Industry News

With the Grenfell Tower fire exposing serious flaws ‘across the whole system of building and managing high-rise homes’. Resultantly, the government asked Dame Judith Hackitt to ‘carry out an independent review of building regulations and fire safety to understand the causes of the fire’. The report found that ‘the whole system needed major reform and that residents’ safety needed to be a greater priority through the entire life cycle of a building – fro...

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) announces the launch of the new Level 3 qualification on BS 5839-6, “FIA AO Fundamentals of Fire Detection and Alarm Systems in Domestic Premises.” The new OFQUAL recognized qualification has been carefully designed to deliver a great introduction to a key part of the Fire Detection & Alarm (FD&A) sector. British Standard, BS 5839-6:2019 provides detailed recommendations for fire detection and fire alarm systems in all domestic premises la...

Retail giant Amazon has removed a number of barbecues specifically designed for use on balconies from sale over serious safety concerns highlighted by London Fire Brigade. The Brigade’s Deputy Commissioner Richard Mills wrote to the firm and other companies that stock or manufacture the products last month, stating that they are a serious concern with regards to public safety. Amazon and gift retailer Menkind both responded, confirming they had removed the items from sale and contacted cu...

In 2009, the exterior structure of the Burj Khalifa was completed. It became the tallest building in the world and remains so to this day, cutting the skyline at half a mile clear of the Earth. But there are even more audacious buildings planned that’ll eclipse this structure - and the first mile-high skyscraper could be built by 2050. In 1957, Frank Lloyd Wright designed The Illinois, a visionary, 528 story skyscraper standing over a mile in height. He believed that such a building could...

Fire detection and alarm systems are increasingly complex and sophisticated, benefiting from cutting-edge digital technology. As a fire alarm engineer installing, servicing and/or commissioning such technology, it can be hard to keep on top of your electrical skills and the latest regulations / local installation standards, let alone the many different panels’ features. Any given day could see the typical fire engineer conducting a wide range of differing tasks – from diagnosing and...

COVID-19 has overwhelmingly been the biggest issue to shape and change the industry, lives, and world in recent history. The FIA has been asked directly by the Government to consult with their members as they are keen to hear how the industry has been affected and how they can work with their industry to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. fire industry professionals The company has put together this survey addressed to fire industry professionals so that the industry can effectively gather the...

The Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award will honor 100 extraordinary local government volunteers, including firefighters and EMS providers, in communities under 5,000 in population. All honorees will receive a CivicCMS web site for their local government, and the top three will receive a cash prize to help with local volunteer recruitment and retention efforts.

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is pleased to partner with TargetSolutions to provide additional operational training and education opportunities to the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue community at no cost. TargetSolutions is offering a cadre of 10 online firefighter continuing education courses to all members of the NVFC. TargetSolutions features more than 450 hours of fire department training based on NFPA codes and standards. The training catalog includes awareness and refresher l...

BAFE has issued guidance to their invigilators to enable the safe return to invigilating exams allowing the Servicing and Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers course to resume. BAFE is expecting that they will be able to re-commence exams w/c 13th July 2020. Most areas of the UK will be covered however at this time they are unable to provide exams to Northern Ireland. Coverage for the South East will be limited due to availability of invigilators but trainers are requested to check with t...

The cancellation of Independence Day professional fireworks programs in 2020 could raise the risk of wildfires as more amateurs undertake their own pyrotechnic shows, according to four organizations who focus on risk mitigation. "Leave fireworks to the professionals. Sparklers alone generally cause about one-fourth of all injuries during each year's Fourth of July celebrations," said Michele Steinberg, Wildfire Division Director, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), who noted amateurs w...

The spread of COVID-19 has more than just physical health implications. It also creates uncertainty and changes in lifestyle that can have an emotional impact. Firefighters, EMS providers, and rescue workers may be feeling the impact especially hard as they navigate the new realities of responding and maintaining operations during this crisis. NVFC invites all to join Jeff Dill, founder of the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, for this free NVFC webinar on May 20 to discuss strategies and...

Another new CPD seminar is now available from Nittan – “Input / Output interface devices and their use in Fire Alarm Systems”. Would a user like to expand the potential of their Fire Alarm systems by controlling a much broader range of equipment, whether in the event of a fire or other non-fire events? With this new seminar, Nittan will introduce and explain the many options for Input / Output interfaces and how they can be implemented to maximize the system’s potential f...

NHS Property Services stated that there was a "number of reports of hand sanitizer being the cause of fires when left in vehicles in the hot weather the UK is currently experiencing". It informed NHS employees that the heatwave could cause alcohol-based gels to reach their "flashpoint", which would see them burst into flames when the vapor in them comes into contact with hot air. Sanitizer risks associated with A spark "With the hot summer approaching, there was a concern for our facilities m...

Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 12.30 pm with crews from Lambeth and surrounding area deployed to the scene as well. Huge amounts of smoke could be seen pouring out of the ground floor of Walters House on the Brandon Estate in Kennington this afternoon. London Fire Brigade have confirmed that eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters tackled a flat fire on Otto Street in Kennington. The whole of a flat on the first floor was damaged by fire. under investigation St...

Alarming findings are published in the 'Home Router Security Report 2020' by the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE. Of the 127 home routers tested by seven major manufacturers, nearly all were found to have security flaws, some of them very severe.  security flaws The problems range from missing security updates to easily decrypted, hard-coded passwords and known vulnerabilities that should have been patched long ago. A team led by Peter...

