United Kingdom (UK) Fire Industry News

Flooded country roadPhoto by Patsy Lynch/FEMA Disaster recovery officials urge recipients of federal grants to keep receipts and other documentation for at least three years as proof the funds were spent as intended. More than $53.2 million in disaster recovery grants was distributed by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following the September storms and floods. "Those approved for federal grants received...

Canterbury firefighters are urging residents to 'watch what they heat' after a fire Canterbury firefighters are urging residents to 'watch what they heat' after a fire, which was caused by unattended cooking, left student accommodation damaged. Two fire crews were sent to Heaton Road, Canterbury just after 9.30 on 26 November after control room operators received a distressed emergency call from the residents. Once at the scene, firefighters in breathing apparatus made the...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) has launched the musically-flavoured 'Stand by Your Pan' film The short film on Youtube is designed to capture the attention of forgetful cooks before this festive season. Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) has launched the musically-flavoured 'Stand by Your Pan' as a response to figures which highlight a particular risk to those who get peckish after a few drinks. The light-hearted approach of this Tammy Wynette inspired vira...

The aftermath of a serious car crash will be played out to students at North West Kent College in Dartford The aftermath of a serious car crash will be played out to students at North West Kent College in Dartford on Wednesday, 2 December. Entitled "Operation Carmageddon", the demonstration involves firefighters from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) cutting free a mock "casualty" from the wreckage of a crashed car. Staff from Kent Police and the South East Coast Ambulanc...

London Fire Brigade's rapping firefighter, Stephen-remell Coleman Stephen-remell has written the track to tell people that London Fire Brigade is looking for new firefighters from all walks of life. "Follow me my people this is the way, sign your name for fire brigade open days. Oh what a rush, no job can touch, the job that I got this job is too much. We need more brothers and sisters let's go, don't matter if you're x or y chromosome". The line above is from a new hip...

Firefighters are warning Kent residents to cook with safety in mind Firefighters are warning Kent householders to cook with safety in mind. The alert follows a fire in Herne Bay in the early hours of yesterday morning (22 November). Crews are specifically advising residents not to drink and cook after a man had to be pulled to safety from his smoke-filled flat by firefighters. The warning comes after the man, in his forties, who had been drinking, fell asleep w...

New Look was fined £400,000 after pleading guilty to breaches of fire safety Sentencing of New Look took place at Southwark Crown Court on 25 November, 2009 after they pleaded guilty to two breaches of the RRO. The high street retailer New Look has been fined £400,000 and ordered to pay £136,052 in costs after pleading guilty to serious breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the "RRO"). It is the largest fine under the RRO. Lon...

The seminar will feature real world projects using gazetteer data for a variety of applications The first Addressing Issues seminar will take place on 10th February, 2010 at Winford Manor Conference Centre near Bristol and further dates and venues will be announced soon. A free seminar programme designed to promote the effective use and management of geographic information by Emergency Services will begin on 10th February, 2010. Sponsored by spatial technology company GGP...

At the Tory party conference, Caroline Spelman called for greater localisation and independent decision-making FIA delegates met recently with Stewart Jackson, Conservative Shadow Spokesman on Fire. Discussions were based largely on those covered with the Fire Minister a few weeks earlier. The FIA held the meeting in order to determine as fully as possible future government policy on the FIA's primary concerns should the Conservatives come to power next year. O...

City of Westminster Magistrates' Court fined the landlord for seven breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) A landlord has been ordered to pay over £20,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to breaches of fire safety legislation. City of Westminster Magistrates' Court fined Mohammed Khan, £10,150 for seven breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Mr Khan has managed the property since 1997. The prosecution followed a numbe...

FIA delegation met Ravinder Walia, Assistant Director of the Services Directive Implementation team The Government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) leads the implementation of directives in the UK. An FIA delegation met recently with Ravinder Walia, Assistant Director of the Services Directive Implementation Team, and several of his departmental colleagues. FIA outlined the concerns of industry regarding compliance with exist...

London Fire Commissioner, Ron Dobson, this week celebrating 30 years service with the London Fire Brigade Ron was awarded with the Queen's Fire Service Medal in 2005 and received a fire mark for his 30 years service from the Chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, Councillor Brian Coleman AM FRSA. London Fire Commissioner, Ron Dobson, is celebrating thirty years service with the London Fire Brigade, but as Chief Fire Officer of the UK's largest fire...

  Waterproof socks, gloves and hats, especially manufactured for emergency service markets The new range of waterproof socks, gloves and hats to be unveiled at the Emergency Services Show 2009. Leading outdoor accessories manufacturer SealSkinz will introduce its revolutionary waterproof technology to the industrial, emergency service and corporate clothing markets, with the launch of the new SealSkinz Duty range of socks, gloves and hats. Sold under the tag...

Celebrate safely - prevent fire and burn-related injuries during the winter months Utilize these safety tips and information from Fire Corps to help prepare your family, friends, and neighbors and ensure a safe and happy holiday season for all. The holiday season is a time to celebrate with friends, family, and good food, but it is also a time to be conscientious of everyday hazards. Cooking SafetyAccording to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking...

The courses are registered with CIBSE providing CPD points Staged at venues throughout the country, the courses are designed to keep traveling time and costs to a minimum. From basic fire detection design to detailed training for specific issues such as Approved Document B, FIA training courses offer real and tangible benefits for all involved in fire protection from designer to user.The modular approach of the courses provides a number of stand alone units that allow...

