Fire Industry News for February 2024

Premiere for an unusual emergency vehicle: Scientists from the German Rescue Robotics Center (DRZ) and experts from the Dortmund fire department have developed a completely new type of lead vehicle.  In the future, it will be available for research purposes and exercises for testing robots and drones as well as for special large-scale operations. The RobLW, as it is internally called, was presented in Dortmund on Wednesday. Vehicles for robotic operations In keeping with the occasion, a...

According to the President of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb), Dirk Aschenbrenner, the operational conditions for fire departments and rescue services and disaster control are changing more and more rapidly.  “Innovative solutions are urgently needed in order to keep up with developments and remain efficient,” said Dirk Aschenbrenner at a virtual specialist conference. It is, therefore, important to recognize the need, develop solutions and in...

Scientists from the Institute for Fire and Disaster Protection in Heyrothsberge near Magdeburg have proven in a recent study that dangerous carbon monoxide (CO) penetrates through walls without any problems.  As the researchers report in detail in an article in the magazine of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) (issue 2/2020), various building materials were examined. A clear passage of CO gas was detected. The concentrations detected were relevant from a to...

Because of the ongoing drought, the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) has once again warned of the increasing risk of forest fires.  There are severe precipitation deficits, especially in the west, in the middle, and parts of northern and eastern Germany, said the vfdb Forest Fire Expert, Fire Director - Dr. Ulrich Cimolino.  Meteorological findings “The previous forecasts do not give any reason to give the all-clear,” said Dr. Ulrich Cimolin...

Drones are increasingly becoming valuable helpers in averting danger.  “Whether for exploring confusing deployment sites, forest fires or searching for missing people – the range of possibilities is becoming ever larger,” emphasized the President of the Expert Network for Protection, Rescue and Security (vfdb), Dirk Aschenbrenner in Dortmund.  rules for unmanned aircraft The German Rescue Robotics Center (DRZ) is currently working with the vfdb on a comprehensive s...

In an open letter to the federal government, the state governments, and several members of the Bundestag, the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) suggested a digitalization pact for hazard prevention. The Corona crisis, which Germany has managed well so far thanks to the efforts of everyone involved, still shows clearly that there are significant gaps, when it comes to digitalization. economic stimulus package “Too many processes are still carried out analogou...

The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) is celebrating its 70th anniversary. It was founded on May 22, 1950 in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt to further develop German fire protection scientifically and technically.  “Over the past seven decades, we have succeeded in creating an internationally renowned network of experts for protection, rescue, and security,” says vfdb President Dirk Aschenbrenner. “Whether in fire protection or technical assista...

The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) has closed an important gap in the recording and evaluation of building fires.  A comprehensive report on fire damage statistics is available, in which the fire events are statistically described on more than 500 pages and the effectiveness of fire protection measures is examined and presented. Over 5,000 building fire operations were taken into account nationwide. fires and fire brigade operations “The publication...

The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) has warned of the extreme danger of forest and vegetation fires. “The major fire in Gummersbach and the moor fire in Emsland show how quickly, even in the spring, even the smallest beginnings can develop into a highly precarious situation within a short period of time,” said vfdb President, Dirk Aschenbrenner. He adds, “We still remember the devastating fires last year with horror. That's why the first major f...

Johnson Controls announces it is partnering with Westell Technologies, Inc. to provide customers with mission-critical, in-building public safety communications for emergency responders. The partnership expands the Johnson Controls life safety product offerings to include network infrastructure and hardware that gives police, fire, and EMT radio signals inside buildings for better public safety communications to help save property and lives. radio signal booster A provider of high-performance...

Topics such as digitalization and robotics are increasingly finding their way into fire departments, disaster control and rescue services. This was pointed out by Albrecht Broemme, member of the executive board of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb).  At an event on the occasion of the INTERSCHUTZ 2020 trade fair, which is about 100 days away, Broemme said on Thursday (March 5) in Hamburg: “We must not lose touch.” At the same time, he pointe...

Johnson Controls addressable fire alarm notification appliances are the first in the fire protection industry to receive the UL Verified Mark for their innovative self-test function. The UL Verified Mark validates that TrueAlert ES self-test technology accurately tests and confirms the operational status of compatible notification appliances. The revolutionary feature provides a non-disruptive appliance testing solution for commercial buildings and eliminates costly after-hours device test...

The German Fire Brigade Association (DFV) and the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) have expressed concern about Federal Health Minister - Jens Spahn's plans to reform emergency care.  “Germany has one of the most exemplary rescue service systems in Europe, which many people even envy us for,” said the Presidents of DFV and vfdb, Hartmut Ziebs and Dirk Aschenbrenner, on the sidelines of the DFV Federal Congress on Thursday in Berlin. This well-rehe...

The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection eV (vfdb) has presented the working principle of water mist in a leaflet. At the same time, the different water mist technologies are described. The experts provide an overview of the basics and possible applications as well as the limitations of water mist extinguishing systems. The distinction from other extinguishing technologies such as sprinkler systems, water spray extinguishing systems, and gas extinguishing systems is also expl...

Together with fire brigades, industry, and science, the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) has developed nationwide national fire damage statistics. This provides a meaningful minimum basis for fire events in Germany. To date, more than 5,000 missions have been recorded. The statistics, which close a gap in German fire protection, will continue to be updated. The statistical data helps to investigate the effectiveness of (technical) fire protection measures. fire da...

