Building Fire Safety - News

Two Norfolk paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) went above and beyond the call of duty by tackling a fire in a top-floor flat before evacuating the building. Doug Bishop and Jonathan Poole were the first emergency service at the flats on Hunstanton High Street, shortly after 2pm on Thursday 9th July, 2020 and found the couple who had reported the fire at the bottom of the four-storey building. Hearing the fire was still ablaze and residents in neighboring flats were st...

BAFE, the British Approvals for Fire Equipment has stated that professional competence recommendations set out in Dame Judith Hackitt’s ‘Building a Safer Future’ report is set to be fulfilled by BSI with a new standards program. National Standards program “BAFE is actively working on a number of Working Groups (WGs), including the Built Environment Competence Standards (BECS) Strategy Group and the Competence Steering Group (CSG) to help raise and set the bar of fire sa...

The UK Government published the draft Building Safety Bill which “takes forward reforms to the [domestic] building and fire safety system.” They state the Bill will “improve building and fire safety, so that people will be, and will feel, safer in their homes.” The draft Building Safety Bill, alongside supplementary information can be found on the Government website. Government have also launched an important consultation to strengthen the current Regulatory Reform (Fir...

With the Grenfell Tower fire exposing serious flaws ‘across the whole system of building and managing high-rise homes’. Resultantly, the government asked Dame Judith Hackitt to ‘carry out an independent review of building regulations and fire safety to understand the causes of the fire’. The report found that ‘the whole system needed major reform and that residents’ safety needed to be a greater priority through the entire life cycle of a building – fro...

NürnbergMesse GmbH and FeuerTrutz Network have jointly decided not to hold FeuerTrutz 2020 as a physical event at the usual venue in Nuremberg. Instead, parts of the trade fair and parallel Fire Protection Congress will take place in virtual form. FeuerTrutz 2020 goes digital This decision to go digital with FeuerTrutz 2020 event was ultimately based on the results of an exhibitor survey, which revealed considerable reservations about an on-site event due to the unpredictable developments...

ImageTrend, Inc. is excited to announce the availability of Aware, a free mobile app, which is designed to connect ImageTrend solutions in a single platform, for users to manage their professional and personal lives. Aware mobile app This easy-to-use app allows users to access information from multiple ImageTrend products, such as ImageTrend Elite, ImageTrend License Management and soon ImageTrend Slate, in one integrated solution, even when working with multiple agencies. Users can view all...

As there is a global transition to renewable fuels, there is an increasing demand for electric or hybrid vehicles (EV and HEV). However, knowledge is limited about the new fire risks associated with vehicles having these new energy carriers. Consequences connected to risks of Li-ion batteries, in case of a malfunction, can be serious, for example, they can result in toxic gas emissions or explosion. In collaboration with the coordinator, Dafo Vehicle Fire Protection, an EU initiative has built...

AlarmSense is a range of conventional two-wire detection and alarm devices that connect to the same pair of supply wires. This design saves time on installation and, alongside the ability to priority switch sounders, makes AlarmSense an incredibly flexible system for small applications that do not require specialist protection. How will AlarmSense benefit? AlarmSense’s two-wire design means less time spent pulling cables in comparison to a standard conventional system. Detecto...

Emergency Reporting (ER), the global company in secure, cloud-based reporting and records management software (RMS) for Fire and EMS agencies and First Arriving, a renowned company in providing technology and marketing services for fire, EMS, and law enforcement agencies has announced a premier partnership, to give first responders access to improved reporting and records management capabilities. This expanded partnership allows users to display key Emergency Reporting features and data, as wel...

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) announces the launch of the new Level 3 qualification on BS 5839-6, “FIA AO Fundamentals of Fire Detection and Alarm Systems in Domestic Premises.” The new OFQUAL recognized qualification has been carefully designed to deliver a great introduction to a key part of the Fire Detection & Alarm (FD&A) sector. British Standard, BS 5839-6:2019 provides detailed recommendations for fire detection and fire alarm systems in all domestic premises la...

