Industry News

Chubb Fire has retained its No 1 position in the Superbrands UK list for 2010 The new 2010 Business Superbrand list confirms Chubb as the UK's number one fire and security brand. Chubb is part of UTC Fire & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. Chubb retained its position in the top 20, ahead of such names as Vodafone, Boeing and Siemens. It finished more than 20 places ahead of its nearest category rival, Yale, and 170 places in front of ADT. Top of the lis...

Pierce has sold six pumpers in China, to be delivered in June 2010 Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), has announced that its subsidiary, Pierce Manufacturing, reported its first ever sale of Pierce fire apparatus in China. A new order for six Pierce® custom pumpers was received from the Nanjing, Jiangsu Province Fire Bureau in the People's Republic of China. The vehicles are scheduled for delivery in June 2010. "Pierce is honored to have been selected by th...

The programme, focused on the absence of fire risk assessments in tower blocks in the Lakanal house fire The programme, part of an investigative consumer series by presenter John Waite, focused on the absence of fire risk assessments in tower blocks in the wake of the Lakanal House fire in London in which six people died in July 2009. The FIA consider that, as a piece of investigative journalism, the BBC programme was reasonably well balanced.  More specifica...

"Take care in the kitchen" is the message from KFRS after a spate of fires in the Swale area "Take care in the kitchen" is the message from Kent Fire and Rescue Service after a spate of fires in the Swale area over the weekend. Two Sheppey appliances were sent to a fire at Clarence Row in Sheerness at 7.47pm on Sunday evening (24 January) after a cooker was left on and caused fat residues to ignite. The room was left smoke damaged. Meanwhile, Sittingbourne crews were tackl...

CSB has voted to initiate an investigation of recent accidents at the DuPont chemical complex in Belle The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has voted to initiate an investigation of recent accidents at the DuPont chemical complex in Belle, West Virginia, following a release of highly toxic phosgene on Saturday that fatally injured a veteran operator. DuPont officials told the CSB that a braided steel hose connected to a one-ton capacity phosgene tank suddenly ruptured,...

The NVFC offers four awards to nationally recognize the invaluable contributions of first responders The NVFC invites you to nominate an exceptional member of the fire service for one of four prestigious awards. Every day, the men, women, and youth of the fire service provide an essential service to communities nationwide. Individuals offer a lifetime of service, provide crucial fire prevention training, and support their local department as a junior firefighter, Explorer, o...

FBU says it is concerned by moves to arrest three managers over the deaths of four firefighters The Fire Brigades Union says it is concerned by moves to arrest three managers over the deaths of four firefighters killed in a warehouse fire in November 2007. All three were involved in the incident command process and may face allegations of gross negligence / manslaughter in relation to the deaths. All three have been told, by letter, to attend a Warwickshire Police statio...

Kent's emergency services and local authorities are joining forces to tackle the issue of road safety Kent's emergency services and local authorities are joining forces to tackle the issue of road safety with young drivers. This multi-agency event, involving a number of workshops, presentations and displays, takes place at The Towers School in Ashford on Thursday, 28 January. It's designed to cover many road safety issues ranging from drink/drug driving, vehicle maintenanc...

South Yorkshire FBU will not be proceeding with the 8-day strike after the authority agreed to refer a dispute South Yorkshire FBU will not be proceeding with the eight-day strike which, was due to start on 27 January after the fire authority agreed to refer a dispute over shift changes to national arbitration. All other industrial action has also been temporarily suspended. The issues have been referred to national fire service arbitration known as the National Joint Cou...

Kent fire crews will be practising their response to a fire in a high rise building this week Kent fire crews practise their response to a fire in a high rise building. Arlington House in All Saints Avenue, Margate is the venue of the full-scale live emergency exercise on Tuesday January 26. Staff from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS), Thanet District Council, Freshwater (the apartment block owners), the Highways Agency, Kent Police, the Red Cross an...

The NVFC released the Health and Safety Priorities to outline best practice for fire department Fire Department Network News has released a series of video news stories highlighting the National Volunteer Fire Council's (NVFC) Volunteer Firefighter Health and Safety Priorities. Each segment in the four-part series looks at a different focus area set forth in the Priorities. The NVFC released the Volunteer Firefighter Health and Safety Priorities to outline best practices ev...

KFRS crews are advising residents to use smoke alarms after a man sustained burns at a house fire Firefighters are warning householders to cook with safety in mind following a fire in Minster, Ramsgate. Crews are advising residents to fit a working smoke alarm after a man sustained burns following a fire in his home in Way Hill, Minster. It is believed that the occupant, in his late fifties, fell asleep while using a chip pan, which caught fire shortly afterwards...

CDC is working with the U.S. DHHS and other federal and international agencies to help communities in Haiti CDC is working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), various branches of the U.S. military, and other federal and international agencies to help communities in Haiti recover from the powerful earthquake that struck the country on January 12, 2010. CDC's current response focuses on collaborating with national and international partners to meet ur...

A specialist search and rescue team from Kent Fire and Rescue Service has returned home from Haiti A specialist search and rescue team from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) has returned home from Haiti. The six staff flew to the Caribbean island last week (January 13) to assist in the international effort to rescue survivors in the aftermath the earthquake which killed and injured thousands. Arriving back at their Maidstone base this morning (Saturday January 23), team...

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and Jill Halfpenny have launched the 'Fire Kills Campaign' Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has joined forces with celebrity, Jill Halfpenny, to launch the latest 'Fire Kills Campaign' from the Department of Communities and Local Government. As part of the London launch of the national 'Don't Drown in Toxic Smoke' campaign, Jill Halfpenny, was placed in a simulation unit provided by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service. She then exp...

