Antigua and Barbuda Fire Industry News

Fireproofing is known in the fire safety industry as The Silent Guard. Silently and unobtrusively it stands watch, protecting a building and its inhabitants from the spread of deadly fire and smoke should the worst happen. Also known as fire stopping or compartmentation, fireproofing is a passive form of fire protection.  Active & Passive fire protection Active fire protection systems, such as fire extinguishers and sprinklers, protect by actively extinguishing a fire. Pass...

The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) Marking is a planned government-imposed product marking scheme for products placed on the market in Great Britain. This covers goods which previously required only CE Marking. The industry is currently confused assuming that products need to be showing the UKCA mark now. But good news – there is still time to get one's mark. This is not currently required until 01 January 2022. Changes in the Fire safety industry  The Fire Industry Association has...

Business owners have a responsibility to make sure that all of their employees are safe in the workplace and this means preparing them for a fire emergency. No one expects to have to deal with a fire at work but it is best to be prepared and to understand what to do in the event. This can be quite simple and easy to do and shouldn’t take long to understand. How to prepare the employees? Make sure that there is an emergency action plan for the event of a fire. This plan should contain es...

Eurotech stocks, supplies and installs an innovative range of intelligent fire safety detection devices. In addition to this, these devices are designed and manufactured by Eurotech. The company stocks both conventional and intelligent devices to suit every requirement. Range of Eurotech’s Intelligent Devices Intelligent Platform Slave Sounder Base The EURV-ABSBS is an aesthetically pleasing low profile Base Sounder with a combined 360° visual indicator. When used in conjuncti...

Eurotech introduces the latest in fire alarm technology, the world’s first fully touch screen, EN54 certified fire alarm panel. Launched to the industry immediately, the Toccare Touch Screen Intelligent Fire Alarm Panel is the first truly aesthetically designed fire alarm panel developed to slip seamlessly into high-end, exclusive surroundings. ‘Revolution’ in fire alarm technology The Toccare range of fire alarm panels sits unimposingly in design-le...

The installation of a fire detection and alarm system throughout a triple tower complex located in a newlydeveloped district of Tallinn. Project Size: 2800 devices Market Sector: Public sector System Type: Wired Protocol: Argus Vega Control Equipment: 9 x Kentec Networked, 4 Loop Panels Solution The 24000 square meter Tax administration offices required the fitting of 2800 intelligent smoke and temperature sensor devices, within a network of nine Kentec Syncro four-loop analogue addre...

Following on from last year’s successful acquisition of a substantial shareholding in Argus Security SRL, Sterling Safety Systems Ltd are looking forward to the first full year of working together building on the strong relationship that exists between the two companies. Argus are a foremost manufacturer of intelligent fire detection and alarm products, and the world's largest supplier of wireless fire detection and alarm devices. Their manufacturing center in Trieste, Northern Italy has...

Modern buildings and safety legislation require the industry to deliver new modes of protection as the uses of the buildings become more complicated; to ensure performance and deliver clearer compliance; and to do so faster and more efficiently, with more defined costs and minimum disturbance to ‘business as usual'. In the current environment the pressures on end-users to maintain the very best fire system protection for their occupants and installers to ensure they safely, quickly, and e...

Fire detection and alarm devices company, Argus Security, has appointed Giorgio Koursaris as its new General Manager, with responsibility for both Argus and its UK sister brand, Hyfire. He joins at a pivotal moment for the well-known brand, which is about to embark on a series of new product launches that promise to revolutionize the fire sector.  commercial and production operations Giorgio, who holds both Greek and Italian citizenship, will oversee both commercial and production operat...

In a move that will strengthen its presence in the Italian marketplace, global wireless fire detection and alarm devices leader, Argus Security, has acquired the assets and core business activities of IBIT Fireline Srl, one of its Italian distributors.  With a long history of close collaboration, there are obvious synergies between the two companies, and the acquisition allows Argus to enhance its sales and support offer for its Italian customers, further leveraging the established partner...

