Fire Prevention - News

In the dry heat of the high desert, the California and Nevada Air National Guard, the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, and multiple other fire-fighting agencies across the United States are performing their annual certification training for the aerial fire-fighting mission with MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System), from May 4 – May 7, 2021. The success of this training is built on the trusted partnerships between the fire-fighting agencies, having forged their tactical expertise su...

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...

Johnson Controls, the globally renowned company for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings and architect of OpenBlue connected solutions, has unveiled its new ANSUL LVS Non-Fluorinated Liquid Suppression Agent. The new agent is manufactured without the use of per-fluorinated chemicals and is performance tested to ensure maximum effectiveness. It is now available worldwide. LVS Non-Fluorinated Agent LVS Non-Fluorinated Agent works by rapidly knocking down flames, then blanketing the fuel and...

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...

Jactone is pleased to confirm that after a detailed program of engagement with the notified certification body, they have achieved UKCA Mark certification. The UKCA Mark certification applies to all Jactone UK manufactured cylinders (pressure vessels) and system assemblies for the Premium and Marine Range fire extinguishers and PAFSS fire suppression systems. Relevant pressure equipment The CE Mark will still be required for relevant pressure equipment placed on the EU market After a post-Br...

Oshkosh Airport Products, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced that the company has secured its first order for the new Striker ARFF vehicle, which was introduced in January 2021. The newly upgraded Striker ARFF will be delivered to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) Fire Department in late summer 2021. New Striker 6x6 ARFF vehicle MSP’s new Striker 6x6 ARFF vehicle will be an addition to an entirely Oshkosh fleet MSP’s new Striker 6x6 ARFF veh...

The number of Police Fire and Crime Commissioners could rise after the PCC elections on 6 May, as the UK Government indicates strong support for this type of governance. Currently, there are four Police Fire and Crime Commissioners in England: Staffordshire Essex Northamptonshire North Yorkshire Julia Mulligan is stepping down in North Yorkshire and Mathew Ellis is likewise in Staffordshire. PCC elections Other PCCs have shown interest in taking on governance in the fire but have bee...

Verint Systems (Verint), the globally renowned customer engagement company, announced that global wellness brand, GNC is leveraging Verint Experience Management, as an investment in its omni-channel strategy, in order to provide consumers with the ultimate shopping experience. Spike in health products demand With more than 3,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada, GNC prides itself on meeting the growing and fast-changing needs of its customers. The company experienced a spike in demand for heal...

Safety Technology International announces that it will be attending the very first virtual event as Europe’s largest gathering of fire safety professionals goes digital. FIREX 2021 FIREX International Connect 2021 will bring the fire safety community together online throughout the entire month of June – two years on from FIREX International 2019, its last fire industry tradeshow in the UK. The virtual online event is a unique opportunity for buyers to browse fire safety...

A fire alarm system’s purpose is for the protection of property but, more importantly, life! A fire alarm system consists of many components, the majority providing either detection or alarm functionality. One of these components being the fire alarm sounder. The fire alarm sounder was always assumed to be one of the best methods for alerting occupants of a fire scenario. But is it? Over recent years the sounder with integrated beacon has been the favored solution as they offer both audib...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced that the NFPA Standards Council has approved the development of NFPA 420, Standard on Fire Protection of Cannabis Growing and Processing Facilities. The new standard, which was originally proposed in response to serious fires that have occurred at cannabis facilities in recent years, will provide clear guidance on fire protection standards for facilities that produce, process, and extract cannabis.  Fire protection aspects of gro...

FIREX International Connect 2021 is a brand-new, month-long digital event running throughout June. The upcoming FIREX International in-person event will take place at ExCeL London from 12-14 July, providing the first opportunity in over two years for the fire safety industry to unite face-to-face. “Both events present unmissable opportunities for the industry to reconnect and explore the innovative approaches to fire safety that have been born out of a challenging year,” said Chris...

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has recently launched its Small Organisations Newsletter - SME Newsletter. The NCSC notes “SMEs cover a huge range of businesses and makeup 99% of all business in the UK." cyber-related issues The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) adds, "Often SMEs do not have the budget of large organizations to spend on cyber security. This Newsletter aims to break down cyber-related issues into bitesize pieces which can be read in a coffee break." The NC...

Owners of a hotel in Leamington Spa have been ordered to pay £350,000 plus costs after a judge at Warwick Crown Court found them guilty of multiple breaches of the Fire Safety Order. 38 breaches of fire safety laws Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service inspectors visited the Falstaff Hotel on multiple occasions between 2017 and 2019, finding smoke alarms covered in plastic bags, fire escapes blocked with laundry, locked fire exits, and faulty alarms. The owners of Talash Ltd and parent f...

The Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) has been working with industry and insurers for more than 100 years to set the standards needed to ensure that fire and security products and services perform effectively. LPCB’s Loss Prevention Standards (LPS) are now widely recognized and applied in fire and security sectors around the world. LPCB offers third-party certification confirming that products and services have met and will continue to meet these standards.  Streletz-PRO de...

Arson costs the country millions of pounds every year and puts lives at risk. It accounts for almost half of all fires attended by the fire and rescue services and can have devastating effects in terms of its cost and consequences. Insurers report that arson costs over £1bn in fire-related claims across the UK each year. Damage to property, business interruption, and other inconvenience caused by arson is significant. Deliberate fires cost a vast amount of money, but also endanger life,...

