Industrial Fire Safety

Firefighters from all across the country converged on Raleigh, North Carolina this week to attend presentations given by F.I.E.R.O. (the Fire Industry Educational Resource Organization) at its 2019 F.I.E.R.O. Fire PPE Symposium. 2019 F.I.E.R.O. Fire PPE Symposium The biennial fire safety and security conference boasted a record attendance rate and offered informational sessions on a wide range of subjects of interest for firefighters globally. TenCate Protective Fabrics, along with other industry leaders, were on hand to help sponsor the event. F.I.E.R.O. operates as a not-for-profit organization that seeks to further the continuing education of firefighters on subjects that have a direct bearing on their safety, health and wellbeing. Topics from PPE (personal protective equipment) to heat stress and related physiological effects, as well as firefighting tactics were covered in great detail. Firefighters need to be kept abreast of what’s happening in the fire service and global fire industry at large New training techniques TenCate Protective Fabrics is a long-time sponsor of F.I.E.R.O. and will continue to support the efforts of the organization in the future. Firefighters need to be kept abreast of what’s happening in the fire service and global fire industry at large. Firefighters need to be made aware of new training techniques, policies and latest technologies that will have far-reaching effects on the way they go about doing their jobs on a regular basis. TenCate said it is proud to partner with F.I.E.R.O., as well as other industry thought leaders and influencers, to ensure that their good work and service will be available for years to come to firefighters and fire safety services. The safety and wellbeing of firefighters is of paramount concern for TenCate Protective Fabrics and they re-affirmed their drive to continue to do everything possible to make sure that firefighters have the tools and knowledge they need to stay safe and protected in emergency and dangerous scenarios.

Globally renowned manufacturer of digital voice alarm and safety electronic equipment, SigNET has been appointed the exclusive UK distributor of RCF’s innovative new range of EN54-16 and EN54-24 certified digital voice alarm systems. With the assistance of its sister company, C-TEC – the UK’s independent manufacturer of quality life safety electronic systems – SigNET will concentrate on promoting the products to companies operating within the fire and security sector. Intelligent wall mounting voice alarms The two solutions that are available in the market include, the DXT 3000 and the DXT 9000 intelligent ‘plug-and-play’ wall mounting voice alarm systems. The DXT 3000 is an intelligent ‘plug-and-play’ wall mounting voice alarm solution for small to medium sized projects  Designed for wall mounting, the DXT 3000 is an intelligent ‘plug-and-play’ wall mounting voice alarm solution for small to medium sized projects where EN54-16 compliance is required. Ideal for supermarkets, schools, offices and more, it represents a practical solution for integrating an existing music and PA system with a voice-only emergency evacuation system. Versatile, scalable voice alarm solutions The DXT 9000 is a medium to large range of configurable EN54-16 compliant voice alarm solutions. Versatile and completely scalable, it is suitable for a host of applications, from small schools or hotels to large campuses with multiple buildings. Said Tremayne Crossley, SigNET’s Field Sales Manager, “We are delighted to be appointed the exclusive distributor of the new DXT range and are confident the deal will be very beneficial for SigNET, RCF and, most importantly, our customers.”

Lux Intelligent manufacturer Advanced has launched a new CPD training module focusing on emergency lighting testing compliance. Emergency lighting testing Created against a backdrop of changing emergency lighting standards, including the new category of 'stay put' lighting, the new training module is designed to bring end users, facilities managers and engineers fully up to date with current requirements and help them ensure compliance. On top of this, it will provide them with the tools they need to ensure their emergency lighting is more efficient, thus saving them money and time. 'Stay put' lighting is more formally known as Emergency Safety Lighting and was introduced into BS5266 last year 'Stay put' lighting is more formally known as Emergency Safety Lighting and was introduced into BS5266 last year, expanding the reach of the standard from purely escape and emergency lighting. The basis of the addition is that it is often unnecessary or inappropriate for everyone to evacuate during a power failure/non-emergency mains failure - for those that choose to remain/stay put, adequate lighting is required. Lux Intelligent emergency lighting system Typical examples are for the elderly and very young in care situations, where it is easier to ensure safety and continue care and comfort within the premises; and in other public areas, for example retail spaces, where it may be suitable to evacuate the public, but for staff to remain/stay put. When lights are tested manually, an engineer must physically walk the building and cut power to the emergency lights, forcing them to operate on their secondary supply. He or she then needs to reinstate the mains power and confirm that the batteries are charging properly. This is a time-consuming and tedious task that is not always completed accurately or reliably. Emergency Safety Lighting Advanced offers its own, automatic emergency lighting test system, Lux Intelligent Added to that, it is not practical to disable the power for whole areas of a building during normal operational hours, so the process must be staggered or done outside of office hours. Also, in case of a real emergency, no area of a building can be left without emergency lighting for the period after a test while the batteries are recharging. Advanced offers its own, automatic emergency lighting test system, Lux Intelligent, which simplifies the entire process and is incredibly cost-effective, especially when using cloud-based monitoring via mobile or web app, which completely does away with the need for compiling manual reports and simplifies maintenance management.

