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IBI Group partners with LA’s Urban Movement Labs

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Technology-driven design firm, IBI Group (TSX:IBG), has joined Urban Movement Labs (UML), a first-of-its-kind partnership between the Mayor of Los Angeles’ Office of Economic Development and the three largest goods and people movement agencies in the City of Los Angeles — the Port, the Airports, and the Department of Transportation — to implement innovative transportation solutions that will improve the lives of citizens and visitors. Other founding partners include Lyft, Verizon, Avis Budget Group, Moceanlab, Waymo, and the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator. Armed with IBI Group’s expertise in intelligent transportation, curb side management and smart cities, and its history in the southern California market, the firm is proud to join the partnership and bring its curb side management solution, CurbIQ, to the streets of LA. “As an organization that is aligned with our philosophy of fostering innovative, sustainable and resilient cities, we are excited about the synergies and opportunities the Urban Movement Labs partnership provides,” said IBI Group CEO, Scott Stewart. “Our mobility future must be a collaboration between smart city providers, local governments, and the community-at-large. We are champions of this through our Smart City Sandbox initiative in Toronto, and are proud to bring those learnings to our like-minded peers in LA.” As part of the partnership, IBI Group will have the opportunity to work with other UML members to develop new proofs-of-concept, as well as leverage the firm’s existing mobility solutions for collaborations and test beds in LA. An initial pilot project, in collaboration with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), leverages IBI’s CurbIQ solution to digitize the existing curb side regulations in three key areas in LA — Hollywood, downtown, and the UML partner pilot area around the Warner Centre. The goal is to inform LADOT’s future regulatory and mobility decisions around street parking and curb side management to better understand and optimize the use of curb space for the sustainable and efficient movement of people and goods. CurbIQ is currently being used by cities in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico to support improved management and optimization of the curb side. IBI Group has been active in the southern California market since 1978, working on a range of architecture, transportation infrastructure, and intelligent systems projects, including the Alameda Corridor Revenue Collection System, the City of Los Angeles Civic Centre Master Plan, and the Metro Gold Line Foothill Light Rail Corridor Extension.   To stay up to date on the latest, trends, innovations, people news and company updates within the global fire market please register to receive our newsletter 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: LUKAS Rescue

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Daniel Engelhardt, Product Manager LUKAS Rescue discusses the new SC 358 eWXT combi tool with door opening tips  In 2015, we at LUKAS developed the StrongArm, a revolutionary tool previously unavailable on the market. This very compact and lightweight multifunctional tool can cut, spread as well as open doors or lift heavy loads. Whenever conditions require only a very low insertion height, the StrongArm is there to do the job. We were able to achieve this with our unique, newly developed door opener tips. The interlocking 2 and 3 finger tips in combination with the lateral offset are patented by LUKAS and allow unique application possibilities with our StrongArm. We at LUKAS have been able to convince numerous customers from the fire department, special forces and police of the superiority of the StrongArm since 2015. There were some customers in the last 6 years, despite the already very high strength of the StrongArm, who wanted an even stronger tool with the same functional properties. And so,we took our original idea a step further and applied it to another tool in our Combi portfolio  The Combitools from LUKAS are true multi-talents: they are particularly powerful, have an impressive spreading path and long cutting edges.   The Combitool Range from LUKAS has a tool for every taste. The SC 258 eWXT is a slim product with a well-balanced design. The most powerful Combitool SC 758 eWXT, equipped with the “Shark-Tooth-Technology” leaves nothing to be desired. And yet today the focus is on the LUKAS mid-range model, the SC 358 eWXT. The removable combi tips and a complete cutting edge prevent squeezing at the tips and the LUKAS SC 358 Combi Tool has an unrivalled cutting performance. The combi tips can be easily removed and replaced without the need for additional tools. This simple exchange procedure allows us to extremely quickly change Combi tips with “Shark-Tooth Technology” to a Combi with a fully finished cutting edge or the multifunctional door opener tips.  Based on the geometry of the StrongArm door opener tips, LUKAS also offers a 2-finger and a 3-finger tip in combination with the SC 358 combi unit, which fit perfectly into each other when closed and combine a very low insertion height with high spreading force.  The lateral offset of the tips is also identical, enabling optimum insertion into the gap of the door to be opened. Also adopted from the standard combination tips are the self-explanatory locking bolts, which enable fast changeover of the tip types, and the low total weight of 2.3 kg per tip set. This is an absolutely unique selling point for combi units and currently unrivalled in the industry.   The Combi SC 358 thus offers a unique application performance on the market as a stand-alone and fully-fledged rescue tool with large cutting and spreading forces on the one hand, and as a multi-functional tool for quickly opening doors or as a tool in USAR operations.  Let us convince you of the uniqueness of our Combis with their versatile application possibilities and contact your local LUKAS dealer for a demonstration.    To stay up to date on the latest, trends, innovations, people news and company updates within the global fire market please register to receive our newsletter here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Gillender Street fire 30th anniversary: calls for safety advances to be preserved

