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Dahua’s fire prevention solution

News Desk /

A forest fire (also known as wildfire) is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation such as forest, grassland or prairie. It is often caused by human activities or natural phenomenon like lightning. Nevertheless, according to a World Health Organization report, in 50% of wildfires recorded, the cause that triggered them is unknown. Mountainous regions, like Rizhao in Shandong Province of China, is vulnerable to forest fire. Recognied by the United Nations in 2009 as one of the most habitable cities in the world, this city consists sof 4,358 mountains, with a forest area of 1,400 square kilometers that account for 70% of the region. The Illegal wood burning in the area, if not controlled properly, can lead to a disastrous wildfire. For decades, forest rangers manually scout and monitor the area, walking nearly 10 kilometers of treacherous trails for several hours a day to safeguard the forest against threats like wildfire. However, this arduous method of patrolling is inefficient as it will be difficult to respond in time in case of emergencies. As their first line of defense, they need a robust solution that can monitor and spot fire sources in time to prevent possible forest fire. At the beginning of 2020, Dahua Technology provided an intelligent forest fire prevention monitoring system for Rizhao. This solution realises automatic early warning of fire, real-time fire control and closed-loop response through digital intelligence technology, significantly improving forest fire prevention and dispatch. At present, high-altitude dual-lens thermal imaging cameras cover the main mountains in the city, carrying out 360 ° remote monitoring 24/7. This solution also offers real-time sensing and intelligent management of people and vehicles coming in and out of the forest areas. Forest fires are often difficult to detect in deep mountains and forests with high vegetation, which often causes late detection and response. Through the integration of AI algorithms and thermal imaging technology, fire detection time is shortened, allowing the device to detect smoke and fire source within a radius of nearly 10 kilometers. The fire’s location, intensity, and surrounding conditions are initially determined and sent to the operator’s mobile phone, allowing relevant personnel to respond in time within the ‘golden time’ of extinguishing early fire. Furthermore, in order to reduce false alarms, the system adopts algorithms for deep smoke and mountain scanning, thus improving the accuracy of real fire alarms and saving manpower and material resources. Fire prevention personnel are no longer exhausted of their daily duties, which helps boost their enthusiasm at work. In addition, this solution also includes a forest fire prevention platform that operators can use to check for any fire situations. It can also guide them for effective decision making and timely dispatch of personnel to the scene, achieving a closed-loop management of fire prevention – from discovery, dispatch and feedback. After half a year of operation, the system has detected more than 30 real mountain fires. The average number of fires found every day during fire season has significantly decreased by 80% compared with the initial stage of the project. This reflects the effectiveness of the solution in fire monitoring and the increasing awareness of villagers regarding fire safety.   To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Profab Access introduces industry first

