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Technology and change do not need to be dirty words in the fire service. There are limitless applications of using technology, like virtual reality, to address the most pressing and potentially catastrophic challenges facing the fire service. From recruiting the next generation of firefighters to dealing with the unknowns of mental health, the National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) Recruitment, Training, And Mental Health: How To Embrace Immersive Learning Technology webinar, which is...

Mike Cottam has been appointed as Sales Director at the globally renowned fire protection solutions company, Advanced. He joins Advanced from global science-based technology company, 3M, where, over the past 19 years, he has held a variety of roles covering sales and marketing, integration and Lean Six Sigma. In his latest position as EMEA Segment and Channel Leader within 3M’s Abrasive Systems Division, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mike Cottam successfully headed up the sa...

A leading UK politician has praised staff at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS), after visiting their headquarters to learn how they are keeping children safe. On Wednesday, August 17, 2022, the UK Shadow Education Minister, Bridget Phillipson MP, visited the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service to discover more about their educational input into their community. The Chief Fire Officer at the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS), Chris Lowther spent time with Ms. Phillipson...

The cause of the fire between London Bridge and Waterloo East stations has been identified as a pedicab. Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters tackled a fire at a commercial property under railway arches on Union Street in Southwark, which crews described as ‘completely alight.’ Smoke could reportedly be seen for miles around. Affected train services A railway arch in Southwark used as a garage, and another nearby unit storing vehicles, including electric scooters and bikes,...

The new Fire Safety Act 2021 came into force on 16th May 2022, and with it came a clearer direction about compliance. This article outlines the updates to the legislation and explain what this means for FMs. The Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 and the subsequent enquiry highlighted the need for changes to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Sadly, it is only when events like this happen that legislation changes. New Fire Safety Act 2021 The new Fire Safety Act 2021, which came into...

As educational facilities revel in a summertime of empty hallways and classrooms, Sue Corrick of Allegion UK explains why it’s the perfect time to assess fire door hardware. The great British summertime has arrived, known for its quintessential rainy days, packed out beach fronts and extended educational term breaks. By the time its August, students of all ages - from primary schools to universities – would have dashed out the doors, in preparation for a summer of fun, leaving behin...

Cambridgeshire fire crews have continued to face challenging conditions and increased demand as the summer heatwave persists. Having already seen unprecedented temperatures and calls to incidents in July 2022, which include the two busiest days ever for the fire service, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service staff have continued to face record levels of calls and incidents. Busy July month for Cambridgeshire fire crews Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Area Commander, Stuart Smi...

Geofire is celebrating 50 years in business, a milestone that shows its commitment to innovation in the fire safety industry. Established in 1972, Geofire continues to expand its work force, design innovative products and diversify into new sectors. Originally established as an electromagnetic brake and clutch manufacturer in the north east of England, near Bishop Auckland, the company has grown significantly into a major specialist in electromagnetic fire door safety solutions and its products...

Firefighters have been praised for saving dozens of homes after a huge grassland fire in Newcastle threatened to spread into a village. Just after 3 pm on Thursday, 11th August, 2022, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) received a call about a grass fire in Walbottle. Deploy resources fast TWFRS Fire Control staff was quick to deploy resources and within minutes the first appliances had arrived on scene. It was evident the fire was growing and spreading rapidly, with more than 30 fi...

The agenda for this year’s AFAC22 Conference and Exhibition (AFAC22) is loaded with big topics, such as reducing risk in the changing climate, the new Australian Fire Danger Rating System, women in emergency management, lithium battery fires and so much more. It is the first time since the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic that the Australian and APAC emergency management industry is coming together in person. AFAC22 Conference and Exhibition will be held in 2022 at the Adelaide Conve...

Safe Fleet’s Fire, EMS, and Industrial divisions (FRC, FoamPro, Elkhart Brass, ROM) is excited to announce the addition of Chris Thwaits as the Southeast Regional Sales Manager. In his new role, Chris Thwaits will continue to build and strengthen relationships with Fire & EMS customers in the Southeast US region. His territory will include the US states of Florida and Georgia. Vast industry experience Chris Thwaits brings many years of industry experience to Safe Fleet. That experie...

Crews from two Norfolk Fire Stations are working with the East of England Ambulance Service to respond to some medical incidents in Norfolk, United Kingdom (UK). The scheme, which is currently underway, sees Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) crews responding to adult cases of cardiac arrest within areas surrounding Sheringham and North Walsham Fire Stations. The Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service crew are co-responding to incidents, along with the East of England Ambulance Service. The trial...

Fires remain the greatest threat facing those responsible for safeguarding the built heritage. While other risks such as theft, flood and even insect or fungal infestation can damage buildings and their contents, only fire can destroy them completely. Each year, throughout the world, there are fires in all types of historic and heritage buildings – in 2019 alone there were 400 serious fires recorded in such properties. A number of these fire outbreaks reach serious proportions, where mea...

Fire chiefs in Tyne and Wear have called on their communities to work with them and behave responsibly, as the United Kingdom (UK) braces itself for another heatwave. The UK Met Office have issued an Amber weather warning for Tuesday, August 9, 2022, in some parts of the United Kingdom (UK), with temperatures due to pass 30 Celsius again in the week. A yellow weather warning is in place across Northern England from midday today until Saturday, August 13, 2022. Dry weather conditions could lead...

AW Technology strives to provide their clients with high-quality support, as part of which they’re introducing a regular ‘Inside your tunnel’ feature, in order to help clients get the very most from the company’s products and keep them performing well for years to come. AW Technology’s first feature focuses on how to keep backing up all the important data, such as calibration factors and test profile parameters. LabTunnel, powerful, flexible, easy to use software...

