Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - News

G4S India offers a comprehensive range of solutions under the work assurance program in the post COVID-19 lockdown era. This year so far has been quite unprecedented for people, businesses, economy and the government. Safety and care for all lives has taken a center-stage and a preventive approach is the most sought-after behavioral change. Everything that was done prior to COVID-19 is being questioned from a safety stand point and simple things that were routine have become important now, for...

3M Novec 1230 fluid is a waterless, non-conductive, clean agent fire suppression solution that is stored as a liquid but discharges as a gas. But with so many clean agents on the market, what makes 3M Novec 1230 fluid different and what potential benefits, or downsides, does it have? In 2004, the 3M Company introduced Novec 1230 fluid as a next-generation halon replacement with a low environmental impact and a high margin of safety. Their goal was to create a compound with such environmental su...

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dräger has decided to expand its production capacities for light respiratory protection in Europe. To this end, the company will expand existing production sites in Sweden and Germany and build a completely new factory in France. Rainer Klug, Executive Board Member for Safety Division at Dräger: "We assume that demand for light breathing protection will be higher than before the Corona pandemic in the long term. Our goal is to ensure a stable supp...

Leaders from across the fire safety sector offered their expertise on how they believe the industry has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and what their various associations have been doing to support their members. Presentations come from the heads of the Fire Industry Association (FIA), Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), Fire Sector Federation and Fire Protection Association. Social distancing rules Following the presentations, speakers took audience questions, coverin...

Thirty-three Fire and Rescue Services (FRS), comprising over 33,500 firefighters, are now benefiting from the Local Authority Collaborative PPE Framework. Launched three years ago in June 2017, the Framework gives UK FRSs access to high quality PPE ensembles and volume discounts through a streamlined procurement process. The Framework was set up in response to calls from government and the industry for FRSs to work together to share best practice and deliver efficiencies. It is run by Kent FRS,...

On the heels of expanding its eDRAULIC® watertight extrication tool (EWXT) line and garnering NFPA® 1936 2020 certification for it, HURST Jaws of Life® announces it has earned NFPA 1936 2020 compliant status for all of its current low-pressure and high-pressure tools, as well as its StrongArm® multitool, completing the company’s certification for all pressure rescue products available currently. performance test and design “HURST Jaws of Life remains dedicated to pr...

Digital solutions have also become an indispensable tool in the firefighting world. Vehicles are operated via radio, and communicate with one another. Command centers coordinate emergency crews over the internet. Components such as fire detectors or drones are incorporated into a network that supports fire departments in their firefighting. In addition, digital tools help with the maintenance of entire vehicle fleets and the preparation and debriefing of operations. Rosenbauer is responding to...

On the heels of expanding its industry-renowned eDRAULIC watertight extrication tool (EWXT) line and attaining NFPA 1936 2020 certification for it, HURST Jaws of Life announced that it has earned NFPA 1936 2020 compliant status for all of its current low-pressure and high-pressure tools, as well as its StrongArm multi-tool, completing the company’s certification for all pressure rescue products available today. HURST Jaws of Life attains NFPA 1936 2020 compliance “HURST Jaws of Lif...

The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) takes this opportunity during National EMS Week to honor the men and women serving in fire and emergency services departments across the nation who deliver pre-hospital 9-1-1 emergency medical care. The fire service has a rich history of protecting the health and safety of the communities through an ‘all hazards’ response model that includes the delivery of pre-hospital emergency medical care. Fire service-based EMS providers are loca...

Discussions with architects, developers and others, as well as main contractors when discussing areas of a sprinklered building frequency relate to areas where sprinkler protection can be omitted. One concern often raised with the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) is the possibility of injury or damage when sprinkler protection is installed in electrical utility rooms.  BS 5306 Part 0 standards The forthcoming iteration of BS 5306 Part 0 standards contains advice on the...

Due to the current lockdown in place, there have been restrictions on access to the site, both office and customer premises.  The Certification Body however will be required to assess competence on-site but may issue temporary certification during this period. Interested parties can contact the Certification Body for their current position. Concession granted It is the BAFE position that if scheme requirements cannot be fully met due to the current lockdown issues relating to access to c...

On April 29, National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Chair Steve Hirsch asked President Donald Trump to exercise various legal authorities to assist emergency services organizations in dealing with challenges associated with COVID-19 and social distancing. Specifically, the NVFC is asking the President to: Exercise his authority under the Defense Protection Act (DPA) to encourage manufacturers to produce more personal protective equipment, like respirators, gloves, gowns, and face shields, to...

Aico celebrates a significant milestone in 2020 with finishing 30 years of renowned market presence in Fire and Carbon Monoxide (CO) protection solutions. Incorporated in 1990 in Oswestry, Shropshire, United Kingdom, Aico has rapidly grown from strength to strength over its 30-year history, with the growth being marked by the move to a new, bespoke head office. New Oswestry head office The new 7-acre site came as a necessity as Aico’s growth and success has seen significant expansion to...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has announced hosting a webinar titled ‘Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Preservation and N95 Respirator Decontamination and Reuse’, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U. S. Fire Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. PPE Preservation webinar The webinar will focus on the current research and best practices for preserving and decontaminating personal protective equipment and use of the Battelle Decon...

In relation to the fires in the last 6 months including the recent blaze in south east London that was attended by London Fire Brigade. Envirograf would like to remind people about the dangers of naked flames and embers left on balconies from using a BBQ. Especially, during the outbreak of COVID-19, as many people have been have been staying at home which has led to an increase of people spending more time on their balconies. Providing fire protection As the users can see a simple fire caused...

