Fire Insurance - News

Very few people in the UK can be unaware of the devastation caused by the Grenfell tower block fire five years ago now. For those involved in the horrors of that night are replayed over and over again as the fatal accident inquiry into apportioning blame - and ensuring a similar event never occurs again - continues. To this end, the government has introduced new legislation in the form of the Fire Safety Act 2021. Fatal accident inquiry The Act considers the recommendations introduced by Sir...

At the LogiMAT in Stuttgart from 11th to 13th March, WAGNER will be presenting innovative fire protection technologies and individual solutions for deep-freeze warehouses, high-bay warehouses and compact storage systems in Hall 7, Stand 7C13. A key highlight is the latest advancements in the field of active fire protection with OxyReduct®. Active fire prevention is based on the principle of oxygen reduction: the OxyReduct® system generates nitrogen directly from the ambient air and dire...

Ever since VIKING was founded in 1960, they have led by example and have taken responsibility for the environment. In 2023, they continued this important work across all three ESG pillars: Environment, Social responsibility, and Governance. The sustainability efforts continue to be anchored in VIKING’s top management team, who have stood by the decision to execute a long-term sustainability strategy based on a structural approach to engage the entire global organization and value chain....

Dry risers are a vital element in fire protection, delivering vast volumes of water directly to each floor enabling instant access for the fire brigade. The person responsible for a building or site is required to maintain all firefighting equipment, including Dry Risers.  Annual pressure test & visual check Current Irish standards require a full annual pressure test and a six-monthly visual check for dry risers. Standards state that inlets, landing valves, drain valve...

Baker Engineering and Risk Consultants (BakerRisk®), an employee-owned risk management consulting firm that specializes in process safety, structural and blast effects engineering, and research and development, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Haines Fire and Risk Consulting (Haines). Haines specializes in fire protection engineering, water supply analysis, emergency response planning, and fire/explosion investigations. BakerRisk’s commitment “This acquisition undersc...

The fire safety landscape has experienced significant change in recent years. Some high-profile incidents, including those in Catford and Dagenham, highlight the critical importance of using fire-resistant materials and implementing enhanced safety measures for both residential and commercial structures. These tragic incidents have prompted the construction industry to rethink how it designs and builds safe spaces for people to live and work in. In fact, the latest revision to the Fire Safety S...

Insurance companies that stopped providing home coverage to hundreds of thousands of Californians in recent years as wildfires became more destructive will have to again provide policies in fire-prone areas if they want to keep doing business in California under state regulation. coverage in high-risk areas The rule will require home insurers to offer coverage in high-risk areas, something the state has never done, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s office said in a statement. Insurer...

The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) released its third annual Industry Trends Survey, which reveals skilled worker sentiments around the current state of labor, training, and technology on the jobsite. The survey provides a look at what the skilled trades industry can expect in each of these areas in 2025.  Major Challenges in 2025  Exactly half of skilled tradespeople identified a shortage of qualified candidates as the top challenge for workers this year. This...

An Integrity test predicts how long fire suppressant agents take to descend to a given level in the room without having to release the agent itself. When do users need an Integrity Test? When users have a gaseous suppression system installed, the protected area will need testing to ensure that the suppressant is maintained within the area and will work in case of fire. Fire suppression retention It is a requirement of most insurance policies and standards that their suppression system is te...

Fire alarm systems are crucial safety mechanisms designed to protect people, property, and assets from the dangers of fire. From commercial buildings to homes, these systems serve as a first line of defense, offering critical warnings that can prevent catastrophic loss of life and property. This guide will dive into the essential uses, components, types, and benefits of fire alarm systems, making it clear why they are an indispensable part of any safety plan. Purpose and Primary Uses of Fire A...

One of the industries hit hardest during the global COVID-19 pandemic was the leisure sector, with many gyms & health clubs closing, and only re-opening a fraction of their facility. Social distancing made taking a sauna impossible, so many of these facilities have been left sitting unused, and some still are. While this is not ideal for either the facility owners or those looking to avail of the services, it is an ideal time to ensure the sauna is as safe as it can be in all aspects,...

As of 1st of May 2019, the ARA Group acquired Thermoscan, a nationwide thermal imaging service provider dedicated to preventative maintenance. Edward Federman, Managing Director and Executive Chair of ARA, welcomes the Thermoscan team to the ARA Group. “We look forward to integrating Thermoscan’s thermal imaging capabilities into our Building Services, Mechanical, Fire and Electrical divisions as part of our property management and preventative maintenance service contracts,”...

At Coopers Fire, they’ve always been passionate about safeguarding lives and properties. As specialists in fire curtains, they understand the critical role that their products play in making buildings safer, offering essential time for safe evacuations and enabling firefighters to do their heroic work. But they also know that it’s not just about the technology - it’s about the people who put their lives on the line every day to protect others. That’s why they are proud t...

Johnson Controls, the global pioneer for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, launches the new Tyco® ESFR-25 Dry-Type Pendent Sprinkler offering efficient, FM Approved fire protection for commercial refrigerated and frozen storage areas.  The dry-type sprinkler is used in applications where the water is supplied from a wet system in an adjacent conditioned space. It is designed for dependable operation in cold storage areas up to 50 feet (15.2 meters) in height with temperatures...

Hochiki Europe, a global pioneer in fire safety technology, is excited to announce its participation in the Romanian Security Fair 2024, taking place from October 16-18, 2024, in Bucharest. The company will showcase its market-pioneering fire safety solutions, including the Ekho hybrid wireless devices, Latitude fire alarm control panel, and FIREscape Nepto emergency lighting.  Innovative products Visitors to the Hochiki Europe stand will have the opportunity to explore these innovative...

The Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), Mark Hardingham, will be standing down in March 2025 when his four-year term of office comes to an end. NFCC recently held an election for a new Chair, with all serving UK Chief Fire Officers and those who had served as a Chief Fire Officer within the last two years eligible to stand. NFCC individual members Three very capable candidates put themselves forward, with the voting taking place across all NFCC individual members during Septembe...

EU Regulation # 517/2014 sets out to control the use of HFC’s in the Fire Suppression Sector, and with FM200/HFC-227ea being included in the Montreal Protocol (2016 Kigali amendment coming into effect in January ‘19), the long-term use of this Gas is not viable from either a financial, or ethical perspective. The phase-down of HFCs will culminate in 2030 at a 79% reduction from 2015 levels, impacting most HFC markets and applications, including fire suppression. In addition, si...

The principle of all pneumatic fire suppression systems is a simple self-activating system that offers the widest versatility, which results in an excellent cost/performance balance. Using linear detection tubing installed throughout the asset it’s covering it can not only quickly and accurately detect a fire, but also suppress it, before it can damage adjacent components. These systems can be used in a range of applications, with the principals remaining the same-stop the fire where it s...

KSS Fire Suppression is delighted to announce the exciting Partnership with Grenke. Since 1978, GRENKE has been helping businesses grow through offering smart finance solutions, allowing the freeing up of capital & improvement of cash flow. This synergy means that KSS Fire Suppression Solutions can now be leased, offering a level of flexibility that allows them to focus on what's important - Growth.  Flexible solutions can be tailored to the company's needs, meaning:  No large...

One of the industries hit hardest during the Global Pandemic was the Leisure Sector, with many Gyms & Health Clubs closing, and only reopening a fraction of their facility.  Social Distancing Social Distancing made taking a Sauna impossible so many of these facilities have been left sitting unused, and some still are. While this is not ideal for either the facility owners or those looking to avail of the services it is an ideal time to ensure the Sauna is as safe as it can be in al...

Dry risers are a vital element in fire protection, delivering vast volumes of water directly to each floor enabling instant access for the fire brigade. The person responsible for a building or site is required to maintain all firefighting equipment, including Dry Risers.  Current Irish standards require a full annual pressure test and a six-monthly visual check for dry risers. maintenance and repairs Standards state that inlets, landing valves, drain valves, and landing valve...

Commercial fire detection manufacturer - Nittan has announced several exciting developments to its Evolution analog addressable range, including the launch of new detectors with integral Short Circuit Isolator (SCI), and upgrades to existing devices. New to the Evolution ranges are the EV-PY-SCI Photoelectric Optical Detector with SCI, the EV-H2-SCI Heat Detector with SCI, and the EV-PYH-SCI Photoelectric Optical & Heat Multi-Sensor with SCI. new Evolution devices Both the EV-H2-SCI and t...

WAGNER has been active in the field of technical fire protection systems for 40 years. The German family business has its own research and development department and has more than 700 patents in its portfolio. Driven by its own desire to continue to advance the topic of safety, the company is involved in working on standards and in various committees. For example, WAGNER is active in the fire alarm systems specialist group of the ZVEI (Central Association of Electrical Engineering and Electrica...

In the bustling cities of Houston and Austin, where commercial buildings house countless businesses and schools, the importance of fire safety cannot be overstated. With the potential for devastating fire disasters, property managers and school systems must prioritize implementing advanced fire suppression systems to protect their investments, occupants, and community. FireTron, a pioneering provider in the area, offers state-of-the-art solutions designed to enhance safety and minimize risk. U...

Dräger, an international pioneer in the fields of medical and safety technology, has provided the Sellafield Nuclear site with 65 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) PSS Airboss® sets and six Merlin® telemetry entry control boards (ECB) to protect firefighters from the inhalation of dangerous gases during incidents and training events.  Sellafield, formerly known as Windscale, and situated on the Cumbrian coastline, is Europe’s largest nuclear site, with the most d...

All American Fire Equipment and Rosenbauer America are excited to announce the next stops on the 2024 Power Tour, kicking off on September 19th and running through September 28th. Service professionals and enthusiasts across the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and West Virginia will experience firsthand the latest in firefighting technologies. Rosenbauer’s commitment The Power Tour will feature a convoy of Rosenbauer’s state-of-the-art fire trucks, including the industry-...

Fire doors play a fundamental role in the overall fire safety of a building. Usually built from durable materials such as timber, steel, aluminum, or gypsum, fire doors are designed to keep a fire contained in one place and give people time to safely evacuate.  In order to be considered a fire door, a door must be certified by a manufacturer after passing a number of fire safety tests. In all non-domestic properties, it’s a legal requirement to have fire doors in place, and it’...

The WAGNER Group, headquartered in Langenhagen near Hanover, Germany, has once again achieved pleasing corporate growth. With consolidated total group sales of EUR 138 million, the company achieved growth of EUR 14.8 million or 12.0% in the fiscal year 2023/24 compared to the previous fiscal year. The company was thus able to meet the current market challenges - high inflation, rising energy costs and continued market uncertainty - by adapting to the changing environment and successfully maint...

Codelocks has secured CE marking for its mortice locks and tubular latches, establishing an extensive range of access control solutions and fire door assemblies with CE-certified locks and latches. This achievement provides specifiers, installers, and end-users with comprehensive quality assurance, fire safety, and legal compliance across a broad selection of access control products. CE marking CE marking indicates that products have been rigorously assessed to meet stringent safety, health,...

The collection and transport of waste, returned or recovered ozone-depleting substances (refrigerant gases and halons) is controlled, to ensure environmental protection and compliance with waste law, the same requirements apply also to the collection and transport of waste, returned or recovered fluorinated greenhouse gases. Contractors must have made a Prior Annual Notification to the Environmental Protection Agency, and where that Prior Annual Notification has been acknowledged by the Agency...