Fire Industry News for October 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented new health challenges for firefighters, but it is far from the first major health concern in the fire service. For example, the risk of various cancers is up to twice as high among firefighters, and cancer causes 61 percent of line-of-duty deaths for firefighters. There are other health and safety concerns, too, from nutrition and fitness to vehicle safety and seat belt usage, from wellness to stress and trauma (and consequent issues of addiction). Supportin...

Andrew and Nicola Forrest have committed 50 million Australian dollars (US$35 million) to the Fire and Flood Resilience initiative through Minderoo Foundation, with a goal of raising an additional 450 million (US$320 million) in direct or in-kind support over the life of the program. The goal of the ambitious investment is to make Australia the global leader in fire and flood resistance by the year 2025. It is an audacious vision that requires an innovative approach, and the organization takes...

Setting up fire and/or security monitoring services for one’s business provides great peace of mind. But the process can be confusing, especially when multiple parties are involved in providing the services. Koorsen Fire & Security wishes to provide quality monitoring services to our customers, which is why the company works with CMS, who provides excellent service and a valuable end-user experience with their free online portal. To better understand how one’s Koorsen monitorin...

The importance of firefighter health has received increased media attention in recent times, and rightly so. Following Covid-19 more emphasis is now being placed on hygiene and disinfection, which I believe will be one positive outcome of this pandemic.  A significant cultural change has been a long time coming to take us away from firefighters wearing dirty kit as a badge of honor that proves their hard work and value, to understanding that clean and well maintained kit sup...

Life safety manufacturer, Hochiki Europe, launches a new range of hybrid wireless fire detection and alarm equipment. The Ekho product range is EN54-25 approved, RED compliant and takes hybrid wireless fire detection to new levels of reliability, flexibility and performance. Using the latest in radio networking technology, the Ekho hybrid wireless system provides a robust ‘always on’ network of devices which can automatically adapt to changing environmental conditions – offeri...

Infographics has announced that Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) is the first UK FRS to adopt the new FireWatch Bi-directional Mobilization Interface, with other services expected to deploy this functionality in the near future. FireWatch Mobilization Interface The FireWatch Bi-directional Mobilization Interface with Capita Vision is designed to enable greater real-time data sharing between the FireWatch Fire Service Management Platform, Capita Vision Mobilization System and on-applian...

Trade fairs are starting up again in Frankfurt: in the last quarter of 2020, a series of events is taking place on Messe Frankfurt’s exhibition grounds - including Hypermotion, the first hybrid event to be held at its Frankfurt base. Numerous guest events will also be opening their doors to visitors, adhering to the strictest hygiene and security standards at all times. Hypermotion is to take place in Frankfurt from 10 to 12 November - as a multimodal innovation platform, it will be focus...

According to the 2009 edition of the Emergency Care Research Institute Health Devices Guide, operating room fires rank third on the top 10 technology hazards. ECRI estimates that between 550 to 650 fires occur in operating rooms in the United States. The most common sites where fires were the head, face, neck and upper chest (Hart, MD et al. 2011) which means that patients are disproportionately at risk compared to patients exposed to fire risks in other parts of a hospital. Fire hazards in Op...

Firefighters across Cornwall are wearing brand new PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), procured through the UK Collaborative PPE Framework.  All 560 firefighters in the county have been equipped with two sets of new gold-colored structural coats and trousers, along with flash hoods, and a set of both structural and rescue gloves. Structural PPE The new PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), designed and manufactured by Bristol Uniforms, benefits from the very latest in fiber and fabric tec...

Infographics announce that Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) will become the first FRS to adopt an integrated solution that seamlessly joins up their work and data flows across Resource Management departments, Emergency Response, and Prevention and Protection. This ground-breaking project will include the implementation of Infographics’ latest ‘off-the-shelf’ integrated solutions and interfaces in order to achieve, Infographics believes, a UK (and most likely global)...