News Desk /

Profab Access has launched a revolutionary certified frame system that sets a new standard for innovation, fire performance and functionality, making the installation of riser doors on site safer, faster and simpler. The only product of its kind currently available, the expertly engineered PRECISION adjustable frame completely transforms the installation process for construction professionals and streamlines the specification process for architects and specifiers. This is achieved through the product’s unique construction, which enables the frame to be fully adjusted to meet the specific dimensions of each structural opening, when installed into a flexible or solid wall construction. Featuring a continual adjustable steel packer system, the PRECISION adjustable frame ensures the installation is fit for purpose by providing the highest standards in accuracy, whilst also removing the requirement for traditionally used packers during installation. The engineered frame also features built in factory applied intumescent fire rated mastic strips to the outer frame, which provides fire stopping between the wall and the frame. This eliminates the reliance of the correct thickness of intumescent mastic bead being applied, removing any potential margin for error and ensuring compliance and adequacy of the entire installation. The patented PRECISION adjustable frame dramatically reduces fitting times and is now supplied as standard with Profab Access’ high quality steel INTEGRA 4000 Series Fire Rated Riser Door. Profab Access is the UK’s first manufacturer to have its concealed Riser Doors bi-directionally fire tested and certified by an accredited third party. The PRECISION adjustable frame has also been bi-directionally fire tested as an entire doorset with the INTEGRA 4000 Series Riser Door for up to 120 minutes, receiving the CERTIFIRE accreditation for installation in unlined shaft walls and solid wall construction. This provides architects, specifiers and contractors with a completely certified solution, as both the frame and the riser door have been bi-directionally tested as a single doorset and are supplied with comprehensive documentation to evidence their performance credentials and adherence to all relevant regulations, including BS EN 1634-1:2014 +A1:2018. Marcus Parnham, Commercial Director at Profab Access, said “As one of the industry’s leading manufacturers, we have a responsibility to push the boundaries of this product category and ensure every access solution we supply delivers the highest standards in performance and compliance. “Our new patent pending PRECISION adjustable frame represents a real step change for the industry, supporting professionals in fulfilling their duty of care by going above and beyond current legislation in delivering the highest standards of due diligence and achieving constant compliance for the entire doorset, including the materials used throughout the installation process as well as increasing the efficiencies of installation. The frame is the result of our unwavering commitment to innovation and providing the built environment with the very highest standards in access solutions.” The PRECISION adjustable frame is constructed with an all-in-one smoke, intumescent and acoustic FS1000 seal, eliminating the need for additional intumescent mastic bead application when installing the frame into a flexible or solid wall construction. This cost efficient and sustainable material contains no halogen compounds and will not emit toxic gas when heated, ensuring the safety of building occupants in the event of a fire. As an official Made in Britain member, Profab Access’ comprehensive portfolio of Riser Doors and Access Solutions are manufactured at its headquarters in Atherstone by its experienced team of design and engineering experts. To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Big Interview – Brent Brooks

Big Interview, Exclusives /

Fire Buyer catches up with Fire Buyer Live speaker, Brent Brooks Specialist and Firefighting Captain at High Rise Firefighting to discover the key learning points for his session  You are a headline speaker at Fire Buyer Live, what can we expect from your session?  I plan on making a high energy presentation. Short clips from a city with 3000 high-rise buildings and two dedicated High-Rise Response Trucks. Most firefighters have never seen a “special tactic” used at a high-rise fire. I’ll demonstrate how special tactics are used and their outcomes, specifically the Bresnan Distributor nozzle being deployed off the roof of a high-rise building. Most fire departments are struggling to find a solution for buildings with a catastrophic failure above the 50th floor. We have a plan for that.  What knowledge and experience do you bring to the virtual event?  I am currently a Firefighting Captain assigned to the High-Rise Unit. I present and instruct hands-on training classes (H.O.T.) to our recruits and inservice crews. I have become a subject matter expert on “High-Rise Tactics” and issues related to large diameter hoses.   I have served on numerous committees and helped develop our Incident Management System (I.M.S.), training and RND for High-Rise Operations. I donate my time attending conferences, symposiums, and hands-on training internationally. I have spoken on complex building systems, help run the Canadian High-Rise Conference, initiated the High-Rise Round Table in Toronto and hosted the Toronto & Montreal High-Rise Summit. I am a member of the Council Of Tall Buildings based out of Chicago IL and represent Canada as a member of the T70 Tall Building Safety Committee based out of London, England.   I share information with Fire Departments from all over the world and have developed a network of experts in relation to high-rise firefighting. I instruct at the yearly high-rise operations conference (H.R.O.C.) in the USA and continue my education by attending four other firefighting conferences yearly.   You specialise in high rise firefighting, how does this differ to ‘typical firefighting’?  When firefighters respond to a high-rise fire, we arrive at the building’s address, not at the fire’s location. We still have to make our way aloft and find the fire floor and then the fire unit. (This would be equivalent to parking a city block away from a house on fire, then walking to it.) Tasks do not happen quickly in a high-rise building because of our vertical response time. The incident commander is in the blind as they cannot see the firefighting crews. The 360 size-up takes time to complete as some buildings cover an entire city block. The standpipe system and building’s fire pump(s) readiness are unknown, whereas our fire trucks are tested daily. Getting “water on the fire” is made worse if one of the building’s systems fail.  How does equipment/apparatus differ for tackling high rise building fires?   High-rise buildings are becoming taller with more complex layouts and systems. A standard fire truck is not capable of carrying all the equipment needed for these mixed use buildings. A fully staffed fire truck with high-rise specific equipment is helping our vertical city deal with fires more efficiently.  We have designed a new fire truck to help us solve 12 of the main problems as outlined in “High-Rise Firefighting”.  Reaction Time  Objects Falling From Heights  Communications-Premises Security  Complexity Of Internal Layout  Water Supplies  Physiological Demands and Physical Workload  Failure of Electrical Systems-Casualty Retrieval  Fire And Smoke Spread  Effects of Wind-Catastrophic building system failures  To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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WEBER RESCUE SYSTEMS organises the 18th rescueDAYS