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Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack spoke out on the 30th anniversary of the Gillender Street fire in Tower Hamlets, London. Two firefighters died in the fire after running out of air. Wrack has personal links to the tragedy, having worked at Kingsland fire station with one of the firefighters who died, and having attended the tragedy himself on behalf of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The fire, on 10 July 1991, claimed the lives of Terry Hunt and David Stokoe. The fire was not brought under control for several hours, and was attended by more than 25 fire engines.  Breathing apparatus safety procedure was later criticised in relation to the fire. Wrack has drawn a clear link between the tragedy and current attempts to weaken breathing apparatus regulations for today’s firefighters, saying that the progress made after this fire and several other tragedies is in danger of being turned back. There are currently moves to weaken breathing apparatus regulation, with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) producing guidance to this end. The NFCC guidance provides for firefighters to go beyond the entry control point at a fire (i.e. beyond where the air is safe) without turning their breathing apparatus on. The FBU has successfully argued that this is a risk to firefighter safety at a health and safety panel for the London Fire Brigade, but the NFCC guidance is yet to be withdrawn. Yesterday, the FBU unveiled a red plaque to mark the 30th anniversary of the tragedy, and remember the firefighters who lost their lives. The union’s red plaques commemorate firefighters who died in the line of duty. Matt Wrack said: “This was a tragic loss of life that has stayed with all concerned ever since and which devastated families and workmates. David and Terry did their duty and went into a dangerous warehouse fire, but paid with their lives. We continue to remember their bravery today, and they continue to be missed by family, friends and colleagues. At the FBU we are committed to remembering them, and fighting for firefighters‘ safety  today. “After the fire, we learnt lessons which informed later progress on breathing apparatus procedure. Yet attempts are now being made to try and weaken protections around breathing apparatus. This tragedy and tragedies like it show that this is never an option.” To stay up to date on the latest, trends, innovations, people news and company updates within the global fire market please register to receive our newsletter here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Going above and beyond the Fire Safety Act 2021