Specialist AEI Cables is highlighting the need to use only approved cabling in critical signal and control equipment in the event of a real fire with the announcement of a revised version of the Code of Practice covering these areas of performance. The equipment served by these cables - including smoke and heat extraction systems - assists fire services in the case of firefighting and a safe evacuation in the case of life safety. As the only supplier in the UK with independent approval from LPC...

The system was installed by Alemany Building Solutions at Sands Pointe, an upscale, 29-story condominium located in Sunny Isles Beach on a barrier island in northeast Miami-Dade County. Sunny Isles Beach has been a major real estate development location for luxury high-rise condominiums and hotels since the early 2000s. Drawing on 15 years’ experience delivering engineered fire safety solutions in large, complex developments, Alemany Building Solutions specified Advanced’s Axis AX f...

Komtes, the renowned European business group in fire suppression systems, will be present from January 20 to 22 at the Intersec fair in Dubai, the most important PCI and security event in the Middle East. In this international environment, Komtes will present some of its most innovative products, demonstrating once again its commitment to quality and innovation. Under the RG Systems brand, those present will be able to admire the most advanced High Pressure Water Mist systems, which have a grow...

The pneumatic detection and automatic fire extinguishing tube, has passed all the demanding UL tests with ease, is built with a state-of-the-art polymer capable of maintaining its properties in the most demanding environments, thus allowing the temperature of activation is very precise and allows working with greater separation between the path of the sensor tube, optimizing the amount of material used. The tube is compatible with all fire fighting agents on the market: HFC-125 HFC-227ea F...

With commercial fires up 46% during lockdown, it’s crucial to understand and become more aware of the damage fire risks can have on a business when left undetected and unresolved. Fires can be a devastating experience for all, resulting in irreversible physical damage and, arguably more importantly, the unseen destruction of jobs, livelihoods, families and homes. While the risk of fire can never be completely eradicated, there are things you can do to help minimize the problem. More...

As of 1 September 2020, Eva Klinger is taking over at the helm of Messe Frankfurt’s Sales Guest Events department. A BA graduate, she has held various positions, at Messe Frankfurt, since 2007, most recently as a Project Manager at Business Process Management. Sales Guest Events head In this position, she was responsible above all for optimizing company processes, in which connection she was instrumental in restructuring Sales Guest Events. She is replacing Silke Calder, who is leaving t...

Fike UK has joined forces with a valve industry specialist and introduced a revolutionary explosion prevention product that will transform the safety of the process industry. Fike UK, has teamed up with Nottingham based MID Valves to produce the first ATEX certified explosion isolation valve after the companies joined forces to deliver explosion protection on a biomass plant installed as part of phase one at Immingham Rail Freight Terminal. The ground breaking innovation was designed and implem...

Fike UK urges companies to ensure appropriate equipment and technologies are in place to mitigate the disastrous effects caused by grain elevator explosions. Keith Avila, General Manager at Fike UK said: “In the food process industry alone, approximately 50% of explosions have originated in bucket elevators. Installing appropriate prevention and protection measures will eliminate the potential risks associated with dust explosions, such as severe plant destruction and downtime, loss of pr...

Fike UK is alerting businesses across the woodwork industry of the catastrophic effects that could potentially be caused from a dust explosion within the workplace. There have been several dust explosions reported worldwide in the woodwork industry simply due to preventive measures not being taken. Fike UK, has dedicated almost 70 years to developing and manufacturing a range of fire, explosion and pressure relief products that their customers have installed and which have resulted in thousands...

Fike UK has enhanced its already extensive range of high quality, safety driven products with the introduction of the Fike Dust Detection System (FDDS). The FDDS functions by signaling the presence of unusually high airborne dust particles enabling the prevention of explosion devastating the workplace. Keith Avila, General Manager of Fike UK said of the new product launch: “A dust explosion can be potentially catastrophic. We are very proud to be the first in the industry to introduce suc...

