Fire Safety Planning - News

Safety reporting body - CROSS-UK published a report earlier this month highlighting the fire risks from poorly maintained green walls, as changes to fire safety law mean that the external walls will become part of fire risk assessments.  Green walls have been a popular way of making urban areas more attractive, contribute to biodiversity and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Close-down procedures This new report from CROSS-UK discusses how building close-down procedures that...

The Virginia Professional Fire Fighters Association (VPFF) endorsed Terry McAuliffe in his bid to return to the governor’s mansion, thanking him for his support for firefighters and paramedics and vowing to join him on the campaign trail. McAuliffe is running in a tight race for governor against Republican Glenn Youngkin to replace Governor Ralph Northam, whose term ends in 2022. Northam replaced McAuliffe after his first four-year term in 2018. “Thank you for all that you did for...

Henri downgraded from a tropical storm to depression once it made landfall on August 22. While there are reports of flooded streets, power outages, and fallen trees, there have been no reports of damage to IAFF member homes. As the storm continues to weaken, a comprehensive IAFF Disaster Relief operation is not expected. As the storm moved inland, flooding, wind damage, and power outages have been reported in parts of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. According to local power compan...

While they all hoped 2020 would see the end of lockdowns in Australia, 2021 has brought on new pandemic-driven challenges as the COVID-19 Delta variant continues to affect the majority of states across the nation. New South Wales and Victoria are experiencing some of the harshest lockdowns Australia has seen in an effort to ‘stop the spread’ of the highly contagious Delta variant. Impact on the local businesses These frequent and prolonged lockdowns are having a significant impact...

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has approved the first UK GDPR certification scheme criteria. Recently UKAS accredited Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) has developed criteria for two schemes relating to age assurance and children’s online privacy. This is a great example of UKAS working with regulators to bring important improvements in safety and child protection in innovative emerging sectors.

At approximately 9:27 pm, on Thursday, 19th August 2021, Joint Fire Control received the first call to a fire at a privately owned commercial garage, located in Gwaun Cae-Gurwen, a village and community in the borough of Neath Port Talbot, in South West Wales and mobilized crews from Amman Valley, Pontardawe, Ammanford, Morriston, Tumble and Llanelli, in Wales, United Kingdom (UK), to the incident spot. Due to the contents within the single-story garage, which consisted of numerous vehicles, ti...

South Yorkshire’s firefighters have responded to less deliberate fires so far this summer than in recent years, according to figures released by the county’s fire service. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) says it has attended 997 deliberate fire incidents across May, June, and July this year–a seven percent reduction compared to the 1,073 attended during the same period last year. Against the average for May, June, and July across the last three years–which...

Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Inc., a subsidiary of REV Group® and a manufacturer of custom-built, heavy-duty fire apparatus, announces the addition of Patriot Fire USA to its nationwide dealer network. Patriot Fire USA is now the Ferrara dealer for Maryland, serving customers throughout the state. About Patriot Fire USA Located in Grasonville, Maryland, Patriot Fire USA recently opened a new facility that will provide quality service from a highly experienced team. Additionally, the facil...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to assist the state of California in combating the Monument Fire burning in Trinity County. On August 17, 2021, the State of California submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant declaration for the Monument Fire burning in Trinity County.  At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 5,053 residential structures in and around Junction City, Weaverville, Hayfork, and Douglas City,...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to assist the state of California in combating the Caldor Fire burning in El Dorado County. On August 17, 2021, the State of California submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant declaration for the Caldor Fire burning in El Dorado County.  Fire threat At the time of approval, the Caldor Fire was threatening approximately 7,500 homes in and around Pollock Pines, Grizzly Flats, Camino, a...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of the federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Twenty-Five Mile Fire burning in Chelan County, Washington. The state of Washington’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was approved by FEMA Region 10 Acting Administrator Vince Maykovich on Monday, August 17, 2021, at 10:39 p.m. PT. He determined that the Twenty-Five Mile Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is pleased to announce the winners of its 2021 Annual Fire Service Achievement Awards. NVFC’s awards recipients Theodore Schroll Jr. will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by ADT, Robert James will receive the Chief James P. Seavey Sr. Health and Wellness Leadership Award, co-sponsored by VFIS and Ward Diesel Filter Systems, Paige Davis will receive the Junior Firefighter of the Year Award, sponsored by California Casualty, and t...

Firefighters have begun responding to 999 calls from South Yorkshire’s newest fire station for the first time. The new two storey, three-bay Barnsley fire station was completed earlier this month and went operational on 17 August. The energy-efficient building on Broadway, Kingstone replaces the 60-year-old fire station on the same site which had reached the end of its operational life. Firefighters had been housed in a temporary facility off-site while the year-long construction of...

Women in Fire Safety is seeking nominations for its inaugural awards recognizing excellence in the fire safety industry. The Women in Fire Safety Awards honor the outstanding achievements and contributions of all women within the fire safety community. Founded by Chloe Vickery and Kate Blake, the awards strive to address the historical gender imbalance and champion a more progressive industry. More progressive industry They said: “We hope to encourage the next generation to see fire saf...

