Barbados Fire Industry News

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and Columbia Southern University (CSU) are partnering for the 13th year to support volunteer responders by offering two scholarships to NVFC members to help them further their education in the fire and emergency services. Each scholarship will cover up to 60 credit hours towards one online degree program. CSU offers a wide range of accredited degree programs, including fire science, fire administration, occupational safety and health, and more. The uni...

KIMTEK has added a large capacity model to its brush truck series skid unit lineup. The new Series FIRELITE® FDHP-303-300 skid unit is desired by departments needing larger water capacity, affordable brush truck units with Darley Davey Pumps. To additionally meet departments' specific needs, KIMTEK offers the new 300 gallon model in options that include a patient transport area that can hold a longboard or stokes basket or accommodate other optional items that can be added such as storage b...

Euralarm has released its Annual Report 2020-2021. The report follows the structure of Euralarm, every section and committee of the association summarising their activities over the previous year and, where appropriate, providing forecasts and plans for the future. This year the Annual Report is available as E-book enabling the reader to view the Annual Report online. A copy of the Annual Report can be downloaded from the companies website.  

Portable fire extinguishers play a vital role in preventing a fire from becoming a major conflagration. Indeed, the guidance notes of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (FSO) references this very point, stating how the safe use of an appropriate fire extinguisher to control a fire in its early stages significantly reduces the risk to people and property. In fact, according to the Fire Industry Association (FIA), almost 90% of workplace fires are successfully fought with a fire extinguishe...

Housing Committee Chair, Clive Betts MP sets out his concerns about the gap between the guidance for external wall surveys and the reaction of mortgage lenders to their implementation, which is leaving leaseholders to face the consequences. Issues with the EWS1 process The Chair of the Housing, Communities, and Local Government Committee, Clive Betts MP, wrote to the government on 21 May to highlight continuing issues with the EWS1 process. This follows the publication of guidance in March by...

Grass, crop, and woodland fires can have a devastating impact, injuring or killing wildlife, destroying property and livelihoods, and even putting people’s lives at risk. As users enter peak season for these types of incidents, residents, workers, and visitors are being urged to do their bit to reduce the number of accidental grass fires across the county. Most grass fires happen between May and September when grassland can get very dry, and many are caused by out-of-control bonfires...

Whilst low temperatures and fire don’t seem like a likely combination, there are in fact many factors that make cold storage susceptible to fire risk. Econofoods understand the critical business impact a fire would have at their stores. Keeping the food at the right temperatures in controlled cold storage is essential to providing customers with the best produce. specialist fire protection measures Due to the harsh conditions of a bulk freezer room Wayne Behrens of Coetzer Fire Services...

With the start of a new year comes expected change. 2021 is no different for the Automotive Service Technician with some finalized rules behind Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning (MVAC) service. The EPA, under the direction of Administrator Wheeler, signed a final rule entitled, “Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning Systems Servicing”, on Monday, January 11, 2021. SAE safety standards Under this new ruling, any person repairing or servicing an R-1234yf MVA...

The new Fire Safety Bill (FSB) for England and Wales has been lauded by some in the fire industry, as the answer to many of the challenges faced post the Grenfell tragedy era, but it may not be as far-reaching as many had expected. Stacey Adams, the Market Development Manager at Apollo Fire Detectors Ltd, takes a look at the Fire Safety Bill, what it contains, what it aims to achieve, and its implications for the fire industry. New Fire Safety Bill for England and Wales The new Fire Safety Bi...

Churches Fire & Security, a national provider with over 29 years of experience in the fire safety and security industry announces the acquisition of Dragon Fire & Security Systems. Experts in fire and security systems for homes and businesses across South Wales, Dragon Fire & Security Systems are approved to all of the industry’s highest recognized standards, including the NSI (Gold) and the BAFE Alarm Certification Scheme. High-quality service “We are delighted to ann...

For thousands of restaurants, hotels, offices, factories, hospitals, leisure facilities, and retailers across the UK, fire extinguishers and fire doors are in a position to act should a fire occur. Legislation in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that all businesses must have fire extinguishers readily available and visible at all times. Fire doors also fall under this ruling, with the maintenance of them being a key requirement for every business to which the Order applies....

Northern Minnesota’s International Falls Fire Department (IFFD), together with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, quickly extinguished a dangerous wildfire on the shore of Rainy Lake. On May 18th, amid elevated fire danger conditions and high winds, the fire jumped across open water from Frank Island to Voyageurs National Park on the U.S. mainland, but those responding swiftly extinguished it with help from a new Lake Assault Boats fireboat. Fireboat stationed on rainy lake...

In a brand-new episode of Assembly Point, RIBA past president, Jane Duncan OBE, explores why fire safety must be taken seriously, and what action still needs to be taken to ensure tragic events such as Grenfell are never repeated. Jane is the Chair of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Expert Advisory Group on Fire Safety formed shortly after the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017. Its work is based on two key principles: To be visible and transparent in their discussion and outp...

Greater Manchester Fire and rescue service rounds off National Sprinkler Week with new videos promoting the benefits of sprinklers for local businesses. Love 2 Sleep is a major supplier of bedding to hotels, NHS and others based in Salford. There was a fire in their factory at 0215 which activated the sprinkler system; this alerted both the fire and rescue service as well as the business owner. Results of sprinklers Speaking about the fire in this video, the company representative said: &ldqu...

Firefighters from across the country participated in the National Fallen Fire Fighter Softball Tournaments in October 2020 and May 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Organizers of the annual event typically donate $10,000 from the proceeds to the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial every two years, but this year was able to give $12,500. The check was presented on May 3 at Hennessey’s Tavern in downtown Las Vegas. “It was an honor to accept this check on behalf of the IAFF Foundation,”...