Event News /

After two successful years as an online training course due to coronavirus, rescueDAYS is finally to be held live again this year. As partners, the city and the fire department of Paderborn join together to support the event. “After having conducted rescueDAYS digitally in the last two years, we are looking forward to being able to conduct intensive and instructive training days on site in direct exchange with our participants,” said Jannik Heller, Head of Training at WEBER RESCUE SYSTEMS, optimistically  about the planned event in Paderborn. “Even though training content can be conveyed well online, direct contact with the users of our equipment is very important to us. And last but not least, rescueDAYS is an experience that inspires through practical work with the devices and also the exchange of experiences amongst each other!” From October 6-9, on the grounds of the 1994 State Garden Show, practical applications of rescue equipment will be taught in the form of various deployment scenarios. The two-day seminars, each with eight stations, will be managed in cooperation with the city of Paderborn and the Paderborn Fire Department. Parallel to this, the rescueDAY SYMPOSIUM will take place on Friday and Saturday, with interesting specialist presentations and renowned experts from the firefighting scene. “As the world’s largest training event in the field of technical assistance, the rescueDAYS are an excellent opportunity for our full-time and volunteer forcesto further their training due to the wide range of practical exercises and state-of-the-art technology. We are all the more pleased to be able to participate this year as organisers,” said Cyrill Stute from the technical department of the Paderborn Fire Department, who has brought the event to Paderborn. Around 700 participants from all over the world are expected to take part in the rescueDAYS experience. The WEBER RESCUE SYSTEMS team of instructors is also international. Registration for rescueDAYS 2022 will be open from March. To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Hochiki life safety at special educational setting

News Desk /

Based in Norfolk, the Fred Nicholson school meets the educational needs of 162 pupils who have Educational Health and Care Plans identifying learning difficulties and a range of associated complex needs, including some children who receive specialist Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) provision. Offering a personalised curriculum with high staff to pupil ratios, the school offers national curriculum and learning experiences that are relevant to their pupils needs which enables them to achieve. The school also offers residential provision to help further the life skills of certain pupils. Following scheduled servicing, the need to update the existing conventional and 2-wire systems was identified, and the school underwent an upgrade to an addressable life safety system. TP Fire & Security was enlisted to help with the design and installation of the new system, and Hochiki, manufacturer of life safety products, was chosen for its reliability and ease of installation of its various product ranges. Across the school L2 safety coverage was required, whereas ‘live-in’ areas such as dormitories required complete L1 coverage (much the same as a hospital or hotel) which included automatic fire detection. Hochiki’s ESP addressable range was installed, due to its quality, reliability and diverse range of intelligent products including; high performance sensors, flexible input and output modules and an assortment of ancillaries, perfect for a school environment where the fire detection system needs to have a bespoke and flexible design. Hochiki’s Ekho hybrid-wireless fire detection range was also installed and would interface with the main panel via a loop-powered translator module, for the schools mobile and outdoor classes. As an educational setting with children with learning difficulties and ASC, it was extremely important to the school to keep disruption to an absolute minimum to avoid distressing the pupils. The flexibility and ease of installation of the Hochiki products was key to the success of the project as explained by Kevin Harris, Technical Design Manager “A big plus with Hochiki products is how simple they are to install – it’s why they’ve become our go-to supplier for the past 20 years. Many other manufacturers only offer hardwire solutions, and for locations such as schools and care homes, keeping the installation simple and reducing on-site time is a huge win as this helps ultimately to reduce the disruption to both staff, and the day-to-day occupants”. To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Product spotlight – Stopper Range

