Public Education - News

Fire safety in the built environment has become an ever more important design requirement in recent years. With a greater focus on testing and continuous product development, fire safety has never been more essential. From advancements in fire products and improved testing to changes in how people are approaching fire safety throughout the construction industry, demand continues to grow for safer, more reliable fire-resistant solutions. Optima will take a look...

Marion Body Works, a manufacturer of fire & emergency apparatus, has announced the addition of Neville Fleet Service to its dealer network. As of January 1, 2021, Neville Fleet Service is the official Marion Body Works dealer for Long Island, NY. Neville Fleet Service’s commitment to high-quality custom products was a huge driving factor in the partnership with Marion Body Works. best products available "The Neville Team is excited for the opportunity to bring Marion Fire Apparatus...

Globally renowned highway and security barrier specialists company, Hardstaff Barriers is proud to hold Constructionline Platinum membership for another year, highlighting the company’s continually high standards in performance, safety and efficiency. Constructionline provides a platform for buyers to identify quality construction suppliers which are validated and assessed in line with their membership standard. Platinum membership is the highest level that can be reached. Constructionli...

Cooking grease is indispensable for frying and cooking. It is an integral part of the preparation of our favorite dishes. But the dangers posed by heated oils and cooking grease are often underestimated. Grease fires are one of the most frequent causes of fires in private households. In commercial kitchens in hotels, restaurants, catering businesses, etc., fire can quickly spread throughout the building via grease deposits in ventilation systems. What makes grease fires so unique? Grease and...

Safety boots have come a long way, in the last few years and the availability of choices in safety footwear now is staggering. Safety work boots can vary widely, in terms of quality and features. Safety boots When considering safety footwear, certainly one wants to consider the level of protection that these boots are going to provide them, in a given work environment. However, one also needs to take into consideration the features that they offer, with regards to comfort and overall foot heal...

On Feb 1, 2021, a new mass vaccination center opened its doors in Bedford Heights, Bedford. This is one of six centers opening over the next month. Over 200 members of the public received their vaccination on the first day. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Station Commander, Robert Hulatt has been working with local partners, including the NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commission Groups to ensure the smooth set up and running of the centers. New vaccination cen...

Germany’s fire department training facility, The Institut der Feuerwehr NRW (IdF NRW), has ordered 109 Magirus LF20-KatS vehicles on behalf of the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of the Interior. The Euro 6 emission standard vehicles, on MAN TGM 18.340 BB 4x4 chassis with Allison 3000 Series™ fully automatic transmissions, form the largest ever order for firefighting vehicles in the state. A total of 38 vehicles have been delivered to local fire departments, with another 30 schedul...

Erickson Incorporated is pleased to announce that the firefighting contracts in the Hellenic Republic of Greece have been renewed for the 2021 fire season. During Erickson’s 21+ years of support to the Hellenic Fire Service, they have an impressive list of major achievements that include saving lives; supporting the 2004 Olympics; saving the Ancient Olympia Museum and the adjacent archeological sites; saving the archeological site of Ancient Messini; and the distinct honor of being recogn...

The Harris County Fire Marshal's Office coordinated an innovative medication mail-in program via the University of Houston, local fire departments, and Harris County Commissioner's Offices. The goal of this program is to encourage the proper disposal of prescription medication, limit the availability of high-risk prescription medications in homes, and reduce accidental poisonings and overdoses. "This program allows community members to safely mail in unused or expired medications for proper dis...

With all residents of the US state of California worried about ‘wildfires’, fire protection is primarily on everyone’s mind right now. No home is totally fireproof. However, with the right precautions, one can help safeguard their home, belongings and family, in the event of a wildfire. Making homes wildfire-resistant Listed below are just a few ways to quickly increase a property’s resistance to fire damage: Install tempered glass, multi-pane windows and screens If...

Alexander Enström joins coatings manufacturer, Hempel, to lead its marine organization, as Hempel looks to build on its leadership position in the marine industry. With a strategic ambition to double revenue by 2025, Hempel is keen to build on its leadership position in the marine segment. Hempel is already the pioneer in fuel-saving hull coatings and fuel-efficiency monitoring services, which help marine customers reduce fuel costs and radically lower their carbon footprint. The company...

There are many ways that portable gas detectors for personal use can deliver individual protection for key staff, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kevin O'Donnell, EMEA Business Development Manager at Teledyne (Teledyne Gas and Flame Detection), has answered some pertinent queries regarding the same. COVID-19 and gas detection link The packaging, transportation and storage of COVID-19 vaccines at low temperatures necessitate the use of dry ice, which is a form of carbon dioxide (CO2). If CO2 esca...

A mental health response car that is a joint initiative involving Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust and the East of England Ambulance Service is live across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, in the UK. The ambulance response car will be crewed by a paramedic and a specialist mental health practitioner and will respond to 999 calls where there is a mental health concern. Following funding from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group, it will operat...

As the rising number of COVID admissions pushes patient capacity limits, ensuring compliant fire safety has never been more important. As hospitals battle through the second major wave of the virus, concerns have been raised around the NHS’ on-going maintenance backlog and the impact on safety and infrastructure. In January 2021, figures suggested that the total backlog was the equivalent of the annual running cost of the entire NHS estate, which was around £9.7bn in 2019/20. Despit...

Open Security & Safety Alliance (OSSA), an industry body comprised of stakeholders from all facets of the security, safety and building automation space, has announced joining Euralarm, the association of European manufacturers, installers and service providers from the electronic fire safety and security industry. By joining the Security Section within Euralarm, OSSA will contribute valuable expertise in the domain of Internet of Things (IoT), while leveraging on Euralarm’s profound...