Advanced has added an Android app to its Lux Intelligent emergency lighting testing system. This is in addition to the existing iOS and desktop versions. "We've developed the app specifically for areas of the public sector who said they require Android," says Advanced's Marketing Manager Aston Bowles. "However, it was part of our plans anyway to grow the ecosystem of apps and services we offer in the cloud," he adds. Cloud monitoring Cloud monitoring via mobile and web apps makes emergency light testing via Lux Intelligent extremely easy and more cost effective, while demonstrating compliance. All test data is stored safely and securely in the Lux Intelligent cloud for as long as it is needed, with all test reports accessible at any time and automatically shared with relevant contractors or maintenance partners. Lux Intelligent is an addressable, automatic test system that shows all emergency lighting is compliant and functioning, with no engineer intervention required. It can be used with both newbuilds or retrofitted onto existing wiring and luminaires, keeping installation costs to a minimum. It offers a host of unique technical features and proves compliance with BS 5266-1 and BS EN 50172.

For customers requiring custom fire panels, Advanced’s AdSpecials team will work with them to design and manufacture unique panels and control interfaces for its fire systems, whatever the installation challenge. Advanced has been building the easiest-to-use fire panels for nearly 20 years and has supplied AdSpecials all over the world. The company is highly skilled in meeting even the most complex of requests. “We offer a full turnkey service and will work with you to develop your brief into a finished special panel, covering just about any requirement. We make the complicated easy, within budget. When you work with our AdSpecials team you’re talking to vastly experienced engineers,” says Advanced’s Head of Marketing Aston Bowles. Developing comprehensive brief The AdSpecials process is as follows: The specification stage is critical to ensuring that the company thoroughly understand the customer’s needs. Advanced takes great care to get to the heart of user requirements and will work closely with customers to develop a comprehensive brief. Advanced works with the customer to develop a watertight, achievable spec to budget and deadline. Once the order is approved, Advanced’s highly experienced engineers work up full manufacturing designs. On final approval, the company’s end-to-end manufacturing team build and test the product to the highest quality levels, so the final installation and config are fault-free. Every AdSpecial is different, but some recent examples include geographical mimics, sprinkler indication, fireman’s/fan and damper controls and evacuation control.

North-East manufacturer, Advanced, has made a £1million investment in its corporate headquarters and manufacturing plant in North Tyneside.  The investment includes manufacturing facility improvements, equipment and an office design project that has delivered state-of-the-art offices, communications technology and social facilities to create new capacity and an engaging, modern office environment. Commercial fire detection systems specialist The investment comes as Advanced, a global provider of commercial fire alarm and detection systems, relocates from four separate sites in Nelson Industrial Estate, Cramlington to one, 48,000 sq. ft base in Balliol Business Park, Longbenton. The move is essential to satisfy increasing UK and international demand from customers for its life safety products. Advanced has created a collaborative, dynamic environment designed to deliver the best in organizational culture Working alongside Morpeth architecture and interior design firm, Seymour Architecture, Advanced has created a collaborative, dynamic environment designed to deliver the best in organizational culture. The installation of technologies such as state-of-the-art video conferencing facilities and task-focused workspaces, enable the business to optimize communications across seven bases located in the UK, US, India and Middle East and with customers and partners in 80 countries around the globe. Climate control and sensor lighting The move to Balliol by Advanced, owned by FTSE 100 PLC Halma, has created the opportunity to improve production processes and identify new technologies that will facilitate a reduction of energy consumption and environmental impact. These include; climate control cooling, sensor lighting, water reduction and energy recovery initiatives, to make the business more sustainable going forward. The firm expects to see job openings across the business in the near future as they establish themselves in their new home of North Tyneside. Pete Browitt, Managing Director at Advanced, said: “This investment represents a key milestone for Advanced. We are proud to manufacture all of our products in the North East where our new facility offers real competitive advantage across our manufacturing operations and our new facilities are some of the best I have ever seen. Our new site is an exceptional place to work and is already delivering significant benefits across departments.” Intelligent fire systems leader Advanced is a provider in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. The performance, quality and ease of use of its products sees Advanced specified in locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large, multi-site networks in some of the world’s most prestigious sites including the Shard in London, Western Europe’s tallest building. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, extinguishing control panels, fire paging and false alarm management systems.

