COVID-19 - News

For the first time, a “corona traffic light” shows the daily development of infections in all German districts and independent cities. The interactive map shows the situation based on the 35 and 50 7-day incidence values.  These values ​​are used to control uniform nationwide measures against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The interactive map can be accessed on the Internet via the homepage of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb). Corona t...

2020 has been a challenging year, so it’s been a real boost to find out that Zitko have been shortlisted in two categories of the Security and Fire Excellence Awards. Back in March, when the lockdown struck, recruitment activity came to an abrupt halt. Zitko decided to stay open to support the clients and industry, sharing knowledge and adding value in whatever ways they could. Zitko COVID-19 initiatives This led to a whole raft of Zitko COVID-19 initiatives:  An outplacement pr...

Contractors working on the build of Theale Community Fire Station have made good progress during recent months, with the new station starting to take shape. The installation of the steel superstructure took place at the end of September 2020, following extensive work to prepare the station’s foundations. Plans to build Theale Community Fire Station got underway in January 2020. It is the latest in a series of investments by the Fire Authority, following the refurbishment of the Hungerford...

While there’s still a lot up in the air at the moment with regards to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, some offices have returned to business. But was fire safety forgotten during the COVID-19 induced lockdown? Changed retail landscape The UK’s high street is making a slow return to business, thanks in part to the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme and somewhat relaxed social distancing measures. With fewer customers in stores, the retail landscape looks very different n...

Rave Mobile Safety (Rave), the critical communication and collaboration platform that customers count on when it matters the most, has announced the launch of Rave Collaborate, a new solution for Tactical Incident Collaboration. Rave Collaborate Rave Collaborate addresses needs unmet by traditional incident management solutions with an intuitive tool, in order to coordinate preparedness and response for both - planned activities and unplanned emergencies. Rave Collaborate addresses needs unme...

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has published Version 6 of the Site Operating Procedures document. Information from Construction Leadership Council (20/10/2020): Site Operating Procedures Update – Version 6 is now available The Site Operating Procedures have been updated to reflect recent changes in Government guidance. While there are no significant changes to social distancing requirements on sites, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has taken the opportunity to streaml...

Emergency call handlers will be the focus of a Twitter takeover this week as Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service celebrates International Control Room Week. Blue Watch will be on duty from 8 am until 5 pm on Wednesday (October 21) and posting tweets throughout the shift on the Service’s @cambsfrs Twitter account. Potentially life-Saving advice Area Commander Simon Newton, in charge of the Service’s emergency response, said: “Our Emergency call handlers are a vital part of...

ImageTrend, Inc. is excited to announce a connection between the CrewCare mobile app and All Clear Foundation elevating support for the overall wellness of first responders and those in the healthcare industry. The free CrewCare app was added to the Responder Resources Directory. All Clear Foundation’s extensive network of resources can now be easily accessed in CrewCare helping connect first responders in EMS, fire, dispatch, law enforcement, military, and healthcare workers wi...

South Yorkshire’s emergency services are urging people to be sensible and stay safe over the coming weeks, during what they say will be a ‘very different’ bonfire period for everyone. Trick or treating is being discouraged, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as are Halloween and bonfire parties that break the current social distancing rules set out by the Government. Operation Dark Nights Meanwhile, firefighters are asking people to take extra care with fireworks and to avoi...

Intersec, the world’s renowned security, safety, and fire protection trade fair, has been rescheduled to take place in January 2022, organiser of the trade event, Messe Frankfurt Middle East confirmed on September 24, 2020. The 23rd edition of the three-day event was originally set to run from January 24-26, 2021, at the Dubai World Trade Center, in Dubai, UAE. However, the event has now been moved to 2022, after extensive consultation with key industry stakeholders. Intersec Dubai 2022...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is joining forces with local authority partners and emergency services, in order to help keep people safe in the upcoming bonfire and fireworks season. With many organized events canceled across the county, emergency services are preparing for a busier night than usual. There is an emerging concern that more people will plan displays and bonfires to celebrate in their own gardens, which could pose significant risk for the people. Safety measures for Bonfi...

Vimpex Ltd, Europe’s independent manufacturer of fire alarm ancillaries, has added a Fire Door Coordinator - which ensures that a pair of self-closing fire doors will always close in the correct sequence, enabling each door leaf to shut fully, and help to maintain the fire integrity of the doors - to its door holder product range. If double fire doors don’t close in the correct sequence they will not close in the middle and leave a gap for dangerous smoke and gases to pass through....

Former Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) Director of Operations - Sean Bone-Knell and current Head of Procurement at KFRS, Tina Butler, have been recognized in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Sean Bone-Knell, who retired from KFRS in March 2020, after 33 years of service, has been awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal – a prestigious medal given to members of the fire services in the UK and Commonwealth for distinguished services or gallantry. Steering national pol...

Trade fairs are starting up again in Frankfurt: in the last quarter of 2020, a series of events is taking place on Messe Frankfurt’s exhibition grounds - including Hypermotion, the first hybrid event to be held at its Frankfurt base. Numerous guest events will also be opening their doors to visitors, adhering to the strictest hygiene and security standards at all times. Hypermotion is to take place in Frankfurt from 10 to 12 November - as a multimodal innovation platform, it will be focus...

Since 1922, the National Fire Protection Association has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. It is a week in which they renew their commitment to fire safety and educate the public about safeguarding their communities and homes against the threat of fire. With Fire Prevention Week taking place this week, the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) would like to take the opportunity to recognize individuals and organizations for their dedication and commitment to the na...

