Training & Education - News

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority is asking residents to have their say on proposals to increase the fire service’s share of council tax for 2022/23. The Service is looking for a below inflation increase of £1.44 (around 2%) for the year, making the total contribution for the year £74.97 for a resident living in a Band D property. Following the financial settlement confirmed by the government at the end of December 2021, which confirmed the level of funding for th...

ImageTrend, Inc. released the second issue of the Collaborate Short Report: Pediatric Behavioral Health Incidents in the Pre-hospital Setting, from January 2018 to October 2021. Studies have found an increase in emergent pediatric behavioral health incidents over the last two decades and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. Collaborate Short Report This Collaborate Short Report focuses on how these incidents have changed across age groups and different regions from 2018 to 2021, by look...

SMART SHOOTER, a world-class designer, developer, and manufacturer of innovative fire control systems that significantly increase the accuracy and lethality of small arms, reveals the SMASH Dragon: an armed drone system incorporating Smart Shooter's combat-proven SMASH Technology that ensures precise target elimination. Presented by the company for the first time, SMASH Dragon is an advanced robotic weaponry payload that can be mounted on different drones and other unmanned aerial platforms. L...

The National Fire Protection Association was founded in 1896 to help prevent injury, death, and economic losses resulting from fires. NFPA is a global nonprofit organization with a membership of over 60,000 worldwide. NFPA’s consensus standards and building codes are a recognized benchmark around the world for quality fire safety construction practices. Fire safety education In addition to its standard-setting work, NFPA also serves the public with information, advocacy, and outreach pr...

More than half a million COVID-19 vaccinations have been given by fire and rescue services staff, according to a report by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). As reported, the figure as of now is at 510,540 – a testament to the hard work from all involved, and will only increase as fire services continue their efforts to support the national program. Additional vaccination sites It is estimated up to 2,500 members of staff are supporting this vital work to get everyone eligible pro...

The past 18 months have been transformational in many ways. Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing safety legislation, and a squeeze on profit margins have been a catalyst for change, thereby leading to significant investments in new software. It’s also put the spotlight on productivity and efficiency. According to ONS figures, productivity levels in construction have remained consistently below the UK average, until more recently. New digital strategy However, civil engineeri...

Ten people from across the fire sector have been named in the New Year Honors 2022 lists, in recognition of their services. The honors system recognizes extraordinary people, who in accordance with the list's criteria, ‘made achievements in public life and committed themselves to serving and helping the UK.’ Ongoing impactful work The FPA would like to extend their heartfelt thanks and congratulations to everyone named in the New Year Honours list for 2022, for their ongoing impa...

A Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) Project Manager has been recognized for his outstanding contribution to supporting the vaccination rollout in Cambridgeshire. John Barlow, who’s been with the Service for over 35 years, has been supporting the COVID-19 vaccination program since January 2021. In celebration of his efforts, John Barlow was invited by the Duchess of Cambridge on behalf of the Royal Foundation to attend a Christmas Carol Concert at Westminster Abbey. The event t...

EEAST Paramedic, Paul Chittock, has been awarded a Station Commander’s Commendation, marking 15 years of voluntary support for RAF colleagues based at Marham air force base in Norfolk. Paul’s volunteering has seen him working on everything from events and first aid training to critical incident scenarios, this is all alongside his day job with EEAST as a Paramedic, based at Kings Lynn. Over the years of service, Paul Chittock has provided medical cover and education for Family and F...

“I came to be a part of the industry almost by chance,” said Rebecca Gallagher, Area Sales Manager – Scotland & North East, adding “I’d not long left university and wasn’t sure which career path I wanted to take. Then, a recruitment company set me up with an interview at ROCKWOOL and almost four years later it was the best decision I have made.” Rebecca continues, “Although there’s an obvious perception that construction is predominantly...

Chate Singh pleaded guilty to six offenses under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. He was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months, at Nottingham Crown Court. According to the fire service, a judge said Singh's actions could have had 'catastrophic consequences'. Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service noted that the breaches included failing to provide adequate fire safety training for staff, failing to implement procedures such as safety drills, and failing to...

Young people across South Yorkshire are being allowed to change their lives in the New Year, thanks to the county’s police and fire services. South Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue will once again be teaming up to deliver the ‘life-changing’ Prince’s Trust Team Program course in January 2022. Prince’s Trust Team Program This is a course for people who are between 16 and 25 years old and not currently in work or full-time education. Lasting 1...

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds, in order to help with firefighting costs for the Marshall Fire burning, in Boulder County, Colorado, USA. Fighting Marshall Fire FEMA Acting Regional Administrator, Tammy Littrell approved the state’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG), after receiving the request and determining that the fire threatened such a level of destruction that it would constitute a major disaster. At...

BAFSA’s advice service has recently seen a number of enquiries regarding installation certificates for residential sprinkler systems. BS 9251: 2021 and its previous 2014 iteration talks about ‘compliance certificates’ as a requirement for new sprinkler systems and includes a note saying these should not be confused with ‘certificates of conformity’. Relevant approving body This is because only contractors who are third-party certificated can issue these as the Co...

A landlord has been found guilty of a series of fire safety failings that left residents with only one option to escape a fire: via a restaurant with a metal shutter that was closed at night. Inspection London Fire Brigade inspectors visited the takeaway restaurant on New North Road in Islington after concerns were raised by one of the tenants and the local council.  There was residential accommodation on the first and second floors of the building with the takeaway on the ground floor....

