Fire Insurance - News

Federal disaster assistance is now available for wildfire survivors with uninsured and underinsured damage to their primary residence in Tehama and Trinity counties. Funds assistance Assistance may include funds for temporary housing while one is unable to live in the home, such as rental assistance or reimbursement for hotel costs; funds to support the repair or replacement of owner-occupied homes that serve as the household’s primary residence. Including privately-owned access routes,...

Thermal imaging cameras are indispensable for modern firefighting operations. They are used for situational awareness, in search and rescue operations, or to locate the seat of the fire, to name just a few of the many applications. The cameras are an indispensable tool, especially for inside fire attacks, as they provide SCBA crews with a good view even in zero visibility. They see what is not visible to the human eye, namely the heat radiation from objects and people. It is like having a sixth...

Fire Chiefs and Fire & Rescue Services across the United Kingdom have recognized the emerging practice of ‘wedging fire doors open’ as an increased threat to fire safety in a post-COVID world. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said, “We have identified that some premises are wedging open self-closing fire doors as a COVID-19 control measure intended to reduce the need to touch locks and door handles. Self-closing fire doors are fitted within your premises to...

FPSO owner and operator - BW Offshore has selected VIKING Norsafe free-fall lifeboats, daughter craft and davits for a large FPSO project, which will operate off northern Australia. Primary means of evacuation will be three VIKING Norsafe GES-50 Mk. III Free-fall Lifeboats - each able to carry 70 people - with secondary launch and recovery achieved by corresponding HD-50 Davits. BW Offshore selects VIKING Norsafe lifeboats With a SOLAS crew of three persons, the Munin-1000 boat can recover 18...

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service has been awarded a grant from the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund. This is a new funding pot encouraging the creation of a UK regulatory environment that supports innovation and growth. Teaming up with the National Fire Chiefs Council, the University of Northampton, and Eyecademy Ltd, the West Sussex-led project will deliver a new web-based fire risk assessment tool. The interactive tool will improve users' understanding of fire safety. fire risk assessment...

FireQual is developing a qualification that will look to provide the underpinning knowledge and the skills required by those who work within the area of fire door installation. In addition, reflecting on the core messages of the reports, Building a Safer Future – Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety (May 2018) and Setting the Bar (2020), FireQual will be looking at how core practical competencies of individuals can be accurately and consistently assessed. FireQual t...

Amid a tumultuous time for the healthcare industry due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the top 25 health insurance companies remained in tight competition when it came to member satisfaction, according to new research released by Verint®, The Customer Engagement Company™. The range for satisfaction (SAT) scores from highest to lowest was just under nine points out of a possible 100, suggesting that all the top 25 health insurers are highly competitive, according to the Verint Experie...

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) and West Suffolk College are working together to broaden the scope of the Health and Social Care course, with the aim of attracting more students.   A six-week taster module has been designed by EEAST staff for the Health and Social Care course, which starts on the 23rd September, 2021, in order to offer both skills and an insight into career development opportunities in the ambulance service. EEAST course covering ambulance service...

Recently launched the new range of designer surgical face masks which are BIS Class 2 certified, that offer the highest level of protection. Available in a wide range of assorted and solid colors, the designer surgical masks come with several features. Here are some of its salient features. Salient Features of Mallcom’s Designer Surgical Face Masks  BIS Class 2 Certified  Designer surgical face masks are BIS Class 2 certified. As per BIS 16289 standard Class 2 is giv...

While studies show that it is likely that a second burglary can occur after an initial break-in, many people are slow to act in securing their home, after a burglary. This leaves opportunities open for the intruder to return with much more knowledge about the property. The intruder will already know easy entrance and exit points, the floor plan and if they are smart enough, they will wait until all the things that have originally been taken are replaced. The replacement of these stolen items wi...

Fire Rescue Services (FRSs) respond to thousands of fire incidents every year, with a large number of incidents not being directly linked to fires. Fire incidents will often lead to casualties and in worst-case scenarios, fatalities, where occupants are unable to escape ravaging smoke and fire. UK Building Regulations compliance Envirograf urges all building structures to be in compliance with UK Building Regulations, which ensures the structures are built to a high standard, complete with ade...

The SOCOTEC Group, a trusted third party and a renowned company in building and infrastructure risk management, is strengthening its international footprint with its first acquisition in the Netherlands. With the acquisition of Hanselman Group (its 29th acquisition since 2016), SOCOTEC is establishing itself in the Netherlands and further developing its international growth, with an existing presence in 23 countries. Strategic scope of the SOCOTEC Group The Hanselman Group, f...

Pegwell Bay Country Park is Kent Wildlife Trust’s largest nature reserve and is of international importance for its bird populations, including nightingales and cuckoos.  However, a number of these animals and their habitats were destroyed when a campfire became out of control at the site, which sits between Sandwich and Ramsgate, and spread across a large area of grasslands and undergrowth.  Kent Wildlife Trust Kent Wildlife Trust has thrown its support behind KFRS campaign t...

The Fire Standards Board for England has released a new Fire Standard to help fire and rescue services address capacity and skills when it comes to inspecting fire safety in non-residential buildings. The announcement at the National Fire Chiefs Council conference in Warwick comes after an extensive consultation process. eighth Fire Standard This is the eighth Fire Standard to be published and it is an overarching standard for Fire Protection with further standards relating to more specific a...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging businesses that have reopened their doors, not to overlook fire safety and ensure it remains a top priority in the workplace. The call comes as part of the National Fire Chiefs Council's (NFCC) Business Safety Week which runs from the 6th - 12th September. The campaign aims to make businesses aware of their fire safety responsibilities, so they comply with legislation to keep both premises and occupants safe from fire. Reviewing fire safety Man...

