Antigua and Barbuda Fire Industry News

The product lifecycle of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is approximately ten years, during which time technology inevitably advances considerably in terms of digitization and ergonomics. Increasingly pertinent in the last decade, and especially since the Pandemic, has also been how kit can be designed for ease of cleaning to ensure firefighters are protected from harmful carcinogens as well as bacterial and viral infections. When we surveyed UK firefighters as part of our ‘Hea...

Managing wildland fires is more important than ever because, over the last few decades, the wildland fire management environment has profoundly changed: longer fire seasons, bigger fires and more acres burned on average each year, more extreme fire behavior. The combination of heat and drought caused critical low solid moisture content and led to high fire danger. Fight Forest Fires With ECOPOL F Concentrate Due to its long experience in efficient and fluorine-free foam development, BIOEX lau...

One of UKAS’ current Strategic Priorities is to develop a secure, online and free-to-use database of certifications that have been issued by the accredited Certification Bodies. This database will present information on each organization holding accredited certification from a UKAS-accredited Certification Body, including details of the organization, scope and the awarding Certification Body.  As such, the database will allow organizations, public bodies and Government agencies that...

While other industries are struggling to survive, let alone grow, demand for security services continues at a pace. Given this relatively healthy state of affairs, the fact that the industry has a skills shortage is, on the face of it, baffling. However, scratch the surface and the reasons for the current situation become apparent. Time For Action The hard truth is that when a young person is choosing a career, the security industry isn’t usually on their list, which makes attracting the...

The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) is asking for the public’s help as it prepares for another busy weekend.  EEAST is urging the public to use its service wisely and to drink responsibly – particularly on Sunday when England face Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley at 8.00pm. Over the past few weeks, EEAST has seen an increase in alcohol related call-outs and traumatic injuries as the country continues to ease itself out of lockdown and a summer of sport continu...

Granite workwear is back with industry spotlight article series where it takes a look at all the different industries they stock workwear for and look at what may be required from head to toe. Currently, the focus is on the Utility industry. So anything to do with the gas, electric, and water industry. Headwear A helmet with a visor and ear defenders can help further protect the head, eyes, and ears from loud noises Starting with the headwear and in most cases, a helmet will be required. Dep...

Permanently moored as a museum ship on the River Thames in London, the decommissioned Royal Navy warship, HMS Belfast is owned and operated by Imperial War Museum (IWM). As part of ongoing fire system upgrade works taking place across the Museum’s estate, an eight-loop and a two-loop MxPro 5 fire panel, along with a TouchControl touchscreen remote control terminal and repeater, have been installed across six of the battleship’s nine decks, as well as in its on-shore visitor pavilion...

Paul Gibson, International Sales Manager for MSA Bristol, a pioneer of cutting-edge firefighter protection, talks to Matt Campbell, Emergency Services Principal at Rio Tinto in Australia, about the role of Emergency Responders in the mining industry and their specific PPE requirements. In an industry such as mining, health and safety is absolutely paramount. By the nature of the job, workers tend to deal with heavy machinery, often in hostile conditions, and frequently operate in remote areas w...

In the upcoming weeks, further restrictions regarding COVID safety may be reduced or completely removed following assessments by Governments across the nation. This poses important steps for fire safety service providers/contractors, including reviewing their own COVID-19 safety policies in the interest of employee and client safety.  BAFE would like to offer the following guidance considering the removal or reduction of restrictions: Continue to exercise a risk-based approach prior to...

With the travel and social contact restrictions imposed around the world as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, accreditation and conformity assessment bodies turned to technology in order to continue their work remotely. Remote Audit/Assessment Survey A survey is now being run jointly by IAF, ILAC and ISO to better understand the views of the conformity assessment community and those that rely on the results of conformity assessment, on the use of remote techniques for audit/assessment/ev...

In the upcoming weeks, further restrictions regarding COVID safety may be reduced or completely removed following assessments by Governments across the nation. This poses important steps for fire safety service providers/contractors, including reviewing their own COVID-19 safety policies in the interest of employee and client safety.  BAFE would like to offer the following guidance considering the removal or reduction of restrictions: Continue to exercise a risk-based approach prior to...

The kids are due back at school which means the long haul of home-schooling is over. Although many people may be still working from home which means their children will not need to unlock or lock the house by themselves, some kids will. It might be the kids have just got their own house key or they might be used to staying at home alone after school. Either way, it is worth reminding kids about basic home security so everyone can feel and keep safe. Here are 3 tips to help kids to keep home se...

Since 2015, the United States has averaged 100 more large wildfires every year than the year before, creating conditions in which wildfires overwhelm response capabilities. wildfire management  On June 30, 2021, the White House released a statement summarizing the actions it is already taking, and those it intends to take once the FY2022 budget is passed, to address the growing wildfire threat. The statement acknowledges that the management of wildfires is a multi-agency effort,...

In the coming weeks, further restrictions regarding COVID safety may be reduced or completely removed following assessments by governments across the nation. This poses important steps for fire safety service providers/contractors, including reviewing COVID safety policies in the interest of employee and client safety. Tips to follow BAFE would like to offer the following guidance considering the removal or reduction of restrictions: Continue to exercise a risk-based approach before visiti...

In Paris, visitors will find not only the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, but also the largest fire brigade in Europe. With its 8,500 firefighters, the Paris Fire Brigade is, in fact, the third-largest urban fire brigade in the world, only topped by Tokyo and New York City. Paris Fire Brigade The Paris Fire Brigade is a part of the French army, and each firefighter joins the fire brigade for a period of 5 years. The safety of the firefighters is high on the agenda. It is of utmost importance that...

