Fire Industry News for November 2019

Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton has officially taken up her new role of Chief Fire Officer with West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service this morning. Sabrina said she was “absolutely delighted” to be taking on the job. She has nearly two decades of fire service experience, having most recently served as Interim Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Surrey Fire & Rescue Service. She said: "I am absolutely delighted to be here at West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, and I am very much looking forw...

The West Chester Fire Department will now enforce the most current version of Ohio Fire Code in order to remain on the forefront of fire and life safety. Each year, the West Chester Fire Department conducts thousands of fire safety inspections and conducts hundreds of plan reviews for fire safety. The move to enforce the most current Ohio Fire Code, approved by the Board of Trustees on Aug. 27, allows Fire Safety Inspectors to apply the most current and relevant fire codes. Safeguarding Life A...

Firefighters in Chichester would like to thank residents for their quick thinking after a fire in a property on Thursday afternoon. Crews from Chichester, Bognor Regis and Selsey were mobilized to the incident on Lennox Road, Chichester, at 3.37pm following reports of a fire in a residential flat, with the first crew from Chichester arriving on scene within five minutes. Upon arrival they found smoke issuing from a window of the property. Rescuing an adult male from the property trapped by fire...

West Chester Township’s new logo reflects the community’s strengths and personality in a modern way. “The previous logo has suited West Chester well and has been successful through more than 20 years of growth,” said Barbara Wilson, director of public information & engagement for the Township. “West Chester, however, has evolved and it was time to refresh. We wanted a logo that more clearly represented how our residents view our community and helps communicate...

A review of how a fire spread through a West Midlands hotel is being carried out by West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS). Firefighters arrived at the Holiday Inn near Walsall within 4 minutes of being mobilized. They immediately started to tackle what was already a significant fire, which soon consumed much of the building. West Midlands Hotel Fire 999 calls started to be received shortly before 4pm on Friday 2 August 2019, to the site near Junction 10 of the M6 motorway. WMFS were supported at...

Dr. Sabrina Cohen-Hatton is to join West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service as its new Chief Fire Officer. Dr. Cohen-Hatton joins the service with 18 years of fire service experience including senior roles in London Fire Brigade, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Welsh Government and most recently as Interim Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. She has helped shape national fire service policy and practice during her government secondments at Her Majesty Inspectorate of...

West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) announced that it is supporting work that will see sprinklers being fitted in tower blocks across the region. Sprinkler systems can save lives while protecting properties; people have a much higher chance of surviving a fire in the home where sprinklers are fitted. Retrofit sprinklers in high rises WMFS said in a statement that they are pleased to see the decision taken by several West Midlands local authorities to retrofit sprinklers across their high-rise to...

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service has welcomed nine new retained (on-call) firefighters to its ranks following an intensive two week training program. Having been put through their paces in the yard at Worthing Fire Station they welcomed family and friends to a Pass Out Parade on Friday, June 21. They will now join the crews at a number of fire stations across the county to provide on-call support. Many of the new recruits have full-time jobs elsewhere in their communities. Living or workin...

West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) announced that it will be hosting two realistic and interactive road traffic collision (RTC) rescue challenges at this year’s Emergency Services Show. Extrication Challenge Taking place at the NEC, National Exhibition Centre Birmingham, United Kingdom from 18 to 19 September, 2019, the Extrication and First Aid & Trauma Challenges will provide an arena for some of the UK’s best rescue personnel to come together and develop their proficiency lev...

West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) has been graded as ‘Good’ in a report published on 20th June by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). This is the first report completed by HMICFRS into WMFS since the inspection program recommenced in 2018 after a break of several years, during which time WMFS has seen significant government funding reductions. Safety and rescue report The inspectorate has commented that they are ‘very pl...

INTERSCHUTZ 2020 starts soon under the motto "Future location". The world's pioneer trade fair for fire brigade, rescue, civil protection and security takes place from 15 to 20 June 2020 in Hanover. Exhibitors from all over the world present their products and services, ranging from equipment for technical assistance and civil protection, to the equipment of fire stations, fire protection, extinguishing technology, vehicles and vehicle equipment, information and organization technology, medical...

