Fire Protection news

Fire and rescue services across the UK worked with partners to respond to the impact of COVID-19. Making a difference provides a series of short case studies to show the range of activities that services did over the last 18 months; it recognizes that the pandemic is not over and services continue to help communities in many different ways.  Phil Garrigan is the NFCC lead for the COVID-19 response. He said: “The pandemic was unlike anything else we have...

The Virginia Professional Fire Fighters Association (VPFF) endorsed Terry McAuliffe in his bid to return to the governor’s mansion, thanking him for his support for firefighters and paramedics and vowing to join him on the campaign trail. McAuliffe is running in a tight race for governor against Republican Glenn Youngkin to replace Governor Ralph Northam, whose term ends in 2022. Northam replaced McAuliffe after his first four-year term in 2018. “Thank you for all that you did for...

Henri downgraded from a tropical storm to depression once it made landfall on August 22. While there are reports of flooded streets, power outages, and fallen trees, there have been no reports of damage to IAFF member homes. As the storm continues to weaken, a comprehensive IAFF Disaster Relief operation is not expected. As the storm moved inland, flooding, wind damage, and power outages have been reported in parts of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. According to local power compan...

While they all hoped 2020 would see the end of lockdowns in Australia, 2021 has brought on new pandemic-driven challenges as the COVID-19 Delta variant continues to affect the majority of states across the nation. New South Wales and Victoria are experiencing some of the harshest lockdowns Australia has seen in an effort to ‘stop the spread’ of the highly contagious Delta variant. Impact on the local businesses These frequent and prolonged lockdowns are having a significant impact...

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has approved the first UK GDPR certification scheme criteria. Recently UKAS accredited Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) has developed criteria for two schemes relating to age assurance and children’s online privacy. This is a great example of UKAS working with regulators to bring important improvements in safety and child protection in innovative emerging sectors.

At approximately 9:27 pm, on Thursday, 19th August 2021, Joint Fire Control received the first call to a fire at a privately owned commercial garage, located in Gwaun Cae-Gurwen, a village and community in the borough of Neath Port Talbot, in South West Wales and mobilized crews from Amman Valley, Pontardawe, Ammanford, Morriston, Tumble and Llanelli, in Wales, United Kingdom (UK), to the incident spot. Due to the contents within the single-story garage, which consisted of numerous vehicles, ti...

Climate change is a crisis the UK is unable to ignore. In recent years, the impact of construction on climate change has affected atmospheric temperatures, increased the risk of flooding, and caused the destruction of natural habitat areas through the consumption of resources, poor design, and land degradation. Currently, the housing crisis present in the UK urges the need for new build homes due to the increasing human population, with hundreds of new construction projects scattered across the...

South Yorkshire’s firefighters have responded to less deliberate fires so far this summer than in recent years, according to figures released by the county’s fire service. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) says it has attended 997 deliberate fire incidents across May, June, and July this year–a seven percent reduction compared to the 1,073 attended during the same period last year. Against the average for May, June, and July across the last three years–which...

Firefighters have begun responding to 999 calls from South Yorkshire’s newest fire station for the first time. The new two storey, three-bay Barnsley fire station was completed earlier this month and went operational on 17 August. The energy-efficient building on Broadway, Kingstone replaces the 60-year-old fire station on the same site which had reached the end of its operational life. Firefighters had been housed in a temporary facility off-site while the year-long construction of...

Bosch Security Systems has announced the release of new Aviotec firmware version 7.81 that comprises AI algorithms, which can now detect fire and smoke in changing weather and light conditions. Aviotec firmware version 7.81 The AI algorithms have been developed further in the Aviotec firmware version 7.81, in order to ensure reliability for sheltered outdoor areas. The fire risk in these areas and nearby buildings can now be reduced with intelligent, fast and reliable detection. In the past,...

With on-site productivity remaining key for fire engineers around the world, the use of the electronic range of test solutions continues to rise as an increasing audience becomes aware of the unique benefits offered. While testing with the range of Solo smoke aerosols remains popular, and the most widely used method of testing, there is increasing demand for solutions that offer greater compatibility with the latest detector designs and support increased productivity on site. Standout features...

Stylish, compact, and very cost-effective, the new-look kit contains everything one needs to create a BS8300 clause compliant single zone emergency assistance system for any building. In addition to allowing distressed people to raise an alarm in the event of an emergency, it also includes a 'Call Accept' function to allow staff to send an intermittent call acknowledgment signal inside the WC compartment to confirm help is on the way. Encased in smaller, environmentally friendly packaging, the...

First responders will soon have a new way to deploy industry-pioneering Opticom™ Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP) technology; helping them to save lives and provide better outcomes to the communities they serve. Police, fire, and EMS vehicles that use the new Whelen Cloud Platform can soon enable cloud-based, centralized Opticom™ EVP, due to a partnership between Whelen Engineering and Global Traffic Technologies, LLC (GTT), the global market pioneer in traffic signal priorit...

A draft of PAS 8673 is available for public comment and contains competence requirements for the new role of Building Safety Manager. This PAS is based on the recommendations and core competence criteria set out in BSI Flex 8670. It supports the introduction of the Building Safety Manager that is contained in the Building Safety Bill currently going through Parliament. PAS 8673 The BSI has facilitated the development of PAS 8673 and it is sponsored by MHCLG. Brian Atkin is cited as the techni...

FireQual, the specialist Awarding Body for the fire protection industry has qualifications that act as eligibility criteria for the FESS (Fire, Emergency and Security Systems) Systems Operative Card in Fire as part of the ECS Card Scheme. Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) The Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS), administered by the Joint Industry Board for the Electrotechnical Industry, is a CSCS Partner Scheme covering the electrotechnical sector and includes more than 175,0...