The original fire suppression agent has always been, of course, water. In the age of sail, it was ideal. Not so with the advent of the combustion engine, however. When applied to burning petroleum, the fire spreads. It also simply destroys electronics. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and Halon derivatives were the first widely used commercial fire suppression solutions, gaining popularity in the 1950s and '60s. Unlike water, they were highly effective, electrically non-conductive and didn't leave any residue. As compressed gases, storage wasn't a major issue. Unfortunately, Halon was found to be a high ozone depleting chemical; as a result, production was banned in 1990. Evolution Of Fire Suppression Systems Ideal for marine applications, HFC227 is fast, effective and clean With the sunsetting of Halon and the search for alternatives, CO2 gained prominence. However, it has three significant drawbacks: it's a greenhouse gas, requires a large number of cylinders and is potentially fatal if breathed at design concentrations. In the 1990s, HFCs rose to dominance as a fire suppression solution. Ideal for marine applications, HFC227 is fast, effective and clean. Like Halon and CO2, however, it's a greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming. Discharging an average-sized cylinder of HFC227 has the same CO2 equivalent as driving a car 268,760 kilometers. This is why it is being eliminated as part of a phased-down mandate from the EU, and restricted or taxed by various countries such as Australia and Norway. It is expected that similar legislation will begin to affect Canada and US-flagged vessels. Environmental Profile Of HFCs In 2002, 3M introduced Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid. It offers a number of important advantages over other clean agents in marine fire suppression applications. It has low acute toxicity and high extinguishing efficiency. This gives it a wide margin of safety compared to other chemical clean agents such as HFC227. A fluid, it vaporizes rapidly during discharge, is non-corrosive, non-conductive and leaves no residue. It is, importantly, a long-term, sustainable solution with virtually zero global warming potential, e.g., it has an atmospheric life of about a week versus HFC227's 34 years. So confident is 3M of its product, it offers its BlueSkySM Warranty; if it is ever banned or restricted from use due to its environmental properties, the company will refund the cost of the fluid. Unlike CO2, a gas, Novec 1230 fluid can be flown to the vessel or platform allowing less downtime waiting for supplies to arrive by ground For the marine and offshore oil and gas industries, Novec 1230 fluid offers distinct advantages. Because it's a fluid, recharging is simple. Unlike CO2, a gas, it can be flown to the vessel or platform. This means less downtime waiting for supplies to arrive by ground. It also takes up significantly less space. Recently, Sea-Fire Europe ceased distribution of HFC227. The move was strategic and ethical, given the environmental profile of HFCs. Novec 1230 Fluid For Recreational Marine Market With the phase-down of HFCs, supplies are running out. This means in the immediate future there will be a serious inability to service systems. Also, with shortages beginning, costs are rising, making the switch to Novec 1230 fluid a smart move financially. While 3M will obviously benefit from this, the real winner here is our planet and the people we share it with" Sea-Fire recognizes that it may lose business in the short term as boat and shipbuilders continue to choose HFC-based fire systems strictly based on cost alone. But, ultimately, eliminating the use of hydrofluorocarbons is the right thing to do for the marine industry as a whole. As the first manufacturer to introduce Novec 1230 fluid into the recreational marine market in 2012, Sea-Fire is fully prepared for the phase-out of HFCs. Benefitting The Marine Industry "As a corporation, 3M is committed to improving every life," said David Olds, 3M account executive for fire suppression applications. "Sea-Fire Europe made a difficult decision when announcing it would cease distribution of HFC227. While 3M will obviously benefit from this, the real winner here is our planet and the people we share it with." Sea-Fire Marine has long held the belief that it is in the business of protecting people and property at sea. With its recent declaration that its master European distributor Sea-Fire Europe is ending distribution of HFC-based fire suppression fluids, it can add the environment to its list.