Retail giant Amazon has removed a number of barbecues specifically designed for use on balconies from sale over serious safety concerns highlighted by London Fire Brigade. The Brigade’s Deputy Commissioner Richard Mills wrote to the firm and other companies that stock or manufacture the products last month, stating that they are a serious concern with regards to public safety. Amazon and gift retailer Menkind both responded, confirming they had removed the items from sale and contacted cu...

Leadership organizations from across the building control sector have come together in the ‘Future of building control working group’ to develop 11 key recommendations for the future oversight and regulation of the profession and Building Control Bodies. The group has produced proposals for regulation of the building control profession following a discussion with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Reform of the building control sector is an important...

Firefighters across South Yorkshire are urging the county’s residents to sign up for their free smoke alarm reminder service, as part of a new campaign. They are backed by Rachael Shaw, a mum from Sheffield who had her home in Parsons Cross destroyed by fire earlier in 2020. electrical fire Rachael, her partner, and her daughter were in bed one night in April when working smoke alarms alerted them to an electrical fire in the living room below. The fire had developed quickly and thick...

At 20:30 hours Sunday, July 12th, Engine 811 (E811) responded to a reported structure fire in the 11200 block of Evans Trail Road in Beltsville. The first arriving units reported heavy fire showing from Side Charlie. E811 turned out with 6 firefighters and operated as the Rapid Intervention Crew (RIT). Upon arriving on the scene, the crew deployed a 650′ attack line to Side Alpha. Command then directed E811 to advance the attack line to Division 2 and assist with extinguishing the fire an...

ImageTrend, Inc. announces their latest innovative offering for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies that automates patient queries within ImageTrend Elite™ using Health Information Hub™ and Carequality, giving them real-time access to critical patient information which enhances care, streamlines reporting, and improves patient hand-off to the hospital. ImageTrend offers this additional level of interoperability through an existing partnership with Kno2, an approved implementer...

In 2009, the exterior structure of the Burj Khalifa was completed. It became the tallest building in the world and remains so to this day, cutting the skyline at half a mile clear of the Earth. But there are even more audacious buildings planned that’ll eclipse this structure - and the first mile-high skyscraper could be built by 2050. In 1957, Frank Lloyd Wright designed The Illinois, a visionary, 528 story skyscraper standing over a mile in height. He believed that such a building could...

On 11 July 1240, Emperor Frederick II granted trade fair rights to Frankfurt am Main, marking the birth of Messe Frankfurt. Now, 780 years later, the company can look back on an eventful history, in which the Frankfurt trade fair developed from a medieval marketplace into a global player, experiencing many successes and mastering various crises. Importance of trade fairs Peter Feldmann, Mayor of Frankfurt am Main and Chairman of the Messe Frankfurt Supervisory Board, had this to say about Mess...

FireArrest has announced that it has official launched a new passive fire protection software application. This new innovative passive fire protection app, available to download on Android and iPhone devices, is set to take the fire safety industry by storm. FireArrest App Not only is this passive fire protection app intuitive, but it’s modern design and competitive price point make it the perfect solution for anyone looking to ensure that their premises are compliant with all fire safet...

Fire detection and alarm systems are increasingly complex and sophisticated, benefiting from cutting-edge digital technology. As a fire alarm engineer installing, servicing and/or commissioning such technology, it can be hard to keep on top of your electrical skills and the latest regulations / local installation standards, let alone the many different panels’ features. Any given day could see the typical fire engineer conducting a wide range of differing tasks – from diagnosing and...

The National Volunteer Fire Council has earned a 2020 Gold Seal of Transparency by adding information to the non-profit profile on GuideStar. Now, community members as well as 10+ million GuideStar users can find in-depth information about the organization's goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress. The NVFC shining a spotlight on the work we do to support the volunteer fire, emergency medical, and rescue services.

