Building Fire Safety - News

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) completed the election of its current slate of directors, including one new member, during the organization’s virtual annual meeting this week. Amy Acton, a burn survivor, former burn nurse, and nurse manager, and CEO of the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, is serving her second year of a two-year term as chair. Acton became the second female chair of the NFPA Board in the organization’s 125-year history last year. Affirmed Officer...

In Germany, VdS CEA 4001 specifies which type of water supply is permissible for firefighting systems. Basically, the amount of water to be stored depends on the risk, the application rate and covered area, and the operating time of the extinguishing system. It must be ensured that the selected water supply is not rendered inoperative or impaired by frost, drought, flooding, or other circumstances. Furthermore, the water must be clean enough to prevent blockages in the piping and nozzles. Wate...

Marion Body Works is proud to welcome nine interns across four departments for the 2021 Summer Internship Program. Returning to Marion’s engineering department for a third summer is Bridget Streicher (Michigan Tech – Mechanical Engineering). Joining Bridget in engineering is Seth Korb (UW-Platteville – Mechanical Engineering), Jacob Barnick (UW-Platville – Industrial Technology Management), Elijah Etten (UW-Oshkosh – Mechanical Engineering), and Ryan Genskow (Clint...

A Cambridgeshire company was fined £26,800 for failing to manage the fire risk from storing vast quantities of waste wood well beyond its license, after a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency. East Anglian Resources Ltd had already pleaded guilty at a hearing of Peterborough Magistrate’s Court to breaching its environmental permit. East Anglian Resources Ltd fined by Environment Agency The company had a Fire Prevention Plan in place, but persistently failed to comply with...

Marion Body Works is proud to welcome nine interns across four departments for the 2021 Summer Internship Program. Returning to Marion’s engineering department for a third summer is Bridget Streicher (Michigan Tech – Mechanical Engineering). Joining Bridget in engineering is Seth Korb (UW-Platteville – Mechanical Engineering), Jacob Barnick (UW-Platville – Industrial Technology Management), Elijah Etten (UW-Oshkosh – Mechanical Engineering), and Ryan Genskow (Clint...

Wildland firefighting has always faced many challenges, but the challenges have increased as wildland fires have grown in size and magnitude, over the last 25 years. During a fire, wildland firefighters face long hours dealing with challenging and changing conditions. Wildland firefighters spend the majority of their time on their feet, walking over rugged and steep terrain, in hot temperatures, all while carrying the gear that they need for extended time, out on the fire line.   Imp...

The fire safety industry is widely welcoming the campaign by AEI Cables to highlight the importance of using only approved cabling in signal and control equipment. The company has been advising the industry of the requirements 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 and a safe evacuation in the case of life safety. AEI Cables&r...

Seek Thermal, a global manufacturer of affordable, high-performance thermal imaging sensors and products across the globe, announced Co-Founder and CTO, Bill Parrish, received the Pioneer Award at the 2020-2021 South Coast Business & Technology Awards.  A true pioneer and trailblazer in his field, both as a researcher and entrepreneur, Bill has contributed immeasurably to the design and development of thermal imaging technology and its applications worldwide. Military infrared technol...

Johnson Controls, the globally renowned company for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, has announced the expansion of its Tyco corridor sprinkler family, with the launch of the Series RFII-C Royal Flush II Quick Response Concealed Pendent sprinkler. Corridor sprinklers Along with the recently released EC-8C Light Hazard Quick Response sprinkler, the corridor sprinkler family offers the cost-saving benefits of needing fewer sprinklers at lower design pressure, compared to standard covera...

In the event of fire emergencies, occupants have a limited time to escape the building, before they are seriously affected by the smoke or fire. Thus, an emergency evacuation plan is important so that occupants know what to do in an emergency and have a clear idea of the nearest route to exit the building. The safety of the workers and the occupants of a building is not taken lightly by the Australian government. Thus, legislation is in place that mandates emergency planning and preparedness fo...

In anticipation of the upcoming Fire White Paper, the Fire Minister launched a new website called 'Fire England', where the government is now hosting 'trusted, transparent, and consistent' information about fire.    Previous Fire Ministers have trailed the creation of a fire-focused website for England, but it has not materialized until now. Unusually, this new website is located at www.fireengland.uk and not part of the standard gov.uk domain. Fire Kills campaign Fir...

Big Bear Fire Department received a report of an aircraft down in a residential area at the corner of Meadow Lane and Nana Avenue in Big Bear City. Upon arrival at the scene, a single-engine plane was found to have crashed into a vacant lot. Fire crews observed a fire to the aircraft, nearby fence, and outbuilding that sustained minor damage. The pilot and passenger were pulled to safety by nearby bystanders. Bear Valley Electric crews Help restore power The victims sustained moderate to seri...

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) and National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) have come together to produce a new Code of Practice to bring clarity to the use of premises information boxes for residential buildings. The Code of Practice for the Provision of Premises Information Boxes in Residential Buildings is in response to recommendations about fire safety information made by the Grenfell Inquiry. One of the recommendations focused on the provision of premises information boxes and this new Co...

Johnson Controls, the global pioneer for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings announced the expansion of its Tyco corridor sprinkler family with the launch of the Series RFII-C Royal Flush II Quick Response Concealed Pendent sprinkler. Along with the recently released EC-8C Light Hazard Quick Response sprinkler, the corridor sprinkler family offers the cost-saving benefits of needing fewer sprinklers at lower design pressure compared to standard coverage sprinklers. UL Listed sprinklers...

BAFE are proud to announce that Chris Auger, Director of Schemes, has accepted an invitation from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to be a member of the Interim Industry Competence Committee (IICC). The committee has been established to act in an advisory position, which will support the HSE’s Building Safety Regulator (BSR). The committee will aid in developing new regulatory measures regarding life safety within the new and current built environment. Chris Auger joins Interim Indu...

