Fire Industry News for August 2020

Dräger, a pioneer in medical and safety technology, is launching its ‘Health for the Firefighter’ campaign to support fire services in driving the cultural changes that are required to protect firefighter health. Impact of exposure The launch follows a survey of UK firefighters that found considerable concern over the impact of exposure to contaminants on long-term health. Some 84% admitted they were concerned about the risk of cancer – a disease highlighted in some scie...

BAFE and the FIA announced the acquisition of the FIA AO by BAFE FireQual Ltd. BAFE strongly believe this will be a significant opportunity for the fire industry to develop an exciting range of accredited qualifications to meet the demand for quality assurance of individual skill and expertise required by the industry. This necessity was heightened by the Grenfell tragedy and its subsequent reports outlined by Dame Judith Hackitt and the Competency Steering Group. Dame Judith Hackitt stated: &l...

In October 1993, the American Heart Association appointed the Task Force on Automatic External Defibrillation. The task force was charged with conducting a conference on automatic external defibrillation, evaluating research needed for broader community use of automatic external defibrillators, and overseeing evaluation of the feasibility and desirability of their use by healthcare professionals and the lay public. In December 1994, a conference on public access defibrillation was held in Washi...

Equipment is an important element in fighting fires, and in keeping firefighters safe. But what new needs are driving the development of equipment? How can equipment expand its role in fighting fires, or in managing building occupancy and traffic flow for that matter? We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the new trends and opportunities in firefighting equipment?

Carl Bryan, Managing Director WAGNER UK, offers CPD accredited training as part of the Fire Industry Association (FIA) online training on 10 September 2020. For one hour he will talk about the fire prevention solution with oxygen reduction. He will explain the technology behind and the advantages of using a hypoxic environment as a fire prevention solution. Participants will also be informed about the key considerations when specifying, designing and operating such systems. Interested parties s...

The new BS 8629:2019 gives guidance on Evacuation Alert Systems installed in blocks of flats to assist the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) in evacuating part or all of a building in an emergency. C-TEC’s new EVAC-ALERT system can be customized to create a simple-to-use and cost-effective BS 8629-compliant solution in any high-rise residential building. Housed in a robust vandal-resistant locked cabinet accessible only by the FRS in an emergency, the control panel features an intuitive inte...

The Internet of Things (IoT) is expanding the variety of technical capabilities deployed in the interest of public safety, and smart cities are leveraging IoT data to provide insights and improve operations. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is promoting technology development through its Science and Technology Directorate’s SCITI (pronounced “city”) solutions lab. SCITI stands for Smart City and Internet of Things Innovation. SCITI innovations promote public safety in...

Crowd management can be critical in a fire emergency – or in almost any other emergency situation. The Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF) has undertaken a project to develop a computerized tool to provide data and situational awareness about crowds based on computer vision analysis of video. Crowds have become an unusual occurrence during the COVID-19 pandemic, but sooner or later, life will be returning to normal. When it does, the safety consequences of poor crowd management wil...

The global pandemic presents complications for firefighters during what will likely be an active wildfire season. Firefighting manpower could be diminished by the pandemic; training sessions have been cancelled, postponed, or conducted remotely. And travel risks undermine the traditional approach of calling on firefighters from throughout the country or around the world to help fight the wildfires. Social distancing is at odds with the teamwork and camaraderie that characterize firefighting uni...

As the COVID-19 pandemic expanded earlier this year, there was an overwhelming demand for PPE to protect the brave workers battling on the front lines. To meet the growing need for critical protection and supplies for PPE, DuPont launched the #TyvekTogether program to partner with additional converters to increase the supply of Tyvek garments to the marketplace. In parallel, Ansell launched the #NetworkofHeroes program, offering support to non-PPE manufacturers with the capacities and necessary...

The Kentec Installer Program (KIP), launched by the manufacturer of life-critical control systems at last year’s Firex, is now expanding to include Kentec’s vast international installation customer network. To date it has registered more than 100 installers, making it one of the largest partner programs in the fire industry. The scheme provides Kentec’s registered customers with a wide-ranging program of bespoke training and best-in-class technical support, as well as dedicate...

Like professional athletes, learning how to stay composed under pressure is key to performing your best in any situation. Whether it’s a dynamic incident you are commanding at work, an important staff or city council meeting, dealing with a difficult person or situations in your personal life, how you cope with pressure is one way you separate yourself from the pack. Learning how to stay composed under pressure is key to performing your best in any situation. We cannot allow our emoti...

Ignited by a faulty electric transmission line in November 2018, the Camp Fire burned for 17 days in Butte County, near the city of Paradise, Calif. When the blaze was finally contained, it had burned more than 150,000 acres, destroyed 18,000 buildings and taken 86 lives. The question is if the fire could have been predicted and if the damage could have been minimized through greater understanding of risk factors. Also if there is a scientific way to reduce the risk of fires, analogous to advan...

MSA, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are helping volunteer fire departments obtain much-needed gear through MSA’s and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. In 2020, 13 departments will each receive four new sets of turnout gear and four new helmets to help enhance the safety of their firefighters. The first 500 applicants also received a one-year NVFC membership, courtesy of MSA. The latest recipients of MSA’s and DuPont’s 2020 Globe Gear Giveaway are the...

SMART SHOOTER, a world-class designer, developer, and manufacturer of innovative fire control systems that significantly increase the accuracy and lethality of small arms, is honored to announce that the company has been considered as a potential solution-provider and its technology has been selected for a NATO Defense Against Terrorism Program of Work (DAT PoW) exercise in the domain of the fight against small UAVs. Smart Shooter's SMASH Fire Control Solution will be tested and evaluated on the...

