United Kingdom (UK) Fire Industry News

Follow these steps when a required fire protection system is out of service for repair, replacement, or another problem. Like any electronic or mechanical device, fire protection systems require periodic maintenance to assure a high degree of reliability. Occasionally, they are damaged and need repair. Often, they need replacement or upgrades. Regardless of the reason, there are times fire protection systems are shut down on purpose. Shutdown steps If there is a planned shutdown, advise...

Often considered the unofficial kick-off to summer, Memorial Day weekend includes lots of celebrations featuring cookouts and barbeques. As the holiday and warmer months near, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reminds everyone to follow some basic precautions for safely grilling outdoors. Basic precautions for safe grilling According to NFPA’s statistics, in 2013-2017, U.S. fire departments responded to an annual average of 10,200 home fires involving grills, hibachis, or b...

Staff and air ambulance helicopters at Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance headquarters in Chatham are being protected from the risk of fire by a fire safety solution that centres around the new Taktis addressable fire panel from Kentec. The HQ main office building is monitored by the Taktis panel and hard-wired Hochiki detectors, with wireless versions specified to cover the helicopter hangar. Ease of installation Alvin Lewis, Operations Manager at CSG Fire and Security, the company that i...

AS 1319:1994 is an Australian standard that outlines the need to devise and implement safety signs in a work environment to ensure safe workplace behavior and practices and hazard prevention. These signs help prevent injuries by making sure both employees and visitors are alerted about the likely hazards and dangers ahead in specific environments and situations. The absence of these signs would make it difficult for the people on the floor to react to or escape an industrial accident. More Abo...

Planning for emergencies is an integral part of the safety and security of every organization and its personnel. In 2010, changes were implemented to the AS 3745 Standard by Australian Standards. This standard is also known as Planning for emergencies in facilities. With the new version in place, organizations are encouraged to update their practices and training procedures to comply with the legislation. Following is a brief overview of the differences as presented by the new standards. ECO A...

A Carbon Dioxide Fire extinguisher or Drychem extinguisher is a specific type of fire extinguisher that can be used on electrical fires. This is particularly important for workplaces in Australia that use high-powered equipment or infrastructure. Depending on the nature of the workplace, the user may be required by law and the AS 1851 safety standards to ensure the user has a CO2 fire extinguisher installed. The Carbon Dioxide fire extinguisher is one of the 6 types of fire extin...

Childcare centers are tasked with keeping children safe while parents are away, but they also must ensure that kids and staff remain safe in an emergency. Should a fire break out in the facility or nearby, it is crucial to have fire evacuation procedures in childcare in place. Without it, businesses may face legal ramifications and more if the fire causes injuries or death. Australian Authorities have put several standards and policies in place to ensure a professional level of safety. Several...

Electrical fires are far more common than everyone thought and they can happen at just about any time. As such, commercial properties need to be properly equipped to handle the same, if one does occur. Certain types of fire extinguishers are designed to work in the case of electrical fires. These are called Electrical Fire Extinguishers. It is important to understand the nature of electrical fires so you can understand which type of extinguisher is best to use.  fire extinguishers Becaus...

Electric blankets are a money-saving option. They make it easy to stay warm and comfortable without needing to heat a whole home. However, they are not without their risks. Electric Blanket Safety is a serious issue due to the house fires and severe burns they cause every year. In most instances these tragedies are avoidable. Here are a few ways to be a responsible owner of an electric blanket. Tips for Electric Blanket Safety The easiest way to reduce the electric blanket fire risk is to tur...

Many workplaces contain areas that are considered to be confined spaces. A confined space is an enclosed or partially enclosed area that, while it may be big enough for a worker to enter, is not designed for a person to work in regularly. These spaces often lack resources that would normally be found in areas designed for continuous occupancy, such as proper ventilation systems, lighting, or areas that would allow for easy entry (such as stairwells or doorways). Common confined spaces can...

