Fire and Rescue news

Fifty-six firefighters form London Fire Brigade took a 26.2 mile course of Marathon 2010 Fifty-six firefighters and non-uniformed staff of London Fire Brigade took the challenge to run the 26.2-mile course to raise cash for thirty-nine charities and good causes. Over fifty members of London Fire Brigade's staff took part in this year's London Marathon, raising around £50,000 for various charities. Fifty-six firefighters and non-uniformed staff took the challenge to...

Steve Hamm and Jim Knighton have newly been appointed assistant commissioners of London Fire Brigade The new Assistant Commissioners will be major players in the day-to-day running of London Fire Brigade.  The London Fire Brigade has appointed two new Assistant Commissioners, with both staff in post from 4 May. Jim Knighton has taken up the post of Assistant Commissioner for Operational Policy. Jim, who has served in the capital since 1984, has been promot...

AFG applications must be received by May 28 The grant meets the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations. The application period for Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) has opened. Applications must be received by May 28. AFG meets the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations by funding critically needed eq...

AFG funds boost up equipments, facilities, training materials and resources AFG would provide a huge sum of $390 million to fire departments and non affiliated emergency medical service organizations. The Department of Homeland Security opened the 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) application period on Monday April 26, 2010. Nationally AFG awards will provide fire departments and non affiliated emergency medical service organizations with approximately $390 million...

Residential properties suffer major losses due to fire accidents involving grills and barbeques Grills, hibachis, and barbecues in residential properties continue to carry a high fire accident risk. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) United States Fire Administration (USFA) issued a special report today examining the characteristics of grill fires on residential properties. The report, Grill Fires on Residential Properties (PDF, 663 Kb), was...

Fire prevention in casinos is important to protect employees and visitors Chubb Fire is part of UTC Fire & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. Chubb Fire has secured an extensive fire protection and security contract for Genting Casinos in the UK on the strength of excellent industry knowledge and a trustworthy reputation. Chubb Fire is part of UTC Fire & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX). Originally, Chubb was approached to bid for t...

Cute suspect? Pet Fire Safety Day will remind people to keep a watch on pets and prevent pet started home fires Pet Fire Safety Day is designed to educate pet owners about potential risks when pets are left home. Pet Fire Safety Day is on July 15, and the National Volunteer Fire Council is partnering with ADT Security Services to raise public awareness about pet fire hazards. NVFC is seeking examples of pets that have started home fires to use in the public safety a...

Secretary of U.S Homeland Security was present at the historic agreement to battle natural disasters The historic event to cope up with natural disasters is an important step forward in bolstering collaboration between the United States and Australia in preparing for and responding to natural disasters. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Australian Attorney-General Robert McClelland today signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to s...

Phil Jhonston emerged as the winner of Customer Solutions Rodeo Developed by Navistar's dealer education group, the Customer Solutions Rodeo enjoyed outstanding participation from the dealer channel.Six International brand truck dealer sales representatives went head-to-head last week to highlight their expertise and working knowledge of International brand commercial trucks, as well as OnCommand by Navistar, the company's newly branded suite of customer service offerings. Th...

Online assistance from FEMA has increased the number of flood survivor applications FEMA’s robust online and social media efforts have been very effective in educating flood survivors about disaster assistance. Registering online for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is becoming a popular method for New Jersey flooding survivors who have access to the Internet. As of April 28, 7,523 flood survivors in the 12 designated New Jersey counties re...

Tackling emergency situations will get a boost with OnSite ERT™ tracking technology and command software Thanks to Assistance for Firefighters Grant, starting early Spring of 2010, the Bath VFD will begin utilising ERT Systems' OnSite ERT™ on the scene of emergencies. It’s a problem all too familiar for volunteer fire departments: knowing which personnel have arrived on-scene and the location of the responders throughout the incident. If something happe...

FEMA has advised recipients to use disaster grants for intended purposes only.  Photo: Bdelisle Nearly $9 million in recovery assistance has been approved for disaster affected areas. State and federal disaster assistance payments are bringing needed financial help to homeowners, renters and business owners who suffered damages in the severe storms and flooding of mid-March. However, those payments come with some words of advice from the Federal Emergency Manag...

Use of Methyl Isocyanate is a big security concern for workers and people living in its proximity The Congressionally mandated study was initiated after the 2008 explosion at Bayer’s Chemical Complex in Institute, West Virginia. Congress has also appropriated $600,000 to CSB for current fiscal year. In a Federal Register notice published on April 23, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced it is seeking public comment on the design of a Congressionally manda...

iVENCS provides 3D visualisation of critical and disaster situations ASL's iVENCS is a sensor and event fusion environment in which voice, data and video can be filtered, analysed and directed from across the full spectrum of subsystems. iVENCS will be displayed at IFSEC 2010. ASL Safety & Security at Hall 5 Stand D85 will be unveiling iVENCS, the first in a new generation of 3D-based situation management and integrated control platforms. iVENCS is an infrastructure-scale...

Follow simple emergency measures to protect against volcanic eruptions. Photo: Mark A. Wilson Potentially active volcanoes in the U.S. exist mainly in Hawaii, Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. With the recent eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland, it is important to remember that the United States also has the potential for volcanic activity.  When pressure builds up within a volcano's molten rock, it has the potential to erupt, sending forth lava...