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As the Fire Safety Act 2021 attracts controversy, industry expert FireAngel shares new ways to cut fire risks in social housing The Fire Safety Act 2021 updates the Fire Safety Order 2005 to clarify who is accountable for reducing the risk of fires in England and Wales. The duty-holder or building owner for multi-occupancy, residential buildings is now legally responsible for managing and reducing fire risks regarding the structure and external walls of the building, such as cladding, balconies and windows, and all doors to individual flats that open into communal areas. The Government has introduced a £5bn scheme to help pay for removing unsafe cladding on buildings over 18 metres tall, and it plans to introduce a long-term, low-interest loan arrangement for smaller buildings. However, the Commons Housing Select Committee has urged the Government to establish a new, larger fund “that addresses the true scale of fire safety issues”. The act is by no means the end of the post-Grenfell overhaul. The Building Safety Bill, published in July 2021, aims to transform the existing fire safety system and increase accountability, transparency, and oversight of fire safety throughout the life of a building. Under the proposals, a new national regulator will be established to maximise fire safety during a building’s design, construction, completion and eventual occupation. The Government also plans to change the law to give homeowners 15 years – rather than six – to take action against rogue developers. In addition, new British Standards Institution guidance is expected by the end of the year regarding personal emergency evacuation plans for disabled, aged, and vulnerable residents. However, there are also new intelligent ways to cut risks in social housing that can be implemented now to support the aims of the bill and Fire Safety Act 2021 and ultimately protect tenants, building managers, and landlords. Using Technology to Cut Fire Risks in Social Housing By introducing connected technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), social landlords can relieve some of the burden of fire prevention and make life safer for their tenants. Post-Grenfell, more than 400 ‘waking watches’ were established around the country to monitor buildings, costing Londoners alone £145 million per year. This sum is equivalent to more than a third of the London Fire Brigade’s annual budget, essential for keeping the capital safe from life-threatening disasters such as fires, terrorist threats and flooding. Relying on humans for fire prevention should not be the only intervention and is not financially sustainable in the long-term. With remote monitoring and cloud connectivity of smoke detectors, social landlords can streamline fire prevention, and create an opportunity for centralised, off-site monitoring. Connected technology can be installed within the parameters of an existing budget, and support waking watches in the short-term by sending instant notifications when an alarm is activated, any devices are removed from the base, or a tenant needs assistance. Looking to the future, a combination of IoT, robust fire detection and alert systems and evacuation plans unique to each resident’s needs could replace the need for on-site waking watches completely. Connection to the IoT also enables landlords to monitor essential features such as the building’s age and condition and the wear and tear of electrical appliances. This combination of IoT and AI technologies provides a 24/7 overview of buildings and their changing fire risks, collecting data that can be analysed for trends and patterns, in turn, supporting the transparency aims of the Building Safety Bill. Opting for a Person-Centred Approach to Fire Safety Connected technology can not only monitor the risk level of a building but its residents, providing critical data on their physical or mental status. Cognitive and physical impairments are factors that can influence the probability of a fire, fire detection and the ability to extinguish it or evacuate the property, placing disabled, aged, and vulnerable residents most at risk. In multiple-occupancy houses, terraced homes, and high-rise buildings, a major fire does not just put a single household in danger but potentially hundreds of lives. For aged tenants and the estimated 43% of social housing residents who live with a long-term disability, the use of cutting-edge technology that remotely monitors the home environment 24/7 has the potential to prevent life-threatening events. Technologies that are already familiar to many of these tenants, such as panic buttons or fall detectors, can be combined with new sensors that build on traditional fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to provide holistic support. For example, in the event of a cooker fire, a traditional heat alarm would trigger once the fire has ignited and the temperature has already reached a hazardous level. However, installing a Stove Guard would effectively prevent cooker fires by intelligently switching electric cookers off before a fire can start. With the right solution to combine these sensors and smart devices, social landlords can build a tailored IoT network to detect fire, carbon monoxide, and dangerous temperatures. The network can then send rapid alerts to waking watch patrollers, building managers and support systems such as neighbours or carers to maximise tenant protection and alleviate danger promptly. Identifying High-risk Tenants FireAngel Connected is a purpose-built safety solution for fire detection and prevention, with a central cloud-based dashboard where social housing providers can access device and sensor data. It can be connected via cellular signals for higher reliability than Wi-Fi, to ensure tenants are kept safe even if the internet connection is interrupted. The built-in FireAngel Predict capability can also monitor data over time to highlight trends and inform landlords when they need to check in with their tenants. For example, it can show if a tenant’s alarm is  frequently removed or triggered due to food being left in the oven too long. Using connected technology, a person-centred approach can be applied to fire safety procedures and systems. Adopting this approach means safeguards can be implemented, managed, and maintained according to a resident’s individual needs, helping to support the aims of the Fire Safety Act 2021, designed to “ensure that people feel safe in their homes, and a tragedy like the Grenfell Tower fire never happens again”. As tenants at risk await further legislative updates, now is the time for the fire industry and social landlords to keep pace with the future of fire safety and adopt new ways of protecting resident wellbeing.   To stay up to date on the

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Kentec appoints new head of UK sales

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Kentec Electronics, a leading manufacturer of life-critical control systems, has promoted Sammy Steel to the role of Head of UK Sales to further strengthen the company’s UK growth and footprint. In her new role Sammy will lead, manage, and support the UK BDM sales team to achieve Kentec’s strategic sales plan. She will be working directly with installers, distributors and end-users while strengthening the current UK customer base. A key part of the strategy includes focusing on both of Kentec’s partnering programmes; one for installers and one for distributors. The Kentec Installer Partner (KIP) programme provides Kentec’s registered customers with a wide-ranging bespoke training and best-in-class technical support, as well as dedicated software and enhanced product functionality; while the Kentec Authorised Distributors (KAD) programme offers customers access to off-the-shelf service, local to them. Sammy has 15 years’ experience in the fire industry. Prior to becoming Head of UK Sales, Sammy was a Strategic Partner, focusing on Kentec’s sister company, Hochiki Corporation. She first joined Kentec three years ago. “I am very pleased to welcome Sammy in her new role,” says Derrick Hall, Director of Sales at Kentec Electronics. “Her dedication to our customers, as well as her wealth of experience and knowledge of Kentec and our values make her the perfect choice for this role.” Sammy says she is excited to get started: “Initially, my focus will be building successful working relationships with the UK sales team – and ultimately, my goal is for the UK to reach their full potential and for us to help our customers meet the needs of their life safety projects. I am passionate about this industry and really looking forward to getting back on the road and meeting with our UK customers.”   To stay up to date on the latest, trends, innovations, people news and company updates within the global fire market please register to receive our newsletter here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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IFE unveils future global strategy

