Fire Industry News for December 2022

When a CO2 extinguisher is used in a confined space there is a danger that the user may become overwhelmed by the sudden increase in carbon dioxide emissions. This occurs as CO2 is an asphyxiant, and the confined space means oxygen will be replaced by CO2 much faster. Using powder extinguishers Similarly, care must also be taken when using powder extinguishers. When the powder is discharged it can impair visibility and impact the breathing of the user, possibly jeopardizing their escape. The...

The Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 was the initiating legislation for the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). This legislation encourages communities to develop these plans to help reduce their risk to wildfire loss, as well as create healthier natural ecosystems. The ambiguity in the legislation allows communities to develop effective plans that are relevant to their conditions and can change as community capacity, and other conditions change. Why it is important...

With temperatures hitting significant highs of over 30°C in Cambridgeshire, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) would like to remind residents of important outdoor fire safety and water safety advice. Enjoy the weather safely Head of Fire Prevention for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, Group Commander Paul Clarke said, “We know people will be wanting to make the most of the warm weather, enjoying the sunshine while socially distancing with friends and family in...

A Cambridgeshire firefighter has been recognized as a rising star for being a role model and blazing a trail for women and those that speak English as a second language. Agata Wieczorek, known as Aggie, was awarded runner up in the 'Firefighter Rising Star' category of the Women in the Fire Service Awards 2020. Based at Huntingdon Fire Station, Aggie was nominated for her commitment and dedication, as well as her willingness to develop her skills and act as a role model for others. Joining CF...

Throwline stations are being installed at waterside locations across Cambridgeshire. The potentially lifesaving equipment is being installed in hotspots and high-risk sites across the county, that are known locations for people going into the water, or where incidents have happened in the past. throwline stations The 12 throwline stations are being installed with two already in place at Riverside Park in Huntingdon and in Ely. The installations have come at a time when we see most water-r...

A personal protection system installed by Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS), in partnership with a local housing provider, prevented a significant house fire in the county in May 2020.  The misting unit is designed to suppress a fire to prevent it from spreading throughout a property, similar in principle to a sprinkler system. personal protective system The personal protective system (PPS) is a self-contained portable unit and works differently, as they also help keep proper...

AQUASYS delivers 40 wall hydrant systems with high-pressure water mist including 6 pump stations to a well-known R&D partner for the automotive industry. In case of fire they protect more than 100 component, engine, transmission, and roller testing systems in 8 buildings. The decision for the AQUASYS system was based on comparative tests where the suitability and efficiency of the system in direct competition with another existing system was tested and proven on the basis of a 1.5 MW refere...

The new TFT Working Fire nozzle delivers revolutionary performance when users need maximum flows for a “working fire.” For everyday use, it is a true 150 gpm at 75 psi Fixed GPM Nozzle, but when users need even more GPM, the nozzle’s exclusive pressure relief system dramatically limits nozzle reaction. optimum flow At low flows, just like every other fixed GPM nozzle, it is clear from the stream quality that optimum flow has not yet been reached. When users achieve the 150gpm...

Staff across Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service have been paying tribute to Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade (PVFB) firefighter - Will Baker who sadly died yesterday evening. A colleague, aged 40, discovered Will at the volunteer fire station in the city. His death is not being treated as suspicious. Will had been a volunteer firefighter for 12 years. Known for his commitment to the brigade and the people he served, he was always true to the brigade’s motto of &lsquo...

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) is funding research to find ways to significantly reduce the cost of retrofitting existing homes with lifesaving residential fire sprinkler systems. USFA hope to reduce both the amount of water needed and the complexity of installing sprinklers while providing time for occupants to escape a fire in their home. Obstacles to retrofitting homes More than 80% of fire deaths occur in homes. Residential fire sprinklers are a proven technology that reduces th...

Firefighters in Cambridgeshire are supporting local residents by carrying out welfare checks on those who are most vulnerable in the community. Crews are supporting the county-wide community coordination hub by visiting those vulnerable residents that are shielded in their homes, to check on their welfare and to see if they need any support. On-call firefighters from across the county have been carrying out the visits throughout the week in and around Cambridge. New ways of working  I&rs...

Residents across the county are being urged to stay at home and keep fire safe over the upcoming bank holiday weekend. With the weather set to be warm and sunny for most of the weekend, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people to follow the government's advice to stay home, while also keeping fire safe. Protecting NHS Group Commander Paul Clarke, the Service's Head of Community Fire Safety, said, “This has been a challenging time for many people and we want to thank ev...

A Peterborough-based fire station has donated more than £1,000 to a local hospice. Staff at Dogsthorpe Fire Station raised the money through their sports and social club. After seeing a social media post from Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice highlighting the need for support, White Watch agreed with the rest of the station to arrange a donation. Donations  Firefighter Matthew Johnson from White Watch presented the donation of £1,250 to the hospice. Matthew Johnson said, “...

Production has started again at a Norfolk factory making vital fire safety equipment for ambulances, hospitals, police, the Ministry of Defence, and the rail network across the UK. A skeleton staff of 12 workers has been drafted to Britannia Fire at Ashwellthorpe after a three-week covid-19 shutdown to meet the demand for extinguishers and fire suppression systems from the MOD, NHS, fire and rescue services, and Network Rail. extinguishers and fire systems Staff at the UK’s only composi...

Residents across the county are being urged to stay fire safe, while they isolate themselves with their families at home, during the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.A week into the UK government’s instruction to stay at home except for essential journeys, fire crews have responded to several fires that might have been easily avoided by following some simple fire safety advice. Ahead of the pandemic reaching the predicted peak, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service wants to ensure crews a...

