Company News

Avon Protection is pleased to confirm the award of a sole-source contract worth up to $93 million to develop and supply the U.S. Army with the Next-Generation Integrated Head Protection System.  The contract will follow the existing low-rate initial production contract for the Integrated Head Protection System which comes to an end in 2021. Integrated Head Protection System Commenting, Paul McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, said, “I am delighted that Avon Protection will continue...

Avon Protection announces that its argus range of thermal imaging cameras has been certified to levels outlined in the 2021 edition of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)1801, Standard on Thermal Imagers for the Fire Service. Argus thermal imaging cameras The argus range includes the Mi-TIC E, Mi-TIC E L, Mi-TIC 320, and Mi-TIC S models. Once again, Avon Protection offers the largest, most diverse, lightweight range of NFPA-compliant thermal imaging cameras. The 2021 edition of NFPA 1...

More than half of all Norfolk house fires last year started in the kitchen, with more than 200 blazes across the county being linked to cooking. Figures released by Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service as part of Home Fire Safety Week show that, in 2021, crews attended 389 fires in homes across the county, with 221 starting in the kitchen. Cooking-related causes included cookers (99), cooking rings/ hotplates (50), and grills/toasters (22) with other sources being microwaves and deep fat fryers....

Let’s face it, washing the car is nobody’s favourite job. So why not take the hassle out of it and head down to your local fire station for the National Car Wash. On Saturday (June 18) firefighters from Manea and Cottenham fire stations will be on hand to make your car sparkle. Your valued donations will go towards The Fire Fighters Charity who provide support and rehabilitation to the fire and rescue community. Previous car wash events held earlier in the year in other parts of th...

EEAST has joined forces with Hertfordshire Constabulary to roll out the life-saving GoodSAM scheme so that people who suffer a cardiac arrest get help as soon as possible.  The scheme, which went live in late May, allows frontline officers, PCSOs, specials, and first aid trained staff to voluntarily attend nearby incidents where somebody is in suspected cardiac arrest so that they can start CPR until an ambulance arrives. GoodSAM app Officers are notified via the GoodSAM app on their pho...

GORE-TEX Professional (Gore) raises protection for technical rescue teams to a new level with the introduction of a unique fabric that enhances comfort while protecting from blood-borne and viral pathogens as well as flash fire. The new GORE-TEX CROSSTECH® PYRAD® stretch fabric pushes the envelope for high-performance rescue garments, combining four of Gore’s proven technologies in technical rescue activities. This achieves unprecedented freedom of movement and mobility, while als...

Having the right fire extinguishers for the business or commercial property is important in ensuring users are protecting their business and the employees, as well as ensuring they abide by current regulations. Below Thameside outlines the four main fire extinguishers users will need to protect their business and meet current fire safety regulations. The most common fire extinguisher type for class A fires, water fire extinguishers are essential for most premises. Providing a cooling effect on...

Avon Protection announce the launch of the Core Intelligent; a heated undersuit that maintains diver body temperature in all water conditions. Global Militaries are realizing the impact of Non-Freezing Cold Injury (NFCI) and its effect on both training and operations. In the diving sphere, the prevalence and diagnosis of this injury are on the rise, particularly with the adoption of diver propulsion systems and underwater vehicles.  Core Intelligent undersuit The Core Intelligent under...

Avon Protection was delighted to pick up an award at The Plastics Industry Awards event on 2nd December for the Best International Industrial Product Design 2021 for the CH15 Compact CBRN Escape Hood. Now in its 20th year, the Plastics Industry Awards is the forum for recognizing and rewarding excellence in an increasingly competitive market. Launched in 2001, and held annually in London, this event is dedicated to rewarding innovation and exceptional performance. CH15 escape hood &...

RESCUE Intellitech AB, the innovative Swedish manufacturer of decon washers for SCBAs, face masks and other PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), such as boots, gloves, and helmets, has announced that their recently launched DeconWasher Pro S will be available for orders on the global market as of now. After a successful introduction on the North American market earlier in 2022 spring season, RESCUE Intellitech AB will now showcase the new machine at INTERSCHUTZ 2022, which is taking place in Ha...

BAFE and FireQual joint statement on the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire (14/06/2017). Both BAFE and FireQual remember the Grenfell Tower fire and on this day would like to pay respects to all affected individuals of this disastrous event. BAFE’s remit to define the competency of organizations working within the sector has a primary focus on life safety. While damage limitation to the building is also desired, mitigating risk to life is the key factor here. Building Saf...

With temperatures heating up in Cambridgeshire this week, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) would like to remind residents of important outdoor fire safety and water safety advice. Head of Fire Prevention for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, Group Commander Ed Miller said, “We tend to see an increase in calls to fires during spells of hot weather. This does result in our crews spending significant time at incidents that could be avoided.” He adds, “We know...

Both BAFE and FireQual remember the Grenfell Tower fire and on this day would like to pay respects to all affected individuals of this disastrous event. In BAFE’s remit to define the competency of organizations working within the sector, this has a primary focus on life safety. Whilst damage limitation to the building is also desired, mitigating risk to life is the key factor here. Employing competent people Recent developments following the fire have been steps in the right direction....

Dräger, a pioneer in the fields of medical and safety technology, has been awarded two iF Design Awards for its PSS AirBoss self-contained breathing apparatus and HPS SafeGuard helmet for excellence in their respective idea, form, function, differentiation, and impact. iF Design Awards The iF Design Awards are recognized as a symbol of design excellence around the world, with this year’s entries coming from a total of 49 countries. Each entry is scored during a three-day process wh...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) regional administrator has authorized the use of federal funds, in order to assist the US state of Arizona, in combatting the Pipeline Fire burning, in the Coconino County, United States of America (USA). On June 12, the state of Arizona submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). At the time of the request, the fire threatened approximately 2,100 homes in and around Doney Park, Timberline and Black Bill Park. The fir...

