United Kingdom (UK) Fire Industry News

  London's first new additional fire station was officially opened by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson The new station has state-of-the-art all weather training facilities.London's first new additional fire station for over a decade was officially opened by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Thursday 11 February. Harold Hill fire station on Ashton Road in Romford will improve attendance times of firefighters responding to emergencies in the north east area of Havering...

KFRS issued a few simple tips to keep homes and residents safe from the risk of cooking fires With many households flipping pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (16 February), the Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) issued a few simple tips to keep you and your home safe from the risk of cooking fires. Nearly a third (30.4 percent) of accidental dwelling fires that KFRS attended last year were cooking related.* Head of Community Safety Stuart Skilt...

The warning comes after a student was injured by toxic smoke inhalation Get a smoke alarm and test it weekly - that is the stark advice from Shropshire firefighters to avoid dying from toxic smoke in a house fire. Just two to three breaths of toxic smoke and "you're unconscious," warned community fire safety officers at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service just days after a Shropshire student was critically injured after suffering toxic smoke inhalation. "Toxic smoke af...

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has won a top EU award for its excellent road safety work The Shropshire FRS was praised by the EU for being committed to improving road safety by launching informative campaigns and educating road users.It was recognised as the best institution among those signing up to the European Road Safety Charter for innovative and successful schemes in the annual Excellence in Road Safety Awards run by the European Commission. The Shropshire fire s...

Bristol's new catalogue provides the coverage of the complete range of emergency services PPE The entire catalogue will also be available digitally on memory stick.With Bristol's presence in the PPE market having broadened considerably in the last few years, the introduction of a new, comprehensive technical and product catalogue provides coverage of the complete range of emergency services PPE now supplied to UK and overseas markets. Comprising eight freestanding secti...

The fire and rescue service in Manchester will cost tax payers £1 per week this year A pound a week - that's how much on average Greater Manchester's award-winning Fire and Rescue Service will cost local taxpayers this year, following the release of this year's Fire Authority budget proposals. A report to the Authority's Joint Policy and Finance Committee recommends that the increase in the level of Council Tax Precept this year is limited to just 2.5%, its lo...

The fire safety lesson was quite graphic in order to shock the participants into taking care on the road The dangers of drink/drug driving and dealing with different driving conditions were some of the issues covered at a recent multi-agency road safety event in Ashford. Around 130 sixth formers from The Towers School joined Kent's emergency services and local authorities to take part in and watch a number of workshops, presentations, displays and a simulated crash scenario...

  BAFSA praises the historic step taken by the Welsh Assembly in the fight against fire   BAFSA congratulated the Welsh Assembly for taking this historic step in the fight against fire and to protect the most vulnerable members of the community. It also expressed its admiration for the single-minded determination and energy expressed by Ann Jones AM for her unflagging efforts to bring about this major change. WELSH Assembly Members voted...

A working smoke alarm can provide an early warning of a fire Firefighters warn householders of the importance of fitting working smoke alarms. The warning comes after crews were called to an incident in Margate. Two crews from Margate and Thanet were sent to the first floor flat on Rancorn Road, Margate at 5.30pm on Thursday, 4 February after a chip pan caught alight when the resident left his cooking unattended. Once at the scene, firefighters in breathing apparat...

The LFB won the Sustainable Refurbishment of the Year category The London Fire Brigade has won an award at the prestigious CIBSE Low Carbon Performance Awards (3 February, 2010). The Brigade was given the accolade in the sustainable refurbishment of the year category for the work carried out at Croydon Fire Station. The extensive refurbishment at the station has cut CO2 emission by more than 50%. Chairman of London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority's Finance,...

Les Byrom, Chairman of the Business & Community Fire Safety Forum, will deliver the keynote speech Starting a new decade offers the opportunity for any industry not only to reflect on what has gone before but also, more importantly, on the trends, issues and challenges that are emerging. The 'noughties' was a period of significant change for those involved in fire safety, most notably with the introduction of the Fire Safety Order, the most significant developmen...

FRI provides comprehensive leadership training for both chief officers and company officers Maximise your budget and get the most for your training dollars in 2010. Make your plans now to attend Fire-Rescue International (FRI), August 24-28 in Chicago. FRI provides the most comprehensive leadership training for both chief officers and company officers at a price that fits your budget. In addition to leadership training, your registration includes free access to an e...

Chubb Fire has retained its No 1 position in the Superbrands UK list for 2010 The new 2010 Business Superbrand list confirms Chubb as the UK's number one fire and security brand. Chubb is part of UTC Fire & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. Chubb retained its position in the top 20, ahead of such names as Vodafone, Boeing and Siemens. It finished more than 20 places ahead of its nearest category rival, Yale, and 170 places in front of ADT. Top of the lis...

The programme, focused on the absence of fire risk assessments in tower blocks in the Lakanal house fire The programme, part of an investigative consumer series by presenter John Waite, focused on the absence of fire risk assessments in tower blocks in the wake of the Lakanal House fire in London in which six people died in July 2009. The FIA consider that, as a piece of investigative journalism, the BBC programme was reasonably well balanced.  More specifica...

"Take care in the kitchen" is the message from KFRS after a spate of fires in the Swale area "Take care in the kitchen" is the message from Kent Fire and Rescue Service after a spate of fires in the Swale area over the weekend. Two Sheppey appliances were sent to a fire at Clarence Row in Sheerness at 7.47pm on Sunday evening (24 January) after a cooker was left on and caused fat residues to ignite. The room was left smoke damaged. Meanwhile, Sittingbourne crews were tackl...

