COVID-19 - News
In February 2020, the Department of Defense ASD SO/LIC’s ’Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate (IWTSD) selected SMARTSHOOTER, a designer, developer, and manufacturer of innovative fire control systems, to develop the solution for its Individual Weapon Overmatch Optic (IWOO) project. IWOO Technology Readiness Review Recently, SMARTSHOOTER reached its final milestone by successfully passing the IWOO Technology Readiness Review (TRR). Two prototype systems were taken throug...
The development team received a significant number of enquiries from a range of stakeholders in 2021/2022, notably regarding personnel certification, stemming from government initiatives such as Net Zero. UKAS accredited the first Certification Body delivering an ICO-approved GDPR scheme, alongside work on new projects in Data Assurance Identity and Internet of Things. New accreditations were also granted in the food/farming and environmental sectors, such as Protected Food Names, FAMI-QM...
Larger and more increased storms are producing soaring natural disaster costs. The U.S. alone witnessed 16 natural disasters by September 2020, which brought damages to at least $1 billion tying the records set in 2011 and 2017. This increase in disaster severity and costs make it harder for Emergency Managers to do their jobs. In this article, learn more about the issues facing disaster relief efforts and what users can do to prepare for the next disaster. Rising Cost of Disasters In the las...
This year, Euralarm started a new initiative focusing on diversity and attracting new talent. The importance of the initiative is underlined by the rapid engineer retention and the lack of competent and qualified engineers. This article details the Euralarm initiative and reviews several activities undertaken by Euralarm and its members. The fire and security industries are industries with a long and rich history. The origins of the fire industry could be traced back to Nero, the Roman Emperor...
A fire that broke out at an industrial estate near Rotherham is still issuing toxic smoke from burning waste eight weeks later. The warehouse at Kiveton Park Industrial Estate, which stores a mixture of domestic and industrial waste, caught fire in the early hours of 21 September 2022. However, it appears that fire crews are still struggling to completely extinguish hotspots within the waste piles, mainly due to the amount of waste that has been stored there. fire suppression When...
Fire-Dex is excited to announce the promotion of three associates and welcome one member to the Fire-Dex and Gear Wash Family. Michelle Guthrie has been with Fire-Dex for 15 years and has been promoted several times, most recently from Warehouse Supervisor to Production Planner. New Promotions Gear Wash has also recently promoted two associates – Debbie Roberts and Karina Suquilema. Debbie will serve as Operations Supervisor at the Atlanta location and Karina will serve as O...
A company and its former director have been ordered to pay more than £100,000 due to an insufficient fire risk assessment at a block of flats in Portsmouth. The Enforcement Support Team at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) first became aware of the inadequate fire safety checks at Forbes Court, in Hilsea, Portsmouth, in 2017. Fire risk assessment After being alerted to the issue, the property management company responsible for the three-storey block of flats r...
In his article for UKAS’s 2021/2022 Annual Report, Marcus Long, Chief Executive of the Independent International Organisation for Certification (IIOC), shares his perspective on the role of conformity assessment in emerging technologies. The fourth industrial revolution is opening a wealth of technologies that will benefit both the assurance industry and, more importantly, users of conformity assessment services. Accredited conformity assessment Organizations of all shapes and sizes re...
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is now accepting nominations for its Annual Fire Service Achievement Awards. NVFC recognizes the contributions of a lifetime volunteer firefighter, a leader in health and wellness, an outstanding junior firefighter, or a successful junior firefighter program. Nominations are due by 5 pm EST on January 20, 2023 for the following awards: Lifetime Achievement Award - Sponsored by Lincoln Financial Group This award recognizes a volunteer firef...
At 14h31 on Monday afternoon, 7 November 2022, the SACFS responded to a truck fire on Carawa Road, approximately 30 kilometers east of Smoky Bay, South Australia. Damage due to fire The SACFS firefighters found a prime mover and its trailer in flames when they arrived at the scene. The driver of the truck was unharmed by the fire. SACFS crews were able to save the second trailer, however, the prime mover and the first trailer, along with its contents of wheat, were destroyed by the fire. Adj...