The first severe forest fires of this summer in some southern countries, but also in Germany, are a clear indication of the explosive development in vegetation fires, according to the vegetation fire expert in the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb), Dr. Ulrich Cimolino. Just recently - as several times in previous years - the Spanish tourist stronghold Costa del Sol was affected. There, more than 3000 people, including many tourists, had to be brought to safety. the...

For a business owner, chances are that they have been told that the restaurant needs to comply with fire safety regulations. But what does that mean? And what are the specific fire safety regulations need to be aware of as a restaurant owner or manager?  This piece takes through the most important fire safety regulations for restaurants, so owners can ensure the business complies. Stay safe and informed! The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 Restaurant owners are responsible for...

Over 100 firefighters from West Midlands Fire Service were called to the Smurfit Kappa recycling plant in Nechells, Birmingham on Sunday 12 June 2022. major blaze West Midlands Fire Service sent over 30 appliances to the scene of a major blaze where “there was around 8,000 tons of compressed cardboard on fire," according to Area Commander, Sam Burton. Firefighters are expected to be at the site for the next two days. The fire was declared a major incident and saw the A47 Heartlands...

The Optimum Group (Optimum Drywall Systems Ltd) is delighted to share the changes that have been underway, as part of their fire-stopping team restructure. They have recently secured some great projects with clients, both old and new, and are excited to deliver them with a fresh and talented Fire Stopping Team. They have a new leadership structure, promoted from an established and experienced management team, and added some exceptional new talent to create a department that can provide a reliab...

Oshkosh Corporation, an innovator of mission-critical vehicles and essential equipment, announced that it has completed the acquisition of Maxi-Métal Inc. (MAXIMETAL) of Saint-Georges de Beauce, Quebec, Canada. MAXIMETAL is a pioneer in the design and manufacture of custom fire apparatus and utility vehicles in the Canadian market and will be part of Oshkosh’s Fire & Emergency segment. Quality and reliability “MAXIMETAL is an organization known for quality, reliabilit...

Kidde, the No. 1 most installed fire safety brand in North America, is expanding its Healthy Homes offerings with the launch of Kidde HomeSafe™ enabled devices. This comprehensive suite of home health and safety devices comprises fully integrated solutions that enable whole-home detection of smoke, carbon monoxide, indoor air quality issues, water leaks, and frozen pipes. HomeSafe technology Kidde’s HomeSafe technology connects these Wi-Fi-enabled advanced smart home devices and t...

The Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Fire Standard focuses on ensuring fire and rescue services are prepared to respond to major incidents and large-scale emergencies or disruptive challenges (emergencies). One of the desired outcomes of the Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Fire Standard is that services will contribute effectively to national resilience requirements and have suitable and sufficient access to resources and assets to support response to local, regio...

Frontline firefighters in Tyne and Wear are benefitting from a ground-breaking new scheme, which sees them being trained in first aid and trauma support by a leading North East paramedic educator. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) have teamed up with the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS), in a scheme believed to be the first of its kind in England. TWFRS – NEAS partnership It has seen Paramedic Educator, Phil Barlow, who has 15-years frontline experience being seconded to...

FirePro technology was successfully presented at the EAN University in Bogota, Colombia. The event took place on 19th May 2022 by the Fire Protection Association of Colombia (ANRACI) and their regional FirePro channel Partner AGNIS. Various commercial and technological capabilities were presented as part of the overall seminar as well as a dedicated specialized technical section - predominantly aimed at installers and designers. Fire suppression systems FirePro’s Regional Business Devel...

Angus Fire is pleased to announce that the company has donated a wide range of much needed firefighting hose, branch pipes and other firefighting equipment to firefighters in Ukraine, in order to help them protect buildings, critical assets and help them to save lives.

Fire safety checks will need to be redone on more than 1,600 council homes, because of concerns previous inspections may have been conducted by unqualified officials. The revelation is the latest twist in a long-running saga, which emerged last year when Norwich City Council admitted hundreds of people in its properties were potentially put in danger because crucial safety inspections of fire, water, and electrics had not been done. Overdue gas checks Since then, £1.2 million has been s...

Fire safety checks will need to be redone on more than 1,600 council homes, because of concerns previous inspections may have been conducted by unqualified officials. The revelation is the latest twist in a long-running saga, which emerged last year when Norwich City Council admitted hundreds of people in its properties were potentially put in danger because crucial safety inspections of fire, water, and electrics had not been done. Overdue gas checks Since then, £1.2 million has been s...

Recent research from Duke University involved firefighters wearing silicon wristbands on and off the job. The silicon absorbs any semi-volatile organic compounds the firefighters may have been exposed to. The wristbands worn by firefighters were analyzed for 134 different chemical compounds, including phthalates, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate esters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), all of which have been linked to increased...

Recent research from Duke University involved firefighters wearing silicon wristbands on and off the job. The silicon absorbs any semi-volatile organic compounds the firefighters may have been exposed to. The wristbands worn by firefighters were analyzed for 134 different chemical compounds, including phthalates, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate esters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), all of which have been linked to increased...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) welcomes the publication of the new Building Safety Bill but remains concerned about the length of time it may take to pass through Parliament, the continued lack of funding and support for leaseholders, and the delay in defining product safety criteria, with much of the detailed regulation expected to be contained within secondary legislation. Establishment of a new Building Safety Regulator The ASFP welcomes the establishment of a new Bu...