Industry News

As wildfire disasters increase across the country, a new study found negligible cost differences between building a typical home and a home constructed using wildfire-resistant materials and design features. "We know from post-fire assessments, accompanied by laboratory experiments, that two factors drive home vulnerability in wildfires: how the home is built in terms of materials used and installation details and the landscaping on the property," said Dr. Steve Quarles, Chief Scientist for Wil...

Tunbridge Wells firefighters are calling on residents to give serious consideration to how they park in side streets and to make sure emergency services can get through. Today’s plea follows call outs this month to the Stanley Road and St Stephens Court area, where efforts to reach properties following a 999 call have been hampered by delays. Inconsiderate parking in residential streets has become a frequent problem for firefighters who fear that it is only a matter of time before this is...

The Serbian Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin visited the Airbus Helicopters Donauwörth site to accept the first H145M for the Serbian Air Force. In December, two H145Ms will be delivered to the Serbian Ministry of Interior. Altogether, Serbia will receive nine H145Ms, earmarked for the Air Force and for the Ministry of Interior. Four of the Air Force’s aircraft will be equipped with the HForce weapon management system. Industrial cooperation “We assess the implementation...

With many families affected by wildfires unable to spend the Thanksgiving holiday at home, the American Red Cross urges families in Los Angeles and Ventura counties to focus on home fire safety this weekend. Thanksgiving is one of the leading days for home cooking fires. You can help protect yourself and loved ones from home fires—the nation's most frequent disaster—by testing your smoke alarms and practicing your escape plan with free resources from the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign...

The 2018 Fire Industry Association Annual General Meeting (AGM) and lunch was again, one of the standout industry events of the year bringing together more than 300 industry leaders. The FIA AGM provides the ideal opportunity to highlight the achievements of the association over the last year and signal our priorities for the future. Our members mingle with industry colleagues, entertain prospective customers and catch up with the FIA Secretariat team. This year Ellie Taylor provided the after-...

The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) applauds the Ford Government for introducing legislation under Bill 57, Restoring Trust, Transparency and Accountability Act, 2018, that will protect firefighters who are employed full time, who chose to volunteer as a firefighter in the community where they live. In addition, the OAFC is pleased to see proposed changes to reform the interest arbitration process, which will help municipalities' evidence local economic realities to be fully considere...

CoreLogic, a global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, released updated data analysis showing 23,044 homes with a total reconstruction cost value (RCV) of approximately $8.6 billion are at high or extreme risk of wildfire damage within the perimeters of the Camp Fire in Northern California and the Woolsey Fire in Southern California. Due to the increased containment of these two wildfires, CoreLogic has revised the area of analysis from ZIP code regions to the...

Christmas trees start more than 200 fires every year and one in every 31 results in death. Many people don't know the important safety tips, but since Sher Grogg tragically lost 6 members of her family, including her brother, Don, his wife and their 4 grandchildren in a fire caused by an overly dry Christmas tree, she has made it her mission to help other families celebrate their holidays safely. Watch Sher tell the story in her own words. #DoItForDon Holiday Fire Safety Campaign Fire safety ad...

The global market for Passive Fire Protection (PFP) Materials is estimated to reach US$ 30.2 billion by 2025. Growth in the market will be driven by the growing number of fire accidents, stringent fire safety regulations, and technological advances and product innovations. The growing number of fire accidents worldwide in recent years has led to the implementation of increasingly stringent regulations related to fire safety across the globe. In this background, demand for fire management produc...

Scientology churches and missions from throughout California continue to activate volunteers to help firefighters and those displaced or affected by the Camp and Wolsey fires. More than a thousand people are still missing in Northern California. The death toll there is now 76 and nearly 150,000 acres have been burned by the fire that is now 60 percent contained. Aid for firefighters and victims Volunteer Ministers are providing food, water and support to firefighters and to thousands displace...