The AES Corporation was named to Fast Company’s 2020 edition of Best Workplaces for Innovators, recognizing AES’ commitment to encouraging and supporting its people in the pursuit of leading-edge energy technologies and business development. The list, which goes online and will be published in a special upcoming print issue of Fast Company, places AES among 100 other major US corporations. “Accelerating a cleaner energy future is our mission,” said Andres Gluski, AES Pre...

Messe Frankfurt South Africa, a subsidiary of one of the world’s pioneering trade fair organizers, is proud to announce the acquisition of Hobby-X, the premier event for the hobby, arts and crafts supplies sectors in South Africa. Hobby-X In March 2020, Hobby-X celebrated 23 years. It is a visual, interactive, creative and entertaining event. In 2020, the event featured around 140 exhibitors across the hobby, craft and leisure industries and welcomed more than 14,500 trade and public vis...

A huge new Amazon fulfilment center on the outskirts of Bristol has installed Vimpex Smart+Guard tough polycarbonate hinged protective covers to protect the building's alarm call-points from accidental or malicious activation, which could trigger costly building evacuations resulting in lost production and missed logistical connections. Amazon's new 500,000 sq. ft. fulfilment center at Severn Beach is designed to ensure that more people in the Bristol region receive next-day deliveries. When it...

If you are like most homeowners, you want to do everything you can to protect your home and those you love who live there. Installing smoke alarms is one significant way you can do that. However, while many homeowners have smoke alarms, they often neither understand the most effective locations and placement for their alarms, nor the proper testing and maintenance their alarms need to keep their home safe. So, if one is planning to purchase and install smoke alarms in one's home, or if the hom...

“Looking forward to escaping for a summer holiday this month, but want to ensure the best COVID-19 safety precautions? Knauf Insulation has issued advice for its employees that may provide useful to anyone thinking of taking an August break. The guidelines provide practical measures that can be taken whether you are in an airport, on a flight, in a taxi or settling into a hotel room,” Eline Lhoest says. Philippe Coune, Knauf Insulation’s Group HSE Lead EMEA, said: “We wa...

The AES Corporation announces that it has made a strategic investment in 5B, a solar technology innovator based in Sydney, Australia. 5B's revolutionary MAVERICK design enables customers to add solar resources at a pace that is three times faster while providing up to two times more energy within the same footprint of traditional solar facilities. Together, AES and 5B will help clients accelerate their use of solar energy. The total global investment in the solar energy market between 2021-2025...

Most clean agents used for fire suppression systems are very eco-friendly. However, halon is not. Halon substances, which are still in use in many older systems, have been found to have very high ozone depletion properties. The use of halon for fire protection systems was first introduced into the market in the mid-1960s and quickly became the industry standard for protecting high value-assets from fire. And, by the 1970s, halon-based systems were one of the most prevalent types of fire suppres...

BAFE, the British Approvals for Fire Equipment has stated that professional competence recommendations set out in Dame Judith Hackitt’s ‘Building a Safer Future’ report is set to be fulfilled by BSI with a new standards program. National Standards program “BAFE is actively working on a number of Working Groups (WGs), including the Built Environment Competence Standards (BECS) Strategy Group and the Competence Steering Group (CSG) to help raise and set the bar of fire sa...

On 11 July 1240, Emperor Frederick II granted trade fair rights to Frankfurt am Main, marking the birth of Messe Frankfurt. Now, 780 years later, the company can look back on an eventful history, in which the Frankfurt trade fair developed from a medieval marketplace into a global player, experiencing many successes and mastering various crises. Importance of trade fairs Peter Feldmann, Mayor of Frankfurt am Main and Chairman of the Messe Frankfurt Supervisory Board, had this to say about Mess...

“Ensuring a building complies with fire regulations is not enough to guarantee its long-term fire resilience”, says Amaya Osácar, Knauf Insulation’s Fire Safety Manager. Most regulations focus on design and building materials, but fail to take into account rebuilding a damaged construction or the ability for a building to recover quickly from a serious fire. Amaya’s call for better building fire resilience comes at a time when the European Union is working on a &e...