Industry News

KFRS issued a few simple tips to keep homes and residents safe from the risk of cooking fires With many households flipping pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (16 February), the Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) issued a few simple tips to keep you and your home safe from the risk of cooking fires. Nearly a third (30.4 percent) of accidental dwelling fires that KFRS attended last year were cooking related.* Head of Community Safety Stuart Skilt...

The warning comes after a student was injured by toxic smoke inhalation Get a smoke alarm and test it weekly - that is the stark advice from Shropshire firefighters to avoid dying from toxic smoke in a house fire. Just two to three breaths of toxic smoke and "you're unconscious," warned community fire safety officers at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service just days after a Shropshire student was critically injured after suffering toxic smoke inhalation. "Toxic smoke af...

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has won a top EU award for its excellent road safety work The Shropshire FRS was praised by the EU for being committed to improving road safety by launching informative campaigns and educating road users.It was recognised as the best institution among those signing up to the European Road Safety Charter for innovative and successful schemes in the annual Excellence in Road Safety Awards run by the European Commission. The Shropshire fire s...

Bristol's new catalogue provides the coverage of the complete range of emergency services PPE The entire catalogue will also be available digitally on memory stick.With Bristol's presence in the PPE market having broadened considerably in the last few years, the introduction of a new, comprehensive technical and product catalogue provides coverage of the complete range of emergency services PPE now supplied to UK and overseas markets. Comprising eight freestanding secti...

The fire protection legislation is expected to accelerate cost recovery of fire sprinkler retrofits Passage of this landmark fire protection legislation will accelerate cost recovery of fire sprinkler retrofits. On Friday, January 22, 2010, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) as primary cosponsor, introduced the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2010. The bill is the Senate companion bill to HR 1194 in the House of Representatives introduced la...

Germany's Saxony-Anhalt Fire Services Institute will present its latest fire prevention research Germany's Saxony-Anhalt Fire Services Institute (IdF) will be presenting its latest fire prevention research findings at the German Fire Protection Association (GFPA) stand and at the University of Magdeburg group pavilion, at Interschutz 2010. The institute uses state-of-the-art measurement, laboratory and computer systems. Its largescale testing facilities include a 2...

FEMA has issued a special report, as part of its Topical Fire Report Series The report is based on 2005 to 2007 data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued a special report, part of its Topical Fire Report Series, examining the causes and characteristics of fires in hotels and motels. An estimated average of 3,900 fires occur each year in hotels and motels, which are...

The fire and rescue service in Manchester will cost tax payers £1 per week this year A pound a week - that's how much on average Greater Manchester's award-winning Fire and Rescue Service will cost local taxpayers this year, following the release of this year's Fire Authority budget proposals. A report to the Authority's Joint Policy and Finance Committee recommends that the increase in the level of Council Tax Precept this year is limited to just 2.5%, its lo...

Fire codes aimed at reducing fires and protecting the environment Sacramento - Updated fire and building codes developed to increase fire resistance in buildings and homes across California will take effect from January 2011. The new codes, which will be enforced by CAL FIRE's Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and fire and building departments throughout the state, bring California in line with the 2009 International Building, Fire, and Residential Code. The new codes...

About 300,000 Powerheart and CardioVive AEDs devices have malfunctioned worldwide FDA has alerted users of certain malfunctioning Powerheart and CardioVive automated external defibrillators. FDA is alerting users of certain Powerheart and CardioVive automated external defibrillators that these devices may malfunction unexpectedly.This can cause a failure to deliver the electric shocks that are needed to treat sudden cardiac arrest or arrhythmias. The manufactur...

  The new code will require fire sprinklers in all new homes, beginning 2011 The residential sprinkler requirement was voted into the 2009 IRC Code by building code officials from all over the U.S.The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S., has announced the State of California has adopted building code changes that will require all new one- and two-family homes and town houses built in the st...

  BAFSA praises the historic step taken by the Welsh Assembly in the fight against fire   BAFSA congratulated the Welsh Assembly for taking this historic step in the fight against fire and to protect the most vulnerable members of the community. It also expressed its admiration for the single-minded determination and energy expressed by Ann Jones AM for her unflagging efforts to bring about this major change. WELSH Assembly Members voted...

A working smoke alarm can provide an early warning of a fire Firefighters warn householders of the importance of fitting working smoke alarms. The warning comes after crews were called to an incident in Margate. Two crews from Margate and Thanet were sent to the first floor flat on Rancorn Road, Margate at 5.30pm on Thursday, 4 February after a chip pan caught alight when the resident left his cooking unattended. Once at the scene, firefighters in breathing apparat...

The aim of the trial is to compare the performance of different fire detection camera systems Bushfire detection cameras are being trialled in Australia this summer in the Otway Ranges, on Victoria’s south-west coast and near Tumut in New South Wales. The cameras have been placed in strategic positions around the Otway Ranges and on a fire tower in Tumut and will be evaluated by the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre on their performance in detecting fire starts....

The LFB won the Sustainable Refurbishment of the Year category The London Fire Brigade has won an award at the prestigious CIBSE Low Carbon Performance Awards (3 February, 2010). The Brigade was given the accolade in the sustainable refurbishment of the year category for the work carried out at Croydon Fire Station. The extensive refurbishment at the station has cut CO2 emission by more than 50%. Chairman of London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority's Finance,...