Bosch Security Systems has announced the release of new Aviotec firmware version 7.81 that comprises AI algorithms, which can now detect fire and smoke in changing weather and light conditions. Aviotec firmware version 7.81 The AI algorithms have been developed further in the Aviotec firmware version 7.81, in order to ensure reliability for sheltered outdoor areas. The fire risk in these areas and nearby buildings can now be reduced with intelligent, fast and reliable detection. In the past,...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Ford Corkscrew Fire burning in Stevens County, Washington. The state of Washington’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was approved by FEMA Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator Vincent Maykovich on Monday, Aug. 16, 2021, at 8:41 p.m. PT. He determined that the Ford Corkscrew Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute...

Two South Yorkshire firefighters are among a 20-strong team bidding to cycle the length of the UK to raise mental health awareness and thousands for charity. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s Mark Peart and Paul Simmonite are joining firefighting colleagues from Suffolk for the 10-day, 1,000-mile ride from Lands End to John O’Groats in September. The team is aiming to raise £50,000 for The Fire Fighters Charity, which supports the mental, physical, and social needs of a...

The IAFF’s political action efforts in Canada have led to two major advances in firefighter safety. On August 11, the Canadian government announced an action plan to reduce the harm that chemical flame retardants pose to the nation’s firefighters. On the same day, the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes finalized a new language for the 2020 edition of the National Building Code that finally recognizes the unique roles firefighters play during residential structure fires a...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Muckamuck Fire burning in Okanogan County, Washington. The state of Washington’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was approved by FEMA Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator Vincent Maykovich on Monday, Aug. 16, 2021, at 12:41 a.m. PT. He determined that the Muckamuck Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major...

FireEye, Inc., the intelligence-led security solutions company, has introduced FireEye XDR, a unified platform, designed to help security operations teams to strengthen threat detection, accelerate response capabilities and simplify investigations. FireEye XDR platform The FireEye XDR platform provides native security protections for endpoint, network, email, and the Cloud, with a focus on improving organizations’ capabilities, for controlling incidents from detection to response. FireE...

A draft of PAS 8673 is available for public comment and contains competence requirements for the new role of Building Safety Manager. This PAS is based on the recommendations and core competence criteria set out in BSI Flex 8670. It supports the introduction of the Building Safety Manager that is contained in the Building Safety Bill currently going through Parliament. PAS 8673 The BSI has facilitated the development of PAS 8673 and it is sponsored by MHCLG. Brian Atkin is cited as the techni...

FireQual, the specialist Awarding Body for the fire protection industry has qualifications that act as eligibility criteria for the FESS (Fire, Emergency and Security Systems) Systems Operative Card in Fire as part of the ECS Card Scheme. Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) The Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS), administered by the Joint Industry Board for the Electrotechnical Industry, is a CSCS Partner Scheme covering the electrotechnical sector and includes more than 175,0...

Apollo is dedicated to keeping people safe from fire and that’s why it offers free ongoing advice to building managers, housing associations, and others on choosing appropriate fire protection for buildings with fire safety concerns such as flammable cladding or compartmentation. Apollo works closely with its partners across the country who are doing a tremendous job at installing fire detection and alarm systems into the affected buildings. Apollo’s partner Pacific Fire and Securit...

WEROCK Technologies GmbH, innovative manufacturer of rugged tablets, notebooks and handhelds, presents the Rocktab U210, a powerful, ultra-compact, yet fully rugged tablet, which is designed specifically for the requirements of fire and rescue services. The new Ultra Series model comes with market-renowned features and is available to order now. Whether it's up-to-date information on the situation and location of an operation, map material, hydrant plans or retrieving rescue maps, the right com...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Bedrock Fire burning in Nez Perce County, Idaho, and on the Nez Perce Reservation. The state of Idaho’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was approved by FEMA Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator Vincent Maykovich on Friday, August 13, 2021, at 12:32 a.m. PT. He determined that the Bedrock Fire threatened to cause such destruction as wou...

FEMA authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Parley’s Canyon Fire burning in Salt Lake and Summit counties, near Summit Park, Utah. FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Tammy Littrell approved the state’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) after receiving the request late this afternoon and determining that the fire threatened such destruction that it would constitute a major disaster. Fire threat At the time of the requ...

Apollo is dedicated to keeping people safe from fire and that’s why it offers free ongoing advice to building managers, housing associations, and others on choosing appropriate fire protection for buildings with fire safety concerns such as flammable cladding or compartmentation. Apollo works closely with its partners across the country who are doing a tremendous job at installing fire detection and alarm systems into the affected buildings. Apollo’s partner Pacific Fire and Securit...

Holding accreditation provides many benefits to a wide range of organizations. In addition to demonstrating technical competence to the local market, it can also provide confidence to overseas markets through multilateral agreements (MLAs) whereby the reports and certificates issued by bodies accredited by signatories of these accreditation agreements receive global recognition. This benefit is essential to UKAS customers operating on the global market, so it is vital that UKAS retains its EA,...

The value of the contract currently published on Contracts Finder is between £9 and 12 million over five years. The council is looking to install new fire sprinkler systems (and associated works) in 30 of its two and three-storey supported housing blocks as well as 102 blocks of general needs residential accommodation. The closing date for suppliers to respond is 10 September 2021. Retrofit sprinkler systems This comes after the council worked with Hampshire and Isle of W...

Firefighters in Wisbech are urging residents and visitors to think before they park, to help tackle the ongoing problem of inconsiderate parking in and around the town.  Drivers are urged to take care when parking their vehicles so they do not prevent fire engines from attending potentially life-threatening emergencies. Causes of delayed response  There are some areas around Wisbech that are notorious for motorists parking down both sides of a narrow street and there have been times...