The FIA's annual conference will bring together both members and non-members from the fire industry The FIA's annual conference brings together both members and non-members from the fire industry, providing them with a forum to discuss all the latest key issues and topics affecting the fire safety community. As we enter a new decade, the 2010 conference offers all delegates the opportunity to hear about the FIA's plans for the coming year as well as gain a valuabl...

FBU says it is concerned by moves to arrest three managers over the deaths of four firefighters The Fire Brigades Union says it is concerned by moves to arrest three managers over the deaths of four firefighters killed in a warehouse fire in November 2007. All three were involved in the incident command process and may face allegations of gross negligence / manslaughter in relation to the deaths. All three have been told, by letter, to attend a Warwickshire Police statio...

Prysmian is the first and currently the only cable manufacturer to have BASEC approval Prysmian is the first and currently the only cable manufacturer to have BASEC approval for enhanced fire resistant power cable. Prysmian's FP600S enhanced performance fire resistant power cable is now approved by BASEC for compliance with the new highest level F120 category of the recently revised cable standard BS 7846:2009 for armoured, fire resistant 600/1000V cables having low emissio...

Kent's emergency services and local authorities are joining forces to tackle the issue of road safety Kent's emergency services and local authorities are joining forces to tackle the issue of road safety with young drivers. This multi-agency event, involving a number of workshops, presentations and displays, takes place at The Towers School in Ashford on Thursday, 28 January. It's designed to cover many road safety issues ranging from drink/drug driving, vehicle maintenanc...

South Yorkshire FBU will not be proceeding with the 8-day strike after the authority agreed to refer a dispute South Yorkshire FBU will not be proceeding with the eight-day strike which, was due to start on 27 January after the fire authority agreed to refer a dispute over shift changes to national arbitration. All other industrial action has also been temporarily suspended. The issues have been referred to national fire service arbitration known as the National Joint Cou...

Kent fire crews will be practising their response to a fire in a high rise building this week Kent fire crews practise their response to a fire in a high rise building. Arlington House in All Saints Avenue, Margate is the venue of the full-scale live emergency exercise on Tuesday January 26. Staff from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS), Thanet District Council, Freshwater (the apartment block owners), the Highways Agency, Kent Police, the Red Cross an...

KFRS crews are advising residents to use smoke alarms after a man sustained burns at a house fire Firefighters are warning householders to cook with safety in mind following a fire in Minster, Ramsgate. Crews are advising residents to fit a working smoke alarm after a man sustained burns following a fire in his home in Way Hill, Minster. It is believed that the occupant, in his late fifties, fell asleep while using a chip pan, which caught fire shortly afterwards...

The seminar 'Fire Safety in Sleeping Accommodation' will take place at Bournemouth on Wednesday 17 Feb The free seminar, entitled 'Fire Safety in Sleeping Accommodation' will take place at Bournemouth AFC Football Club on Wednesday, 17 February. The seminar is designed to provide all the latest information for the responsible person in such accommodations to ensure that their guests/residents and their staff are protected from the threat of fire. The 'Sleeping Accom...

A specialist search and rescue team from Kent Fire and Rescue Service has returned home from Haiti A specialist search and rescue team from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) has returned home from Haiti. The six staff flew to the Caribbean island last week (January 13) to assist in the international effort to rescue survivors in the aftermath the earthquake which killed and injured thousands. Arriving back at their Maidstone base this morning (Saturday January 23), team...

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and Jill Halfpenny have launched the 'Fire Kills Campaign' Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has joined forces with celebrity, Jill Halfpenny, to launch the latest 'Fire Kills Campaign' from the Department of Communities and Local Government. As part of the London launch of the national 'Don't Drown in Toxic Smoke' campaign, Jill Halfpenny, was placed in a simulation unit provided by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service. She then exp...

The FIA encourages formal involvement from Government (CLG), CFRAU and CFOA The FIA set up a Fire Risk Assessment Council in November 2008 and invited any company/organization who 'trades' by providing Fire Risk Assessments, on a commercial basis, to join the association as a member. This step was taken as its current members were reporting that there was a diverse range of 'Fire Risk Assessors' in the market. These organizations were offering very differen...

Young people were awarded at a special ceremony at the Brigade's Southwark Training Centre Over 80 young people from all over London have been recognised for their outstanding achievements while attending a firefighting skills course run by the London Fire Brigade. The Local Intervention Fire Education (LIFE) programme is an intensive five day course that teaches young people between the ages of 13 and 17 firefighting skills alongside real firefighters. At a special ceremo...

Over 1 in 3 fatal house fires are started by cigarettes or other smoking materials The London Fire Brigade has warned against the fire risks associated with cigarettes and alcohol.In January, many people start thinking about New Year's resolutions, and, in a bid to become more healthy many give up smoking and drinking. However, most people don't realise that by cutting back on cigarettes and alcohol they will also reduce the chance of having a fire in their home. Londo...

Fireco are looking for approved distributors Fireco Ltd. are looking for approved distributors who are able to install their fire safety products.Hardwired System X The System X transmitter (TX) unit can now be wired directly into the fire alarm panel fire and fault relay or loop via an I/O unit. The hardwired System X unit utilises Wi-Fi technology to communicate with all linked devices including Dorgard X and Deafgard X within a 1000m range (subject to a si...

Ian Thornton was awarded with a medal for his dedication to protecting the capital's communities from fire Bow Crew Manager Ian Thornton was only 23 when he joined the London Fire Brigade, and after 20 years service to Londoners, was awarded with a medal for his dedication to protecting the capital's communities from fire. Ian, 43, joined the Brigade in 1989, when he changed his smart office suit to a firefighters uniform and rubber boots. He said: "I didn't really enjoy wo...