Argus is delighted to be announcing our participation and support of Halma’s Water For Life campaign. At Halma, they believe everyone should have access to clean water. Yet 785 million people in the world—one in ten—do not have clean water close to home. India is the hardest hit. It has only 4% of the world’s freshwater resources despite a population of over 1.3 billion people, a number that is expected to grow and worsen water scarcity. WaterAid – International N...

The original fire alarm system did not meet the coverage required by current BS5839 requirements and due to the age of the system and the asbestos on site, it could not be extended. A quick install was required to minimize the disruption of the working Health Center. The Health Center is also a Grade I listed building. Built in 1935-38 and partly restored in the mid-1990s, it was designed by Berthold Lubetkin and the Tecton architecture practice. Services housed at the center include the Michae...

When the English Whisky Company, the first whisky distillery built in England in 120 years, needed to upgrade their fire detection, an Argus system was the obvious solution. Project Size: 80 devices Market Sector: Retail System Type: Wireless Protocol: Vega Control Equipment: 2 Loop Kentec Panel Project Description Their insurers were demanding more robust and high spec fire detection for the distillery and warehousing, but the extremely thick concrete floors in the main building comb...

The installation of fire detection and alarm system in a new development in Tallinn, comprising two towers built for Estonia’s Eesti Energia power company. Project Size: 1800 devices Market Sector: Public Sector System Type: Wired Protocol: Argus Vega Control Equipment: 10 x Kentec Networked, 4 Loop Panels Solution To achieve the maximum fire safety coverage the 15000 square meter development required the fitting of 1800 intelligent devices, within a network of ten Kentec four-l...

Fire prevention remains essential even in the current economy. However, the design, installation, and maintenance of critical life safety systems have come under new price and process pressures. Costs must be optimized, while time-on-site and person-to-person contact minimized. Italy’s home-grown Argus wireless fire systems offer fire professionals the optimal solution in today’s environment. Advantages of the system Wireless fire detection and alarm systems offer key advantages o...

Like many Fire and Rescue Service’s across the country, BFRS have been utilizing their services to support the mass vaccine rollout. In the last few weeks, the Service has been responsible for setting up vaccination centers across Bedfordshire and Luton to help vaccinate our communities. Challenge In just 24 hours, BFRS set up a walk-up vaccination pilot, opening the doors to numbers of people who were eligible for the vaccine. Station Commander Robert Hulatt, who led the operation said...

The AFAC National Resource Sharing Center (NRSC) was activated on Saturday 20 March 2021 to assist the New South Wales State Emergency Service (NSW SES) with coordinated interstate assistance with flood and severe weather operations. This has been the largest flood and storm deployment coordinated by NRSC, with a total of 342 interstate personnel deployed into NSW. Incident management personnel AFAC NRSC had a Deployment Manager and a Management Support Officer embedded within the NSW SES Sta...

With new fire safety legislations demanding a renewed focus on safety in all residential settings, Karen Trigg of Allegion UK explains why care home and sheltered housing associations must prioritise the maintenance of fire doors. The regulations and standards associated with fire safety and sheltered, assisted and social housing are, by necessity, robust. Yet, the responsibilities towards those standards, and subsequently, fire safety equipment such as fire doors, can often leave people vuln...

The UK’s demand for sustainable heat and power sources is increasing rapidly. This is seeing a growing dependence on renewable energy sources for electricity, and, as we’re facing a landscape of constrained power generation, consistency of this power source is becoming a key concern. Fire is an evolving risk for power stations. It can cause prolonged outages, which are damaging to sites’ personnel, equipment, and fuels. However, these fires are very common. James Mountain, Sal...

Esri UK announces a new partnership with drone specialists heliguy™ to complete its end-to-end drone solution for the emergency services industry. The final piece in Esri UK’s strategy to offer all parts of the drone workflow, the partnership will provide customers with drone hardware, payloads, and pilot training from heliguy, combined with Esri’s drone flight planning, data capture, data processing, and GIS software. Desktop data processing Esri UK and heliguy will work on...

