Smart Home - News

On 11 July 1240, Emperor Frederick II granted trade fair rights to Frankfurt am Main, marking the birth of Messe Frankfurt. Now, 780 years later, the company can look back on an eventful history, in which the Frankfurt trade fair developed from a medieval marketplace into a global player, experiencing many successes and mastering various crises. Importance of trade fairs Peter Feldmann, Mayor of Frankfurt am Main and Chairman of the Messe Frankfurt Supervisory Board, had this to say about Mess...

BAFE SP101 fire extinguisher technician assessments and BS 5306 Exam during the coronavirus pandemic. BAFE is focused on protecting assessors and fire extinguisher technicians from the threat of COVID-19. After reviewing the risk threat posed by COVID-19, BAFE has established new safety procedures to recommence fire extinguisher technician assessments for the BAFE SP101 Scheme. BAFE SP101 Scheme BAFE is now in a position to accept bookings for assessments with immediate effect from 06/07/2020...

The world of the fire service is heavily related to tangible and tangible things. In this context, people like to think of personal protective equipment, portable pumps, pumps, rescue equipment or emergency vehicles, a dream on 4 wheels with flashing lights and a tone horn, so to speak. Intangible things like software (unfortunately) do not yet have a high priority in the fire service. Digitization In the current discussion about digitization, however, the use of information technology is gett...

Wildfire smoke occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic can increase susceptibility to the virus and other infections by irritating the respiratory system, resulting in altered immune function. Populations vulnerable to smoking, including those with compromised immune systems, children under 18, pregnant women, adults 65 and over, and outdoor workers need to be aware of this risk. How to reduce risk from wildfire smoke Inform the community about these actionable steps that t...

Alarming findings are published in the 'Home Router Security Report 2020' by the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE. Of the 127 home routers tested by seven major manufacturers, nearly all were found to have security flaws, some of them very severe.  security flaws The problems range from missing security updates to easily decrypted, hard-coded passwords and known vulnerabilities that should have been patched long ago. A team led by Peter...

Purchasing, production, logistics, distribution, and markets form a network spread over continents and nations, the details of which are difficult for companies to keep track of. However, such an overview with a focus on one's own company contributes to the company's success in many ways. FIFI project The project, 'Fraud Information-Fusion Intelligence' by Fraunhofer FKIE adapts proven approaches, procedures, and tools used by security authorities to the requirements of companies, develops t...

The Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 was the initiating legislation for the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). This legislation encourages communities to develop these plans to help reduce their risk to wildfire loss, as well as create healthier natural ecosystems. The ambiguity in the legislation allows communities to develop effective plans that are relevant to their conditions and can change as community capacity, and other conditions change. Why it is important...

BAFE is pleased to note the announcements made by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Most notably, the one meter plus rule (in England) will help in the continuation of the fire safety industry by gaining access to buildings to perform essential fire safety work and maintenance as required by legislation. BAFE awaits further guidance to be released by the Government shortly, which will assist the industry to determinedly continue with extreme care and diligence. fire safety provisions and systems...

Fireworks can be beautiful, but they can be unpredictable and deadly. Numerous fires have resulted from the use of personal fireworks, not to mention causing severe injuries to the users. Personal fireworks are illegal throughout Big Bear Valley, including 'safe and sane' fireworks. In addition, all fireworks that explode, shoot into the air, or move along the ground are termed dangerous and are illegal anywhere in California, USA. fines up to $1,000 Big Bear Fire Department’s Assistant...

Throwline stations are being installed at waterside locations across Cambridgeshire. The potentially lifesaving equipment is being installed in hotspots and high-risk sites across the county, that are known locations for people going into the water, or where incidents have happened in the past. throwline stations The 12 throwline stations are being installed with two already in place at Riverside Park in Huntingdon and in Ely. The installations have come at a time when we see most water-r...

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...

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...

Concentrations of hazardous substances in the ambient air at the workplace should not exceed specified limit values. Monitoring these sometimes very low values is a demanding task. The focus of the Dräger X-act 7000, in combination with the Dräger MicroTubes for different gases and vapors, is to measure carcinogenic and toxic substances in the lower ppb range. Dräger X-act 7000 analysis system The range of gases to be measured is being constantly expanded. The measurement-sensit...

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...

