Fire Protection - News

In May 2022, the Environment Agency’s Waste Industry Regulatory Services and Chemical Compliance Team (EA) advised the Fire Industry Association (FIA) that they are applying a restriction on persistent organic pollutants entering sewerage systems and the water environment. This group of chemicals is known to have adverse long-term effects on the environment and human health, and can be found in some fire extinguishers. Chemicals in fire extinguishers The chemicals, often known as POPs,...

The first severe forest fires of this summer in some southern countries, but also in Germany, are a clear indication of the explosive development in vegetation fires, according to the vegetation fire expert in the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb), Dr. Ulrich Cimolino. Just recently - as several times in previous years - the Spanish tourist stronghold Costa del Sol was affected. There, more than 3000 people, including many tourists, had to be brought to safety. the...

For a business owner, chances are that they have been told that the restaurant needs to comply with fire safety regulations. But what does that mean? And what are the specific fire safety regulations need to be aware of as a restaurant owner or manager?  This piece takes through the most important fire safety regulations for restaurants, so owners can ensure the business complies. Stay safe and informed! The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 Restaurant owners are responsible for...

Over 100 firefighters from West Midlands Fire Service were called to the Smurfit Kappa recycling plant in Nechells, Birmingham on Sunday 12 June 2022. major blaze West Midlands Fire Service sent over 30 appliances to the scene of a major blaze where “there was around 8,000 tons of compressed cardboard on fire," according to Area Commander, Sam Burton. Firefighters are expected to be at the site for the next two days. The fire was declared a major incident and saw the A47 Heartlands...

The Optimum Group (Optimum Drywall Systems Ltd) is delighted to share the changes that have been underway, as part of their fire-stopping team restructure. They have recently secured some great projects with clients, both old and new, and are excited to deliver them with a fresh and talented Fire Stopping Team. They have a new leadership structure, promoted from an established and experienced management team, and added some exceptional new talent to create a department that can provide a reliab...

Oshkosh Corporation, an innovator of mission-critical vehicles and essential equipment, announced that it has completed the acquisition of Maxi-Métal Inc. (MAXIMETAL) of Saint-Georges de Beauce, Quebec, Canada. MAXIMETAL is a pioneer in the design and manufacture of custom fire apparatus and utility vehicles in the Canadian market and will be part of Oshkosh’s Fire & Emergency segment. Quality and reliability “MAXIMETAL is an organization known for quality, reliabilit...

The Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Fire Standard focuses on ensuring fire and rescue services are prepared to respond to major incidents and large-scale emergencies or disruptive challenges (emergencies). One of the desired outcomes of the Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Fire Standard is that services will contribute effectively to national resilience requirements and have suitable and sufficient access to resources and assets to support response to local, regio...

Frontline firefighters in Tyne and Wear are benefitting from a ground-breaking new scheme, which sees them being trained in first aid and trauma support by a leading North East paramedic educator. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) have teamed up with the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS), in a scheme believed to be the first of its kind in England. TWFRS – NEAS partnership It has seen Paramedic Educator, Phil Barlow, who has 15-years frontline experience being seconded to...

FirePro technology was successfully presented at the EAN University in Bogota, Colombia. The event took place on 19th May 2022 by the Fire Protection Association of Colombia (ANRACI) and their regional FirePro channel Partner AGNIS. Various commercial and technological capabilities were presented as part of the overall seminar as well as a dedicated specialized technical section - predominantly aimed at installers and designers. Fire suppression systems FirePro’s Regional Business Devel...

Angus Fire is pleased to announce that the company has donated a wide range of much needed firefighting hose, branch pipes and other firefighting equipment to firefighters in Ukraine, in order to help them protect buildings, critical assets and help them to save lives.

Fire safety checks will need to be redone on more than 1,600 council homes, because of concerns previous inspections may have been conducted by unqualified officials. The revelation is the latest twist in a long-running saga, which emerged last year when Norwich City Council admitted hundreds of people in its properties were potentially put in danger because crucial safety inspections of fire, water, and electrics had not been done. Overdue gas checks Since then, £1.2 million has been s...

Fire safety checks will need to be redone on more than 1,600 council homes, because of concerns previous inspections may have been conducted by unqualified officials. The revelation is the latest twist in a long-running saga, which emerged last year when Norwich City Council admitted hundreds of people in its properties were potentially put in danger because crucial safety inspections of fire, water, and electrics had not been done. Overdue gas checks Since then, £1.2 million has been s...

Recent research from Duke University involved firefighters wearing silicon wristbands on and off the job. The silicon absorbs any semi-volatile organic compounds the firefighters may have been exposed to. The wristbands worn by firefighters were analyzed for 134 different chemical compounds, including phthalates, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate esters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), all of which have been linked to increased...

Recent research from Duke University involved firefighters wearing silicon wristbands on and off the job. The silicon absorbs any semi-volatile organic compounds the firefighters may have been exposed to. The wristbands worn by firefighters were analyzed for 134 different chemical compounds, including phthalates, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate esters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), all of which have been linked to increased...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) welcomes the publication of the new Building Safety Bill but remains concerned about the length of time it may take to pass through Parliament, the continued lack of funding and support for leaseholders, and the delay in defining product safety criteria, with much of the detailed regulation expected to be contained within secondary legislation. Establishment of a new Building Safety Regulator The ASFP welcomes the establishment of a new Bu...

Briggs & Stratton has announced that Kristina Cerniglia has joined the Company as Senior Vice President (SVP) & Chief Financial Officer (CFO). She joins Briggs & Stratton after serving eight years at Hillenbrand, Inc., as Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. Prior to Hillenbrand, Inc., she spent 23 years in the financial organizations at Stanley Black & Decker and United Technologies Corporation. Kristina Cerniglia currently serves on the Board of Directors for L...

