The U.S. Army in Germany recently added eight Scania structural pumper P410 B4x4HZ trucks with Rosenbauer-body and Allison 4000 Series™ fully automatic transmissions to its fire fleet. The vehicles, featuring the new CP 31 Crew Cab, are powered by a 302 kW (410 hp) diesel engine combined with an Allison 4000 Series™ fully automatic transmission. They will be stationed at different locations across Germany. The U.S. Army has procured this vehicle configuration for the last 10 years, partly because of the advantages of a standardized fleet for staff training and vehicle maintenance, but also due to its positive experience with Allison transmissions over the past three decades. Operate water pump via the Power Take-Off “So far, the transmissions have fulfilled all requirements of the U.S. Army with regards to performance, operation and maintenance,” said Sigurd Mack, Fire Protection Specialist at the U.S. Army Installation Management Command’s European Headquarters in Sembach near Kaiserslautern. “This also applies to the integrated hydraulic retarder and the Power Take-Off with the pump and roll function. It enables us to maneuver the vehicle safely and, at the same time, operate the water pump via the Power Take-Off - which is indispensable for efficient firefighting. For our operations and emergency responses good acceleration, easy handling and robustness are essential.” According to the American NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 1901 (Standard for Fire Apparatus) directive for firefighting vehicles, fully automatic transmissions are mandatory for heavy firefighting vehicles. In its solicitation, the U.S. Army does not only specify fully automatic transmissions, it also identifies bespoke emergency vehicle transmission software. “A fully automatic transmission will only properly benefit the driver during operation if the shift pattern is tuned to the vehicle and the transmission works together effectively with the driver. It has to meet the specific mission for emergency response,” said Mack. Improved acceleration and higher average speed Allison fully automatic transmissions differ from other technologies. Among other factors, they have specially developed shift calibration programs for the fire and rescue application. When combined with continuous powershifting, this results in improved acceleration, higher average speed and faster response times. The transmissions shift smoothly at precisely the right moment, allowing the driver to concentrate fully" The fully automatic Allison transmission with its patented torque converter and Continuous Power Technology™ multiplies engine torque during vehicle start-up and acceleration. Gear changes are made without interruption, resulting in the smooth transfer of power to the drive wheels and maximum efficiency between engine and transmission. “The transmissions shift smoothly at precisely the right moment, allowing the driver to concentrate fully on the road, which contributes significantly to accident prevention,” said Mack. “In addition, to have competent and highly skilled service technicians, as well as spare parts service locally available greatly limits down time and contributes to our readiness,” said Mack. “The transmission manufacturer infrastructure has also supported our goals so far in this regard.” Reliability and durability in extremely difficult conditions The oldest Allison transmissions in the fire brigade of the U.S. Army in Germany have clocked up over 30 years of service Allison fully automatic transmissions have demonstrated their outstanding reliability and durability under extremely difficult conditions and are consequently used by numerous fire brigade fleets worldwide. There are currently about 70 Allison fully automated vehicles in the fire truck fleet of the U.S. Army in Germany. The oldest Allison transmissions in the fire brigade of the U.S. Army in Germany have clocked up over 30 years of service. In 2007, the drivetrain components from 12 older Amertek 2500L trucks were removed and installed into 12 overhauled firefighting trucks, so called “glider kits.” The Detroit diesel engines and Allison HT 750 DRD transmissions of the Amertek 2500L trucks, which at that time were already around 25 years old, were fitted to a new HME 1871 SFO chassis with a body made by Hensel. Glider kits used for multi-purpose vehicles for firefighting “In the USA, general vehicle overhaul is a recognized procedure for vehicle maintenance and service life extension. The engines and transmissions, especially in fire trucks, are still in relatively good working condition and have proven to be very reliable, even after a long period of time. This contributed to the decision for a service life extension,” said Mack. Compared to a new purchase, the “glider kits” helped to save approx. 80,000 - 100,000 USD per vehicle without compromising the functionality. The “glider kits” are used as multi-purpose vehicles for firefighting and for providing technical assistance.