For facilities management, anticipating any large-scale evacuation is at the very forefront of the fire safety measures they must consider to underpin emergency planning. As one recent example where hundreds of people had to be evacuated from a building shows, planning for public address announcements is a safety-critical concern that demands attention to the best practice offered by the latest audible warning systems. Why Voice Alarm Systems? In modern buildings, there may be literally dozens...

On 14th November, Notifier by Honeywell were invited to showcase Notifier products at the Marlowe Fire & Security Innovation day. This gave Business Managers, Mike Hobbs and Mick Bull the opportunity to demonstrate to customers and end users Notifier products. The Pearl Panel was the main product on display and received great feedback. They were also joined by James Mitchel from CST, who showcased the Honeywell Paging system while being connected to the Pearl Panel. The whole system connect...

Leading lights in fire safety have been appointed by the International Fire Safety Standards Coalition [IFSS] to help improve building safety worldwide. A core group of twenty-two leading fire safety experts was appointed to the coalition’s standards setting committee that will work to develop landmark industry standards for fire safety in buildings. Overcoming Risk To Public Safety Past-president of the Association for Project Safety (APS) Bobby Chakravarthy – who is a founder mem...

There are more than three times as many home cooking fires on Thanksgiving as a typical day of the year, making it by far the leading day for US home cooking fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®). This sharp spike (a nearly 250 percent increase over the daily average) is a powerful reminder to use caution when cooking on Thanksgiving feast. “Thanksgiving is a festive but hectic holiday, where people are often preparing several dishes at once. They&r...

A Dover resident was lucky to escape with her life after being overcome by smoke from a bedroom fire at a flat in Christchurch Way in the early hours of Saturday morning (10th November 2018). Fire crews praised the efforts of police officers, who were initially called to the scene after a neighbor reported hearing cries for help from a ground floor flat. Kent Police officers discovered the fire and realized someone was trapped inside. Unfortunately, there were no working smoke alarms in the fl...

Fire and emergency service volunteers donate countless hours to serve and protect their communities. One's selfless contributions are critical to making their community a safer, stronger place. With this in mind, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is pleased to partner with Cabot Creamery Co-operative to promote volunteerism and reward those who serve. In conjunction with Points of Light, National Cooperative Bank, and Create the Good, Cabot created Reward Volunteers, a free, easy way t...

With coursework, exams, and nights out to think about, fire safety can fall pretty low on the average student’s list of priorities. But with data showing that those living in rented or shared accommodation are seven times more likely to have a fire, it’s important that both landlords and students take the necessary steps to minimize the risk. Mentioned below are just a few ways to improve fire safety in student accommodation. Landlords’ responsibilities Landlords have a le...

Rave Mobile Safety (Rave), a trusted partner for safety software protecting millions of individuals, has released key findings from its 2018 survey, Emergency Preparedness and Security Trends in Healthcare, after polling hundreds of healthcare safety leaders across the United States. Healthcare safety survey The Emergency Preparedness and Security Trends in Healthcare survey results, which will be revealed in a webinar to be aired on Thursday, October 25, examined the current and most pressing...

KME Fire Apparatus, a subsidiary of REV Group and globally renowned manufacturer of fire apparatus, has announced the launch of the Hendrickson STEERTEK NXT Front Axle and Suspension System on KME Custom Chassis pumper, tankers, rescue and aerials. STEERTEK NXT Front Axle The Hendrickson STEERTEK NXT Front Axle and Suspension System utilize an innovative spring clamp group and a fabricated box shaped axle. The combination of those two features allows for a reduction in weight, increase in perf...

ADT Inc., the provider of monitored security and interactive home and business automation solutions in the United States and Canada, announced a $100,000 contribution to the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to help raise awareness for recruitment of volunteer firefighters. “Emergency calls have more than tripled over the past few decades and volunteer firefighters are needed to meet the increasing call volume and demand,” said Heather Schafer, CEO, NVFC. “We are grateful...

