Company News

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is pleased to announce the winners of its 2022 fire service achievement awards. Steven Klein will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by ADT, Chief John Buckman III will receive the Chief James P. Seavey Sr. Health and Wellness Leadership Award, co-sponsored by VFIS and Ward Diesel Filter Systems, Kaylee Gianforte will receive the Junior Firefighter of the Year Award, sponsored by California Casualty, and the Rowlett Explorer Post One wil...

On the 1st of February, ARA Group NZ Limited (ARA), completed the acquisition of Sopersmac, one of the largest distributors of architectural door hardware in New Zealand. Sopersmac offers a full-service value proposition to their clients and in addition to the supply of architectural hardware, they also offer specification, project management, master keying and installation services for commercial, custodial, industrial and high-end residential properties. Door hardware industry Sopersmac pri...

South Yorkshire firefighters will be practicing new procedures for responding to fires in high-rise blocks of flats, as part of work to adopt learning from incidents in tall buildings. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue is carrying out multiple training exercises in each of the county’s four districts in the coming months. practical, live training The practical, live training will particularly focus on changes to evacuation procedures when fire compartmentation in tall buildings fails....

External wall fire review process forms, known as EWS1 forms, were developed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and are used as part of the valuation process for high-rise residential buildings with cladding. Seven mortgage lenders provide EWS1 data to the department and these represent most of the lending market, according to the data release published on 17 February. This is the second time the Department for Leveling Up has published EWS1 lender data on mortgage valuation...

Following another successful conference last November which saw over 400 delegates in attendance, FIRE 2022 is set to return later this year. Traditionally organized collaboratively between the Fire Protection Association (FPA), Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), and the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), the Fire 2022 team have now welcomed the Fire Sector Federation (FSF) as a key contributor and supporter of this event. The four parties will work closely together on the event program to...

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment launches a new Walk-to-Work crew transfer suit that overcomes a cumbersome feature of offshore wind turbine maintenance procedures without compromising safety, further strengthening its reputation for innovation in the renewables sector. The new VIKING YouSafe™ Walk-to-Work is a one-size immersion suit airtight packed into a bag that is attached to the user’s lifejacket instead of being worn during the transfer between support vessels and offshore instal...

Low Bridge Advance Warn­ing Detec­tion sys­tems has been brought into sharp focus, as a lor­ry strike to a rail­way bridge halt­ed all trains in and out of Corn­wall on Bank Hol­i­day Monday. A large refrig­er­a­tion lor­ry struck a bridge at Man­namead, in Ply­mouth, dam­ag­ing the stonework and rais­ing the lev­el of the bridge. The HGV became wedged under the arch and took more than 24 hours to re...

The prop­er­ty secu­ri­ty spe­cial­ists, VPS announce a for­mi­da­ble addi­tion to their range of secu­ri­ty solu­tions. The VPS SmartEyes detec­tor is a pow­er­ful, wire­less, video ver­i­fi­ca­tion sen­sor with in-built arti­fi­cial intel­li­gence that dra­mat­i­cal­ly reduces false alarms. Simple to install detectors “This rugged detec­tor enables...

Over sev­er­al decades now, a key com­po­nent for pro­tect­ing a loca­tion from a breach of secu­ri­ty or safe­ty has been a net­work of closed-cir­cuit TV cam­eras, or CCTV. And whilst the cam­eras are most­ly clear­ly vis­i­ble, what goes on behind the scenes, in the remote video mon­i­tor­ing centers, has large­ly been an untold area of the secu­ri­ty sec­tor...

Three judges pan­els have each short­list­ed VPS for sep­a­rate cat­e­gories in the pres­ti­gious Con­struc­tions News Spe­cial­ists Awards: Equip­ment Spe­cial­ist of the Year, for their safe­ty zone team’s work help­ing to keep road­work­ers safe and traf­fic flow­ing with wire­less CCTV Tow­ers and Vari­able Mes­sage Signs. Tack­ling Cli­mate Chang...