The great British summertime has arrived, known for its quintessential rainy days, packed-out beach fronts, and extended educational term breaks. By the time users reach August, students of all ages from primary schools to universities have dashed out the doors in preparation for a summer of fun, leaving behind empty academic facilities in the process. extended summer break For most of the 32,163 schools, 277 colleges, and 164 universities in the UK, the extended summer break is seen as...

At 9:25 a.m. on August 4, 2022, Big Bear Fire Department was dispatched to a call of a fall victim on the Castle Rock Trail in Big Bear Lake. With limited access in rugged terrain, personnel from Big Bear Lake Station 281 utilized its heavy duty off-road Polaris Ranger 6x6 to access the start of a 1.5 mile hike to reach the location of the victim. Local area hospital The patient was treated at the scene for moderate injuries, transferred to a backboard for stabilization, and loaded on a one...

FirePro participated at the Future Energy Asia 2022 exhibition and summit, which took place from July 20 to July 22, 2022, in Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC), in Bangkok, Thailand. The region’s renowned energy transition and transformation exhibition, Future Energy Asia, was officially hosted by the Ministry of Energy Thailand. Future Energy Asia 2022 More than 80 exhibitors and 200 industry renowned speakers had the opportunity to showcase their products and s...

BigChange, the globally renowned field-service management software solutions company, has announced that it has signed almost 200 new customers and £14 million worth of new contracts in the first half of 2022. This was the company’s most successful half-year of sales in its ten-year history of existence. In addition to the strong growth reported in the United Kingdom (UK), BigChange has also secured its first customer in Canada and expanded its international presence across France,...

Fentanyl is killing Americans all across the country at unprecedented rates. As the heroin and fentanyl epidemic continues to grow, responders who come in accidental contact with these dangerous drugs are at great personal risk. PH&S Products, LLC (PH&S) is committed to providing the highest quality gloves for the safety and well-being of these responders, which is why PH&S has teamed up with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), in order to provide 100 volunteer fire departme...

BigChange, the globally renowned field-service management software company, has announced that it has signed almost 200 new customers and £ 14 million worth of new contracts, in the first half of 2022. This was the company - BigChange’s most successful half-year of sales in its ten-year history. Global expansion In addition to the company’s strong growth in the United Kingdom (UK), BigChange has secured its first customer in Canada and expanded its international presence acr...

In 2021, 58,985 wildfires burned over 7.12 million acres in the USA, compared to just 18,229 wildfires and 1.32 million acres lost in 1983, when official record-keeping began (as per data from the National Interagency Fire Center - NIFC). An unimaginable amount of water is used every day for mitigation and response solutions. Over the past years, drought conditions have substantially increased and continue to do so, making water even more scarce. The use of only water to suppress fires must be...

British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) invites everyone to join a one day, free-to-attend, seminar. The details of the BAFSA seminar include: Where: Poole Quay Hotel, The Quay, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HD, United Kingdom (UK) Date: Thursday, 8th September, 2022 Hosted by Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service (DWFRS), in partnership with the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) Rise in automatic fire suppression systems installations An increasing num...

The staff at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) has been praised, after inspectors rated the service as one of the top performing in the country. Tyne and Wear’s most senior fire officer has praised firefighters and fire staff after the Service was rated as ‘Good’ by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS). It is the second inspection in a row that the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has been graded ‘Good&...

Fire-Dex, a global manufacturer of head-to-toe PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for first responders, is growing again with a significant expansion of its Pelham, Georgia manufacturing facility and production team. With planned investments totaling over US$ 1 million, the company aims to build on its strong success in the southwest Georgia region, where it has operated since 2018. Expansion of Georgia manufacturing facility New spending for floor space, equipment and personnel are all part...

Hochiki (Hochiki Europe (UK) Ltd) will be making significant new investments in their people to support the Middle East, Africa, and European regions, in order to develop the expertise they can bring to their customers in 2022 and beyond. Accomplished Mr. Shinsuke Kubo, Hochiki’s Managing Director for the Middle East operation, based out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been recognized by both customers and the business’ internal teams, as a shining light, when it comes to...

Fire-Dex is growing again with the significant expansion of the Pelham, Georgia manufacturing facility and production team. With planned investments totaling over $1 million, they aim to build on their strong success in the southwest Georgia region, where the facility has operated since 2018.“New spending for floor space, equipment and personnel are all part of revitalizing the local textile industry and giving back to our community,” said Eric Walden, Production Manager at the Pelha...

This World Drowning Prevention Day (25 July), Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is urging Kent and Medway residents to respect the water. In the UK, drowning is a cause of accidental death and statistics have shown that drowning deaths are increasing, with more lives lost in inland water, than on the coast. KFRS has specialist water safety teams with crews always ready to respond to inland water rescues, where people are in trouble in lakes and rivers. Water rescue experts With a number of...

A gas cylinder cabinet is a common piece of equipment in industrial production or laboratory. As a safety protection cabinet for storing various types of dangerous gases, it can ensure the safe and stable use of dangerous gases, not only to ensure experimental production but also to maintain the safety of personnel.  There are three major elements of electronic special gas supply systems in the semiconductor industry: safety, stability, and purity, of which safety is the first element of t...

Fire-Dex is hosting a one-of-a-kind Christmas in July giveaway, taking place from July 22 to July 29, 2022.   The giveaway will award three fire departments with a bundle of firefighter accessories and products. The bundle includes three Captain Jim Fire Hoods, three pairs of Dex-Pro Gloves, and three pairs of the FDXL200 Structural Fire Boots.   Giveaway kit Fire-Dex also partnered with SOOTSOAP, an all-natural line of personal care products made to ke...