Fire Industry News for February 2020

IFEDA, the Independent Fire Engineering & Distributors Association, is delighted to announce the introduction of a new course, Understanding a Fire Risk Assessment. The Fire Safety Order 2005 requires that the Responsible Person in a business must have a fire risk assessment in place. British Standard 5306 parts 3 and 8 stipulate that a fire extinguisher servicing technician must confirm the presence of, and check the contents of, a company’s fire risk assessment. This course has been...

Rosenbauer International AG has completely taken over its former sales partner Brandus GmbH based in Andrian, Bolzano. The company is now operating under its new name Rosenbauer Italia s.r.l. This takeover marks the Group’s recognition of the increasing importance of the Italian firefighting market, as it establishes its own sales and service subsidiary for South Tyrol in the first phase of its plan. The coverage of all Rosenbauer products and services will then be expanded from this loca...

Since January 2020, pioneer manufacturer of world class fire evacuation, signalling and building infrastructure system products Vimpex Limited acquires the legal rights and ownership of Sigma Fire and Security and its brands Smart+Guard and Smart+Cage from Evac+Chair International. Vimpex Managing Director James Jones says that "This important acquisition marks a pivotal moment for Vimpex, and an exciting point in our growth as a UK manufacturer.” Alarm System Equipment "Evac+Chair Inte...

In a post-Grenfell world there is clearly, and rightly so, a focus on the fire safety of high-rise buildings – especially in the residential sector. Yet this focus has answered as many questions as it has made new ones, particularly for the construction and fire industries. As reported in December of 2019 by the Fire Industry Association (FIA), a new cross-industry valuation process called the External Wall Fire Review (EWFR) was implemented by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors...

Viking Electronics Inc. has announced the release of its brand new 2020 Product Catalog. The catalog features many new innovations, as well as Viking’s core products – such as emergency phones, door entry systems, paging amplifiers, mass notification systems, hot line phones, and more. The catalog is a comprehensive “go-to” resource - offering countless ideas and custom solutions for “Access Control” to “Zone Paging” and everything in between. &ld...

ASSA ABLOY’s range of door closers is one of the few available on the market to satisfy the certification demands of uninsulated metal fire doors, the ASSA ABLOY Door Hardware & Access Control Group has announced. At the end of 2017, a number of UKAS accredited authorities withdrew certification for almost all door closers used on uninsulated metal fire doors. While a number of these certifications have since been reinstated, they typically only cover the use of door closers on the si...

The firms, ranging from the architects Studio E, current and former staff at the main contractor Rydon, the TMO and Harley Facades, which are being investigated for their involvement in the Grenfell Tower Fire of 2017 that resulted in the death of 72 people, want a guarantee from Attorney General, Geoffrey Cox that they will be protected from prosecution when they give evidence, stated the latest Fire Industry Association (FIA) report in the inquiry matter. ‘Michael Mansfield QC, who is r...

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. Group Commander Jamie Johnson, who heads the department respon...

FLIR Systems, Inc. announced the FLIR GF77a Gas Find IR camera, its first fixed-mount, uncooled, autonomous leak detection camera designed specifically to visualize methane and other industrial gases. A new camera in FLIR Systems’ optical gas imaging (OGI) series, the connected GF77a provides upstream and midstream gas processors, producers, and operators with the ability to monitor continuously for invisible, potentially dangerous methane leaks at natural gas power plants, renewable energ...

Taking place at the Huntingdon Marriott Hotel in Huntingdon, UK on Thursday (January 23), 2020, the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service Excellence Awards celebrated the achievements of staff from across different areas of the Fire Service. The commitment, dedication and professionalism of staff which regularly go above and beyond to provide the best possible service to the people of Cambridgeshire were all celebrated by around 140 guests. Hosting the event was Chief Fire Officer Chris Strick...

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced that Firematic Supply Company, Pierce’s dealer for Eastern New York and Connecticut, has commemorated the company’s 50th anniversary with the opening of a state-of-the-art showroom and service center in Patterson, New York, and the acceptance of Pierce’s distinguished 2019 Dealer of the Year Award. Sell And Service Fire Extinguishers Originally established in 1961 to sell and service fire extinguishers and f...

Halma, the global group of life-saving technology companies, has made two acquisitions to join its Medical and Infrastructure Safety sectors respectively. Halma has acquired NovaBone Products, LLC (‘NovaBone’), a designer and manufacturer of US FDA-approved synthetic bone graft products, based in Florida, USA. NovaBone’s products are used to accelerate bone regeneration, primarily for orthopaedic and dental surgical procedures in the USA. It will become part of Halma’s M...

With a pump outlet, the divider is used to supply several pressurized water lines. The most commonly used dividers have 2 or 3 outlets and are equipped with quick couplings at the inlet and outlets. Dividers are usually equipped with shut-off valves on each outlet to open or close the water supply or to switch equipment. With a pump outlet, the divider is used to supply several pressurized water lines. These dividers exist with several valve models, either ball valves, clappered valves or full...

Bryx recently launched a Dark Mode theme for its Bryx 911 mobile application. The new setting is available for both Android and iPhone users, requiring iPhones to have iOS 13 or more advanced versions. Dark Mode theme The launch of the new Dark Mode theme is in response to popular user requests and the company’s continuous efforts to provide the ultimate user experience for the mobile alerting application. The free Bryx 911 mobile app and robust Bryx Station alerting system offer unriva...

The Viking Corporation, a provider of fire protection and life safety systems, enhances the cULus Listing for its 5.6 (80) K-factor quick response COIN® sprinkler. The new Listing allows the VK950 upright sprinkler to protect combustible concealed spaces without the use of draft curtains in most applications, making it an ideal replacement for competitive sprinklers that have more stringent and expensive draft curtain requirements. Glass Bulb Sprinkler The new VK950 UL Listing applies whe...

