Industry News

Negotiations and discussions have been going on the issue of proposed firefighter shift plans Discussions and negotiation on the proposed changes have been going on for five years but have not yet resulted in a collective agreement. The London Fire Brigade has begun the process of formal consultation with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) on its proposed changes to start and finish times of shifts for London firefighters. Discussion and negotiation on the proposed changes...

"This was a case of someone failing to understand theirresponsibility as a landlord"  The landlord pleaded guilty to eight counts of breaching the Fire Safety Order 2005 in his three-storey property where the top two floors had been transformed into a number of flats. The importance of businesses complying with regulations has been highlighted by the prosecution and fining of a landlord who was ordered to pay £8,500 for fire safety breaches. Cheshire Fire and...

Heavy smog in Kriusha, Ryazan, 155 miles south of Moscow   Emergency action is reported to have 'stabilized' the situation at Sarov, the now-closed town where first Soviet nuclear bomb was built. Forest and peat fires have killed at least 52 people, made more than 4,000 homeless, diverted many flights and pushed air pollution in Moscow to six times its normal level. Russia's Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu has warned that wildfires raging in the west of the...

Many people killed in house fires are asleep at the time Many people killed in house fires are asleep at the time. A smoke alarm will wake you up and give you vital extra time to escape. Costing from as little as £5, there really is no excuse for not having a smoke alarm in your home. You can get a free smoke alarm and fire safety check by booking a home fire risk assessment, but if you want to choose your own, get clued up with this advice from the Greater Man...

Support of FBU lead Mr Bennett'scase towards victory The Fire Brigades Union and Thompsons Solicitors have secured a ground-breaking victory for firefighter Christopher Bennett after he was sacked for sending an email to colleagues about the fire service's insistence that he used a chair that was injuring his back on nightshifts at work. The Tribunal found that his right to freedom of expression under the Human Rights Act had been breached and that his dismissal was unfa...

Two special reports focusing on US fires have been released by USFA The USFA has announced the release of two special reports: "One- and Two-Family Residential Building Fires" and "Multifamily Residential Building Fires On The Causes And The Characteristic Of Fires". The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) announced the release of two special reports focusing on the cause and characteristics of fires in one- and two-family and multifamily residential buildings. The reports, One-...

The new campaign initiated by DHS and TSA would help in providing better and effective security measures Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John S. Pistole launched two major enhancements to general aviation security the general aviation component of DHS's nationwide "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign, and a streamlined system for vetting passengers and crew on general avia...

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service proposals would bring down safety and security measures   Warwickshire FBU Officials are planning branch meetings across the county to gauge members' response to plans to close three fire stations. The move follows last weeks decision by Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Authority to close Studley, Warwick and Brinklow stations and replace a whole time day crewing appliance with a small fires unit. The Fire Authority met in full on 2...

Cadets and their trainers celebratepassing out with Commissioner Ron Dobson and Chair of LFEPA’s Cllr Susan Hall The first 20 youngsters to complete London Fire Brigade’s Community Fire Cadet Course have attended a special Passing Out Parade.  The programme was launched in Tower Hamlets and Hackney in February 2009 and to mark the end of the course the Cadets received certificates from London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson at a special ceremony at the Brigade&r...

Cardiac arrest was identified as the main cause of firefighters' fatal injuries The 2009 edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) annual firefighter fatality report, Firefighter Fatalities in the United States – 2009 and U.S. Fire Service Fatalities in Structure Fires, 1977-1999, was recently released, showing that 82 firefighters died while on-duty last year. This is the lowest total since 1993 and the third lowest recorded since NFPA bega...

The mural is a masterpiece which was painted by a group of 13 people belonging to different age groups A unique fire themed mural portraying the history of London Fire Brigade has been unveiled at Dowgate fire station last week. The mural, which was painted by 13 local people, was unveiled at a special event at Dowgate fire station, at which London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson presented certificates to the talented painters. The mural, which is approximately 24ft long...

Sepura’s STP8200 hand-portable radio has already received accolades from customers  Sepura announced the contract award to its partner Selectric Nachrichten-Systeme GmbH for the delivery of up to 37,0000 Sepura TETRA radios to the German federal state of Rheinland-Pfalz. This substantial contract win closely follows last month’s announcement which put Selectric and Sepura in the spotlight once again for the award of the contract from the German...

The stress factor is an often-overlooked phenomenon after any disaster People are likely to experience at least one of several emotional responses due to disasters that affect health, emotions, and behavior. Some times the effects are temporary and in some cases it takes years to overcome it. It has been more than three months since the President issued a disaster declaration for Rhode Island as a result of the severe storms and flooding occurring in March and April. While re...

Fire Corps award of  excellence honours fire service professionals of the fire and safety industry  Nominees must be registered with Fire Corps and be part of or affiliated with a fire/EMS department or sponsoring agency representing the fire and emergency services. Does your fire department have an outstanding Fire Corps program to support your emergency personnel? Then recognize their accomplishments by nominating them for the 2010 Fire Corps Award of Excellence....

The training session will boost up the knowledge and skills of junior firefighters The session for junior firefighters is open to youth ages 13-18 and will cover topics such as youth leadership, future paths in the fire service, and youth-led activity ideas. The National Volunteer Fire Council's (NVFC) National Junior Firefighter Program has partnered with Firehouse Expo, Spartan Motors, Inc., and California Casualty to hold the National Junior Firefighter Academy on Saturday...

