Fire Industry News for September 2018

Fire detection is reaching new, advanced levels, designed to help save more lives. Edwards, continuing in its legacy as the inventor of the alarm bell, is the first multi-criteria smoke detector manufacturer to receive certification to the UL standard for Fire Alarm Systems UL 268, 7th edition, set to take effect May 2020. The new Signature Optica smoke detectors utilise a next-generation sensor that better distinguishes the type of fire and the danger it creates, as well as reducing nuisance al...

Checkmate Fire Solutions, the passive fire protection specialist in the UK, is relocating its south-east office to larger premises in Harlow as a result of ongoing growth. The Yorkshire-headquartered business has been running its operations across the whole of southern England from an office in Dunmore, Essex. However, with demand for Checkmate’s compliance and third-party accredited installation services increasing, it is now implementing an expansion plan for the region. The first part...

In advance of The Emergency Services Show at the NEC (19th-20th September) Armadillo Merino, who supply pure merino base layers to firefighters, the police, special forces and even NASA is campaigning to promote the benefits of wearing natural fabrics as part of a Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) layering system and to dispel the marketing myths regarding ‘wicking' fabrics in emergency situations. Armadillo Merino is exhibiting at the Emergency Services Show - Stand D-78. Protective Pe...

During the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14, the gunman activated a manual fire alarm and shot at students as they left the building. The alarm promoted confusion during the calamity, in part because there had been a fire drill earlier in the day. It's not the first time a fire alarm has played a role in an active shooter scenario. Twenty years ago, a similar tactic was used at the Westside Middle School shooting in Jonesborough, Ark.  A fire alarm als...

SISS held concurrently with SIBT and SSHT Inspired by SPS IPC Drives in Nuremberg, Germany and its first sister event in China, SIAF – SPS Industrial Automation Fair Guangzhou, Smart Industry Solutions Shanghai (SISS) was successfully held on 4 September. The conference took place concurrently with Shanghai Intelligent Building Technology (SIBT) and Shanghai Smart Home Technology (SSHT) this year for the first time, providing a supplementary programme for these fairs&rs...

The dangers of firefighting make it unfriendly to the concept of the learning curve. Before they put their lives on the line, firefighters should have knowledge and experience. But gaining knowledge and experience in the firefighting environment presents its own dangers. Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging tool for training in the fire service. Recreating the firefighting experience realistically in a virtual world is a useful – and safer – alternative to on-the-job training. It is...

First Alert, the most trusted brand in home safety, Campus Firewatch and the Michael H. Minger Foundation have selected 25 organisations to participate in the second annual Town/Gown Fire Safety Community Service Project to raise awareness about fire safety. The initiative pairs firefighters with local colleges and universities to raise awareness among students and community members across the country about the importance of working smoke alarms and help to improve fire safety in homes. The cho...

The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, issued the following statement on Firefighters' National Memorial Day. "While most people do their best to get out of harm's way when there's a fire, firefighters run directly into it. They do that with the full knowledge of what could happen. And when tragedy strikes, the grief felt by a firefighter's family, friends and colleagues is shared by the whole country.  Firefighters' National Memorial Day is a...

While whole room protection – sprinklers or gas systems – is a common choice, there is an argument for thinking smaller; taking fire detection and suppression down to the equipment, enclosures and even the components where a fire is most likely to start. Traditional Fire Suppression Methods A traditional water-based sprinkler system is the most common form of fire protection found in commercial and industrial buildings. They offer reasonable cost, large area protection for entire f...

Amthal Fire & Security guarantees safety of staff and patrons at Lussmanns Award-winning Lussmanns sustainable Fish & Grill has enlisted Amthal Fire & Security to ensure its growing restaurant group is safe and secure for the benefit of staff and guests. Lussmanns is an independent brasserie style restaurant, invested in by leading hospitality entrepreneurs and recognised as a locals’ favourite alongside gaining praise from leading critics. The group currentl...

The VESDA portfolio is the most widely used advanced smoke detection technology in telecommunications and data centre applications Honeywell, a pioneer in Connected Buildings, announced its advanced smoke detection technology – capable of detecting and reporting smoke at its inception, before a fire develops – can now integrate with some of the most widely used fire panels in commercial buildings without the need for additional hardware or wiring. Combining Int...

STRATA softshell jacket is ideal for outdoor work which can take place after sunset or in gloomy conditions Those responsible for overseeing PPE for businesses should already be looking ahead to the colder months and assessing whether they’re existing garments meet standards, according to leading PPE manufacturer Skanwear. Working with innovative protection brand STRATA, Skanwear has unveiled its latest jacket that comes with a lifetime guarantee against faulty workmansh...

Drones are an important new tool for the fire service and have already proven their ability to save lives. Willingness to embrace drones (or unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs]) for fire applications varies widely by department, and it’s not just larger departments that are making the investment. Some smaller departments are investing in drones in a big way, even as some larger departments are reticent. Firefighting Drone Programs Departments may start with a small drone just to “try i...

CNL Software, global provider of Physical Security Information management (PSIM) software, is pleased to announce that it will be demonstrating the latest developments to its IPSecurityCenter PSIM software at GSX. These developments include enhancements that increase performance and help reduce operational response times in distributed, large-scale and mission-critical PSIM deployments. The IPSecurityCenter demonstrations are of interest to those involved in the security of, major cities, gover...

Kentec fire alarm and detection solutions on display at Security Essen 2018 Kentec is showcasing its life-critical control systems at Security Essen, with its next generation Taktis 16 loop analogue addressable fire panel taking centre stage. Taktis 16L fire panel The Taktis 16L extends the current Taktis fire panel to provide up to 144 zone indications. It supports more than 2,000 detection devices and can network up to 128 panels, making it ideal for the largest sites such...