GearGrid’s products are being used by all of the student-athletes at Hutchinson High School, located in Hutchinson, Minnesota, daily in practice. “Each sport has its own storage cage. They have padlocks that only the coaches can access,” said Thayne Johnson, Hutchinson’s Activities Director. GearGrid’s storage solutions These storage cages replaced Hutchinson High School’s old flimsy cabinets that weren’t holding up to the various requirements of the s...

The Fire Safety Event 2019 and its co-located shows have enjoyed the most successful event to date welcoming over 11,733 visitors across three days at the NEC, Birmingham. The Fire Safety Event has firmly cemented itself as the fastest growing exhibition in the UK for the industry, providing a platform that ensures its visitors are equipped to maintain the highest fire safety standards. High-profile incidents in recent years have put a spotlight on the industry and The Fire Safety Event recogni...

Infographics announced it has successfully streamlined and enhanced the mobilization processes used by Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) within the Thames Valley Fire Control Service. By integrating FireWatch and Capita Vision, RBFRS can now automatically share intelligent vehicle availability data between systems and remove manual processes. The integration provides a level of live, connected management information and increased efficiency This latest phase builds on work undert...

A Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher is the most common type used in Australia. It is also known as a DCP, BE, or ABE fire extinguisher. To determine if a fire extinguisher is a dry chemical type, one simply needs to look for the white band that runs around the tank. One can also check the description sign to ensure they have the right fire extinguisher. With this information, people will know more about these extinguishers and how they work so they can be used safely. What Types of Fire Need Dry...

Developers, engineers, building owners, tech start-ups, and coders are needed to join a central London Hackathon that will bring experts together to develop new, commercially viable solutions that will radically change the face of fire safety within buildings in the UK and around the world. Hosted by the Association for Project Safety (APS), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), and Hack_Construct, the free-to-attend, two-day Hackathon will take place at the IET London: Savoy Pla...

On May 18, 1999, the inaugural meeting of the International Fire Sprinkler Association was held in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Representatives of ten companies along with staff from the National Fire Sprinkler Association agreed on the establishment of a new organization that would work to increase global awareness of the effectiveness of automatic sprinklers and other water-based fire suppression systems. From the start, the IFSA founders envisioned a supporting role for IFSA: it would be an org...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is hosting a free active shooter/hostile event program for emergency managers, policymakers, fire, police, emergency medical services (EMS), school officials and facility managers in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, June 18, 2019. Active shooter program Attendees will benefit from a half-day public session that will feature keynote speaker Michele Gay, Co-Founder of Safe & Sound Schools, who lost her daughter during the Sandy Hook Elementary S...

The fire protection of substations to maintain a secure power supply is of particular importance for large energy suppliers. Due to the rapid and efficient operation of high-pressure water mist fire-fighting systems, the proportion of protected transformer systems using this technology continues to rise worldwide. AQUASYS has developed a unique design for a large energy utility that benefits from the advantages of water mist systems compared to its conventional spray flood systems to minimize w...

Earlier today, Firefighter Tommy Richardson was presented with the Queen’s Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service by HRH Prince William at Buckingham Palace. Tommy is a member of the Byker-based Swiftwater Rescue Team who campaigns passionately to reduce drowning incidents. Reducing water-Related deaths When Tommy was named in the 2019 New Year Honors list, Chief Fire Officer Chris Lowther commented: “Tommy’s passion and commitment to ensure water safety is high on eve...

The latest addition to the E2S Warning Signals D1x family are the D1xB2 beacons, which offer global approvals with SIL1 and SIL 2 compliance. Light sources are available as either Xenon or LED. Strobes are offered in 5, 10, 15 or 21 Joule Xenon variants with four flash rate options and are approved for private mode fire alarm use to UL1638. The high-power LED array features a steady mode for status applications, five flash patterns and three remotely selectable alarm stages/channels. UL/cUL and...

