COVID-19 - News

The Ontario government has taken additional steps to protect people and property during the wildland fire season, including an increase in base funding for emergency forest firefighting by $30.2 million, and ensuring safety measures are in place to protect Ontario's highly trained fire rangers from COVID-19. On May 16, 2020, Ontario is lifting the Restricted Fire Zone (RFZ) designation that was put in place last month across Ontario's fire region.  The province will continue to assess fore...

Rosenbauer America is donating 24,000 KN95 face masks to first responders, as thanks in appreciation for their dedication throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The facemasks will be distributed to fire departments across the United States and Canada. KN95 face masks “Our communities rely on first responders answering calls for service. We need to protect their health and safety,” said John Slawson, Chairman and CEO of Rosenbauer America, adding “COVID-19 is personal and the virus...

Coopers fire have continued to closely monitor developments of the coronavirus pandemic and are making use of the UK government guidance and advice to ensure the workplace is a safe environment. The safety of the employees is the number one priority and understanding how important it is to work safely and support the workers’ health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The business has adopted strict rules on social distancing at the manufacturing facility in Waterlooville, UK. Ri...

Ian Moore, CEO of the FIA, has been working closely with the Government’s Department of International Trade (DIT) on behalf of the FIA members for some time now; and given BREXIT and now COVID-19, this is more important than ever. He states “DIT are doing their best to inform SME’s of their options in the current climate and they have just released a series of webinars that would be really useful to listen into – try to find the time as there is some really useful inform...

The document “Our Plan To Rebuild: The UK Government’s COVID-19 Recovery Strategy” has been published. HM Government has released “Our Plan to Rebuild,” a document outlining the UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy. Section 4 outlines the “roadmap to lift restrictions step-by-step”. Regarding returning to work, Government guidelines state “All workers who cannot work from home should travel to work if thei...

HM Government have released ‘Our Plan to Rebuild’, a document outlining the UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy. Section 4 outlines the ‘roadmap to lift restrictions step-by-step’. Regarding returning to work, Government guidelines state ‘All workers who cannot work from home should travel to work if their workplace is open.’ Sectors of the economy that are allowed to be open should be open, for example this includes food production, construction...

With the window to invest time in training while on furlough extended until October 2020, over the next few months, it will be vital for individuals to continue to improve their skillset and keep boredom at bay, during an extended time being furloughed. From CPD sessions to online training, the Fire Industry Association (FIA) offers a broad portfolio of industry-renowned sessions and courses for individuals to invest their time in while being furloughed. Engaging in CPD sessions and online tra...

First responders and emergency workers risk their lives and wellbeing on the COVID-19 front lines every day to care for families, friends, and communities. To support these everyday heroes and shoulder some of their to-do lists at home, Cub Cadet is partnering with TaskEasy to offer them free lawn mowing. Free lawn mowing service Cub Cadet, a manufacturer of lawn care equipment, and TaskEasy, an on-demand lawn care service serving more than 12,000 U.S. cities, are offering a free month of lawn...

To help support the firefighters, EMS providers, and medical workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide protection and peace of mind to their families, Wiser Estate Plan is offering a Family Protection Plan free to front-line responders. This is a savings of up to $5,000 on the creation of a trust and healthcare/financial powers of attorney. This offer will save thousands of dollars in fees and help families avoid probate if something should happen to one of the front-line...

The Board of Directors of MSA Safety Inc. announced the election of Nish J. Vartanian to the position of Chairman, succeeding William M. Lambert, who will continue to serve the company as a Director. Mr. Vartanian, 60, is the sixth chairman in the history of the 106-year-old Pittsburgh-based company - a global provider in the development and manufacture of innovative technologies that help protect people's health and safety, and facility infrastructures. Mr. Vartanian became an MSA director in...

The Board of Directors of MSA Safety Incorporated declared a second quarter dividend of 43 cents per share on common stock, payable June 10, 2020 to shareholders of record on May 22, 2020. Combined with the company’s first quarter dividend, this represents a 4 percent increase on an annual basis compared to 2019. MSA has increased its dividend annually for more than 50 consecutive years. Over the past twelve months, the company has funded $65 million of dividends to shareholders and deplo...

Darley are currently working closely with numerous supply partners to stock essential items, such as: face masks, sanitizers and protective gloves. This situation, and the availability of response-focused equipment in critical demand, is changing by the hour. While Darley cannot guarantee availability of supplies from the industry, they can work with suppliers to better understand availability, and if appropriate, assist with identifying alternative solutions.

The Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service (RBFRS) is supporting the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) week-long sprinkler campaign, taking place from 18-24 May, 2020. Sprinklers are widely recognized as the most effective method of fighting the early stages of a fire, can save lives and reduce damage to property. RBFRS’ Area Manager for Prevention and Protection, Doug Buchanan, said “Although times are challenging at the moment, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we w...

Oshkosh Corporation, an innovator of mission-critical vehicles and equipment, announced that John C. Pfeifer, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of Oshkosh, effective May 11, 2020. Mr. Pfeifer will continue to report to Wilson R. Jones, Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Pfeifer joined Oshkosh in May 2019 and has been responsible for overseeing the Company’s Access Equipment, Fire & Emergency and Commercial segments...

Apollo Fire Detectors is delivering online training to members of the fire industry throughout the government lockdown thanks to a series of online events, including CPD webinars and virtual product training courses. Online fire focused CPD webinars Created in response to a significant volume of requests from consultants and specifiers for technical training, each week Apollo is delivering an online fire focused CPD, covering topics such as EN 54-23 Visual Alarm Devices (VADs) and An Introduct...

