Fire Insurance - News

The Department for Education has published a revised version of Building Bulletin 100 and is now consulting on updated and expanded guidance that sees school boarding accommodation included for the first time. BB 100 is non-statutory guidance that advises how to minimize the spread of fire within a school and how to ensure the building structure is adequately resistant to the effects of fire. It also sets out the requirements for fire and rescue services to access schools in the event of a fire...

The Memphis City Council has approved a new contract and raises for its professional firefighters, marking a resounding and long-fought win for Memphis Local 1784. By a 10-3 vote, Memphis City Council members agreed to a new three-year contract that includes back-to-back 3% annual raises with an opportunity to consider an additional raise in the final year. Local 1784’s previous contract had expired, and the union and city were thrust into impasse negotiations that ultimately led to the M...

According to AAA, more than 9 in 10 Memorial Day travelers will drive to their destinations this year. The advocate for safe mobility predicts a 52 percent increase in vehicle travel this Memorial Day weekend over last year and reports that 34 million Americans are planning to take road trips now that COVID-19 restrictions are loosening up. In the interest of public and responder safety, leading fire service organizations are reminding firefighters, EMS providers, and roadside service provide...

Big Bear Valley has experienced inclement weather. During these times, cellular service could be interrupted. The Big Bear Fire Department would like to remind everyone that they can text to 9-1-1, when placing a phone call to the department does not work. Use 911 as the phone number, type the message, and hit send. The message will be sent to the closest dispatch center, where it will appear on the dispatcher’s screen. That dispatcher can then have a text conversation with the person to...

Hammersmith and Fulham Council have appointed Kier Places to carry out remedial fire safety works across its 17,000 housing stock over the next five years. The list of capital works includes upgrades to firefighting equipment in housing blocks as well as work on sprinklers. With continuing concerns across the country about the state of external walls on high-rise residential buildings, the contract includes external façade remediation along with new window installations. deliver a quali...

Housing Committee Chair, Clive Betts MP sets out his concerns about the gap between the guidance for external wall surveys and the reaction of mortgage lenders to their implementation, which is leaving leaseholders to face the consequences. Issues with the EWS1 process The Chair of the Housing, Communities, and Local Government Committee, Clive Betts MP, wrote to the government on 21 May to highlight continuing issues with the EWS1 process. This follows the publication of guidance in March by...

Grass, crop, and woodland fires can have a devastating impact, injuring or killing wildlife, destroying property and livelihoods, and even putting people’s lives at risk. As users enter peak season for these types of incidents, residents, workers, and visitors are being urged to do their bit to reduce the number of accidental grass fires across the county. Most grass fires happen between May and September when grassland can get very dry, and many are caused by out-of-control bonfires...

The new Fire Safety Bill (FSB) for England and Wales has been lauded by some in the fire industry, as the answer to many of the challenges faced post the Grenfell tragedy era, but it may not be as far-reaching as many had expected. Stacey Adams, the Market Development Manager at Apollo Fire Detectors Ltd, takes a look at the Fire Safety Bill, what it contains, what it aims to achieve, and its implications for the fire industry. New Fire Safety Bill for England and Wales The new Fire Safety Bi...

Churches Fire & Security, a national provider with over 29 years of experience in the fire safety and security industry announces the acquisition of Dragon Fire & Security Systems. Experts in fire and security systems for homes and businesses across South Wales, Dragon Fire & Security Systems are approved to all of the industry’s highest recognized standards, including the NSI (Gold) and the BAFE Alarm Certification Scheme. High-quality service “We are delighted to ann...

Lorient, a globally renowned manufacturer of high-performance sealing systems, is proud to unveil the latest edition of its popular: Acoustic, Smoke & Fire seals for Door Assemblies brochure. Founded in 1979, Lorient was responsible for introducing intumescent technology for fire doors to the UK & this new brochure showcases its extensive product portfolio. A fire door is an engineered safety device A fire door is an engineered safety device that is a crucial part of the passive fire...

Notting Hill Genesis is looking for fire experts to help with fire safety and compliance across its 66,000 portfolios of homes across London and the southeast. fire safety services Launched on the government’s procurement portal Tenders Direct on 18 May, the Fire Consultants Framework 2021 is made up of five lots that cover a range of fire safety services related to the design, construction, refurbishment, maintenance, and management of housing stock. The housing association has allocat...

A court in Preston fined the former owner of the Plaza Beach Hotel in Blackpool £15,000 for multiple breaches of the Fire Safety Order that saw it treated as an unofficial HMO. Findings Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service first visited the hotel in September 2017 and prohibited its use after finding: Several members of staff sleeping in the basement with inadequate fire detection, Fire separation throughout the hotel was inadequate, Fire doors would not close, Combustible materials...

Essex Fire Chief pledges £70,000 to the local council to ensure most vulnerable benefit from sprinklers as part of match funding approach to dealing with fire risk across the county. sprinklers Seven housing estates in the Felmores area of Basildon will be retrofitted with sprinklers. Previously, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service provided £50,000 to Basildon Council to fit sprinklers in a high-rise residential block. This announcement coincides with the NFCC’s National Sp...

On October 26, 2019, a worker and his wife were both fatally injured due to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) exposure at a waterflood station in Odessa, Texas—one of six fatal H2S accidents in the United States in the last two years. On May 4, 2021, the US Chemical and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) published its final report of the incident with guidance on how future incidents can be prevented with appropriate safety measures. This blog post describes what happened, why H2S safety is a critical...

More than 4.5 million U.S. properties are at a high-to-extreme risk of wildfire, with more than two million of those in California alone, according to estimates from Verisk, a foremost global data analytics provider. To help promote the importance of building resilient communities for property insurers and their customers, the National Fire Protection Association is providing Verisk with robust data on communities engaging in wildfire mitigation efforts. Verisk will leverage the data from the N...