The Welsh Government has published new guidance on water mist systems aimed at local authority building control and installers to assist compliance with building regulations. Automatic water mist systems for domestic and residential premises was published on 27 August. This new guidance sets out how installers of water mist systems can satisfy the requirements of Regulation 37a of the Building Regulations 2010. Automatic fire suppression is mandatory in new residential premises in Wales....

Coatings manufacturer - Hempel has completed the acquisition of Farrow & Ball, a luxury decorative paint and wallpaper company with an annual turnover of over EUR 100 million. Hempel acquires Farrow & Ball from a fund managed by the Private Equity Group of Ares Management Corporation, after having met all conditions and requirements. luxury, decorative paint, and wallpaper company “Today is an exciting day as we happily welcome the iconic, luxury, decorative paint an...

Granite Workwear puts the spotlight on the Welding & Foundry industry. One of the most dangerous industries to work in is where workers are constantly working with dangerous equipment and machinery. Welding gear needs to be incredibly flame retardant, so as to prevent any sparks igniting clothing. Another important attribute for welding and foundry gear to have is UV protection. The intensity of the light produced can induce sun burns and even blindness. As such, it is vital to make sure no...

Loudoun County has established a voluntary database that provides emergency responders with important health information, in compliance with Virginia’s Marcus-David Peters Act, which was signed into law in December 2020. Virginia’s Marcus-David Peters Act The law aims to provide behavioral health responses, when an individual is experiencing a crisis, related to mental health, substance abuse or developmental disability, in the US state of Virginia. The bill requires that by July 1...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has welcomed nine new on-call firefighters to stations across the county. The group completed their phase one, 10 week training course this month and now have the core skills required to operate safely as a firefighter with their new stations. The on-call firefighters will now respond to a wide range of emergencies in their communities, which could include anything from rescuing people trapped in cars following a collision, to responding to a local house f...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection has published three new Advisory Notes offering guidance on the fire protection of structural steel. 2021 version Addressing specific concerns identified by the industry, the ASFP's Advisory Note 19 sets out its position on the use of critical steel temperatures above 650°C. In an update to the previous edition from July 2020, the 2021 version notes: 'It is vital to ensure that the appropriate limiting temperature is used in the spe...

BSI Group (BSI), in its role as the UK National Standards Body, has published a new set of requirements for the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in development projects, including individual house-builds, large-scale developments and estate management. The loss of biodiversity as a result of human activity is having increasingly severe impacts. As a result, governments, businesses and organizations of all types are acting, not only to protect biodiversity, but to ensure it thrives....

For the second year, DripDrop Hydration (DripDrop ORS), a renowned rehydration therapy company, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), the global association representing the volunteer fire, EMS (Emergency Medical Services), and rescue services, have teamed up to provide dehydration relief to volunteer firefighters. Oral rehydration solution (ORS) DripDrop is providing 200,000 sticks of their oral rehydration solution (ORS) to volunteer fire departments across the U.S. The donation co...

Safety reporting body - CROSS-UK published a report earlier this month highlighting the fire risks from poorly maintained green walls, as changes to fire safety law mean that the external walls will become part of fire risk assessments.  Green walls have been a popular way of making urban areas more attractive, contribute to biodiversity and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Close-down procedures This new report from CROSS-UK discusses how building close-down procedures that...

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has approved the first UK GDPR certification scheme criteria. Recently UKAS accredited Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) has developed criteria for two schemes relating to age assurance and children’s online privacy. This is a great example of UKAS working with regulators to bring important improvements in safety and child protection in innovative emerging sectors.

South Yorkshire’s firefighters have responded to less deliberate fires so far this summer than in recent years, according to figures released by the county’s fire service. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) says it has attended 997 deliberate fire incidents across May, June, and July this year–a seven percent reduction compared to the 1,073 attended during the same period last year. Against the average for May, June, and July across the last three years–which...

Firefighters have begun responding to 999 calls from South Yorkshire’s newest fire station for the first time. The new two storey, three-bay Barnsley fire station was completed earlier this month and went operational on 17 August. The energy-efficient building on Broadway, Kingstone replaces the 60-year-old fire station on the same site which had reached the end of its operational life. Firefighters had been housed in a temporary facility off-site while the year-long construction of...

Women in Fire Safety is seeking nominations for its inaugural awards recognizing excellence in the fire safety industry. The Women in Fire Safety Awards honor the outstanding achievements and contributions of all women within the fire safety community. Founded by Chloe Vickery and Kate Blake, the awards strive to address the historical gender imbalance and champion a more progressive industry. More progressive industry They said: “We hope to encourage the next generation to see fire saf...

Bosch Security Systems has announced the release of new Aviotec firmware version 7.81 that comprises AI algorithms, which can now detect fire and smoke in changing weather and light conditions. Aviotec firmware version 7.81 The AI algorithms have been developed further in the Aviotec firmware version 7.81, in order to ensure reliability for sheltered outdoor areas. The fire risk in these areas and nearby buildings can now be reduced with intelligent, fast and reliable detection. In the past,...

Two South Yorkshire firefighters are among a 20-strong team bidding to cycle the length of the UK to raise mental health awareness and thousands for charity. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s Mark Peart and Paul Simmonite are joining firefighting colleagues from Suffolk for the 10-day, 1,000-mile ride from Lands End to John O’Groats in September. The team is aiming to raise £50,000 for The Fire Fighters Charity, which supports the mental, physical, and social needs of a...