United Kingdom (UK) Fire Industry News

Metropolitan Fire Chiefs from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom participated in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Urban Fire Forum (UFF) at NFPA headquarters in Quincy, Mass. NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley welcomed the chiefs and provided an overview of the association’s Fire and Life Safety Ecosystem, reinforcing the critical role urban fire chiefs play in ensuring safe communities. Special guests at the Forum included the President of the Canadian Associ...

The UK’s largest fitness operator has chosen the P50 to protect its 200-plus gyms and more than a million members. Fast-expanding PureGym is installing our multi-use composite P50, the only extinguisher that needs no external servicing contract and can be maintained in-house by trained staff, in its new gyms, with a program to replace metal extinguishers in all its premises. Eliminating the process of “organizing and chasing” external servicing was the driving force behind the...

In response to reports that 24,000 portable space heaters and 7,000 hotplates will be delivered to customers impacted by the recent Merrimack Valley gas explosion, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is reminding the public to keep fire safety in mind. “Everyone should always be vigilant about fire safety. As Governor Baker and Columbia Gas work to proactively meet the needs of Massachusetts residents, we want to make sure portable space heaters and hotplates are used with the...

This year saw fire and rescue teams from across the UK competing in the West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) Extrication and Trauma Challenges, which was held for the second year running at the Emergency Services Show, NEC, Birmingham. The two-day event which is split into trauma scenarios and extrication scenarios tested firefighters skills at first aid and trauma care, road traffic accident extrication, casualty care and more. As always, a high standard of skills was demonstrated by all the team...

Moving away from home and starting university can be daunting, but students and parents can rest assured that a new initiative from Kent Fire and Rescue Service is set to help keep new students safe from fire. The fire service has teamed up with Canterbury Christ Church University to launch a pilot initiative designed to remind students of simple steps they can take to reduce the chance of fire in their halls of residence.  Bright and colorful stickers were placed around all 305 universit...

Firefighters have praised the actions of a Folkestone schoolboy after a fire broke out at his home on Wednesday morning (19 September). At around 8.15am, 11-year-old Reilly Fleming was at home in Cornwallis Close getting ready to go to school when he noticed that a greenhouse adjoining the property looked a bit strange, and realized a fire had broken out inside. His mum and dad had already left the house to go to work, so Reilly quickly dialed 999 and went next door to alert the neighbors. He t...

The control of smoke and airflow in a building during a fire situation is critical. Managing how smoke and fresh air can travel within and be extracted out of a building is essential in safe evacuation, protecting occupants, helping to contain fires, assisting firefighters and clearing the building of fumes and particulates post-fire. It can be extremely complex in high-rise buildings which are common in our region. While many technical solutions to this problem fit under the banner of smoke or...

During the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14, the gunman activated a manual fire alarm and shot at students as they left the building. The alarm promoted confusion during the calamity, in part because there had been a fire drill earlier in the day. It's not the first time a fire alarm has played a role in an active shooter scenario. Twenty years ago, a similar tactic was used at the Westside Middle School shooting in Jonesborough, Ark.  A fire alarm als...

ARA Security has expanded its offerings to include safe deposit boxes and vault storage. As of August 2018, ARA Security acquired 100% of Australasian Vaulting Industries (AVI), a safe deposit and vault storage business based in Western Sydney. AVI are expert in designing, building, and operating secure storage facilities. Their state-of-the-art, high-security vault in Bella Vista is purpose-built for the secure storage of gold and silver bullion, jewelry, heirlooms, Bitcoin, data, im...

Fire Door Safety Week 2018, which runs from September 24th to 30th, is designed to promote awareness of the importance of choosing the right fire doors and ensuring they are properly installed and maintained. To help the user implement the advice that are given during the week, Checkmate Fire has compiled a downloadable fire door inspection checklist. The specialist teams at the company’s Yorkshire, Birmingham, Harlow and new South-West offices are fully supportive of the Fire Door Safety...