The FIA encourages formal involvement from Government (CLG), CFRAU and CFOA The FIA set up a Fire Risk Assessment Council in November 2008 and invited any company/organization who 'trades' by providing Fire Risk Assessments, on a commercial basis, to join the association as a member. This step was taken as its current members were reporting that there was a diverse range of 'Fire Risk Assessors' in the market. These organizations were offering very differen...

Young people were awarded at a special ceremony at the Brigade's Southwark Training Centre Over 80 young people from all over London have been recognised for their outstanding achievements while attending a firefighting skills course run by the London Fire Brigade. The Local Intervention Fire Education (LIFE) programme is an intensive five day course that teaches young people between the ages of 13 and 17 firefighting skills alongside real firefighters. At a special ceremo...

Over 1 in 3 fatal house fires are started by cigarettes or other smoking materials The London Fire Brigade has warned against the fire risks associated with cigarettes and alcohol.In January, many people start thinking about New Year's resolutions, and, in a bid to become more healthy many give up smoking and drinking. However, most people don't realise that by cutting back on cigarettes and alcohol they will also reduce the chance of having a fire in their home. Londo...

  Selectric GmbH has won the tender for the supply of Sepura TETRA radios to the German federal state of NRW Selectric GmbH has won the tender for the supply of Sepura TETRA radios to the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). The digital terminals will be delivered to the North Rhine-Westphalian Police. The contract awarded to Sepura's German partner Selectric Nachrichten Systeme GmbH is for c. 25,000 Sepura radios and accessories. On Friday the 15th of...

"Sugar House Earthquake Mitigation Return-On-Investment" shows how HAZUS assessment can be used The book will be released in July at the 2010 ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, California.Two of the FEMA Mitigation Directorate's maps, entitled "Sugar House Earthquake Mitigation Return-On-Investment" and "ShakeMap-Based HAZUS-MH Loss Estimation Maps," have been selected for publication in the 2010 ESRI Map Book, Volume 25. The poster "Sugar House...

The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has announced that it will be holding a public meeting on Thursday, February 4, 2010, in Raleigh, North Carolina.The meeting will present preliminary findings from its investigation of the June 9, 2009, natural gas explosion and ammonia release at the ConAgra Food Slim Jim facility in Garner, North Carolina, that killed four workers an...

Secretary Napolitano has authorized the activation of up to 900 reservists for Haiti rescue mission  The Coast Guard will utilize more than 100 of the newly-activated reserve personnel to strengthen port security operations in Port Au Prince.Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano has authorized the temporary activation of up to 900 reserve U.S. Coast Guard service men and women to bolster the more than 500 Coast Guard personnel al...

USSTC is now accepting applications for the 2010 Operation Ranger grant program USSTC is now accepting applications for the 2010 Operation Ranger grant program. Founded in 2002, this program awards rugged, off-road utility vehicles to the nation's first responders. The application deadline is January 29. Since its inception, more than 460 vehicles have been awarded through Operation Ranger across all 50 states. Through this program, USSTC is able to recogn...

Ian Thornton was awarded with a medal for his dedication to protecting the capital's communities from fire Bow Crew Manager Ian Thornton was only 23 when he joined the London Fire Brigade, and after 20 years service to Londoners, was awarded with a medal for his dedication to protecting the capital's communities from fire. Ian, 43, joined the Brigade in 1989, when he changed his smart office suit to a firefighters uniform and rubber boots. He said: "I didn't really enjoy wo...

FEMA continues to support USAID and others in effort to save lives in Haiti Message from Deputy FEMA Administrator Richard Serino on the Haiti tragedy and the ongoing resuce efforts: "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti. President Obama has instructed the federal government to undertake a swift, coordinated, and aggressive effort to save lives in Haiti, and FEMA continues to support USAID and others in th...

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate swore in Tony Russell as the new regional administrator of Region VI FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate swore in Tony Russell as the new regional administrator of FEMA Region VI at the regional headquarters in Denton, Texas. "Regional Administrators are one of the most important positions in our agency, connecting our headquarters to the states and citizens we serve," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "Tony is an experienced emergency manage...

NVFC is introducing additional awards to honour a junior firefighter and an exemplary junior firefighter program Each year, the NVFC honors one firefighter who has provided a lifetime of service to the volunteer fire service, as well as one volunteer firefighter whose accomplishments exemplify the philosophy of fire prevention. New in 2010, the NVFC is introducing two additional awards to honor an outstanding junior firefighter and an exemplary junior firefighte...

Over one-quarter of residential fires result from improper maintenance of equipment Heating is one of the leading causes of residential fires. The high cost of home heating fuels and utilities has caused many Americans to search for alternative home heating sources such as wood burning stoves, space heaters, and fireplaces. Over one-quarter of these fires result from improper maintenance of equipment, specifically the failure to clean the equipment. Carbon monoxide...

Kent Firefighters are working with the UK ISAR mission in Haiti Firefighters from the Kent Fire and Rescue Service, who are working with the UK International Search and Rescue (ISAR) mission in Haiti, have returned to Port-au-Prince. The team visited the town of Leogane which is approximately 25 miles west of Port Au Prince and is much nearer to the epicentre. Reports indicate that 80 to 90 per cent of the town has been destroyed. While there, the UK ISAR te...

ICC and the NVFC will work together to improve firefighter safety through building and fire prevention codes To further the relationship and their joint efforts, the two Councils signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) during the ICC's Annual Conference and Code Hearings in Baltimore in October. The International Code Council (ICC) and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) will work together to improve firefighter safety through building and fire prevention codes,...