Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - News

Each year, unintentional poisoning from carbon monoxide (CO) - a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that can be lethal to humans and pets - kills at least 430 people in the U.S. and sends about 50,000 people in the U.S. to the hospital. As part of Carrier's Healthy Homes Program, and to make people more aware of the dangers of CO poisoning and how to prevent it in both their two- and four-legged family members, Kidde is recognizing CO Awareness Week from November 1-7, 2020. Residential smoke a...

Bristol Uniforms, a globally renowned designer and manufacturer of protective clothing for emergency services across the globe, has launched a brand new, state-of-the-art PPE design for structural firefighting, offering advanced protection to combat the new and emerging risks faced by modern day firefighters. EOS, PPE for structural fighting EOS, named after the Greek goddess of the dawn, builds on the success of Bristol’s XFlex and UK Collaborative Framework ranges, retaining the popula...

FlamePro, a British manufacturer of life-saving garments for firefighters, is celebrating a string of recent appointments within the firm, following recent business success. The specialist FR PPE provider has recently welcomed four new recruits over recent months; Vicki Jackson has joined as Internal Sales Executive, while Lorraine Costello, Zoe Colbeck, and Ellie Smith have all joined FlamePro’s NPD and design team. Enjoying significant growth The new recruits joined shortly before and...

A father of three is urging Kent residents to test their smoke alarms once a week, after a fire that left him and his daughter fearing for their lives, destroyed the family home. David Sercombe and his 22-year-old daughter Bronte, were the only ones home on the morning of 18 November, when a fire broke out in the stairwell leading to the basement of the property off Sandling Lane, in Saltwood, Hythe.  Their smoke alarms didn’t sound, and instead, a builder made David aware of smoke...

Innovators in fire technology, Geofire, launches the Deaf Alert, a safety device for the deaf and hard of hearing. The Deaf Alert is a digital, vibrating pillow alarm that uses ‘listening’ technology to activate on the specific sound of a home smoke alarm. Geofire has manufactured fire safety products in the UK since 1972. The Deaf Alert will join the Agrippa acoustic product line which includes the battery powered fire door holder and closer. Working smoke alarm The acoustic tech...

Global safety equipment manufacturer MSA Safety Incorporated announced that its next-generation Advantage 290 LS Air-Purifying Respirator (APR) is the first of its kind designed without an exhalation valve to receive approval from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). An elastomeric half-mask device, the Advantage 290 LS Respirator covers a wearer’s nose and mouth and utilizes twin filters to provide respiratory protection. elastomeric half-mask respirators...

It will all be over by Christmas, at least that’s what everyone thought (and hoped) when COVID-19 first hit back in the spring season. However, adapting to life and work in a COVID-19 world has proved a longer and harder road than many ever anticipated. For many unlucky COVID-19 sufferers too, the effects of the virus have been long-term. Whether symptoms are very mild, or more problematic, for most people, COVID-19 infection is a brief, acute illness. However, it is now medically recogni...

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has promised tougher regulations will improve building safety, after expressing his shock at last week’s revelations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Construction News has reported. According to the industry specialist, last week former Celotex Product Manager Jonathan Roper admitted that the firm’s sale of its insulation product alongside sales material that failed to mention it had only passed safety tests when placed alongside non-combustible magn...

Unused office space after coronavirus could cost London-based businesses almost £13bn, according to a new report by SpaceThreeTwo, a new office timeshare marketplace born out of lockdown. According to a survey of London office workers, employees want to spend an average of 2.7 days back in the office once all COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, assuming they have the resources to work from home comfortably (e.g. the right equipment, home office set-up, etc). One in ten workers (11%) s...

Global safety equipment manufacturer, MSA Safety Incorporated has announced that its next-generation Advantage 290 LS Air-Purifying Respirator (APR) is the first of its kind, designed without an exhalation valve, to receive approval from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Advantage 290 LS APR An elastomeric half-mask device, the Advantage 290 LS Respirator covers a wearer’s nose and mouth and utilizes twin filters to provide respiratory protection. The U....

Grassroots political organization Firefighters & EMS Fund worked directly with Neighbors for a Safer Kirkland to support Proposition 1, which would provide funding for new and renovated fire stations, 20 new fire/EMT positions, and the purchase of more PPE and other safety gear. Firefighters & EMS Fund got involved ahead of the election on November 3rd, and worked together with local organizations and leaders to contact and activate local voters. Mark Jung, campaign co-chair as well as...

Ground-breaking research has revealed the serious health risks to UK firefighters following exposure to toxic fire effluents, the chemicals emitted during a fire, in an independent University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) report commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The work is the UK's first and the latest in a growing body of international evidence suggesting an increased risk of firefighters developing cancer and other diseases. Fires produce a cocktail of toxic, irritant, and carci...

A firefighter needs to evaporate about 1 liter of sweat per hour to be able to regulate the body temperature when exposed to extreme heat. The human body is designed to function within a very specific temperature range between 36.5 and 37.5 Celsius. However, fighting fires test these limits and can increase a firefighter’s body temperature to over 38 degrees. Selection Of PPE While there are many factors to consider to reduce the impact of heat stress on firefighters – such...

What is considered one of any fire department's greatest challenges, when it comes to equipment carried on its apparatus? If anyone answers - how to get the most out of the available storage space, then theirs is the case with most fire departments. Fire departments have to make sure that all their fire apparatus is stored safely and is easily accessible at the same time. Ziamatic Corporation (Zico) has the right storage device for any equipment needed to carry aboard the fire apparatus. The na...

Asolvi, Europe’s provider of field service and contract management software, announces that it has agreed to acquire TIVAPP, the German field service solution for the fire protection and security sector. TIVAPP is a specialist service, inventory, test documentation and billing software solution, developed by fire prevention professionals. Founded in Germany, the company has over 20 years of experience in the sector. During that time, TIVAPP has built up a customer base and established its...

