Firefighter Health and Safety - News

BAFE Fire Safety Register has teamed up with building services membership scheme operator, NAPIT to offer a new competency scheme for organizations involved with Grade D fire alarm systems.  Two years in the making, the new scheme will assess the competency of organizations that provide design, installation, commissioning and maintenance services for BS 5839-6 Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises. BAFE and NAPIT partner on new Competency Scheme This new comp...

Dräger will help protect thousands of firefighters, first responders, and fire industry professionals with American-made N95 disposable respirators during FDIC International. FDIC International opens August 2 to 7 in Indianapolis. Thousands of firefighters and others will attend the education classes and exposition for the largest annual fire industry show. Made by American workers in Pennsylvania, the Dräger X-plore 1750 will be distributed throughout FDIC at the Indiana Convention C...

Pac Fire in Australia has secured a new contract to supply state-of-the-art MSA Bristol structural firefighting PPE to ACT Fire & Rescue (ACTF&R). ACTF&R provides a rapid response capability from nine strategically located Fire Stations across the Australian Capital Territory. Having taken the decision to update its kit and transition to the next generation in structural firefighting Personal Protective Clothing (PPC), it underwent an extensive procurement process, and a rigorous tr...

Frontline Communications, a division of Pierce Manufacturing, Inc., and a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation announced that it has secured a purchase order for two highly customized vehicles from Pasco County Fire Rescue in Florida including a C-45 Velocity® mobile decontamination (decon) unit, and a C-45X-2 Velocity mobile rehabilitation (rehab) unit. These specialized vehicles will provide critical support at structural fires and long-duration deployments to aid with the removal of ha...

The Fire Standards Board for England has published the Prevention Fire Standard setting out what fire and rescue services should be doing to keep communities safe from fire. This is the seventh Fire Standard to be published and sits alongside the operational response Fire Standards released earlier this year. The Protection Fire Standard will be published in September 2021. New Prevention Fire Standard published Fire and rescue services will look to use the Prevention Fire Standard to ensure...

Are users suffering from issues with stock, shipping price hikes, or the lack of core lines? The sector is in a state of flux. It is time, after a turbulent year, to make a new connection. Diversify the supply chain post-COVID Ceasefire UK is officially launching at the Fire Safety Event 2021 and if users are ready to diversify their supply chain, there’s never been a better time to meet Ceasefire. The UK sales team will be showcasing a range of products that can future-proof a business...

Following an extensive development process over two years in the making, the BAFE Fire Safety Register and NAPIT are proud to announce a new Scheme to assess the competency of organizations, who provide design, installation, commissioning and maintenance services for BS 5839-6 Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises. BAFE DS301 Scheme BAFE DS301 (For the Design, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance of Grade D Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems in Domestic P...

With more people planning to spend time outdoors over the coming weeks, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is urging residents to take some simple steps, in order to reduce the risk of a wildfire breaking out. Wildfire awareness campaign A week-long wildfire awareness campaign (running 26 July – 1 August) is taking place, following a period of warm and dry weather, and with more people expected to be outside, enjoying the countryside, due to COVID-19 restrictions easing and...

28 Fire Cadets from across the County showed off their new skills at a Graduation Ceremony held at Whitley Wood Training Center on 21 July 2021. Fire Cadets is run at four fire stations across the County – Crowthorne, Maidenhead, Newbury, and Whitley Wood. It is an initiative that encourages young people between the ages of 12-16 to experience what being a firefighter involves. Fire cadet course The course is an opportunity for young people to develop new life skills by taking part in f...

MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA Safety), the globally renowned company in the development, manufacture and supply of advanced safety solutions that protect people and facility infrastructures, has announced it has been named a preferred supplier of portable gas detection equipment for Royal Dutch Shell. This preferred supplier status is part of three-year global framework agreement to supply portable gas detection equipment and other safety technology to Shell’s offshore and onshore faciliti...

