Fire Industry News for April 2020

At Checkmate Fire, they’re constantly looking at ways to improve the service to clients – and they believe there’s no better way to do this than investing in the biggest asset: workforce. As a continuous process, they ensure that their people have the opportunity to further both their careers, and their expertise within the business. Through additional training and qualifications, they aim to have the most motivated and knowledgeable team possible – and they’re mak...

The Queen’s speech raised a number of post-Grenfell Tower issues including building safety standards legislation. She declared “My Ministers will bring forward laws to implement new building safety standards.”  Within the official document released alongside this speech, it stresses that the purpose of this legislation will be to “put in place new and modernized regulatory regimes for building safety and construction products, ensuring residents have a stronger voice...

POK recently unveiled its state-of-the-art firefighting robot, Jupiter and held live demonstrations in collaboration with Nogent-sur-Seine firefighters. Jupiter has been designed for use in confined spaces and has mastered reverse and 360-degree pivoting. Thanks to this firefighting robot’s progressive speed control, it is very easy to control and maneuver it around obstacles. The particularly low center of gravity of Jupiter increases its grip on all types of grounds. Jupiter firefighti...

At the UK Construction Week (UKCW) 2019 event, day one focused heavily on the fire safety and what actions are being taken in the construction industry to prevent further tragedy. Attending the show, BAFE observed an industry that is responding to the fire safety issue, but more action is required and fast. This comes just days after Dame Judith Hackitt told the industry to not wait for regulations to ‘raise the bar’. On the UKCW main stage, ‘Building Safe Homes: When will the...

A growing number of UK schools are being exposed to major incidents or threats of violence on their premises. As this trend sadly continues it’s not just schools that need to have a robust Organization Lockdown Alert System in place should an event occur; medical and healthcare facilities, manufacturing facilities, offices and any public buildings could benefit from such systems. Many organizations use a fire bell or sounder to double up for a host of alerts from school class to factory s...

Recently, Firetrace exhibited at The Food and Drink Manufacturing Health and Safety Conference organized by IOSH the global organization for health and safety professionals. The event was held over two days in Broughton, Scunthorpe and two members of the Firetrace team attended. The theme ‘Delivering excellence by blending strategy and practice’ was implied by a variety of companies and organizations attending the event, showcasing themselves and their products. Firetrace has raised...

Recently there have been five UK fires in commercial and residential timber framed buildings. Fires which have put multiple lives and property at risk. The Worcester Park fire in September saw a four-story block of flats destroyed and families lose their homes and belongings. Despite the widely reported tragedy at Grenfell Tower in 2017 and the progress made from the Independent Review of Building Regulations by Dame Judith Hackitt, fires are not decreasing in frequency, size or impact. The Fir...

FireMisting announces that they have just been awarded the SafeContractor accreditation. Having the SafeContractor accreditation shows that they are a compliant, capable and professional installer. In order to achieve this accreditation, they’ve submitted all of their internal processes to SafeContractor for audit – these include health, safety and environmental policies, construction phase plans, quality, training and competencies, internal auditing and management reviews. This is...

Following the publication of the Raising the Bar Interim Report, the Competence Steering Group (CSG) are welcoming responses to this document. “The Competence Steering Group is inviting comments on its interim report Raising the Bar, which sets out measures to improve competence in the design, construction and fire sectors. The measures are intended to tackle competency shortcomings identified in the Hackitt Review, Building a Safer Future, following the Grenfell Tower fire.” raisin...

During the General Session of the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) 86th Annual Validation Conference held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the 2019 Marvin Austin Distinguished Leadership Award was presented to Ann Moffat, Graphics Unit Manager (retired), Fire Protection Publications (FPP). IFSTA 86th Annual Validation Conference The Marvin Austin Distinguished Leadership Award is presented by the staff of Fire Protection Publications in recognition of outstanding leadership efforts i...

During the General Session of the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) 86th Annual Validation Conference held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the 2019 Everett E. Hudiburg Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in Fire Service Training was presented to Assistant Dean Ed Kirtley of the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (CEAT) at OSU. Kirtley leads the CEAT Extension units. Fire service leadership expert Kirtley, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has been recognized for hi...

The Annual Research Symposium that supports the International Fire Service Journal of Leadership and Management (IFSJLM) was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on July 13, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. At the research symposia, national and international scholars present papers on topics related to fire leadership and management. IFSJLM is sponsored and published by Fire Protection Publications (FPP) and the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) located on the campus of Oklahoma State...

The Annual Research Symposium that supports the International Fire Service Journal of Leadership and Management (IFSJLM) was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on July 13, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. At the research symposia, national and international scholars present papers on topics related to fire leadership and management. IFSJLM is sponsored and published by Fire Protection Publications (FPP) and the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) located on the campus of Oklahoma Stat...

Having enjoyed a brilliant stint at both UK Construction Week and The Fire Safety Event North last year, Checkmate Fire will once again be present at both events this October. Showcasing products and services UK Construction Week, 08-10 October 2019, NEC, Birmingham, Stand D343 Displaying at the built environment event again, they’re looking forward to welcoming as many people as possible to their stand this year. Free to attend, with exhibitions, CPD seminars, and an innovation zon...

When planning an installation of a fire misting system, one of the questions that the installers get asked about a lot is whether the system will ruin the design and aesthetics of a room. After all, if the customer has spent time and money designing their perfect home and color scheme, the last thing they would want is big, clunky nozzles sticking out from their ceiling. The good news is that FireMisting nozzles are as discreet as they could possibly be. Sitting only 3mm thick from the ceiling,...