While whole room protection – sprinklers or gas systems – is a common choice, there is an argument for thinking smaller; taking fire detection and suppression down to the equipment, enclosures and even the components where a fire is most likely to start. Traditional Fire Suppression Methods A traditional water-based sprinkler system is the most common form of fire protection found in commercial and industrial buildings. They offer reasonable cost, large area protection for entire facilities, safeguarding the structure and personnel by limiting the spread and impact of a fire. Every square foot of the protected area is covered equally regardless of the contents of the space, whether it’s an empty floor or an object with an increased risk of fire. Sprinklers aren’t always the most appropriate choice. Not all fires are extinguished by water of course, and in some cases, water damage can be just as harmful or even more so than the fire. They are an impractical choice for instance for facilities housing anything electrical, such as data centres and server rooms. There is also the risk of accidental activation, with an estimated cost of up to $1,000 for every minute they are left running. Water damage can be just as harmful or even more so than any fire, so sprinklers may not be appropriate Targeted Supplementary Fire Suppression An alternative method to protect whole server rooms and data centres is gas fire suppression, which either suppresses the fire by displacing oxygen (inert) or by using a form of cooling mechanism (chemical/synthetic). These aren’t without risk; in the case of inert gas, oxygen is reduced to less than 15% to suffocate the fire, but must be kept above 12% to avoid endangering the lives of personnel. Similarly, clean agent gas can be toxic in high doses. There are smaller, focused systems that give the option of highly targeted supplementary fire suppression within fire risk areas. Installing a system directly into the areas most at risk, means that fires can be put out before they take hold and cause serious damage. Both sprinkler and gas systems can contain a fire, but micro-environment or closed space systems are completely automatic, detecting and suppressing the fire so rapidly that activating a sprinkler or gas total flooding system often isn’t necessary. The most popular enclosure fire suppression systems achieve this though the use of a flexible and durable polymer tubing that is routed easily through the tightest spaces. The tubing is extremely sensitive to heat and, because it can be placed so close to potential failure points, detects it and releases the fire suppression agent up to ten times faster than traditional systems. An airline was forced to cancel over 2,000 flights after a “small fire” in one of its data centers Cost-Effective Fire Protection Highly customizable, small enclosure fire suppression is specifically designed to protect business critical spaces and equipment. It is typically used inside machinery like CNC machines, mobile equipment like forklifts and inside server rooms and electrical cabinetry but is suitable for any hazard that’s considered to have an elevated fire risk. Some may question the need or cost-effectiveness of protecting micro-environments. However, examples abound of where fires that have started at component level have gone on to cause damage of the highest magnitude, and the cost of downtime can be crippling to many time-sensitive facilities and processes. An airline was forced to cancel over 2,000 flights in August 2016 when what was described as a “small fire” in one of its data centers ultimately led to a computer outage. The cost of that small fire, and the domino effect that quickly escalated from it, has since been announced as $150m. Admittedly that number is unusually high - the average cost of a data centre outage today is estimated at a more conservative $730,000 – but this is still an expense businesses can ill afford. Preventing Major Losses Staying with the transport industry, newer metros systems have redundant systems in place to prevent interruptions. However, older metro lines, such as the one in New York City, have experienced electrical fires that started small, but grew to such a magnitude that service was affected for months.Older metro lines, such as New York City's, have experience electrical fires that start small but grew exponentially A wind energy customer experienced a fire in a turbine converter cabinet. The loss of the cabinet was valued at over $200,000 and disabled the turbine for six weeks. Following investment in fire suppression systems inside the electrical cabinet, a subsequent fire was detected and suppressed before major damage could be caused. The cost on this occasion was therefore limited to a $25,000 component and downtime was less than two days.Equally - happily - there are also many instances where the installation of small enclosure fire suppression has prevented disaster. In the manufacturing world, CNC machines are valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars and need to be constantly operational to justify the investment. Oil coolant used in the machines can create a flash fire in an instant due to failed components or programming errors. The fact that many of these facilities are run ‘lights out’ with no personnel present further exacerbates the risk. If a fire is not dealt with immediately, the machine will be destroyed; sprinklers don’t react quickly enough for this scenario and would be ineffective. Ensuring Business Continuity One such flash fire occurred inside a protected CNC machine at a machine shop in Iowa. The polymer tubing ruptured within a fraction of a second, releasing the suppression agent and extinguishing the flames. The machine was undamaged and was operational again with a few hours. Contrast this to a previous fire at the same facility in an unprotected machine; it was out of operation for 4 days, costing the business thousands of dollars in downtime In short, fire protection is an essential element of our industrial and commercial environments to ensure both safety and business continuity. However, the nature of that protection is changing, as capacity increases to cost-effectively protect specific areas where fires are most likely to start. Risk mitigation analysis needs to look beyond what has been accepted in the past and find ways to further limit the impact of a small fire using this next level of protection. The benefits can really have a positive effect on the bottom line in the event of fire.

