Apollo Fire Detectors’ innovative SOTERIA range of detectors has been chosen to protect the prestigious Darrick Wood School in Orpington, Kent. The school is rated by Ofsted as ‘outstanding’ and achieved the ‘World Class Schools Quality Mark in’ 2015. The fire detection system was upgraded as part of a wider program of works which saw the school invest in a new dining hall, a Movement & Performing Arts Building with specialist Drama and Music rooms and new PE changing rooms. Many of these new buildings encompass large open areas with high ceilings and interconnected spaces, which presented a challenge for the project’s fire detection system designer, Triple Star Fire & Security Ltd. Students and staff security Built in 1975, Darrick Wood School has been extended over the years and the existing fire detection system was in need of an upgrade. The installation of a brand new system to protect the pupils, staff and visitors using the most recently added school buildings provided an opportunity to upgrade some parts of the existing system. The existing and new fire systems will be fully integrated to ensure compatibility across the school.  The existing and new fire systems will be fully integrated to ensure compatibility across the school To avoid any disruption to pupils and staff during term time, all installation and upgrade work on the systems took place during the school holidays. Advanced fire detection system The main building contractor, Ammcass Group, appointed local experts Triple Star Fire & Security Ltd to design and install the state-of-the-art fire detection system, which is based on Apollo’s award-winning SOTERIA range of detectors. Explaining the choices made at Darrick Wood School, Daren Pool, Managing Director of Triple Star, said “SOTERIA was the ideal product for this large school. With this advanced technology available, we were able to offer superior reliability of detection and reduction of false alarms – exactly the features required in this environment.” Apollo SOTERIA fire detectors Up to 100 Apollo SOTERIA devices, including manual call points and interfaces, were fitted at Darrick Wood, along with bells and strobes designed for the school environment. The system is managed by two Advanced MX5 control panels – one located in the main reception area and the other in the sports center reception. The system is programmed to operate a ‘one out, all out’ procedure in the event of a fire being detected. Graham Field, Premises Manager at Darrick Wood School, commented “The installation of the new fire protection system went smoothly during the holidays, so that we could proudly open the new buildings and provide the pupils with enhanced facilities. It was reassuring to have the latest SOTERIA technology installed. We’re very happy with the modern aesthetics of the devices and are confident that the school’s fire protection is future-proofed for the years ahead.”

Lake Assault Boats, part of Fraser Shipyards and global manufacturer of fire, patrol, and rescue craft, has placed a 28-foot vessel into service with the Town of Gibraltar Fire Department located in northern Door County, Wisconsin. The new vessel provides emergency response and fire protection services for a large section of shoreline and islands located on Lake Michigan’s Green Bay. The purchase of the boat by the Gibraltar Fire Department was funded entirely through the Gibraltar Fire Rescue Association, a local non-profit 501(c)(3) organization; no taxpayer money was involved. Safe, secure rescue crafts “We knew that Lake Assault Boats had a history of building craft capable of securely operating on big water, and we received many positive recommendations from other departments in the region,” said Captain Jayson Merkel of the Gibraltar Fire Department and head of the local non-profit organization. “Our new boat performs confidently in five foot waves – which can come up in a hurry in our area – and it can reach 52 mph under calm conditions.” Lake Assault Boat’s rescue crafts are designed to respond to a wide range of on-the-water emergencies and rescue scenarios Placed into service earlier this summer, Lake Assault Boat’s rescue crafts are designed to respond to a wide range of on-the-water emergencies and rescue scenarios. It features a full width pilothouse (with 76-inches of interior height), large front and rear doors (for more efficient patient handling), and two side dive doors. FLIR and GPS monitoring The helm station includes twin 12-inch video touchscreens that control advanced components, including: forward looking infrared (FLIR), sonar with SideVu and DownVu, chart plotter, and GPS. Such features serve the Gibraltar Fire Department in its emergency response activities; “When we’re called out on an emergency, it’s usually when weather conditions are too dangerous to send a helicopter, so visibility is often very poor,” Merkel explained. “The new electronics enable us to plot a search pattern in auto pilot and tell the boat where to go.” The craft is powered by twin 300 hp Suzuki outboard engines equipped with one-touch joystick steering. A portable fire pump helps keep deck space open for patient transfers. The reinforced, double plated forward hull section offers added protection against rocks when pulling onto shore. Durable and dependable rescue crafts There’s no hull paint, and not a lot of bells and whistles on the boat; that’s why our team calls it the workhorse" For the Gibraltar Fire Department selecting a useful, durable, and dependable craft was paramount. “There’s no hull paint, and not a lot of bells and whistles on the boat; that’s why our team calls it the workhorse,” said Merkel, who added, “Throughout the entire design and construction process Lake Assault Boats was accommodating to our needs, and gave us helpful recommendations.” The Gibraltar Fire Department’s protection area includes the borders between Egg Harbor and Ephraim, as well as Peninsula State Park, the west side of Chambers Island and numerous smaller islands. In addition, the department participates in a MABAS mutual aid system. When called upon, a custom trailer is used to transport the craft to support a neighboring department or other agency. Easy water access The Gibraltar region features several marinas and a large number of homes where water access is often the best option. The area is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts of all types, with silent sports kayakers and canoeists drawn to Door County. Lake Assault Boats fireboats are born in a shipyard, designed for a mission, tested on Lake Superior, and custom engineered using technology and resources unmatched in the industry. Lake Assault offers a wide range of custom hull designs and configurations suitable for use on inland lakes and rivers, and inter-coastal and offshore waters, to meet the needs of first responders.

