Fire Industry News for February 2023

A report published reveals inspectors were left ‘impressed’ with how Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) had responded to the Covid-19 pandemic so far. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) was commissioned at the end of last year by the Home Secretary to inspect all fire and rescue services in the country to see how the sector was responding to the pandemic. The inspection team visited CFRS and published its findings al...

Fotokite a Swiss startup making fully autonomous tethered UAVs for firefighting and public safety teams, announces that it has closed a CHF 13.7M ($14.8M) series B financing round and outlines its plans to expand operations in 2022. MSA Safety Inc., the pioneer in the development, manufacture, and supply of advanced safety solutions that protect people and facility infrastructures, led Fotokite’s financing round alongside Swisscanto Invest, a Zurich-based tech growth fund with existing in...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has welcomed nine new on-call firefighters to stations across the county. The group completed their phase one, 10-week training course in December, and are now ‘on the run’ and at their new stations in Cambridgeshire. The initial training course gives them the core skills required to operate safely as a firefighter, while they will receive ongoing training before being assessed again later in the year. Wide range of emergencies The on...

The tragic loss of life from the 19-story apartment building fire that occurred in New York City on Jan. 9 reminds of the fire and life safety challenges that tall buildings present to the emergency services and to the occupants who live or work in them. Challenges and features Because of the inherent nature of tall buildings and a series of historic fires, the practice of protecting the people who live and work in high-rise buildings has evolved over the years. Very specific sets of precautio...

Following the unprecedented year prior, 2021 continued to present significant challenges for everyone, but Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service continued to deliver its vital services, while also providing support for partner agencies. The year began with mopping up from significant flooding across the county over the Christmas period. The country was also in the midst of another national lockdown, with those that were able to still working from their homes. Staff across the Service pulled o...

To help communities plan for the threats and hazards of climate change, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released its updated Long-Term Community Resilience Exercise Resource Guide: Designing Whole Community Exercises to Prepare for the Effects of a Changing Climate PDF in November 2021. Increase preparedness As the impacts of climate change are being felt across the country, this resource offers communities low-risk and cost-effective ways to increase preparedness with: Tools...

"With the Frequentis product line ASGARD, which is specifically designed for use in fire brigade and industry control center in the German market, we offer a flexible, highly reliable software solution for safety-critical control center. ASGARD strengthens Frequentis' strong position in the German public safety market," says Frequentis CEO - Norbert Haslacher. Frequentis was awarded the contracts for the projects in the context of EU-wide tenders. Frequentis Germany will be responsible for the...

The adoption and implementation of hazard-resistant building codes is the most effective community mitigation measure against hazard risk. According to FEMA's Building Code Save Study, 65% of counties, cities, and towns across the United States of America (USA) currently have not adopted modern building codes. Getting community ready FEMA's new Building Science Resource Library, launched in October 2021, contains materials focused on creating disaster-resistant communities, including detailed...

Everyone appreciates the importance of keeping the vulnerable safe, but when the local fire departments advise the need for automatic fire detection, as part of the firefighting and protection of a home for the aged, it can be another strain on an already stretched budget. Due to the establishment being occupied by the elderly, early warning in the case of an emergency is vital to ensuring the residents have enough time to evacuate safely, so everyone appreciates why the fire department have re...

A popular road safety initiative aimed at motorcyclists has returned to a county fire station. Biker Down offers motorcyclists the opportunity to learn practical skills to help avoid being involved in a crash, as well as essential first-aid training and advice on what to do should they find themselves first on the scene of a crash where someone is injured. The free course The free course, lasting around three hours, returned to St Ives Fire Station last week, with trained community developmen...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has made two new appointments to support the continued development of its member, training, and technical services. Rich Green was appointed as Commercial Projects Manager in July and Chris Sharman joined as Training Manager in September. Rich brings a wealth of experience working in leadership and commercial roles in a variety of industries, including ten years in the lighting industry. As Commercial Manager of the Lighting Industry Associ...

Notices were recently posted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Personal Protective Technology Library (NPPTL) concerning the safety and quality of 2 types of personal protective equipment (PPE) used frequently by emergency medical services personnel: medical gloves and N95 particulate filtering facepiece respirators. Medical gloves notice Medical gloves notice is issued by the FDA on Oct. 29, 2021. Thi...

While most U.S. emergency communications centers (ECCs) use a CAD system to dispatch 911 calls and facilitate records management, few CAD system components are uniform across vendors. This can create problems transferring emergency calls and associated data, such as caller location information. It can also create problems with the transfer of call information to first responders in the field via public safety broadband networks. These transfer functions are important capabilities for enhancing...

Emergency vehicle manufacturer - Marion Body Works is making HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud® a standard safety solution on new apparatus, the company announced recently. The collaboration will equip newly manufactured Marion Body Works apparatus with the Safety Cloud Responder-to-Vehicle (R2V™) service, enabling fire crews to automatically deliver digital alerts to nearby drivers up to 30 seconds in advance and reduce the risk of collision by up to 90%. Safety Cloud - industry stand...

One alarming aspect of the opioid crisis is the frequency first responders encounter synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Fentanyl and related compounds present a safety hazard for first responders — including emergency medical and law enforcement personnel at all levels — if they are not adequately prepared with proper protective equipment and reliable detection. In response, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) funded and provided s...