Exclusives /

Protecting the things that protect you for over 40 years, the Stopper Range has evolved to help prevent misuse, theft, and damage to vital life safety equipment  Globally recognised, the UL listed Universal Stopper is an indoor and outdoor, low profile or domed, polycarbonate covers protect devices such as manual call points, emergency buttons and dual action pull stations – without restricting legitimate operation. The versatile cover offers excellent protection against physical damage, both accidental and intentional, dust, and grime as well as severe environments.  As recommended in BS 5839-1:2017 manual call points can be fitted with a protective cover to prevent false fire alarms. The British Standard Institute recommends in section 20.2B), that: “All MCPs should be fitted with a protective cover, which is moved to gain access to the frangible element.”   The Stopper ranges protection of important life safety equipment extends to detection devices with the UL Listed Steel Web Stoppers, designed for areas where smoke detectors are vulnerable to abuse. The web-like octagon shape of the heavy-duty cages, with corrosion-resistant plastic coating or heavy-duty stainless steel wire, makes them very difficult to break. They cover and protect virtually every smoke detector model available.  In areas where there is a risk of fire, appropriate firefighting equipment must be provided, required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Should premises fail to meet fire extinguisher regulations you could find that in the event of an incident, your insurance will not pay out. Regulations state that fire extinguishers should be either mounted to a wall or placed in a stand to discourage people from moving them around. However, this advice is regularly ignored with extinguishers commonly used to prop open doors.  The Theft Stopper has proven highly effective in helping prevent theft, misuse or vandalism of fire extinguishers and other important life safety devices. The self-contained alarm leaves the protected device accessible for use in real emergencies. Made from virtually indestructible polycarbonate housing the self-contained device is both tamperproof and sturdy.  Under the same Article 14 of Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005: “Emergency doors must not be so locked or fastened that they cannot be easily and immediately opened by any person who may require to use them in an emergency,” meaning “in the event of danger, it must be possible for persons to evacuate the premises as quickly and as safely as possible.”  The Exit Stopper is a unique and highly effective way to alert you to any unauthorised exits or entries through emergency exits and fire doors. It can also serve as an inexpensive security device and help prevent theft. It is available in red or green and can be installed on almost any type of door, including remote placement of the sounder. The highly visible ‘STOP’ sign discourages unauthorised use of emergency doors.  To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Ask the Expert – Bettina McDowell

Exclusives /

Bettina McDowell, General Manager, International Water Mist Association talks to IFB about the benefits of water mist as a form of fire suppression The International Water Mist Association (IWMA) is the first association of its kind dedicated exclusively to water mist firefighting and related technologies. The IWMA was founded on 4th April 1998 and began maintaining a permanent office at the beginning of 2000. From the IWMA’s international headquarters in Hamburg, Germany, it supports the continued development, research and applications engineering of generic water mist systems. IFB sits down with Bettina McDowell, General Manager, IWMA to find out why water mist is so efficient and effective against fire.   What sets the International Water Mist Association (IWMA) apart from other fire safety leaders’ organisations?   Every organisation is unique due to where the people in it come from and where they are headed. IWMA represents manufacturers, installers, distributors, approval bodies, educational and research institutes etc. involved in a technology which is not new, but which received the all-decisive boost just over three decades ago. Our members had to find their place in a well-established surrounding based on theories that I would say were and still are expandable. To understand water mist, one has to look at firefighting from a different angle and it is one of our main tasks to invite those involved in firefighting to change their perspective. This is not always easy, but the water mist community is ambitious and persistent – without being too pushy. We believe that the main question has got to be: which is the best firefighting method for any one application? And the fact is that in many cases it is either water mist or water mist is one of the most suitable choices.   After a 12 month break due to the Covid-19 pandemic the water mist community met in Warsaw in October 2021 for the 20th International Water Mist Conference. What was it like to meet again?   First of all, I must say that I was amazed about the number of registrations. At the end of the day, we had as many delegates in the conference room as always – among them many new faces which was great. I think everybody was happy – after 18 months of travel restrictions and hardly any opportunity to network – to renew contacts, to form new business relationships and to have the odd chat about this and that. A while ago we talked about whether it would make sense to meet every other year, but the current situation and the year without this event has shown us that this is not an option.  Where and when will the 21st International Water Mist Conference take place?   The 21st IWMC and Exhibition will take place on 9th and 10th November at the Elba Madrid Alcala Hotel and like in Warsaw, IWMA will again offer special prices for locals. This is a great opportunity for Spanish firefighting experts who would like to learn more about the technology – but of course for everybody else from all other parts of the world as well. The call for papers has been released and can be downloaded from the IWMA webpage. The abstract deadline is 16th May – the day when also the conference webpage will be activated, and the ticket sale starts – and on 1st July the conference programme will be published. We will again, I am sure, have two days filled with interesting and informative presentations on water mist in action and also on research and testing. And we will invite the winner of the IWMA Young Talent Award.     To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Ask the Expert – Martin Joosen