On September 2, 2018, the world watched as flames engulfed the National Museum of Brazil and 90 percent of its artifacts from around the world. Recovery efforts are still underway, but almost certainly lost were the museum’s massive butterfly and arthropod collections numbering in the millions, a 3,500-year-old Chilean mummy, an 811,500-year-old skull said to be the oldest in existence from the Americas, several dinosaur skeletons, a 2,700-year-old sarcophagus among hundreds of other anci...

Hundreds of firefighters have been tackling a blaze at an industrial unit in Westwood near Margate since Saturday morning (15 September). When the fire initially broke out, 14 fire engines and more than 50 fire personnel were deployed to the scene. They were faced with thousands of bales of plastic wrapped waste alight inside a unit in Enterprise Way. And while resources on the scene have been scaled down since the original response, there has been a significant fire service presence throughout...

Fire protection in museums - this is one of the topics covered at the "The Green Museum 2018" congress. Practitioners and experts will discuss the topic on three dates in three different cities (September 27th in Leipzig, October 24th in Stuttgart, October 30th in Düsseldorf). What developments can be expected in terms of construction issues, costs, environmental requirements, norms and standards? What solutions and concepts are available for depots, archives and museums? Experts from t...

Clarion UX’s Fire & Rescue Group, formerly PennWell Corporation, announces key organizational changes; including three promotions and three all-star new hires. Promotions include the elevation of Bobby Halton to Vice President, Education Director/Group Editor, Ted Billick to Group Publisher, and Nanci Yulico to National Sales Manager – Events. “These well-deserved promotions will allow Bobby, Ted and Nanci to expand their leadership roles across the Fire & Rescue portf...

As per a new law aimed at better safeguarding fire rescue and emergency services personal, offenders who assault or attack emergency workers are to face longer jail terms. The maximum jail term for assaulting an emergency worker, including fire service personnel, will double from six to 12 months, once the new law goes into effect. An episode of the West Midlands Fire Service’s (WMFS) TV series, ‘Into the Fire’, shows one of the WMFS crew members being intimidated by a gang....

The West Midlands Fire Service has announced that the service’s firefighters have won the Emergency Services category in the annual ‘Pride of Britain’ awards! WMFS firefighters recognized The accolade, sponsored by ITV’s ‘This Morning’ program, recognizes the response of firefighters from Highgate Community Fire Station and the Technical Rescue Unit to a road traffic collision in which a driver was fully impaled on a metal railing.  Some of WMFS firefi...

Quelfire has announced that its QuelCast Cast In Fire Collar range has gained CE Marking. QuelCast Cast In Fire Collars prevent the spread of fire through plastic pipes and cables where they penetrate concrete floors. QuelCast Cast In Fire Collars The QuelCast Cast In Fire Collars have been tested by BS EN 1366-3: 2009 where pipe diameters of up to 160mm have met insulation and integrity criteria for this standard for up to four hours (EI240), maintaining the fire rating of the concrete floor...

Rave Mobile Safety (Rave), a trusted partner for safety software protecting millions of individuals, has launched a mobile application for its Smart911 technology, which provides greater access to the life-saving benefits of Smart911, plus targeted location-based alerts to all registrants. In time for September’s National Preparedness Month, users will now be able to download the Smart911 app to share and receive information that may be needed in an emergency. Smart911 mobile app Smart9...

A new intelligent information portal is set to transform the way burgeoning Kent firms and established businesses assess risk and protect their premises, procedures and staff – the first system of its kind among fire services in the UK. Kent Fire and Rescue Service has teamed up with the Fire Protection Association to create a digital one stop shop for companies in Kent and Medway looking to safeguard their livelihood against a multitude of hazards. Identifying specific safety risks Fro...

ARA is proud to launch the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for 2018-2020 and join over 1,000 Australian organizations that have committed to RAP programs with Reconciliation Australia. The RAP aims to provide solid opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their businesses to succeed. It is with the dedication of ARA Indigenous Services’ General Manager, Suzanne Grech, that ARA was able to embark on an ‘Innovate’ RAP framework and star...

