COVID-19 - News

Dealing with megatrends is equated time and again with trying to predict the future - one might wish for that often, but only to a very limited extent. Megatrends are nothing more than a summary of developments and currents that have shaped us as a society in many situations in the recent past - economy, politics, technology, culture and many others - and that are slowly but fundamentally changing the world - like this also the fire service world! Blue light organizations The fire brigade tre...

For obvious health safety reasons owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic spread, the organizers and partners of the world’s renowned trade fair for fire and rescue services, civil protection, safety and security, Interschutz have decided to postpone the appointment made in June 2020 for the event to be held to June 2021. Interschutz Indeed, the health crisis, which directly affects both exhibitors and visitors, forces them to make themselves available at other sites and does not allow gat...

Fire officers in Sheffield are asking local students not to cook while drunk in winter and, instead, help keep fire engines free for more serious emergencies. The plea follows the Government’s recent announcement that pubs must now close at 10 pm, which firefighters feel could prompt an increase in home drinking, cooking, and parties. increase in callouts They say that this, in turn, could lead to an increase in callouts to student accommodation across the city, something South Yorkshir...

Tickets are now on sale for ADAPT 2020, a three-day virtual summit presented by Emergency Reporting (ER), the globally renowned company in secure, cloud-based reporting and records management software (RMS) for Fire and EMS agencies. The virtual event will take place from November 17 to November 19, 2020 and will be sponsored by Microsoft. Ticket prices start at just US$ 99.00 per attendee, with group pricing available to make it easier for departments to send more of their personnel. ADAPT 20...

New COVID-19 restrictions have been introduced by the Government, announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.  While this does not directly affect fire safety work, BAFE would fully support the advice that the stronger requirements for face coverings should be implemented consistently within the fire safety industry. This is especially important with technicians working on-site at care facilities and other buildings where vulnerable people may be exposed to the virus. Controlling COVID-19...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) announces that it will be recruiting for whole time firefighters to join fire stations across the county from January 2021. Applications will open on Monday 4 January 2021, at 8am, and will close two weeks later on Sunday 17 January at 11.59pm. To give people the opportunity to find out more about the role and the recruitment process, a range of information workshops and ‘Have a Go’ days will be held over the next few months. Busting m...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority (WYFRS) have given the go ahead to relocate the fire station in Hightown Road, in Cleckheaton, to WYFRS Headquarters in Birkenshaw, United Kingdom. The decision was made at the Full Authority meeting held on September 18, 2020 and will see an investment of £1.3 million to build a new facility, which will be closer to the more high risk areas, where fires and other emergencies tend to occur often. New Fire station The new station will also provide...

In this article, Apollo explores how a Fire Detection & Alarm system is a more reliable and cost-effective method of early detection compared to a Waking Watch. Grenfell Tower tragedy The Grenfell Tower tragedy has highlighted multiple issues with fire safety in High-rise residential blocks, with one of them being combustible cladding. When combustible materials are present in the cladding, it is no longer safe for the occupants to follow the “Stay Put” policy, which reli...

In this article, Apollo explores how a Fire Detection & Alarm system is a more reliable and cost-effective method of early detection compared to a Waking Watch. Grenfell Tower tragedy The Grenfell Tower tragedy has highlighted multiple issues with fire safety in High-rise residential blocks, with one of them being combustible cladding. When combustible materials are present in the cladding, it is no longer safe for the occupants to follow the “Stay Put” policy, which reli...

The Duke of Cambridge has visited staff from the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) to thank them for their hard work and dedication during the COVID-19 outbreak and hear more about their experiences of delivering care during the pandemic. Prince William met frontline crews and support staff at King’s Lynn Ambulance Station, which is at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital site, this afternoon. During the visit, he heard about the extra steps which have been taken to make sure that EEAST...

Arup has committed to achieving net zero emissions across its entire operations by 2030, covering everything from the energy used in offices to goods and services purchased. To achieve this the firm has set a target to reduce its scope 1, 2, and 3 global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30 percent within the next five years from a 2018 baseline. The target, validated by the Science Based Target initiative, has been classified as ambitious as it exceeds the minimum requirements for keeping glob...

In the COVID-19 era, where digital tools and virtual platforms have become more important than ever before, global safety equipment manufacturer, MSA Safety Incorporated has announced that they will host free, online safety seminars from September 14 to September 18, 2020. Free, online safety seminars The sessions are being conducted by MSA Safety to support National Safety Stand-Down week, an annual week-long event, organized by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), t...

A reminder to Schools that fire safety provisions and systems should be reviewed and maintained on a regular basis. IFSEC Global has reported that “according to new research from insurer, Zurich Municipal, schools in England are “nearly twice as likely” to suffer from a fire as other types of commercial buildings.” Life safety systems The data, from 28,800 schools in England alone, noted reasons including poor fire detection and the regular presence of cooking equipmen...

The organizers of Milipol Qatar, the international event for homeland security and civil defense, have announced force majeure has prompted the postponement of the event for six months to March 2021. Over recent weeks and months, they have been in constant discussions with key industry authorities and partners to stay abreast of the challenges in the face of disruption due to COVID-19. In the light of the latest developments of the health situation worldwide and especially in Qatar, as announce...

EEAST is joining their blue light colleagues in the police, fire and rescue service, and wider NHS to celebrate the National Emergency Services Day 2020. This annual event takes place to thank the heroic men and women who work or volunteer in the NHS and emergency services while promoting the wide range of career opportunities that are available. national Emergency Services Day The National Emergency Services Day event begins at 9 am on the ninth day of the ninth month with two minutes’...