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is pleased to partner with TargetSolutions to provide additional operational training and education opportunities to the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue community at no cost. TargetSolutions is offering a cadre of 10 online firefighter continuing education courses to all members of the NVFC. TargetSolutions features more than 450 hours of fire department training based on NFPA codes and standards. The training catalog includes awareness and refresher l...

BAFE SP101 fire extinguisher technician assessments and BS 5306 Exam during the coronavirus pandemic. BAFE is focused on protecting assessors and fire extinguisher technicians from the threat of COVID-19. After reviewing the risk threat posed by COVID-19, BAFE has established new safety procedures to recommence fire extinguisher technician assessments for the BAFE SP101 Scheme. BAFE SP101 Scheme BAFE is now in a position to accept bookings for assessments with immediate effect from 06/07/2020...

The Chief Executive of East of England Ambulance Service has thanked staff for embracing new ways of working which have helped deliver faster response times during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest figures show that despite the challenges of COVID-19, the Trust is consistently meeting all national standards, due in part to more staff to manage calls and more vehicles on the road. Compared to 2021, ambulance response times to reach the most seriously ill (category o...

Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the points raised under the Dame Judith Hackitt review covering compliance and competence with independently tested products, the IFC scheme was developed with the Smoke Control Association (SCA). Developed to raise the importance of smoke control and the use of the EN/BSI and ISO standards, utilizing SCA guides for fire safety in buildings alongside of sprinklers. The IFC SDI 19 scheme is the first smoke control scheme accredited to UKAS. competence an...

The world of the fire service is heavily related to tangible and tangible things. In this context, people like to think of personal protective equipment, portable pumps, pumps, rescue equipment or emergency vehicles, a dream on 4 wheels with flashing lights and a tone horn, so to speak. Intangible things like software (unfortunately) do not yet have a high priority in the fire service. Digitization In the current discussion about digitization, however, the use of information technology is gett...

Volvo Penta has been collaborating with its longstanding customer Rosenbauer to develop an electric driveline for the platform and industrialized version of the company's Concept Fire Truck (CFT), known as "Revolutionary Technology" (RT). By walking away from conventional commercial vehicle concepts and developing an electric solution for the truck's driveline instead, Volvo Penta and Rosenbauer introduced a completely new vehicle architecture that looks set to revolutionize the fire service ind...

In 2020, Rosenbauer will be present at the Retter Messe in Wels, Austria's renowned trade fair for emergency services organizations, from October 29 to 31, 2020. Attendees can witness groundbreaking technologies and experience the innovations first-hand. Aerial rescue vehicles Rosenbauer will be presenting its key products and selected new products from the fields of vehicles, fire-fighting technology, equipment and digital solutions. Two Rosenbauer aerial rescue vehicles will be stationed on...

Rosenbauer has announced the release of a new series of RFC POLY extinguishing systems with integrated CAFS (Compressed Air Foam Systems) is presented. The extremely versatile fire extinguishing systems enable immediate and efficient extinguishing in the critical initial minutes of a fire. They are especially suited to combating spatially defined solid and liquid fires through the expansion of the extinguishing medium, as well as for the preventative protection of objects for which a fire poses...

Many routine maintenance visits may have been delayed due to lockdown, in spite of the FIA helping fire professionals being classified as key workers. Many businesses remained closed and inaccessible during the lockdown. As buildings start to open up, the life safety systems installed in them will be in need of some attention in the form of routine inspections by a competent person. Periodic inspection on a fire alarm system isn’t just checking a few call points and detectors, in fact, th...

Carrier Corporation has announced that the Advisor Advanced (ATSx500A Series) security systems with the UltraSync cloud security solution have attained the 3 Shields CNPP NFA2P electronic security certification for a complete system. It is considered to be the highest level of certification that can be accorded to any system. NFA2P standard certification The NFA2P standard certification includes a certification of robustness to cyber-attacks. Advisor Advanced is a security product manufactured...