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The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) has undertaken a comprehensive review of its communications and activities to improve its services and qualifications for members and strengthen its global influence in the two key areas of competence and sustainability. With over 100 years of history, the professional membership body enables those in the fire sector to increase their knowledge, professional recognition and understanding of fire through a global discourse. It is instrumental in shaping a future world that is safer from fire. Chief Executive of the IFE, Steve Hamm explains: “The fire safety landscape in which our members operate is changing at a faster pace than at any time since the foundation of the organisation in 1918. This is both exciting and challenging and we have had valuable input from members, volunteers, staff and stakeholders in shaping our future direction. “Across the board our members’ roles and responsibilities are evolving, influenced by advances in technologies and materials, external factors such as climate change and learnings from major incidents such as Grenfell. These are all influencing new regulations and standards, new ways of working and highlighting the importance of knowledge and information sharing to evolve our skills and capabilities worldwide.” To support its future strategy, the IFE has expanded its team to include Technical Director Peter Wilkinson to lead on the IFE’s technical collaborations, special interest groups and input into consultations. The new position of Relationships Manager has also been created and Gill Haynes has taken on this role to lead on developing support for the organisation’s international network of branches and extensive cohort of volunteers. As part of its plans to enhance competency, the IFE has introduced a new suite of qualifications inspired by global industry needs and feedback from members and examiners. There are plans to build on the success of these by bringing in at least two new qualifications for 2022. The final selections are yet to be made but urban search and rescue and fire risk assessment are currently being explored. The IFE is also building closer relationships with higher education and university establishments to broaden the depth and diversity of skills and competency across both technical and social disciplines. This work will create clear competency frameworks centred on membership, professional registrations, knowledge sharing and accessible career development pathways for all. The shift to virtual learning and events during 2020 will continue. This will widen access to CPD and other events to members around the world, increasing their ability to knowledge share and learn from each other. Aligned with these plans, are the IFE’s initiatives to address sustainability, from adapting to the challenges driven by climate change to building resilience in the profession. Future practice will be informed by smart cities, connectivity and big data alongside advances in building materials, fuels, transport, energy storage, water and waste management, together with the technologies that fire professionals can use to predict, manage, monitor and deal with fire risk and fires. Steve concludes: “Sustainability is an area where we feel the true value of our global community will come to the fore and we will be looking at ways to expand our branch network and CPD opportunities to share ideas and expertise that can inform best practice, spark fresh research and deliver advances in our professional capabilities and understanding. “This will be a transformational year for our organisation, one in which we will build upon feedback from members around the world to strengthen our leadership, our communications, our responsiveness and our relevance to fast changing global fire safety and competency needs to ensure our members continue to thrive as trusted professionals.”   To stay up to date on the latest, trends, innovations, people news and company updates within the global fire market please register to receive our newsletter 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: Protecting the future