Bulk foam units will ward off emergency fire situations across London The highly specialised vehicles introduced in London Fire Brigade enable firefighters to tackle emergencies like aircraft crashes, chemical spills or fires on large industrial sites with large amounts of foam.   Three bulk foam unit appliances go on the run in London this week backed by new training and staffing capabilities dramatically improving London's ability to fight major fires or spil...

The AFG programme is administered by Department of Homeland Security The Department of Homeland Security has posted the FY 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program Guidance on the AFG Web site. The application period is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 26, 2010, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET). Applications for these grants must be received by Friday, May 28, 2010, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Nationally, the AFG awards, which will be distributed in phases...

Transformer pumper features improved handling and maneuverability The Transformer frees up more than 130 cubic feet of pass-through compartment space for mounting equipment, storing equipment and other departmental needs. The Transformer was dislayed at FDIC 2010.  Crimson Fire, Inc. introduced a new pumper designed to meet fire departments' dual needs to respond to emergencies and fight fires at the fire-rescue industry's biggest trade show. Crimson Fire, a subsid...

There will be a record number of visitors and exhibitors from the fire services industry at Intershutz 2010 Interschutz 2010 in Leipzig will attract more than 100,000 international visitors, of whom 95 percent will be emergency and rescue sector professionals. From 7-12 June, 2010, the city of Leipzig, Germany, will be hosting the Interschutz expo, the global shop window for suppliers to the non-police public safety sector. The fair showcases products and services for emergen...

Webinar will be in two phases meant for animal care and preparedness during disasters  Community Preparedness Webinar Series, an initiative of FEMA, features new community preparedness topics several times each month and is free to the public. FEMA’s Individual & Community Preparedness Division organised a two part installment of the Community Preparedness Webinar Series in honor of National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day on May 8th: "The...

The site of the fire and explosion lacked warning signs CSB investigators determined that a lit cigarette or lighter was the likely ignition source for explosion.A fiery explosion that took the life of a 21-year-old member of the public in Weeletka, Oklahoma, on April 14 occurred at an unattended oil and gas production site that was unsecured and likely lacked fire or explosion warning signs, CSB investigators have determined following a four-day field assessment. Investiga...

Crimson Fire provides pumpers and aerials to city of Chicago  Crimson Fire has recently signed a three-year contract with Chicago to provide more than 30 custom aerials. Crimson Fire, Inc. has begun delivering pumpers to the city of Chicago as part of a three-year contract. The Brandon, S.D. based manufacturer of custom fire trucks and other rescue vehicles has already delivered nine custom pumpers to Chicago as part of the contract. The city, which has one more...

The optical beam smoke detector detected the fire in the unmanned  factory Fireray 5000, manufactured by Fire Fighting Enterprises Ltd., is an advanced optical beam smoke detector. Acetone in a production area of a factory in west Hull caught fire, however no-one was injured and the building escaped intact. A recently-installed Fireray 5000 optical beam smoke detector sounded the alarm at 8.45 am, when the area had been temporarily unmanned. When workers had left the...

Pink 2AA ProPolymer sales will support Breast Cancer Research Institute Perfect Mother's day gift, sales will help light the way to breast cancer cure. Streamlight has sold over 70,000 Pink Nano Lights, and hopes to make a sizeable donation to Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Streamlight Inc., a leading provider of high-performance flashlights, has introduced a pink version of its popular 2AA ProPolymer flashlight. Designed to make a difference in the fight against breast...

NIOSH and USFA have joined to study cancer-related issues among fire service professionals The United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are partnering on a study to examine the potential for increased risk of cancer among firefighters due to exposures from smoke, soot, and other contaminants in the line of duty. This multi-year USFA supported NIOSH study will include over 18,000 current and retire...

A total of 30 apprenticeships will be created for fire system and security engineers  A total of 30 apprenticeships are being made available across Chubb's fire, security, and integrated technologies businesses. Chubb is expanding its award-winning engineering apprenticeship scheme to include apprenticeships for fire systems engineers, as well as security engineers, for the first time in the company's history. Chubb is part of UTC Fire & Security, a unit...

  The majority of UK's fire and rescue services use managed PPE service centres A substantial increase in the level of demand for managed care services from across the emergency services for personal protective equipment (PPE) is behind Bristol's decision to open a new service centre in the South East to effectively double the level of care contracts the company can service and which is ideally located to supplement the service currently available in the South West. Th...

Crimson Fire aerial vehicles provide dependability and performance Crimson Fire, Inc. has signed a three-year contract with the city of Chicago to build more than 30 custom aerial fire trucks. The Brandon, S.D. based manufacturer of custom fire trucks and other rescue vehicles has begun designing and building five 103-foot rear-mount aerial trucks for the Windy City. Chicago, which also has a three-year contract with Crimson Fire to provide custom pumpers, could purchase...

Navistar and CARB have rached an understanding, ending the lawsuit Navistar International Corporation withdrew a lawsuit it previously filed against the California Air Resources Board (CARB) following an agreement with CARB that addresses the issues that prompted the court action. Navistar had sought a ruling in a San Francisco Superior Court declaring that CARB was improperly certifying 2010 diesel engines equipped with an after treatment system called SCR that is...

Oil and Gas sites are prone to explosions and mishaps due to their highly inflammable property On April 13, 2010, CSB released a safety video aimed at educating young people on the hazards of socialising at oil sites, a common phenomenon in rural areas. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced it has sent investigators to a fatal explosion which occurred on April 14, 2010, at an oil site in Weleetka, Oklahoma. The CSB team is headed by Investigations Supervisor...