Just in time for National Fire Prevention Week, the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) is reminding people across the U.S. to take one simple action in their homes that could potentially save lives: Close Before You Doze. This vital public safety campaign encourages everyone to close all the doors in their homes each night before bed, following a study conducted by UL FSRI, showing that in a home fire, a closed door can be an effective barrier against deadly levels of carbon monoxid...

Open burning is allowed October 1 - April 30 of each year. During this time, one may burn limited yard debris such as leaves, pine straw, and small limbs from growth on ones property. The following restrictions for burning also apply: Burning is allowed between the hours of 10 a.m. and one hour before sunset (no smoldering or hot coals remaining). Yard waste fires must be completely extinguished one hour prior to sunset. No burning is allowed on windy days (10 mph or higher) or on days when...

For the 11th consecutive year, Domino's Pizza, the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) are teaming up to deliver fire safety messages to homes across the country. During Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 7-13), participating Domino's stores throughout the U.S. will reinforce this year's campaign theme, ‘Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere’, with flyers on top of pizza boxes. The flyers will...

The non-profit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation continues its commitment to properly equip and protect first responders with its annual fundraiser, First Responders Month, this October at all Firehouse Subs restaurants. To reach the goal of raising $1 million for lifesaving equipment within the month, guests are encouraged to visit any local Firehouse Subs restaurant and support the initiative through the purchase of a Gear Medallion in the amount of $1, $5, $10, $25 or $100. Previously...

The UK market for passive fire protection products is estimated to be worth around £650m at manufacturers selling prices - excluding installation. The market has grown by around 2% in 2017, with forecasts for 2018 at a similar level. This follows good growth between 2013 and 2015, which represented a period of recovery for the overall construction industry, especially in the education, offices, retail and leisure sectors. The forecasts indicate a more subdued performance, with lower levels...

Fire detection is reaching new, advanced levels, designed to help save more lives. Edwards, continuing in its legacy as the inventor of the alarm bell, is the first multi-criteria smoke detector manufacturer to receive certification to the UL standard for Fire Alarm Systems UL 268, 7th edition, set to take effect May 2020. The new Signature Optica smoke detectors utilise a next-generation sensor that better distinguishes the type of fire and the danger it creates, as well as reducing nuisance al...

In advance of The Emergency Services Show at the NEC (19th-20th September) Armadillo Merino, who supply pure merino base layers to firefighters, the police, special forces and even NASA is campaigning to promote the benefits of wearing natural fabrics as part of a Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) layering system and to dispel the marketing myths regarding ‘wicking' fabrics in emergency situations. Armadillo Merino is exhibiting at the Emergency Services Show - Stand D-78. Protective Pe...

Metropolitan Fire Chiefs from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom participated in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Urban Fire Forum (UFF) at NFPA headquarters in Quincy, Mass. NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley welcomed the chiefs and provided an overview of the association’s Fire and Life Safety Ecosystem, reinforcing the critical role urban fire chiefs play in ensuring safe communities. Special guests at the Forum included the President of the Canadian Associ...

Firefighters have praised the actions of a Folkestone schoolboy after a fire broke out at his home on Wednesday morning (19 September). At around 8.15am, 11-year-old Reilly Fleming was at home in Cornwallis Close getting ready to go to school when he noticed that a greenhouse adjoining the property looked a bit strange, and realized a fire had broken out inside. His mum and dad had already left the house to go to work, so Reilly quickly dialed 999 and went next door to alert the neighbors. He t...

Hundreds of firefighters have been tackling a blaze at an industrial unit in Westwood near Margate since Saturday morning (15 September). When the fire initially broke out, 14 fire engines and more than 50 fire personnel were deployed to the scene. They were faced with thousands of bales of plastic wrapped waste alight inside a unit in Enterprise Way. And while resources on the scene have been scaled down since the original response, there has been a significant fire service presence throughout...