Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority appointed a new Chair and Vice Chair at their first meeting since the latest round of council elections. Councillor Edna Murphy has been appointed the new Chair of the Authority, with Councillor Mohammed Jamil appointed Vice Chair. Liberal Democrat Councillor Murphy, who has recently joined the authority, is the first woman chair in the authority’s history. She takes over from Councillor Kevin Reynolds, who remains on the authority after chairing it for the last four years.  New Vice Chair Councillor Jamil, from Peterborough City Council, has served on the authority for almost a decade. The Labour councillor has been involved in a number of committees, as well as the Service’s Inclusion Steering Group. Councillor Murphy said: “I am delighted to have been voted in as Chair of the Authority and am very proud to be the first woman ever to hold the position. The Service is demonstrating that it is a progressive and inclusive organisation, which are features I am keen to continue to build on. “It is a very challenging time for the Service as we work to come out of the pandemic. But I am confident that with the strong team in place it will continue to provide an excellent service to the people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. “I would like to express my gratitude to Cllr Reynolds for his hard work and dedication to the Service, and add my voice to the thanks offered to him by all members of the Fire Authority at the meeting.”   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

Vimpex are proud to announce that they have been selected for inclusion in the National Framework Agreement for supply and delivery of Emergency Response Equipment and Associated Services for lots one; Rescue Equipment and lots four; PPV Fans and Smoke Curtains. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) in consultation with its members, identified a preference for future procurement of Emergency Response Equipment and Associated Services with West Midlands Fire and Rescue acting as the ‘Lead Authority’. The new framework will be available for services across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Vimpex are suppliers of Rescue Equipment including Paratech and Ogura Rescue tools. Paratech’s Lift, Shift, Contain, Stabilise & Penetrate range includes speciality tools for technical rescue and also products which can be used in applications for shipboard damage control, pipeline, mining, rail, quarries, vehicle maintenance and recovery. They also supply fire and ventilation products designed for firefighting scenes and disaster control. Vimpex are an independent supplier of specialist technical rescue products and PPE safety equipment designed for fire, police, ambulance, military and emergency services teams. For 26 years they have been building our reputation for service excellence, for dependable technologies and for providing quality products fast, on time and at competitive prices. Vimpex have previously supplied helmet solutions to Air Ambulance Services in England. The department‘s Helicopter Emergency Medics had become concerned about their current helmet due to its obsolescence and poor comfort, so the charity contacted Vimpex after the helmet solutions supplied to both Lincolnshire and Kent. Following meetings to identify product performance requirements, and a product trial by critical care paramedics and doctors, Thames Valley Air Ambulance chose the Pacific R6C Paramedic/Rescue Helmet, because it gives the charity a high performing future proofed solution that can also be fully customised. Vimpex Business Development Manager Steve Clelland explains, “Every part of the Pacific R6C Paramedic/Rescue Helmet can be quickly and easily removed without the use of special tools. Cost of ownership is therefore minimised as repairs and replacement of all components is simple. “Pacific helmets are tested in the most extreme conditions required for conformity to relevant clauses of the latest EN standards.” 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

The new Fire Safety Bill for England and Wales was signed into law on 29th April 2021. The new Fire Safety Bill (FSB) for England and Wales aims to address the multiple deficiencies of guidance and legislation thrown up by the Grenfell disaster. Although it was introduced in 2019 and has taken almost two years to pass through Parliament, many of its key provisions had already been introduced as best practice guidance. Now that it has finally become law, it is vital that we understand the content of the FSB and its long-term implications for fire manufacturers, installers and end clients. So, what is the FSB and what does it aim to achieve? The tragic events of Grenfell showed us that the previous attempt to unify fire legislation in England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, was no longer fit for purpose, especially in relation to high-rise residential blocks. New legislation had already been enacted in Scotland, and the UK government was keen to follow suit. Without actually replacing it, the FSB clarifies a number of ambiguities in the 2005 law, such as whether references to external walls in the Order include “doors or windows in those walls” and “anything attached to the exterior of those walls (including balconies)”. It also dictates the specification of entrance doors of residential units that open into communal areas. The amendments contained in the FSB aim to increase enforcement action, “particularly where remediation of aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding is not taking place.” The FSB applies retrospectively to existing apartment blocks, where it is likely that further updates will be required beyond the replacement of any defective cladding that has already been identified. This could include replacement of non-compliant doors and windows, as well as the main entrance doors to each flat, and the investigation of fireproof walls and voids to ensure that no breaches in the compartmentation have occurred. 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

Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) Fire & Emergency segment, including Pierce Manufacturing, Oshkosh Airport Products and Frontline Communications, announced that it has introduced the Volterra electric vehicles for the fire and emergency market. In recent years, municipalities and airports worldwide have made green initiatives an integral priority, compelling fire departments to seek environmentally-conscious fire apparatus that reduce emissions, minimize fuel consumption, and produce less noise. “Category leading innovations, grounded with direct input from our customers, is a hallmark of each of the brands in the Oshkosh Fire & Emergency Segment. It’s all about serving the needs of first responders,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation Executive Vice President and President of Fire & Emergency. “Our electric vehicles designed around Oshkosh proprietary and patented technology will provide the environmental benefits fire departments request, without having to compromise on the leading-edge operational performance, functionality, safety attributes, customization, and the traditional configurations and styling customers expect from our fire apparatus.” The first Pierce Volterra zero-emissions pumper has been placed in service with the City of Madison Fire Department, making this the first electric fire truck in service in North America. The Volterra pumper is serving front line duty at Station 8, the City of Madison’s busiest fire station. The department is led by Fire Chief Steven Davis and is made up of 14 fire stations serving an area of nearly 100 square miles and a population of over 250,000. “The City of Madison is committed to many sustainability initiatives allowing us to meet our needs without compromising those of future generations,” said Chief Davis. “Pierce’s Volterra electric pumper allows us to keep an environmentally-conscious focus on reducing emissions while maintaining our traditional pumper configuration without impacting our operational procedures. We are eager to lead change by responsibly supporting our environment together with achieving our critical daily missions.” In partnership with the City of Madison Fire Department, Pierce will continue the final development, evaluation, and on-highway certification process for the Pierce Volterra electric vehicle. 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

Videos shared by witnesses, showed a fire near to London’s Elephant and Castle railway station sending great plumes of black smoke over the capital on Monday afternoon that prompted a large emergency response.  London Fire Brigade said on Twitter that the imagery showed a fire at railway arches near the station. It said that ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were at the scene, and urged people to stay away and shut their doors and windows. There was initially no indication that anyone was hurt. The south London is on the Northern and Bakerloo lines of the London Underground, and also has overground rail connections to other parts of the city and its suburbs. A huge blaze broke out- with witnesses reporting seeing a ‘fireball explosion’. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said the fire has spread across units underneath Elephant and Castle station, which are now “completely alight”. Four cars and a telephone box are also on fire, the service – which has called around 100 firefighters – said. Unconfirmed reports said the blaze is understood to have started at an auto repair garage at around 1:45pm on Monday. Pictures and video posted social media show smoke billowing close to the station – visible across the capital. One dramatic clip appears to show a fireball bursting out of a unit under the station, forcing onlookers to move. National Rail told commuters that trains between London Blackfriars and Denmark Hill and Herne Hill may be cancelled or delayed because of the fire. Initially, the company said the disruption could last until 3:30pm, though that projection has now been extended to 8pm. 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

After having the breaks on for the past 16 months, Aico’s bespoke, Mobile Training and Demonstration Units are back out on the road. Since acquiring their first Mobile Unit in 2017, Aico have expanded their fleet to four units, that cover the length and breadth of the country. Each of the units are fully equipped for hands-on training, providing customers with a complete overview of Aico’s products and technologies and enables the delivery of their award-winning Expert Installer training. Education is part of Aico’s core ethos, and their Mobile Units are also utilised across the UK to engage, educate and inform members of the public. Fire safety sessions to promote awareness of fire and Carbon Monoxide within the home are vital to encourage active involvement from children and students, as well as residents. Aico also take their Mobile Units on tour, travelling to various locations throughout the country to raise awareness in support of key campaigns such as Gas Safety Week, highlighting the dangers of Carbon Monoxide and the importance of alarms. To date, Aico’s Expert Installer training scheme has trained over 30,000 industry employees in domestic Fire Alarm specification and installation and is FIA approved with many of the modules CPD accredited, enabling installers to earn CPD time. 2020 saw the Expert Installer training go digital, with the unprecedented times caused by the pandemic. However, this week Aico were able to return to in-person training across different locations including City Electrical Factors Dartford, Edmundsons Electrical Torquay and Fife College. Aico colleagues have strictly followed the Government Covid-19 guidelines in order for their customers to use the Mobile Units and facilities safely.   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