Industry News

Southern California FIRE & EMS will be adding additional staff and services to meet the high demand Southern California FIRE & EMS has announced the addition of new training classes, services, and staffing for the year 2010 that are geared to give the company a more solid footing in the fire/ems industry as well as the motion picture/events industry. As one of the fastest growing motion picture/event safety companies, they have announced the following staffing addit...

Setcom's calendar provides a "one-stop shop" experience for fire industry professionals Setcom Corporation, an industry leader in wireless communications equipment and accessories for public safety vehicles, including fire apparatus and police motorcycles, has released their 2010 calendar of fire training and conference events (www.SetcomCorp.com/events.html). With over 30 events listed currently, additional dates are continuously being added to provide a one-stop calend...

The Fire Protection Research Foundation has appointed new trustees New trustees will each begin a three-year term in January 2010.The Fire Protection Research Foundation, an affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), has named Donald P. Bliss of National Infrastructure Institute Foundation and Steven T. Edwards of the University of Maryland as new trustees. Foundation trustees are selected and appointed by the NFPA board of directors. Dona...

  B.E.S. along with other fire and rescue agencies extricated a wolf trapped in a steel pipe. Photo: Larkin Carey The several hour ordeal saw the wolf emerge in fine condition with only some minor cuts and scrapes.Boulder Emergency Squad, B.E.S, along with other agencies, rescued a wolf which had gotten its head stuck in a steel pipe. With medical care provided by a veterinarian, the pipe was carefully cut from around the animal's head. The...

  Holland's Groningen province has recently signed a contract for the supply of Bristol's firefighter PPE The contract calls for 600 sets of fire coats and trousers which will provide protection for all Groningen's firefighters in towns across the province. Holland's Groningen province has recently become the third in the country to sign a contract for the supply of Bristol's firefighter PPE under the European Tendering Process adding substantially to the company's cover...

Sarah Brown has thanked KFRS and other search and rescue team for their contribution in Halti Sarah Brown hosted a tea at Downing Street to thank a specialist search and rescue team - including staff from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) - for their contribution to the rescue effort in Haiti. The six staff flew to the Caribbean island in mid-January to assist in the international effort to rescue survivors in the aftermath of the earthquake which killed and injured thous...

KFRS is repeating its call to residents to stay safe during this prolonged period of cold weather Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) repeats its call to residents to stay safe during this prolonged period of cold weather. In the last two days temperatures have plummeted and some areas of the county have been struck by heavy snow. However, there are simple yet effective ways to help keep you, your family and your home safe during this inclement weather. They are: • I...

  London's first new additional fire station was officially opened by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson The new station has state-of-the-art all weather training facilities.London's first new additional fire station for over a decade was officially opened by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Thursday 11 February. Harold Hill fire station on Ashton Road in Romford will improve attendance times of firefighters responding to emergencies in the north east area of Havering...

Debris removal is a major challenge following natural disasters.Photo: Casey Deshong, FEMA FEMA is urging residents to become "Earthquake Prepared" by exercising a few safety measures.Midwesterners expect and prepare for a variety of seasonal hazards such as extreme snow, ice, flooding, tornadoes and severe weather. But the non-seasonal threat of earthquakes may not register on every family's hazard scale. That's why the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region VII...

KFRS issued a few simple tips to keep homes and residents safe from the risk of cooking fires With many households flipping pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (16 February), the Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) issued a few simple tips to keep you and your home safe from the risk of cooking fires. Nearly a third (30.4 percent) of accidental dwelling fires that KFRS attended last year were cooking related.* Head of Community Safety Stuart Skilt...

The warning comes after a student was injured by toxic smoke inhalation Get a smoke alarm and test it weekly - that is the stark advice from Shropshire firefighters to avoid dying from toxic smoke in a house fire. Just two to three breaths of toxic smoke and "you're unconscious," warned community fire safety officers at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service just days after a Shropshire student was critically injured after suffering toxic smoke inhalation. "Toxic smoke af...

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has won a top EU award for its excellent road safety work The Shropshire FRS was praised by the EU for being committed to improving road safety by launching informative campaigns and educating road users.It was recognised as the best institution among those signing up to the European Road Safety Charter for innovative and successful schemes in the annual Excellence in Road Safety Awards run by the European Commission. The Shropshire fire s...

Bristol's new catalogue provides the coverage of the complete range of emergency services PPE The entire catalogue will also be available digitally on memory stick.With Bristol's presence in the PPE market having broadened considerably in the last few years, the introduction of a new, comprehensive technical and product catalogue provides coverage of the complete range of emergency services PPE now supplied to UK and overseas markets. Comprising eight freestanding secti...

The fire protection legislation is expected to accelerate cost recovery of fire sprinkler retrofits Passage of this landmark fire protection legislation will accelerate cost recovery of fire sprinkler retrofits. On Friday, January 22, 2010, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) as primary cosponsor, introduced the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2010. The bill is the Senate companion bill to HR 1194 in the House of Representatives introduced la...

Germany's Saxony-Anhalt Fire Services Institute will present its latest fire prevention research Germany's Saxony-Anhalt Fire Services Institute (IdF) will be presenting its latest fire prevention research findings at the German Fire Protection Association (GFPA) stand and at the University of Magdeburg group pavilion, at Interschutz 2010. The institute uses state-of-the-art measurement, laboratory and computer systems. Its largescale testing facilities include a 2...