UKAS has welcomed the introduction of the Building Safety Bill in Parliament this week and in particular the role that accreditation is expected to play in ensuring the competence of certain key duty-holder roles. In an accompanying Factsheet to the Bill, the government has said: “The industry should continue to develop sector-specific competence frameworks which can be used to assess the competence of individuals. Organizations wishing to assess individuals against these frameworks...

On Monday 5th July 2021, the Building Safety Bill was published. In their press release, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, Lord Stephen Greenhalgh, and The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP state this “will create lasting generational change and set out a clear pathway for the future on how residential buildings should be constructed and maintained.” Building Safety Regulator The newly established Building Safety Regulator “will oversee the new regime and w...

A massive fire service recruitment drive aims to boost its work enforcing safety laws. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has (Wednesday 7 July) launched a major new campaign calling on people to consider a role within its business fire safety team. The team is responsible for everything from inspecting businesses and licensing fireworks retailers to checking high-rise buildings – work which has increased significantly following the Grenfell Tower disaster. fire safety officers Area...

On Monday 5th July 2021, the Building Safety Bill was published. In their press release, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, Lord Stephen Greenhalgh, and The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP state this “will create lasting generational change and set out a clear pathway for the future on how residential buildings should be constructed and maintained.” Building Safety Regulator The newly established Building Safety Regulator “will oversee the new regime and w...

Kokosing Materials, Inc. (KMI) has been in the asphalt production business since 1980 and operates 17 asphalt plants and two asphalt cement terminals throughout the state of Ohio. Given the operational risks of asphalt plants, the company places a high emphasis on all aspects of team members’ well-being, including physical, psychological, and emotional health. This has led to KMI adopting a holistic, human-centered approach to safety and team member engagement, where managers travel to ea...

AQUASYS high-pressure water mist (HPWM) Made in Austria has been used for over 25 years to protect buildings, industry, railway and road tunnels as well as subways and trains. Numerous successful real fire tests impressively confirm the effect of the HPWM systems. The recently published article in Gulf Fire Magazine provides an overview of possible applications of the technology. It specifically addresses applications for residential areas, manufacturing facilities, and critical power infrastru...

Inmarsat partner and emergency telecommunications NGO, Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) has deployed to western Germany, following torrential rain that has caused the country’s worst flooding in half a century. Rescue operations With thousands of people forced to leave their homes, roads completely destroyed and entire towns devastated, rescue operations began immediately, but were hindered by phone and internet connections going down in some affected areas. To ensure...

For those looking for a new and intelligent approach to fire detection, AVIOTEC, the artificial intelligence-based fire detection camera from Bosch Security Systems, detects fires quickly and reliably in challenging settings, such as dusty, humid, and dark areas. It is vital to detect fire as early as possible. AVIOTEC is an IP camera with built-in video analytics. The trained algorithm detects flames and smoke directly at the source. The device can, therefore, detect fires faster than a common...

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment chooses inaugural DEFEA Athens as a first live event to showcase consolidated high-performance boat, life-saving, and safety solutions for the defense sector. With order volumes from defense customers in Greece at their highest level for many years, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment is taking the first ‘real-life’ opportunity to present its consolidated portfolio of products and services to naval and military clients in an encouraging market. The opportunity...

Honeywell Fire is delighted to announce that they have enhanced our Response Paging range to bring not only, improved functionality but also a new range of paging accessories that can be incorporated into the existing fire systems. With a simplified format, they have also expanded the range with additional complementary accessories. The upgrade includes: Programmable Transmitters allows one to set up the protocol input from the Fire Panel on-site rather than ordering the correct unit f...

Drones equipped with microphone arrays will help rescue workers in disaster areas to find and rescue survivors more quickly. They will detect cries for help and signals from buried victims from the air and simultaneously pinpoint their location. Macarena Varela, a scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE, is developing this technology to help victims in situations where every second counts. Equipped with Latest technology Varela descr...

On June 24, 2021, the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC) voted to award Accreditation to the Upton Police Department for another three-year period. Under Chief Michael Bradley’s leadership, the town has received its fourth consecutive three-year award for full Accreditation by MPAC (2012, 2015, 2018 and 2021). “Our residents can be assured that the men and women of the Upton Police Department hold themselves to the highest of standards in law enforcement,” sa...

Smart Shooter Ltd. (SMARTSHOOTER), a globally renowned designer, developer, and manufacturer of innovative fire control systems that significantly increase the accuracy and lethality of small arms, will present its SMASH 2000 Plus Fire Control System and SMASH Hopper Light Remote-Controlled Weapon Station (LRCWS) at the DEFEA exhibition in Athens, Greece.  Ideal for defense, HLS, maritime patrol, border control, strategic infrastructure protection, and counter-UAS missions, SMASH is a comb...

The Mircom Group of Companies, a global designer, manufacturer, and distributor of life safety products and solutions announced that its fire alarm product data and customized specifications are available through the Product MasterSpec software application utilized by architects, engineers, and design professionals around the globe. Product specifications Mircom’s newly listed product specifications are designed to meet MasterSpec’s highly utilized and respected industry standards....

A section of new perimeter fencing has been installed in order to enhance security at the United Kingdom’s largest airport – Heathrow Airport in London. The new hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) fence at Heathrow Airport will provide protection against the potential event of a vehicle-borne attack or threat. Renowned UK-based safety barrier supplier, Hardstaff Barriers, worked alongside partner - Fernden Fencing, to install the steel ZoneGuard PLUS HVM system, a combined crash-tested...