Fire Industry News for September 2020

The Heathrow Airport Fire & Rescue Service is now able to tackle a broad range of incidents more quickly and efficiently after commissioning a pair of highly specialized domestic response units based on Mercedes-Benz chassis. The Sprinter 519 CDI chassis cabs were supplied by Dealer Rossetts Commercials to Rosenbauer UK, a subsidiary of the Austrian group that is one of the manufacturers of firefighting equipment. Replacements for a single 18-tonne domestic appliance, the new vehicles offer...

NAPCO Security Technologies introduces new easy cloud-based programming available for its award-winning, cost-saving FireLink® FACPs with onboard LCD annunciator and LTE cellular, or Cell/IP communicator, in new dual path model.  To offer pros more convenience and flexibility, cloud-based programming allows the FireLink to be programmed from any smart device or tablet, using easy drop-down menus (No special software, training or laptop required). FireLink Integrated 8-32 Pt Fire Alarm...

CU First Responders Finance (CUFR) is excited to welcome Albany Firemen’s Federal Credit Union (AFFCU) to their Referral Credit Union program. AFFCU is looking forward to offering business loan services to their membership. CUFR’s business lending program CUFR’s business lending program provides the avenue for first responder credit unions to refer commercial real estate, apparatus, equipment, and other business loans for potential funding. The referring credit union gets bu...

FireVu are pleased to announce the release of the latest upgrade to the FireVu flame detection algorithm available now with the FireVu 500, our premier video fire detector. The FireVu 500 uses intelligent flame and smoke algorithms to analyse the camera image in order to quickly and reliably detect fire. This latest update has increased both the robustness of the algorithm and the detection range. The detector will react to the presence of even a small fire in the specified field of view in und...

The letters ‘FR’ have many meanings, including flame resistant, flame retardant, fire resistant and fire retardant, but is there a difference? And which FR is the right FR for a particular firefighters and rescue team? The truth is, these terms are used interchangeably and there is no clear standard or definition that backs up any of these phrases. What matters when looking to choose the right FR protection for the team is understanding and specifying garments that meet the right FR...

Comelit UK has become a member of the British Standards Institution (BSI) to enable its innovative fire division to benefit from access to the high-performance standards set and latest Government influenced, industry thinking. The Italian door entry manufacturer, known for its high specification solutions, offers a range of automatic fire detection systems, including conventional and addressable panels, that are proving successful across the UK in a variety of sectors. Pledging its commitment t...

Kochek Company, LLC has announced that new, custom Scotty pistol grip ball valves are replacing its former offerings.  The new Kochek ball valves in 1.0” and 1.5" sizes are now sourced directly from Scotty Firefighter to ensure durability and top-quality performance. To further meet the rigorous demands of the field, Kochek re-engineered the Scotty models to include a lightweight aluminum full-time 360º female swivel on all models and aluminum male threads on most models, exclud...

An explosion of blue-colored smoke on Sept. 5, 2020 in Yucalpa, California, was the beginning of a large wildfire in El Dorado Ranch Park. The pyrotechnic device was essentially a smoke bomb designed to send plumes of pink or blue smoke rising into the air, designating the gender of an expected baby. The expectant dad had packed the target with a highly explosive substance called Tannerite and shot it with a high-powered rifle. The target was designed to explode in pink or blue to reveal whethe...

Dräger has launched a range of solutions for cleaning breathing apparatus, respiratory masks and PPE equipment that reduce the risk of carcinogen contamination within emergency teams as part of its Health for the Firefighter campaign. Dräger have worked in partnership with Harstra instruments, a Dutch manufacturer of cleaning and drying equipment. The launch follows a study undertaken by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) which demonstrated a self-contai...

Dräger has launched a range of solutions for cleaning breathing apparatus, respiratory masks and PPE equipment that reduce the risk of carcinogen contamination within emergency teams as part of its Health for the Firefighter campaign. Dräger have worked in partnership with Harstra instruments, a Dutch manufacturer of cleaning and drying equipment. The launch follows a study undertaken by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) which demonstrated a self-contai...