The catastrophic explosion resulted from the accumulation of significant amounts of natural gas The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is set to consider two urgent recommendations that national fuel gas codes be changed to improve safety when gas pipes are being purged (cleared of air) during maintenance or installation of new piping. The recommendations - to be voted on by board members at a CSB public meeting in Raleigh tonight - grow out of the CSB's ongoing federal inves...

The NVFC white paper focuses on the need for proper training of firefighters The NVFC has released a white paper concerning training in the volunteer fire service and the need for improvement.The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is committed to ensuring that volunteer firefighters have an appropriate level of training to safely and effectively carry out their responsibilities. The roles and responsibilities of the fire service have evolved over the years. As the bre...

FLAME-SIM is looking forward to more successes in 2010 FLAME-SIM rolls into the New Year following its most successful month ever and foresees similar successes in 2010.  The latest in training simulation software has been bringing fire departments across the US and Canada virtual training with real results. From Florida and Texas up to Colorado and Canada, fire departments have been reaping the benefits of FLAME-SIM and seeing improvements in communication and decision...

CSB will investigate the 7 January explosion that severely injured a student at Texas Tech University The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) will investigate the causes of a January 7 explosion that severely injured a graduate student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, the CSB has announced. University officials told the CSB the accident occurred in the chemistry department during the handling of a high-energy metal compound, which suddenly detonated. Texas Tech...

USFA release two special reports regarding heating fires and portable heater fires in residential buildings The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has announced the release of two special reports regarding heating fires and portable heater fires in residential buildings. An estimated average of 54,500 heating fires in residential buildings occurs each year in the United States. Annually, these fires are responsible for an estimated 190 civilian fire deaths, 625 civili...

DHS continues to support U.S. government efforts - led by the USAID and State Department The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to support U.S. government efforts - led by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department - by deploying more than 1,000 personnel to provide operational and humanitarian assistance in Haiti following the Jan. 12 earthquake. On Jan. 25, DHS stood up pre-departure identity verification teams in Haiti, com...

Chubb Fire has retained its No 1 position in the Superbrands UK list for 2010 The new 2010 Business Superbrand list confirms Chubb as the UK's number one fire and security brand. Chubb is part of UTC Fire & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. Chubb retained its position in the top 20, ahead of such names as Vodafone, Boeing and Siemens. It finished more than 20 places ahead of its nearest category rival, Yale, and 170 places in front of ADT. Top of the lis...

Pierce has sold six pumpers in China, to be delivered in June 2010 Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), has announced that its subsidiary, Pierce Manufacturing, reported its first ever sale of Pierce fire apparatus in China. A new order for six Pierce® custom pumpers was received from the Nanjing, Jiangsu Province Fire Bureau in the People's Republic of China. The vehicles are scheduled for delivery in June 2010. "Pierce is honored to have been selected by th...

The programme, focused on the absence of fire risk assessments in tower blocks in the Lakanal house fire The programme, part of an investigative consumer series by presenter John Waite, focused on the absence of fire risk assessments in tower blocks in the wake of the Lakanal House fire in London in which six people died in July 2009. The FIA consider that, as a piece of investigative journalism, the BBC programme was reasonably well balanced.  More specifica...

"Take care in the kitchen" is the message from KFRS after a spate of fires in the Swale area "Take care in the kitchen" is the message from Kent Fire and Rescue Service after a spate of fires in the Swale area over the weekend. Two Sheppey appliances were sent to a fire at Clarence Row in Sheerness at 7.47pm on Sunday evening (24 January) after a cooker was left on and caused fat residues to ignite. The room was left smoke damaged. Meanwhile, Sittingbourne crews were tackl...

CSB has voted to initiate an investigation of recent accidents at the DuPont chemical complex in Belle The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has voted to initiate an investigation of recent accidents at the DuPont chemical complex in Belle, West Virginia, following a release of highly toxic phosgene on Saturday that fatally injured a veteran operator. DuPont officials told the CSB that a braided steel hose connected to a one-ton capacity phosgene tank suddenly ruptured,...

The NVFC offers four awards to nationally recognize the invaluable contributions of first responders The NVFC invites you to nominate an exceptional member of the fire service for one of four prestigious awards. Every day, the men, women, and youth of the fire service provide an essential service to communities nationwide. Individuals offer a lifetime of service, provide crucial fire prevention training, and support their local department as a junior firefighter, Explorer, o...

FBU says it is concerned by moves to arrest three managers over the deaths of four firefighters The Fire Brigades Union says it is concerned by moves to arrest three managers over the deaths of four firefighters killed in a warehouse fire in November 2007. All three were involved in the incident command process and may face allegations of gross negligence / manslaughter in relation to the deaths. All three have been told, by letter, to attend a Warwickshire Police statio...

Kent's emergency services and local authorities are joining forces to tackle the issue of road safety Kent's emergency services and local authorities are joining forces to tackle the issue of road safety with young drivers. This multi-agency event, involving a number of workshops, presentations and displays, takes place at The Towers School in Ashford on Thursday, 28 January. It's designed to cover many road safety issues ranging from drink/drug driving, vehicle maintenanc...

South Yorkshire FBU will not be proceeding with the 8-day strike after the authority agreed to refer a dispute South Yorkshire FBU will not be proceeding with the eight-day strike which, was due to start on 27 January after the fire authority agreed to refer a dispute over shift changes to national arbitration. All other industrial action has also been temporarily suspended. The issues have been referred to national fire service arbitration known as the National Joint Cou...