Firefighter Health and Safety - Case Studies

A fire that destroyed hundreds of rented units at a three-story self-storage warehouse in Manchester, United Kingdom, has once again brought into sharp focus the wider impact of fire and the vulnerability of buildings with no sprinkler systems. Self-Storage Tameside facility fire About 125 firefighters and 25 fire engines were called to battle the blaze at the Self-Storage Tameside facility, in Denton, on 21st February 2021. Thankfully, there were no injuries, but the wider impact to the hundr...

The innovative and globally renowned manufacturer of lightweight construction technology, Nemak Linz GmbH, has been relying on the high pressure water mist (HPWM) technology from AQUASYS for over 20 years. At the beginning of 2021, the extraction system was expanded. AQUASYS upgraded the new sections with single nozzles in less than 2 weeks and thus, ensured the rapid restart of business. Highly efficient cooling effect of HPWM The highly efficient cooling effect of the AQUASYS HPWM system pr...

Vimpex's Hydrosense Water Leak Detection System has been installed in Dublin Airport’s new Visual Control Tower (VCT) to protect the new state of the art facility from water ingress, which could seriously damage electrical, communication and computer networks. Visual Control Tower (VCT) The 87-meters high tower is Ireland’s tallest occupied structure and a commanding new addition to the city’s skyline. It comprises three separate but integrated building elements, the control...

Designed and implemented precisely to the customer's wishes and equipped with an extensive range of state-of-the-art equipment: The four new unique detection and decontamination vehicles for the Emergency Management Fire Rescue Bureau meet the highest demands. The requirements that the Chinese Emergency Management Fire Rescue Bureau outlined for the new detection and decontamination vehicles were very high. And thus, they posed a welcome challenge for Rosenbauer's experienced technicians, who d...

Following the successful delivery of more than 5,000 sets of high-quality structural firefighting PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) from globally renowned specialist PPE manufacturer, MSA Bristol (MSA Safety Incorporated) and its Australian distributor, Pac Fire Australia (Pac Fire), Australia’s Fire & Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) fire service has continued with their roll out and expect to have an additional 5,000 sets of structural PPE delivered by June 2021. The expectation is...

London Ambulance Service announced that 529 violent incidents have been reported between April 2020 and January this year. To protect their frontline workers, the Ambulance Service has started to roll out Motorola Solutions VB400 body-worn video solutions to help their frontline workers to deal with assaults and threats. “The health, safety, and wellbeing of our crews are of utmost importance. We want to take every precaution possible to ensure that our frontline people are safe whilst at...

The Allen-Stevenson School is a private school located on the Upper East Side locality in Manhattan, New York City, occupying two inter-connected buildings. Due to a need for additional space, the school expanded the existing buildings vertically, while renovating the remaining floors and constructed a new inter-connected building, adjacent to the original. The project proceeded in a phased manner and services included advising the client on appropriate phasing and implementation of the fire al...

The West Tower (Alexandria Center) is a fifteen story office building with technological and medical based tenants, constructed in 2015, in New York City, USA. FDNY fire alarm system LoA Since its construction, Sparc (Sparc Fire Protection Engineering, LLC) has assisted multiple tenants in the West Tower building in obtaining their FDNY fire alarm system Letters of Approval (LoA), which also allowed for the issuance of their Temporary Certificate of Occupancy or permanent Certificate of Occupa...

Rave Mobile Safety (Rave), the critical communication and collaboration platform that customers count on when it matters the most has announced Morris County, in New Jersey and Blair County, in Pennsylvania, are among the latest counties to leverage the company’s Vaccine Distribution Solution to identify and communicate with vulnerable populations, deliver tailored guidance and logistical information, and conduct ongoing check-ins to ensure the success of vaccine rollout. Vaccine Distribu...

The fire incident at Action Footwear store on Jan 25, 2021, that resulted in injuries to four Chula Vista Fire Department firefighters has been determined to be accidental. The National Response Team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), along with the Chula Vista Fire Department, completed the investigation into the origin and cause of the fire that occurred on Monday, Jan 25, 2021, at 5:40 pm, at Action Footwear, 655 H Street, Chula Vista, California. Action Fo...