Within traditional commercial and industrial firefighting systems, engineers have primarily focused on permanent installation designs rather than entertaining alternative or supplemental mobile firefighting systems. Permanent installation design is typically better understood, supported, and supplied throughout the fire protection engineering and manufacturing community. However, mobile firefighting systems provide unique solutions and advantages compared to their permanent installation cousins such as flexible deployment, simpler servicing, improved economy, and much higher performance availability. The combination of both systems is frequently the most strategic solution for the facility operator. Limitations of fixed installation systems Permanent installation (fixed) systems include everything from sprinklers, foam systems, primary watermain pumps, and the plethora of piping in between. A large refinery complex will need to address various hazard mitigation and control problems that span both hardware and personnel needs. In the event standard hazard mitigation safety procedures and equipment have failed, the facility immediately initiates a hazard control operation. Passive fixed systems automatically engage the hazard through an array of sensors, mechanical triggers, and control algorithms. A properly designed system with adequate hazard coverage, preplanning, preventative maintenance, and testing will successfully terminate the hazard, while firefighting personnel respond and ensure no further hazards develop. This conceptual approach relies on hardware and personnel all operating as planned…. Combining permanent and mobile apparatus “According to plan” would never have any failures or fires, but history has a different script. In the worst-case petrochemical scenario, fixed systems fail to extinguish a hazard putting the entire response on human and mobile hardware resources. This would include but is not limited to firetrucks, mobile high-flow pumping systems, large mobile monitors, foam proportioning units, and large diameter layflat hose. This type of response escalates into a larger scale operation, sometimes involving agencies beyond the facility operator itself. Although a low probability event, the risk to life and property is significantly substantial. Fixed systems may be rendered inoperable due to the loss of electrical power or actual physical damage Reducing fire-related expenditureMore typical than the worst-case scenario, facilities experience both maintenance-related system downtimes and natural phenomena damage such as extreme weather and seismic events. In this case, fixed systems may be rendered inoperable due to the loss of electrical power or actual physical damage. In any of these situations, mobile fire apparatus may fill the gap requirements of the facility as their flexible storage and deployment would protect them from everything but the worst natural disasters. Their further benefit is that a smaller set of mobile apparatus resources may be used to protect a larger amount of infrastructure, especially while in use in a mutual-aid program between facilities and communities. According to the NFPA’s report “Total Cost of Fire in the United States”, fire-related damages and expenditures from 1980 to 2014 have risen from roughly $200B (adjusted for inflation to 2014) to nearly $330B. The greatest expenditure is in fire safety costs in building construction, amounting to $57.4B. Although the overall losses per year as a ratio to protection expenditures has dropped by roughly 70% over the past 30 years, petrochemical facility losses have continued to rise over the same time. In the worst-case petrochemical scenario, fixed systems fail to extinguish a hazard  Petrochemical facility challenges According to the NFPA, refineries or natural gas plants had reported an average of 228 fires or explosions per year through the 1990s. Furthering this data with Marsh’s “100 Largest Losses, 25th edition”, refinery losses have continually expanded throughout the last two decades with 11 of the top 20 largest losses of the past 40 years happening during or after the year 2000. Two primary drivers of this trend are the advanced age of petrochemical facilities and their staggering complexity. As oil margins fall, upstream operational businesses are detrimentally affected by reduced investment in everything to new equipment, maintenance and passive safety systems. There is an observable correlation between a major oil price drop followed by upstream facility fire losses. Even with reduced investment and oil throughput growth rates, US refinery utilisation at the end 2017 was at 96.7%, the highest since 2005 (Marsh, The Impact of the Price of Oil). The short story is that systems and personnel are being asked to do more with less with each passing year. Cost-effective mobile apparatus systems  Mobile fire apparatus is generally more cost-effective to procure when using standardised designs and application methodology. They can access open water sources by either drafting (when in close proximity to the water) or using floating source pumps (for variable level or difficult access water sources). Mobile fire apparatus is generally more cost-effective to procure when using standardized designs and application methodology With this open water access, they can provide significantly more water (upwards of 10,000 GPM or more per system if necessary) than any typical fixed fire pumping solution. Moreover, as their primary benefit, they are easy to move and deploy. This benefit allows them to be utilised at the point of hazard as needed while being easily accessible for service. While fixed systems are installed at “every known” hazard and must be continually maintained to operate effectively, mobile systems may be used sitewide or across facilities. This flexibility reduces overall capital expenditure requirements and establishes a valuable primary and secondary firefighting system depending on the hazard and facility resources. Combining fixed and mobile systems Permanent installation fire suppression systems are a mainstay of modern day firefighting. They provide immediate passive response with little human intervention. However, as facility utilisation is pushed to maximum capacity while fixed systems continually age out without adequate replacement or maintenance, mobile systems will need to both fill the response gap and provide a final wall to total loss incidents. The reality is that both fixed and mobile systems need to work together to provide the safest possible operation. Service and training requirements need to also be maintained to manage an adequate, or even better, exemplary response to hazard control incidents. Managing major facility uptime requires continuous oversight and to drive hazard mitigation standards throughout the organisation, including executive management. A safe, reliable and fully-functional plant is also a profitable and cost-effective plant much like a healthy worker is a better worker. Protect your people and property and you will protecting your company’s future.

