Fire Insurance - News

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) has become the first UK fire service to receive professional recognition for its extensive incident debrief process. As part of its commitment to continuously learn and improve, the service has made significant and pioneering changes to its formal debrief process, making it more thorough and inclusive of all departments involved in an incident from the first 999 calls both operational and non-operational personnel. CPD recognition In light of the improvemen...

The fire safety market in the UK is a peculiar one. While the trade at large is among the most advanced in the world in terms of the firefighting solutions on offer, the biggest challenge for the customers is that this trade is a scattered one. There is no brand in the genre that offers a holistic fire safety product line, ranging from extinguishers to suppression systems and everything in between, and a customer is left to deal with multiple suppliers for their fire safety requirements. revol...

An update from Director of Schemes, Chris Auger, outlining issues raised by the new lockdown measures to be introduced on November 05, 2020. Due to the recent second wave of the COVID-19 coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown announced by the Prime Minister on Saturday 31st October 2020, BAFE has had to review the situation regarding refresher certificates and technician assessments. different levels of restriction Although the announcement only applied to England, there are also different...

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released NFPA 1700, Guide for Structural Fire Fighting, the first NFPA document connecting fire dynamics research to response strategy, tactics, and best practices for firefighters controlling fires within a structure. The 2021 guide was prepared by the Technical Committee on Fundamentals of Fire Control Within a Structure Utilizing Fire Dynamics. The document was then voted on by NFPA membership, issued by the NFPA Standards Council, and has been...

Incident Response Technologies, Inc. (IRT), makers of the Rhodium Incident Management Suite, has announced the introduction of Rhodium Platinum suite of solutions on Microsoft Azure Government. Microsoft Azure Government Microsoft Azure Government provides cloud services with the highest levels of security, protection, and compliance for United States government agencies and their partners. These organizations can now access Rhodium’s robust cloud-based incident management tools in an en...

Specialist Fire & Security resourcing consultancy - Zitko has unveiled Talent: a new industry-wide training initiative designed to address the growing shortage of engineers trained for design, engineering, commissioning, and support. Talent is a coalition of employers, manufacturers, training companies, and industry bodies, who are coming together to provide a year’s structured paid employment and certified training specific to the trainee, their employer, and their job. Security tec...

A traumatic event like a wildfire can have devastating effects on the community. Pre-fire planning including home hardening and landscape maintenance at the home and in the community can help reduce the risk of loss from wildfire and help neighborhoods and cities be more resilient after a wildfire. pre-fire planning Communities that complete pre-fire planning usually recovers more quickly because they have developed support networks. The recovery process may take many years. Al...

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...

On the 16th of October, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, answered the following question from Andrew Dismore (Labor): What dangers do you believe that buildings under 18 m with dangerous cladding pose to residents? The Mayor of London answered: “Several recent damaging fires in buildings below 18 meters have demonstrated the danger that unsafe cladding presents to residents. I have always been clear that fire risk does not adhere to strict height thresholds." Fire safety requirements in...

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...

Big Bear Fire Department has some 'Hot Tips for Cold Weather' to ensure safe winter heating. With the change in seasons in Big Bear Valley comes the need to warm homes and businesses. Stay warm and safe during the winter months by following some simple tips. Conventional Heating Have a professional check and service the heating system each year. Always keep combustibles away from heat sources. Check the manufacturer’s specifications for clearance distances. Portable Heaters Always use...

International security system integrator - Northland Controls has appointed Zitko to deliver their recruitment managed service (RPO) for its North American operations, including its global HQ in Milpitas CA. This will cover all the main recruitment functions, including employer and job marketing, talent mapping and pooling, enquiries and application management, initial screening, and detailed shortlisting.  Zitko will be sourcing highly skilled engineers, project control specialists, and...

A draft of PAS 8672 is now available for public comment and contains competence requirements for the Principal Contractor, a role set out in the Building Safety Bill. The Principal Contractor is one of three roles with oversight of building safety at each stage of the building’s lifecycle. The Principal Contractor will be responsible for planning, managing, and monitoring the building work, and coordinating matters relating to the building work to ensure compliance with all relevant requi...

