Industry News

The U.S. Census will take place in 2020. Fire departments have shown interests in becoming a partner with the Census Bureau to encourage their local community to participate. The partners come together to spread the message about the importance of participation in their communities. These trusted voices serve as census ambassadors, helping to create awareness about the importance of participating. Partners run the spectrum of government, nonprofit, corporate, and community organizations that sp...

An exciting new strategic partnership between LHD Group and Vimpex is announced, bringing together one of Europe's leading PPE personal protective apparel manufacturers and one of UK's leading specialist supplier of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) & Rescue Equipment to form a new powerful alliance that will deliver the highest levels of quality, service and protection to the UK's fire fighting services. Head-To-Toe protective apparel solutions Vimpex Managing Director James Jones says,...

Rethinking fire toxicity – inaugural conference featuring speakers from across the globe – focus on long-term effects of firefighter health. As part of the review of Building Regulations (Approved Document B), and in response to emerging evidence on long-term firefighter health issues, the government is investigating whether the effects of fire toxicity should be a legal requirement when choosing materials for high risk buildings. To assist in this research, the Fire Protection Asso...

With functional testing of fire systems a legal requirement, Detectortesters’ solutions are used in some amazing buildings and high profiles sites. They don’t often get to hear the detail of these but when they do they’re usually very special – as demonstrated when they joined Premier Fire & Security for a recent site visit. As long term users of Solo and Testifire, Detectortesters met up with Chris Chance from Premier Fire Security, based in Romsey, Hampshire, to ex...

Centurion Fire & Security Ltd, a commercial security and fire system provider, has been selected as one of the first companies to test and roll-out the world’s most advanced fire system technology. The major deal is announced as the firm approaches a milestone year, in which revenues are expected to grow by 25%. Just six UK organizations have been hand-picked to help bring the C-Tec CAST fire system to market. Designed to pre-empt changes in industry-standards, the addressable 'distri...

The proliferation of false fire alarms places a huge burden on the Fire & Rescue Service. Understanding false fire alarm causes and taking steps to prevent them can help reduce false dispatches. The threat of fire is known to all; there is no need to overstate the devastating impact of fire on people, wildlife, businesses and buildings. Only recently, Sydney and its surrounding areas have been devastated by raging bushfires, while in the UK, there was a 14% increase of fire incidents attend...

For anyone starting a new restaurant, navigating the complex maze of fire protection regulations can seem like a daunting task. In this post, Koorsen Fire & Security will provide an overview of the basic requirements that anyone needs to be aware of along with the relevant codes in which they can be found. To simplify the topic, on the basis of the requirements for restaurants, they will be grouped into two main categories, life safety and fire protection. Life safety requirements apply to...

Rosenbauer International AG has completely taken over its former sales partner Brandus GmbH based in Andrian, Bolzano. The company is now operating under its new name Rosenbauer Italia s.r.l. This takeover marks the Group’s recognition of the increasing importance of the Italian firefighting market, as it establishes its own sales and service subsidiary for South Tyrol in the first phase of its plan. The coverage of all Rosenbauer products and services will then be expanded from this loca...

In a post-Grenfell world there is clearly, and rightly so, a focus on the fire safety of high-rise buildings – especially in the residential sector. Yet this focus has answered as many questions as it has made new ones, particularly for the construction and fire industries. As reported in December of 2019 by the Fire Industry Association (FIA), a new cross-industry valuation process called the External Wall Fire Review (EWFR) was implemented by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors...

A fire at a high-rise block of flats in North Wales has been successfully extinguished thanks to an effective sprinkler system. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews were called to a report of a fire at Bolingbroke Heights, Flint at 1749, and appliances from Flint, Deeside, and Holywell were mobilized to the incident. Firefighters rescued a man in his 70s from a heavily smoke-logged flat within the building. He received a precautionary check for smoke inhalation at the scene. The fire was...

West Yorkshire Fire was first called to a fire at 1317 today, on the ground floor of the Speedibake building on Chald Lane in Wakefield. By 1550, 75% of the ground floor had become consumed by the fire. About 140 firefighters were at the scene from across the country and it is clear the fire service was stretched for available water using a nearby park lake to secure additional supplies for their efforts. There were no reported injuries. Fire Service Statement In a statement released at 1800,...

The firms, ranging from the architects Studio E, current and former staff at the main contractor Rydon, the TMO and Harley Facades, which are being investigated for their involvement in the Grenfell Tower Fire of 2017 that resulted in the death of 72 people, want a guarantee from Attorney General, Geoffrey Cox that they will be protected from prosecution when they give evidence, stated the latest Fire Industry Association (FIA) report in the inquiry matter. ‘Michael Mansfield QC, who is r...

Taking place at the Huntingdon Marriott Hotel in Huntingdon, UK on Thursday (January 23), 2020, the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service Excellence Awards celebrated the achievements of staff from across different areas of the Fire Service. The commitment, dedication and professionalism of staff which regularly go above and beyond to provide the best possible service to the people of Cambridgeshire were all celebrated by around 140 guests. Hosting the event was Chief Fire Officer Chris Strick...

A cooking oil fire in the kitchen of Flat 41 of the 12 storey residential block of 71 flats owned by Birmingham city Council was extinguished by a single sprinkler head actuation within five minutes, probably nearer 40 seconds. This is BS 2951 installation with a pump in the 2nd floor tank room. Apart from some smoke and water damage, minimal damage was caused. Without the sprinkler this could have caused more serious damage to persons and/or property.

Following increased reports of unwanted alarms caused by e-cigarette vaping and the lack of clear information in the market place, The Fire Industry Association has now published Fact File 85, covering their use and possible effects on Fire Alarm Systems. This is free to download from the FIA website. ‘dual optical’ detectors In the recent case of The Frog & Frigate, in Southampton, where vaping is allowed, smoke detectors false alarms, caused by vaping were becoming a consider...

