Active Fire Protection (AFP) - Editor's Dispatch

Global warming is often mentioned as a factor in the accelerating frequency and intensity of wildfires. However, there are other consequences of global warming that impact the fire service, including new hazards and medical emergencies, emerging training challenges, population migration, and technology developments. Climate change is often discussed as a future event. However, the impact of wildfires is just the most obvious example of how climate change is already impacting the world, and fire...

Under a new law taking effect in February 2022, homes in Scotland must have multiple fire alarms linked by radio frequency, either sealed battery alarms or alarms wired to the electrical system main. Smoke alarms are now required in the living room or most-used room, and also in each hallway or landing. Furthermore, a heat alarm is required in the kitchen. All smoke and heat alarms should be mounted on the ceiling. Interlinked alarms In the case of interlinked alarms, if one alarm goes off, th...

In the case of mixed commercial and residential premises, approaches to ensure fire protection can be complicated. While one fire protection approach might be best suited to a commercial facility, a different process might be optimal in case of a residential fire. Combining the two types of facilities requires a delicate balance to serve both sets of needs. Towyn fire incident Recently in Towyn, in Wales, UK, for example, a serious blaze was reported in a residential flat above a takeaway rest...

New technologies for the fire service were a predominant topic at TheBigRedGuide.com in 2021, based on the most-visited articles at the site during the past year. Looking back at the top articles of the year -- as measured by those that received the most "clicks" -- provides a decent summary of emerging technologies in the fire service. The list of articles also highlights some of the biggest challenges in the fire service, including wildfires and emerging fire risks. Timely and important issue...

Women in Fire was established in the early 1980s. The active organization hosts a yearly conference and provides best-practice resources on topics such as fire station design and maternity policies. A mentoring program includes an application process for those wishing to be a mentor or a mentee, and a matchmaking program enables mentoring participants to align their career paths and choose someone whom they can relate to. The organization’s latest international conference in Spokane, Was...

Trends, such as social distancing and breakdowns in group interactions are changing the emergency response needs in Suffolk County, New York, and other communities around the world. In the new normal, there are also fewer opportunities to identify someone, who might need mental health services or be in crisis. Residents are more likely to push aside signs of anxiety and depression, until they become more severe. Suffolk County affected by COVID-19 Suffolk County was an epicenter of the COVID-1...

New refrigerants used in air conditioning systems provide less potential for global warming (GWP), but the new materials can also be potentially flammable. Sensors are designed to detect refrigerants in a specific confined area (within the unit). However, if the refrigerant leaks outside and away from the unit, the sensor may not be able to detect it, resulting in a potentially hazardous environment. Society is prioritizing the mitigation of climate change, and new, potentially flammable, low-G...

Electronic devices help to manage the flow of information at a fire scene, but how to provide the information that each firefighter needs in a simplified format, which is conducive to high-stress, minute-by-minute decision-making? That’s the mission of Qwake Technologies and their C-THRU platform, which seeks to improve the performance and safety of critical workers, in dangerous environments. C-THRU platform with AI The C-THRU platform simplifies a flood of complex data from multiple so...

The Max Fire Box is a training tool that evolved from a need to fill the gap between ‘classroom’ training and a rookie firefighter’s first working structure fire exercise. In effect, the Max Fire Box enables firemen to learn about fire and smoke behavior from a live fire at a smaller scale. It can help trainee firefighters understand fire flow-path, how to isolate doors, how to close a fire off, and how to slow it down.  Fire training environment “It’s crit...

When a shortage of truck drivers resulted in empty motor fuel pumps in the United Kingdom, long queues formed and many motorists began panic buying. The situation induced motorists to hoard fuel, a practice that brings with it a long list of fire risks. Many fire departments in the United Kingdom provided stern warnings of the dangers. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service advised anyone looking to store petrol at home to follow correct storage protocols. Hoarding additional quantities North Yo...

‘Fire weather’ is the combination of weather and environmental factors that determines the potential spread of a wildfire. Typically, the main concerns are wind, temperature, and moisture. Lightning is also critical as it is a semi-forecastable parameter. Typically, bigger fires need low moisture, high temperatures, and high winds. Too much moisture and fuels (grass and trees) won’t burn. If the winds are too weak, the fire becomes easily contained and unable to create spot f...

A new handheld device can detect the presence of explosive methane gas from up to 100 feet away. For firefighters, the tool provides situational awareness, saves time, and ensures safety from a distance. Knowing the presence of methane gas enables a firefighter to deal with an emergency gas leak and to avoid a deadly explosion. Gas laser The Gas Laser from Teledyne Gas and Flame Detection can shoot a laser beam through a window, a gap in a door, or another common venting point to provide an in...

Electric bikes and scooters are a newly popular way to travel through urban environments. However, the nifty devices come with a fire risk that could be deadly. In London, firefighters have responded to more than 25 fires, involving e-bikes or e-scooters in recent months, some of them significant incidents with serious injuries. Lithium-ion batteries pose fire risks The fire hazards of e-bikes and e-scooters stem from their use of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that can erupt into flames....

This year’s catastrophic wildfire season reminds us of the need for early detection of wildland fires before they escalate out of control. Historically, tools such as satellite imagery and localized video cameras have helped to identify fires at their origin and to alert authorities. However, delayed detection and low reliability have been a problem. Cloudy weather can also be an impediment, and the severity and frequency of wildfires worldwide suggest that new approaches are needed. A n...

Given the large global consumption of hydrocarbon fuels across all sectors, the associated risks are constantly expanding. The Allianz Global Corporate Specialty study cites fire and explosion as the largest causes for loss claims filed globally from 2013 - 2018. Fire and explosion Furthermore, fire and explosion are among the top 10 global business risks in 2021. More than 100 major fuel explosions have been reported, since 2019 around the world, most of which were avoidable. The risks are d...