Set on the iconic shores of Italy’s Lake Garda, Campeggio del Garda is a popular campsite that attracts tourists from around the globe to its picturesque location. Hochiki Italia’s Totem solution was specified to protect the idyllic campsite and provide occupants with an ideal level of outdoor protection. Campeggio del Garda is located on the water’s edge of Lake Garda, one of Italy’s most picturesque lakes and holiday hotspots. The scenic location offers a range of bung...

Apollo Fire Detectors, has launched a new market insight program to help them continue to deliver innovative fire safety products and high standards of customer service. The Apollo Advisor Network encourages customers, installers and partners to share their experiences within the industry and the challenges they face. Registration is online and captures background on their company and individual responsibilities. Exclusive training access After signing up, Advisors have access to exclusive tr...

Designed with facilities managers and nominated Responsible Persons in mind, the guide has been created to be a trusted source of safety and compliance information. It is free for any business to download and use to review their own fire doors. In 2019, the Fire Door Inspection Scheme found that 76% of fire doors inspected were condemned as not fit for purpose, with excessive gaps, damaged smoke seals and poorly adjusted door closers the top reasons for failings. Fire door safety The research...

Euralarm has welcomed its first associate member: Kiwa, a trusted and proven partner in the field of fire safety and security. The autonomous global company is specialized in testing, inspection, certification, training and consultancy services. With these services Kiwa contributes among others to the quality, safety and sustainability of organization’s products, services and processes. The associate membership is a result of Kiwa’s Fire Lab, located in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands, t...

As the demand for power increases in the UK across growing domestic and industrial markets including the nuclear industry, so the need for reliable power generation, transmission, and distribution using Medium Voltage cables has risen with it. The demands for power has never been greater, with the explosion of development in towns and cities across the UK and the growth of industrial development and technology reliant on consistent supplies. Medium voltage cables As the incidence of non-...

Boyne Capital Partners, LLC ("Boyne") is pleased to announce that Rapid Fire Protection Group, Inc. ("RFPG"), a Boyne portfolio company, acquires Brick Wall Fire Sprinkler, LLC ("Brick Wall"), a provider of fire protection solutions to customers throughout the Central Colorado market. Founded in 1988 by Roger Wallace and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Brick Wall provides design, installation, and ongoing service of fire suppression systems for large-scale facilities across a wide range of e...

Kentec, a renowned manufacturer of life-critical control systems, has launched its Intelligent Networking Solutions (iNS) providing advanced interconnectivity and monitoring of fire alarm control panel networks - critical where multiple panels are installed across a single site. The sharing of status information between protected areas is essential to the management of site safety procedures, enabling the correct response when an event such as a fire occurs, for example, the direction of emerge...

It makes perfect sense that a horrific wildfire season would come in the year 2020 on the heels of a pandemic. Dozens of major fires burned across North America in September, including 85 large uncontained fires and six contained fires across 12 states. Active fires have burned more than 3 million acres already, and 41,417 fires have burned almost 5 million acres year-to-date. The severity of the wildfire season is on track to surpass the 10-year average. Better understanding wildfires Globa...

Should firefighters and other first responders be exempt from requirements that they wear face masks to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)? The City Council of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, seems to think so. They are proposing an amendment to exempt first responders from complying with the city’s face mask ordinance. Amendment to Exempt first responders from face mask rule Specifically, the proposed amendment states, “Exempted from the requirements of the ordinance r...

XCMG has announced sending four multi-function emergency and fire rescue vehicles to Golmud, Qinghai Province, in China. The emergency response vehicles developed by XCMG Research Institute opens a new chapter for the commercial application of emergency rescue solutions. Since 2016, XCMG has made the development, application and promotion of emergency fire and rescue vehicles a priority. Taking part in key state projects to research basic theories, core technologies and equipment design, XCMG h...

