Fire Safety Planning - News

Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen's Association’s (CVVFA) Candice McDonald is featured in a new e-Book authored by CVVFA’s good friend, Chief Dennis Compton. Candice McDonald and 30 other exceptional women have been featured in the new e-Book for their vital roles in the fire service. Candice McDonald featured in new e-book Chief Dennis Compton chose to include Candice MacDonald in his e-book, describing her as a leader who balances her professional, family and volunteer respons...

When entering, exiting, or passing through a building, door hardware is always the first point of contact. Whether users are met with a mechanical system such as a lever handle, an exit device, or an access control solution, all architectural hardware must be fit for its role - operating as intended the first time, every time. Aside from being an integral piece of a building’s navigational network, door hardware inherently plays a vital role in critical safety scenarios too. Fire doors an...

CMC, the rescue and work-at-height company dedicated to helping save lives and keeping people safe, announces its 2022 CMC School schedule of courses for rescue professional training. Offering education in many disciplines at strategic locations around the country, the CMC School provides hands-on learning and practical scenarios, including Confined Space Rescue, Rope Rescue and Trench Rescue classes. Two new classes have been added this year: Introduction to Rope Access for Rescue and Arizona...

On-call crews need to live or work within five minutes of a fire station, which makes it a real possibility for those now working remotely, just like Phil Gower. Phil responds to emergencies from Cranbrook fire station during the day, in the evenings, and at weekends as required, including when he’s working from home. Author's quote He said, "My employer is really supportive of my role as an on-call firefighter and understands that in an emergency, there’s somebody out there who u...

Over 70 colleagues from the fire sector gathered at the Oriental Club in Stratford Place, London to celebrate the FPA's platinum jubilee. Guests included current and former government ministers, and staff from the NFCC, IFE, and the London Fire Brigade, among many others. More than merely a victory lap or a gathering of old friends, the event was also a poignant reminder of what can be achieved within the sector with a collective and unified voice, and a singular message.  FPA C...

Due to the GPS in mobile phones, users live in a world where friends and family can track each other’s every move, mobile apps, and smart home devices to meet up, stay connected, and even watch one another make it safely home. But in an emergency, if a person calls 911 from a mobile phone, the operator likely has less information than a rideshare driver. Despite significant advances in technology that allows for the collection and sharing of geolocation information, few severely underfund...

Fire services across Yorkshire are re-iterating their advice to road users on what to do when coming across blue light vehicles, with more cars now on the roads due to lockdown restrictions easing. Stay calm, pull over safely and give as much room as possible is the key message from the four brigades–South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, and Humberside. Drivers are also being urged not to perform emergency stops in the middle of a road. This, the services say, can end up slowi...

Many of the customers work outside whether that’s in the transport industry, emergency services industry, or even utility industry. And as users are reaching the cold, wintery months, it’s always a good reminder of how to stay warm in cold weather. This article focuses on: Base Layers Thermal Workwear Accessories Base Layers Base layers are great because they not only add an extra layer underneath the workwear but also hold the muscles tight to improve blood flow, improve o...

According to the NFPA, every 1 in 31 Christmas tree fire is deadly. Most households and businesses across the United States will bring a Christmas tree inside, decorated with ornaments and string lights. Fire risk with Christmas tree While Christmas tree fires are rare, they still happen and can result in fatal injuries. It’s important to be aware of the fire risks that come with owning a Christmas tree so that users can focus on creating the safest environment possible. If the user...

The adoption and implementation of hazard-resistant building codes is the most effective community mitigation measure against hazard risk. According to FEMA's Building Code Save Study, 65% of counties, cities, and towns across the United States of America (USA) currently have not adopted modern building codes. Getting community ready FEMA's new Building Science Resource Library, launched in October 2021, contains materials focused on creating disaster-resistant communities, including detailed...

Amthal is celebrating its landmark 21st anniversary, and growth from a two-man residential security company to a 50 strong team, integrated fire, and security specialist. Launched in 2000, by close friends John Allam and Paul Rosenthal, Amthal now has over 50 members in the team and operates on a Europe-wide basis providing installation maintenance and monitoring services across all commercial, residential and public sectors. In 2008, Jamie Allam joined the management team to become Commercial...

Globally renowned Japanese life safety solutions provider, Hochiki, has launched in the Danish market, with its most powerful and sophisticated fire control and indication system yet, L@titude. Following Part 13 certification, which then paved the way for DBI approval, this market renowned system uses an interface that is available in multiple languages, simple to use and understand. L@titude life safety system The new L@titude life safety system combines the very latest hardware and software...

MSA, 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 its tenth year, the program has provided over $1 million worth of gear to assist volunteer fire departments in need. In 2021, 13 departments will each receive four sets of turnout gear and four helmets to help enhance the safety of their firefighters. The first 500 applicants also received a one-year NVFC m...

The UKAS Academy Training Team continues to evolve with learners at the forefront of everything they do. A key objective of theirs is to ensure that they deliver valuable content to their customers to empower them to add value to their organizations and support them in the continuous improvement of their service. Over the coming year, they will be undertaking a three-part quality improvement project, designed to enhance their training programs and provide a delegate experience that is highly le...

Nic Preston, Director of Qualifications of FireQual, discusses the work of Fire Doors Complete Ltd. and their new association with FireQual with MD, Neil Ashdown. Nic Preston: Can you describe the work of Fire Doors Complete Ltd. and how you support the fire safety industry? Neil: At Fire Doors Complete we specialize in fire doors and helping building operators comply with the legal requirements of the 2005 Fire Safety Order. Not just building operators but we help all that manufactu...