A report by David Wales, funded and supported by IFEDA (Independent Fire Engineering & Distributors Association), has been published discussing fire extinguishers (released 30/03/2021). The report, an evaluation of the role of fire extinguishers, 'was produced to provide an evidence-based assessment of the role of portable fire extinguishers within dwellings'. This includes private dwellings and HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupations). FRS response time Within this document, it is reported...

Security platform provider - LenelS2 is joining Zitko Talent, an alliance dedicated to attracting and developing new engineering talent for the fire and security industry.  The company will be contributing its highly respected CPD courses to the syllabus, along with training and accreditation in LenelS2’s OnGuard and NetBox solutions for the staff of its registered VAR network.  training and education It’s another major milestone for Zitko Talent, whose partners include...

The Fire Standards Board for England is seeking views by 9 April on a new overarching standard for Fire Protection. Having recently published the first fire standards focused on operations, the Board is now consulting on two draft standards for protection and prevention. The Fire Standards Board commissioned the development of the Fire Protection Fire Standard through the National Fire Chiefs Council’s Protection Policy and Reform Unit (PPRU). A working group, with representation from ser...

A report by David Wales, funded and supported by IFEDA (Independent Fire Engineering & Distributors Association), has been published discussing fire extinguishers (released 30/03/2021). The report, an evaluation of the role of fire extinguishers, “was produced with the aim of providing an evidence-based assessment of the role of portable fire extinguishers within dwellings.” This includes private dwellings and HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation). Within this document, it is re...

Even the most hazmat-phobic firefighter understands that chemical agents are added to odorless natural gas to make it obvious when there’s a leak. Beyond that baseline of basic knowledge, firefighter understanding of how odor agents work and how to detect the danger behind the smell can be all over the map.  Refresher courses for safety Whether it is teaching hazmat to new cadets, conducting annual refresher courses, or leading a team of firefighters into hazmat scenarios, having th...

 Verint®, The Customer Engagement Company™ announced that it has named its Latin American Partner of the Year award winners across several categories, which were presented at the company’s Sales Kickoff event. leverage AI and analytics The annual recognition honors Verint partners for outstanding achievement. Each winner partnered closely with Verint to help their customers build enduring customer relationships by connecting work, data, and experiences across the ente...

There is currently a semiconductor shortage that is affecting some industries, including the automotive sector. The semiconductor shortage has reduced PACCAR’s truck deliveries in the first quarter of 2021, by approximately 3,000 vehicles. Semiconductor shortage PACCAR’s first quarter 2021 truck deliveries are estimated to be approximately 42,000 vehicles, compared to 40,800 vehicles delivered in the fourth quarter of 2020. The company anticipates that the semiconductor shortage w...

When ISO announced on December 1st, 2017 that ISO/IEC 17025:2017, 'General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories', had been updated, the conformity assessment community was aware that this would be one of the largest scale transitions of an accreditation standard ever undertaken. ISO/IEC 17025 ISO/IEC 17025 is the most popular international reference standard ISO/IEC 17025 is the most popular international reference standard for ensuring the competence of tes...

Getting wet in the rain is one of the worst feelings. But what’s worse is having to work while it’s pouring. The cold & damp weather, the drenched feeling, the boots soaking wet throughout the day, poor visibility, and the slipping tools due to poor grip, all make the entire experience not only difficult but also hazardous. How does it impact a business? Rain can pose a serious risk to the overall health and well-being of workers, eventually impacting the business. For instanc...

South Yorkshire’s firefighters have a new weapon to help them tackle moorland wildfires- off road vehicles. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has added two Polaris vehicles to its fleet, helping crews to respond more effectively to wildfires and other incidents, which might be hard to reach using a traditional fire engine. Polaris vehicles fitted with water pumps Fire crews will spend the next few months being trained in their use The vehicles are to be fitted with water pumps, which c...