KME Fire Apparatus, globally renowned manufacturer of fire apparatus, announces the delivery of six KME custom pumpers to the City of Atlanta, Georgia. These six pumpers will join the existing fleet of 45 KME pumpers already deployed within the city limits. Severe Service cab These six new pumpers are built on KME’s Severe Service cab and will serve the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department’s 35 fire stations, including five stations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. With a staff of more than 1,000 employees, the City of Atlanta Fire Rescue Department serves an area of 132 square miles within the city limits. Features of the six custom pumpers include: KME 96” Severe Service XMFD cab Cummins ISL 450 HP engine Allison 3000 EVS transmission Hale Q2 1500 GPM pump Elkhart 240-125P foam eductor 500-gallon water tank with 30 gallon foam tank KME – FireLine partnership FireLine’s longstanding relationship with Atlanta is built on trust and loyalty" “KME appreciates the opportunity to serve the City of Atlanta with these pumpers and we value the trust they have placed in our apparatus and our dealer, FireLine,” said Stephen Carleton, Director of Sales for KME. “FireLine’s longstanding relationship with Atlanta is built on trust and loyalty. We are pleased to continue working with the City of Atlanta to provide equipment, parts, and service,” said Bob McDonel, President, FireLine, Inc. Fire safety equipment major FireLine, Inc. is a globally renowned manufacturer of fire safety equipment and apparatus, including firefighting helmets, in-take valves, vehicle mount systems, cutting tools and kit, pumpers, tankers, aerial quint and other fire apparatus. KME is an international source manufacturer of high quality, custom fire apparatus serving communities across the USA. They offer a wide range of apparatus that includes ARFF, aerial, industrial, pumper, rescue, tanker, and wildland products built on custom or commercial chassis.

At insulation manufacturer Glava, they manage high risk and high production volumes. Hence, they are dependent on an efficient fire detection system. Here, they tell us why they chose Autronica. 60 tons of melted glass, and temperatures up to 1300 degrees Celsius: At the Glava manufacturing plant in the Norwegian town of Stjørdal, the production runs non-stop. The temperature is high when shattered glass is molten and spun into insulation, and the consequences of an incident in the smelting plant are enormous. In the afternoon, evening and night, staffing is limited to a minimum. Only four people keep the 3500 square meters of factory under surveillance. Thanks to solid fire detection, they all know they are safe regardless. However, not long ago they experienced a completely different situation altogether.  Catastrophic fire at Glava manufacturing plant "In the 90s, the Glava manufacturing plant and headquarters in Askim suffered a major cable fire, where a grand total of 600 kilometers of cable was destroyed by fire. Production was halted for weeks, and 60-70 electricians were hired to fix the problem. If we had had early warning in case of overheating, we could have saved several millions Norwegian Kroner," said Helge Bakken, an electrical engineer working in the Glava manufacturing plant since 1996. He talks about vast amounts of inflammable materials on the premises.  "Glava is a large manufacturing plant with lots of machinery, and we are bordering on the limit of what we can keep our eyes on." Efficient fire detection system With Autronica’s solution we have a complete overview form the screens in the control room" Helge added, "When we rebuilt the Stjørdal factory in 2014, we wanted to install a proper fire detection system. We asked for tenders from a wide range of suppliers, and I feared that Autronica would be too expensive. I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out they weren’t the most expensive supplier by far. Additionally, the quality and service were far superior to any of the others. And of course, it was a bonus that they are a Norwegian company, and that most of the equipment is manufactured at their headquarters in Trondheim." Fire alarms and emergency lighting "With Autronica’s solution we have a complete overview form the screens in the control room. Graphical sectionalizations show where the alarm is triggered, and we get an early indication of heat generation. With the help of statistics, we quickly see what the normal temperature is. If there is a real emergency, the emergency light system will multiply the chance of evacuating the employees. There are few fault messages, and everyone here takes any alarm seriously," says fire safety manager, Håvard Sesseng.