AW Technology’s business is a truly global operation. With customers across every continent, AW Technology has a commitment to not only deliver its world class test tunnels and equipment, but to also provide a detailed program of aftercare and support. This commitment to customers sits at the heart of AW Technology’s core business philosophy and has undoubtedly played a huge part in the company’s continued growth and development. 3800 optical heat and smoke detector calibrati...

Swedish Sea Rescue Society (SSRS) in Sweden have enhanced their existing Sepura critical communications solution by upgrading to include Over the Air Programming, saving the team time and reducing costs while improving their programming capability. Sepura SC Series radio terminals Supported by Sepura’s Swedish partner, Northcomm Technologies (Northcomm), the rescue organization has been able to implement powerful changes to its programming capability by programming radios wirelessly, wit...

Apollo has been conducting thorough market research into healthcare buildings to gain a better understanding of the specific difficulties facing a fire detection system. In this article, Apollo explores its findings. There are over 1200 NHS hospitals across the UK, spread across 223 NHS trusts, ranging in age and complexity. Very few of them are single stand-alone buildings, instead, the sites usually represent complicated infrastructure networks that have grown and developed over a few decades...

When a fire broke out, in the early hours, at a food distribution warehouse in Hastings, United Kingdom, an automatic sprinkler system activated and extinguished it, minimizing damage and ensuring that the business would be able to return to operations later that day, with the little disruption caused due to the fire. East Sussex Fire & Rescue  On Sunday, October 4th, 2021, at 6 am, fire engines and firefighters from East Sussex Fire & Rescue were called to the A.F. Blakemore and...

The decision to replace two historic vehicles of the Greek Armed Forces, the Stagier trucks and the jeeps of the Mercedes-Benz GD, through a tender whose first part is estimated to have a budget of 550 million euros, mobilizes all major automakers active in defense, but also a number of companies specializing in the equipment of such vehicles. Replacing historic vehicles Some unofficial presentations have already been made in Athens, Greence by foreign groups According to information, some un...

As Australia takes careful steps to re-open its borders and economy, public safety personnel have continued to serve on the frontline throughout the nation’s lockdown owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic spread. This year has delivered extraordinary challenges for Australia’s public safety agencies, from managing safety and physical distancing in the field, to maintaining interoperable communication across state borders, during the intense pressure of natural disasters, as well as...

C-TEC’s revolutionary Hush Pro BS 5839-6 Grade C domestic fire detection and alarm system has been chosen for three iconic tower block developments in Manchester, United Kingdom. Located in the center of Piccadilly, Oxygen Towers is a striking set of three new 31-storey, 16-storey and 10-storey buildings consisting of 345 stylish 1, 2 and 3-bedroomed apartments and 12 spacious family townhouses. Protecting futuristic ‘vertical village’ Designed to provide the ultimate living...

When Thames Valley Air Ambulance’s Helicopter Emergency Medics became concerned about their current helmet due to its obsolescence and poor comfort, the charity contacted Vimpex who they were aware had successfully supplied helmet solutions to other Air Ambulance Services, including Lincolnshire and Kent. Pacific R6C Rescue Helmet Following meetings to identify product performance requirements, and a product trial by critical care paramedics and doctors, Thames Valley Air Ambulance chose...

Arriving this month at the Wayne Fire Department's fire house (POL Fire Company #2), located in Wayne, New Jersey, is a new and fully customized Toyne Pumper. Better known as POL (Property Owner's League) Fire Company #2, their new pumper not only adds more capabilities to their existing fleet, but it also upholds a long-standing tradition of honoring fellow firefighters. Wayne Fire Department Established in 1922, Wayne Fire Department (POL Fire Company #2) has served the residents of Wayne, N...

Cadiz Fire Brigade in Spain has recently taken delivery of new, state-of-the-art fire kit supplied by Bristol Uniforms, a globally renowned designer and manufacturer of protective clothing for emergency services across the globe. The contract was secured through Bristol’s international distributor, El Corte Ingles, who fought off stiff competition to secure the four-year contract. Ergonomic XFlex design Cadiz has ordered 780 sets of Bristol’s lightweight, ergonomic XFlex design (c...