InciWeb is an interactive mapping resource available from the U.S. Forest Service to show where wildfires are burning in areas close to a location, allowing users to better prepare their community for wildfire safety. It is a trusted reporting tool for public affairs specialists and a single source of incident-related information for the public. Official announcements include evacuations, road closures, news releases, maps, photographs, and basic information on an incident. web-based program...

MSA Safety, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are helping volunteer fire departments obtain much-needed gear through MSA’s and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. In 2020, 13 departments will each receive four new sets of turnout gear and four new helmets to help enhance the safety of their firefighters. The first 500 applicants also received a one-year NVFC membership, courtesy of MSA. The latest recipients of MSA’s and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway are th...

BAFE is pleased to announce the SP207 Evacuation Alert Systems Scheme Document.  BAFE SP207 Scheme Supporting British Standard 8629 (Evacuation Alert Systems for use by fire and rescue services in buildings containing flats), the BAFE SP207 Scheme document covers demonstrating quality evidence of competency for the design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of evacuation alert systems. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government published the outcome of the cons...

Cool fall weather has arrived, winter is fast approaching, and Big Bear Fire Department encourages everyone to practice safe winter heating. Big Bear Valley residents and tourists alike will soon be lighting pilot lights and finding other ways to keep warm during the chill of the season. When not functioning properly, the heating appliances that are keeping users warm can turn deadly quickly. Carbon monoxide “Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless and can kill its victims while they&...

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...

Renowned UK manufacturer of fire safety solutions, Application Solutions (Safety and Security) Ltd (ASL), located in Lewes, East Sussex has been recruiting apprentices since early 2012, via the UK Apprenticeship Service. Working with local training provider Sigta Training (SIGTA Limited), ASL currently employs three apprentices, across engineering and business administration, at ASL’s head office in Lewes. An apprenticeship is a genuine job combining practical training, while working with...

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...

A blueprint to improve competence for those working on higher-risk buildings and drive culture change has been set out by a cross-industry group representing more than 150 organizations in the fire and built environment industries. Setting the Bar is the second and final report of the Competence Steering Group (CSG) and is an update of its Interim Report, Raising the Bar, published in August 2019. The work was initiated by the recommendations in Dame Judith Hackitt’s review Building a Saf...

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...

American Fire Protection Group, Inc. (AFPG) is powered by APi Group, a multi-billion dollar company that has been a globally renowned player in the Construction and Life Safety industry, since 1926. APi Group operates over 200 locations in North America and continues to grow. APi Group Being a part of the APi Group family provides confidence to American Fire Protection Group’s customers who want to mitigate risk related to financial stress. Being a part of APi Group also creates opportun...

South Yorkshire’s fire service wants people to have their say on its draft Integrated Risk Management Plan 2021-2024. This is a plan that explains how the fire service will keep local people safe over the next few years. Among the issues, SYFRS wants views on their expected response times for different types of incidents, which have been published in the draft plan. Set of response standards The proposed new response time arrangements take into account whether a person’s life...

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...

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...

Advanced's Technical Support Manager, Paul Duffy gives his insight into the diagnostic features of fire panels that can help save time, money and hassle. Fire detection and alarm systems are increasingly complex and sophisticated, benefiting from cutting-edge digital technology. As a fire alarm engineer installing, servicing and/or commissioning such technology, it can be hard to keep on top of electrical skills and the latest regulations/local installation standards, let alone the many differe...

Bacharach, a globally renowned provider of HVAC-R gas instrumentation, has announced the appointment of Matthew Toone as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Matthew Toone joins Bacharach from Emerson, where he served as Vice President of Sales, Service and Solutions for Emerson’s Cold Chain Platform. New CEO appointed The company said Matthew Toone will be responsible for the further integration of the Parasense and Neutronics brands, and setting the company’s s...

Application Solutions (Safety and Security) Ltd (ASL) is pleased to announce compliance with Cyber Essentials, a government-backed scheme that ensures organizations are protected against a whole range of the most common cyber threats and attacks. Compliance with Cyber Essentials The accreditation demonstrates ASL’s commitment to cyber security and its security program that ensures best security practices are followed, devices and networks are protected, policies, processes, and procedure...