For the fifth year, ADT partnered with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to donate to volunteer fire departments during the holiday season. This December, ADT provided $10,000 donations to five departments in recognition of their tireless commitment to protecting our nation’s communities. “At ADT, we believe volunteer firefighters are true American heroes because they run into burning buildings to battle blazes while others flee, and they don’t get paid,” said B...

Following a year off, Intersec is back and Hochiki Middle East FZE, part of the Hochiki Group, is excited to announce that they will be at the event in January. The expert Middle East team will be sharing a range of greener products, as well as discussing what the future holds for fire system design and how customer insight is driving this innovation. The Hochiki Middle East team of experts will be on hand to demo the new L@titude system. With huge investments made in the research and developme...

The Extinguishing Section of Euralarm has published a guidance document on maintenance of extinguishing systems/equipment, controlled by electronic detection systems. Unlike a production tool, a fire protection system is on operational standby and is only activated in the event of a fire. Some faults may appear without being detectable, by a non-specialist operator. This is why it is necessary to carry out regular maintenance visits by specialists, to confirm the level of performance of the ins...

Continuing to invest in the training and development of colleagues, Checkmate Fire Solutions (Checkmate Fire) is delighted to finish 2021 in style – with a veritable bouquet of new qualifications and accreditations! As an ongoing process, the company ensures that their people have the opportunity to further both their careers and their expertise within the business. Through additional training and qualifications, Checkmate Fire aim to have the most motivated and knowledgeable team possibl...

With ‘big data’ capture now firmly on the agenda for many organizations, digital tools such as NFC tags offer a way to record detailed information accurately and efficiently – especially when the accuracy of location is important. Near field communication is nothing new. It is a subset of the RFID technology behind contactless bank cards, and is essentially a type of communication technology that allows the secure transfer of information between two chips. Logging employee at...

AW Hainsworth is proud to announce that they have been accredited with ISO 45001:2018, which focuses on occupational health and safety in the workplace. ISO is recognized worldwide as a respected standards body, and this standard focuses on improving employee safety, reducing workplace risks and creating better, safer working conditions. This reinforces the company’s commitment to their workforce by ensuring they provide their employees a healthy and safe place of work. ISO 45001:2018 ac...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced that it will present a FREE Leadership for Emergency Responders conference on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, as the organization’s year-long 125th Anniversary Conference Series continues into the first quarter of the year. Program schedule and topics The complimentary online transformational leadership program will feature a total of nine educational sessions for emergency response officers, aspiring leaders, and those on the fro...

Within just 48 hours of the government announcing the acceleration of the national vaccination program, fire and rescue services are already supporting the effort and have vaccinated hundreds of people.   Almost half a million vaccinations have been given by fire and rescue service staff this year – and this figure is set to rocket in the coming days as more services will be administering the boosters. Up to 2,500 fire and rescue services, staff could assi...

"With the Frequentis product line ASGARD, which is specifically designed for use in fire brigade and industry control center in the German market, we offer a flexible, highly reliable software solution for safety-critical control center. ASGARD strengthens Frequentis' strong position in the German public safety market," says Frequentis CEO - Norbert Haslacher. Frequentis was awarded the contracts for the projects in the context of EU-wide tenders. Frequentis Germany will be responsible for the...

MSA Safety, Inc., the pioneer in the development, manufacture, and supply of safety products, announces it has been named one of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2022 by Newsweek. It is the first time MSA has been recognized on this list. The company list, compiled by Newsweek and its partner Statista, highlights organizations spanning 14 industries that strive to be excellent corporate citizens. The recognized companies were selected from a list of candidates that include the top 2,0...

UKAS is proud to announce that four of the UKAS Training Academy courses have been certified by the CPD Certification Service, as conforming to continual professional development principles. These courses are: Proficiency Testing ISO/IEC 17043:2010 Awareness Holistic Quality Management for the Healthcare Sector Internal Audit for Healthcare Point of Care Testing (PoCT) Awareness ISO 22870:2016 requirements of the assessment The UKAS Commercial Team and supporting trainers have worked...

As an organization invested in industry-led qualifications developing the knowledge, skills, and behaviors of individuals working within the fire safety sector, FireQual sees the development of a fire and security apprenticeship in Wales as a key step forward in demonstrating the importance of education and training within fire safety. FireQual Chair, Lewis Ramsay, commented on this latest development, "Since its inception, FireQual has been keen to not only provide a new generation of qualific...

As an organization invested in industry-led qualifications developing the knowledge, skills, and behaviors of individuals working within the fire safety sector, FireQual sees the development of a fire and security apprenticeship in Wales as a key step forward in demonstrating the importance of education and training within fire safety. Authority comment FireQual Chair, Lewis Ramsay, commented on this latest development, “Since its inception, FireQual has been keen to not only provide a n...

The National Weather Service is warning that critical wildfire conditions are likely in the central and southern Plains through Wednesday, one of the most significant wildfire predictions in recent history for this time of year. The wildfire threat is fueled by strong winds, lots of dry fuel, low humidity, and temperatures above normal. The American Red Cross is preparing to respond if necessary and urges everyone to follow these safety steps. Wildfire safety Be prepared to evacuate at a mo...

Education is the future and requires top performance. G-TEC, as a globally renowned specialist in the planning of technical building equipment, defines this claim for itself as follows: ‘Innovative building concepts that meet user requirements over the entire service life are indispensable’. G-TEC’s new school center projects Two large school projects currently planned by G-TEC in Weinheim and Heilbronn show how energy efficiency can be consistently implemented for the best p...