The public safety organization has carried out almost 5,000 checks on the homes of those who are vulnerable; this has directly led to the progress that has been made in reducing the number of people who lose their lives in house fires. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Services have implemented a successful new project that has certainly contributed to the drastic improvements; their 'People at Risk' strategy which was implemented in 2017 has reduced the number of house fatalities by 33%. Fu...

Bryx, a global provider of first responder technology solutions, has announced their partnership with Linxup, a fleet and asset tracking solutions provider. This partnership allows Bryx customers to link apparatus accounts with Linxup trackers and view the accurate locations of their apparatus through Bryx software applications. Linxup integration into Bryx system With Linxup’s seamless integration into the Bryx system, first responders will benefit from the improvement in location accur...

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, announces that Pierce dealer, Siddons-Martin Emergency Group, acquires Superior Equipment expanding its territory to include Utah and Nevada. The expansion excludes Clark County, Nevada which will continue to be served by Hughes Fire Equipment Inc. As one of the largest emergency vehicle dealerships in North America, Siddons-Martin Emergency Group adds the new territory to its existing regions served, which include Texas, Louisiana, and...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced that the state of Massachusetts’ recent update of the Massachusetts Electrical Code to contain the requirements of the 2020 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC) (plus MA-specific amendments) represents the first state to implement the latest version of the code. The NEC continues to be the most widely used code in the built environment in the world, and sets the standard for safe electrical installation and inspection to pr...

Kentec Electronics, a manufacturer of life-critical control systems, will preview Taktis Command Point – a fully-integrated fire investigation and evacuation process panel that covers every element of fire protection in one integrated solution – prior to its formal launch later this year. The purpose of the demonstration is to gather customer feedback, prior to the product range becoming commercially available. Building on Kentec’s powerful and sophisticated Taktis analoge add...

Kentec Electronics, globally renowned manufacturer of life-critical control systems, has stated that it will preview Taktis Command Point – a fully-integrated fire investigation and evacuation process panel that covers every element of fire protection in one integrated solution – prior to its formal launch later this year. The purpose of the demonstration is to gather customer feedback, prior to the product range becoming commercially available. Taktis Command Point integrated fire...

Why do First Responders today largely rely on the voices of emergency dispatchers, especially when they step out of their ambulance, fire engine or patrol car? In every part of life, First Responders have access to real-time data at their fingertips, but once they put on their uniforms it seems like they go back in time and fly blind, depending on audio from a PSAP far removed from the action. RapidDeploy’s mission is to reduce emergency response times and increase responder safety by impr...

Two new Rosenbauer PANTHER 6x6 HRET were put into service on January 13, at Broward County’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in an event featuring a traditional push-back ceremony. In the future, these vehicles will act as the flagships of the airport fire brigade. The performance, safety, and ergonomics of the high-end devices exceed the requirements of the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). This makes the PANTHER...

In December 2019, the 20,000th Rosenbauer FOX portable pump was ceremoniously handed over to the Elsdorf-Westermühlen fire department in Rendsburg-Eckernförde district by Rosenbauer sales partner in Schleswig-Holstein, Kraft Feuerschutz GmbH, based in Rendsburg. Classic Portable Pumps At the start of the 21st century, many experts agreed that portable pumps would play no role in the future, and that classic portable pumps would be replaced by other systems, such as in-built vehicle p...

In Hull, United Kingdom, the Humberside Fire & Rescue Service has taken a Scania L-series low-entry fire truck into operation. The vehicle carries an aerial ladder platform, which at 45 meters is the joint highest in the country. To achieve Humberside’s overall on-road height requirement of 3.55 meters and provide maximum maneuverability and a high level of visibility for the driver, the vehicle has been specified with a low-height Scania L 360. The compact and lightweight Bronto Skyl...

With more than 200 countries agreeing to usher in a new class of refrigerants, effective this year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and its research affiliate, the Fire Protection Research Foundation (Research Foundation), have released free online training for the fire service, as well as an instructor-led training module to educate firefighters about the potential hazards associated with new refrigeration and cooling units. Calls for low GWP refrigerants The new accord calls...

Home improvement projects that resist flames and embers. Teaching neighbors about wildfire risks and how to reduce them. Removing flammable debris that could fuel a wildfire. These and other related activities are being actively supported by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and State Farm via the National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day campaign.  The seventh annual Wildfire Community Preparedness Day will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Since 2014, community groups...

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, has announced that it has further improved safety in the fire industry by collaborating with HAAS, Inc. d/b/a HAAS Alert to offer digital collision avoidance technology as a standard integration on Appleton-built custom chassis produced for domestic and Canadian municipal customers, and as an available aftermarket solution for apparatus currently in service. Safety Cloud solutions HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud works by sending real-t...

St Leger Homes of Doncaster have been working closely with colleagues at Doncaster Council to improve fire safety across its housing stock. Doncaster Council funded fire safety works in all of St Leger Homes’ high-rise buildings at a cost of around £6m, with sprinkler installations accounting for over half of the total spend. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority contributed £200k to the installation of sprinklers at Silverwood House from their Safer Stronger Communities Re...

The Viking Corporation, a global pioneer in fire protection and life safety systems, announced availability of new specific application window sprinklers. Designed to provide interior protection of windows or glazing, the sprinklers are used with fixed glazed assemblies to provide an alternative to a fire resistance rated wall assembly and feature a unique spray pattern that coats the surface of the glass with water, reducing the risk of cracking or shattering glass in the event of a fire. Wind...