Back in Indianapolis for the first time since 2019, FDIC International 2021 offered a full slate of conference sessions, hands-on training and equipment exhibitions. Attendance was down, but everyone appeared happy to be back at the show, after cancellations and delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Masking compliance was low, despite continuing concerns about COVID-19 and the Delta variant. There was little social distancing. In many respects, the show seemed back to normal. A highlight of t...

We are currently seeing fewer fires in the United States than in past decades. However, statistically, if a fire is reported in your home, you are more likely to die today than 40 years ago. Today’s homes with their synthetic furnishings and open floor plans burn faster than homes did in the past. Occupants might have fewer than three minutes to escape after a fire starts. Every 24 seconds, a U.S. fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the country. Nationwide, a civilian dies in...

Immediate evacuation is often the appropriate response in case of a fire emergency, but correctional facilities are built on the premise of keeping inmates inside. Such is the apparent conflict, when it comes to responding to a fire in a prison, jail or correctional facility. Fire safety challenges The unique characteristics of a correctional setting present challenges in case of fire. For example, how can locked doors be consistent with the need for easy egress in case of fire? Because doors...

Local governments in the U.S. are embracing electric and hybrid vehicles in a big way, and many states have implemented incentives to promote adoption of the futuristic technologies. However, fire department vehicles and apparatus are yet to embrace the transition, largely because vehicles were not available that both meet the needs of firefighters and provide environmental advantages. However, fire vehicle technology is farther along the electric and hybrid path than some people realize. Elect...

While wildfires can be beneficial and necessary for some species and ecosystems, there are various negative impacts on our air, water, and land, as well as, subsequent impacts for human health. Given the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) mission to protect human health and the environment, the EPA’s Wildland Fire Research focuses on the impacts these fires have on human health and ecosystems. Examining ambient air quality EPA researchers are examining the worsening of a...

Many restaurants around the world are suffering from loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation has made fire prevention a lower priority. Fire authorities should work with restaurant owners and associations to address this issue and offer guidelines and training to increase awareness in the community. Restaurant fires account for about 6% of all non-residential building fires reported to fire departments each year, according to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS...

The fire service has always struggled with maintaining accurate accountability of personnel who are responding or operating in emergencies. Lack of firefighter accountability is often cited as a contributing factor in Line of Duty Deaths (LODD). Compounding the accountability challenge are volunteer responders who can be coming from anywhere, with some going to the station and others going direct. The existing accountability tools and processes were unreliable and failed when needed the most....

Ethics are principles concerning right and wrong behavior that govern how we conduct ourselves. Morals are standards of behavior based on those ethical principles. Ensuring the highest standards of ethical behavior is central to the fire service mission and to managing a fire department effectively.  Ethical behavior Ethical behavior almost appears to be a logical extension of the culture of firefighting, given the fire service’s shared mission to serve society positively. Firefig...

Rental storage units represent a serious and unpredictable risk for firefighters. For example, hundreds of rented units at a three-story, self-storage warehouse in Manchester, United Kingdom, were recently destroyed by fire. Fire in rental storage units There were 125 firefighters and 25 fire engines called to the scene. There were no injuries, but hundreds of customers lost thousands of dollars in stored goods in the fire. Notably, the facility was not protected by a sprinkler system, which n...

Last month, a fire raged across land in Swansea, in southern Wales, spreading 6 hectares (about 15 acres) and injuring a firefighter. Weeks earlier, flames raged across 20 hectares (almost 50 acres) in nearby Fairwood Common, Gower, in a fire that may have been deliberately set, and another 30 hectares (74 acres) of grassland and forest burned in Maesteg, Bridgend.  Almost 4,000 miles away in northwest Minnesota, crews battled a grass fire that briefly closed a highway in the area. Low hum...

Fire and EMS departments are eligible for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) of their costs, related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A streamlined project application process eases the burden of applying for the program, but support documentation is required. Tracking costs For COVID-19 recovery Many departments do not apply for the money because they perceive reporting requirements as too difficult, and record-keeping as too big a challenge. To help, the U.S. Fir...

The extremely cold winter this year is a reminder of the need for firefighters to be prepared and trained to fight fires in extreme conditions. Extreme environments tend to elevate the hazards of firefighting, which already include trauma, thermal injury, and smoke inhalation. The additional hazards range from minor inconveniences to extreme danger. One element that increases risk during the depths of winter is the increased incidence of fires caused by the additional use of (possibly hazardous...

The Thermite RS3, manufactured by Howe & Howe Technologies, is a wide-chassis, industrial firefighting robot that is remotely operated using a belly-pack controller to provide high-definition video feedback for easy maneuverability, even in difficult conditions. The Los Angeles City Fire Department was the first to buy the bright yellow firefighting vehicle, as announced last fall. Thermite RS3 robot Decon7 Systems has teamed with Howe & Howe Technologies to pioneer the delivery of D7...

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is seeking to address fire dangers from electric vehicles that use high-voltage lithium-ion batteries. At risk are first responders who may be injured by electric shock or uncontrolled increases in temperature and pressure that can reignite the batteries. The risk of shock and fire arises from the ‘stranded’ energy that remains in a damaged battery, says the NTSB. A safety report from the U.S. federal agency documents their investigati...

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the fire service will continue at least through 2021 and possibly for years to come. Specifically, several aspects of the pandemic have impacted the fire service long-term and have possibly changed it forever.  More awareness of Health Issues For one thing, the pandemic has heightened awareness about issues of health and wellness of firefighters. In this regard, COVID-19 has been just the latest in the series of health and wellness issues surroundin...