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Martin Joosen, Managing Director for EMEA territories at LION discusses exclusively fire training and the environmental responsibilities of the fire industry  Fire Buyer Editor, Rebecca Spayne sits down with equipment expert Martin Joosen, Managing Director for EMEA territories at LION. Martin has more than 20 years of experience in International Business, 17 of which are in the Fire Rescue Market. He joined LION in 2018. LION is an innovative technology company providing worldwide fire training equipment for firefighters and first responders. LION makes equipment to help your team get ready for any emergency scenario.  How does LION maintain its market leading position in the fire industry?  We provide different distinct emergency training solutions for all training scenarios like rural & urban, industrial firefighting, offshore, maritime, HazMat, airport and Urban Search & Rescue Training.  We focus on bringing new training solutions that will prepare first responders for real-life events. It can be “greener” solutions like digital training units or smoke treatment patented systems, for example. But also training units that are cost effective in terms of patterned and consistent training modules, or resource consumption like gas. There are only 2 things with which we never compromise:  Safety: All our training solutions propose simulation that let you feel the intensity of fire within controlled environment where you can take control of the situation at any moment you want.  Realism: We provide training environments where you can use all firefighting techniques necessary. You aren’t constrained by your training environment scope, all situation and responding fire behaviour can be reproduced. You aren’t affected by weather conditions ad all scenarios are consistent and easily repeatable.  What benefits can real-life training provide?  As we mentioned earlier, real-life training is a must for all frontline responders. The more realistic you train the better you will be ready for your next intervention or emergency. Real-life training aims to provide mostly “muscle memory” this is those action that quickly become reflex. You don’t think anymore you act right away. You can respond and react to most fire behaviour and use the fittest firefighting techniques within seconds.  What are digital fire simulators?  When training with digital fire simulators you give your trainees the skills they need without the time-consuming setup and health risks of traditional burns. LION digitally enabled training offers the same unpredictability and variety, you see in actual emergencies – and it’s safer and more repeatable.   LION digital fire simulators combine digital flames, sound and smoke to create realistic fire conditions that respond directly to hose line application. Fire growth and smoke conditions are based on fire research data provided by nationally recognised labs. Smoke output is tied to the size of the fire and the time since ignition. Once the fire is started, it will grow and extend to additional panels while producing realistic volumes of smoke.  What is the most important aspect of fire training?  Repetition. This is key for everyone training. You need to train again and again to develop physical strength and technical skills, enhance knowledge of building construction or fire behaviour. But it is also crucial to train as often as possible to improve the ability to work together with others as part of a coordinated team.    To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Quick fire – Nathan Hudson