GFE is delighted to introduce a new module, the ZONE-MIMIC. Assembled in a Dual Gang (DG) Box, the ZONE-MIMIC is designed to be used with GFE's Chameleon addressable control panels. Features  The GFE team has developed a module for ‘Mimic Boards LEDs’, to signal fire conditions or system status for each individual zone. It also features a ‘lamp test’ input, a buzzer driver output, and a ‘local’ buzzer silence input. These are just some of the many feat...

An inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) confirmed that Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service (RBFRS) has adapted and responded to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic effectively, thereby highlighting the additional support that the fire service has been offering its communities, throughout this public health crisis. RBFRS response to COVID-19 In August 2020, the UK Home Secretary commissioned HMICFRS to examine how fire and rescue...

Volunteers are special people, willing to share their time and passion to help others, simply because they care and want to make a difference. Those inspirational individuals form an important part of Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS), working alongside operational crews and office-based teams to help keep communities across Kent and Medway safe. Trying new challenges KFRS is fortunate to have 34 volunteers supporting a range of roles, and now the service is looking to welcome more people...

The Agility team is excited to announce the addition of Solid Responder LLC as their first exclusive authorized dealer for the US State of Florida. Solid Responder Solid Responder is the brainchild of Joe Hernandez from Disaster Medical Solutions, who has served as the DHS/FEMA National Coordinator and Lead Instructor for the US&R Medical Team Training Program and Lead SME for current curriculum development at FEMA. Solid Responder provides equipment designed, developed, tested, and prove...

Rosenbauer America, a renowned global manufacturer of custom fire apparatus, has announced the appointment of Mark Fusco. He will be assuming the role of Vice President of Sales & Marketing at the company. Marketing and sales expert Mark Fusco brings with him more than two decades of marketing and sales experience to Rosenbauer America. His expertise includes channel development, go-to-market strategy, sales, inventory, and operations planning (SIOP), precision technologies, and data insig...

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have been recognized nationally for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, SFRS was praised for its positive contributions to the local community and commitment to the welfare of its staff. In August 2020, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) was commissioned by the UK Home Secretary to examine how fire and rescue services are responding to the pandemic. Effective command and control frameworks...

With distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine accelerating around the globe, hopes are high that society can reclaim a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy in the coming months. Organizations may look to call many of their remote workers back to physical buildings as the vaccine rollout continues. However, there are unique new challenges to in-person work in a post-pandemic world, as organizations who have maintained in-person workforces can attest. Managing an in-person workforce in 2021 Marc Bognar,...

Warwickshire residents are warned to check their chimneys as Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service has attended a series of chimney fires across the county in recent times. The Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service have been called out for multiple chimney fire incidents in Leamington Spa, Rugby and Northend, in the United Kingdom, just in the last seven days. Chimneys need to be swept regularly Residents are reminded that chimneys must be swept regularly by approved chimney sweeps, as consiste...

Firefighting kit has a number of functions. It protects crew members in a wide range of situations and makes them instantly recognizable in an emergency. Replacing the firefighting kit at the right time keeps fire firefighters and rescue personnel safe and comfortable, no matter what the emergency. Call outs for firefighters  According to the UK Home Office, in the last year, 28 per cent of call-outs for firefighters and rescue staff involved responding to fires, 42 per cent of call outs...

PACCAR and Aurora have signed a global, strategic agreement to develop, test, and commercialize autonomous Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks. This collaboration will integrate PACCAR’s autonomous vehicle platform with the Aurora Driver software, in order to enhance the safety and operational efficiency of PACCAR’s customers. Autonomous-enabled vehicles In the strategic partnership, PACCAR provides autonomous-enabled vehicles with industry-renowned quality, durability and reliability, r...

AVK International (AVK) is pleased to announce a new range of universal and dedicated encapsulation collars for repair of pipe sockets and pipe walls. Hydro Stop, Hydro Fast and Hydro Smart are ideal for performing safe and permanent repair under pressure. Hydro-Cos. S.r.l., the new member of the AVK Group, has developed a wide range of universal and dedicated encapsulation collars, and can also offer completely customized solutions for any leak. Standard encapsulation collars The standard en...

SFP, the restructuring and turnaround group, publishes a new free Guide to Business Survival with easy to follow practical steps which includes a number of remedies to help fire and security businesses navigate through the current crisis. The Guide to Business Survival is set up in three clear stages of keeping or getting a business back on track. True financial position Part One explores the steps a business can take without having to resort to borrowing, and the importance of a cashflow for...

Equipped with a quick-response operational mechanism, Early Suppression Fast Response (ESFR) sprinkler systems respond to flames in the initial stage of the fire development itself. They are high volume sprinkler systems that provide extraordinary protection for highly stacked storage occupancies. ESFR sprinkler systems These ESFR sprinklers are specifically designed to deliver copious amounts of water, so that the fire can be suppressed shortly after the sprinkler operates. Consequently, fire...

An ASIS International UK Chapter member for nearly 20 years, John A. Petruzzi, Jr., CPP, will serve as President of the association’s Global Board of Directors in 2021. John Petruzzi’s discussed his goals for the coming year in a Q&A session. The ASIS blog asked Petruzzi to discuss the impact of his ASIS volunteer roles on his career. Power of the ASIS family John A. Petruzzi said, “I’ve often said that I owe much of my success to the power of the ASIS family. From...

For anyone who is not aware and is responsible for fire extinguishers within their building, there has been a change for class D Powder extinguishers (which are used for metal fires). This change has been introduced with BS 5306-10:2019, published 31/10/2020, and supersedes BS 7863:2009 (which is withdrawn). clearer differentiation Guidance published in December 2020 by FIA (Fire Industry Association), states, “The major change is the color-code for class D Powder extinguishers (fo...