Want to know more about minimizing false alarms? Nittan Europe are pleased to announce that as an accredited CPD provider, the company can offer a CPD seminar on “Reducing unwanted False Fire Alarms with Multi-sensors” Users are all familiar with the many problems associated with false alarms: they are estimated to cost UK businesses around a billion pounds per year. Reducing false alarms is therefore a major task the fire industry has been attempting to address over the years and a...

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on Jan 20, 2020 launched a consultation seeking views on ‘how to assess and prioritize fire safety risks and how to better understand the complexity of building risk’ to ensure that an appropriate level of safety is achieved in existing buildings. Assessing fire safety of buildings MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) stated that they are commissioning research to develop an evidence base on fire saf...

Roadway operations bring great risks to emergency responders. The Emergency Responder Safety Institute (ERSI) reports that 44 responders were struck and killed while working on roadway incidents in 2019, and seven have been struck and killed in the first two weeks of 2020. To prevent future tragedies and enhance the safety of firefighters, EMS providers, and other responders, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has joined with national fire service organizations in issuing a survival mes...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced that the state of Massachusetts’ recent update of the Massachusetts Electrical Code to contain the requirements of the 2020 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC) (plus MA-specific amendments) represents the first state to implement the latest version of the code. The NEC continues to be the most widely used code in the built environment in the world, and sets the standard for safe electrical installation and inspection to pr...

Why do First Responders today largely rely on the voices of emergency dispatchers, especially when they step out of their ambulance, fire engine or patrol car? In every part of life, First Responders have access to real-time data at their fingertips, but once they put on their uniforms it seems like they go back in time and fly blind, depending on audio from a PSAP far removed from the action. RapidDeploy’s mission is to reduce emergency response times and increase responder safety by impr...

Each spring, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) honors a volunteer firefighter who has provided a lifetime of service, a volunteer firefighter or EMS provider who has demonstrated leadership in the area of responder health and wellness, an outstanding junior firefighter, and an exemplary junior firefighter program. All recipients receive a personalized award and national recognition. NVFC Lifetime Achievement AwardThe NVFC Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by OnStar, recognizes a...

SSAIB, one of the licensed certification bodies who deliver BAFE scheme assessments, have achieved an historic milestone of 300 active BAFE scheme-certificated companies. In September 2019, BAFE registered A1 Fire and Security Ltd, who are the 300th active company on the BAFE Fire Safety Register that have been assessed and third-party certificated through SSAIB. They join the more than 1450 BAFE-registered companies who are third-party certificated, with over 1700 BAFE fire safety scheme certi...

Aico has launched the SmartLINK Gateway, the Ei1000G. This is a first in asset management and compliance, providing full visibility and remote whole system monitoring of Aico Fire and Carbon Monoxide alarm systems. Aico, an Ei Company, is pioneering the way in home life safety with new technologies and offering high quality alarms, developed and manufactured in Ireland. All Aico alarms meet UK standards and offer a variety of sensor types to guarantee protection for every home, the cornerstone...

Optimized according to the percentage of the aspirated product, the eductor’s viscosity, and the duration of the operation, there are several techniques for proportionally mixing various liquids. The simplest, least expensive, and most used by firefighters uses the Venturi effect. This effect is the consequence of a reduction in the flow section of the moving water which lowers the pressure until another liquid can be sucked in, then the premix passes through a regularly increased sectio...

MSA, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) provided 13 volunteer fire departments with needed personal protective equipment through MSA’s 2019 Globe Gear Giveaway. Each department received four sets of new, state-of-the-art turnout gear along with four helmets to better protect their members. This year marks over $1 million worth of gear that has been donated to volunteer fire departments in need since 2012. In total, 507 sets of turnout gear have been awarded to 108 depar...

CMC and Harken Industrial are proud to announce the launch of a new multi-purpose rope travel device, the CLUTCH. Now available in 13 mm and 11 mm models, this single wearable tool has been designed for efficient hauling, controlled lowering, smooth personal descent, easy ascending, and reliable progress capture. Single Wearable Tool The CLUTCH boasts an impressive range of benefits for those working in the Rescue, Rope Access, and Work at Height industries, including: Single wearable tool...

SELECT has launched an essential guide to help the public understand new regulations about smoke, fire and carbon monoxide alarms in Scotland. New alarm regulations Under the new laws, all homes in Scotland must have an effective interlinked warning system in place by 1 February 2021.To help comply with the new ruling, which came into effect in February 2019, SELECT has produced an eight-page brochure that gives clear step-by-step guidance on exactly what is required. Designed to be handed ou...

With more than 200 countries agreeing to usher in a new class of refrigerants, effective this year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and its research affiliate, the Fire Protection Research Foundation (Research Foundation), have released free online training for the fire service, as well as an instructor-led training module to educate firefighters about the potential hazards associated with new refrigeration and cooling units. Calls for low GWP refrigerants The new accord calls...

The Building Safety Bill’s purpose is to implement and enhance regulatory regimes for building safety and construction projects. The bills also aims to give residents ‘a stronger voice in the system, ensuring their concerns are never ignored and they fully understand how they can contribute to maintaining safety in their buildings’. Building Safety Bill It will learn from the lessons of Grenfell Tower fire and will strengthen the whole regulatory system for building safety. T...

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, has announced that it has further improved safety in the fire industry by collaborating with HAAS, Inc. d/b/a HAAS Alert to offer digital collision avoidance technology as a standard integration on Appleton-built custom chassis produced for domestic and Canadian municipal customers, and as an available aftermarket solution for apparatus currently in service. Safety Cloud solutions HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud works by sending real-t...