CU First Responders Finance (CUFR) is excited to welcome Firefighters First Credit Union as a lead lender to their business lending network. Firefighters First Credit Union will be originating commercial and business loans generated by the CUFR network of first responder credit unions. CUFR’s business lending solutions CUFR’s business lending solutions provide an online platform for member credit unions to refer their members’ business loan requests to a trusted lender. They...

The mission is to develop the Twiceme concept into a global standard and the vision is to create safer adventures and working environments for people exposed to a greater risk of accidents. An essential part of this is building trust and recognition of the Twiceme symbol among rescue professionals and end-users. With increased support from the global rescue community, Twiceme Technology is on the right track to becoming a worldwide pioneer of accessible vital info. A Future Tool for Rescue Pro...

Having the ability to effectively inspect, diagnose, and document trouble spots are crucial for property managers, facilities maintenance staff, building inspectors, contractors, electricians, service technicians, plumbers, and even homeowners. It requires the aid of effective tools, including thermal imaging, to quickly recognize and resolve those trouble spots. That’s why FLIR has introduced its latest entry-level Cx-Series camera, the FLIR C3-X™, a compact thermal camera packed w...

The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) is researching the impact of COVID-19 on first responder organizations and asking for your help. The START project hopes to measure the impact of COVID-19, identify and share best practices, and identify ways to strengthen first responder organizations for future pandemics. Research This research is part of a larger study funded by the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorat...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors have introduced the latest video interview in their six-part campaign series, Faces of Fire/Electrical hazard awareness campaign, which features personal stories of people impacted by electrical incidents, demonstrating the need for continued education and awareness about electrical hazards in the workplace and at home. Firefighter safety Awareness Luis Nevarez, Fire Chief in the City of Tulare Fire Depa...

The committee welcomed the International Fire Safety Standards: Common Principles: “Safe Buildings Save Lives” Following Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Global Building Standards Director (Fire Safety Lead) Gary Strong’s presentation in October, there has now been confirmation from the UN that the IFSS document will be published as a UN ECE standard. UN sustainable goals The document: International Fire Safety Standards: Common Principles: “Safe Buildin...

LION First Responder PPE, Inc., one of the largest family-owned manufacturers of first responder protective equipment (PPE) and training products, launched a new line of lower cost, turnkey container-based training structures. TrainingReadyTM Container Systems are designed to be ordered and delivered in a fraction of the time it takes for construction of a typical container-based structure. TrainingReadyTM Container Systems are packed with innovative safety and training benefits that come stand...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is seeking U.S.-based fire departments for the second phase of their Community Risk Assessment (CRA) dashboard project. Much like Phase I, participating departments in Phase II will receive free access to a personalized NFPA CRA Digital Dashboard for three months, in addition to professional networking and development opportunities surrounding Community Risk Reduction (CRR), in return for feedback about the tool. NFPA CRA Digital Dashboard With...

The latest two winners have been announced in MSA Safety Incorporated’s and DuPont’s 2020 Globe Gear Giveaway. Douglas City (CA) Volunteer Fire Department and Cooper Landing (AK) Emergency Services will each receive four sets of state-of-the-art turnout gear and four helmets to increase the safety of their members. Providing turnout gear MSA, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) team up each year to help volunteer fire departments obtain much-needed gear. With the...

Ponsse (Ponsse Oyj) has announced the release of firefighting equipment to be installed in the load spaces of forwarders for extinguishing wildfires efficiently. “Forest machine is the most natural and effective way to access a forest fire area. Operations in difficult terrain come as second nature to them, and they have more than enough capacity in their hydraulic system for demanding conditions,” said Juha Haverinen, Ponsse's Product Manager of forwarders. Firefighting equipment&...

Vestas rewards Hempel with the Sustainability Award 2020 for supporting them on their journey to become CO2 neutral by 2030. innovative solutions After a long‑term collaboration, Vestas and Hempel have recently extended their relationship to a strategic partnership focusing on developing innovative solutions for the surface protection of wind turbines.  As a part of the partnership, Hempel has identified multiple initiatives that can reduce both CO2 and waste at the Vestas site in Pueblo...

Chris Watts of Eaton Lighting offers guidance for BAFE on behalf of the BAFE SP203 Monitoring Group. BAFE SP203-4 is for the design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of emergency lighting systems. Any period of shutdown generates potential problems and opportunities for testing and servicing of emergency lighting systems. The current lockdowns have an added dimension as it applies to sites that are not normally unoccupied and people responsible for the operation of the system should...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) has become the first UK fire service to receive professional recognition for its extensive incident debrief process. As part of its commitment to continuously learn and improve, the service has made significant and pioneering changes to its formal debrief process, making it more thorough and inclusive of all departments involved in an incident from the first 999 calls both operational and non-operational personnel. CPD recognition In light of the improvemen...

Open-plan spaces remain hugely popular in architecture. Giant leaps of engineering achievement have made incorporating large open spaces in modern buildings easier than ever – but the resulting complexity can make protecting them from fire challenge. Concertina fire curtains offer a unique way to compartmentalize almost any open-plan space, even when the mounting surface isn’t immediately obvious. Normal vertical fire curtains can compartmentalize whole sections of space in straight...

An update from Director of Schemes, Chris Auger, outlining issues raised by the new lockdown measures to be introduced on November 05, 2020. Due to the recent second wave of the COVID-19 coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown announced by the Prime Minister on Saturday 31st October 2020, BAFE has had to review the situation regarding refresher certificates and technician assessments. different levels of restriction Although the announcement only applied to England, there are also different...