An addressable fire system from Advanced has been chosen to protect an international school in Myanmar, thanks to its EN-54 approval and integrated false alarm management solution. The 2-loop Axis EN system was installed after the British International School Yangon specified an EN-54 approved system to protect facilities, including; classrooms, music studios, laboratories, libraries and its five-hundred seat theatre. False alarm management Authorized Advanced distributor, Technology Enabled Solutions (TES) Myanmar, was responsible for the programming and configuration of the fire system as well as integrating it with over 300 devices. As part of the project, TES Myanmar also configured the comprehensive false alarm management software, AlarmCalm. A key challenge for the school was to prevent false alarms that were a significant cause of disruption" Aung Myo Han, General Manager at TES Myanmar Co., Ltd, said: “A key challenge for the school was to prevent false alarms that were a significant cause of disruption for staff and pupils. As a false alarm management solution, the flexibility of AlarmCalm made cause-and-effect programming easy to set up and configure to the specific requirements of the building.” Best-In-Class Solution “Advanced’s quality, ease of installation and local technical support make it an obvious choice for installers, who specialize its solutions time and time again.” AlarmCalm software comes as standard with any Axis EN and MxPro 5 fire system, taking advantage of Advanced’s high-speed robust panels and networks to offer a best-in-class solution for managing verification and investigation delays to outputs. It allows the false alarm management strategy for a site to be refined precisely and to take account of occupants’ needs and area usage. It also includes the optional AlarmCalm button - a loop device that allows residents or trained staff to indicate whether they believe a signal in their area is due to a false alarm. Single-Panel installations Le Thanh Tin, Regional Sales Manager for South East Asia, said: “Our Axis EN system has been certified by FM Approvals to the EN-54 standard and is relied upon across the world to deliver superior protection to a wide range of sites, including educational facilities. These include single-panel installations in schools, through to multi-panel networks, securing numerous academic departments spread across vast university campuses.” AlarmCalm radically reduces these incidents and their impact and can be configured to all manner of sites" “The disruption and distress caused by false alarms has long been a major issue for the fire industry. AlarmCalm radically reduces these incidents and their impact and can be configured to all manner of sites.” Advanced, owned by FTSE 100 company Halma PLC, protects all manner of sites across South East Asia including the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, University of Macau and Hong Kong Central Library. Intelligent fire systems Halma is a global group of life-saving technology companies with a clear purpose to grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day. Advanced is a pioneer in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. The legendary performance, quality and ease of use of its products see Advanced specified in locations all over the world, from single-panel installations to large, multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multiprotocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging and false alarm management systems.

An Axis AX fire system from Advanced has been installed as part of large-scale renovations at one of Sri Lanka’s most prestigious healthcare facilities. The 2-loop and 4-loop, UL-listed Axis AX fire panels, and more than 500 devices, were supplied, installed and commissioned at the Korea Sri Lanka Friendship Hospital by local Advanced partner, Firetech (Pvt.) Limited. Hospital fire safety system Located south of Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, The District of Matara was gravely affected by the 2004 Tsunami. The Korea Sri Lanka Friendship Hospital was built at a cost of 1.27 billion rupees with the financial assistance from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to provide the residents of Matara District with increased access to crucial health care services. The 750 million rupee re-modelling, fully funded by KOICA and implemented by UNOPS in partnership with the Ministry of Health, saw the construction of a new Maternal and New-Born Heath Care ward complex and upgraded hospital facilities. This has provided a more modern and efficient service to the people of the District and in the Southern Province who rely on the hospital’s wards, operating theatres, intensive care unit (ICU), blood bank, pharmacy and neonatal ICU. 2-loop and 4-loop Axis AX fire panels UL 864-compliant Advanced system was selected to protect the hospital due to its robust design and ease of installation" Michael David, Business Development Manager at Firetech (Pvt) Limited, said “The UL 864-compliant Advanced system was selected to protect the hospital due to its robust design, ease of installation and configuration.” Michael adds, “As experts in fire safety, Advanced has always offered us a fast turnaround for spare parts, technical guidance and well-designed user interfaces ensuring on-site compatibility and ease of use for our engineers and end users.” Dependable fire safety solution Steve Carroll, General Manager at Advanced, said “Delivering a complete and dependable solution for effective notification and evacuation in a hospital setting is crucial to protecting patients who may be at greater risk in fire situations.” Steve adds, “Given its reliability, versatility and UL-listing, the Axis AX system was the obvious choice to recommend to Firetech and met all of the Sri Lanka Fire Department’s requirements.” UL 864-compliant Axis AX system Advanced’s Axis AX system offers enhanced power and performance in a user-friendly format, offering a vast range of configuration, control and interface option all with simple set-up and operation as well as Advanced’s legendary service and quality. The Axis AX system includes easily networked panels, audio panels and command centers, redundant controllers and a huge range of peripherals, devices and interfaces that make it ideal for almost any installation. Fire safety systems major Advanced, owned by FTSE 100 Company, Halma PLC, has an enviable history of protecting some of Asia’s most notable and prestigious buildings, including the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge and the University of Macau. Halma is a global group of life-saving technology companies with a clear purpose to grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day.

