Firefighter Health and Safety - News

CFS crews from the Halidon and Galga brigades have responded to a hay shed fire at Copeville. 2 trucks attended the incident but unfortunately the shed was unable to be saved with losses estimated at $230,000. Separately and closely monitored Firefighters have now left the scene but remain on standby as the land owner continues extinguishing the fire. CFS encourages farmers to take care in storing and monitoring the moisture of hay this season. Just one damp bale is enough to ignite a haysta...

CFS brigades from the Heysen group are attending a structure fire at the butcher shop and adjoining residential property on Mawson Road Meadows. 6 trucks and approximately 20 firefighters have contained the fire to the ceiling, stopping it from spreading to the rest of the building and home.  Fortunately, the occupant was safely able to evacuate the property, with SA Ambulance Paramedics treating them for shock. Losses are estimated at $200,000 and fire causes investigators have been conta...

This past week has seen two serious fires impact high-rise buildings in New York and Dubai, highlighting the continued dangers of lithium-ion battery charging and cladding issues. On the morning of 5 November, a significant fire broke out at an apartment building in Manhattan after a charging e-bike battery malfunctioned. The spreading fire and smoke prevented people from escaping, meaning firefighters had to perform a daring rope rescue, as footage showed residents hanging out apartment window...

The former firefighter - Tony Firth was acknowledged at an award ceremony for the fire prevention work he has carried out over the last 15 years. Tony won the Outstanding Contribution Award at the National Fire Chiefs Council’s Celebrating Prevention Awards 2022. The father of two and grandfather of seven joined West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) in 1977 and he said that one incident in particular made him determined to focus on fire prevention. Wearing protective gear It wa...

On Wednesday afternoon, 9 November 2022, SACFS crews were alerted to a house fire on Hindmarsh Island, approximately 10 kilometers east of Goolwa, South Australia. Twenty SACFS firefighters, on 3 fire trucks, arrived at the scene to find the first structure of a two-part house on fire with no one at home. SACFS crews, with the support of the SAMFS, were able to save the second, and newer, part of the house. Damage caused The fire caused approximately $150,000 in damage to the older section of...

During a House of Commons debate on the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, Michael Gove, agreed that the government should re-examine its stance on personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for disabled people. At a second reading of the bill on 7 November 2022, Michael Gove noted that work still needed to be done on building safety overall, adding that the outstanding concern over PEEPs was a ‘difficult and sensitive que...

Avon Protection’s range of protective equipment will be on display at CBRNe Protection Symposium on 20th-22nd September on booth #54 and #61. Avon Protection subject matter experts will help shape the future of CBRNe protection at the 14th CBRNe Protection Symposium in Malmö, Sweden, with two company presentations to focus on critical issues facing the CBRNe protection community worldwide.  CBRN protective equipment Avon Protection’s CBRN experts Hamish de Bretton-Gordon...

FirePro, in association with the Cyprus Organization for Standardization (CYS), has co-organized the meetings of ISO/TC 21 Committee, and its Subcommittees ISO/TC 21/SC3, ISO/TC 21/SC 5 and ISO/TC 21/SC 8. The event, sponsored by FirePro, took place from the 25th October to the 28th of October 2022, at Miramare beach hotel in Limassol, Cyprus, with Working Groups also taking place during that week. ISO/TC 21 Committee The ISO/TC 21, Equipment for Fire Protection and Firefighting Committee dev...

In his article for UKAS’s 2021/2022 Annual Report, Marcus Long, Chief Executive of the Independent International Organisation for Certification (IIOC), shares his perspective on the role of conformity assessment in emerging technologies. The fourth industrial revolution is opening a wealth of technologies that will benefit both the assurance industry and, more importantly, users of conformity assessment services. Accredited conformity assessment Organizations of all shapes and sizes re...