Merchants House, located on Wapping Road in central Bristol, United Kingdom, was built in 1985 using masonry construction. The building boasts of 5 floors of office accommodation. Fire refuge, WC alarm installed APE Fire & Security were contracted by Merchants House to implement a range of trusted fire and security systems that would ensure safety and ease of security for their corporate tenants. The project included installing fire refuge, WC alarm, access control and video entry. APE Fi...

APE Fire & Security were contracted by Sulzer to help install high-definition, IP CCTV with 4K technology at their Avonmouth Engineering Workshop, in Bristol, United Kingdom. The installation was coordinated and planned in great detail to comply with Sulzer’s rigorous health and safety standards at the facility, and was set up to allow for plenty of scope in the future. IP CCTV with 4K technology  “From sending out the initial request for quotation through to installation...

A sprinkler system installed at a Hastings business has prevented serious fire damage caused by a fire. Fire safety crews from the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service were called to AF Blakemore and Son’s premises, located in Ivy House Lane, Hastings, United Kingdom, at 6 am on 4th October, 2020. East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service have praised the business establishment, AF Blakemore and Son Ltd. for installing the sprinkler system, which stopped a small fire quickly spreading throughout...

Firefighters across Cornwall are wearing brand new PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), procured through the UK Collaborative PPE Framework.  All 560 firefighters in the county have been equipped with two sets of new gold-colored structural coats and trousers, along with flash hoods, and a set of both structural and rescue gloves. Structural PPE The new PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), designed and manufactured by Bristol Uniforms, benefits from the very latest in fiber and fabric tec...

Bryx, a globally renowned provider of first responder technology products, will be installing its Bryx Station alerting system just 25 miles west of Orlando, Florida, at Groveland Fire Department. Fire Alert device installation  Bryx’s installation will follow Groveland Fire Department’s move into its new headquarters in the brand new public safety building in early 2021. The Bryx Station system is also being installed at the nearby Station 94, with an anticipated third instal...

Eight fire crews from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service were sent to Granville Recycling Plant, located in Telford, United Kingdom and at the peak of the fire, there were 50 firefighters battling the blaze, which impacted the entire landfill site close to the A5. Fire at Granville Recycling Plant Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service Group Manager and Fire Service Officer, Adam Matthews said that the firefighters are now on the verge of winning the battle and the number of firefighters deployed...

Animal disease outbreaks namely African Swine Fever (Virus from pigs), Ebola Virus Disease (Virus from fruit bats, chimpanzees, monkeys and gorillas), Avian Influenza (Virus from ducks, geese and swans), and H1N1 Influenza (a combination of viruses from pigs, birds and humans) brought devastated pandemic threats and became global challenges recently. The prevention, control, and eradication of diseases are agricultural concerns for biosafety and biosecurity to safeguard primary public-health pro...

A huge new Amazon fulfillment center on the outskirts of Bristol has installed Vimpex Smart+Guard tough polycarbonate hinged protective  covers to protect the building’s alarm call points from accidental or malicious activation, which could trigger costly building evacuations resulting in lost production and missed logistical connections. Life and fire protection system Amazon’s new 500,000 sq. feet fulfillment center at Severn Beach is designed to ensure that more people in t...

A network of fault-tolerant MxPro 5 fire panels from Advanced, have been installed at the UK headquarters of Computacenter. As an independent provider of IT infrastructure services, having robust fire protection measures in place at Computacenter’s UK logistics and distribution center is crucial to ensuring smooth operations. As part of a fire system upgrade and move towards a more open-style protocol, Advanced was selected as the preferred solution at Hertfordshire-based Computacenter&rs...

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced that it has secured an order for an Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower built on an Arrow XT custom chassis. Sold through Pierce Manufacturing’s dealer, Spartan Fire and Emergency Apparatus, Charleston’s second mid-mount tower order for the fire department follows a previous delivery of the same apparatus in September 2019. Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower The Charleston Fire Department’...