West Midlands Fire Service - Experts & Thought Leaders

Kentec Electronics, a global manufacturer of life-critical control systems, has announced the largest wireless installation to date across 37 high-rise towers owned and operated by Solihull Community Housing, providing residents with reliable, early warning fire detection and alarms. Since the incident in Grenfell Towers, the local authority in Solihull has made fire prevention and safety a priority, in order to better protect its residents in similar accommodation blocks. Kentec’s K-Mesh system installed Early Birds Fire Protection, specified Kentec’s K-Mesh system both for its reliability and practicality Working closely with the West Midlands Fire Service, the installer, Early Birds Fire Protection, specified Kentec’s K-Mesh system both for its reliability and practicality. Some 2,000 apartments needed protecting across a five-mile radius. As a wireless system, it was quick and easy to install, with minimum disruption to local residents and cost to the housing association. The system comprises some 4,000 sensors linked to a combination of Kentec’s award-winning Taktis panels and Syncro AS analog control panels, which are in turn linked to an alarm monitoring station. Sophisticated technology ensures efficient smoke detection Such is the sophistication of the technology that in the event of an alarm being raised, fire services and incident commanders are given an immediate view of exactly where smoke has been detected, and/or how far a fire may have progressed. Given that each of the tower blocks has a single stairwell and point of exit, early warning of a fire is essential to ensure the safe evacuation of residents and help the emergency services to get to any incident faster. Specifying a new fire safety solution was challenging Specifying a new fire safety solution was made more challenging by the mix of residents in particular buildings. Seven of the towers are designed specifically to accommodate residents aged 50 and above. An extensive consultation involving residents, staff, contractors and the local authority was undertaken to listen to their needs, and especially to understand the importance of early warning for residents living with a disability or dementia. Interconnected system with wireless capabilities The advanced nature of K-Mesh means that the system is fully expandable, and future-proof" Derrick Hall, the Director of Sales at Kentec Electronics, says the wireless capabilities of K-Mesh, and the interconnected system that it hosts, offer a number of advantages: “The advanced nature of K-Mesh means that the system is fully expandable, and future-proof, able to protect residents in large residential blocks now, and in the future.” He adds, “Nothing on this size and scale has ever been installed before and its open protocol and ability to integrate with a full range of technologies – including the sprinkler systems – takes the concept of fire detection and safety to another level.” Wireless system ensures easy installation Craig Puddefoot, the Managing Director of Kentec’s installation partner - Early Birds Fire Protection, says the project is on budget and due to be completed in good time: “A large project is going to plan with great success and minimal disruption to residents and staff. The wireless nature of the system makes it very easy to install, without the hassle of running live cables, reducing cost and adding complexity in the same process; all without damaging the fabric of the buildings.” Steve Murray, the Senior Project Manager for Solihull Community Housing, says the project has helped the team understand the trends and lifestyles of residents better, and the importance of early warning alarms within emergencies: “The insight gained by consulting with both residents and staff has been truly invaluable, with a tailored safety solution being the end result.” Steve Murray adds, “We are now able to provide opportunities to spot emergencies sooner, provide life-saving information to fire and emergency staff and keep our community safe.”

A West Midlands mum has thanked Birmingham City Council for ensuring that a ‘life-saving’ sprinkler system had been installed in her tenth-floor flat, when a fire caused by an electric bike cut off her family’s only escape route out of the building. Even though 25 firefighters were mobilized and at the scene within three minutes – the sprinkler system had already brought the fire under control. Had they not been fitted, the outcome would have been very different. Importance of ‘lifesaving’ fire sprinklers Hana shared her moving story in a video for West Midlands Fire & Rescue service, which certainly brings the message home. Simon Barry, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer of West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS), said: “Sprinklers save lives – as this incident very clearly demonstrates. It could have ended tragically had the council-fitted system not kicked in.” Sprinklers are invaluable and save lives Sprinklers are invaluable. They save lives and reduce injuries, protect firefighters who respond to fires" Simon Barry adds, “Sprinklers are invaluable. They save lives and reduce injuries, protect firefighters who respond to fires, and reduce the amount of fire damage to property and the environment.” Four fire engines, a 4×4 Brigade Response Vehicle and an aerial platform attended the scene. A man, a woman and a toddler were led to safety by firefighters, before being taken to hospital for checks after breathing in smoke. Sprinkler system helps extinguish fire quickly WMFS' Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Simon Barry adds: “Without the sprinklers, the family could have been very seriously injured or worse. The bike battery produced a lot of smoke and fumes, which quickly spread through the flat. Very fortunately, the sprinkler system did its job. One of the sprinkler ‘heads’ was fitted very close to where the bike was being charged, so the flames were quickly extinguished.” BAFSA and WMFS have previously welcomed the decision taken by several West Midlands Councils to retrofit sprinklers across their high-rise tower blocks.

Over 100 firefighters from West Midlands Fire Service were called to the Smurfit Kappa recycling plant in Nechells, Birmingham on Sunday 12 June 2022. major blaze West Midlands Fire Service sent over 30 appliances to the scene of a major blaze where “there was around 8,000 tons of compressed cardboard on fire," according to Area Commander, Sam Burton. Firefighters are expected to be at the site for the next two days. The fire was declared a major incident and saw the A47 Heartlands Parkway closed in both directions due to the fire and remains closed out of the city center. paper and cardboard bales Crews from stations across the West Midlands are working extremely hard to tackle the blaze using main jets" A statement from West Midlands Fire Service on Sunday evening said, "At 19:40 on Sunday 12 June, we were called to an incident on Mount Street, Nechells, Birmingham. This incident involves a large amount of paper and cardboard bales on fire at a warehouse.” "We currently have more than 20 fire appliances in attendance including two aerial hydraulic platforms, multiple fire engines, a high-volume water pumping unit, and one of our drones. Crews from stations across the West Midlands are working extremely hard to tackle the blaze using main jets.” safe conclusion "We are working closely with police and ambulance colleagues, the Environment Agency, Severn Trent Water, and on-site staff to bring the incident to a safe conclusion. There are no reports of any casualties. It's expected that crews will be in attendance throughout the night." Fire crews are expected to be in attendance for at least the next 48 hours and investigations into the cause of the blaze will begin this week.