The shipping industry is responsible for three percent of global GHG emissions every year. The good news is that the necessary technologies to achieve a significant emissions reduction from shipping are already available. “The climate crisis requires urgent action. We already have technologies that make vessels significantly more fuel efficient, preserve the marine environment, reduce fuel costs and enable a more sustainable value chain,” says Alexander Enström, Executive Vice...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection has announced the shortlist for its 2021 Passive Fire Protection Awards, with the winners due to be announced on 26 November at the Association’s Awards Lunch at the Edwardian Hotel in Manchester. The awards will be presented by broadcaster, naturalist, and marine biologist Monty Hall. The 2021 event will see awards presented in six categories, each recognizing excellence within the passive fire protection industry, at a company and...

The November 15 - 21, 2021 week is all about celebrating the heroes of road safety and Hardstaff Barriers is proud to be taking part in the celebrations. The Road Safety Week runs from November 15 to November 21, 2021 and is celebrating the work of people across the United Kingdom, who play a key role to make the roads a safer place for everyone. Road Safety Week Hardstaff Barriers value every single member of their hard-working team, who work around the clock to supply, manage and install th...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are gearing up for Road Safety Week, the UK’s biggest annual road safety campaign. The theme for 2021, to be held from 15-21 November, is ‘Road Safety Heroes,’ celebrating the work of road safety professionals and explaining how users can all help make journeys safer. The service is partnering with West Yorkshire Police, National Highways, and local authorities across the region to champion road safety and reduce death, injury, and a...

The Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union (MPFFU) is five affiliates stronger after 8th District Vice President Mark Sanders led a ceremonial oath of membership for the 70 new members at the MPFFU 6th District fall meeting. MPFFU President Mark Docherty, Secretary-Treasurer Terry Chesney, and 6th District Vice President Matt Sahr were also present. Addition of new members “It’s an honor to represent the 8th district in welcoming our newest members. Thanks to the MPFFU and 6th...

Join General President Ed Kelly for a virtual Q&A on Facebook Live at noon on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. The event will be streamed live on the IAFF Facebook page and will be open to the public. Committed to making the IAFF a member-focused and member-driven organization, President Kelly will provide an update on recent IAFF headquarter activities, continuing transition work, and a discussion on issues of national interest to members across our two countries. IAFF hopes users ca...

Fire officers have welcomed the conviction of a man who started a fire outside flats in Rotherham.  Alex Teasdale of Meadow Close, Dalton, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and given a 10-year restraining order at Sheffield Crown Court on 5 November, after pleading guilty to committing arson recklessly as to whether life would be endangered at the property in Dalton, Rotherham in September 2019. The fire – which involved household waste – quickly spread to the exterior of t...

Six fire engines and 2,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) have started their journey across Europe to Ukraine.  The de-commissioned fire engines have been donated to Fire Aid by Kent Fire Rescue Service (KFRS), together with a vast array of equipment, including PPE donated by fire and rescue services from across the country. KFRS Supports Fire Aid Mission In Ukraine KFRS Station Manager, Mike Pitney, said: “Last year, hundreds of Ukrainian firefighters worked for weeks...

The St. Louis County Hazardous Materials Response Team, which includes Professional Fire Fighters of Eastern Missouri Local 2665 members, were called to respond when a chemical tank at GKN Aerospace in Hazelwood, Missouri, containing Nitric Acid leaked creating an orange, toxic cloud to escape from the building. When the team arrived, the orange vapor cloud was hovering over the building. The team needed to quickly determine what dangers the chemical posed before deciding on a response strategy...

Leda Security has been a part of the ARA Group for over two years now and is an important product line within the ARA Manufacture Division. Offering products including bollards, gates, hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) products, turnstiles and commercial bicycle racks, the alignment between Leda Security and ARA Manufacture allows for significant manufacturing efficiencies around Australia and New Zealand. Physical security systems Leda Security systems have been installed on government projec...

The Government has confirmed that verification bodies for the UK ETS scheme do not need to be registered as a UK legal entity or have an office in the UK, but they shall need to hold the appropriate accreditation (ISO 14065) from the UK’s National Accreditation Body, i.e. UKAS. The UKAS assessment will take into account any relevant accreditation where this has been granted by a National Accreditation Body that is a signatory to the EA Multilateral Agreement (MLA) and, where such accredit...

As a direct result of the findings of the Hackitt Report and subsequent government focus on the recommendations for the wider fire safety environment, FIREX International, the UK’s fire industry tradeshow, has taken the decision to fully commit to supporting and promoting third-party approvals, independent accreditation, and competency for construction products and services. This will mean all exhibiting companies with relevant fire protection or prevention systems and materials will need...

Heather Stefanson was sworn in as Manitoba’s new premier following a hotly contested and very close election. Her election as the province’s first female premier was, in no small part, due to the work of IAFF members. The IAFF has long said to elected leaders that they don’t have liberal or conservative issues, they have firefighter issues. Voting campaign In the final vote tally, Stefanson won by 363 votes; the margin of victory was decided by the work of the Manitoba Profe...

UK Building Regulations regularly update the importance of fire safety compliance for building structures and require all buildings to have adequate fire protection measures in place, in order to protect both property and lives. Regular fire risk assessments Regular fire risk assessments and monitoring of the quality of buildings ensure that no corner of a building remains unprotected. Most types of buildings are well-equipped with fire extinguishers, alarms and other fire safety measures, so...

Following the success of the virtual roundtable discussion last November at London Build Online, have arranged another one this November – this time in person – at the London Build Expo 2021, taking place at Olympia, London, UK, between 17 November and 18 November 2021. While the first discussion looked at the importance of early engagement in fire stopping mostly from the design point of view, are planning to build the forthcoming discussion around the coordination and management o...