The former Firefighter - Tony is being acknowledged at an award ceremony for the fire prevention work he has conducted over the last 15 years. Tony is a finalist in the first-ever National Fire Chiefs Council’s Celebrating Prevention Awards 2022 in their Outstanding Contribution Award category. Tony's determination  The father of two and grandfather of seven joined West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) in 1977 and he said that one incident in particular made him determin...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is now accepting nominations for its Annual Fire Service Achievement Awards. NVFC recognizes the contributions of a lifetime volunteer firefighter, a leader in health and wellness, an outstanding junior firefighter, or a successful junior firefighter program.  Nominations are due by 5 pm EST on January 20, 2023 for the following awards: Lifetime Achievement Award - Sponsored by Lincoln Financial Group This award recognizes a volunteer firef...

Firefighters and staff have been praised for keeping communities across Tyne and Wear safe this Bonfire Night. Senior officers at Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service (TWFRS) have revealed the busy Bonfire weekend passed without serious incident. TWFRS saw a 1.1% decrease of total incidents from the 1st to the 6th November (Bonfire reporting period) across Tyne & Wear, when compared with the same time last year. Pockets of anti-social behavior, and calls about illegal bonfires, meant it...

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigations Board’s (CSB) safety video released on October 27, 2022 has reached one million views in just over a week, passing the one million mark on Friday, November 4, 2022. The video titled ‘Wake Up Call: Refinery Disaster in Philadelphia,’ details a fire, explosions, and toxic hydrofluoric acid (HF) release that occurred at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) refinery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, on June 21, 2019. CSB&rsq...

At 02h28PM on Sunday afternoon, 6 November 2022, SACFS crews were alerted to a truck fire on the Eyre Highway, at approximately 105 kilometers west of Ceduna, South Australia. Upon arrival, the SACFS firefighters found a prime mover engulfed in flames. Damage due to fire Eight SACFS firefighters in 4 fire trucks managed to save the second trailer on the prime mover, however, the prime mover and the first trailer were destroyed by the fire which caused in excess of $400,000 in damage. Farm Fi...

At 14h31 on Monday afternoon, 7 November 2022, the SACFS responded to a truck fire on Carawa Road, approximately 30 kilometers east of Smoky Bay, South Australia. Damage due to fire The SACFS firefighters found a prime mover and its trailer in flames when they arrived at the scene. The driver of the truck was unharmed by the fire. SACFS crews were able to save the second trailer, however, the prime mover and the first trailer, along with its contents of wheat, were destroyed by the fire. Adj...

The damage bill from the Struan Research Centre in the state’s South East on Saturday has been increased to $5 million, up from the initial reports of $2 million. In the early hours of Saturday morning at 12:24 am, approximately 30 CFS volunteer firefighters on seven trucks and two specialized HazMat response vehicles responded to the Struan Research Centre, 16 kilometres south of Naracoorte, in the state’s South East. Fire Cause Investigators On arrival, crews found the Struan Re...

Flames engulfed a former care home near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, on 5 November 2022, with crews from West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (WSFRS) sharing video footage of the blaze surrounding the derelict structure, which was in danger of collapse. Three fire crews and 10 fire appliances were dispatched when flames were spotted emerging from the former care home at 7 pm. At its height, 50 firefighters were in attendance alongside support officers. Multi-Agency response The service describ...

For the first time, coatings manufacturer - Hempel A/S participates in the UN climate summit COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Hempel joins the summit to support and push for accelerated decarbonization, especially in the maritime and renewable energy industries. Addressing climate crisis “The climate crisis is an urgent global challenge. Nobody can stand alone in this. I am proud that Hempel is at COP27 to take part in conversations about how we can accelerate moving the needle toward a...

 A.P.E Fire & Security is currently recruiting for highly talented Installation Engineers to join its team. Based in Bristol and across the South West, A.P.E Fire & Security design, install and maintain innovative fire and security systems for many establishments. The successful candidates will become a key part of the team, installing various high-quality security systems and devices. Immediate start required.

At approximately 06:45 AM on Saturday morning, 5 November 2022, SACFS firefighters were alerted to a fire in a 10x15 meter shed on a commercial property outside of McLaren Flat, South Australia. Twenty SACFS firefighters responded to the incident on 7 fire trucks. The fire caused approximately $200,000 damage to the shed, as well as to a vehicle and a forklift. The cause of the fire is unknown and fire cause investigators will attend the scene on Saturday morning.