Final cook-off will be on August 20, with the winner receiving $10,000 If you have a recipe that promotes good health and tastes great, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) encourages you to submit it for your chance to win. Help promote healthy eating in the fire service while entering for a chance to win $10,000. Television show LIVE! with Regis and Kelly is holding a Coast-to-Coast Fire House Cook-Off this summer. Firefighters can submit their favourite recipe,...

Zephyr Technology announced anothervalidation of PSM with Prince George's county Throughout multiple days of training, fire instructors were impressed with the insight the PSM system provided relative to fitness and levels of exertion candidates experienced during the practicum. Zephyr Technology, developers of Physiological Status Monitoring (PSM) solutions for First Responders, announced another validation of PSM Responder; this one with Prince George's County, Marylan...

The one day programme also includes training in a classroom environment at the National Flood School’s site A new course aimed at insurance professionals has been launched by the National Flood School, which gives a real insight into the damage that fire causes in the home. The National Flood School is putting its state-of-the-art Flood House to a new use by setting fire to the property as part of the Fire Damage Awareness Day. Believed to be the only purpose-built flo...

Medal of Valor that changed officer Saccenti's life forever Tom Saccenti was awarded the Medal of Valor at his local church Mansfield First Assembly of God. Labor Day weekend 1999 rookie police officer Tom Saccenti never expected that he would be involved in an incident that would change the course of a friend’s life forever. While driving home from a church bonfire, Officer Saccenti saw a lone volunteer fire tuck sitting on a bridge one street over. Out of curiosity an...

David Pollard (L) giving award to BA instructor Neil Hodson(R)  The award ceremony formed part of the 2009 International Fire Training Centre Annual Awards held at Durham Tees Valley Airport in April, 2010. David Pollard, Regional Sales Manager for Draeger, presented Neil Hodson, BA Instructor at Biggin Hill Airport, with a prestigious DraegerMan Statuette in honour of the Best Breathing Apparatus Instructor Award. The ceremony formed part of the 2009 International Fire...

Zeta compliance group plc, announcesthe completed acquisition of the entire issued share capital of FSC Zeta Compliance Group plc, the provider of products and services to enable organisations with large estates to ensure that they systematically meet their Environmental, Health and Safety obligations, is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of The Fire Strategy Company Limited ("Fire Strategy") based in Ramsgate, Kent....

The government of Alberta is dedicated to provide safety and security measures to the residential communities  Kevin Sorenson, MP for Crowfoot, Richard Marz, M.L.A. for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, and Kevin Edwards, Mayor of Three Hills, recently celebrated the grand opening of the new Three Hills Fire Hall. Built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System Standards, and equipped with office space, five parking bays, ample parking...

LFB Deputy commissioner Steve Smith receives certificate from Justice Minister Rt Hon Crispin Blunt  London Fire Brigade has become the first fire and rescue service to employ someone through a national programme designed to rehabilitate young offenders. The Young Offender Programme led by National Grid helps prisoners get back into work on their release and aims to reduce re-offending rates. Figures show that less than 6% of people on the scheme re-offend compared to th...

Every year excessive and catastrophic damage is done by wildfires to property and life According to the National Interagency Fire Center, over 77,000 fires burned nearly 6 million acres across the entire U.S. in 2009. Wildfires pose a real threat to residents across the country, and there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of loss and to protect those you love. Wildfires are a natural part of the environment. They occur everywhere that patterns of dry and windy weath...

Be careful regarding activities of pets at fire prone places in home to avoide fire accidents Fire departments across the country are encouraged to utilize Pet Fire Safety Day on July 15 to spread pet fire safety messages in your community. An estimated 500,000 pets are affected annually by home fires, and a new data analysis by the National Fire Protection Association shows that nearly 1,000 house fires each year are accidentally started by the homeowners’ pets. The Na...

DHS secretary emphasized on collaboration of private sector partners for chemical sector security Secretary Napolitano highlighted the Department's unique role in combating chemical security threats through both regulatory and voluntary programs. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano delivered remarks highlighting the Department's ongoing efforts to bolster security and increase resiliency at high-risk chemical facilities through the Chemical Facili...

New Kong Nam Food Production Company violated the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005   Fire inspectors visited the premises on Brettingham Road, Edmonton on 3 December 2008. A number of fire safety breaches were found and an enforcement notice was issued requiring Mrs Liu to remedy the faults by 9 March 2009. The manager of a food production factory has been ordered to pay over £20,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to serious breaches of fire saf...

The new act will allow discussions between first responders and agencies that employ them Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act will ensure that every state allows discussions between first responders and the agencies that employ them. The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill to give collective bargaining rights to fire fighters and other public safety officers. The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act assures that fire fighters in every state w...

Do follow basic safety and preventive measures in order to avoide catastrophic fires and accidents The number of grass fires across the capital rose by over 30% from May to June this year. Following a spate of grass fires across the capital, London's firefighters are warning people to take extra care during the hot weather. Andy Hickmott, London Fire Brigade's Assistant Commissioner for Community Fire Safety, said: "With the hot weather set to continue we're bracing ourselve...

Firefighters across London participated in extrication challenge held at LFB's Southwark HQ on 26 June Firefighters used their experience and specialist equipment to safely rescue trapped or injured casualties from wrecked vehicles. London firefighters have taken first place in a competition which saw them pitting their skills against nine other UK Fire and Rescue Services. The Regional Extrication Challenge – in which fire crews simulate releasing casualties involved i...