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Fire Buyer talks to industry expert, Alan Elder, Fellow for Industry Relations at Johnson Controls, to discuss Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention Systems  Alan Elder has been directly involved in the field of gaseous fire suppression systems for 44 years with extensive international experience in System Design, Product Management, Product Development, R&D, Business Development and Sales. As well as his current role as a Fellow for Industry Relations as Johnson Controls, Alan is Chairman of the ISO/TC21/SC8, International Standard Committee, the British Standards gaseous extinguishing and water mist systems technical committees (FSH18/6 & FSH18/5), the UK Fire Industry Associations Working Group Gases and the European Trade Association EURALARM Extinguishing Systems Section.  How has Johnson Controls stayed relevant for over 100 years?   At its core, Johnson Controls is a forward-thinking organisation built on a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. This intellectual curiosity, combined with our long-standing relationships with both customers and industry bodies, really drives us to look for new ways to solve today’s fire safety challenges – all while keeping a close eye on industry developments on the horizon. Integrity and quality are also central to the way we work at Johnson Controls. We invest substantially in new product development and deliver on the commitments we make to our customers and partners, as the launch of our new industry-leading Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention System demonstrates.   In what industries and environments are lithium-ion batteries commonly used and why?   As we all become more aware of the effects of climate change, many nations around the world have set ambitious goals aimed at reducing global emissions. As a result, investment in renewable energy generation such as wind and solar power is on the rise, fuelling rapid growth in the Energy Storage System (ESS) industry – a market that’s expected to expand by a 35% compound annual growth rate between 2018 and 2026.   Lithium-ion batteries are currently the main energy storage medium employed by the ESS industry and are also a common component in Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) systems used in data centres and battery manufacturing facilities. The factors driving their popularity include affordability, high energy density, potential for even higher capacity and relatively low self-discharge when compared with nickel-based batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are also generally easy to maintain as they don’t require periodic discharging to operate at peak capacity.   What challenges associated with lithium-ion batteries does Johnson Controls seek to help the industry overcome?  While very effective, lithium-ion batteries also present a host of complex challenges, which can shift according to the industry and application in which they are being used. To ensure batteries operate within controlled parameters, battery management systems are usually installed to continually monitor factors including voltage, temperature and charge states. Poor battery management or abuse (thermal, electrical or mechanical) can result in battery failure. This process first causes the battery cells to vent flammable off-gases and can then progress to a dangerous chemical reaction known as thermal runaway. Thermal runaway causes temperatures to rapidly increase by several hundred degrees, producing smoke and quickly spreading between battery cells before causing them to eventually catch fire.   Once alight, lithium-ion battery fires are extremely dangerous and difficult to suppress. Traditional gaseous or water-based suppression systems are in most cases ineffective, with the only option often being to discharge considerable amounts of water over several hours or potentially days. This method is effective, but in remote locations with minimal water sources, it’s not always achievable.   When looking to address these challenges, Johnson Controls examined the stages of battery failure, and concluded that action must be taken before the start of thermal runaway to prevent a potentially catastrophic fire. With this in mind, we began development on the Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention System – a fast acting, integrated solution capable of detecting the off-gases produced in the initial stages of failure, shutting down batteries and activating intervention processes before thermal runaway can develop into an uncontrollable event.   What are the benefits of a Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention System?  The key benefits of the Johnson Controls Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention System are its rapid off-gas detection capabilities and automatic communication features which allow the battery management system to shut down affected battery stacks before thermal runaway can develop, thereby preventing the outbreak of fire. The system includes monitoring and reference sensors that continuously check battery racks for the presence of off-gases from all lithium-ion chemistries, which can be detected in a concentration as small as one part per million (ppm).    Upon detecting off-gas, the sensors immediately alert the battery management system to cut power to compromised battery stacks, stopping thermal runaway in its tracks. In applications where the air around the failed batteries cannot be vented externally, a traditional fire suppression system designed at inerting concentrations can then neutralise the flammable off-gases in the air, helping prevent the risk of ignition. As an integrated solution, the Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention System can be combined with Johnson Controls’ AutoPulse, ZETTLER or FIRECLASS detection and INERGEN or SAPPHIRE Fire Suppression Systems to ensure fast-acting, reliable fire detection and suppression.  This holistic and fully integrated solution does not require electrical or mechanical contact with battery cells, allowing it to perform in live, working environments and be integrated with building management systems, so battery health information can be monitored along with other relevant building safety precautions.   The early intervention offered by Johnson Controls’ Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention System essentially gives companies the benefit of time – providing local and remote alarms that allow action to be taken quickly before a fire can break out, while extending the lifetime value of the entire ESS.  How do you ensure quality in your products?  As a leading provider of fire safety systems, we take our commitment to quality extremely seriously. After all, when it comes to protecting critical energy installations or data centres, companies need solutions they can trust day-in, day-out. To ensure long-lasting quality, performance and reliability, all Johnson Controls fire detection and suppression products are manufactured to the highest industry standards. In addition, we continually collaborate with top industry bodies and regulatory boards to outline best practices for the latest state of the art technologies we help to develop.  Where do you see the future for prevention and suppression technology going?  The development of just one game-changing solution can revolutionise the way we think about specific fire safety challenges. Until relatively recently, there were no tailored solutions designed to detect the early signs of lithium-ion battery failure and prevent thermal runaway. Now, with the launch of our Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention System, early warning detection and intervention is not only possible but easy to implement

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Gaseous fire suppression system activations