Rosenbauer complements its extensive forest fire portfolio with a special rescue and fireboat developed in collaboration with PALFINGER MARINE. Fire departments can use it to fight forest fires near the coast or shore from the water, which is an advantage wherever the scene of the fire is difficult to access over land or access with forest fire vehicles is not possible. The boat is also the rescue vehicle of choice when people have to be rescued from beaches because a burning forest edge has...

The classic car parade and the motorcycle meeting on INTERSCHUTZ Saturday - this demonstration is likely to have rarity value not only in Hanover. On 25 June 2022, around 50 fire engines will drive through Hanover in a long procession. The special feature: Together they should have around 2,000 years or more under their belt. This is because the convoy, which will make its way from INTERSCHUTZ to downtown Hannover in the morning and, after a breather in front of the New Town Hall, back to the e...

Leading Britain’s Conversation (LBC) has reportedly seen an email from representatives at Arsenal which says that the vital works can start "after the football season." To date, the permissions to start work and put up scaffolding still has yet to be signed off by the football club. Arsenal received funding from the government for remediation works on 1 and 3 Queensland Road in December 2021, two years after a survey found the blocks have missing fire breaks, and unsafe insulation th...

AVK Holding A/S acquired 100% interest in TALIS Group’s UK operations. Going forward, the business will trade as Atlantic Plastics Ltd. and continue to operate out of its head office and manufacturing base in Bridgend, South Wales. Atlantic Plastics has a strong portfolio of industry brands including ATPLAS below-ground meter boxes, EBCO gunmetal valves and fittings, and Talbot push-fit fittings with a strong market position in the UK market. Strong market position The valve part of the...

FAFS has been featured in Fire Safety Matters Magazine and Website for its ‘Waking Watch’ replacement project in six blocks of apartment buildings to help improve fire detection for a North London Borough. Ekho, the newest hybrid wireless fire detection solution developed by Hochiki Europe, has been installed to provide round-the-clock monitoring in place of manual inspections, with devices installed adjacent to all windows, communal areas, corridors, stairwells, and living...

The government has published its response to the consultation on the use of cladding in buildings over 11 m in England. Combustible materials have been banned for use in external facades of buildings higher than 18m since 2018, following extensive lobbying in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.  In early 2020, the government suggested also banning the use of such materials for buildings above 11 m in height, and ran a consultation on this in May 2020, the response to which has just b...

Safe Fleet: Fire, EMS, and Industrial (FRC, FoamPro, Elkhart Brass, ROM) are excited to announce the addition of Jeff Platt as the Atlantic Regional Sales Manager. In his new role, Jeff will continue to build and strengthen relationships with Fire & EMS customers in the Atlantic region. His territory will include Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Washington D.C., Delaware, Maryland, and Western Pennsylvania. Jeff’s experience Jeff is very well established with distribution...

ATEIS Middle East is delighted to invite their users to the Intersec 2022 the trade fair for Security, Safety, and Fire Protection at Dubai, United Arab Emirates to discover the latest innovations in the Life safety industry and to experience their latest PA/VA, Fire Alarm, Smart City solutions live! Meet ATEIS experts between 16-18 January 2022 at the 23rd edition of Intersec DWTC, Dubai, Hall: 4 Stand: E-20.

The Ateis team welcomed all the visitors and went through the many new innovative solutions that were offered under the #VELOX #Fire_Detection brand, to name a few; a new range of Black VELOX Fire Detection System, and the state of the the art #VELOXVITA, fully integrated 4G Fire Detection Control Panel.  #VELOX_TOUCH is an innovation tagged with #Made_in_UAE, the world’s lowest current consumption Sounder/flasher, and the enhanced hands-on demo on the VELOX CLOUD. It was a great opp...

Research by Luxfer Gas Cylinders into how back, joint and limb pain affect firefighter health is released, ahead of Interschutz 2022. Fire services could be losing an average of 25 staff days per year, for each team member affected by poor musculoskeletal (MSK) health – thought to be around one in four firefighters. Luxfer, the industry-renowned manufacturer of lightweight, durable, high-performance SCBA cylinders, investigated the prevalence and impact of musculoskeletal health issues, i...

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service attended the Emergency Services Day event, as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend celebrations, held at Halifax Piece Hall. Colleagues from North Yorkshire FRS also joined in with their water safety demonstration kit, which was a hit with both children and adults. Firefighters from Rastrick, Halifax, and Todmorden showcased fire engines, water rescue guidance, and wildfire vehicles, while the Calderdale Fire Prevention team was on hand to...

The government has published its response to the consultation on the use of cladding in buildings over 11m in England. Combustible materials Combustible materials have been banned for use in external facades of buildings higher than 18m since 2018, following extensive lobbying in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire. In early 2020, the government suggested also banning the use of such materials for buildings above 11m in height, and ran a consultation on this in May 2020, the response to...

In Australia, fire is never too far away. From the bushfires that ravage New South Wales (NSW) to the kitchen fires in Melbourne, the threat is there. For those who live in high-risk areas, the ability to fight a fire should not be overlooked or underrated. And while firefighters consider using a fire extinguisher as a last resort, they are sometimes the best bet in fighting a fire until help arrives. But, as important as it may be, many don't know much about fire extinguishers and what types o...

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) is in serious need of funding to tackle the building safety crisis, according to Commissioner Andy Roe. A total of 1,100 of London’s buildings above 11 meters are currently listed by the LFB as having serious fire safety issues. While this represents a slight drop from 1,174 in March, the capital has had more than 1,000 unsafe buildings for almost a year, and the real number of unsafe buildings could be much higher. City Hall Plenary meeting At a City Hall...