Australia is at a turning point in the national conversation about sexual harassment and gender inequality. To make sure these conversations turn into action, the Diversity Council of Australia is asking Australian CEOs to take the #IStandForRespect diversity pledge. Advancing gender equality AFAC CEO Stuart Ellis recently signed the pledge, committing to: Stand against gendered harassment and violence in all its forms. Take steps to address sexual and sex-based harassment, to make the wor...

A new guide that outlines the key updates relating to cable pathways has been launched by Legrand UK & Ireland, following updates to a number of key industry regulations. The guide – Creating Cable Pathways – follows recent updates to the IET wiring regulations, as well as the release of the Dame Judith Hackitt independent review of building regulations and fire safety final report. Current standards landscape It has been launched to provide electrical installers with assistan...

Following a decision of its Board, Euralarm has welcomed its new member Innohome. The company will join the fire section of Euralarm. Innohome will now benefit from Euralarm’s services in terms of representation towards European institutions and standardization organizations. This includes the monitoring of legislative and standardization issues relevant to the industry. Innohome will have access to the extended network of national associations and major companies in the electronic fire s...

Fire Safety Bill receives Royal Assent and is an Act of Parliament, leading to major changes to fire safety in response to the Grenfell Tower fire. The Fire Safety Act 2021 provides the legal basis for meeting some of the recommendations from Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Grenfell Inquiry Phase 1 report. series of regulations The Act makes changes to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, known as the Fire Safety Order. It’s not the end of the process, as much of the cont...

£9.5 million fire safety framework contract will see social housing providers accessing suppliers to provide external wall certification and fire engineering services. The Peabody Trust is pioneering a tender exercise to help find suppliers who can provide external wall assessments for their own building stock as well as allow other social housing groups to use the same framework. safe and affordable housing The Peabody Group is responsible for 71,800 homes across London and the southea...

A Cambridgeshire fire officer is taking on a fitness challenge to raise money for The Fire Fighter’s Charity. Group Commander Simon Thompson has taken on the challenge of completing 44,597 press-ups, marking one for each member of staff who works for the fire service in England. Firefighters' Memorial Day He began the ‘44k by the 4th May’ mission on 1 December and will be completing the remaining press-ups on Tuesday 4 May (Firefighters’ Memorial Day) at Cambridge...

Usually, if the application requires acoustic and visual notification, the market offers two separate products. Nevertheless, sometimes for public buildings, hotels, and hospitals, but also for industry and other verticals, it may be necessary to have a combination of visual and acoustic alarms in one device. AVENAR all-in-one 4000 Bosch Security System’s AVENAR all-in-one 4000 is one product that can provide such a solution. This product is able to combine not only a sounder and a strob...

Congratulations to the many pubs, restaurants and cafes that have reopened for outdoor dining and drinking. Once again, we’re all adapting to a new normal – one where we eat, drink and socialize outside. But it’s not just the tables and chairs that make this new arrangement possible. As hospitality businesses know, public safety is vital, but not just in COVID-19 terms. Barriers in outdoor seating areas Many local authorities across the United Kingdom (UK) have accepted that...

Verint®, the Customer Engagement Company™, announces Verint Intelligent Virtual Assistant Professional (IVA Pro) Package™, a low-code conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) offering that can rapidly turn existing conversation data into automated self-service experiences. As part of the Verint Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) offering, the package allows business professionals to quickly deploy a production-ready chatbot to deflect calls and support customers. Verint IVA...

Rescu (Rescu Saves Lives), an emergency alert app that connects people directly to certified emergency dispatchers, has launched throughout the United States, in partnership with over 30,000 local emergency agencies. Rescu is the first and only Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) in a non-hardware platform. Rescu emergency alert app Unlike 9-1-1, the Rescu app does not require speaking to a dispatcher. With Rescu, users can communicate non-verbally to an emergency dispatcher. This means...

Business owners across Norfolk are being asked to check their fire risk assessments following incidents since pubs and restaurants reopened for outdoor dining in the county. Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service has attended two fires involving the use of outdoor heaters at licensed premises this month. There have also been several incidents across the county of fires in residential gardens as people use barbecues, patio heaters, and fire pits to allow outdoor socializing in cool weather. Accidents...

Safe Fleet Fire, EMS and Industrial (FRC, FoamPro, Elkhart Brass, ROM) is excited to announce and welcome the addition of Kurtis Rood as a member of the North American sales team. In his new role, Kurtis will be responsible for supporting Midwestern OEM customers and dealers while expanding use of the portfolio of safety products. He joins Safe Fleet from TTI (Milwaukee Tool) where he was a territory rep in charge of generating new growth opportunities. Prior to TTI, Kurtis completed his unde...

Court hears how a rail worker suffered severe burns as a result of a fire caused by health and safety breaches in an electrical substation in Kent. Recently, Network Rail pleaded guilty at Folkestone Magistrate’s Court to an offense under the Health and Safety at Work Act for failing to protect the safety of staff. failure to maintain dehumidifiers The incident took place on 20 December 2018 after Network Rail failed, over a significant period of time, to prevent water from leaking into...

First responders are woven into people’s everyday lives and must deal with immense daily stress to keep society safe. Due to this constant exposure to life’s most extreme situations, this can cause exponentially larger cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, panic disorder, and other operational stress injuries than within the general population. Significance of Virtual Reality How to better prepare first responders for these situations before and after dangero...