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a major incident being declared by Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service. With the number of confirmed cases continuing to rise throughout the UK and the government's advice for those showing symptoms or knowing someone showing symptoms, to isolate for extended periods, the Service is getting ready to face staffing challenges. Prepare for COVID-19 impact Chief Fire Officer - Chris Strickland said, “Please be assured that we currently have...

On June 15 - 20, 2020, everything at the INTERSCHUTZ trade fair in Hanover/Germany will focus on the issues of fire brigades, rescue services, civil protection, and security. AQUASYS will present innovative solutions for effective fire fighting with high-pressure water mist (HDWN) in Hall 13, Stand B58. Experience their product highlights 2020, such as their new nozzle heads for high-security areas with special protection against vandalism or the new range of area valves, which are now even mor...

Around 200 delegates from the building and design industries in the region and beyond attended a one-day business seminar on providing a fire-resilient environment for all.  Organized by BAFSA in collaboration with, and hosted by Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, the event focused on raising awareness of the life-saving benefits sprinkler and suppression systems can provide to communities. It was held at The Burgess Hall in St Ives. fire and rescue service challenges  During t...

At Textron Systems, their engineers push themselves daily to rapidly evolve current technologies and meet their customers’ future needs. As part of their team, they are innovators, thinkers, and doers, creating the solutions their customers count on to accomplish their missions. Throughout Engineering Week, Textron highlights engineers from across their family of brands, including Textron Systems, Howe & Howe, TRU Simulation + Training, and Lycoming. Join them as they celebrate the gr...

With it set to be another windy weekend, CFRS is calling on residents to make sure they secure items in the garden, such as trampolines, garden furniture, hanging signage, and wheelie bins, before the storm arrives on Saturday. A Met Office Yellow Warning for Wind is in place for all of the East of England, from 10am on Saturday until 12pm on Sunday. During the weekend we may see the strongest gusts of around 50 to 60mph from mid-afternoon Saturday and then continue into Sunday morning. Re-co...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of man-made chemical compounds found in a wide range of consumer products, such as nonstick products, polishes, waxes, paints, and cleaning products. Two PFAS compounds, perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), may be present in firefighting aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) solutions. Certain PFAS can accumulate and stay in the human body for long periods of time. Long-term exposure to PFAS/PFOA/PFOS, in h...

Good outcomes in communities before, during, and after a wildfire event are dependent upon a holistic look at the risk and effective, ongoing community engagement by firefighters, residents, and all partners in an area. Whole Community approach Good communication allows all participants to feel that their perspectives are heard and valued and increases their willingness to participate in promoting wildfire safety. This is the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Whole Community approach. Use...

New replacement rescue boats for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service will enable firefighters to respond quicker to water incidents. Equipped with the latest technology, the new boats have a more powerful engine and inflate in under a minute compared to the three to four minutes the old boats took. This means that crews can get the boats off the rescue vehicle, into the water, and reach the casualty in a significantly faster time. Authority comment Group Commander Jamie Johnson, who heads...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has introduced a new daytime contract to help attract more people to become on-call firefighters. The new contract allows people to be available to respond to emergencies from just 24 hours a week, for example while working at their regular day job. This will help increase the availability of fire engines during the day around the county. The new contract is available for anyone interested in joining an on-call station, providing they can offer a minimum...

Many studies have shown that firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) responders have a high likelihood of experiencing verbal or physical violence at least once in their career. Fire-based paramedics and EMS are at particularly high risk of experiencing an assault, since they respond to calls in varied locations, often paired with only one or two colleagues. In these situations, they may come into close contact with people who have mental health issues. Mitigating the risk of assault...

Ideal for OSHA safety compliance and engine efficiency testing for forklifts and other equipment Bacharach, an industry provider of gas detection and analysis instrumentation, introduces the Monoxor XR (extended range) hand-held exhaust gas analyzer for measuring CO (carbon monoxide) in ambient air or directly from the exhaust pipe of forklifts, floor burnishers or other equipment burning propane, gasoline, diesel, or CNG (compressed natural gas). The Monoxor XR is the ideal instrument for veri...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has welcomed 8 new on-call firefighters to stations across the county. The group completed their phase one training course this weekend and has the core skills required to operate safely as a firefighter with their new stations. On-call firefighters They passed out on Sunday (December 15) in front of their proud friends, family, and training team at CFRS’s Training Centre in Huntingdon. The celebration event rounded the 10-week course and each recr...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is seeking feedback on its plan for the next four years. All fire and rescue services have to produce a document called an Integrated Risk Management Plan which contains information about its local community, the risks, and opportunities the Service faces, and how it plans to manage them. This culminates in a list of priorities that the Service will focus on over the next four years. The draft plan has been agreed upon by the Fire Authority and is out for...

With the festive season only around the corner, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is encouraging families to stay fire safe over Christmas. Simple things like remembering batteries for new toys rather than using the ones in a smoke alarm, making sure electric sockets are not overloaded and keeping cooking surfaces cluttered free, can all help to prevent a fire in the home. Mistakes during the festive season  Kitchen Group Commander Paul Clarke, head of Community Fire Safety, said,...

Standpipe systems are installed in buildings to help firefighters deploy attack hose lines quickly and with adequate water pressure and volume. They may be designed for heavy-stream applications, first-aid fire appliances, or have features of both. Understanding the differences and recognizing their designs can help you to plan your fire attack and protect lives and property. Standpipe classifications Standpipe systems are described by classes to indicate their fire protection performanc...