At 15:10 in the afternoon on Thursday, 3 November 2022, SACFS crews were alerted to a structure fire in Coote Place, Ceduna, South Australia. Fire Cause Investigators Upon arrival, the SACFS firefighters, responding in 6 fire trucks, found a caravan and an adjacent house on fire. Nobody was home at the time of the fire. The firefighters ensured that the fire did not spread to neighboring properties. The fire caused approximately $250,000 damage to the caravan and the house. Fire Cause Investi...
Avon Protection announces the launch of the CH15, a revolutionary new, ultra-thin, single-size portable escape hood that provides a minimum of 15 minutes of respiratory vision and facial protection against Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear threats. The last decade has clearly demonstrated how the threat profile has changed significantly. Currently, most threats are unplanned, the CH15 is a development driven after an emerging requirement from specialist users to provide instant pro...
Just before 2:00 am, CFS was alerted to reports of a structure fire on a rural property along the Eyre Highway, approximately 20kms east of Penong in the state’s far west. A hayshed containing over 200 bales of hay was alight, with the fire being so large it was visible from the highway and a good samaritan truck driver reported it to 000. Rescue, Damages caused One CFS Quick Response Vehicle and five Farm Fire Units are on scene, and heavy machinery from the local area is also on hand...
Informa Markets’ ASEAN M&E 2022 show is set to welcome10,000 visitors from 60 countries from 7–9 Nov 2022 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), in Malaysia. Being the first fully physical exhibition since the COVID-19 pandemic, ASEAN M&E – Southeast Asia’s premier Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, and Energy trade show will host 150 exhibitors from more than 11 countries, with 4 grand international pavilions (Singapore, India, China, and Turkey). Visitor e...
BK Technologies Corporation announced the launch of its first BKRplay service, InteropONE, the only PTToC service that enables operational interoperability to first responders through the on-demand creation of user groups without requiring network pre-provisioning or gateways. multi-agency incident response InteropONE, in cooperation with its PTToC platform partner, STREAMWIDE SA, a communications software technology provider, facilitates multi-agency incident response and mutual aid in plan...
Firefighting and emergency response are stressful jobs with high levels of risk and unpredictability. In addition, volunteer responders are often juggling their fire service responsibilities with full time jobs and family commitments. All these factors can have an impact on the well-being of responders and their families. While many companies offer employee assistance programs (EAPs) to deal with work-life issues, such services are usually not available for volunteer firefighters and EMS provid...
A leading professor has praised a North East fire service for their commitment to firefighter safety and innovation. This week, Professor Anna Stec from the University of Central Lancashire provided insight into the importance of reducing contaminants and improving safety to firefighters, fire service staff and members of the public. In an event ran by the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) local representatives, Professor Stec addressed a number of...
Proper personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential to the health and safety of first responders. That’s why MSA Safety, DuPont Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are working together to provide volunteer fire departments with much-needed turnout gear through MSA Safety and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. In 2022, 13 departments will each receive four new sets of turnouts and four new helmets. Additionally, the first 500 applicants also received a...
Nittan took part in another successful FIM Expo, the FIM Expo Cardiff 2022, which took place at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, United Kingdom (UK) on 13th September 2022. Run by the Fire Industry Association (FIA), FIM Expo is a free to enter event that allows visitors to get hands-on with the latest fire detection and alarm products in an informal setting. FIM Expo Cardiff 2022 Nittan’s General Manager EMEA Sales, Robin Edmunds and Regional Sales Manager UK South, Darren Saunders w...
Johnson Controls, the pioneer for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, offers an alternative approach to fire detection through its FireClass range, a class of open-protocol fire detection products, and is seen as a step away from its previously perceived perception in the market of only offering managed or closed-protocol systems. FireClass consists of a comprehensive range of industry-approved products for use in commercial, residential, corporate, retail, leisure, care home, manufactur...
