Innovation: Lightening the load

Britain's firefighters are to use oxygen cylinders made from carbon fibre rather than steel, which will cut the weight of breathing apparatus by between 60 and 70 per cent. This follows approval by the Health and Safety Executive, after 18 months of testing at the Wiltshire Fire Brigade.

The brigade's divisional officer, Chris Green, says that because firefighters expend less energy carrying the lighter equipment they also use less air.