Fire Industry News for February 2024

The Advancing Mass Timber Construction Conference will be held in Boston and feature Mighty Fire Breaker (MFB) President - Steve Conboy who will speak on a variety of fire prevention and elimination topics including adding coating science to lower risk premiums, increase worker safety and create a potential carbon trade. Mass Timber Movement The Mass Timber Movement is a growing, worldwide effort to build tall structures out of wood rather than steel and concrete for environmental reasons, and...

In the UK, ensuring fire safety is not just a moral responsibility; it’s a legal obligation for businesses that own or lease commercial buildings. Complying with tight fire safety governance and policies is crucial for safeguarding business and the people within premises. In this piece, KBO Fire and Security will discuss the rules and regulations that business owners must adhere to and the risks associated with non-compliance. Fire Safety Regulations for Commercial Buildings UK fire saf...

The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) has called for an extensive catalog of measures to protect against dangerous forest and vegetation fires. “The fires currently occurring in Germany are a clear warning signal and show us that there is an urgent need for action,” emphasized vfdb President Dirk Aschenbrenner.  One of the consequences must be more active support of the “forest conversion” by the fire departments. An increasing but...

For a business owner, protecting employees, customers and property is a top priority. One way to do this is by having fire extinguishers on hand in case of an emergency. But did users know that simply owning a fire extinguisher is not enough? Owners also need to regularly maintain fire extinguishers to ensure they work properly in the event of a fire. Astoria covers has everything owners need to know about fire extinguisher maintenance. What Is Fire Extinguisher Maintenance? Fire extinguisher...

For a business owner, chances are that they have been told that the restaurant needs to comply with fire safety regulations. But what does that mean? And what are the specific fire safety regulations need to be aware of as a restaurant owner or manager?  This piece takes through the most important fire safety regulations for restaurants, so owners can ensure the business complies. Stay safe and informed! The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 Restaurant owners are responsible for...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is joining fire services across the UK in donating items of kit and equipment to Ukraine to support firefighters on the frontline. UK charity, FIRE AID and International Development (FIRE AID), and the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) are coordinating donations of more than 5,000 items of fire and rescue equipment and PPE which will be sent in convoy to Ukraine.   West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is sending: 12 pallets of fire kit 12 pallets...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is reminding the public not to bring flammable objects onto moorland, following the sentencing of a 28-year-old man. Viktor Riedly received a custodial term of one year in prison after a fire on Marsden Moor, that was so large, over 100 firefighters were needed to tackle it. Landowners, gamekeepers, the National Trust, the Local Authority and local community groups also worked at the scene. Major incident with crews Leeds Crown Court heard how he...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging the region’s residents to register their many appliances to make their homes safer. Ahead of ‘Register My Appliance’ Week, from 17 to 21 January, and as part of the government’s Fire Kills Campaign, the service reveals that, unlike cars, household appliances are off the radar for many people if a free safety repair is ever needed. Author's quote Research shows that for millions, the answer is ‘no,’ but this c...

Featherstone Fire Station has gained a new on-call fire fighter all the way from Australia following the latest pass out ceremony at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s HQ in Birkenshaw.  Toby Farmer, 25, has followed a family tradition as he joins Featherstone Station as an on-call firefighter after relocating from New South Wales Australia, where both his father and grandfather have spent their working lives in the fire service.  Firefighting equipment Toby and his 11 f...

Firefighters at Slaithwaite Station have prepared more than 130 Christmas hampers to deliver to local families this week. The station is working with schools in and around the Colne Valley area, as well as the Kirklees and Huddersfield Salvation Army and Food Share Scheme and other partners.  Gifting and food parcel scheme We have a green bin at the front of the fire station which is there 24/7, and has been overflowing every day" Slaithwaite On-Call Fire Fighter, Richard Izzard, who se...

Wakefield Council is working with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and other partners to offer two schemes to help residents stay warm and reduce energy costs. Energy Debt Fund Residents who are in arrears with their energy bills may be able to get help through Wakefield Council’s Energy Debt Fund, by receiving a grant to reduce or clear their debt. This is available for a limited time only and provided as part of the Money Smart Scheme, which provides free support with a range of money an...

A three-year-old boy who called emergency services after his mother was injured, was given a surprise tour of a fire engine today, on Channel 4's ‘Steph's Packed Lunch’.  Tommy – who is a huge fan of Fireman Sam was shown around the engine by Leeds crews after the story appeared on TV to highlight the importance of children understanding what to do in an emergency.   importance of 999 Tommy's mum - Kayleigh Boffey said she was 'more than proud' of her son - To...

UK Fire Safety legislation requires that the responsible person must ensure that the premises and protective measures are subject to a suitable system of maintenance. Maintenance is essential for any equipment, but particularly for safety critical uses such as fire safety equipment.  Maintenance system should cover all fire safety equipment The maintenance system should cover all fire safety equipment, systems and facilities The maintenance system should cover all fire safety equipment,...

Fire detection solutions from Global Fire Equipment (GFE) are protecting the largest mixed-use shopping mall in Europe. KUMSmall Factory Shopping Mall in Central Anatolia, Turkey, comprises a shopping mall, business center, hotel, and entertainment center. The mall covers an area of more than 302,000 m² and boasts 400 stores, 6,000 car parking spaces, and a vast range of restaurants and cafes. fire alarm panels The chosen fire detection system comprises nine Juno-Net series addressable c...

Ilkley’s longest-serving firefighter, Watch Commander - Alex Watson, is preparing to take a well-deserved retirement. Following an outstanding 41 years of service, Alex is also one of the longest-serving on-call firefighters in the whole of West Yorkshire. Alex Watson's retirement has prompted him to encourage others to consider joining the service as an on-call firefighter to support and protect local communities, including in his native Ilkley. meeting the criteria Alex Watson said, &...

