Barbados Fire Industry News

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) announces that the inaugural NVFC Regional Wildland Symposium will take place March 17-18, 2023, in Rapid City, SD. The conference theme is Wildfires: From Mountain Peaks to Plains. This wildfire-focused event is an opportunity for first responders and other stakeholders to participate in valuable classroom training as well as exchange ideas and best practices with their peers. The conference The conference is open to all first responders nationwide...

Honeywell launches a first-of-its-kind solution that combines early warning smoke detection with advanced indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring, furthering its efforts to create safer and healthier buildings. Built on the flagship VESDA-E™ line of aspirating smoke detectors, the VESDA Air solution has a unique five-in-one IAQ sensor within a single box, which can help improve building safety by identifying life safety, asset protection or IAQ issues before they escalate into problems. Prem...

Advanced, a pioneer in intelligent fire, evacuation, and emergency lighting systems, will be offering guidance on how these systems fit into the recent amendments to Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations on Stand B99 at UK Construction Week (4-6 October 2022 at the NEC, Birmingham). In addition, to sharing its knowledge with visitors, the company will also be showcasing its latest evacuation alert and fire safety solutions. amended Approved Document B Advanced welcomed the amended...

In 2021, the VdS FireSafety Conference had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. This year, the conference is scheduled to take place again in Cologne, Germany from December 7th to December 8th, 2022. Fire protection solutions are ever evolving – also in times like these. However, fire hazards remain. It is important to stay on top of new technological advancements and regulations, in order to optimize fire protection solutions. VdS FireSafety Conference 2022 Rosenbauer&r...

Three Rosenbauer ATs are the new key players in the Wildeshausen fire service fleet. They make an unbeatable team, the three new fire brigade vehicles of the Wildeshausen fire service (Wildeshausen Volunteer Fire Department) in Lower Saxony: the TLF 4000 Troop, the HLF 20, and the LF 20. Together, they bring no less than 10,000 liters of extinguishing agent to the scene, and they have largely identical or complementary firefighting equipment on board, which is particularly suitable for fighting...

AxisGo is the new-generation, single-loop fire panel from Advanced that is versatile and packed with premium features. It provides cost-effective access to Axis EN range performance, quality and ease of use, in a simpler, non-networkable format for complete fire protection peace of mind. Available to order in a range of countries where EN Standards apply, AxisGo is the ideal solution for single-panel sites, from restaurants, bars and villas to small offices, shops, salons and surgeries. AxisGo...

The Built Environment Quality Management Systems standard was published in July 2022. UKAS has recently been asked if it is able to offer accreditation for this new management system standard. Accreditation would be to ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 (Conformity assessment–Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems). It is understood that the responsible BS Committee is developing guidance for the standard, with an anticipated timescale of 12 months. Certificati...

Just after 9:00 pm this evening, CFS crews were alerted to a structure fire at Karoonda in the Murray Mallee. Five CFS crews from the surrounding areas arrived to find a fire in the bedroom of a property on Railway Terrace.  The owners were able to evacuate safely and CFS crews entered the building wearing Breathing Apparatus, working quickly to stop the spread of the fire and contain it to the bedroom. SA Ambulance and SAPOL on Scene to assist crews SA Ambulance and SAPOL were on t...

Just after 8:30 pm, CFS crews were alerted to a structure fire on Warren Road, Mount Crawford in the northern Mount Lofty Ranges. Five CFS crews from the surrounding areas supported by SAPOL arrived to find a fire in a standalone triple-car garage situated on the property. The residents and their dog were able to evacuate safely and there are no reported injuries. structural damage Due to the quick work of volunteers, the majority of the garage’s contents, including two vehicles an...

A fire officer has said he was 'honored' to take part in the State Funeral after being one of just sixteen firefighters nationally chosen to do so. Richard Hawley, who has worked for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) for the best part of two decades, was thrilled when he was selected to take part in the procession for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. He and the other firefighters solemnly marched behind the Household Cavalry, which guarded the coffin, at the once-in-a-lifetime even...