The Emergency Services Show offers the perfect opportunity for fire and rescue professionals to see and handle the latest kit while sharing experiences and exchanging best practices with the entire UK emergency services community. Taking place at the NEC, Birmingham from 21-22 September, the event showcases how technology and innovation are transforming emergency response for all blue light services and first responders. More than 450 exhibitors will showcase the latest innovations, extensive l...
Dräger, an internationally renowned company in the fields of medical and safety technology, will showcase five fire safety technologies designed to further firefighter health and well-being at The Emergency Services Show (ESS) 2022, including the FireGround Accountability System; the newly launched BG ProAir (Long Duration); the PSS® AirBoss; Dräger’s cleaning solution; and the FireCore® thermal imaging camera. With a focus on how connectivity and firefighter communicati...
Firefighters and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) staff will be out in force at the Calderdale Pride event, as it makes a triumphant return this year. It will be part of the celebrations complete with fire engines and even a stilt walker, as the experience returns to Halifax for the first time after two years. Calderdale Pride The last Calderdale Pride was in 2019, but the previous two years were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2022's static, free event, which cele...
Semiconductors are the main application scenarios for specialty gases. According to "Global Electronic Specialty Gases Market Research 2022", the global electronic specialty gases market size will be USD 4.423 billion in 2021. However, rising inflation, soaring energy prices, the impact of COVID-19, and other reasons have caused the semiconductor industry to enter a downward cycle and weaken consumer electronics demand. Chip and Science Act On August 9, the United States signed the "Chip and...
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), in partnership with Pierce Manufacturing Inc., announced the 2022 IAFC Fire Chief of the Year honorees. Volunteer Fire Chief, Marshall Turbeville, of the Northern Sonoma FPD in Sonoma County, California, and career Fire Chief, Gary Ludwig, of the Champaign Fire Department in Champaign, Illinois, have been named this year’s honorees. The IAFC began recognizing one volunteer and one career Fire Chief of the Year in 1996. A selection commi...
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), in partnership with Pierce Manufacturing Inc., announced the 2022 IAFC Fire Chief of the Year honorees. Volunteer Fire Chief, Marshall Turbeville, of the Northern Sonoma FPD in Sonoma County, California, and career Fire Chief, Gary Ludwig, of the Champaign Fire Department in Champaign, Illinois, have been named this year’s honorees. The IAFC began recognizing one volunteer and one career Fire Chief of the Year in 1996. A selec...
The data shows 77% of the UK population deal with unwanted noise whilst in their homes, with almost a third (33%) said they have noticed more noise since COVID-19 lockdowns began in March 2020. Their research reveals that 31% of the UK population have had their sleep affected by unwanted external noise, with three in ten (30%) reporting that it stops them opening doors and windows, and a quarter (25%) saying it stops them relaxing. Impact noise pollution The increase in unwanted noise is also...
The agenda for this year’s AFAC22 Conference and Exhibition (AFAC22) is loaded with big topics, such as reducing risk in the changing climate, the new Australian Fire Danger Rating System, women in emergency management, lithium battery fires and so much more. It is the first time since the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic that the Australian and APAC emergency management industry is coming together in person. AFAC22 Conference and Exhibition will be held in 2022 at the Adelaide Conve...
International Paramedics Day has been launched by the College of Paramedics to recognize and celebrate the work that paramedics and first responders around the world do, in order to give their patients the best possible treatment and care, and improve the outcomes for those who are injured or unwell. North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) employs 812 paramedics across the region, working in both front line and support service roles, touching the lives of thousands of members of the public every ye...
Coronavirus was first discovered in 2019, it has since spread across the globe. It is believed to be transmitted in a similar manner to the normal flu/cold virus. APE takes very seriously the safety and welfare of all its staff, and any clients that they may come into contact with and consequently they move swiftly to maintain everybody’s safety. No member of APE staff will knowingly be sent to any client site if the staff member is infected with a virus. Self-Isolation procedure If a m...