Avon Protection is showcasing its range of personal protective equipment at AUSA 2022, designed to keep front-line personnel safe from battlefield threats, be they ballistic, chemical, or biological. The U.S. Department of Defense is the largest operator of Avon Protection equipment, including CBRN protective wear and Avon Protection Ceradyne and Team Wendy® ballistic helmets. Products on display  The company’s full range of ballistic and bump helmet systems will be on displa...

From December 7th to December 8th, 2022, the ninth edition of the VdS-BrandSchutzTage will take place in Cologne, Germany. The fire protection solution provider - WAGNER will present its portfolio of products and systems for plant fire protection at its booth C-06, focusing in particular on fire protection for lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are versatile and an indispensable part of everyday life. However, they also place special demands on fire protection. As an example, in addit...

A residential structure fire was reported in the 42000 Block of Sonoma Drive, Big Bear Lake, at approximately 1:41 pm, on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Upon arrival, fire crews observed smoke and flames to the exterior of the wood-framed living space above the garage. Crews quickly extinguished the fire within approximately 10 minutes. Fire crews remained on the scene for an hour to ensure completed extinguishment. The occupants of the home self-evacuated prior to the fire crew's arrival. Structu...

At 15:10 in the afternoon on Thursday, 3 November 2022, SACFS crews were alerted to a structure fire in Coote Place, Ceduna, South Australia. Fire Cause Investigators Upon arrival, the SACFS firefighters, responding in 6 fire trucks, found a caravan and an adjacent house on fire. Nobody was home at the time of the fire. The firefighters ensured that the fire did not spread to neighboring properties. The fire caused approximately $250,000 damage to the caravan and the house. Fire Cause Investi...

An update to the guidance issued by the Welsh Government about The Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022, has been published to permit the use of an Electrical Installation Certificate in lieu of an Electrical Installation Condition Report, when relating to a wholly newly built dwelling. The Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022 come into effect on 1st December 2022 for all new social and private rented tenancies and a year later f...

Avon Protection announces certification of its Argus range of thermal imaging cameras, which include the Mi-TIC E, Mi-TIC E L, Mi-TIC 320, and Mi-TIC S models. Once again, Avon Protection offers the most diverse range NFPA compliant thermal imaging cameras. NFPA1801:2018 is the latest edition of the ‘Standard on Thermal Imagers for the Fire Service’. First published in 2013, the standard defines the minimum performance requirements for Thermal Imagers worldwide. Key changes in the 2...

Shoplifting is the most commonly recognized security problem in retail. Crime statistics indicate there were 382,000 incidents of shoplifting in 2018 and there has been a steady rise in the number since 2013. Most thefts occur during busy shopping days and hours. Shop staff is usually too busy serving honest customers to recognize and deter the shoplifter. So, how can retail spaces improve their security to prevent potential theft and break-ins? CCTV Installing a retail store security device,...

An intercom system allows personal contact with visitors without the need to physically answer the door. They also provide a sense of security by allowing homeowners and building occupants to determine who’s at the door before letting them in. An intercom, talkback, or door phone is a stand-alone voice communication system for use within a building or small collection of buildings, functioning independently of the public telephone network. Most intercom systems are stationary and fixed to...

Avon Protection announces the launch of the CH15, a revolutionary new, ultra-thin, single-size portable escape hood that provides a minimum of 15 minutes of respiratory vision and facial protection against Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear threats. The last decade has clearly demonstrated how the threat profile has changed significantly. Currently, most threats are unplanned, the CH15 is a development driven after an emerging requirement from specialist users to provide instant pro...

Avon Protection announces the launch of the Tactical Mask Communications (TMC) System, a communications solution for customers to interface between their headsets to the Avon series Air Purifying Respirator. Tactical Mask Communications (TMC) system is designed for users of Avon Respiratory Protection Equipment who require a simple yet scalable Tactical Communications solution when 'masked up'. Tactical Mask Communications (TMC) System The TMC is simple to configure, install and use, with a r...