Infographics announced that County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue is the latest Service to move to the FireWatch Cloud – a fully managed service based on the Microsoft Azure platform. The new FireWatch Cloud solution will provide a resilient architecture, flexible access from remote locations, and includes software upgrade services and other benefits. reduces infrastructure costs Graeme Lockhart, Information Services Manager at County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are delighted to be working with Infographics on our move to the FireWatch cloud platform, which reinforces the Service’s ambition to move products to the cloud where clear benefits can be delivered. “We anticipate the project will help reduce infrastructure costs associated with running a complex on premise ERP system, as well as releasing capacity from our ICT team – who will no longer need to manage upgrades and support. Infographics are also in a better position to provide excellent customer support, as they can more easily monitor, access and manage the whole environment.” Fire service management capabilities The FireWatch Cloud solution will provide a range of benefits accessible from Azure, including the connected fire service management capabilities for: Real-time integrated HR, Training & Development, Vehicle and Resource Availability Employee self-service from a single platform Vehicle-level availability status based on resource needs and priority – calculated to-the-minute Graphical County-wide Availability Map status and change notifications of the same data Mobile-optimized client, with booking on/off duty facility and real-time status views SMS-based workflows and booking on/off duty processes with crewing exception notifications for managers Clear and compelling benefits Russell Wood, Commercial Manager at Infographics, said: “We are delighted to announce County Durham and Darlington as another new client of our FireWatch Cloud offering. This follows multiple other recent new FRS contracts, with more to follow. "The benefits of the specialist, connected FireWatch Fire Service Management platform in the Cloud are clear and compelling – providing our clients with the ‘big picture’ of their operations.”

Commissioner General of the F.D.R.E Federal Police Commission, Endashaw Tassew, announced the deployment of Addis Ababa’s regional Project 25 (P25) public safety radio communications system by Motorola Solutions. The deployed ASTRO 25 secure land mobile radio (LMR) system covers the greater Addis Ababa region, allowing secure and reliable communications for the F.D.R.E. Federal Police Commission. “Critical communications is a core component of any police work,” said Commissioner General Endashaw Tassew. “Understanding the importance of a truly reliable and secure communications system led us to partner with Motorola Solutions, a renowned public safety technology expert.” Protecting the people of Addis Ababa The country is investing and improving its infrastructures, including public safety communicationsThe Federal Police Commission will use the new radio system to serve and protect the population of over 3.6 million citizens in the Addis Ababa region. Motorola Solutions has been a trusted partner for public safety agencies in Ethiopia for more than 50 years, providing them with reliable communications solutions. Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies on the continent and a fast-growing travel hub for the region. The country is investing and improving its infrastructures, including public safety communications. The capital, Addis Ababa, is home to the African Union Commission and also serves as an important center for UN activities.    “We are proud to partner with F.D.R.E’s Federal Police Commission in their adoption of advanced digital secure mission critical communication technology,” said Yuval Hanan, East Africa Region Manager for Motorola Solutions. “The system will allow interoperability with additional public safety and security agencies for better interagency collaboration enhancing the nation’s homeland security capabilities and response.” 

Tylosand is one of Sweden’s most popular beaches and during the summer there can be more than 40,000 visitors on the beach every day. They were the first beach in Sweden to have lifeguards patrolling its shores as early as 1958. While most visitors enjoy their summer on the beach, at times guests may find themselves in a difficult situation. The lifeguard’s on Tylosand beach operate on a completely voluntary basis, patrolling the beaches daily throughout Summer ensuring the public’s safety. Their aim is simple: to have zero drownings each year. Patrolling the beaches in tough conditions The lifeguards at Tylosand have six life-saving areas which are guarded by eight lifeguards and a life-saving manager The lifeguards at Tylosand patrol the beaches every day during summer whether it’s windy, rainy or sunny. Conditions often change during the day as the Swedish weather is quite unpredictable, and this can be when people get into difficulty. The lifeguards are often painters, fire fighters or students in their day-to-day lives and in return for volunteering their time in summer, they are provided food and accommodation for their efforts. The lifeguards at Tylosand have six life-saving areas which are simultaneously guarded by eight lifeguards and a life-saving manager (CH). In the lifeguard tower, they store healthcare equipment as well as other lifeguard equipment including binoculars, life jackets, shovels and a water tank. They also run the Life Saving School – the only school in Sweden that offers sea life rescue training. Easy to use radio equipment The communications system for lifeguards needs to be robust, reliable and secure, as these critical situations are a matter of life or death. A key factor for Tylosand lifeguards choosing a radio to use was ease of use; with lifeguards working only a few weeks a year, it is mandatory that the equipment implemented is easy to understand and use. The communication devices from Sepura provide the lifeguards with exactly that. The lifeguards have implemented Sepura SRG mobile terminals into their vehicles alongside STP9000 hand-portable radios The Tylosand lifeguards have implemented Sepura SRG mobile terminals into their vehicles alongside STP9000 hand-portable radios to deliver a robust, easy to use communications system for protecting the shores. The common user interface makes it easy to train new lifeguards and run shorter refresh training with returning lifeguards. Once users have learnt to use one Sepura radio, they can easily use other Sepura devices. Withstanding the challenging environment Sophia Arlsan, a lifeguard with Tylosand, said “The Sepura equipment has over the years proved that they withstand the tough environment with sand and salty waters in an excellent way. Last summer, 24 people were saved from rip currents and many more have been saved through the thousands of proactive discussions Tylosand lifesavers have had with beach visitors during their patrols.” Thanks to the Sepura radios delivered by Swedish Radio Supply, Tylosand Lifeguards are prepared for the next busy summer.