Fire and Rescue news

While the investigation continues, preliminary reports from Paris suggest that the April 15, 2019 fire that devastated the 850-year old Notre Dame Cathedral was most likely caused by an electrical short circuit. Firefighters moving quickly up hundreds of steps to reach the attic level where the fire originated were credited with preventing the damage from being even worse. The response of 500 firefighters was able to bring the fire under control within 5 hours, but only after the cathedral&rsqu...

The city of Nagpur in India has celebrated the first services on its new metro line, on a city –wide network that will eventually cover over 40 kms. In March 2019 the first train line was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and went fully operational utilising a TETRA communications network using Sepura mobile and hand-portable terminals on a DAMM TetraFlex TETRA system. TETRA communications network Once completed the project will consist of two routes servicing 40 stations and e...

Follow these steps when a required fire protection system is out of service for repair, replacement, or another problem. Like any electronic or mechanical device, fire protection systems require periodic maintenance to assure a high degree of reliability. Occasionally, they are damaged and need repair. Often, they need replacement or upgrades. Regardless of the reason, there are times fire protection systems are shut down on purpose. Shutdown steps If there is a planned shutdown, advise...

Staff and air ambulance helicopters at Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance headquarters in Chatham are being protected from the risk of fire by a fire safety solution that centres around the new Taktis addressable fire panel from Kentec. The HQ main office building is monitored by the Taktis panel and hard-wired Hochiki detectors, with wireless versions specified to cover the helicopter hangar. Ease of installation Alvin Lewis, Operations Manager at CSG Fire and Security, the company that i...

Navistar International Corporation was recently recognized by industry solutions advisor Carlisle & Co. for having two of the highest performing parts distribution centers in the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors. The Edmonton, Alberta Parts Distribution Center (PDC) was awarded the Top Performing Warehouse in the Truck and Heavy Equipment category for the second consecutive year, while the Queretaro, Mexico PDC was named the second-place honoree. Navistar’s distribution cente...

GearGrid’s products are being used by all of the student-athletes at Hutchinson High School, located in Hutchinson, Minnesota, daily in practice. “Each sport has its own storage cage. They have padlocks that only the coaches can access,” said Thayne Johnson, Hutchinson’s Activities Director. GearGrid’s storage solutions These storage cages replaced Hutchinson High School’s old flimsy cabinets that weren’t holding up to the various requirements of the s...

The Fire Safety Event 2019 and its co-located shows have enjoyed the most successful event to date welcoming over 11,733 visitors across three days at the NEC, Birmingham. The Fire Safety Event has firmly cemented itself as the fastest growing exhibition in the UK for the industry, providing a platform that ensures its visitors are equipped to maintain the highest fire safety standards. High-profile incidents in recent years have put a spotlight on the industry and The Fire Safety Event recogni...

Infographics announced it has successfully streamlined and enhanced the mobilization processes used by Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) within the Thames Valley Fire Control Service. By integrating FireWatch and Capita Vision, RBFRS can now automatically share intelligent vehicle availability data between systems and remove manual processes. The integration provides a level of live, connected management information and increased efficiency This latest phase builds on work undert...

The still-young CEFE is set to become a major international platform for safety and security themes. It stands to benefit from the support of INTERSCHUTZ, the world’s leading trade fair for fire and rescue services, civil protection, safety and security. Taking place from 5 to 7 November 2019, the Shanghai-based trade fair will run for the first time under the name "CEFE powered by INTERSCHUTZ". CEFE Powered By INTERSCHUTZ By launching CEFE powered by INTERSCHUTZ, we are strengthening th...

Developers, engineers, building owners, tech start-ups, and coders are needed to join a central London Hackathon that will bring experts together to develop new, commercially viable solutions that will radically change the face of fire safety within buildings in the UK and around the world. Hosted by the Association for Project Safety (APS), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), and Hack_Construct, the free-to-attend, two-day Hackathon will take place at the IET London: Savoy Pla...

On May 18, 1999, the inaugural meeting of the International Fire Sprinkler Association was held in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Representatives of ten companies along with staff from the National Fire Sprinkler Association agreed on the establishment of a new organization that would work to increase global awareness of the effectiveness of automatic sprinklers and other water-based fire suppression systems. From the start, the IFSA founders envisioned a supporting role for IFSA: it would be an org...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is hosting a free active shooter/hostile event program for emergency managers, policymakers, fire, police, emergency medical services (EMS), school officials and facility managers in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, June 18, 2019. Active shooter program Attendees will benefit from a half-day public session that will feature keynote speaker Michele Gay, Co-Founder of Safe & Sound Schools, who lost her daughter during the Sandy Hook Elementary S...

Earlier today, Firefighter Tommy Richardson was presented with the Queen’s Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service by HRH Prince William at Buckingham Palace. Tommy is a member of the Byker-based Swiftwater Rescue Team who campaigns passionately to reduce drowning incidents. Reducing water-Related deaths When Tommy was named in the 2019 New Year Honors list, Chief Fire Officer Chris Lowther commented: “Tommy’s passion and commitment to ensure water safety is high on eve...

The latest addition to the E2S Warning Signals D1x family are the D1xB2 beacons, which offer global approvals with SIL1 and SIL 2 compliance. Light sources are available as either Xenon or LED. Strobes are offered in 5, 10, 15 or 21 Joule Xenon variants with four flash rate options and are approved for private mode fire alarm use to UL1638. The high-power LED array features a steady mode for status applications, five flash patterns and three remotely selectable alarm stages/channels. UL/cUL and...