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Lee Kaiser, PE, Chairperson of the Fire Suppression Systems Association (FSSA) Technical Committee, discusses the technical aspects of gaseous fire suppression exclusively for International Fire Buyer magazine. 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.   CO2 poses its own unique challenges since at fire extinguishing concentrations it will not support human life. Since CO2 is both colorless and odorless a dangerous concentration of CO2 is not readily detected by sensory perception. Some CO2 systems have odorizers installed on them, a special device which injects a distinctive odor into the CO2 gas, so the gas can be more readily detected. If responders smell a wintergreen odour when approaching an area where a CO2 system is present, they should retreat, secure the area against entry by unprotected personnel, and don SCBA before proceeding into the area.   When first responders arrive on scene, they generally will want to enter the space where the discharge occurred to verify that there is no active fire. SCBA should be worn when entering the space. A brief search of the room should occur to make sure there is no active fire. A thermal imaging camera may be used to identify any hot spots in the room. The information thus gathered may be useful in later determining if those “hot spots” were the ignition source.   Ventilating the protected space after discharge  After a gaseous agent discharge, before the room is safe for personnel without SCBA to enter, the space should be ventilated. Some rooms will have a dedicated exhaust fan to remove the agent and products of combustion from the room after a discharge, but this is not always the case. If exhaust fans are not present, the fire department can open doors and use ventilation fans to help clear the room. It is essential that the agent and combustion byproducts be ventilated to the outdoors, not merely moved to another indoor area of the facility. CO2 and halogenated agents are heavier than air and opening doors into the space can help the agent “leak” out of the room. But care should be taken that the agent and products of combustion do not leak into spaces at lower elevations. Spaces below the level of the protected space where the discharge occurred are likely to contain agent and should be ventilated with a fan to be made safe.   Specifically, CO2 tends to migrate to other areas after discharge. When ventilating after a CO2 discharge, use fresh air from outdoors, and pay special attention to spaces adjacent to and below the protected space to make sure people in other areas of the building are safe. It should be verified that the atmospheres in all affected spaces are clear of harmful gases and returned to normal oxygen levels before unprotected personnel are allowed to enter.  Restarting equipment  Many gaseous systems will be interlocked with equipment shutdowns to shut off fuel flow and reduce the presence of sustained electrical ignition sources. Ventilation systems may also be interlocked with the system. While it is typically not the fire department’s responsibility to restart equipment in the protected space, responders need to understand that the presence of a gaseous fire suppression system likely means that operations in the protected space will need to be restarted as soon as it is practical. This means that responders should investigate, ventilate, and make the room safe quickly so the process can be restarted by the appropriate person.   In some cases, the cause of a fire can be quickly determined and resolved so that operations within the protected space might be quickly resumed. In such instances, it may be advisable that a few responders remain on scene while electrical power is restarted, fuel is reintroduced, and operations are resumed just in case a fire reignites. In other cases, a more extensive review by fire investigators or facility operators may be required to determine and correct the cause of the fire. In the latter instance, it might be impractical for responders to remain onsite. There are many variables to consider on a case by case basis.  Some gaseous systems are not arranged to protect a whole room or enclosure, some are “local application” systems and only discharge on a piece of equipment or area where a fire is predicted to occur. Common production processes are often protected with local application systems. An example would be a metal rolling mill. In some of these mills, fires are relatively frequent with broken webs the common cause of fire. In such scenarios the plant operators will have a specified procedure for restarting the equipment and will likely not need responders to remain on the scene.  Bringing the fire protection system back online  After the system and the room are made safe, the fire protection system will need to be brought back online. Although this is not the responsibility of the fire department,

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Ask the Expert: Standardised, eco-friendly water mist