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) is encouraging the public to use NHS 111 online for medical advice, with demand for 999 calls increasing and ambulance staff helping more patients. NHS 111 online service The NHS 111 online service offers patients quick advice on the best option for them to get the care they need, including getting a call back from a trained clinician or nurse, booking them an appointment in A&E or providing advice on how to help them recover. The call c...

The 13th annual ImageTrend Connect Conference came to a close on Friday, July 23. Connect 2021 brought thought leaders, administrators, and users of ImageTrend solutions together from nearly every state in this second fully virtual conference. The conference consisted of over 100 sessions and pre-conference workshops featuring 68 different speakers for a week of education, idea sharing, and networking with peers. Operations management solution Highlights of this year’s conference includ...

  VIKING Life-Saving Equipment launches fully certified, three-in-one protective gear so first responders can be ready for wildland fires, technical rescue/extrication, or emergency medical operations. The VIKING Shield is a new generation of multi-purpose protective gear that allows crews answering emergency calls to get underway assured of having the gear that is fit-to-purpose, whatever lies ahead. The challenges are growing with more frequent and larger wildla...

A team at the heart of coordinating fire service volunteers who supported South Yorkshire’s pandemic response has been honored with a special award. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s three-strong ‘volunteers cell’ oversaw the work of 200 fire service staff who volunteered to fulfill multiple requests for support from partner agencies as they strived to keep essential services running during the first stages of the pandemic. Those tasks included making food and pre...

In 2021, the Felixstowe Community First Responders (CFRs) embarked upon a variety of fundraising activities to replace aging lifesaving equipment. The funds will be used to purchase new equipment in line with improvements to their skillset, running costs, and keeping up with the rapidly increasing size of the team of volunteers. This is in addition to their primary goal of responding to local emergency medical calls to stabilize, treat and reassure patients until the arrival of an ambulance cre...

A global road safety barrier group, VRS Solutions Group, has made an ambitious commitment to fighting climate change and reducing its impact on the environment. VRS Solutions Group, which consists of Asset VRS, Varley & Gulliver Parapets, Hardstaff Barriers, and Hill & Smith Barrier, has signed up to the Carbon Footprint Standard and is now on an important journey to reduce its carbon emissions. Carbon Footprint Standard The Midlands-based companies, which manufacture and supply vehic...

With recent regulations mandating more fire safety precautions be put in place around building services, REHAU, a globally renowned polymer specialist, has released a Class B fire-rated pre-insulated pipework solution for quick installation in high-rise buildings. Following previous developments, such as the 2018 Hackitt Review and the Government’s July announcement of legislation appointing a new regulator for safety in buildings, there is even more emphasis on building compliance from d...

A Sheppey homeowner is helping Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) share life-saving safety advice after a vanity mirror sparked a fire in the bedroom of his home. The blaze developed in the occupant’s bedroom in Belgrave Road on Sheppey, on a sunny afternoon on Friday 16 July, and is believed to have started after sunlight reflected from a vanity mirror onto some bedding. The heat from the mirror's reflection caught the bed alight, which then spread throughout the room within a matter o...

A Knowsley tower block played host to a major training exercise when the Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service (MFRS) led an exercise to test their response, in the case of a major high-rise fire incident. MFRS’ fire safety training exercise Around 80 emergency service staff, eight fire engines, two support vehicles, and an aerial platform ladder vehicle descended on the unoccupied Gaywood Green, on Broad Lane, in Kirkby, United Kingdom, on Thursday, July 22, 2021, as part of the fire saf...

Verint Systems (Verint), the globally renowned customer engagement company, has that it has won an AI Breakthrough Award for excellence and innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Verint Intelligent Virtual Assistant Professional (IVA Pro) Package is the winner of the ‘Best Virtual Agent Solution’ award. Earning its fourth consecutive AI Breakthrough Award, the company previously won ‘Best AI-based Solution for Customer Service’ award in 2020, ‘Best Chatbot Sol...