E-ONE, a subsidiary of REV Group and a manufacturer of fire apparatus, is pleased to welcome North Central Emergency Vehicles as the dealer in Nebraska, Northern Kansas and South Dakota. North Central Emergency Vehicles has been in business for over 55 years. Owner Fred Pawelk’s father, Jerry Pawelk, founded the business in 1964. Jerry was also a fire chief, and many of North Central Emergency Vehicles’ employees are current or former fire service or rescue professionals. From refur...

Coventry’s new community fire station will be officially opened this weekend – and it’s throwing open its doors to the public! Following an opening ceremony for invited guests, the Radford Road site will be staging a road safety awareness day from 12 noon until 4 pm on Sunday (2 June), to coincide with the city’s two-day MotoFest. Visitors will be able to tour the new fire station and watch firefighters giving demonstrations of how they rescue people from car crashes and...

The new EN Grade 3-compliant Tyco DSC PowerSeries Pro intrusion security alarm system provides a feature-rich intrusion detection solution for commercial properties of any size, from small shops to large office buildings, factories, healthcare facilities and educational campuses. electronic security solution The PowerSeries Pro completes the JCI intrusion product portfolio with integrators now able to single-source a complete electronic security solution for commercial installations from Johns...

From 15 to 17 May 2019 the International Trade Fair for Rescue and Mobility took place in Fulda. The 19th RETTmobil presented products, innovations and services from well-known manufacturers of ambulance and rescue vehicles as well as exhibitors from the fields of vehicle equipment, emergency medicine and clothing technology. ZIEGLER was back on location again this year. On the outdoor area ZIEGLER presented the following exhibits: HLF 20 with Z-Cab XL MLF with Z-Cab GW-L2 UP 4 Further...

West Midlands Fire Service is supporting the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) National Sprinkler Week campaign, from 19 to 24 May. NFCC and the National Fire Sprinkler Network (NFSN) research into sprinkler systems’ effectiveness and reliability found that they operate on 94% of occasions and extinguish or contain the fire virtually every time. The evidence also demonstrated that in both converted and purpose-built flats, sprinklers are 100% effective in controlling fires. Ins...

Promoted by the Firefighters Memorial Trust, the Annual Service of Remembrance pays tribute and recognizes the commitment and dedication of all United Kingdom firefighters– and those serving in British overseas territories – particularly those who have died as a result of their duties while serving the community. Tribute to Lost firefighters Representatives from West Midland Fire Service will be attending the memorial event and laying a wreath, paying tribute to firefighters who ha...

Given the unpredictable and hazardous nature of firefighting, where seconds could mean the difference between life and death, there’s nothing more important for firefighters than being connected as a team. That’s why MSA Safety Incorporated, the pioneer in firefighter safety, today announced a breakthrough innovation to help make firefighting a safer profession. At the annual Fire Department Instructor’s Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis, Ind., the Pittsburgh-based company tod...

West Sussex firefighters are being praised by the mother of a young girl, who they have been helping to overcome a fear of the sound of smoke alarms. Seven-year-old Elsie Williams alerted her mum Felicity to a fire in their Haywards Heath home in November 2017 when their smoke alarm went off. Crews from Haywards Heath Fire Station attended and extinguished the fire, but since then Elsie has been afraid of the noise of the alarm. After Felicity got in touch with the crew, they invited her and El...

Since January 2017, West Midlands firefighters have responded to 378 fires in wheelie bins. Of these, 295 (78 per cent) are believed to have been started deliberately. Group Commander Ben Diamond, of our Prevention team, said: “Setting a bin alight for kicks could seriously backfire. Any aerosols inside could explode, injuring anyone nearby. They could also be burnt or overcome by the combination of smoke and plastic fumes.” Serious Risk Of The Fire Spreading Deliberate and malici...