Sepura partner in Australia, Radlink Communications, secured a contract with Aurizon, Australia's largest rail freight operator to deliver one of the largest radio networks in Australia. Aurizon moves coal, iron ore, agricultural freight and more across Australia daily and needed to improve the communications across their vast rail network. Their new radio network is due to be operational this year and will use TETRA technology, encompassing 79 sites and covering 2,670 kilometers of rail network, linking 50 coal mines and four major ports throughout central Queensland. Aurizon have purchased 1,200 Sepura SC20 hand portable radios and 1,800 SRG3900 mobile terminals to be used across the network. The SRGs will be installed across the train fleet to keep communications along the rail network. TETRA network, remote diagnostics Aurizon’s current analog radio system was more than 20 years old. Keeping this in mind, an overhaul of the radio system was long overdue and needed to ensure reliable and secure communications, in order to meet their operational requirements into the future. The new TETRA radio system will consolidate four analog systems across train control, shunting, maintenance and wayside operations into a singular cohesive TETRA network, providing the highest level of reliability and availability with no single point of failure. The new network will also deliver improved monitoring, remote diagnostics, overlapping radio coverage, GPS tracking and distress signal capabilities. Aurizon selected Sepura’s new SC20 handheld radio due to their robustness and improved radio performance Radlink Communications are a globally renowned systems integrator with vast knowledge and practical experience in the wide range deployment of Sepura mobile terminals. Aurizon selected Sepura’s new SC20 handheld radio due to their robustness, improved radio performance and enhanced coverage with 3W radio frequency and improved receiver sensitivity. The addition of Sepura’s Short Data Application (SDA) capability is also enabling the use of applications developed by Radlink for Aurizon which include; Geofenced auto channel change, weather alerts, heat maps of radios showing identity and location, speed alerts, signal strength tracking, and a mobile phone client providing two-way radio access and functionality on smartphones. SC2 series TETRA radios Aurizon staff have visited Sepura’s offices in Cambridge, UK and were very impressed with the design process and level of testing that Sepura applies to all products, including the latest SC2 series TETRA radios. Radlink Communication’s project director, Scott Manson, says “The system we are implementing for Aurizon is truly ground-breaking in terms of its sheer scale, functionality and capability. The new TETRA network will be fully integrated to operate over the Aurizon Central Queensland MPLS network and will provide greater radio coverage, increased reliability and advanced monitoring for what will be a critical communications network”. TETRA base stations Radlink successfully designed and installed 79 Tetra base stations in 14 months across a remote Central Queensland landscape The project is progressing well with construction currently ahead of schedule and initial tests providing outstanding results. Radlink successfully designed and installed 79 Tetra base stations (including 2 control rooms, disaster recovery trailers & 15 new tower structures) in 14 months across a remote Central Queensland landscape close to the size of Germany. Sepura have now delivered all 3,000 terminals to the project with the next phase of programming and vehicle installation now well underway. Doug Bowden, Business Development Manager for Sepura in Australia said “The success of Sepura terminals in supporting this project further proves Sepura’s reputation as a trusted solution provider for the transportation, mining, oil and gas industries in Australia. Through the experience and expertise of our partners such as Radlink, we continue to provide secure, reliable critical voice and data communication solutions for some of the harshest environments”.

During the Expo Seguridad 2019 (Safety Expo 2019), Motorola Solutions announced that its mission-critical device, LEX L11, has been certified by Altán Redes, the developer of the Red Compartida, to operate on the 4.5G-LTE broadband network that already covers more than 40 million people in 14 cities. LEX L11 mission-critical device The LEX L11 is a rugged and durable mission-critical LTE-device created for public safety users who need efficient, instant and secure communications. It enables officers to communicate clearly and easily thanks to its dedicated push-to-talk button, advanced audio features, such as noise cancellation and feedback suppression. Multiple levels of security protect the mission critical device, data, and communications Multiple levels of security protect the mission critical device, data, and communications. These include: a secure boot, integrity monitoring, malware blocking (malicious software), and policy based controls. The LEX L11 also provides support for secure device management based on industry standards, with over-the-air monitoring and control capability including: remote configuration, remote firmware and software upgrades, application whitelisting and over-the-air wipe and lock capability. WAVE PTX for Public Safety In addition, before the end of 2019, WAVE PTX for Public Safety will be a first for the Mexican market, and will allow interoperability with P25 and all Motorola Solutions' systems, as well as with the external systems that public safety agencies already have. WAVE PTX, which will be offered as a service, is the ideal application for public safety users who use the LEX platform, as both solutions have been designed with specific features, such as easy access and dedicated emergency and push-to-talk buttons, to meet the needs of public safety users, namely, to respond effectively and immediately to emergencies. Altán Redes, the operator of this innovative 4.5G LTE shared broadband network in Mexico, provides Motorola Solutions with the opportunity to deliver comprehensive and innovative security solutions in order to bring about a positive change in public safety, in line with the company’s interest in contributing to building safer cities.  Enhanced public safety The LEX L11, and its value proposition with WAVE PTX, will enable public safety officers to experience broadband" “This certification is a major step in our firm commitment to Mexico and our interest in establishing ourselves as a strategic partner of the public safety forces, bringing our latest innovations to the country. The LEX L11, and its value proposition with WAVE PTX, will enable public safety officers to experience the benefits of broadband for instant, reliable and interoperable communication. This is just the beginning, we will continue bringing innovation to make Mexico a more connected, safer and smarter place,” said Janet Fernandez, vice president for North of Latin America at Motorola Solutions. With the WAVE PTX instant communication service for Public Safety and the LEX L11 device, as well as its international standards systems and portfolio of mission-critical, specialized solutions, Motorola Solutions seeks to continue increasing its cooperation, keeping everyone connected with optimized interoperability between agencies, systems and databases, enhancing situational awareness and transforming voice, video and data into real-time intelligence for a more effective response in emergency situations.