FEMA has issued a special report, as part of its Topical Fire Report Series The report is based on 2005 to 2007 data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued a special report, part of its Topical Fire Report Series, examining the causes and characteristics of fires in hotels and motels. An estimated average of 3,900 fires occur each year in hotels and motels, which are...

The fire and rescue service in Manchester will cost tax payers £1 per week this year A pound a week - that's how much on average Greater Manchester's award-winning Fire and Rescue Service will cost local taxpayers this year, following the release of this year's Fire Authority budget proposals. A report to the Authority's Joint Policy and Finance Committee recommends that the increase in the level of Council Tax Precept this year is limited to just 2.5%, its lo...

Fire codes aimed at reducing fires and protecting the environment Sacramento - Updated fire and building codes developed to increase fire resistance in buildings and homes across California will take effect from January 2011. The new codes, which will be enforced by CAL FIRE's Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and fire and building departments throughout the state, bring California in line with the 2009 International Building, Fire, and Residential Code. The new codes...

About 300,000 Powerheart and CardioVive AEDs devices have malfunctioned worldwide FDA has alerted users of certain malfunctioning Powerheart and CardioVive automated external defibrillators. FDA is alerting users of certain Powerheart and CardioVive automated external defibrillators that these devices may malfunction unexpectedly.This can cause a failure to deliver the electric shocks that are needed to treat sudden cardiac arrest or arrhythmias. The manufactur...

  The new code will require fire sprinklers in all new homes, beginning 2011 The residential sprinkler requirement was voted into the 2009 IRC Code by building code officials from all over the U.S.The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S., has announced the State of California has adopted building code changes that will require all new one- and two-family homes and town houses built in the st...

  BAFSA praises the historic step taken by the Welsh Assembly in the fight against fire   BAFSA congratulated the Welsh Assembly for taking this historic step in the fight against fire and to protect the most vulnerable members of the community. It also expressed its admiration for the single-minded determination and energy expressed by Ann Jones AM for her unflagging efforts to bring about this major change. WELSH Assembly Members voted...

A working smoke alarm can provide an early warning of a fire Firefighters warn householders of the importance of fitting working smoke alarms. The warning comes after crews were called to an incident in Margate. Two crews from Margate and Thanet were sent to the first floor flat on Rancorn Road, Margate at 5.30pm on Thursday, 4 February after a chip pan caught alight when the resident left his cooking unattended. Once at the scene, firefighters in breathing apparat...

The aim of the trial is to compare the performance of different fire detection camera systems Bushfire detection cameras are being trialled in Australia this summer in the Otway Ranges, on Victoria’s south-west coast and near Tumut in New South Wales. The cameras have been placed in strategic positions around the Otway Ranges and on a fire tower in Tumut and will be evaluated by the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre on their performance in detecting fire starts....

The LFB won the Sustainable Refurbishment of the Year category The London Fire Brigade has won an award at the prestigious CIBSE Low Carbon Performance Awards (3 February, 2010). The Brigade was given the accolade in the sustainable refurbishment of the year category for the work carried out at Croydon Fire Station. The extensive refurbishment at the station has cut CO2 emission by more than 50%. Chairman of London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority's Finance,...

The catastrophic explosion resulted from the accumulation of significant amounts of natural gas The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is set to consider two urgent recommendations that national fuel gas codes be changed to improve safety when gas pipes are being purged (cleared of air) during maintenance or installation of new piping. The recommendations - to be voted on by board members at a CSB public meeting in Raleigh tonight - grow out of the CSB's ongoing federal inves...

The NVFC white paper focuses on the need for proper training of firefighters The NVFC has released a white paper concerning training in the volunteer fire service and the need for improvement.The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is committed to ensuring that volunteer firefighters have an appropriate level of training to safely and effectively carry out their responsibilities. The roles and responsibilities of the fire service have evolved over the years. As the bre...

FLAME-SIM is looking forward to more successes in 2010 FLAME-SIM rolls into the New Year following its most successful month ever and foresees similar successes in 2010.  The latest in training simulation software has been bringing fire departments across the US and Canada virtual training with real results. From Florida and Texas up to Colorado and Canada, fire departments have been reaping the benefits of FLAME-SIM and seeing improvements in communication and decision...

CSB will investigate the 7 January explosion that severely injured a student at Texas Tech University The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) will investigate the causes of a January 7 explosion that severely injured a graduate student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, the CSB has announced. University officials told the CSB the accident occurred in the chemistry department during the handling of a high-energy metal compound, which suddenly detonated. Texas Tech...

USFA release two special reports regarding heating fires and portable heater fires in residential buildings The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has announced the release of two special reports regarding heating fires and portable heater fires in residential buildings. An estimated average of 54,500 heating fires in residential buildings occurs each year in the United States. Annually, these fires are responsible for an estimated 190 civilian fire deaths, 625 civili...

DHS continues to support U.S. government efforts - led by the USAID and State Department The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to support U.S. government efforts - led by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department - by deploying more than 1,000 personnel to provide operational and humanitarian assistance in Haiti following the Jan. 12 earthquake. On Jan. 25, DHS stood up pre-departure identity verification teams in Haiti, com...