Advanced is set to showcase its latest industry products at Firex International 2019 as it forms part of the annual event’s largest ever exhibition zone. Pioneer in the design, manufacture and supply of intelligent fire systems, Advanced, alongside fire brands Apollo, Argus, FFE and Klaxon have joined together to form the Firex Solutions Sector at this year’s Firex International, 18-20th June. Visitors to Advanced’s striking stand (FX610) at the Firex Solutions Sector can expe...

Tamworth-based trade association, DHF (Door & Hardware Federation) is emphasizing the importance of making fire safety an ‘absolute priority’ in new-build homes, following an investigation into potentially dangerous fire safety issues in houses developed by Persimmon Homes and Bellway Homes.  Fire Safety In New-Build Homes The BBC’s Watchdog discovered serious breaches that had gone undetected during the construction process" The findings, by BBC Watchdog Live, high...

Recent news headlines about devastating fires have left many building owners and small business proprietors concerned about what a fire loss would do to their facilities and operations. Unlike larger organizations, they don’t have the luxury of employing risk management and loss prevention experts to analyze the risk and develop procedures to ensure business continuity. White paper offers practical advice on fire safety Small organizations don’t have the budgets that large compani...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has issued safety advice about the use of incense sticks after they were involved in two separate house fires. Crews attended a house fire in Keyston in Huntingdonshire on the morning of April 30, while less than an hour later crews were called to a similar fire in Soham. Spreading aromatic scents A fire service spokesman said: “These fires were both started by incense sticks that had been left unattended. Lighting incense is a common and po...

Of the 673 new schools that have been built and opened under the government’s flagship school program, only 105 were fitted with sprinklers. With hundreds of schools in the United Kingdom, witnessing a fire each year, this alarming statistic once again emphasizes that money spent on dealing with the aftermath of fires should be spent on sprinklers instead. The Business Sprinkler Alliance (BSA) shares the concerns of Labour Party MP and former teacher, Stephanie Peacock, who stated “...

The Viking Corporation, a global pioneer in fire protection and life safety systems, has added a new 3.0 (43) K-factor residential flat plate concealed pendent sprinkler to its leading Freedom® residential product line. The new Model VK496 is cULus Listed with a flow rate of only 8 GPM (30 L/min), and a pressure requirement of only 7.1 PSI (0.49 bar) in a 12 x 12 ft (3,7 x, 3,7 m) room size. With its smaller K-factor and lower flow rates, the new glass bulb sprinkler is appropriate for NFPA...

E811 responded as the 2nd due engine to a box alarm with reported entrapment at an apartment complex in Langley Park, MD. Upon arrival, E811 pulled a 400′ backup line and checked for extension from an exterior fire into the structure. E811 returned to service.  

Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Director Kelly Susewind, USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen, and Regional Forester Glenn Casamassa signed a Shared Stewardship Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), calling it a model for other states to follow. The MOU, only the second of its kind in the nation, establishes a framework for Washington state and the USDA Forest Service to work collaboratively toward mutual goals and effectively re...

The Viking Corporation, a global provider of fire protection and life safety systems, has added a new 3.0 (43) K-factor residential flat plate concealed pendent sprinkler to its leading Freedom residential product line. The new model VK496 is cULus Listed with a flow rate of only 8 GPM (30 L/min), and a pressure requirement of only 7.1 PSI (0.49 bar) in a 12 x 12 ft. (3.7 x 3.7 m) room size. With its smaller K-factor and lower flow rates, the new glass bulb sprinkler is appropriate for NFPA 13D...

Emergency Evacuation Plans for Businesses are mandated by law and Occupational Health and Safety guidelines. They should be implemented, rehearsed, and enacted to minimize employee injury and loss of life. Fire Evacuation Procedures are among the most vital of these plans. Business owners work closely with local and federal agencies to draw up these life-saving initiatives. Make fire evacuations a priority Fire evacuation procedures should be among the first measures put into place Fire evac...