Nine years on from starting her career at a Norfolk company which helps keeps people and businesses safe worldwide, Laura Hutt is taking on the role of operations manager. Laura joined Britannia Fire in October 2012, and is now taking on the senior post at the company based near Wymondham. She said: “It is something I have been working towards by understanding the business and the manufacturing process. It was the perfect opportunity and time for me to accept this promotion.” The n...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) is partnering with technology firm - NBS to help architects and designers specify passive fire protection products and systems when looking at building safety design. In a win-win approach, those using the NBS cloud-based platform can now have access to appropriate high-quality guidance and technical content, helping them to produce accurate and structured specifications.  Providing product information It will also assist ASFP member...

Working with industry experts, the FPA has published a concise guide for sprinkler owners and specialist sprinkler maintenance contractors to inspect, test and maintain sprinkler systems to meet the required standards. Sprinkler system service and maintenance: guidance, records and checklists is supported and funded by RISCAuthority and is endorsed by the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA). Maintaining sprinkler systems The guide is freely available to download here and cont...

C-TEC has appointed Andy Turner as its new Business Development Manager for System Sales. With over 25 years of experience in the fire industry including nine years as one of C-TEC’s Technical Fire Account Managers, Andy has a wealth of experience and is set to play a key role in identifying new business opportunities and assisting the company’s transition into a complete systems solutions provider. Primary objective Andy’s primary objective in the newly-created role will be...

With the arrival of the July 4th holiday weekend, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reminds everyone about potential electrical hazards that exist aboard boats, on docks, and piers, and in waters surrounding boats, marinas, floating buildings, and launch ramps, and the need to put safety measures in place to reduce risk. Electrical Dangers While most people are unaware of electrical dangers posed by damp, wet, and water environments such as electric shock drowning (ESD), each y...

As health restrictions continue to ease across the country, Americans are looking forward to summer barbecues and evenings around the fire pit. However, these celebrations bring an increased need for safety. According to the National Fire Protection Association, July is peak time for grill fires, with gas grills being involved in an average of almost 9,000 home fires per year. In the event of a fire, proper use of fire safety equipment, such as a fire extinguisher, is critical. To kee...

More residents than ever to benefit from sprinklers in their homes as Nottingham City Council funds fire safety improvements in their housing stock. Following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, Nottingham City Council agreed to an £8.5 million fire safety enhancement program. Nottingham City Homes manage the Council’s housing stock and have overseen fire safety works in low-rise and high-rise blocks across the city. Nottingham City Homes The program of works has led to sprinklers be...

E-ONE®, a subsidiary of REV Group® and a foremost manufacturer of fire apparatus, is pleased to announce the major expansion of its dealer 1200 Degrees’ Techno Feu, an E-ONE dealer for more than 30 years. The $1.5 million investment at the branch in St- François-du-Lac, Quebec includes the addition of more than 12,500 square feet, increasing the facility’s footprint to almost 30,000 square feet. As a result, there are now 18 service bays and the size of its after-ma...

EconAqua™ water mist extinguishing systems combine the best of two worlds: the advantages of a sprinkler system with the benefits of high-pressure water mist technology. The system, which is based on low-pressure water mist technology, offers efficient building protection for certain risks in accordance with VdS CEA 4001 and VdS 3188. Highly Efficient And Easy To Retrofit The structure and function of EconAqua™ systems correspond to those of a classic sprinkler system. However, up...

BAFE statement on the fourth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire. BAFE would like to recognize the fourth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire and pay respects to all the people who lost loved ones and their homes because of this event.   Regrettably, the fire highlighted multiple areas where substantial change is required to maintain a safe environment for people in their homes. BAFE has strong objectives to be part of this positive change to improve the fire safety arena and will c...

Osage Beach Fire District hired 3 new firefighters. Probationary firefighters once hired are required to work a 40-hour week of training preparing them for their first 48-hour shift with their assigned shifts. Learning the basics  During this 40-hour week, the newly hired firefighters learn the basics, including but not limited to, hose deployment, rope rescue, and auto extrication.    This 40-hour week also gives the new firefighters a chance to meet everyone they may not wor...

Some of CFA’s most experienced and distinguished CFA members have been awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) in recognition of their outstanding service to the community when the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honors List was announced. With more than 250 years of combined service between them, CFA’s seven recipients have contributed across bushfire management and community fire preparedness, incident management and operational command, training and development, and welfare...

Envirograf has announced testing its latest solution, Envirowall, a fire-resistant eco panel that offers effective passive fire protection, thermal performance, as well as sound absorption. Envirowall eco panels Over 50 experimental tests have been carried out for Envirowall eco panels, achieving 133 minutes of fire integrity, insulation, and load-bearing. Acoustic performance has been tested, in accordance with BS EN ISO 10140-2:2010:45 (-2;-7) dB, achieving a thermal U-value of 0.40 W/sq. m...

The point detector is the most common of all fire detection devices. Sometimes taken for granted, it is the first line of defense for fire protection. Many elements are taken into consideration when it comes to fire protection. However, the most critical decision is not the chosen brand or its open or closed protocol, but the type of point detector selected. This verdict determines the safety of staff, customers, and the property. 6000PLUS addressable point sensors The 6000PLUS range is Prote...

Much has changed in the nearly four decades since the America Burning report was issued in 1973 and revisited in 1980. The number of fires and fire deaths in the United States has reduced dramatically and that progress has unfortunately led to fire safety taking a back seat to other social concerns that seem more pressing. To understand the headway that has been made and the challenges that remain, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) commissioned the Fire Protection Research Foundat...