Firefighter Health and Safety - News

UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson announced on Monday (4th January 2021) a new national lockdown for England until at least mid-February to combat a fast-spreading new variant of the Coronavirus (COVID-19 virus), in order to save lives and protect our NHS. The most recent UK Government guidance has made it clear that construction and manufacturing work should continue throughout the United Kingdom (UK) and sites are to remain open as construction ‘is essential to keeping the country operat...

The United Kingdom is one of the most economically developed and technologically advanced nations in the world. The world has seen some state-of-the-art technologies emerging from the UK. Customer satisfaction Being a consumer in a mature market such as the UK has its own privileges; customers here have some of the best choices of products and services at their disposal. The same is true for the fire trade. However, there are some areas that, if addressed can take customer satisfaction levels...

Smoke is a by-product of fire. It is a dangerous mix of unburnt gases and solid particles. Smoke is formed due to the incomplete combustion of the material. During complete combustion, everything is burned, producing just water and carbon dioxide as the by-products. During incomplete combustion the fuel is not burnt completely leaving behind a lot of residue; smoke being one of them. Smoke is a collection of these tiny unburned particles. Each particle is too small to be seen with the naked eye...

Avon Protection is pleased to announce they have received an order from The Netherlands for FM50 masks and FM61EU filters, under the NATO Support & Procurement Agency (NSPA) contract. The Netherlands joins other NATO Nations and Partners, Norway, Belgium and Finland, in purchasing the FM50 to protect their militaries. FM50 masks ordered by The Netherlands Developed in conjunction with the United States of America’s Department of Defense, in order to counter the multiple CBRN threats...

The FY2021 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) opened on Monday, January 4, 2021 and closes on Friday, February 12th, 2021, at 5 pm ET, so if users haven’t already begun preparing, hurry and head over to FEMA’s Guidance Materials ASAP to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity to fund the department’s health, wellness and safety.

With the announcement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a national lockdown is now in effect until further notice. New guidance New coronavirus lockdown guidance has been issued for “people who are fit and well”. It is advised that “you must not leave or be outside of your home except where you have a reasonable excuse”.  The guidance clearly states that a “reasonable excuse” includes working “where it is unreasonable for you...

The profession of life-saving is complex and dangerous. Oddly, some often need to remind themselves of this. Many are not only hazmat professionals, but also EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, company commanders, law enforcement officers, EH&S specialists, lab safety specialists, risk managers, confined-space technicians, USAR technicians, WMD specialists, apparatus operators, grief counselors, supervisors, parents, spouses, and the list goes on. And, it is expected to be proficient in most of...

Over the past few months, the AW Technology team has been extremely busy with the highly anticipated FIREX 2019 international exhibition, ongoing management of customers, identification of new clients and the development of existing and new technology. However, as always with AW Technology, the team is always looking forward with the aim to continue as the industry’s renowned innovator. The AW Technology team sat down with Business Development Manager, Chris Atkiss, to find out more about...

Over the coming weeks and months, AW Technology will be featuring a series of blogs and articles that focus on the truly global nature of its operations. Each article will profile a specific country that AW Technology operates in and demonstrate the team’s capability and experience of successfully delivering its state-of-the-art products in that nation. This first article is focused on India, AW Technology’s previous work in this exciting, dynamic and emerging country and the potent...

Area Commander - Chris Parker said, “While many residents were enjoying the festive period, our crews, officers, and emergency call handlers were hard at work helping those impacted by the flooding seen across the county." He adds, “Working with our partners from the Environment Agency, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, and local authorities, crews were out pumping water out of properties, assisting with travel to rest centers, and helping build flood defenses. Crews also assisted people...

For all the resilient men and women that work in the forestry industry, there needs to be a pair of logger work boots that are up to the task of handling all the tough terrain and hazardous materials that they are faced with. Also referred to as chainsaw safety boots, logger work boots help those in the forestry industry stay comfortable and protected from any potential foot injuries or punctures, utilizing a heavy-duty safety toe insert. Chainsaw safety boots/Logger work boots HAIX USA offe...

Fireworks are beautiful but are very dangerous if not used properly. The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office encourages anyone who chooses to use consumer fireworks to practice fireworks safety or find alternative ways to celebrate. “Fireworks safety is paramount as we continue to battle COVID-19,” said Harris County Fire Marshal Laurie L. Christensen. “If you choose to use consumer fireworks, please read the cautionary labels and dispose of your fireworks properly. Doct...

Global Fire Equipment (GFE) is delighted to announce an updated version of their prestigious graphical supervision software - Odyssey XLP, now compatible with their new range of Chameleon addressable fire alarm control panels. The Odyssey Graphics Display and Alarm Management System allows the connection of up to 64 panels to a PC, the compatible panels are namely OCTO+, GEKKO, NODE+, G-One, JUNO NET, and JUNIOR. License structure scheme The main difference between the Odyssey XLP and Odyssey...

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment A/S (VIKING) is driving more investment into its marine fire service business. The inauguration of VIKING’s Foam Lab Odense, which specializes in the testing of a vessel’s reserves of firefighting foam, intensifies the company’s focus on marine fire service, a segment earmarked for significant growth in the coming years. “Our ambition is to cover all aspects of marine firefighting equipment, and our new state-of-the-art laboratory puts us on...

Robert Jenrick MP, The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government, announced a “New £30 million fund for leaseholders in England to pay for the installation of fire alarm systems in high-rise buildings with cladding.”  Adding that this will remove or reduce “the need for costly interim safety measures such as waking watch.” Install common fire alarms The written statement continues by saying that “This step is supported...