Fire Protection Engineers (FPEs) play a critical role in protecting people, property, and the environment from fire. They do this through the analysis of fire hazards; ensuring proper design, installation and maintenance of fire detection, suppression and communication systems; and post-fire investigation and analysis. The University of Maryland is a pioneer in fire protection research and has a top-flight educational program for fire protection engineers. In this episode, Rodger speaks with Ja...

The new station has two bays adjoining the welfare accommodation which include a kitchen/dining space, office spaces and a gym area. The steel framed, brickwork constructed station also has some panelling and pre-finished, low maintenance windows, roof edging and other finishes. It offers a brilliant community facility, crewed by wholetime firefighters, providing emergency cover 24/7. The development program for the station began in May 2019, and culminated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony att...

Fire detection solutions from GFE have been chosen to protect AVA General, a prestigious new commercial shopping complex in Tehran, Iran’s capital city. Opened in 2020, AVA General is one of the largest and most sophisticated dedicated commercial and office complexes in Tehran. AVA General Spanning 50,000 square meters, it is home to 360 commercial outlets for well-known brands from across the building supplies sector and complementary industries.  It also houses 40 commercial off...

Johnson Controls, the global pioneer for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, unveils new 8-inch (20-cm) color touchscreen displays for the company’s Autocall 4100ES and 4010ES fire alarm control units. The new color ES Touch Screen Display (ES TSD) improves fire panel performance by giving users more information, more intuitive functionality, easier multi-language accessibility, and improved esthetics. new color ES Touch Screen Display (ES TSD) Each ES TSD can display eight color-...

South Korea’s renowned visual recognition AI firm, Alchera Inc., announced that has been formally selected by California’s Sonoma County to provide early warning alerts of pending wildfire events. Alchera will offer consulting services to develop and deliver products, utilizing state-of-the-art fire detection technologies based on machine learning with Artificial Intelligence (AI). The firm’s visual anomaly detection solution can detect the start of a wildfire from a simple vi...

It is designed for rapid initial attacks during firefighting operations and technical assistance: the portable pump vehicle with water tank (TSF-W) is a multipurpose vehicle suitable for a wide range of possible operations. And that is also the reason why German fire departments and disaster protection organizations have ordered over 350 of them from Rosenbauer. Well over 200 units have now been manufactured at the Rosenbauer competence center for compact vehicles in Neidling near St. Pölt...

Fire detection solutions from Global Fire Equipment (GFE) have been installed at two 5-star all-inclusive holiday resorts in Brazil that are owned and operated by the Vila Galé hotel chain, one of the world’s top hotel groups.   GFE equipment was installed as part of an upgrade to the fire detection system at Vila Galé Eco Resort Angra, near Rio de Janeiro,  and during the construction of the brand-new Vila Galé Resort Touros, near the city of Natal on the b...

Innovative manufacturer of fire detection equipment, Global Fire Equipment (GFE), has added to its product portfolio with the launch of G-One, a versatile addressable single-loop fire control panel with advanced connectivity. The G-One has been designed with affordability and flexibility in mind. Thanks to its sophisticated design, easy installation and intuitive commissioning, it is an ideal solution for a wide range of single-loop applications, from offices and restaurants to shops, schools,...

Emergency services from various regions in Germany have been sounding the alarm for months: According to those responsible, the flood of operations can hardly be managed anymore and endangers rapid care in life-threatening cases.  The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) as a neutral network for protection, rescue and safety now wants to analyze the problem together with the key players in the rescue service and look for possible solutions. Representatives of AG...

South Yorkshire’s Fire Service is highlighting the story of a firefighting hero killed during the Sheffield Blitz-exactly 80 years after the events that took his life. Frederick Parkes Spencer was the only permanent, full-time Police Fireman–as they were then known–to have been killed when thousands of tons of explosives were dropped on Sheffield on the night of 12 and 13 December 1940. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has already honored Frederick by naming one of the confer...

In a study on the topic of 'Future technologies and scenarios in fire and disaster protection', the Karlsruhe University of Technology and Economics and the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) want to examine how the latest technologies can support emergency services. Furthermore, it should be found out how operational processes can be simplified and accelerated. The basis for the analysis is an online survey aimed at those responsible for fire departments, rescue ser...

The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) has warned against the improper handling of candles given the upcoming Advent season.  “Unfortunately, the number of fires increases significantly every year around Christmas,” said vfdb President, Dirk Aschenbrenner in Dortmund, citing figures from the General Association of the German Insurance Industry. In 2019 alone there were 29,000 fires, around 9,000 more than in a comparable month in spring or autumn....

Global Fire Equipment is delighted to announce that its Global Business Development Director, Paul Pope Eng.Tech AIFireE, has been re-elected to the main board of the Fire Industry Association (FIA). This is Paul’s third consecutive term on the board. Paul was also elected as Vice Chair of the FIA’s Fire Detection and Alarm Council which represents manufacturers and suppliers of fire detection and alarm equipment. In addition, Paul remains the Vice Chair of the Service Council and h...

Ten years after the disaster at the Love Parade in Duisburg (July 24, 2010), the expert network for protection, rescue, and security (vfdb) has recalled the high standards for improving security at major events.  In the accident on June 24, 2010, 21 people died and more than 500 were injured. contribution to safety Dr. Dirk Oberhagemann made a significant contribution to safety at future events According to vfdb General Secretary - Dr. Dirk Oberhagemann made a significant contribution t...

For the first time, a “corona traffic light” shows the daily development of infections in all German districts and independent cities. The interactive map shows the situation based on the 35 and 50 7-day incidence values.  These values ​​are used to control uniform nationwide measures against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The interactive map can be accessed on the Internet via the homepage of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb). Corona t...