When their annual stair-climb event was sidelined back in March 2020, due to the global COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic spread concerns, LION and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) didn't let that stop their event. Instead, the LLS went virtual with their annual firefighter star-climb event. The event was renamed, 'Big Virtual Climb’. Big Virtual Climb event On June 13th, 2020 rather than gathering at San Francisco's Salesforce Tower, where the climb was originally scheduled to take...

Dealing with megatrends is equated time and again with trying to predict the future - one might wish for that often, but only to a very limited extent. Megatrends are nothing more than a summary of developments and currents that have shaped us as a society in many situations in the recent past - economy, politics, technology, culture and many others - and that are slowly but fundamentally changing the world - like this also the fire service world! Blue light organizations The fire brigade tre...

For obvious health safety reasons owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic spread, the organizers and partners of the world’s renowned trade fair for fire and rescue services, civil protection, safety and security, Interschutz have decided to postpone the appointment made in June 2020 for the event to be held to June 2021. Interschutz Indeed, the health crisis, which directly affects both exhibitors and visitors, forces them to make themselves available at other sites and does not allow gat...

Lorient’s most successful programme of events for Fire Door Safety Week to date. FDSW is an annual campaign run by the British Woodworking Federation; and is designed to increase public understanding of the role that fire doors play in protecting life and property. Lorient designs and manufactures a wide range of high performance door seals for fire and smoke containment. Our intumescent strips form a vital part of a fire door assembly, helping to defend buildings against the spread of fi...

Fire officers in Sheffield are asking local students not to cook while drunk in winter and, instead, help keep fire engines free for more serious emergencies. The plea follows the Government’s recent announcement that pubs must now close at 10 pm, which firefighters feel could prompt an increase in home drinking, cooking, and parties. increase in callouts They say that this, in turn, could lead to an increase in callouts to student accommodation across the city, something South Yorkshir...

Tickets are now on sale for ADAPT 2020, a three-day virtual summit presented by Emergency Reporting (ER), the globally renowned company in secure, cloud-based reporting and records management software (RMS) for Fire and EMS agencies. The virtual event will take place from November 17 to November 19, 2020 and will be sponsored by Microsoft. Ticket prices start at just US$ 99.00 per attendee, with group pricing available to make it easier for departments to send more of their personnel. ADAPT 20...

New COVID-19 restrictions have been introduced by the Government, announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.  While this does not directly affect fire safety work, BAFE would fully support the advice that the stronger requirements for face coverings should be implemented consistently within the fire safety industry. This is especially important with technicians working on-site at care facilities and other buildings where vulnerable people may be exposed to the virus. Controlling COVID-19...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) announces that it will be recruiting for whole time firefighters to join fire stations across the county from January 2021. Applications will open on Monday 4 January 2021, at 8am, and will close two weeks later on Sunday 17 January at 11.59pm. To give people the opportunity to find out more about the role and the recruitment process, a range of information workshops and ‘Have a Go’ days will be held over the next few months. Busting m...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority (WYFRS) have given the go ahead to relocate the fire station in Hightown Road, in Cleckheaton, to WYFRS Headquarters in Birkenshaw, United Kingdom. The decision was made at the Full Authority meeting held on September 18, 2020 and will see an investment of £1.3 million to build a new facility, which will be closer to the more high risk areas, where fires and other emergencies tend to occur often. New Fire station The new station will also provide...

In this article, Apollo explores how a Fire Detection & Alarm system is a more reliable and cost-effective method of early detection compared to a Waking Watch. Grenfell Tower tragedy The Grenfell Tower tragedy has highlighted multiple issues with fire safety in High-rise residential blocks, with one of them being combustible cladding. When combustible materials are present in the cladding, it is no longer safe for the occupants to follow the “Stay Put” policy, which reli...

In this article, Apollo explores how a Fire Detection & Alarm system is a more reliable and cost-effective method of early detection compared to a Waking Watch. Grenfell Tower tragedy The Grenfell Tower tragedy has highlighted multiple issues with fire safety in High-rise residential blocks, with one of them being combustible cladding. When combustible materials are present in the cladding, it is no longer safe for the occupants to follow the “Stay Put” policy, which reli...

The Duke of Cambridge has visited staff from the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) to thank them for their hard work and dedication during the COVID-19 outbreak and hear more about their experiences of delivering care during the pandemic. Prince William met frontline crews and support staff at King’s Lynn Ambulance Station, which is at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital site, this afternoon. During the visit, he heard about the extra steps which have been taken to make sure that EEAST...

Arup has committed to achieving net zero emissions across its entire operations by 2030, covering everything from the energy used in offices to goods and services purchased. To achieve this the firm has set a target to reduce its scope 1, 2, and 3 global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30 percent within the next five years from a 2018 baseline. The target, validated by the Science Based Target initiative, has been classified as ambitious as it exceeds the minimum requirements for keeping glob...

In the COVID-19 era, where digital tools and virtual platforms have become more important than ever before, global safety equipment manufacturer, MSA Safety Incorporated has announced that they will host free, online safety seminars from September 14 to September 18, 2020. Free, online safety seminars The sessions are being conducted by MSA Safety to support National Safety Stand-Down week, an annual week-long event, organized by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), t...

A reminder to Schools that fire safety provisions and systems should be reviewed and maintained on a regular basis. IFSEC Global has reported that “according to new research from insurer, Zurich Municipal, schools in England are “nearly twice as likely” to suffer from a fire as other types of commercial buildings.” Life safety systems The data, from 28,800 schools in England alone, noted reasons including poor fire detection and the regular presence of cooking equipmen...