AQUASYS delivers 40 wall hydrant systems with high-pressure water mist including 6 pump stations to a well-known R&D partner for the automotive industry. In case of fire they protect more than 100 component, engine, transmission, and roller testing systems in 8 buildings. The decision for the AQUASYS system was based on comparative tests where the suitability and efficiency of the system in direct competition with another existing system was tested and proven on the basis of a 1.5 MW refere...

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...

MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA Safety), the globally renowned company in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures, has announced that the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at MSA Safety, Nish Vartanian and the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at MSA Safety, Kenneth Krause, will be present at the following virtual investor conferences: William Blair 40th Annual Growth Stock Conferen...

The National Security Inspectorate (NSI) has announced the resumption of all audit and assessment activity from 1st June 2020, in light of the current Government 'go to work if are unable to work from home' guidance. Government guidance allows all employers to resume activity in the workplace where appropriate, including professional services that cannot be delivered remotely, such as NSI on-site audits. NSI’s discretion NSI recognizes all Government guidance regarding social distancing...

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...

Well-insulated buildings can maintain a comfortable interior temperature for about four days on just a single day of heating enabling them to decarbonize urban environments by optimizing renewable energy sources, says a new study. The research commissioned by Knauf Insulation Italy and supervised by Lorenzo Pagliano, Professor of Building Physics at the Department of Energy of the Polytechnic, University of Milan, found that this long-term temperature storage created flexible physically smart b...

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...

Victaulic, the globally renowned manufacturer of mechanical pipe-joining systems, is now offering free virtual courses from its accredited and award-winning Victaulic University program, to construction professionals around the world. Growing demand for more versatile training options and shrinking access to traditional classes given the COVID-19 pandemic presented an opportune time for Victaulic to make its robust catalog of courses, many of which offer International Association for Continuing...

The Site Operating Procedures have been updated to incorporate a number of technical changes as a result of the recently published Government guidance on Working Safely during Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Construction and other Outdoor Work. Version 4 inclusions The changes in Site Operating Procedures – Version 4 are minimal and include: Removal of the requirement for face-to-face contact to be kept to 15 minutes or less. The section on PPE links to the latest Government guidance...

As health and well-being play an increasingly important role in the sustainability of buildings, Knauf Insulation is proud to announce that its SUPAFIL solution is the first blowing wool solution certified in Europe by the DECLARE label. DECLARE demands high levels of transparency and rewards products that do not contain any chemical ingredients featured on a Red List. This is a list of substances that have been designated harmful to health by international health organizations and centralized...

In the frame of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), Airbus and Fraunhofer FKIE have created an independent panel of experts on the responsible use of new technologies to define and propose ethical as well as international legal 'guard rails' for Europe’s largest defense project. The expert panel, which was first initiated in Germany in 2019, currently includes stakeholders such as the German Ministry of Defence, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, foundations, univers...

The industry’s first watertight battery-powered extrication tool line is expanding, as HURST Jaws of Life introduces nine new tools that will give first responders a full selection of extrication solutions that are completely operational underwater. HURST Jaws of Life’s EWXT line The company that has revolutionized the rescue industry time and again, HURST Jaws of Life, introduced its innovative eDRAULIC watertight extrication tool (EWXT) line, with water-resistant casing, in 2019....

In the past two years, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has issued several new reports that lend more in-depth insight into the top causes of residential fires. This post summarizes the top causes of home fires and some of the interesting trends identified in these reports. Drop in number of residential fires The number of residential fires and fire deaths has dropped by about half over the past 40 years. However, the data also shows that while there were fewer fires and fire de...

The Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service (RBFRS) is supporting the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) week-long sprinkler campaign, taking place from 18-24 May, 2020. Sprinklers are widely recognized as the most effective method of fighting the early stages of a fire, can save lives and reduce damage to property. RBFRS’ Area Manager for Prevention and Protection, Doug Buchanan, said “Although times are challenging at the moment, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we w...

HURST Jaws of Life, an industry renowned global manufacturer of rescue tools, has earned the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 1936 2020 compliant status for HURST’s two highest-performing product lines, eDRAULIC watertight extrication tools (EWXT) and eDRAULIC 2.0 (E2) battery-powered tools. The third-party test results also include HURST Jaws of Life earning high ratings in the NFPA’s new F Bar Cut testing for cutter performance, against the design and metal type...