Fire Industry News for October 2025

Media outlets are invited to join the Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner at the unveiling of new aerial platform appliances at FRNSW’s Alexandria Training facility. The aerial platforms are entering service to bolster our existing high-rise and industrial emergency capabilities across the most populated areas of NSW. Media will have an opportunity to film fire crews training on three of the four new vehicles. When: 1 pm (Tuesday 11 April) Where: FRNSW Alexandria Training Facility Who:...

The Intumescent Fire Seals Association is pleased to admit FIRESTOP MANUFACTURING LTD as a new member. Operating for over 25 years, the Dorchester-based company manufactures a comprehensive range of Certifire-accredited intumescent products for fire doors. IFSA’s ongoing efforts IFSA’s Chairman - Jim Kelly commented on the induction, “Firestop Manufacturing are well established in the industry and will be an asset to our association, adding their views to IFSA’s ongoin...

The Intumescent Fire Seals Association is pleased to welcome VANQUISH HARDWARE PROTECTION into its membership. Based in Downton, Wiltshire, Vanquish is a pioneering manufacturer of high-quality intumescent products for fire door hardware protection, with over 30 years' standing in the industry and enjoying third-party accreditation from International Fire Consultants. UK passive fire protection industry IFSA Chairman, Jim Kelly commented on the induction, "We are pleased to welcome Vanquish H...

Devon and Cornwall Police must make urgent improvements after it was found to be inadequate in several areas, the police inspectorate has said. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) graded Devon and Cornwall Police’s performance across nine areas of policing and found the force was ‘inadequate’ in three areas, ‘requires improvement’ in two areas, ‘adequate’ in two areas and ‘good’ in two ar...

Health and safety, and in particular, fire safety, are important for retailers all year round. However, the festive season brings with it increased risks and unique challenges that retailers should be aware of as they head into the busy Christmas period. In anticipation of high demand and increased sales, shops will have additional stock levels to cope with the demands of shoppers. However, high stock levels can cause an increased fire risk in a number of ways. Firstly, stock and associated pa...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have saved a six-week-old kitten that fell into a cavity wall at a unit block in Sydney's inner west. Firefighters attended the complex on Burwood Road, Burwood, just after 8am today, straight after a resident reported hearing a cat meowing. FRNSW crews It was initially suspected that the kitten was in a ventilation system in the ceiling, but they quickly discovered it was instead nestled behind the brickwork. It's believed the wayward feline may have been st...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have extinguished a fire that threatened to destroy a chemical recycling plant in Sydney's west overnight. More than 50 firefighters and 12 FRNSW trucks attacked the blaze, which broke out on Christie Street in St Marys just before 9 pm. A 30 cubic metre hook bin and stacks of bulk containers, holding chemical waste, were engulfed in flames. The fire began to spread towards the storage warehouse, with six LPG-powered forklifts parked on the other side of the wa...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have used hydraulic tools to cut a driver free from the wreckage of a two-truck crash on the M1 at Cowan, north of Sydney. A pantech and a B-double tanker, carrying combustible oil, collided in the southbound lanes of the Pacific Motorway, near Brooklyn Road, around 6 am. The impact trapped the tanker driver inside his vehicle. Significant delays for motorists FRNSW firefighters responded to the incident, using a step ladder to reach the truck's cabin and car...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Commissioner Paul Baxter is now visiting the state's flood-impacted Central West, offering his support to emergency teams. The tour began with Commissioner Baxter calling into the incident 'base camp' in Parkes, where he met with FRNSW strike teams and Kiwi and Singaporean support crews. Ongoing response and recovery efforts The contingent has been deploying to affected towns to support ongoing response and recovery efforts Over the past few days, the contingent h...

More than 50 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters have extinguished a fire which engulfed two neighboring homes in Sydney's west. The blaze broke out at the rear of one of the properties on Temma Place and St Marys Street, West Hoxton, shortly before 11:30 am. NSW Rural Fire Service The incident resulted in several small explosions and sent smoke drifting across the suburb FRNSW crews, assisted by the NSW Rural Fire Service, arrived on-scene within minutes of being alerted and immediatel...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is delivering an early Christmas gift to the Kingdom of Bhutan by donating 2,000 firefighter uniforms. In 2019, a pilot project was created to donate decommissioned ‘structural’ firefighting uniforms to the Fire Services Division of the Royal Bhutan Police Force. Number of protective kits FRNSW is dramatically increasing the number of protective kits about to be de-badged and transported Three years later, FRNSW is dramatically increasing the number of...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has battled an intense fire that spread to an adjoining home last night at Lethbridge Park, in Sydney's west. A suspected electrical fault started the blaze and caused a series of explosions at the rear of the home in Mindanao Crescent just after 5pm. Wearing breathing apparatus Eight fire engines and 36 firefighters rushed to the scene to find a large plume of black smoke Eight fire engines and 36 firefighters rushed to the scene to find a large plume of black sm...

It’s a world away from speeding head-first on a sled at 130 kilometers an hour along a twisting icy track, but rookie firefighter Emma Lincoln-Smith is eagerly embracing her latest challenge. The Winter Olympian is one of 227 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) recruits who have graduated today from the Emergency Services Academy at Orchard Hills in Sydney’s west. Surf Life Saving and surfing 36-year-old Emma grew up in Narrabeen, a long way from the snow, and originally took up track 36...