Nic Preston, Director of Qualifications – FireQual, discusses the work of Fire Industry Training Academy Ltd. and their new association with FireQual with Director, Gareth Selway. Nic Preston: Can you describe the work of Fire Industry Training Academy Ltd. and how you support the fire safety industry? Gareth: The “Fire Industry Training Academy” was founded to create a positive long-lasting legacy for the fire industry, raising the standard of workmanship, competenc...

II Aspire has been working with Skills for Security and other professionals across the Fire industry to review the National Occupational Standards in Mechanical Fire Protection. ​These standards relate to any non-electrical device used for fire protection such as, sprinklers; gas systems; water mist and powder; foam and chemical systems; dry and wet risers; fire mains. Industry best practice They are now consulting on the content of the National Occupational Standards to determine whether the...

II Aspire has been working with Skills for Security and other professionals across the fire industry, to review the National Occupational Standards in Mechanical Fire Protection. ​The National Occupational Standards in Mechanical Fire Protection relate to any non-electrical device used for fire protection, such as – sprinklers, gas systems, water mist and powder, foam and chemical systems, dry and wet risers, and fire mains. Consultations on the National Occupational Standards They are...

Hi-line Industries, an established and reputable UK manufacturer of high-quality compressed air purification equipment, announced that the company is now offering a fully-featured range of desiccant air dryers. The company’s series of class-leading HPSA heatless dryers includes new standard models, the recently launched HPSA-CT (Carbon Tower) version, plus the bespoke HP-HPSA (High Pressure) model. As a result, Hi-line Industries can fulfill the needs of any company that needs dry, clean...

Wildland urban interface (WUI) areas — where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland — are vulnerable to wildfires. The destruction caused by wildfires can be exploited by criminals and, because of the minimal resources required and the potential for widespread damage, foreign terrorist organizations encourage arson attacks in WUI areas. First Responder's Toolbox The National Counterterrorism Center's Joint Counterterrorism Assessment T...

3M is launching 3M Futures, a new platform showcasing five global science and technology trends shaping the world today — and the future of tomorrow. The platform explores each topic alongside commentary and perspectives from 3M experts, scientists, engineers, and designers at the forefront of their fields. 3M Futures also features data from global, third-party research conducted across 11 countries to understand perceptions of these top science, technology and design trends.  Healt...

Efficient response to dangerous situations is paramount to any Fire and HazMat incident. This makes connected safety technology a valuable asset for every First Responder team. Having suitable and easy-to-use equipment and technology will enhance the speed, efficiency, and safety of an incident response. There are relatively recent developments in technology that can be game changers in an effective response including real-time visibility of the safety of every team member, integrated plume mode...

MSA, DuPont Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are teaming up again in 2022 to provide volunteer fire departments with four sets of new, state-of-the-art Globe turnout gear through MSA and DuPont’s annual Globe Gear Giveaway program. A total of 52 jackets, 52 pants, and 52 helmets will be awarded to 13 volunteer fire departments in need in 2022 to increase firefighter safety. Eligibility criteria To be eligible to apply, departments must: Be over 50%...

The National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Mechanical Fire Protection have recently been reviewed by professionals across the fire industry. These standards relate to any non-electrical device used for fire protection such as, sprinklers; gas systems; water mist and powder; foam and chemical systems; dry and wet risers; fire mains. Industry best practice A consultation on the content of the National Occupational Standards to determine whether they reflect industry best practice and what so...

A team of female firefighters is preparing for a record-breaking trek to ski Antarctica coast-to-coast with global Survival Technology pioneer Survitec as one of its sponsors. The six-strong Antarctic Fire Angels are undertaking the grueling expedition to showcase women's empowerment and tackle the stigma of talking about mental health. Gender equality awareness Martin Whittaker, Survitec CEO – Aerospace and Defence, said, “Protecting lives is at the forefront of everything we do...