The goal of Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW) is to reach out to every emergency responder, every driver, and every passenger to educate them on how to play their part in ensuring safe responses at roadway incidents. CRSW’s important Emergency responders (police, fire, medical, etc.) risk being killed or injured by passing vehicles when on the scene of a roadside emergency. 50 responders so far this year have been killed when struck by a vehicle while responding to a roadway incident, a...

Tank storage is a key part of many processes.  Storing water will ensure that there is enough water to fight a fire in a facility, and storing animal fats will ensure that there is the feedstock to make biodiesel or other finished products that require this as feedstock. Keeping these tanks warm or above freezing temperatures is often just as important as the product stored in them. Having a tank that is properly designed to accommodate a heat source then is critical as well.   Sever...

The platform for fire protection solutions opens its doors again from 18 to 19 October 2021 in the Exhibition Center Nuremberg. At the international trade fair for preventive fire protection, AQUASYS Technik GmbH will once again present innovative solutions for effective fire fighting. In hall 10.1, stand 208, visitors can convince themselves of the efficient mode of action of fire fighting by using high-pressure water mist and exchanging impressive references with experienced specialists. Fi...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has come out with one of the best scores from 13 other fire and rescue services in the first tranche of the Government’s second round of inspections for fire and rescue services. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has assessed the Service as Good across the three main pillars of efficiency, effectiveness and how it looks after its people.   The inspection took place in April just aft...

Agility is excited to announce the addition of LN Curtis & Sons as the first exclusive authorized dealer for the Western US. Curtis – Tools for Heroes have been providing safe, reliable, and effective fire rescue tools for first responders since 1929. LN Curtis will oversee, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii. The Agility team are very excited to have LN Curtis as a partner and encourages all depart...

Tom Abell has taken up his post as chief executive of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST). Tom has joined EEAST from Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, where he was deputy chief executive. He takes over the reins from deputy chief executive and medical director, Dr Tom Davis, who has led the service as interim chief executive since last September. Extensive NHS experience Tom brings with him extensive NHS experience having held a variety of senior roles across the...

ASFP Releases Advisory Notes on Fire Protection of Structural Steel The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has released three new Advisory Notes which offer guidance on the fire protection of structural steel, addressing specific concerns identified by the industry. Advisory Note 19 Advisory Note 19: ASFP Position on the Use of Critical Steel Temperatures above 650°C updates a previous edition released in July 2020. It highlights that it is vital to ensure that the appropria...

II Aspire has been granted a contract from Skills Development Scotland to carry out a review of the Mechanical Fire Protection National Occupational Standards (NOS) last reviewed in 2014. As these standards are applicable across the United Kingdom, they will be working with a range of national and local organizations from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, and Wales. National Occupational Standards National Occupational Standards (NOS) specify the standards of performance individuals must a...

Hotter, drier climates in the western United States are causing larger and more frequent wildland fires. Smoke from western wildfires can span a much larger area, significantly impacting air quality across the entire United States. The spread of wildfire smoke highlights how important it is to have up-to-date information on air quality hazards. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) released updates in 2021 to the popular AirNow Fire and Smoke Map. The map...

Dame Judith Hackitt commented in her report, Building a Safer Future – Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety (May 2018) that there is a, “lack of a coherent approach to competence levels and experience required - or professional qualifications where these may be necessary – and how these qualifications and experience should be evidenced so that they are clearly understood by all those operating within the system.” It was also noted in the same report...

The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) is asking for the public’s help as it prepares for another busy weekend.  EEAST is urging the public to use its service wisely and to drink responsibly – particularly on Sunday when England face Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley at 8.00pm. Over the past few weeks, EEAST has seen an increase in alcohol related call-outs and traumatic injuries as the country continues to ease itself out of lockdown and a summer of sport continu...

The kids are due back at school which means the long haul of home-schooling is over. Although many people may be still working from home which means their children will not need to unlock or lock the house by themselves, some kids will. It might be the kids have just got their own house key or they might be used to staying at home alone after school. Either way, it is worth reminding kids about basic home security so everyone can feel and keep safe. Here are 3 tips to help kids to keep home se...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has invested in two new turntable ladders to add to the fleet. The new specialist appliances will assist in the Service’s response to incidents involving working at height. Replacing two multi-star aerial appliances, the new high-spec vehicles will be based at Stanground, in the north of the county, and at Cambridge, in the south. Both are a Magirus32L/AS, which have been supplied by Emergency One and are mounted on a Scania chassis, which was chose...

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority appointed a new chair and vice chair at their first meeting since the latest round of council elections. Councillor Edna Murphy has been appointed the new chair of the authority, with Councillor Mohammed Jamil appointed vice chair. Liberal Democrat councillor Murphy, who has recently joined the authority, is the first woman chair in the authority’s history. She takes over from Councillor Kevin Reynolds, who remains on the authority after cha...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has been recognized for its work in promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion at the Asian Fire Service Association (AFSA) Personal Fair and Diverse Awards. The award celebrates Services that demonstrate strategic and operational awareness and understanding of how to challenge, promote and advance equality, diversity, and inclusion at senior levels of their organization, as well as for demonstrating visionary leadership, capacity, capability, and...