Bosch Building Technologies has introduced its Safety Systems Designer, a free and easy to use tool for planners of EN54 fire detection systems. The software supports both stand-alone and system architectures with up to 32 modular fire panels being distributed via several buildings or up to 32 loops per panel. It is thus suited for a broad range of installations, including schools, shopping malls, industrial facilities, office buildings and more. The Safety Systems Designer supports the entire...

The Yamaha motorcycle factory in Chennai, India, is protecting its employees with a low maintenance, high performance fire alarm system, provided by Hochiki Europe. With a population of 6,000 workers in eight large buildings spread across a vast 147,450m2 site, Yamaha’s building designers faced a challenge when developing a centralised fire safety and emergency lighting network. The distance between the buildings and the number of devices needed made it impossible to use a single control...

ShotSpotter-Verizon collaboration expands with ShotSpotter Flex inclusion ShotSpotter, Inc., global company in gunshot detection solutions that help law enforcement officials identify, locate and deter gun violence, announced that Verizon Communications Inc. has expanded its partnership to include reselling ShotSpotter Flex, the company’s flagship gunshot detection solution, as a stand-alone offering to its customers. ShotSpotter, used by more than 90 cities to help figh...

Skanwear has set out to completely revolutionise customer interactions, opting for a more personal approach with bespoke care The experts in Arc and FR Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Skanwear has announced it is working on measures to improve the customer experience. Skanwear stocks clothing and accessories designed to prevent injury from arc flash and electric shocks in industrial sectors. It has set out to completely revolutionise customer interactions, opting for a mo...

FirstNet is bringing public safety a much-needed technology upgrade to help them connect to the critical information they need More than 2,500 public safety agencies across the country have joined FirstNet. This is nearly double the number of agencies since the last update in July. FirstNet is the nationwide public safety communications platform dedicated to America's first responders. Being built with AT&T, in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network A...

The new line of addressable detectors includes photo, photo/thermal, and heat detectors, along with bases and accessories Honeywell, a pioneer in Connected Buildings, is helping customers get ahead of upcoming building code changes and improve fire detection through a new line of addressable smoke and heat detection devices available across all Honeywell Fire brands. The devices improve detection of fires involving synthetic materials that are commonly used in modern building...

K-Safety Expo will introduce the latest safety and security technologies as well as the trends based on cutting-edge technology South Korea has recently suffered from disastrous calamities, such as 5.4 magnitude earthquake in the city of Pohang, fire at a sports centre in Jecheon, and gigantic forest fire. Owing to these incidents, ‘safety’ has become Korea's major concern and its government aims to foster and develop the overall industry of safety. For this...

The era of “smart buildings” is here, bringing new opportunities for significant gains in efficiency, safety and environmental protection. In an interview, Rodger Reiswig, director of industry relations at Johnson Controls Global Fire Protection Products, offers his insights into the impact of smart buildings on fire detection and what it means for organisations planning new facilities. Q: How do you define smart buildings? The term “smart buildings” means different thi...

Advanced announces fire protection and safety guidelines for historic and heritage sites Global fire systems firm, Advanced, has launched a new guide to fire protection for historic and heritage sites. Historic and heritage sites present unique challenges to end users, specifiers and installers. The new brochure is designed to help key stakeholders understand some of the solutions available for the challenges they face. It addresses many common problems in ensuring adequate ac...

NFPA unveils new additions to its board of directors at the annual Conference & Expo 2018 The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) elected Brion Callori, Martha Connors, Reginald D. Freeman, William J. Fries, and Louis Paulson, to its board of directors at the association’s annual Conference & Expo in Las Vegas. The three-year term for each member takes effect upon the close of the conference. Three board members, John D. Bonney, R. David Paulison, and Mic...

NFPA felicitates four awards at annual conference & expo The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) presented four awards to recognise outstanding achievements in fire and life safety at NFPA’s Conference & Expo in Las Vegas. Harry C. Bigglestone Award The Harry C. Bigglestone award is given annually to the paper appearing in Fire Technology that best represents excellence in the communication of fire protection concepts. This award honors the memory of Bi...

NFPA unveils key security measures to avoid shock hazards in water bodies With Memorial Day and the start of summer just around the corner, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is reminding people about the potential electrical hazards in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, on board boats and in the waters surrounding boats, marinas and launch ramps. Countering the threat of electric shock drownings Electric shock drowning (ESD) happens when marina or onboard elect...

NFPA provides safety tips on grills to avoid structure and unclassified fires Grilling season is right around the corner and grill gurus everywhere are preparing for many family parties and barbecues. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) encourages grillers to pay attention to safety during the spring and summer months when home fires involving grilling incidents occur most often. High rate of structure and unclassified fires In 2011 – 2015, fire departments...

Metro fire chiefs meet in San Antonio to talk on key topics and issues  The Metropolitan “Metro” Fire Chiefs Association, a section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) held its 2018 annual conference in San Antonio, Texas May 4-10. More than 120 Metro chiefs from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States attended the conference and elected the Association’s 2018-2019 off...

NFPA releases unified planning strategy to counter active shooter threat The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released NFPA 3000TM (PS), Standard for an Active Shooter / Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program to help communities holistically deal with the fast-growing number of mass casualty incidents that continue to occur throughout the world. Serving as the first of its kind, NFPA 3000 provides unified planning, response and recovery guidance, as well as civilian...