Over a period of 2 days starting from the 8th of April 2019, a communications exercise (SIGEX) titled “ESPADA 19” was carried out by Madeira’s Operational Command and Military Zone teams in Portugal. SIRESP The exercise was to test the practice of using SIRESP (the Integrated System of Emergency and Security Networks of Portugal) to support the command and control of requests made through the Regional Civil Protection Service. The press release from the Army stated that the framework of tasks related to checking satisfaction of basic equipment and providing quality of life for those living in the autonomous region of Madeira. Interoperability of Sepura radio equipment The scenario was based on a simulation of multiple forest fires all active at once in several areas of the island of Madeira, such a large scale emergency response was required which forced the coordinated intervention at many levels of the various entities participating in the exercise. The interoperability of Sepura radio equipment was also tested alongside the military tactical radios P ​​/ PRC 425 During the exercise all potentialities of the system were tested, including the use of geolocation on the Sepura hand-portable terminals. The interoperability of Sepura radio equipment was also tested alongside the military tactical radios P ​​/ PRC 425. Large-scale emergency rescue The Portuguese army stated, “It was an excellent opportunity to train and to test the dynamics inherent in the information flow between the COM and the ZMM and to increase the sensitivity of the operators to adapt to this dynamic, adapting the use of the radio procedures in each situation.” The Army further emphasized that the test means they are now ready to respond to emergency situations and catastrophes which may occur in the region with effective interoperability and cross agency communication.

When a 9-1-1 call is placed, information needs to be shared quickly and accurately with first responders who are dispatched to the scene. Motorola Solutions was selected by Springfield, Ohio and Clark County, Ohio to provide command center software to take incoming 9-1-1 calls, share and manage critical incident information, and communicate across agencies to coordinate a response. Integrated software There is no doubt that Motorola Solutions’ integrated software offers the best options for our first responders" “There is no doubt in our minds that Motorola Solutions’ integrated software offers the best options for our first responders,” said Paul Hicks, Communications Manager, City of Springfield. “Through the state’s trusted partnership with Motorola Solutions, we are confident that they will deliver the best end-to-end solutions for our command center.” Motorola Solutions technologies selected by Springfield and Clark County work together to share information seamlessly during every step of an incident response. This includes: 9-1-1 emergency call handling: When a 9-1-1 call is placed, dispatchers will answer the call by using Motorola Solutions’ CallWorks browser-based software, which provides simplified call flows to enable fast and accurate response. Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD): Motorola Solutions’ Flex CAD software allows dispatchers to share call information across agencies such as law, fire and emergency medical services to keep all parties up to date. Records Management Software (RMS): Motorola Solutions’ Flex Records provides a centralized repository for case details including names, property and vehicle information, and other essential data. Dispatch consoles: Motorola Solutions’ MCC 7500 IP consoles are used by dispatchers to communicate over the ASTRO 25 land-mobile radio (LMR) system with first responders in the field using two-way radios. MARCS ASTRO 25 statewide system We are excited to have all Clark County agencies join the statewide MARCS system" Ohio MARCS ASTRO 25 statewide system: Using the Ohio MARCS statewide system by Motorola Solutions, Springfield and Clark County will have seamless communications with other users across the state. “We are excited to have all Clark County agencies join the statewide MARCS system,” said Mike Combs, Clark County 9-1-1 coordinator. “Being on the same network is another step toward direct and efficient communication among first responders in our state.” Fast, seamless communications “Springfield and Clark County have made it a priority to be able to quickly and accurately share information for fast and seamless communications between citizens and first responders who help keep them safe,” said Chris Lonnett, vice president of sales, Motorola Solutions.