 360-degree access to the casualty with minimal exposure is achieved through the use of 1.5-inch continuous hook-and-loop closures.

Q: Tell us what North American Rescue has been focusing on lately.

A: To better serve the needs of our customers, we have made major new investments in both our quality and customer service systems. Some of these investments include upgrading the corporate headquarters and testing facilities, implementing an ISO 13485 quality system for medical devices, and hiring additional personnel dedicated to ensuring that our products and company maintain the same high quality we have built our name on. Additionally, we have upgraded our customer service software systems and expanded our in-house continuing education program to help our staff better understand DoD mission requirements. We are also in the process of implementing a new EDI system and business-to-business Web solution for streamlined online ordering processes.

Our training and equipment solutions continue to be tailored to maximize success. Highdefinition videos featuring the latest in 3-D animated medical demonstrations are being developed to explain the purpose and vision of specific new equipment and give guidelines for the product’s intended use. We have also increased our research in [our] “rescue human factors” engineering- and evidence-based medicine, allowing us to design products that support cutting-edge treatment methodologies.

To further advance our capabilities to test and evaluate products, NAR has included a 20,000-square-foot indoor testing facility within our newly expanded 100,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in South Carolina. This area is specifically designed to simulate the high stress conditions commonly experienced in operational environments.

Q: How are you positioned for the future within the military?

A: Today’s warrior has a dedicated partner in North American Rescue. We share a desire for excellence and are driven to find solutions to increase survivability in the area of operation. Our roots go deep in the military experience, and we understand the unique challenges of tactical rescue and medicine. As requirements evolve, we strive to stay ahead of the curve by adapting future technologies into innovative lifesaving solutions. For these reasons, NAR has formed a strategic business unit focused on serving our customers utilizing advanced materials, processes and design. Rampart Technologies is a technology incubator that combines scientists, researchers, academic institutions and private equity investors to generate creative and innovative intellectual properties. By integrating leap-ahead technologies with mission critical applications, we are bringing disruptive advancements to our customers.

Our commitment to this proactive, analytic approach to saving lives through expanded capabilities ensures an effective and reliable product portfolio that is optimized for successful deployment in all environments. ♦

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