FireMisting to install a Life Safety system into the stunning Bryneglwys, North Wales stone cottage, comprising of 11 nozzles throughout the property. The nozzles will be fitted on the installer’s next visit, but a few pictures of the installation of the pipework throughout the property can be seen on the FireMisting website. The company’s unique technology makes it possible for each water mist nozzle head to disperse water mist with droplets in the 50-150 micron range, meaning they...

Viking Group, Inc., a pioneer in the manufacture and distribution of fire protection and life safety systems, announces the opening of its new headquarters building in Caledonia, Michigan. Employees previously based out of its Grand Rapids office, along with many employees from the existing Hastings, Michigan location, began occupying the new facility on August 19. Providing new opportunities “Our new location just outside of Grand Rapids provides a beautiful, collaborative working envi...

DuPont Safety & Construction (DuPont) announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Ultrafiltration Membrane business from BASF including inge GmbH.   The transaction, including the business’ international workforce, its headquarters and production site in Greifenberg, Germany, and associated intellectual property currently owned by BASF SE., is expected to close by the end of 2019 subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Financial terms of the agre...

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced that its seventh annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, in partnership with the Green Bay Metro Fire Department, raised over $115,000 with all proceeds directly benefitting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF).   Nearly 2,200 members of the fire service, their families, friends, and community members climbed the steps of historic Lambeau Field on Saturday, September 7th to pay tribute to the 343 FDNY fi...

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment A/S, renowned global safety products manufacturer and service provider, has announced the first flag state approval of its entire VIKING LifeCraft system, meaning the inflatable and electrically powered evacuation solution is now cleared for installation on ships around the world. VIKING LifeCraft system The stamp of approval was issued by the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) on August 23, 2019. This follows earlier approval of key components of the system, such as...

Streamlight, Inc., globally renowned provider of high-performance lighting, has introduced the USB HAZ-LO, a rechargeable, multi-function and intrinsically safe headlamp that is suitable for use in Class 1, Division 1 hazardous locations faced by many industrial professionals. USB HAZ-LO Headlamp The new rechargeable headlamp features three lighting modes to cover a variety of tasks, including a spotlight for a focused beam, a flood setting for soft area illumination that won’t tire eyes...

The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, made the following statement in both Houses: “I updated the House today in an Oral Statement on the Government's progress on building safety and set out this administration’s approach. As set out in the Statement, I am consulting on changes to fire safety regulations for new-build blocks of flats." "We will seek to commit to requiring sprinkler systems as standard in a wider range of new...

BAFE welcomes the publication of Raising the Bar, the summary and reports from the Working Groups established after the Hackitt review following the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy. They have contributed significantly to a number of the Working Groups and supported the Fire Sector Federation with the work of the Competence Steering Group, which has brought this work together. The ongoing need for competence and third party certification of contractors for fire protection is a priority from this rep...

BAFSA has published an amended BIF 24 which reflects latest courses available and future plans. The most recent addition to BAFSA’s portfolio of direct and indirect course delivery are Fire Sprinkler Design Courses. BAFSA delivers sprinkler design courses across the UK. These can be for individuals who wish to sit the LPCB Examinations and Reviews, or to improve their knowledge of the principles of sprinkler design. Tailoring to the needs of companies Currently the suite of courses incl...

New figures released show that no schools, which have had fires recently, had sprinklers fitted. This year alone, London Fire Brigade had attended 57 fires in schools in the capital and new figures released by the Brigade show that not a single school had an automatic fire suppression system (AFSS) fitted. The Brigade has long been calling for sprinklers to become a mandatory requirement in schools. In particular, they want sprinklers to be mandatory in all new school builds and for all schools...

GMB, the union representing school staff, are shocked and concerned by figures recently released by the London Fire Brigade, that report that of all 57 fires in schools across the capital attended by the LFB in the past year, not one of the schools were fitted with sprinklers also known as automatic fire suppression system (AFSS). GMB supports the LFB campaign to ensure all schools are fitted with sprinklers by urging GMB members to contact their local members of parliament and tell them they w...

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced that it will display an extensive array of apparatus and new technology innovations during the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ (IAFC) Fire Rescue International (FRI) conference and expo on August 7-10, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.   Located at booth #1503, visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the latest developments in fire apparatus, fire truck features, and technology that improv...

When a fire broke out on site, more than 400 staff were evacuated in less than three minutes from the Hull factory of offsite specialist Walker Modular. Five fire engines were called to the scene after the alarm was raised at the bathroom pod manufacturer. Company owner Shane Walker told the Enquirer, “I’m so proud of my staff and the fire service for dealing so well with a difficult situation. We liaised with the fire service when we designed the factory and all the fire suppressio...

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, in partnership with its Quebec, Canada exclusive Pierce dealer, L’Arsenal, has secured an order for five Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Towers for the City of Montreal Fire Department.   The apparatus will be built on the Pierce Arrow XT custom chassis known for its rugged and dependable characteristics that meet the demands of high-volume departments.  “The City of Montreal Fire Department faces...

Every year in June, July, August, the authorities complain of untimely sampling of hydrants that dry up water supplies and create additional risks with slippery roads. Fire hydrants in France are equipped with Keyser DN100 fittings, according to NFS61-708. The standard space between the upper part of the Keyser fitting and its protective plate is more than 3 cm (according to the standard). ultra-flat Keyser plug with lock To reserve the opening of fire hydrants for security services, POK®...