Fifty members of West Midlands Fire Service staff have embarked on apprenticeship courses in the past year. And the organization is hoping that a further 50 will embark on on-the-job training in the next 12 months. To mark National Apprenticeship Week, a number of West Midlands Fire Service’s partner training organizations joined them at their headquarters to share course details with staff interested in boosting their skills. From West Midlands Fire Service transport and engineering work...

The deaths of two Birmingham firefighters – one believed to be the only in the UK ever to have died trying to rescue a colleague – have been marked exactly 100 years on. Herbert Dyche, who was stationed in Highgate, perished trying to save Acting Station Officer Alfred Moon. Moon, based in Aston, had himself been trying to rescue two workmen following a major leak at Saltley Gas Works. Tragically, his efforts were in vain. Commemorating fire fighters lost in rescue operations On 2...

A Halma delegation of medical and environmental innovation experts and a number of high-level executives including Halma executive board members Inken Braunschmidt, Chief Innovation and Digital Officer, and Adam Meyers, Chief Executive, Medical and Environmental sector, recently concluded a visit to Israel to meet with potential new partners. This trip demonstrates Halma’s commitment to partnering with the innovation capability within Israel to solve health and environmental problems on a...

Halma has successfully acquired Limotec bvba in a move that will strengthen their fire safety offering in continental Europe. Based in Belgium, Limotec is a fire control panel designer and manufacturer and fire system seller in the Belgian market. The company will complement Halma’s existing portfolio of fire detection companies, including Advanced, Apollo, Argus, FFE, and LAN Control Systems. Limotec currently integrates their control panels with Apollo’s detection devices, to sell...

More than a third of reported accidental fires, started by candles in the home, result in death or injury. WMFS is urging people to ‘snuff out the risk’ this Candle Fire Safety Week (15-21 Oct) and beyond. Testing Alarms Regularly Candles are a welcoming sight in many homes, giving an atmospheric glow to cold winter nights" Pete Wilson, WMFS’ Head of Community Safety, said: “Candles are a welcoming sight in many homes, giving an atmospheric glow to cold winter nights....

A team of West Midlands Fire Service firefighters have been crowned national champs in the use of breathing apparatus. Top honors went to Hay Mills Blue Watch at the 2018 National BA Challenge at the Fire Service College in Gloucestershire. Colleagues from Highgate Blue Watch also achieved fourth place overall, in a total field of 28. The event attracted teams of five firefighters from across the UK. Each was faced with the scenario of a property fire in which people were believed trapped. They...

WMFS teams celebrated strong performances in this year’s national rescue challenges. Hosted in Cardiff Bay by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, firefighters from across the country took part in the UK Rescue Organisation (UKRO) event. The two-day showcase saw dozens of teams competing in extrication, trauma, rope, water and urban search and rescue (USAR) events. Members of our Technical Rescue Unit came second overall in the rope rescue challenge. Honing The Skills Of Firefighters Th...

This year saw fire and rescue teams from across the UK competing in the West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) Extrication and Trauma Challenges, which was held for the second year running at the Emergency Services Show, NEC, Birmingham. The two-day event which is split into trauma scenarios and extrication scenarios tested firefighters skills at first aid and trauma care, road traffic accident extrication, casualty care and more. As always, a high standard of skills was demonstrated by all the team...

As per a new law aimed at better safeguarding fire rescue and emergency services personal, offenders who assault or attack emergency workers are to face longer jail terms. The maximum jail term for assaulting an emergency worker, including fire service personnel, will double from six to 12 months, once the new law goes into effect. An episode of the West Midlands Fire Service’s (WMFS) TV series, ‘Into the Fire’, shows one of the WMFS crew members being intimidated by a gang....

The West Midlands Fire Service has announced that the service’s firefighters have won the Emergency Services category in the annual ‘Pride of Britain’ awards! WMFS firefighters recognized The accolade, sponsored by ITV’s ‘This Morning’ program, recognizes the response of firefighters from Highgate Community Fire Station and the Technical Rescue Unit to a road traffic collision in which a driver was fully impaled on a metal railing.  Some of WMFS firefi...