A high-rise office building in Changsha, central China, saw a major fire break out on 16 September 2022, though no casualties have been reported and the cause of the fire is still unknown. CCTV, the state broadcaster, reported that “Thick smoke billowed from the site and dozens of floors burned ferociously.” A photograph released by CCTV on social media revealed the 218-meter building enveloped in flames with thick black smoke issuing from all sides. State-Owned telecommunications...

It is Child Passenger Safety Week, and the Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department wants to help you keep your most precious cargo safe on the road. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, road injuries are the cause of preventable deaths and injuries to children in the United States. Here are three tips to remember: Keep your child in a rear-facing seat for as long as possible. Rear-facing car seats are designed to protect your child’s head, neck, and spine in a crash. A height of 4’ 9...

Fire officers in Cornwall have responded to the increasing frequency of wildfires and flash floods by commissioning an extreme off-road Mercedes-Benz Unimog that can be kitted out to tackle both types of incidents and much more besides.   The ultra-high mobility Unimog UHE will transport mission-specific ‘pods’, each packed with specialist equipment. 4x4 chassis These are the work of prime contractor Emergency One (UK), of Cumnock, Ayrshire, a manufacturer of appliances...

At the Light + Building 2022 trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Siemens will showcase its vision of digitalization as a key pillar of the infrastructure transition required to tackle climate change and global sustainability challenges. The company’s motto at the show is “Smart infrastructure is sustainable infrastructure”, and Siemens will be demonstrating products, solutions, and services to make the transition of buildings and grids possible. Digitalization “Digi...

Proper personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential to the health and safety of first responders. That’s why MSA Safety, DuPont Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are working together to provide volunteer fire departments with much-needed turnout gear through MSA Safety and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. In 2022, 13 departments will each receive four new sets of turnouts and four new helmets. Additionally, the first 500 applicants also received a...

In August 2022, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) conducted a survey to determine the impact that high gas prices and inflation are having on local volunteer emergency service organizations. In total, 608 respondents completed the survey. The following provides an overview of the survey results. Respondents The majority of respondents were fire chiefs (40.36%), followed by officers (16.47%), firefighters (14%) and firefighter/EMS (13.51%). They represented every U.S. state except for...

35 CFS volunteers on five trucks supported by MFS crews and SAPOL personnel are responding to a truck fire on the eastbound side of the Sturt Highway. They were called to the incident at 6:41 am this morning. Quick thinking by the driver of the truck, which was towing two refrigerated trailers, saved the prime mover by unhooking the trailers. However, both the refrigerated trailers transporting frozen produce were damaged by fire. It’s expected CFS crews will be on the scene for some...

Shutdowns and turnarounds are a necessity for oil and gas refineries and petrochemical plants to conduct maintenance, repairs, refittings, and inspections—executing tasks that can’t take place on a regular basis when facilities are open for regular operations. Unplanned outages can be even more disruptive and costly. These projects have a significant impact on the operational budget of a refinery and require an increase of labor, third parties to be on-site, and lost revenue from ce...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) is an award-winning company that offers rewarding technical work in which people can make a real difference. Passive Fire Protection is a fundamental part of all building structures and although invisible to the average person saves countless lives. Enjoy a diverse work life at the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), with ever changing tasks, from traveling the UK doing events and trade shows, to going out and interacting with...

Just after 8:30 pm, CFS crews were alerted to a structure fire on Warren Road, Mount Crawford in the northern Mount Lofty Ranges. Five CFS crews from the surrounding areas supported by SAPOL arrived to find a fire in a standalone triple-car garage situated on the property. The residents and their dog were able to evacuate safely and there are no reported injuries. Damage incurred Due to the quick work of the CFS volunteers, the majority of the garage’s contents, including two vehicles a...