In order to continue its development in Europe, SOCOTEC has just acquired the Spanish company BAC Engineering Consultancy Group, based in Barcelona. With 340 employees and a turnover of 21 million euros, BAC is a recognized player in inspection, engineering, testing, and risk management in civil engineering, particularly transport infrastructure, maritime works, and water supply systems, and in the building industry. It has particular expertise in structural analysis, non-destructive testing,...

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 there is a requirement placed on the “Responsible Person” to carry out a fire risk assessment – to identify any possible risks, to reduce or remove those risks and to implement any precautions necessary to ensure that persons on the premises could be alerted and would be able to escape safely in the event of a fire occurring. In doing this users will drastically reduce the chance of their restaurant being affected. Fire ri...

The fire, which happened just before Christmas, was recently highlighted by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) to demonstrate the benefits of investing in sprinklers.   TWFRS said that a propane gas-powered forklift truck caught fire next to some wooden pallets, causing a large-scale fire in a large commercial warehouse. Firefighters from Gateshead and Swalwell Community Fire Stations were on the scene in a matter of minutes to assess the situation and extinguish the fire b...

The Mayor of London has launched a public consultation on draft guidance that puts fire safety at the heart of the planning process for new developments. Sadiq Khan has a strategic planning role for London and his London Plan sets out guidance for development and building across the city. He said that existing national building regulations are not fit for purpose and the progress of reform is too slow. National building regulations The Mayor is consulting on London Plan Guidance relating to f...

The Fire Protection Association and RISCAuthority has submitted its response to BSI regarding the major change planned to sprinkler standards in the UK following a 2 month window for comments. Jonathan O'Neill OBE, Managing Director of the FPA, responded to the proposed changes to BS EN 12845-1 and said: “There is major change planned to sprinkler standards in the UK, which is being driven by the European standards making body CEN. The window for commenting on BS EN 12845-1 Fixed firefig...

The National Fire Chiefs Council is delighted to welcome the publication of the Safeguarding Fire Standard by the Fire Standards Board. The Safeguarding Fire Standard aims to ensure that fire and rescue services are doing all that they can to support and promote the safeguarding of those within their communities, employees, and volunteers. The standard accompanies the NFCC Safeguarding Guidance for Children, Young People and Adults, and the NFCC Self-Assessment Toolkit.   ass...

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has launched the first aircrew lifejacket to secure approvals under the latest European Aviation Safety Agency ETSO for an emergency breathing system. The VIKING YouSafe™ Crew Pro (PV9366) lifejacket’s innovative Emergency Breathing System (EBS) is the first complete system to merit the European Technical Standard Order stamp. The approval verifies that the new lifejacket’s compact and lightweight system surpasses the technical standards from the C...

The 2021 edition of NFPA 11 Standard for Low-, Medium-, and High-Expansion Foam is now available. There are many changes from the 2016 edition. Synthetic Fluorine-Free Foam (SFFF) One is the inclusion of Synthetic Fluorine-Free Foam (SFFF), a new class of fire-fighting foam defined as 'Foam concentrate based on a mixture of hydrocarbon surface active agents that is not formulated to contain per- or poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)'. An additional change is the inclusion of NFPA 16 The Stand...

Three Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs) will be trialled by  East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) as part of the NHS’s move towards zero emissions vehicles. EEAST has successfully bid for £250,000 from NHS England which will fund two electric Skoda all-wheel drive cars, an electric Vauxhall van, their conversion to medically equipped response vehicles and the necessary charging infrastructure for each of the vehicles. The funding is part of a new NHS England pilot...

On the 8th & 9th of February 2022, in collaboration with the distributors in Belgium - Vandeputte, MFC hosted local fire brigades and dive teams on the Meuse river in the city of Liège.  Over the two days, hands-on demonstrations were conducted with the range of water rescue equipment. This included a new RSW Series Rescue Sled, specially designed for weirs and swift water. RS and RSW Series Sleds are lightweight and quick to deploy, whilst remaining rugged and easy to maneuver....