Sydney Swans AFLW star, Rebecca Privitelli, has graduated as a firefighter with Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW), fulfilling a long-time goal to serve the community and protect the irreplaceable. The 27-year-old Center Half Forward is one of 227 new Permanent and On-Call (Retained) firefighters who have qualified to join the ranks of the 112-year-old organization, honored during a Graduation ceremony at the Emergency Services Academy at Orchard Hills in Sydney’s west. Swans Leadership Group...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has established a portable communications cell in the flood-ravaged town of Eugowra to provide telephone and internet access for devastated residents. When the flash flood struck the Central West township earlier this week, it also destroyed the local telecommunications infrastructure, preventing residents from contacting loved ones and vital government services for help. Major emergency to assist community  The communications cell was last used in a major eme...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) continues to assist residents and businesses in the state's flood-hit Central West, with some now able to begin cleaning up as others are forced to wait for water levels to drop. FRNSW Strike Team 'Oscar' and HAZMAT specialists have been clearing rancid meat from a butcher shop in flood-ravaged Eugowra. The supplies had begun rotting as a result of floodwater inundating the town and electricity being cut-off. FRNSW flood teams FRNSW has also washed out Eugowra...

The government is being accused of “dragging its heels” over “crucial” new fire safety guidance for new school buildings. Last year, the Department for Education launched a major consultation on building design for fire safety in schools. Home Office figures show that in the 2021-22 financial year, there were more than 300 fires at schools in England – almost one a day. And since the consultation closed, more than 120 new schools have opened, including 23 new spec...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is coordinating the deployment of additional flood teams, including international in-water rescue specialists, as parts of the state's Central West are hit hard by record river rises. A contingent of 18 Singaporean water rescue personnel arrived at Sydney Airport now, where it was welcomed by FRNSW Commissioner - Paul Baxter and others pioneering FRNSW's flood response efforts. FRNSW strike team The visiting crews will undertake a practical induction before being d...

It’s a legal requirement for non-domestic properties to have regular risk assessments carried out. This ensures that any fire safety risks are flagged and dealt with accordingly before they have a chance to do any damage. Not only are they legally required, but fire risk assessments are vital in ensuring the long-term safety of both staff and premises from potential fire damage. Fire safety responsibility The UK government outlines that: Those responsible for fire safety in business...

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service has improved markedly since its previous inspection, but there are still areas that need attention, according to a new report. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that the service: ‘Requires improvement’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; Is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and ‘Re...

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service has improved markedly since its previous inspection, but there are still areas that need attention, according to a new report. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that the service: ‘Requires improvement’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; Is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and ‘Re...

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service needs to continue working to improve, although it is performing well in some areas, a new report has found. HMICFRS Service Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that the service: ‘requires improvement’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; ‘requires improvement’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; an...

According to data collected by the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS), three quarters of the fire doors inspected in the UK by its approved inspectors do not meet the required standard leading them to warn of a “tragedy waiting to happen.” The data showed that out of more than 100,000 fire door inspections carried out by its approved inspectors in 2021, 75% of fire doors failed to meet the required standards, putting lives at risk in the event of a fire. In 2019, FDIS found that 76...

Wiltshire Police is failing in several areas and urgent improvements must be made, the police inspectorate has said. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) graded Wiltshire Police’s performance across eight areas of policing and found the force was ‘inadequate’ in three areas and ‘requires improvement’ in the other five areas. Inspectorate’s Engage monitoring process HMICFRS said the inadequate areas includ...

Ofsted published a report with findings from a joint inspection of multi-agency response to the identification of initial need and risk in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The inspection was undertaken by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, Ofsted, and the Care Quality Commission. Rolling program of reports The inspection forms part of a rolling program of reports into various areas where different agencies work together to provide supp...

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) found that Hertfordshire Constabulary cares for detainees well, and there is some good work to divert children and vulnerable adults away from custody. Two main causes of concern However, HMICFRS and HMIP said more needs to be done to manage risk. The inspectorates have two main causes of concern: Lack of oversight over use of force, including con...

In May 2021, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) warned that Dyfed-Powys Police was only recording an estimated 87.6 percent of all reported crime – meaning an estimated 4,400 crimes were not recorded each year. Three urgent recommendations As a result, HMICFRS issued Dyfed-Powys Police with a cause of concern and made three urgent recommendations, including that the force should: Improve its systems and processes for recording rep...

SOCOTEC UK has invested in the QEST platform, a piece of software developed by Spectra QEST, a globally pioneering vendor in technical information management systems for construction materials and geotechnical testing. A technical information management systems: This software will help to manage SOCOTEC’s field and laboratory testing operations, schedule field technicians, interface with testing equipment and communicate technical information to clients. It also aligns directly with the o...

The SOCOTEC Group, a trusted third party and a renowned company in building and infrastructure risk management, is strengthening its international footprint with its first acquisition in the Netherlands. With the acquisition of Hanselman Group (its 29th acquisition since 2016), SOCOTEC is establishing itself in the Netherlands and further developing its international growth, with an existing presence in 23 countries. Strategic scope of the SOCOTEC Group The Hanselman Group, f...

SOCOTEC Consulting, Inc., a pioneering provider of TIC (Testing, Inspection, and Certification), consulting, and advisory services with a strategic focus on building and infrastructure sectors, announced that it has completed the acquisition of Forge Engineering, a Naples, Florida-based company specializing in Forensics Engineering, Marine Engineering, Building Sciences Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Construction Materials Testing. “Today is anothe...