On September 20, 2022, three Cummins Inc. employees received National Safety Council (NSC) awards. The NSC presented the Marion Martin Award to Maude McGraw, the Distinguished Service to Safety Award to Pat Cunningham, and the Rising Stars of Safety Award to Jolene Chong at the opening session of the 2022 NSC Congress and Expo and the National Award Ceremony in San Diego, California. All three Cummins employees received these prestigious awards for their continued dedication to safety.  l...

MSA Safety Incorporated, a pioneer in firefighter safety equipment and technology, will be taking center stage at the upcoming Emergency Services Show (ESS) in Birmingham, on September 21 and 22, by demonstrating its full suite of cutting-edge, compatible personal protective equipment (PPE) for the first responder market. The MSA team will demonstrate how its fire protective clothing, helmets, breathing apparatus, advanced communications, and gas detection systems work seamlessly together in a...

Ron Alalouff reviews the tighter regulation of fire safety in the design and construction of buildings coming into effect on 1 December. In the last twelve months, the government has moved to strengthen a range of fire safety provisions in building regulations and guidance, including drawing up tougher standards on the use of combustible materials on medium-rise blocks of flats between 11m and 18m high. Changes in Act The changes are being brought about by the Building Etc (Amendment) (Englan...

At 3:18 am this morning, CFS crews were called to a structure fire on Upper Yorke Road, Kulpara on the northern end of the state’s Yorke Peninsula. CFS crews from four trucks, along with a bulk water carrier, arrived on the scene to find the house fully alight. Thankfully the sole occupant was able to evacuate and was checked over by SAAS on the scene, however, there are no reported injuries. SAPOL is also on the scene assisting CFS crews. Damages are estimated at over $200,000,...

Google realized it early on when adopting its tagline “Don’t be evil”. Having control over a vast amount of data will mean a vast amount of power in the hands of one company. In a position of power, it is paramount to use that power for the greater good of the people. In 2022, that tagline has never been more relevant as the debate is oftentimes portrayed as binary. Either a company is good and collects no data or a company is bad (or evil) because it collects data. But the de...

Large-scale and prolonged power outages, waste piling up as waste disposal ceases to function, disruptions to water or gas supplies, and successful cyber attacks on critical infrastructures, especially the power grid, can have serious consequences.  Holistically conceived cyber security is necessary to prevent such scenarios. As part of the Fraunhofer Center for Digital Energy, Fraunhofer FKIE is working with partners to increase IT security and make the sector resilient to attacks....

At 3:18 am in the morning, CFS crews were called to a structure fire on Upper Yorke Road, Kulpara on the northern end of the state’s Yorke Peninsula. CFS crews from four trucks, along with a bulk water carrier, arrived on the scene to find the house fully alight. Damage caused Thankfully the sole occupant was able to evacuate and was checked over by SAAS on the scene, however, there are no reported injuries. SAPOL is also on the scene assisting CFS crews. Damages are estimated at over...

Hempel, the coatings supplier to the wind energy industry, announced the launch of Hempablade Edge 171, a new coating for renowned edge protection (LEP) on wind turbine rotor blades.  With the highest rain erosion performance data on the market for a liquid LEP and some of the lowest dry film thicknesses, Hempablade Edge 171 provides long-term protection against rain erosion and reduces time and costs during application. wind turbine blade The leading edge of a wind turbine blade is expo...

Ramtech’s Content Marketing Manager Jon Bennett looks at how safety protection has evolved over time. In this series, Jon looks back 41 years to an infamous fire in Las Vegas. Would or could this disaster still happen now? Background It’s a Friday morning in November 1980 at the MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas. No doubt it was a busy time, especially heading into the weekend. In fact, there were around 5,000 people on site that morning, across the casino, entertainment, and...

The Electronic Security Association’s Certified Fire Alarm Technician (CFAT) Fire certification provides an alternative equivalency to the NICET requirement for industry professionals that perform installation, inspection, testing, maintenance, and programming of fire alarm systems. The flexibility of ESA’s training options is an asset in an industry where those who need training spend most of their time in the field.  codes and standards To put together training courses, E...