Fire Safety Testing - News

Gear Wash is now the firefighting industry’s largest turnout gear cleaning and repair operation, having acquired Minerva Bunker Gear Cleaners and its six locations. The agreement, which closed on May 13, also marks the largest Gear Wash acquisition to date and greatly expands our company’s growing roster of service providers committed to first-class care for the equipment worn by firefighters. “Minerva has been a leader in NFPA 1851 services—the indus...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has expanded its range of guidance with the release of three new and three updated documents. The new Advisory Notes 27, 28 and 29 released by the ASFP offer advice on particular issues of concern to the industry. Advisory Note 27 Advisory Note 27 provides advice on the structural fire protection of steel beams with corrugated webs. These fabricated sections, which were recently introduced to the market, offer a thinner steel plate than can...

Civil protection organizations are challenged now more than ever before. In addition to their tasks in everyday life, fire brigades, The Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), the German Life Saving Society (DLRG), the German Red Cross (DRK), Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe (JUH), Malteser Hilfsdienst (MHD) and the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB) are increasingly in demand for large-scale operations. Whether it is the corona (COVID-19) virus pandemic, flood disaster, forest fires or refugee crisis -...

The families of two much loved mother,s who lost their lives in a tragic care home fire, have backed the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) campaign urging the government to improve sprinkler regulations in England. Daphne Holloway, 88 and Ivy Spriggs, 91 sadly lost their lives, after an accidental fire ripped through Newgrange Care Home, in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, on 8th April 2017.  NFCC’s ‘Think Sprinkler’ campaign Daphne & Ivy’s daughters,...

Fire protection solutions company Advanced has appointed Sasi Kumar to accelerate growth in the Middle East and Africa as part of its progressive international sales strategy. Sasi joins Advanced from sister Halma company FFE Ltd. where he successfully grew their specialist beam and flame detector business in his role as Head of Sales for the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. Before that, Sasi worked in industrial automation at Siemens Ltd. Roles and responsibilities In his new rol...

A total of 640 years of service was celebrated at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Annual Long Service Awards. A group of 30 firefighters and staff were honored for their commitment to keeping their communities safe in a ceremony at the Birkenshaw headquarters in Bradford. badges and certificates Each year, on completion of 20, 30, and 40-years service, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service staff are presented with their badges and certificates by the Lord-Lieutenant of West Yo...

It has been nearly five years since the devastating fire that destroyed Grenfell Tower, which saw the loss of 72 lives. Others lost their homes, possessions, and loved ones, which changed the course of their lives forever. Since the tragic event, a public inquiry was conducted into the cause of the fire, leading the construction industry to come under heavy scrutiny. Hackitt’s Independent Review In May 2018, Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) will once again be hosting the ASFP Pavilion on stand FI1224 at FIREX International 2022, at London Excel from 17 May - 19 May, 2022. It will feature a Learning Zone, the ASFP Pavilion aims to help visitors to gain a greater understanding of the essential role of passive fire protection within the current built environment.  ASFP will be showcasing its range of training courses, guidance documents, and membership services and offering a...

The Fitness for Human Habitation (Wales) Act comes into effect 15 July, and will affect all landlords, whether social or private. The act identifies 29 hazards within the property where landlords need to meet minimum requirements. The FFHH act requires a smoke alarm, in proper working order, to be present on every storey of a dwelling. Landlords must ensure that each of these alarms is in proper working order and interlinked with all other smoke alarms connected to the electricity supply. Batt...

David Riella, joint owner of the Deganwy Hotel pleaded guilty to three offenses under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and has been ordered to pay £8,567 in fines and costs. He was also ordered to pay £4,537 in costs and a victim surcharge of £190 when he appeared before Bodmin Magistrates’ Court on April 26. The failures in the fire safety standards were identified by officers of Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service following a fire at the property in June 20...

Marion Body Works, a renowned national manufacturer of commercial truck bodies, fire & emergency apparatus, custom cabs, custom engineered vehicles, and defense bodies, announces plans for expansion. This milestone marks an exciting new chapter in the company’s 117-year history of family ownership. As of May 1, Marion Body Works has acquired additional manufacturing space located in Shawano, Wisconsin, USA, just 22 miles east of their main headquarters. New additional manufacturing s...

The club has been told it can only reopen once it addresses serious fire safety concerns. They were forced to close following a joint operation by Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service and Warwickshire Police. On inspection of the premises, the fire service found there was insufficient fire-resistant separation between the commercial premises on the ground floor and the means of escape from the upper floor residential accommodation. Inspectors also noted the absence of a working fire alarm when...

CertAlarm, an organization offering a pan-European quality mark in the fire protection and security systems industry, has confirmed the completion of its 4th cycle of round-robin test series. Round-robin tests are comparative tests, performed by the participating laboratories, at regular intervals and using the same test sample. As such, they are an important monitoring tool for CertAlarm’s partners and recognized test laboratories. Round-robin tests Round-robin tests enable quality sup...

Dräger (Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA), a globally renowned company in the fields of medical and safety technology, has launched the UCF FireVista, a Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC) that can be activated one-handed with just one button, thereby providing split-second access to critical visual support, within a firefighting incident. TICs (thermal imaging cameras) TICs (thermal imaging cameras) provide vital insight when visibility is significantly reduced, due to fire, smoke, or darkness...

The occupant was able to evacuate the premises safely, and the fire was already out when firefighters arrived on the scene thanks to sprinklers that had been fitted throughout the building. Fire officers say the incident highlights the value of fire sprinklers fitted in high-rise, residential buildings. benefits of retrofitting sprinklers All high-rise tower blocks in Doncaster have been fitted with fire sprinklers by St Leger Homes. The housing provider’s investment followed a joint fi...