More accidental, fatal house fires occur in the winter months, than at any other time of the year As the temperature drops and people spend more time at home using heaters, candles and cooking hot food, serious house fires increase - that's the stark message from London's firefighters this winter. The London Fire Brigade has released new figures about accidental, fatal house fires, which show that fatalities in accidental dwelling fires are falling year on year. However, the...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service tackles dangerous driving by young people The campaign will be launched at Larkfield Fire Station on Tuesday, 24 November. The shocking image of a young girl in a body bag is set to adorn the backs of buses as Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) steps up its push to tackle dangerous driving by young people. "Reckless driving: cut it out before we have to cut you out!" is the warning from firefighters who are supporting this hard-hitting...

KFRS officers carried out late night inspections in licensed premises in Maidstone town centre Officers from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) carried out late night inspections in licensed premises in Maidstone town centre on Saturday in response to public concerns of overcrowding. KFRS fire safety enforcement inspectors were out in force making sure that measures were in place to enable rapid and safe evacuation in case of a blaze. At this stage, inspectors are wor...

Carl Barlow has won an award for long service at the London Fire Brigade A London Fire Brigade firefighter, who once starred in the famous 'boy on a bike' Hovis advert in the 1970s, has been presented with a long service award for serving Londoners for 30 years. Carl Barlow, 50, who now earns his crust as a Crew Manager at Islington Fire Station, said: "I've thoroughly enjoyed my career as a firefighter. I love the variety - you never know what's going to happen f...

A new Realistic Fire Training (RFT) unit for firefighters is to be officially opened next week A new state-of-the-art training facility for firefighters is to be officially opened next week (17 November) at Ashford Fire Station Crews using the Realistic Fire Training (RFT) unit, in Ashford, are exposed to the real conditions they face during a blaze, otherwise only experienced at genuine incidents. The new facility consists of a tower with a three-storey house attached, si...

  Rita Dexter has been appointed Deputy Commissioner of London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority Rita Dexter, formerly Director of Corporate Services, has been appointed Deputy Commissioner of London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. Rita joined the Fire Authority - which runs London Fire Brigade - in 2001, and her responsibilities have included legal and democratic services, communications, strategy and performance and information technology. Prior to working...

Manager John Carpenter, based at Dowgate fire station, has won a London Fire Brigade special achievement award The 'Potential Arson Target' database (PAT) aims to identify 'red hot' buildings across London which are at a high risk of being destroyed by arson. Watch Manager John Carpenter, based at Dowgate fire station, has won a London Fire Brigade special achievement award for developing the innovative new project. Buildings at risk include those that have been refused...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service has issued an electric blanket safety warning after a house fire in Tonbridge Kent Fire and Rescue Service is issuing an electric blanket safety warning after a house fire in Tonbridge left an elderly couple needing to be temporarily re-housed. The fire broke out in an upstairs bedroom of their two-storey home in Brook Street in the early hours of Sunday morning as the couple slept. They awoke to a smouldering fire at the end of their...

  The firefighters arrived seemingly within seconds, and quickly got to work fighting the fire Wine bar owner praises firefighters for successfully tackling the blaze in his historical property Richard Davies, who owns Rumours Wine Bar, in The Square Birchington, discovered the fire on Friday evening (November 6) and immediately dialled 999. He said: "I was extremely pleased with the response of the firefighters - they arrived in what seemed seconds of me cal...

The free seminar is being organised by IFE (Scotland) and BAFSA IFE (Scotland)/BAFSA Seminar, Edinburgh, a technical seminar, will be held on 20 January, 2010. The Institution of Fire Engineers in Scotland are running a major technical seminar in Scotland. Date: Wednesday, 20th January, 2010 Location: The National Library of Scotland, Causwayside, 22 Salisbury Place, Edinburgh, EH9 1SL. There is no charge to attend the event which is sponsored by...

KFRS advise comes after a spate of road traffic collisions in October across Kent  A series of crashes has prompted Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) to urge drivers and passengers to take care while driving. The message follows a dramatic rise in the number of road traffic collisions (RTCs) attended by firefighters across Kent. In October fire crews were sent to 112 incidents, compared with 76 in September - a rise of 47.4 per cent, resulting in three death...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service offers free home safety visits to all Kent residents Firefighters discovered that the man had badly burnt himself while attempting to tackle the fire by himself. Never attempt to tackle a fire yourself - that's the stark message from firefighters after a pensioner suffered burns to his face and arms following a fire in his Ashford home. Two crews were called to the flat in Meadowsweet House, Hackfield, Ashford, just before 1.30pm on November...

The London Fire Brigade is the only service to achieve Brigade Level 5 London Fire Brigade is leading the way in equality and diversity within the UK's fire and rescue services. External assessors recently awarded the London Fire Brigade the 'Brigade Level 5' of the Local Government Equality Standard -- the only fire service to have reached this level of achievement. The Equality Standard measures how public sector organisations such as councils, heal...

The London Fire Brigade celebrated staff's special achievements yesterday Some of London Fire Brigade's most dedicated and innovative staff were honoured yesterday (4 November), winning ‘Special Achievement Awards' at a ceremony held at Altitude in Millbank Tower.    Certificates were handed out for people and projects including:    Three firefighters from Hornchurch Fire Station (Marc Berridge, Richard Norris and Andrew Wright) for sa...

Kent and Medway are changing fast with new large scale developments in housing, retail and transport, and environmental risks like extreme weather and floods. To keep you safe, Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) needs to begin planning for those changes now - and it wants local people to get involved with shaping the future of the service. Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority Chairman, Bryan Cope said: "Kent Fire and Rescue Service works around the clock, 365 days a...