Apollo is dedicated to keeping people safe from fire and that’s why it offers free ongoing advice to building managers, housing associations, and others on choosing appropriate fire protection for buildings with fire safety concerns such as flammable cladding or compartmentation. Apollo works closely with its partners across the country who are doing a tremendous job at installing fire detection and alarm systems into the affected buildings. Apollo’s partner Pacific Fire and Securit...

Comelit’s Atena fire detection panels have been installed at an award-winning new eight-form entry secondary school and sixth form academy, designed as part of a £100m development in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Designed by architects Bond Bryan and built by Chase Homes, Broxbourne School offers multiple educational buildings, including a new indoor sports hall, 3G football pitch, a multi-use games area for sports such as netball and tennis, together with The Broxbourne Music Cen...

Fire Crest Fire Protection, a Kentec Installation Partner (KIP), has installed a sophisticated Taktis fire panel at its headquarters in Cornwall to train and support its engineers using the technology on future projects. Installing the panel enables engineers to test configurations in the office, prior to configuring a panel on the client premises, reducing the time needed on site and increasing the likelihood of a right-first-time installation. Taktis Fire Panel Installation The move i...

Apollo is dedicated to keeping people safe from fire and that’s why it offers free ongoing advice to building managers, housing associations, and others on choosing appropriate fire protection for buildings with fire safety concerns such as flammable cladding or compartmentation. Apollo works closely with its partners across the country who are doing a tremendous job at installing fire detection and alarm systems into the affected buildings. Apollo’s partner Pacific Fire and Securit...

Holding accreditation provides many benefits to a wide range of organizations. In addition to demonstrating technical competence to the local market, it can also provide confidence to overseas markets through multilateral agreements (MLAs) whereby the reports and certificates issued by bodies accredited by signatories of these accreditation agreements receive global recognition. This benefit is essential to UKAS customers operating on the global market, so it is vital that UKAS retains its EA,...

The value of the contract currently published on Contracts Finder is between £9 and 12 million over five years. The council is looking to install new fire sprinkler systems (and associated works) in 30 of its two and three-storey supported housing blocks as well as 102 blocks of general needs residential accommodation. The closing date for suppliers to respond is 10 September 2021. Retrofit sprinkler systems This comes after the council worked with Hampshire and Isle of W...

APE Fire & Security states that businesses can employ security guards to patrol the premises, outside of business hours, in order to keep the premises secure. While many organizations and companies may see this as the perfect security solution, there are alternative options out there, to cater to varying needs. The benefits of Manned Security Visual deterrent Criminals are most often opportunists. When they see sites without visible security, they are more likely to take the risk and...

The first signs of fire can be spotted 24/7, even in challenging outdoor conditions, on a manufacturing complex, thanks to algorithm-driven video camera, AVIOTEC from Bosch Security Systems. AVIOTEC firmware version 7.81 AVIOTEC takes the next step, as it goes outdoors. The performance has been extended for equal reliability in sheltered outdoor areas. AVIOTEC's new firmware version 7.81 comprises AI-supported algorithms, which can now detect flames and smoke in changing weather and light cond...

After spending a large amount of the year 2020 and first half of 2021 confined in homes, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is safe to say that there are lots of people who are excited to get back out into the world. As lockdown restrictions are easing and things begin to open again, it is important that everyone knows how to keep their homes safe, in the return to normality. APE Fire & Security have put together a quick list of things that residents can do to secure their homes: Do not l...

Hardstaff Barriers is playing a major role in a two-year motorway bridge reconstruction project in Leeds which aims to improve safety and maintain traffic flow. The A64 (M) Regent Street flyover, in the city center, is undergoing a £30m upgrade program which is expected to be completed in spring 2022. As a UK manufacturer and supplier of vehicle restraint systems (VRS), Hardstaff Barriers was appointed to install various temporary safety barriers and security fencing along the road during...

The issue of protecting heritage structures and other buildings containing priceless artefacts or documents from fire risk came into stark focus in mid-April. A blaze originating at Table Mountain eventually swept onto the upper campus of the University of Cape Town (UCT). It caused extensive damage to the African Studies Library reading room, known previously as the JW Jagger Library. Built-in the 1930s, it is home to many international research collections, with an estimated 85 000 items in t...

Globally renowned fire and life-safety systems manufacturer, C-TEC, is exhibiting at The Fire Safety Event 2021. Hosted at Birmingham’s NEC, from September 7 - 9, 2021, the eagerly-awaited event will feature free CPD-accredited educational seminars, 120+ exhibitors and the fire industry’s latest products, technology and solutions. C-TEC’s fire alarm systems C-TEC will be showcasing CAST, its revolutionary new own-protocol fire alarm and detection system, ENVISION, its futuri...

UKAS is pleased to report that the UKAS IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) scope has recently been extended in the area of management systems certification, with two food/feed schemes being added at Levels 4 and 5: FSSC 22000 is a Food Safety Management System sector scheme that builds upon ISO 22000. UKAS currently accredits 10 Certification Bodies to provide this service. FAMI-QS is a proprietary management system standard in its own right for the specialty feed ingre...

Following the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, the Government introduced the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) regime, as part of the domestic legal framework introduced for goods being placed on the GB market. Review of the UKAS publication GEN 5 As the UKCA regime has developed, a review of the UKAS publication GEN 5 has been undertaken, leading to some updates to the latest edition of this document. Changes include updated names and contact details of the Competent Authorities and the expansi...

AEI Cables has been highlighting the importance of using only approved cabling in signal and control equipment for fire safety. Importance of approved cabling Now, the fire industry is supporting its campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of not using approved cabling, as specified under the revised version of the Code of Practice for Category 3 fire performance cables. The systems, powered by these cables, including smoke and heat extraction systems, assist fire services in firefighting...