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International Fire Buyer talks exclusively to Bettina McDowell, General Manager, IWMA about the benefits of water mist as an environmentally friendly, firefighting technology  What is the core ethos of IWMA and how do you guide and assist members?   IWMA – the International Water Mist Association – is the forum for manufacturers of water mist systems, research institutes, universities, testing laboratories, insurance companies, distributors, installers, fire consultants, architects and many other groups of stakeholders. Our members come from all over the world and from various backgrounds and the association is so to speak the place where they gather to exchange knowledge and to network. I as the general manager co-ordinate. The functions of the committee members vary. There are the members of the board who are responsible for the overall strategy. The members of the scientific council evaluate the submissions for the international water mist conference and the IWMA Young Talent Award, and the marketing group is responsible for marketing activities. The committees are also a pool which plays an important role when it comes to special tasks, like updating chapters on water mist in handbooks like that of NFPA and SFPE, but also establishing tools like the matrix. Apart from that there is a quarterly newsletter – also for non-members – that contains among others news and reports and we also co-operate with our members in as much as that we organise webinars where they can introduce themselves and their projects. I suppose you could say that we promote the technology to pave the way for our members and that we also take the members on board for various activities. Moreover, I would like to mention that our members are very active in standardisation work, some on behalf of IWMA, others on behalf of their countries or organisations. The result here is that together as equals we do a lot to bring the technology forward. So, I suppose that how we guide and assist members is only half the story.   What exactly is the matrix?   The matrix can be found on our webpage. A task group consisting of Markku Vuorisalo (Marioff), Jonathan Carpenter (FM Approvals) and Alex Palle (VID Fire-Kill) – all members of the board of directors – have compiled and processed information that up until last year was scattered. The result is a chart of all current water mist applications and associated fire test protocols that have been published by certification and test agencies. The intent is to highlight that water mist systems are a fire protection option in many applications that have avenues for testing and certifications from third party agencies.  December 2020 saw the publication of the European Water Mist Standard (EN 14972-1:2020). How is this beneficial for the industry?  The publication of this document is something that the industry has been waiting for quite a while. This first part specifies requirements and gives recommendations for the design, installation, inspection and maintenance of all types of fixed land-based water mist systems and is the basis for the DIOM manuals that the manufacturers provide specific to their systems. The letters DIOM stand for design, installation, operation and maintenance.  What I would like to mention is that the standard comprises 17 parts in all of which three others have been published. Four more parts are in effect and will most probably be published in 2021. I think it is needless to say that the more parts are published the more the industry will profit from it. But part one is the most important one and we are delighted that it has been published.   What must CEN members make sure they do before 30th June 2021?  CEN members have until 30th June 2021 to implement EN 14972-1:2020 as a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement and withdraw any conflicting national standards. Once they have done that the document has the status of a national standard and conflicting parts within existing national standards will have to be withdrawn. Parts of standards that are not covered can remain. The EN 14972 series are of course voluntary standards so for example NFPA 750 can still be used.   Some counties lag behind, but for example Denmark has already implemented the document as a national standard. IWMA is planning to offer a free webinar on the publication on EN 14972-1:2020 around the end of June, beginning of July during which we plan to have an extensive exchange session so that no question will remain unanswered.   Water mist has been proven as a viable firefighting technology; how does the technology typically work?  Water Mist is defined by droplet size and according to CEN, the European Committee for Standardisation, 90%t of the droplets have to be less than one millimetre in size. When a fire breaks out a water mist system attacks the fire by spraying water through nozzles especially designed for the purpose that can actually create droplets of that size. After a system has been activated, the released droplets evaporate and turn into steam and it is this steam which interacts with the fire. Due to the enormous increase in the volume of the water droplets – as they evaporate – the oxygen is displaced at the source of the fire and the flames are extinguished. During the extinguishing process, the oxygen content around the fire – and only there – drops to below 12 per cent. And it is this low oxygen content that suffocates the fire. This is called the local inerting effect. Further away from the fire the oxygen content is well above 12 per cent which means that there is enough oxygen available for humans. Here, I would like to add that the additional cooling effect prevents re-ignition. At this point I would also like to highlight the diversity of water mist because due to the small droplets we have a suppressant agent that is applicable on a broad range of fire types.   As society shifts towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future, how does water mist an eco-friendlier option?   Water mist is indeed an eco-friendly and sustainable technology. For one, only a relatively small amount of water is needed, approximately 85 per cent less than a traditional sprinkler system would need. Due to for example smaller pipes and tanks less material is needed and needs to be shipped. We recommend the use of stainless steel for components that come into contact with water to avoid corrosion, and thus contamination, and to support the longevity of the systems, which in itself is an eco-friendly approach. Another point is the collateral water damage that can be avoided. A challenge is the disposal of the residue after fire incidents in hazardous areas like for example the nuclear industry and in pharmaceutical and electronic manufacturing. When a

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Ask the Expert – Lifting the fire industry