Fireworks are synonymous with the Fourth of July. They are beautiful, but can also be very dangerous if not used properly. The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office not only encourages residents to attend professional fireworks displays and practice fireworks safety but also practice social distancing and wear masks. “Professional fireworks displays are a great way for residents to safely enjoy fireworks, but with the spread of COVID-19 we are also encouraging everyone to practice soc...

BAFE shared the announcement made by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Most notably, the one meter plus rule (in England) will help in the continuation of the fire safety industry gaining access to buildings to perform essential fire safety work and maintenance as required by legislation. We await further guidance to be released by Government in the near future which will assist the industry to determinedly continue with extreme care and diligence. Fire safety provisions Stephen Adams, Chief Exec...

bp continues to support first responders, doctors, nurses, and medical workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic by offering a discount of up to 15 cents per gallon on every fill up at bp and Amoco stations for 60 days. Program sign-up is available through the company’s website and rewards can be used at the pump with the BPme app for no-contact payment. This offer is in addition to the more than $8 million in fuel discounts issued by bp since April 2020 to 650,000 responders and...

In a typical year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) encourages the public to only attend public fireworks displays put on by trained professionals, reflecting its’ long-standing position against consumer use of fireworks. However, with public fireworks events around the country being canceled in the year 2020, NFPA is vigorously discouraging individuals’ use of consumer fireworks, recognizing that the likelihood of such activities may increase in the absence of public...

The FIA assisted the National Fire Commercial Transformation Programme (NFCTP) that is led by Kent’s Chief Fire Officer Ann Millington by engaging the members and asking them to leverage their contacts in wider industry sectors to source PPE such as gloves, masks as well as hand sanitizer. The FIA ensured that all suggested suppliers had evidence to prove that they were compliant with the appropriate standards as defined by the technical due diligence process outlined by Kent Fire and Resc...

Every year, thousands of farmers and commercial grain handlers risk their lives by entering grain bins to remove clumped or rotted grain. As rural communities have come to know all too well, an accident in a grain bin can quickly turn deadly. In just seconds, adults can sink to their waist in flowing grain, rendering them completely trapped without the proper rescue devices. These accidents result in dozens of lost lives each year, and deaths have spiked in 2019 and early 2020 due to the wet har...

Thirty-three Fire and Rescue Services (FRS), comprising over 33,500 firefighters, are now benefiting from the Local Authority Collaborative PPE Framework. Launched three years ago in June 2017, the Framework gives UK FRSs access to high quality PPE ensembles and volume discounts through a streamlined procurement process. The Framework was set up in response to calls from government and the industry for FRSs to work together to share best practice and deliver efficiencies. It is run by Kent FRS,...

Discussions with architects, developers and others, as well as main contractors when discussing areas of a sprinklered building frequency relate to areas where sprinkler protection can be omitted. One concern often raised with the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) is the possibility of injury or damage when sprinkler protection is installed in electrical utility rooms.  BS 5306 Part 0 standards The forthcoming iteration of BS 5306 Part 0 standards contains advice on the...

Beyond keeping the industry updated on the latest updates on the most important topics, the FIA is actively involved in these topics through its work with Government, councils and committees. The section aims to serve as a collection of the FIA’s involvement with a variety of topics and will be continuously updated moving forward with links to the relevant news story where available. This will allow one to see what FIA have done and are doing to improve the industry for the members. COVID...

On April 29, National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Chair Steve Hirsch asked President Donald Trump to exercise various legal authorities to assist emergency services organizations in dealing with challenges associated with COVID-19 and social distancing. Specifically, the NVFC is asking the President to: Exercise his authority under the Defense Protection Act (DPA) to encourage manufacturers to produce more personal protective equipment, like respirators, gloves, gowns, and face shields, to...

The National Fire Protection Association has announced the theme of Fire Prevention Week 2020 is “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen.” Cooking is the major cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the U.S. NFPA urges to use the week of October 4-10 to educate one’s community on cooking hazards, the dangers of unattended cooking, and precautions one can take to prevent cooking-related fires.

Safety Stand Down is June 14-20, and departments are encouraged to suspend all non-emergency activities to focus on training relating to year 2020’s theme - protecting emergency responders at roadway incidents. Resources are available at the Safety Stand Down website, and webinar details would be posted soon. One can take the Safety Stand Down Quiz by June 17 for a chance to win one of 200 limited-edition challenge coins.

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), in partnership with the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) and the American Psychological Association (APA), has released a new directory of behavioral health professionals that are equipped and ready to help firefighters, EMS providers, dispatchers, and rescue workers. Emergency responders are at risk of many behavioral health concerns, including anxiety, depression, burnout, post-traumatic and acute stress, addiction, relationship challen...

This Guidance Note has been prepared by a Special Interest Group(SIG), comprising representatives of FIA member companies, other invited experts in the practice of fire risk assessment in housing premises, and an observer from the National Fire Chiefs Council. Members of the SIG represent companies that carry out, in total, over 40,000 fire risk assessments for multi-occupied residential premises (blocks of flats and maisonettes) per annum. It has been published with the approval of the FIA Boa...

Hotel fires are among the most poignant disasters. Maybe it’s the intimate link between hotels and travel, the connection with places around the world or maybe it’s the sheer scale of loss and the innocence of those affected. When hotel fire safety is poorly controlled and people lose their lives, the sense of tragedy is palpable and it is felt around the world. But tragedy is a teacher. Out of the worst fire events in history, some of the greatest truths have been learned. Hotels b...