Residents across the county are being urged to stay at home and keep fire safe over the upcoming bank holiday weekend. With the weather set to be warm and sunny for most of the weekend, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people to follow the government's advice to stay home, while also keeping fire safe. Protecting NHS Group Commander Paul Clarke, the Service's Head of Community Fire Safety, said, “This has been a challenging time for many people and we want to thank ev...

Evita V600 and V800, and Babylog VN600 and VN800 are Dräger's new devices for the intensive care ventilation of adults to premature babies. For the intensive care and neonatal ventilation devices, Dräger has developed an operating concept that makes orientation even easier and provides clearer user guidance. Evita and Babylog ventilators The user is intuitively guided through the individual menus with larger icons, important functions at the top menu level, and a clear, color-coordin...

FIREX International is proud to announce the free Digital Week content series to be held online from May 18 to May 20, 2020. This five-day digital gathering delivers interactive and curated webinars, video interviews, technical reviews and live Q&A sessions to keep you connected with one's fire safety colleagues. Digital Week content series The Digital Week content series program will address major industry issues, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the fire sector, sourcing PPE (...

The protection against fire, even in times like this, is still critical. And Apollo are here to meet the demand. The crisis has presented certain challenges to production, but Apollo remains committed to the customers. The company aims to meet orders, whilst at the same time, keeping the colleagues safe. Continued production Signage posted throughout detailing; the two-meter separation and the ‘one-way’ road guidelines With the aid of Government guidance, Apollo has been able to c...

According to their South African manufacturer ThoroughTec, CYBERDRIVE ARFF simulators are the perfect solution for organizations looking to dramatically improve ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting) operational readiness while also cutting costs. When ThoroughTec first started out over 25 years ago, the founders had two overarching goals – ‘to always build great products’ and ‘to only employ thoroughbreds.’ To this day, these goals are enshrined in the corporate...

Kentec Electronics, a life safety system manufacturer, has strengthened its international in-country sales team with the appointment of Morné Müller as Business Development Manager Africa. Morné joins recent recruits Ibrahim Ariqat, Business Development Manager Middle East, and Eloi Del Valle, International Business Development Manager. Eloi, based in Barcelona, works within Kentec’s central European and Scandinavian markets, while Ibrahim, who is based in Dubai, operat...

Rave Mobile Safety, the trusted provider of solutions that empower community safety, is working with states, cities and counties nationwide to equip local authorities and first responders with the tools they need to communicate with the public and protect front-line workers as they respond to the coronavirus. Officials in Arkansas, Delaware, Louisiana, New Mexico, Chicago, Seattle, Suffolk County, New York and Kern County, California, among others, are leveraging Rave for critical public notifi...

If there’s one thing that everyone has learned in the last few months, it is that the world can change at a moment’s notice. While there will certainly be more surprises to come in the future, a few things are certain, including population and climate change. How will humans change the way they build to tackle these challenges? and How can fire safety be maintained in the buildings of the future? These are some of the key questions. Ageing global population The world’s popul...

Due to the rapid spread of coronavirus, the world's trade fair INTERSCHUTZ has been postponed to 2021. The motto, “#whateverthechallenge”, that has been proclaimed for this event however still remains as guiding principle for ZIEGLER. The company now presents the latest innovations in the context of the “Innovation Rollout 2020”. User interface operating concept After the ALPAS of the latest generation has been introduced to the market, the rollout now continues with t...

As of 6th May, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is changing its response to automatic fire alarm activations during the coronavirus pandemic. Full statement from Scottish Fire and Rescue Service: Pre-determined attendance at automatic fire alarm actuations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is taking all necessary measures to minimize disruption to the emergency response during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Demand on front-line resources...

Throughout April and into the foreseeable future the FIA will continue providing its online CPD sessions across the breadth of the fire industry with '99% of delegates saying that the training meets their needs well to extremely well and 98% are satisfied or very satisfied with the CPD content. Hundreds of enthusiastic delegates took part in the FIA’s second industry-recognized online CPD day. The fire industry has adapted incredibly well to the impacts of COVID-19 and it has not hindered...

On Monday, May 4, 2020, a COVID-19 drive-thru testing site will open in the parking lot of the Walmart store located at 5991 Goldenrod Road, Orlando, FL, 32822. The site is made possible through a partnership with the City of Orlando, Walmart, Quest Diagnostics, and state agencies to expand testing to those who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 and all health care providers and first responders in the Orlando community. We’re proud to partner with Walmart and Quest Diagnostics to be abl...

Life during and immediately after COVID-19 will change the way one lives, especially the work patterns. Marketers have historically done everything in their power to get people to read their stories, watch their videos and absorb their advertisements. The enemy is the lack of time in the working day. In the last 2 months, there has been a paradigm shift in what is now labeled as the ‘new normal’, as an unprecedented amount of people have had the majority of their work and/or social...

Throughout April and into the foreseeable future the FIA will continue providing its online CPD sessions across the breadth of the fire industry with '99% of delegates saying that the training meets their needs well to extremely well and 98% are satisfied or very satisfied with the CPD content. Hundreds of enthusiastic delegates took part in the FIA’s second industry-recognized online CPD day. The fire industry has adapted incredibly well to the impacts of COVID-19 and it has not hindered...

In line with current government guidance, Europe’s door manufacturer, Hörmann, has released a video outlining how professionals can keep themselves, their colleagues and their customers safe while installing its popular range of garage, entrance and internal doors. Available to view on Hörmann UK’s YouTube Channel, the video provides installers with guidance on the measures they should take before, during and after an installation to ensure the wellbeing of all individuals...