Matthew Nelson
The Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology directorate has named the finalists for a competition that focuses on the development of concepts for a compact escape respirator for first responders.
DHS said Thursday the Escape Respirator Challenge aims to build breathing mechanisms that can be carried within oxygen-deficient, smoke-filled areas as well as chemical, biological and radiological environments.
Team VITNI, UP Enterprizes and Elmridge Protection Products were awarded with $50K each for the first stage of the contest and now have the opportunity to compete for $100K in cash in the second stage.
The competition’s first phase required the participants to develop ideas for technologies that will work to protect users from CBR components in the air. The selected finalists will further their concepts and build prototypes for a final demonstration.