The organizers of Milipol Qatar, the international event for homeland security and civil defense, have announced force majeure has prompted the postponement of the event for six months to March 2021. Over recent weeks and months, they have been in constant discussions with key industry authorities and partners to stay abreast of the challenges in the face of disruption due to COVID-19. In the light of the latest developments of the health situation worldwide and especially in Qatar, as announce...

C-TEC’s revolutionary CAST and Hush Pro fire alarm systems are safeguarding a charming cluster of commercial and residential properties in Llangollen, Wales. As a ‘mixed-use’ building housing both business units and domestic dwellings, a combination of commercial and residential fire systems was required. Allied Fire Alarms & Escapes Co. Ltd., a renowned Wrexham-based fire specialist company, installed one of C-TEC’s powerful CAST XFP addressable fire systems to prot...

Selected for their performance, quality and ease of use, 96 intelligent addressable MxPro 5 fire alarm control panels and 34 custom AdSpecials panels will be installed at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, as part of a comprehensive upgrade. As a center of clinical excellence, Wythenshawe Hospital, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, has over 5,500 staff providing district general hospital and specialist tertiary services to the local community and the wider population of the Nor...

As fire safety continues to make the headlines, Karen Trigg of Allegion UK outlines the importance of hardware selection and reminds decision makers of how routine checks can save lives. Door hardware plays a role in the operational integrity of a building, and more crucially, is a key element of a facility’s fire safety and security. Putting fire safety measures at risk Fire doors, and their accompanying hardware in particular, require special attention from facility managers and insta...

Hannover Fairs USA, subsidiary of Deutsche Messe, announced it has made the decision to postpone its U.S. launch of INTERSCHUTZ USA until October 2021. The event was originally scheduled for Oct. 14-17, 2020 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA. Organizers worked closely with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), and the City of Philadelphia through the Philadelphia Fire Department to evaluate the situation and make the...

Eunomia has convened a consortium to explore the costs of, and potential measures to prevent, fires which are being started by Lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries in waste. Fires in waste electronics are estimated to be growing: the incidence of fires in waste company Veolia’s refuse trucks are up 37.5% since 2017, and these are thought to have been caused by Li-ion batteries. Major cause of waste fires Li-ion batteries are found in a variety of consumer IT and electronics products and are o...

The fire service worldwide collects a lot of data, and a university in Seoul, South Korea, is researching how to crunch the numbers using artificial intelligence (AI) to predict the probability of fires more accurately and to direct fire departments’ assets where they will do the most good. Students and faculty at Hongik University are developing AI and machine learning (ML) algorithms into a model that can predict the probability of fires and enable authorities to take action to make the...

Located 40 kilometers outside the Russian capital, the new Mercedes-Benz passenger car factory is a showcase for Industry 4.0 automotive manufacturing. To ensure the safety of more than 1,000 employees at the massive facility, Bosch provided a fire alarm and security system, replete with voice evacuation capabilities to meet the specific safety needs of modern-day car factories. Future of car manufacturing Walking into the main manufacturing hall of the new Mercedes-Benz Cars plant in the Mosc...

The biggest risk of property damage and injury from wildfires comes at the wildland-urban interface (WUI), which is defined as areas where structures and the built environment begin to intermingle with wildland vegetation. More and more such areas are being created as humans move near wildland areas to take advantage of their natural beauty and privacy. As a result, fire departments are fighting more fires along the interface, and there is a greater need for citizens living in these areas to be...

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety ("Pye-Barker") is proud to announce the acquisitions of Florida Fire Safety Inc. ("Florida Fire") in Doral, Florida, and American Fire and Safety, Inc ("American Fire") in Laurel, Mississippi. With the acquisition of these companies, Pye-Barker adds density to its South Florida market and strengthens its national presence. Financial details have not been disclosed. With the acquisition of Florida Fire, Pye-Barker acquired an industry-renowned fire protection company...