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Roberto Quintero, Marketing, Sales, Project and Product Management Director, Bronto Skylift talks to Fire Buyer about the benefits of aerial platforms for firefighting  What are the benefits of an aerial platform?  The single most important benefit is versatility, which can be seen in many ways. Aerial platforms allow deployment in a variety of missions, as they can be used for actual firefighting and rescue operation, as well as e.g. clearing up storm damages, rescuing animals from high structures, or even lifting vehicles from rivers and ponds. Furthermore, their versatility can be seen within a firefighting and rescue mission; an aerial platform can reach not only up, but sideways, beyond an obstacle and downwards as well. Integrated water, foam and dry powder lines enable fighting different fires, while the spacious rescue cage enables bringing injured or disabled persons to safety with a wheelchair or a stretcher. Various camera options allow increased situational awareness, remote controls enable firefighting from a safe distance and so forth. All with one single vehicle.  Did the Grenfell Tower tragedy highlight the importance of aerial platforms and their ability to aid in high rise building fires?  Fire safety, especially in high structures, is always a sum of many things, both technical and cultural. It can always be speculated if higher aerial platforms would have made a difference, but the matter is more complex than that. The aerial platform is just one tool in the fire brigade’s toolbox and although it is a very versatile one, it would be naïve to say it’s an answer to everything. Undoubtedly the Grenfell tragedy has had an impact to high rise fire safety in a global scale and we do our small part in this change towards safer cities.   How do you customise solutions for different environments?  Customisation is as heavy or light as our customer defines, and it is safe to say that almost all our aerials are tailored to some extent. When you take all different legislations, standards and local requirements and combine that complexity to the specific needs of a single fire brigade, it is quite a variety of solutions – some more complex than others. Typically, the aerial platforms for industrial fire brigades at oil refineries, chemical factories or nuclear power plants have the most complex requirements. Safety precautions in this kind of complex industrial areas are very strict and the fire prevention and protection plans extensive. This kind of environment may require anything from specific vertical or horizontal reach to extremely high-water capacity and tailored foam systems. Normally these units have strong surveillance capabilities and remote controls as well. We sit down with the Fire Chiefs and go through what they need and what kind of solution best accommodates their fire prevention and fighting, as well as rescue plans. Whether it is an industrial plant or a municipal fire brigade specification, it is always a matter of finding the best solution to fit the purpose.  What types of fires can aerial platforms tackle?  That depends on a lot of the aerial platform and its capabilities. An aerial platform can have for example water, foam and dry powder line to allow efficient response to different types of fires, or it can just have an efficient water line and human rescue capabilities depending on the environment where it serves. Also, the height of an aerial platform can be anything from 20 meters to over 100 meters. In general, it can be said that aerials are best serving in tasks where you need to fight fires up high or otherwise difficult-to-reach locations or in places with explosion risk for example, where the fire fighting needs to be done remotely at safe distance. High buildings, complex structures, buildings behind roofs or parapet walls, industrial plants, ports and shipyards etc.   How do you stay innovative in a continuously evolving industry?   Our customers do a great job keeping us innovative on a daily basis. When working so closely with our customers and preparing tailored solutions for their needs, we get a good understanding of the current trends. That being said, new technologies emerge all the time and new challenges are faced as we go forward, so we must keep our other eye looking in to the future. Our company soon celebrates 50 years in business. Looking back, we can say we’ve been quite innovative in the past 50 years and we are not going to stop here.   What is the highest aerial work platform you provide and what can these be used for?  Our HLA-range includes aerials from 78 meters to 112 meters, obviously these are ideal in ultimate high-rise firefighting and rescue situations.   How can you ensure standardisation and quality in your products, are there certain regulations you have to adhere to?  As a company we are fully ISO9001 and ISO14001 certified and closely monitor our quality practices. Our aerials are critical equipment and when deployed human lives are often at stake. This is a commitment we don’t take lightly. All our fire & rescue aerials are designed and manufactured according to the European standard for vehicle mounted hydraulic platforms for firefighting and rescue services, the EN1777. Also, as previously mentioned, there is quite a lot of local rules and regulations in different countries and we prepare our aerials to comply with those according to our customer’s home country.   Do you have any plans for the near future?  As an aerial specialist, we will continue to work closely with our customers to help them with their missions when working at heights is required – that’s all we do. Going forward, we will pay even greater attention to the way our products are used, so as to increase safety, productivity and versatility in a more connected world.      Product Showcase: Bronto Skylift Super Extinguishers   Bronto Skylift’s industrial line of aerials feature spacious rescue cages with various additional equipment, a large water capacity, efficient foam systems and a reach to meet even the most demanding challenges. The Bronto Super Extinguishers (SE) are ideal for fire prevention and fire protection in oil refineries, chemical factories and other industrial plants with complex targets that are difficult to access, extinguish or cool down safely. Whether  you need to access difficult-to-reach places to inspect and repair the fixed firefighting systems, need to cool down high or complex structures or need to fight fires using water,  foam or powder, Bronto aerial platforms can help you do that efficiently – and safely. The multipurpose SE range includes the

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