Advanced is set to showcase its latest industry products at Firex International 2019 as it forms part of the annual event’s largest ever exhibition zone. Pioneer in the design, manufacture and supply of intelligent fire systems, Advanced, alongside fire brands Apollo, Argus, FFE and Klaxon have joined together to form the Firex Solutions Sector at this year’s Firex International, 18-20th June. Visitors to Advanced’s striking stand (FX610) at the Firex Solutions Sector can expe...

Tamworth-based trade association, DHF (Door & Hardware Federation) is emphasizing the importance of making fire safety an ‘absolute priority’ in new-build homes, following an investigation into potentially dangerous fire safety issues in houses developed by Persimmon Homes and Bellway Homes.  Fire Safety In New-Build Homes The BBC’s Watchdog discovered serious breaches that had gone undetected during the construction process" The findings, by BBC Watchdog Live, high...

Recent news headlines about devastating fires have left many building owners and small business proprietors concerned about what a fire loss would do to their facilities and operations. Unlike larger organizations, they don’t have the luxury of employing risk management and loss prevention experts to analyze the risk and develop procedures to ensure business continuity. White paper offers practical advice on fire safety Small organizations don’t have the budgets that large compani...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has issued safety advice about the use of incense sticks after they were involved in two separate house fires. Crews attended a house fire in Keyston in Huntingdonshire on the morning of April 30, while less than an hour later crews were called to a similar fire in Soham. Spreading aromatic scents A fire service spokesman said: “These fires were both started by incense sticks that had been left unattended. Lighting incense is a common and po...

The Viking Corporation, a global pioneer in fire protection and life safety systems, has added a new 3.0 (43) K-factor residential flat plate concealed pendent sprinkler to its leading Freedom® residential product line. The new Model VK496 is cULus Listed with a flow rate of only 8 GPM (30 L/min), and a pressure requirement of only 7.1 PSI (0.49 bar) in a 12 x 12 ft (3,7 x, 3,7 m) room size. With its smaller K-factor and lower flow rates, the new glass bulb sprinkler is appropriate for NFPA...

E811 responded as the 2nd due engine to a box alarm with reported entrapment at an apartment complex in Langley Park, MD. Upon arrival, E811 pulled a 400′ backup line and checked for extension from an exterior fire into the structure. E811 returned to service.  

Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Director Kelly Susewind, USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen, and Regional Forester Glenn Casamassa signed a Shared Stewardship Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), calling it a model for other states to follow. The MOU, only the second of its kind in the nation, establishes a framework for Washington state and the USDA Forest Service to work collaboratively toward mutual goals and effectively re...

FoxFury Lighting Solutions is partnering with the NPS-DDP (National Public Safety Drone Donation Program) in an effort to bring UAV/UAS technology to public safety agencies in need across the country. For the month of May, FoxFury pledges a percentage of its drone lighting sales to NPS-DDP with the goal of donating drones to agencies that have applied for program consideration. Dozens of fire departments, search and rescue teams, local police, border security, and more apply to NPS-DDP in the h...

Knauf Insulation is celebrating the official opening of its new Experience Center in Belgium — a new knowledge base designed to inspire building excellence across Europe. The new center will provide practical insight into how to create low-carbon, energy efficient buildings that are healthy, comfortable and fire safe while tackling Europe’s unskilled labor crisis by equipping installers with the expertise they need to deliver real energy-saving performance. Photovoltaic electricity...

Seek Thermal announces The Tech Tribune has named the company as its choice as ‘2019 Best Tech Startup in Santa Barbara.’ This represents the first time Seek Thermal has been selected for this honor. The Tech Tribune staff considered several factors when selecting ‘Best Tech Startups in Santa Barbara’ candidates including revenue potential, leadership team, brand and product traction, and competitive landscape. To be considered for this list, all candidate companies must...

Who’s behind the tools at HURST Jaws of Life? It’s people like Bradley Stevens, a man who has a passion for racing cars and motorcycles and whose job helps ensure first responders can get people out of them. “I’ve been in and around cars in every way you can imagine – driving them, fixing them, racing them,” Bradley said. Unfortunately, he added, racing sometimes means wrecking. “You fix one thing, then it’s another. And racing doesn’t pay t...

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls continue to be the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. To help combat this sobering, but preventable statistic, globally renowned safety equipment manufacturer - MSA Safety Incorporated has announced that it will conduct free fall protection training sessions, from May 6 to May 10, 2019, during OSHA’s annual National Safety Stand-Down Week. Fall protection training As part of this week-lon...

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls continue to be the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. To help combat this sobering, but preventable, statistic, global safety equipment manufacturer MSA Safety Incorporated announced that it will conduct free fall protection training sessions, from May 6 through May 10, during OSHA's annual National Safety Stand-Down. OSHA-compliant fall protection training As part of this week-long safety blitz...

POK S.A.S builds a wide range of monitors. Originally these devices were intended to use pressures and flows beyond the range of portable equipment, whether by one or more firefighters. Fifty years ago, there were monitors for fixed installations such as those fitted to pump boats or fuel depots and oil refineries. Other monitors were movable because they were mounted on wheeled platforms, either movable manually or on the road. The flow rates and pressures of these devices have always depended...

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls continue to be the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. To help combat this sobering, but preventable, statistic, global safety equipment manufacturer MSA Safety Incorporated announced that it will conduct free fall protection training sessions, from May 6 through May 10, during OSHA's annual National Safety Stand-Down. As part of this week-long safety blitz – now in its sixth year – MS...

Eric Lounsbury has joined the Hannay team as the new Facilities Director and Coatings/Finishing Manager. Wide-Ranging Experience For the past 4 years, Eric has been the site facilities manager at GlaxoSmithKline’s plant in Oak Hill, New York. Prior to GSK, Eric acquired several years of wide-ranging experience as a chief building engineer for CBRE amongst other positions. Eric’s hands-on skills and knowledge are a great asset for Hannay Reels.