Incident Response Technologies, Inc. (IRT), makers of the Rhodium Incident Management Suite, have partnered with Rave Mobile Safety (Rave), developers of the critical communication and collaboration platform that customers count on when it matters most, to incorporate integration of the Rave Panic Button app into Rhodium Incident Management suite of solutions. Rave Panic Button app The Rave Panic Button app provides instant communications and situational awareness for emergencies to 9-1-1, on-...

With more than two dozen major wildfires as well as over 12,000 emergency incidents, and over 1.1 million acres burned, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, a thick blanket of smoke continues to hang low in the skies in Northern California. NasalGuard® Airborne Particle Blocker responds to the devastating fires raging across Northern California with the launch of the ‘Breathe Easier Smoke Inhalation Donation’ program. NasalGuard® Airborne P...

New aerial ladders that are more responsive to drive, faster to set up and with greater rescue capabilities are soon to hit the streets of London as the Brigade continues to improve its ability to deal with high rise incidents. Twelve new 32 meter appliances known as turntable ladders are part of the aerial replacement project and have many improvements on the existing fleet, the biggest being that the ladder articulates, allowing for greater maneuverability. The articulating top section means...

DripDrop ORS (DripDrop Hydration), a globally renowned rehydration therapy company, announced partnering with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to provide the nation’s volunteer firefighters with dehydration relief. DripDrop Oral Rehydration Solution The company pledged to donate 100,000 sticks of DripDrop Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) this summer to assist volunteer firefighters during extreme heat, wildfire season, and the COVID-19 pandemic. When this donation was met within...

As part of a continuing campaign, the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA), Business Sprinkler Alliance, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and European Fire Sprinkler Network (EFSN) have been involved in to influence the Review of BB100 Sprinklers in Schools in England. Zurich Municipal analysis of data on over 26,800 schools in England shows the average fire risk in schools is almost double when compared to that of non-residential buildings. Schools in England are nearly...

Everyone is going through this strange time together and it is important, now more than ever, that everyone come together and look out for one another. It is in a fire fighter’s first nature to protect those around them and spring into action when they are needed, but who is protecting them? Is it common knowledge that it's possible to infect others with the Coronavirus without showing symptoms oneself? It's a fact. One can infect others before they even realize that they are infected. Mu...

As of 1 September 2020, Eva Klinger is taking over at the helm of Messe Frankfurt’s Sales Guest Events department. A BA graduate, she has held various positions, at Messe Frankfurt, since 2007, most recently as a Project Manager at Business Process Management. Sales Guest Events head In this position, she was responsible above all for optimizing company processes, in which connection she was instrumental in restructuring Sales Guest Events. She is replacing Silke Calder, who is leaving t...

Derekduck ULTITEC 2000 meets EN14126 (protection against biological hazards and infective agents), suitable for forefront medical personnel. And now, ULTITEC 2000 turns into the only 2 qualified protective clothing of CDC Taiwan, to assist epidemic prevention in Taiwan. (The other one is Tyvek class Xpert).

Dräger, a pioneer in medical and safety technology, is launching its ‘Health for the Firefighter’ campaign to support fire services in driving the cultural changes that are required to protect firefighter health. Impact of exposure The launch follows a survey of UK firefighters that found considerable concern over the impact of exposure to contaminants on long-term health. Some 84% admitted they were concerned about the risk of cancer – a disease highlighted in some scie...

Evaluating and mitigating risks for the lone workers in the company allows them to protect most at-risk employees while also ensuring compliance with regulations.  To optimize lone worker safety programs, systematically assess working environments and then create targeted policies and procedures to address any hazards. This guide will provide an in-depth look to help discern where the program is performing well, as well as determine where gaps may still exist. Overall Risk Assessment Ass...

While some companies may have one type of lone working scenario to manage, other businesses may have many. Depending on the number and variety of lone-worker situations involved, the company may need to perform multiple lone-worker risk assessments to accommodate for the various circumstances faced by these higher-risk employees.  These checklists are used when reviewing existing sites where people work alone and when setting up new sites involving lone workers. A lone worker checklist can...

Messe Frankfurt South Africa, a subsidiary of one of the world’s pioneering trade fair organizers, is proud to announce the acquisition of Hobby-X, the premier event for the hobby, arts and crafts supplies sectors in South Africa. Hobby-X In March 2020, Hobby-X celebrated 23 years. It is a visual, interactive, creative and entertaining event. In 2020, the event featured around 140 exhibitors across the hobby, craft and leisure industries and welcomed more than 14,500 trade and public vis...

Twiceme Technology is moving outside the country’s borders, to the south of France to be exact. In 2020, the Tour de France will of course look differently, partly because of the prevailing circumstances, but also because the cyclists will be more well-equipped than ever. EF Pro Cycling Team Since 2014, POC Sports has been the official helmet and eyewear sponsor of the EF Pro Cycling team. For the first time, Twiceme Technology has been added to the helmet edition to deliver t...

The launch of the Government’s ‘Back to School Safely’ campaign following the announcement that all educational facilities will reopen from the beginning of the autumn term. Following the opening of nurseries, schools, and colleges, the government has advised schools to implement a range of protective measures in order to mitigate the risk of the virus being spread. six preventative actions The six preventative actions which have been outlined by Gov.UK and Public Healt...

As the COVID-19 pandemic expanded earlier this year, there was an overwhelming demand for PPE to protect the brave workers battling on the front lines. To meet the growing need for critical protection and supplies for PPE, DuPont launched the #TyvekTogether program to partner with additional converters to increase the supply of Tyvek garments to the marketplace. In parallel, Ansell launched the #NetworkofHeroes program, offering support to non-PPE manufacturers with the capacities and necessary...