Fire organizations have come together for the first time to create a Core Code of Ethics based on the Nolan Principles that puts supporting communities first. The National Fire Chiefs Council, Local Government Association, and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners have jointly published a Core Code of Ethics that sits alongside a new Fire Standard. This is in response to one of the recommendations made by Sir Tom Winsor in his State of Fire and Rescue reports. The Fire Minister, Lo...

Coatings manufacturer Hempel launched Hempafire Pro 400, a new passive fire protection coating that maintains the stability of steel structures in the event of a fire for up to 120 minutes and has been optimized for maximum efficiency in the loadings for a 90-minute duration. Passive fire protection coatings Passive fire protection (PFP) coatings insulate steel during a fire, which extends the steel’s load-bearing capacity and gives valuable extra time for evacuation and emer...

For property owners looking to further protect their home or business or for anyone with an intruder alarm system, one of the easiest and quickest things that they can do is to upgrade the existing system. They may decide to upgrade the system by replacing the old system completely or by adding different elements to the existing system, in order to update it. The need to upgrade the security system There are many reasons why someone may want to upgrade their current fire or security system. F...

Assurance Services International (ASI) and the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the intention of bringing together UKAS accreditation and ASI assurance for future collaboration in the field of sustainability. ASI formalized an agreement with the German National Accreditation Body (NAB), Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle (DAkkS) earlier this year. UKAS and ASI partnership UKAS has established a framework for cooperation between ASI a...

Portsmouth City Council is investing £9.5 million over the next five years in retrofitting sprinklers in high-rise blocks as part of a £22 million package of fire safety measures. The announcement comes at the start of the NFCC’s Sprinkler Safety Week and is supported by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service working in partnership with the city. retrofit program The retrofit program was due to start but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The council carr...

Manchester Fire Chief sets out priorities for the next four years with a pledge to improve and regulate the built environment, in order to protect people, property, and the economy. This is the first Fire Plan for Greater Manchester since responsibility for the fire and rescue service moved to the Mayor, Andy Burnham. The Plan addresses the impact of major incidents such as the Manchester Arena attack in 2017 and the 2019 Cube fire in Bolton. Fire Plan Commenting on the launch of the Plan, Ch...

Mayflex has become a strategic partner to Zitko Talent: the new industry training initiative designed to fast-track entry-level field engineers into Fire & Security. The 12-month program offers trainees paid employment from day one, combined with around 300 hours of certified product training and theoretical study towards a level 3 industry qualification. The product training is tailored to the trainee’s workplace. Full range of courses Zitko Talent and working with fellow partners...

The UK Government has published draft legislation that will see planners include fire safety information and consult on it with the Health and Safety Executive, as part of a new gateway-based approach to building safety. This development is in response to Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Safety, where she identified a lack of fire safety considerations at the planning stage for high-rise residential buildings. Gateway review points The government consulted on propose...

During the National Sprinkler Week, Fire Chiefs will be highlighting how different approaches to sprinklers across the United Kingdom (UK) means that not all new schools will be protected. The FPA is supporting the campaign that runs from Monday, 17th - 23rd May. It will raise awareness of the benefits of sprinkler systems in keeping people and buildings safe from fire. sprinklers installation One area the NFCC is concerned about is new build schools. In Scotland and Wales, sprinklers are req...

“Farrow & Ball is an iconic, luxury, decorative paint and wallpaper company. It is used by consumers, designers, and cultural institutions around the world – all of who have a passion for rich colors in eco-friendly paint. I am very proud to welcome our new colleagues to the Hempel family. Together we will ensure that Farrow & Ball continues its strong growth journey,” says Hempel Group President & CEO Lars Petersson.  Hempel is taking the next, large step to...

The demand for warehouse space is up due to online shopping, but insurer - Zurich says that warehouse sprinkler laws are outdated and should be changed. Recent research by Zurich reveals that the number of warehouses gutted by fire increased by 42 percent. Using Home Office statistics, Zurich found that in 2019/20 the number of warehouse fires stayed steady but the number gutted by fire rose considerably. insurance claims The cost of insurance claims has increased across the market. Zurich cl...

A new guide provides assistance and recommendations on how to best specify cable containment systems to improve electrical safety in buildings in the event of a fire. Free to download, the new guide explains how to create a cable pathway through a building, while navigating the current standards landscape. electrical installation standards Creating Cable Pathways is published by Legrand UK & Ireland and takes on board changes to IET Wiring Regulations. It is in line with Dame Judith Hacki...

Gunning London, the Chartered Building Company that specializes in internal and external refurbishments, has launched a new division, Gunning Fire, to meet the increasing need for professionally installed fire door and fire stopping solutions. Gunning Fire division Having achieved independent UKAS accredited certification from Bluesky in April 2021, the division will offer fire door installation, fire door maintenance, fire stopping (compartmentalization), and cladding refurbishment, delivered...

Following a competitive recruitment process, the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) has appointed Tom Abell as its new permanent Chief Executive. Tom Abell, who was earlier serving as the Deputy Chief Executive at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, will formally take up his new role as Chief Executive at EEAST in the autumn. Announcing the appointment, East of England Ambulance Service’s Chair Nicola Scrivings, said “Tom brings significant experience in the NHS and jus...

Through the acquisition, the innovative fire extinguishing system for container fires is fully integrated into VIKING's one-stop product range of maritime security solutions. VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has acquired HydroPen, the company behind the unique HydroPen fire-fighting equipment for container fires, which has been delivered to hundreds of ships. Hydropen HydroPen's rapid spread is due to the system's combination of innovation, efficiency, and ease of use. The system is mounted on on...