Exclusives /

Nathan Hudson, Sales and Marketing Director at Hochiki Europe  What does ‘Fire protection’ mean to you? Fire protection, whether active or passive, is all about looking after what is most important to us. That includes building and infrastructure but, more importantly people. I am lucky to work in an industry that protect lives. What’s your all-time favourite movie? The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, a fantastic French film with some important life lessons. If you weren’t in the fire industry – what would you be doing and why? Teaching Sailing on a Greek Island What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received? Let the world turn before making rash decisions. Describe yourself in three words? Positive – Fixer – Listener What makes you excited about the future of the fire industry? Seeing the talent within our organisation and wider industry and the passion for innovation excites me. I think fire protection will get smarter, more discreet and offer even broader capabilities. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Continuing to contribute and support the sustained growth of Hochiki Europe’s exciting long-term strategy. Describe a weirdest thing that happened to you recently? Driving home from work (40 Miles) and finding a kitten stuck in the engine, thankfully still alive. I was then able to use the national press and social media to reunite the cat with its owner. What’s the most interesting thing about you that we wouldn’t learn from your CV? I recently completed a 300km charity bike ride. Despite the exhaustion it was absolutely worth the effort as I managed to raise £6K for a local children’s hospice. What is one thing you would make compulsory in the office and one thing you would ban? I would ban the vending machine or make it compulsory that I don’t have access to it. To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Suppression technicalities

Exclusives /

Fire Buyer Live media partner, FSSA, discusses exclusively for Fire Buyer the technical aspects of gaseous fire suppression systems  The FSSA are a specialised suppression systems association dedicated to educating the industry in suppression equipment, techniques and materials. The FSSA is a media partner of the must-attend, virtual event Fire Buyer Live. As a media partner they will also be supporting the conference agenda with a dedicated speaker, Lance Henry from Stat-X who will discuss extinguishing agents and their role in special hazard fire protection. Continuing this theme, Lee Kaiser, PE, Chairperson of the Fire Suppression Systems Association (FSSA) Technical Committee explores the technicalities of gaseous fire suppression.  The activation of a gaseous fire suppression or extinguishing system at a facility requires a nuanced approach from trained responders. Gaseous fire suppression systems discharge compressed gasses of various types to extinguish fires in a room, specialty enclosure, equipment housing, or directly onto a piece of equipment. Water-based fire protection system activations are relatively common for fire department responses, but the routines which may be used for response to a water-based system activation may not be appropriate for response to a gaseous system release. In any fire jurisdiction, gaseous suppression systems are likely to be encountered less frequently than water-based systems. This article offers some considerations which may be particularly appropriate when responding to a fire where a gaseous agent system has deployed.   Basic safety considerations   Gaseous systems include clean agents, Halon 1301, hybrids, and carbon dioxide extinguishing systems. Clean agents are further subdivided into halocarbon agents and inert gas agents. Gaseous agent systems are most frequently installed to protect specific hazards, known as a “protected space,” which require a non-water-based agent for asset protection — therefore the addition of water by the fire department is generally undesirable. Gaseous systems primarily extinguish fires through heat absorption. The fire extinguishing gasses generally will remain in the enclosure for a period after the agent discharge ends.   The gas that remains in the hazard’s air presents a unique situation for arriving firefighters and for the building occupants. Carbon dioxide (CO2) presents a specific threat of asphyxiation for anyone in an area where the CO2 remains, both during and after the discharge. Although other agents such as clean agents, Halon, and hybrid media, in and of themselves present minimal real physical threat to occupants, toxic products of combustion from the fire as well as possible products of decomposition from halogenated agents may remain. Therefore, firefighters should enter the hazards wearing self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to verify that fire has been extinguished and verify that no personnel were trapped by the fire. SCBA should be worn until the hazard has been adequately ventilated.    Assessing the hazard   Codes require signage to be present in spaces protected by gaseous fire suppression systems, identifying the specific agent installed. Firefighters should look for and read these signs. As part of the fire protection plan, facility managers should inform the local fire department of the presence of gaseous extinguishing systems in the facility. It is likewise advisable for firefighters to be informed of actions to be taken regarding ventilation of areas protected by gaseous systems.   Discharge warning strobes or beacons are typically installed to warn responders that a discharge inside a room has occurred. An active discharge beacon is a good reminder to use proper personal protective equipment when entering a space to investigate.      To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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