Fire Safety Testing - News

A very proud moment for GFE, as Paul Pope received a commemorative award from Brigadier General/Expert Ali Hassan Al Mutawa, the Assistant Director General of Dubai Civil Defense for Fire and Rescue Affairs. Paul Pope was presented with the award at the IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference 2023 in Dubai in recognition of his excellent contributions to the event on the crucial matters of fire system survivability and firefighters’ welfare. Paul Pope recognized at Fire & Safety...

Mighty Fire Breaker's Retail Store rollout started in Sonoma County in the towns of Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Sonoma, and Ukiah, where the Tubbs Fire of 2017 killed 22 people, destroyed 5000 and caused billions of dollars in losses. This week, (MFB) delivered products to a store in El Dorado County, where the Caldor Wildfire of 2020 destroyed over 1,000 homes in Grizzly Flats. Also delivering to a store in Murphy, an old Gold Rush town that is close to where the Dixie Fire of 2021 destroyed most of...

West Yorkshire’s first non-binary firefighter has thanked colleagues for their acceptance as they highlight the steps being taken to fight discrimination.  Tay Stevenson recently joined West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) and says the team at Halifax station, where they are based, has embraced their status and worked hard to help them settle in. Colleagues correctly use the pronouns ‘them’ and ‘they’ when referring to them.  awareness of discr...

Mark Thompson spends every day helping others during some of their worst moments.  However, Mark, who is the Control Manager for West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS), revealed how he needed support when he and his wife struggled with their mental health, after losing two family members in a house fire. Mental Health Awareness Week This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and WYFRS is focusing on the importance of taking care of oneself and those around them. Mark Thompson r...

Staff from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue will be swapping fire helmets for swimming caps next week, as they prepare to swim the equivalent of the perimeter of South Yorkshire (170 miles) to raise money for two incredible causes – The Fire Fighters Charity and The Royal Life Saving Society. Big SYFR Swim Challenge People from across the organization, from frontline firefighters to corporate staff, have pledged that they will swim anything from 100 meters to several miles to support th...

A new publication that focuses on incidents in Greater London where fire sprinklers have helped protect our communities from fire has been published BAFSA in time for this year’s Sprinkler Week (15-22nd May). Greater London Review, provides powerful evidence of the role sprinklers play, as part of an appropriate package of fire safety measures, in reducing the impact of fire on people property and the environment. The review is broken down into three key areas: a look at fire trends in G...

Congratulations to the first recipient of the 2023 MSA Cairns® XF1 Fire Helmet Giveaway, Raymond Ravare! Ravare serves his community as a Volunteer Firefighter at the Ophir Rural Fire Department in Gold Beach, Oregon, USA. The MSA Cairns® XF1 Fire Helmet Giveaway, in partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), gives volunteer responders the chance to experience the most innovative and up-to-date technology to improve health and safety. Cairns® XF1 Fire Helmet The...

On May 11, 2023, the House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing regarding ‘Reauthorizing the U.S. Fire Administration and Fire Grant Programs: Evaluating Effectiveness and Preparedness for Modern Challenges’. The National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) Georgia Director, David Bullard, testified at the hearing on the behalf of the NVFC. The hearing provided a great opportunity for the NVFC...

NIBCO is offering its free specification review service, a one-on-one individualized resource that offers customers the opportunity to have their specifications reviewed by industry professionals to ensure that they meet the most current industry standards. Targeted to consulting specifying engineers, design-build contractors and building owners, fire protection, mechanical and plumbing specifications are reviewed by industry professionals at NIBCO to ensure that they are not outdated. Free sp...

The specialist Portsafe board has been installed by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) at Aviemore's Loch Morlich and is one of the first of its kind in Scotland. coded padlock system Designed to reduce the vandalism or theft of life-saving equipment, the board uses a coded padlock system to protect a water rescue throwline contained within. In the event of an emergency, a member of the public can call 999 and quote their location. They will then obtain a code from Operations Control...

Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY) and Ann Kuster (D-NH) introduced H.R. 3104, the Helping Our Heroes Act. This bill would establish an “above the line” tax deduction for the time volunteer firefighters donate to their communities. Helping Our Heroes Act Specifically, the Helping Our Heroes Act allows volunteer emergency responders, including firefighters, ambulance services, civil air patrol, and search and rescue services, to treat each hour of service or training as a $20 charitable con...

At Gear Wash, the main priority is keeping the department safe and healthy by keeping gear clean and ready for the next firefight. Throughout Mental Health Awareness Month, they want to emphasize that supporting those who serve them is valuable and needed. The first way to break down the stigma of Post Traumatic Stress in the fire service is to understand what it looks like. Studies estimate that about 20 percent of firefighters will experience symptoms at some point during their...

Fire staff across West Yorkshire are putting on their running shoes to tackle the Leeds Marathon and raise vital funds for charity.  A total of 14 fire staff will be running in the race on May 14, 2023, when they will raise money for good causes including The Fire Fighter’s Charity. The Akhirah Team Another charity that will benefit is The Akhirah Team, which operates in Harehills, Leeds, and is being supported by Firefighter, Hassan Abrar. Hassan has been undertaking a difficult c...

A Cambridgeshire fire officer has celebrated four decades of dedicated service to the community. Station Commander Clive Allen, currently one of the Service’s officers working in the On-call Group, reached the milestone of 40 years as an operational firefighter and celebrated with officers and staff at Chatteris Fire Station, one of the stations he manages. He was presented with his long service certificate by Area Commander Stuart Smith. Firefighting career Clive began his firefighting...