Hardstaff Barriers has provided a handy guide to the challenges and solutions faced by UK (United Kingdom) ports, during the busy Brexit transition period. The guide offers the top 10 considerations for Port Traffic Management. Top 10 considerations for Port Traffic Management include: Traffic Flow – Creating effective movement of traffic around ports Key to effective operations is ensuring freight is moved in and around ports with minimal disruption, our range of barriers provide a...

Since its launch in 2013 by world-pioneering coatings manufacturer, Hempel, the Hempaguard X7 hull coating has been applied over 2,000 times. Hempel has continuously documented Hempaguard X7’s ability to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for shipowners, and now the exact impact has been calculated. Hempaguard X7 hull coating Michael Hansen, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer at Hempel, comments: “Reaching this important milestone of 2,000 full shi...

Avon Protection has received an order to supply two NATO Nations and one Partner, Belgium, Finland, and Norway with their foremost CBRN respiratory protection including FM50 mask systems, filters, spares, and accessories.  FM50 Air Purifying Respirator The FM50 provides operational flexibility required by NATO Allies and Partners forces; designed to protect troops in the most demanding of environments. Developed in conjunction with the United States Department of Défense to counte...

The Mick George Group has grown to become one of the leading suppliers to the construction industry in the heart of East Anglia and East Midlands. Operating with a single tipper truck in 1978, the company’s commercial fleet size has now grown to more than 400 HGV vehicles. They specialize in Bulk Excavation & Earthmoving Services, Demolition and Asbestos Removal, a wide range of Skip Hire and Waste Management Services, and Aggregate & Concrete Supply, as well as their...

There are over 1200 NHS hospitals across the UK, spread across 223 NHS trusts, ranging in age and complexity. Very few of them are single stand-alone buildings, instead the sites usually represent complicated infrastructure networks, that have grown and developed over a few decades. This in turn increases the complexity of the fire detection system across the whole site. fire detection challenges The challenges in managing fire detection systems in such structures can be associated with: C...

BBC News has reported the Valley Nursing Home, located in Clogher, County Tyrone is to be deregistered by Northern Ireland care home regulator RQIA (Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority). Critical inspections Critical inspections identified multiple hygiene and safety risks, an RQIA report stated, "Of particular concern, adequate precautions and systems were not in place to manage fire risk.” These ;significant breaches' have resulted in the care home’s deregistration, mea...

Verint Systems (Verint), a globally renowned customer engagement company, has announced that it has received multiple awards from Consumidor Moderno and Grupo Padrão for excellence in customer engagement in the Brazilian market. Leveraging cloud-based solutions Leveraging cloud-based solutions from Verint’s Customer Engagement portfolio, organizations in Brazil and around the world are accelerating automation and leveraging AI-based solutions, such as speech and text analytics, to...

On Tuesday, December 15, 2020, Orlando District 4 City Commissioner Patty Sheehan will join forces with City of Orlando firefighters to build nearly 100 bicycles that will be donated to children, ages five to 15, who live in the Reeves Terrace neighborhood and who have been notified in advance. Commissioner Sheehan and firefighters will turn wrenches and tighten brackets during the bicycle build event to make sure bicycles of all sizes and colors are ready for giving away on Monday, December 21...

Global coatings manufacturer Hempel has enhanced its established and proven Olympic+ and Oceanic+ antifouling range and is, launching five new antifouling solutions: Oceanic Protect+, Oceanic Flex+, Olympic Protect+, Olympic Flex+ and Olympic Protect. Building on their proven effectiveness, reliability and impressive value-for-money, these five new products deliver additional benefits and choice within the existing product range. Hempel’s Olympic+ and Oceanic+ antifouling coatings have be...

The staff at Hardstaff Barriers has been busy over recent weeks, growing moustaches of different shapes and sizes – raising £1400 in funds for charity. Throughout the month of November 2020, four members of the Hardstaff Barriers’ team took part in the ‘Hardtash’ challenge, in order to raise money for Movember, the men’s health charity. Movember – Men’s health charity Hardstaff Barriers is a globally renowned manufacturer and supplier of roadsid...

HazSim's Founder - Phil Ambrose originally developed the HazSim Pro to increase the situational awareness of his peers and improve safety training through realistic experiences.  The HazSim Pro is currently used to train thousands of personnel in Fire, Military, Oil and Gas, and Power facilities across North America. The system is used for basic hazwoper, HazMat Tech/Spec, Confined Space, and any training for those who encounter dangerous atmospheres. Hands-On Simulation Training "The Ha...

The USDA Forest Service seeks public input on two proposed directives that would address safety and reliability for powerline operations on national forests and grasslands. The proposed directives would implement provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill and amendments made in 2018 to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The proposed directives also align with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue’s direction to make national forests and grasslands healthier and more productive. The pr...

Juan Molina is head of the voluntary firefighters of Malagueño, a city located near Córdoba in northern Argentina, where this year’s fire season has been particularly intense. Every year between August and October the mountains that surround the town of Córdoba become a raging inferno and the battle to save the forests, indigenous wildlife and livestock is waged by firefighters and locals alike. This year, for the first time they are being supported in their fight by...

PAS 79-1:2020 and PAS 79-2:2020 replace PAS 79:2012. Please note PAS 79:2012 has been withdrawn.  This has been superseded by two new documents: PAS 79-1:2020 Fire risk assessment. Premises other than housing. Code of practice (published December 2020). PAS 79-2:2020 Fire risk assessment. Housing. Code of practice (published December 2020). BAFE published information regarding the public consultation in April 2020. Generic fire risk assessment guidance The BSI website notes that t...

Firefighters are ready to assist the UK’s rollout of COVID-19 vaccines after an agreement was reached between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the fire and rescue service National Employers. The agreement allows firefighters to assist other public sector organizations with the track, trace, and isolate measures, and to check that potential higher risk premises are COVID-secure. Firefighters will inspect workplaces where relevant authorities have raised concerns about COVID-security, not...