Celsius plumbing and heating is a finalist in the most sustainable installer category at this year’s heating installer awards, thanks – in part – to its use of BigChange. This achievement recognizes the Edinburgh-based firm’s commitment to and success in achieving a more sustainable way of working. This includes working with BigChange to reduce paper waste and improve fuel efficiency, and Celsius’s commitment to spreading awareness and education of sustainable pra...

It is with deep regret that Mill Creek DE Fire Company announces the passing of Deputy Chief Emeritus John P. Fox. John had been battling failing health for several years. John was a go-getter from the moment he joined Mill Creek in April of 1963, holding many positions within Mill Creek, during his lifetime. He shaped many future officers within Mill Creek as an Advisor to Explorer Post 921. He was elected Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, Deputy Emeritus, Member of the Board of Directors and Com...

Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event hosted by the Mental Health Foundation which presents an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health. This year’s theme is tackling loneliness and understanding the links between loneliness and poor mental health. The aim of the week is to highlight the importance of having open conversations in communities and workplaces to build meaningful connections with friends, family, and colleagues. Society is changin...

Staff from Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service’s (NFRS) Fire Safety Team carried out a routine fire service audit on premises known as the China Cook, in Waterloo Road. Following the visit, a Prohibition Notice was served on November 26, 2021, preventing the use of upper floors for sleeping. It was issued as sleeping materials including beds and bedding were discovered on the first floor. Breach of a Prohibition Notice A follow-up visit on 10 December 2021, revealed a breach of the N...

Rocksilk RainScreen Slab is now certified for use in masonry cavities, in both high-rise rainscreen façades and domestic low-rise buildings situated in very severe exposure zones. The BBA certificate means that it complies with building regulations that state that insulation used in partially filled masonry cavities must have third-party accreditation. Rocksilk RainScreen Slab Our Rocksilk RainScreen Slab is already BBA certified for the broadest range of build-ups" “Our Rocksil...

With less than two weeks to go until the long-awaited IFSEC and FIREX International events return to ExCeL London, the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) has announced an extensive program of activity to ensure installers/integrators and those interested in gaining Third-Party Certification have plenty of reasons to attend and visit the NSI stand at IFSEC (IF4050). As the United Kingdom’s premier UKAS accredited certification body for the security and fire safety sectors, NSI will once...

Every fire emergency is different and may require various firefighting tools and strategies to safely and successfully save lives and limit damage to property and the environment. In addition to using the necessary fire trucks and other equipment, the proper firefighting agents must be used depending on the type of fire being suppressed. fire categories Fires are put into five separate categories, A, B, C, D, and K, largely based on what type of fuel is burning. Different categories require d...

Faatimah Mangera, a volunteer for West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service has been named runner-up of the ‘Young Person Role Model Award’ in the Women in the Fire Service Awards 2022. Faatimah, who completed the Prince’s Trust Team program with West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service in 2020, was nominated for the national awards for remarkable contributions to the Fire Service. Young Person Role Model Award The ‘Young Person Role Model Award’ category recogniz...

“We’re delighted to be returning to FIREX International this year and we relish the opportunity it presents to connect with our members, customers, and the wider fire safety sector,” said Jonathan O’Neill OBE, Managing Director of the Fire Protection Association (FPA). He adds, “FIREX will see the launch of several new and exciting FPA services including our Material Identification Laboratory, for identifying building insulation material; two fire resistance test f...

Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) announced a return to full fire responses for all grass, vegetation, and wildland fires across the District, because of the early arrival of seasonal fire weather. Full responses consist of a minimum of five firefighting apparatus and crews. Since December 2021, such responses had been reduced to a single engine based on the reduced threat during the winter months. wildfire season Con Fire is preparing for a challenging wildfire season a...

Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) and East Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (East Con) will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark joint staffing of Fire Station 55 in Oakley, California, United States of America. County Board of Supervisors District Three Supervisor, Diane Burgis, City of Oakley Mayor, Randy Pope, and other officials are expected to participate. Con Fire and East Con officials will be available for comment immediately following the ceremony....

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, has announced that authorized dealer - Reliant Fire Apparatus, Inc. will open a new 16,000-square-foot service center in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. Located on the northeast side of the metro area at the Interstate 80 and Interstate 35 interchange, the new service center will support Pierce Manufacturing’s customers not only in the metro area, but also customers across the state. New Service Center in Des Moines Brett Krueger, the Co...

Rosenbauer rounds off its product portfolio for fighting forest fires. The range already includes a complete line-up of robust forest firefighting vehicles, water-saving extinguishing systems (high/extreme pressure systems, compressed air foam systems), special technical equipment and lightweight personal protective equipment. Rosenbauer Firefighter Excavator Heavy equipment is now also newly added to the range, with the introduction of the Rosenbauer firefighter excavator. The vehicle can...

West Yorkshire Fire Service’s Technical Rescue Officer received an unusual call-out, after sheep grazing in a field behind a row of terraced cottages leaped over a 5ft gap and onto the tiled roof. Arriving in Newmillerdam, near Wakefield where the sheep had been stuck for several hours, before the Fire Service was alerted, Station Commander - Damian Cameron found one of the animals precariously close to a 25ft drop to the ground. sheep safety Then after one sheep leaped, a number of the...

Staff at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service joined fire services around the country and the world, as they gathered to observe International Firefighters Day. A minute’s silence was held at midday as fire service colleagues stood together in recognition of the commitment made by firefighters to keep their communities and local environments as safe as possible. role of firefighters Deputy Chief Firefighter - Dave Walton said, “International Firefighters Memorial Day is a day to...