When the Cardwell, Missouri, Volunteer Fire Department needed to raise money for new equipment and to build a new fire shed, they posted a request online. When the residents of Massapequa, New York, wanted to raise funds to provide food to show their gratitude to the local fire department, they also posted an online fundraising request. Both requests used Fund the First, a new crowdfunding platform for first responders. Unlike other online fundraising tools that can be subject to fraud or abus...

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), promoting safety comes from a joint effort of knowledge, preparation, oversight and vigilance. The ‘Fire and Life Safety Ecosystem’ includes eight elements, as listed by NFPA, and weakness in any of the eight creates conditions that foster risk. A recent NFPA report includes examples, drawn from current events, that illustrate the importance of each element of the Fire and Life Safety Ecosystem. Government responsibiliti...

Hino’s newly revised GT 1528 is available with the Allison 2500 Series™ six-speed fully automatic transmission as standard equipment. Along with an increase in power, torque and payload, the automatic transmission makes it a safer vehicle in difficult and challenging off-road conditions. After a summer of horrendous bushfire conditions across Australia, a new focus on the safety and well-being of bushfire fighters has been adopted by fire authorities around the country. Hino’s...

SELECT has helped shape a new Occupational Qualification Structure by the Fire, Emergency and Security Systems (FESS) industry that will lead to Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) Card recognition. Aimed at promoting high standards and skills, the new structure has been developed by an industry-wide working group formed by SELECT and other trade associations and employer representatives including: British Security Industry Association (BSIA) FESS Employer Group Fire Industry Assoc...

In the six weeks since Carrier launched its BluEdge service platform, the program is gaining momentum with key wins in all three of its business segments. Carrier has signed more than 300 service agreements with customers selecting service programs that most effectively meet their needs. Carrier Global Corporation is a provider of an innovative heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. Enhancing efficiency and performa...

Lake Assault Boats, a manufacturer of purpose-built and mission-specific fire and rescue boats, delivers its third fire and rescue boat to the San Bernardino County Fire District (SBCFD) in California. The 28-foot long vessel is serving on California’s Big Bear Lake, and is similar to one stationed in Needles, California on the Colorado River. “We’re thrilled to deliver and place into service a third fire and rescue craft to the San Bernardino County Fire District,” said...

Trevor Palmer, Property Insurance Specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “The ongoing global crisis has put pressure on commercial property owners and their tenants as they adopt new measures to ensure working environments are COVID-secure, often involving changes to the premises. Having seen a spike in our commercial fire claims statistics, we’re concerned that the added focus on Coronavirus may be causing some premises to put other safety matters to one side." "While following Coronaviru...

A network of fault-tolerant MxPro 5 fire panels from Advanced, have been installed at the UK headquarters of Computacenter. As an independent provider of IT infrastructure services, having robust fire protection measures in place at Computacenter’s UK logistics and distribution center is crucial to ensuring smooth operations. As part of a fire system upgrade and move towards a more open-style protocol, Advanced was selected as the preferred solution at Hertfordshire-based Computacenter&rs...

The majority of fires within the UK take place within the home; with that in mind, it is highly advisable to regularly update and practice exit strategies in the event of an emergency. In order to raise awareness of fire safety in our communities, it’s important to be clear on what the most common causes of household fires are. Electrical appliances Electrical items are a major culprit of home fires. This can easily be avoided by ensuring a PAT test is carried out each year. It’s...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) offers dozens of on-demand webinars, live virtual trainings, and in-person courses on a variety of key fire service topics. Until in-person trainings can be offered again, the NVFC is pleased to announce an afternoon of live, virtual training providing a condensed version of our popular in-person full-day course offerings focused on successful departments. The NVFC Virtual Leadership Symposium is sponsored by the Motorola Solutions Foundation. Fire an...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is excited to bring to a new Virtual Classroom to enhance the online learning. The updated classroom provides a more user-friendly experience with updated content, design, and navigation. Trainings feature on-demand and self-paced courses delivered by fire and emergency service subject matter experts. Free course member benefit All Virtual Classroom courses are free for NVFC members. Non-members will pay per course, or they can join the NVFC for just...

Situated in the heart of Cleckheaton, Victoria Court has recently undergone a £2.5M transformation and is now home to two floors of offices and an array of retail and commercial outlets including Dominos Pizza and the Halifax Bank. With its cutting-edge control panels, detection and alarm devices, C-TEC’s new CAST XFP system provides the highest levels of fire protection at the multi-purpose site. Featuring all the top-notch qualities of C-TEC’s existing panels plus distribute...

FIA’s Northern Ireland Week was originally scheduled to be held in March 2020; however, due to the effects of COVID-19, it will now be held in Belfast at the Titanic Centre Belfast on 16th -17th March 2021. FIA has been working closely with the Titanic Centre for many months throughout this unprecedented period of lives to ensure they will be in a strong position to deliver a safe environment for the exhibitors, visitors and staff. Scientific and political advice After consultation with...

Arma Partners advises CSL, a provider of M2M/IoT connectivity solutions, on its sale to ECI Partners. Arma has acted as exclusive financial advisor to CSL on its sale to ECI Partners. CSL is a renowned provider of M2M and IoT connectivity solutions in the Fire, Security and Telehealth sectors. The business services over 1 million M2M/IoT devices and monitors 4 billion events each month across the UK, the Nordics, Benelux, Spain and Ireland. CSL has grown both organically and through acquisition...

DripDrop Hydration, a rehydration therapy company, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), the association representing the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services, announces a new partnership to provide dehydration relief to the nation’s volunteer firefighters. The need has never been greater amid a wave of summer heat, wildfire season, and a COVID-19 pandemic that has pushed the healthcare system to the limit of its capacity. DripDrop ORS will provide a one-to-one ‘buy on...