On Tuesday, June 22, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is hosting “Keeping You Informed: The Big Wide World of Building and Life Safety”, a one-day program that addresses some of today’s leading building and life safety issues, opportunities, and challenges. The program is part of the association’s virtual 125th Anniversary Conference Series, which replaces the traditional in-person 2021 NFPA Conference & Expo and runs from May 2021 through M...

Notting Hill Genesis is looking for fire experts to help with fire safety and compliance across its 66,000 portfolios of homes across London and the southeast. fire safety services Launched on the government’s procurement portal Tenders Direct on 18 May, the Fire Consultants Framework 2021 is made up of five lots that cover a range of fire safety services related to the design, construction, refurbishment, maintenance, and management of housing stock. The housing association has allocat...

A court in Preston fined the former owner of the Plaza Beach Hotel in Blackpool £15,000 for multiple breaches of the Fire Safety Order that saw it treated as an unofficial HMO. Findings Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service first visited the hotel in September 2017 and prohibited its use after finding: Several members of staff sleeping in the basement with inadequate fire detection, Fire separation throughout the hotel was inadequate, Fire doors would not close, Combustible materials...

The Hardstaff Barriers team is excited to be attending a major events exhibition– the first event the company has attended in person in over a year. The company’s hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) and event security experts will be available to offer advice at the Event Production Show at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, Hampshire, on May 26 and 27, 2021. Safety awareness Hardstaff will be showcasing HVM products, which are EN 1317, IWA 14-1, PAS68 an...

A good pair of high-tech socks, in a quality wool blend, is the first line of defense for dry, comfortable, and, most importantly, blister-free feet. High-tech wool blend socks can be a big improvement over cotton socks. As each foot is covered with nearly 250,000 sweat glands, the feet can be one of the sweatiest parts of the body and can produce up to 7 oz of perspiration per day with exertion. A good sock will wick away excess perspiration, keeping the feet dryer. And if the feet are dr...

Ethics are principles concerning right and wrong behavior that govern how we conduct ourselves. Morals are standards of behavior based on those ethical principles. Ensuring the highest standards of ethical behavior is central to the fire service mission and to managing a fire department effectively.  Ethical behavior Ethical behavior almost appears to be a logical extension of the culture of firefighting, given the fire service’s shared mission to serve society positively. Firefig...

With the COVID outbreak making business travel and exhibitions almost impossible over the last 15 months, it was great to see the productts on show at Fire Australia. Whilst scaled down from previous editions of the show, Fire Australia 2021 still featured a comprehensive conference programme which ran alongside the exhibition. The Australian partners, FlameStop, were among the 80 companies exhibiting and took the opportunity to promote products from the Solo and Testifire ranges. Rob Glover,...

    A harmonized standard is  a European standard elaborated on the basis of a request from the European Commission to a recognized European Standards Organisation (CEN, CENELEC or ETSI) to develop a European standard that provides solutions for compliance with a legal provision. Manufacturers and other economic operators or conformity assessment bodies can use harmonised standards to demonstrate that products, services or processes comply with relevant EU legislation. The...

    A harmonized standard is  a European standard elaborated on the basis of a request from the European Commission to a recognized European Standards Organisation (CEN, CENELEC or ETSI) to develop a European standard that provides solutions for compliance with a legal provision. Manufacturers and other economic operators or conformity assessment bodies can use harmonised standards to demonstrate that products, services or processes comply with relevant EU legislation. The...

Dr. Alexander Charlish is the first Fraunhofer scientist to be awarded the prestigious IEEE Radar Research Prize. He is the first Fraunhofer researcher and the second German ever to receive the prestigious IEEE Fred Nathanson Memorial Radar Award. Dr. Alexander Charlish, a scientist and team pioneer at Fraunhofer FKIE, received the international award for his outstanding work in the field of radar resource management and cognitive radar. Since 1985, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics E...

West Midlands Fire Service starts a 12-month trial of aerial drones to provide valuable footage to help with responding to fires and for fire investigations. The drones will be used to take video footage and high-resolution still images above incidents. Drones Drones can provide improve situational awareness for those in charge of incidents, helping decision-making and operational response. The six drones that WMFS will be using over the next year are M2ED drones that have a 30-minute flight...

Essex Fire Chief pledges £70,000 to the local council to ensure most vulnerable benefit from sprinklers as part of match funding approach to dealing with fire risk across the county. sprinklers Seven housing estates in the Felmores area of Basildon will be retrofitted with sprinklers. Previously, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service provided £50,000 to Basildon Council to fit sprinklers in a high-rise residential block. This announcement coincides with the NFCC’s National Sp...

Verint®, The Customer Engagement Company™, announces TELUS International has upgraded to the newest version of Verint Workforce Engagement, part of the Verint Customer Engagement Cloud Platform deployed on Google Cloud’s platform. TELUS International designs, builds, and delivers next-generation digital solutions to enhance the customer experience (CX) for global and disruptive brands. Fueling all stages of company growth, the company partners with brands from high-growth indust...

Saab’s fourth aerial firefighting aircraft has touched down at Skavsta Airport, its home base, near Nyköping in Sweden. Saab operated two aircraft in the summer of 2020 and participated in five firefighting missions. In January 2021, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) customer exercised a contractual option to extend the fleet to four AT-802F Fire Boss aerial firefighting aircraft. “For the last few months we have been busy procuring aircraft and extending the organiz...

Apreco continue to lead the way in the fire suppression market with annual testing of their pressure relief vents. The safety of building structures is of paramount importance to Apreco. Subsequently, their pressure relief vents undergo rigorous fire testing to the EWCL5 certification. Apreco were the first manufacturer to obtain the EWCL5 for their pressure relief vents following numerous meetings and discussions with WarringtonFire. Pressure relief vents With no harmonized code available fo...