Erickson Incorporated, a foremost operator, maintainer, and manufacturer of utility aircraft has announced that the United States Department of Defense awarded Erickson Inc and other Non-defense agencies, the NAAMTA Global Medical Transport Accreditation. NAAMTA Auditors completed a systematic audit of company policies and procedures, safety and quality management processes, medical personnel and policies, aviation and maintenance personnel and policies, associated equipment, training, and faci...

For commercial fire installations, one can choose DMP’s new CellComF-LTE. Designed with the same platform as DMP’s popular DualCom Universal Communicator, the CellComF-LTE includes two sets of tip and ring terminals for easy installations. This new design meets the NFPA 72 standard for single communications technology. For instance, if the CellComF stops communicating, it’s designed to automatically disrupt voltage on the second tip and ring, that triggers the host panel to an...

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) summarizes the document as 'a strategy to drive the recovery of the construction and built environment sectors, and through them, the wider UK economy, following the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn.' BAFE is optimistic the construction sector will, as the document states, 'ensure the sector is reformed to create a legacy of safe building.' importance of fire safety Stephen Adams, Chief Executive of BAFE, comments, “The importance of this...

Firefighters are urging people living in Kent and Medway, and those traveling into the county to enjoy its extensive coastline, to follow simple steps to stay safe this summer and help prevent fires and injuries. Following the sunniest Spring on record in the UK, and the driest May in 124 years, the Fire Severity Index is currently 'very high' meaning fires at this time could develop and spread rapidly and with greater severity. Hazards during summers There are a whole host of hazards that ar...

LuxIntelligent from Advanced is an addressable, automatic emergency light test system. It shows all emergency lighting is compliant and functioning, with no engineer involvement required. It can be easily networked and retrofitted onto existing wiring and luminaires, keeping installation costs to a minimum. LuxIntelligent provides cloud monitoring and system management via mobile and web apps. Test data is stored securely in the cloud and the system delivers live details on status, faults, test...

Staff across Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service have been paying tribute to Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade (PVFB) firefighter - Will Baker who sadly died yesterday evening. A colleague, aged 40, discovered Will at the volunteer fire station in the city. His death is not being treated as suspicious. Will had been a volunteer firefighter for 12 years. Known for his commitment to the brigade and the people he served, he was always true to the brigade’s motto of &lsquo...

Ian Moore, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Fire Industry Association (FIA), would like to inform you that the long awaited update to The Building Regulations 2010, specifically Approved Document B (ADB): Fire safety, Volumes 1 and 2, is now available from the Government website. Building Regulations 2010 Update The changes highlighted in this amendment take effect on 26 November 2020 for use in England, until then the 2019 edition will continue to apply (within certain listed constrai...

Streamlight®, Inc., a provider of high-performance lighting for first responders, announces that they donated $18,500 to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), which included $8,500 in proceeds from sales of the company's specially marked NFFF Red Nano Light®, Red Vantage® helmet light, and Red Siege® AA lantern. Streamlight earmarks $1.00, $3.00, and $2.00, respectively, from the sale of each light for the NFFF. The donation also included a $10,000 contribution for...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has announced that its members will receive a discount on entry passes for Interschutz USA 2020 event, which is slated to take place from October 13th to October 17th, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. NVFC stated that this would include free exhibit hall passes and savings on both three-day and one-day conference passes, as well as pre-conference workshops and hands-on training. In addition, early bird tickets’ discount rates have been ex...

On May 15, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6800, the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, which would provide approximately US$ 3 trillion in assistance, to help the nation deal with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The bill includes a number of provisions to assist fire, EMS, and rescue departments, including: Provides US$ 500 million through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, for the purchase of personal protective equipm...

As of April 2020, there were 301,960 miles of natural gas transmission lines in the United States along with 17,414 miles of gathering and 1,328,271 miles of distribution lines. There is an additional 218,851 miles of liquid transport lines in service in the U.S. The footprint touches all 50 states and poses a response consideration for approximately 85 percent of the nation’s fire service. Natural gas incidents Most natural gas incidents involve either motor vehicle crashes where a serv...

The Scottish Government has published its route map for moving out of lockdown. This is their Publication of key phases of changing restrictions. Scotland’s route map News published alongside this document states, "The COVID-19: Framework for Decision Making - Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis–gives practical examples of what people, organizations and businesses can expect to see change over time.” It adds, “The route map gives an indication of t...

SSAIB has announced publishing its policy statement for COVID-19 Remote Auditing. The policy covers BAFE, British Approvals for Fire Equipment schemes with SSAIB remote auditing procedures in place. A BAFE statement added that they will endeavor to publish information from all BAFE Licensed Certification Bodies as this is made available. Information from SSAIB: The following strategy has been implemented to allow continuation of certification services by the SSAIB, during the exceptional circu...

Streamlight®, Inc., a provider of high-performance lighting, launched a new intrinsically safe version of its Enduro® Pro HAZ-LO® headlamp, the Enduro® Pro HAZ-LO® ATEX. The new safety-rated model of the high-performance headlamp is ATEX and IECEx-certified for use in Zone 0 locations faced by many first responders. Powered by easily sourced AAA batteries, the Enduro Pro HAZ-LO ATEX features two power LEDs and three output modes: spot, flood and a spot/flood combination for...

Instead of the Fire Safety Event, which was meant to take place in late April 2020 (postponed until September 2020), Nineteen Group hosted an online webinar event (15/05/2020) to discuss current fire topics. Several notable fire safety specialists discussed different topics, but the overarching topic was how the coronavirus pandemic will affect fire safety and any additional changes it will require. COVID-19 safety measures Niall Rowan, CEO - ASFP, noted Dame Judith Hackitt’s comments t...