Arlington County, VA Local 2800 is formally requesting that Arlington County Manager, Mark Schwartz allow Local 2800 to be recognized as the exclusive bargaining unit for the county’s fire and EMS personnel. “This is an historic time for Arlington,” said Arlington County, VA Local 2800 President, Brian Lynch, adding “Until the new collective bargaining law was passed, Virginia firefighters were denied a seat at the table, on critical safety issues for firefighters and th...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is urging smokers to light up outside to reduce the risk of fire in homes across the county. Despite the number of people smoking in the UK falling, Kent is seeing a continuous trend in the number of property fires linked to smoking – with fire crews tackling the equivalent of one smoking-related fire every single week. 'Smoke Outside, Feel Safer Inside' campaign Most often these types of fires start when smokers light up and then fall asleep or get d...

When TFT introduced the Extend-A-Gun telescoping waterway series, it revolutionized the way monitors could be utilized on fire apparatus. Extend-A-Guns allow deck mounted monitors to easily raise from a stowed position to operate above apparatus obstructions like cab roofs, lighting, hose reels, or generators. The manual and RC version of Extend-A-Gun can be found on fire trucks around the globe. TFT is adding to the series with the new Extend-A-Gun VP. The VP’s deploy and stow operations...

Houston, TX Local 341 (Houston Fire Department) President, Marty Lancton is back on the job, after an independent arbitrator ruled the city had violated his rights and had no cause or authority to indefinitely suspend him in January. Houston Fire's President re-instated The independent arbitrator went even further and ordered the immediate reinstatement to his special assignment, working full time as the Local 341 President and ruled he must be welcomed back with full back pay and benefits. &...

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service (MFRS) is warning of the dangers of open water, following the tragic death of a young man in Crosby. Fire crews were called to Crosby beach, at around 7.24 pm, on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, following reports that five people were in difficulty in the water. Two fire engines, the search and rescue team and the rescue boat, Marine Fire One, were sent to the scene. Crosby beach rescue operation Crews assisted the RNLI and Coastguard with recovering the people fr...

Yorkshire Firefighters, a new BBC Two series commissioned by BBC England, will light up viewers’ television screens in summer. This unique four-part series takes viewers onto the frontline with the men and women keeping their communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a rare chance to go behind the scenes with this inspirational band of West Yorkshire firefighters. real-life emergencies Filmed using the latest technology, viewers will be brought closer than ever before to...

Anglia Fire Protection is looking at electrical fires and how to reduce the risk of them occurring in homes. One of the most common causes of fire in the home is electrical goods. From white goods to faulty chargers, electrical items are the number 4 risk of fire in the home. Here are some top tips to help reduce that risk. Anglia Fire Protection offers key pointers on how to avoid electrical fires at homes: Residents should make sure that all electrical appliances have a British or Europea...

Yesterday, England moved to the final stage of easing the Covid-19 restrictions. Thankfully, many business premises are already back up and running following the gradual lifting of the restrictions since February. But with many employees still working from home and homeworking becoming more readily accepted by employers, many offices and business premises will remain unoccupied – despite yesterday’s announcement. Vehicle-Borne attacks Vacant properties are an easy target for squat...

Shoes are a necessity. They have a very important purpose to serve in daily life: provide comfort to feet, while protecting them from outside elements, especially while working amidst hazardous working conditions. And those flashy sports shoes or the casual pair of short or long boots can’t offer the required features.  Safety shoes Safety shoes are specially designed to protect the wearer’s feet from all kinds of workplace hazards '25% of disability applications worldwide a...

Online supermarket - Ocado has suffered another robot fire at one of its fulfilment centers, impacting deliveries across south east England. The fire on 16 July was caused by three robots colliding on the grid that controls the fulfilment of shopping orders at the technology firm. Fifteen fire engines The fulfilment centre processes over 150,000 orders a week for the joint venture between Ocado and Marks and Spencer. More than 1,000 robots move around the grid, collecting food from crates and...