First Response Group (FRG), a security, risk, and facilities management specialist business, has strengthened its senior leadership team with the appointment of two new positions; Mark Mansfield joins the company as a Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Sheila Sloan as the Director of Human Resources. The Leeds-headquartered firm, which employs more than 1,200 people is forecasting revenue of more than £60 million in 2023 continuing a long run of year-on-year growth. Furthermore, it is fir...

As part of the company’s commitment to continuous improvements, Nittan Europe Ltd is working on a number of Sustainability Initiatives, in an effort to reduce their overall carbon impact for the future. In part, driven by the necessity to introduce remote working during the pandemic, Nittan initiated use of a secure managed electronic signatory platform in 2021. Comprehensive training provided to all staff members Comprehensive training was provided to all members of staff, in order to...

Kentec Electronics, a pioneering manufacturer of life-critical control systems, will showcase its latest technologies at FIREX and highlight the sophisticated capabilities of its award-winning, flagship Taktis control panel and K-Mesh's wireless fire detection system through an on-stand video.  The K-Mesh wireless detection system will take center stage, showcasing how its self-healing and configuring MESH technology delivers optimum levels of reliability, alongside ease of installation, a...

Vehicle electrification has come a long way in recent years. When the world was first introduced to vehicle electrification, reduced-emission firefighting vehicles were probably not envisioned. Innovation has come a long way, and while electric and hybrid-electric engines are not new, electrification in the municipal firefighting and ARFF sectors is a relatively new advancement. Oshkosh Airport Products is proud to be a pioneer in the development of the Striker Volterra ARFF vehicle. Striker V...

Firefighters pledged to never forget the football fans who died 38 years ago in a devastating fire at Valley Parade.  West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) laid a wreath this morning at Bradford City Football Club to remember the 54 Bradford City supporters and two traveling Lincoln fans who died in the fire on May 11, 1985. Firefighters then joined dignitaries and the families of those who had lost their lives to lay wreaths at a service in Bradford’s Centenary Square. mem...

Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro N. Mayorkas and U.S. Fire Administrator, Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell delivered remarks during the 42nd National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) Memorial Weekend on May 7, 2023, in Emmitsburg, Maryland, USA. The Homeland Security Secretary and the U.S. Fire Administrator paid tribute to the 79 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2022 and 65 firefighters who died in previous years.  Paying tribute to fallen firefighters The emergencies to wh...

Research which surveyed more than 3,000 UK fire and rescue service (FRS) personnel has found that mental well-being across the service is being impacted by issues such as sleep disruption, occupational stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression. Carried out by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and commissioned by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and The Fire Fighters Charity, findings also suggest that increased length of career – not related to age - is associated with experiencing...

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Positive Practice Portal has been launched at the NFCC Spring Conference 2023, taking place at St George’s Park, on 9 May and 10 May 2023. The Positive Practice Portal will share case studies and examples of positive practice captured by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), enabling fire and rescue services to learn from each other and improve their services for the benefit of the public. NFCC a...

The aim of the lokik project, whose name is a shortened form of the German for “local initial crisis management,” is to create an independent communication network and a flexible picture of the situations that arise in the acute phases of disasters. Scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing, and Ergonomics FKIE have been working to achieve this since the night in 2021 when Germany’s Ahr Valley experienced a devastating flood. In spring...

WAGNER Group GmbH from Langenhagen near Hanover is one of the pioneering companies in fire protection. Now it has received an award for a fire protection solution that addresses a very topical issue: the storage of lithium-ion batteries. In the election for Product of the Year in the Logistics & Transport category, the certified and globally unique solution convinced the expert audience from the logistics industry: the solution achieved second prize in the award of the trade journal for int...

Vimpex is delighted to welcome Terry Mallarky who joins the team as Regional Key Account Manager. Terry, who brings over 30 years of experience with life safety products and customers, will be actively managing and developing OEM customers to achieve profitable growth and maintain relationships with key product, commercial and business managers. Head Of Evacuation Sales, Heath Cook, says that having worked with Terry for nearly 10 years, he is 'looking forward to an exciting futur...

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) announces the launch of the modernization effort to develop a new, interoperable fire information and analytics platform, known as the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), for the American fire and emergency services. This effort is being carried out as a partnership between USFA and the US Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) The goal...

Global height safety specialist - Guardian is pleased to announce a partnership with Twiceme Technology, the rapidly growing safe-tech company out of Sweden. The partnership will debut with the integration of Twiceme's technology in the upcoming launch of Guardian’s B7-Comfort Harness planned to start shipping to customers late April 2023. Twiceme® is an integrated technology Twiceme® is an integrated technology that allows end-users to enter personal data into a piece of equipm...

Crowds were given the chance to meet emergency service workers and see the vital work they do to keep the people of Yorkshire safe.  Emergency Services Day at The Piece Hall in Halifax on Sunday saw hundreds of people getting an insight into the work of 999 staff, including firefighters, police, and ambulance crews. Road traffic collision equipment The event saw West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) join forces with West Yorkshire Police, Yorkshire Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambul...

One of the biggest topics within the fire industry in the last few years has been cancer prevention and awareness. Everyone knows the importance of this, but what is something that can be targeted immediately, to prevent preliminary exposure after being on scene?   NFPA 1851 specifies the recommended actions for the cleaning and drying of turnout gear. It defines three types of cleaning: preliminary exposure reduction, advanced, and specialized, which regard hazmat contaminants. Let&r...

The Safety & Security Event Series provides a platform for the industry's pioneer experts and organizations to showcase their latest products, services, and innovations. With a diverse range of exhibitors and attendees from various sectors, the multiple events offer unrivaled networking opportunities for professionals across the safety and security spectrum. The event returned to the NEC Birmingham from 25 to 27 April 2023, with a record-breaking number of visitors and exhibitors. The Fire...