The dangers of firefighting make it unfriendly to the concept of the learning curve. Before they put their lives on the line, firefighters should have knowledge and experience. But gaining knowledge and experience in the firefighting environment presents its own dangers. Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging tool for training in the fire service. Recreating the firefighting experience realistically in a virtual world is a useful – and safer – alternative to on-the-job training. It is...

A recent decision by the U. S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit clearly demonstrates the importance of issues raised by unauthorized publishing of codes and standards. The Court issued its decision in a copyright and trademark infringement case brought by three standard development organizations (SDOs), namely - the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), along with ASTM International (ASTM) and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)...

West Midlands Fire Service's ICT team will be showcasing the next generation of their award-winning workflow software at this year’s Emergency Services Show. They’ve developed the ‘Tymly’ platform to meet the increasingly complex data challenges facing today’s emergency services. For any organization, having the ability to access relevant, accurate and timely data from any location is important. In an emergency context it can also often be life-critical. Instead of...

Checkmate Fire will be showcasing the company’s range of passive fire protection products and services at this year’s Build Show, part of UK Construction Week, at the NEC in Birmingham on 9 – 11 October 2018. The largest event of its kind in the UK, Build Show is free to attend and provides the opportunity for suppliers and contractors, covering all aspects of the construction industry, to connect face-to-face. Checkmate Fire can be visited at Stand B419 to meet their third-pa...

While whole room protection – sprinklers or gas systems – is a common choice, there is an argument for thinking smaller; taking fire detection and suppression down to the equipment, enclosures and even the components where a fire is most likely to start. Traditional Fire Suppression Methods A traditional water-based sprinkler system is the most common form of fire protection found in commercial and industrial buildings. They offer reasonable cost, large area protection for entire f...

Amthal Fire & Security guarantees safety of staff and patrons at Lussmanns Award-winning Lussmanns sustainable Fish & Grill has enlisted Amthal Fire & Security to ensure its growing restaurant group is safe and secure for the benefit of staff and guests. Lussmanns is an independent brasserie style restaurant, invested in by leading hospitality entrepreneurs and recognised as a locals’ favourite alongside gaining praise from leading critics. The group currentl...

September is an integral month for fire safety because of Chimney Fire Safety Week. Held from September 3rd to September 9th, the campaign aims to raise awareness of chimney fires and encourages people to stop them from happening. September is a time for growing darkness and drops in temperature. People are more likely to light the hearths in their homes. In order to raise awareness for Chimney Fire Safety Week, Total Fire Group is giving tips on how to prevent a chimney fire. Build a small...

The German federal state of Baden-Württemberg has honored Magirus as a "volunteer-friendly employer for civil protection". Marc Diening, President & CEO of Magirus, received the certificate from Thomas Strobl, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Digitization and Migration, during a ceremony in Stuttgart on 5 September. The aim of this award is to honor and encourage employer support of volunteers. It is considered a sign of appreciation and expression of recognition for...

Frontline Communications, an Oshkosh Corporation company, announces that the Patent Office has issued U.S. Patent # 10,053,035, which is intended to protect Frontline’s VIP® System invention. The Frontline VIP® System is a power system that is an alternative to a standard generator, combining an alternator, batteries and inverter in an innovative way to provide reliable 120V, 24V and 12V power for vehicle installed equipment. Vehicle based generators In 2012, Frontline’s...

Dickinson Rural Fire Department is now home to a fifth Toyne apparatus, after receiving a new pumper in mid-August. The department, located in Dickinson, North Dakota, has been a longtime Toyne customer, and its latest apparatus will help bolster its firefighting efforts in and around the city. Features of Pumper Toyne mounted the pumper on a Freightliner 108SD 4x4 chassis with a two-door cab, adding in the power of a Cummins ISL 380 horsepower engine. Driven by an Allison 3000 EVS transm...