Amthal has worked closely with the management team and residents at Kenilworth Court to ensure fire and security upgrades on site occur without compromising on aesthetics of the Edwardian mansion blocks. Situated in Putney, Kenilworth Court consists of eight purpose-built Edwardian style blocks of flats, completed in 1904 – 1905. Featuring 150 portered flats, with a garden in the middle, it is now run by the controlling company, Kenilworth Court Co-ownership Housing Association Ltd. Security Gates and fire maintenance service The opportunity to upgrade door entry from audio to video capability saw the initial introduction of Amthal to the development. Amthal now additionally maintains security gates and all fire requirements on site at Kenilworth Court So successful in understanding the importance of keeping with original design features, working closely with the management team and residents, from initial specification through installation and project completion, Amthal now additionally maintains security gates and all fire requirements on site at Kenilworth Court. Video security system at Kenilworth Court Steve Logie, General Manager at Kenilworth Court Co-Ownership Housing Association Ltd, said “With the historic significance of our development, and the pride of notable residents who have lived here, any upgrades, however small, must be carefully considered with regards to how it will impact on the aesthetics of the overall premises.” Steve adds, “Amthal understood this and worked closely with us and our residents, carefully taking in feedback to create bespoke video door entry solutions that blend with the grand entrances. Installation was sympathetic, always ensuring wiring was discreet and ‘boxed in’ where necessary.” He further said, “So impressed with their customer service and technical ability, we now consider them our preferred supplier for all fire and security maintenance.” CAME BPT brass entrance panel installed Based on resident feedback, Amthal created and installed a bespoke CAME BPT brass entrance panel for Kenilworth Court, allowing all homeowners to benefit from stylish video door entry technology. Residents and staff also benefit from an upgraded Paxton Net2 access control system, with dedicated fobs distributed to ensure safe and secure block entry. Phil Bryant, Amthal Strategic Accounts Team Manager added, “The key to our success with Kenilworth Court was taking the time initially to create an installation works program with video door entry systems that could blend in visually without disrupting the architectural aesthetic of the development.” Enhanced fire safety The management team has peace of mind that fire and security requirements will be maintained to exceed standards" Phil adds, “We spoke with the management team and residents throughout the design process, bringing door entry styles and samples to ensure everyone was confident in the installed final solution.” He further said, “From this, our engineering team and customer service has built up a trusting relationship where residents understand our needs to operate internally, sometimes within apartments themselves and also through communal areas. And the management team has peace of mind that fire and security requirements will be maintained to exceed standards across the development.” Fire safety solutions expert Independently owned, Amthal Fire & Security is dedicated to satisfying end user needs for security safety and convenience offering design, installation, service and remote monitoring of advanced electronic fire & security solutions, including intruder, fire, access and CCTV systems. Amthal Fire & Security is accredited by the Security Systems and Alarm Inspection Board (SSAIB) United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS) and British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE).

A flagship school in Port Talbot, Ysgol Bae Baglan, is being protected by fire panels from Advanced. Built by Bouygues UK, the new super-school is the first vertically integrated school in Wales, merging four older educational establishments into one. With 1,500 pupils ranging from reception class to GCSE level (3-16), it represents a large investment in school infrastructure in Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council. At the heart of the school’s active fire protection system, which covers all areas of the main and lower schools, including science laboratories, specialist technology rooms, garage area and a wide range of sports facilities, is a network of five Advanced MxPro 5 intelligent multiprotocol panels. The network, which incorporates 1,200 devices, was designed, configured and commissioned by Protectorcomms Ltd, a long-time partner of Advanced. Multi-Protocol fire solution Lloyd Harding, Technical Director for Protector Comms Ltd, said: “Advanced panels are well known for outstanding performance and ease of use. This system protects over 1,500 staff and children in a brand-new building, so we needed a system that could offer outstanding quality, reliability and flexibility, with the capability to be expanded or upgraded in the future.” MxPro panels are already installed in many education facilities, including Sheffield University MxPro is the multiprotocol fire solution, offering customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network that enjoys free training and support. MxPro panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into multi-loop, high speed, 200 panel networks covering huge areas and controlling up to 254 individual devices per loop. Mike Tate Head Teacher at Ysgol Bae Baglan, commented: “The safety of our pupils and staff is the paramount consideration when specifying a fire system, so we wanted to ensure that our new school was protected by the high-quality panels on the market. The Advanced panels installed will give us peace of mind, as well the capability to expand the system further should it be required in future.” Analog panel MxPro 5 is fully compliant with EN54 Parts 2, 4 and 13 and is Advanced’s highest performance analog panel. It is EN54 2, 4 & 13 approved and is backward compatible with MxPro 4, offering long-term security for MxPro customers. Phil Calvey, sales manager for Advanced, said: “We’re delighted that Advanced panels have been specified for one of the largest schools in Wales. MxPro panels are already installed in many education facilities, including Sheffield University, Edinburgh University and London’s capital city academy, which was also built Bouygues. MxPro panels are the ideal choice for this type of installation, combining proven reliability with innovation and ease-of-use.” About Halma and Advanced Advanced, owned by FTSE 100 company Halma PLC, protects a wide range of high-profile sites across the globe – from London’s Shard and the Berkeley Hotel to Abu Dhabi International Airport and Las Vegas’ Golden Nugget Casino. Halma is a global group of life-saving technology companies with a clear purpose to grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day. Advanced is a world provider in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. Advanced’s reputation for performance, quality and ease of use see its products specified in locations around the world, from single-panel installations to large, multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging and false alarm management systems.