The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) and the German Fire Brigade Association reacted with incomprehension to the prejudgment of the London Fire Brigade in connection with the Grenfell Tower fire in London. 72 people died in the disaster two years ago.  In numerous media reports, the fire brigade has now been blamed for the deaths of numerous people due to alleged serious errors of a 'systematic nature', citing the previously announced investigation report...

According to the President of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb), Dirk Aschenbrenner, fire departments, disaster control, and rescue services are facing major new challenges. “The reason is the diverse global changes. Climate, society, technology – everything is changing,” said Dirk Aschenbrenner at the REAS powered by INTERSCHUTZ trade fair in Montichiari, Italy. In addition to the use of innovative technology with many new opportunities throu...

Technical change, climatic changes, and social developments mean new challenges for the fire brigades, rescue services, and disaster control in the future. This is the conclusion of the 66th annual conference of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb), which ended in Ulm. Around 650 experts from home and abroad spent three days finding out about the current state of science technology and security. digital technology What became particularly clear was the realizatio...

The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection has warned of the currently increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. “Fire departments and rescue services had to be deployed several times on recent hot days to bring people with symptoms of poisoning to clinics,” says vfdb President - Dirk Aschenbrenner.  'CO makes KO' initiative Dirk Aschenbrenner adds, “The cause of the accidents was mainly gas boilers for producing hot water. At the same time, he refer...

According to the experiences of the German Fire Brigade Association (DFV) and the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb), fire extinguishing sprays correspond to the state of the art and have been successfully tested in practice over many years.  The DFV as the umbrella organization of volunteer, professional and company fire departments and the vfdb as an expert network for protection, rescue and safety therefore recommend their use in the event of normal fire risk...

Johnson Controls marks the first anniversary of Autocall™ as it introduces the brand of proven fire detection systems to the Canadian market. By bringing Autocall to Canada, Johnson Controls is providing market access to the same high-quality, proven fire detection solutions already available in the U.S. and the Middle East. Autocall systems Backed by the support and dedication of Autocall Authorized Distributors, end-users of Autocall systems benefit from advanced fire detection and in...

Fire engines and other emergency vehicles can also meet the requirements of the Euro VI emissions standard. According to the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb), existing exemptions that still allow EU standard V for such vehicles will no longer be necessary in the future.  Extensive experience from the fire departments in Berlin, Hamburg and Hanover has shown that there are no significant performance restrictions in driving and operational operations, said...

Every year in Germany, an average of 20 people die and around 150 are injured in fires in social facilities. Jörg Wilms-Vahrenhorst from the Federal Association of Technical Fire Protection pointed this out on Tuesday, at the annual conference of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) in Ulm.  He referred to statistics from the German Patient Protection Foundation. The risk of loss of life in a fire for nursing home residents is around five times highe...

Without progressive digitalization and networking, an efficient fire department and a modern rescue service will no longer be conceivable in the future.  Several speakers pointed this out on the second day of the annual conference of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) in Ulm. Only the use of digital possibilities helps rescuers in all areas to keep up with the requirements, according to the conclusion. challenges The challenges continue to increase. As one...

Recent news headlines about devastating fires have left many building owners and small business proprietors concerned about what a fire loss would do to their facilities and operations. Unlike larger organizations, they don’t have the luxury of employing risk management and loss prevention experts to analyze the risk and develop procedures to ensure business continuity. White paper offers practical advice on fire safety Small organizations don’t have the budgets that large compani...

It’s been three years since the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) published the most recent edition of the wide-ranging standard that spans 'the application, installation, location, performance, inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire alarm systems, fire warning equipment and emergency warning equipment, and their components'. Since then, thousands of volunteers have contributed ideas and recommendations, the technical committee has debated the changes, and the final text h...

Whether users are designing and engineering a new facility or renovating an existing building, there are many decisions to be made and a lot of them have long-term consequences. With every major choice made, users need to weigh multiple factors: the safety, comfort, and sustainability of the building; the initial capital expense; the design and installation effort required; the importance of value-added features; the long-term total cost of ownership; the ease of maintenance and expandability;...

The latest updates to UL 268, Standard for Safety of Smoke Detectors for Fire Alarm Systems, call for significant improvements to smoke detection technology. UL 268 7th edition standard Set to take effect in June 2021, the new UL 268 7th edition standard requires smoke sensors, detectors, and smoke alarms to pass more than 215 new or revised performance tests, including three new challenging tests: a cooking nuisance alarm test, a flaming polyurethane foam test, and a smoldering polyureth...

When it comes to fire prevention, no facility is more worthy of the effort than a school. It’s a great responsibility to help protect the communities’ children and the teachers and staff entrusted with their learning and development – not to mention the property paid for by taxpayers’ dollars. While the number of fires in K-12 buildings has dropped steadily over the last 30 years, an estimated 4,000 school building fires are reported by United States fire departments eac...

The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) has strongly advocated the approval of extinguishing spray cans to fight small fires in companies.  In a letter to Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil, the trade association strongly criticized a decision by the Committee for Workplaces (ASTA) of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which had declared the use of such extinguishing agents inadmissible. The vfdb calls on the minister to adapt the ASTA re...