Early fire detection with TITANUS Early fire detection with TITANUS Air Sampling Smoke Detectors from WAGNER. Every second counts where fire is concerned. The faster a fire is detected, the faster action can be taken in order to prevent more serious damage. The head start that WAGNER’S TITANUS® air sampling smoke detectors offer can be crucial to a company’s continued existence. After all, fire is an ever-present risk that is not to be underestimated. Material assets, operational processes, people and the environment are always exposed to this threat, which is why appropriate fire protection solutions are so important. According to statistics by Siegfried Bussenius, the majority of damaging fires (68 %) develop from prolonged smouldering fires. Conventional smoke detectors have a crucial disadvantage there: depending on whether they are optical fire detectors or heat detectors, these smoke detectors will only react to high concentrations of smoke or increased temperatures within the protected area. By that time it is often too late to implement countermeasures. WAGNER’s highly sensitive air sampling smoke detection systems (previously known as aspirating smoke detection systems) offer early smoke detection in the pyrolysis phase along with graduated alarms. High response sensitivity, continuous air sampling, and a graded alarm-activation concept ensure early detection of smouldering and incipient fires, so that users have time to react to alarms appropriately. For more information, go to www.wagnergroup.com   Share this post on our LinkedIn or Twitter. See more news here.

Patol appoints new Sales Director The next stage in the development of Patol as the leading specialist in industrial fire safety equipment and systems has been announced with the appointment of Iain Cumner as Sales Director. 52-year-old Iain joins the business with extensive experience in security, fire and BMS (building management systems). Starting out his career with an apprenticeship in electronics with Marconi, Iain moved into integrated security systems in 1989 with Card Key Systems, one of the first large scale manufacturers of access control systems in the UK. Since then he has worked for companies ranging from Caradon Trend and Control Systems International (CSI) to G4 Technology and Frontline Security. In his roles, he has been involved in sales, both end-user and through the supply chain, with notable contracts which included blue-chip projects for companies such as Coca-Cola, Lloyds of London, Amazon Web Services, DPD and Motorola. For Motorola, Iain was responsible for a project which saw an integrated solution rolled out through the company’s whole portfolio across18 countries. Iain joins Patol from Johnson Controls (JCI) where he most recently worked in developing framework agreements with Tier 1 construction companies for the specification of fire, security and building management systems. The focus was on integrated system solutions, with a particular emphasis on data centres and tall buildings. The timing of the appointment is part of Patol’s commitment to succession planning, with current Sales Director Kelvin Miller retiring from the business later in the year. Commenting on his appointment, Iain said – “I am delighted to be taking on the position at an exciting time for the company. While the Patol name is well established worldwide, with its linear heat detection cable providing reliable fire detection in many diverse applications, developments in other areas are also raising the profile of the Patol brand. I see particular growth potential in the thermal imaging technology offering from the company. Throughout my career, I have seen the focus on integration increase, with intelligent solutions now developing exponentially through the opportunities afforded by the IoT (Internet of Things) to deliver significant benefits in terms of AI and analytics.” Kelvin Miller comments – ‘We are delighted to be bringing Iain on board. I will be working closely with him over the coming months to ensure he has a good understanding of the nuts and bolts of the business to enable him to take Patol forward. Given the worldwide nature of our markets, it was important that Iain had the experience of both UK and overseas projects. In addition to prestigious contracts here, he has also worked extensively in Europe and the Middle East. He will be able to build on the momentum we have gained as a business and also identify new opportunities through his particular experience with system integrators.” For more information, go to www.patol.co.uk   Share this post on our LinkedIn or Twitter. See more news here.

Further building safety regulations bill The Bill has set out planned new penalties of up to two years in jail for breaching the updated regulations, with more information provided on fire related elements. Last month, the government published the draft bill, which included mention of the new role of the accountable person, who will ‘have to listen and respond’ to concerns and ensure resident are heard, called the accountable person. There will also be resident and leaseholder access to ‘vital’ safety information about buildings, and new complaints handling requirements for ‘effective action’. The BSR will ‘oversee all this and make sure that accountable persons are carrying out their duties properly’, and ‘ensure that high rise buildings and the people who live in them are being kept safe’, with ‘new powers to raise and enforce higher standards of safety and performance across all buildings’. Resident panels will be appointed to have a voice in developing the regulator’s work. The government will also be ‘speeding up’ its work with finance and insurance sectors to protect leaseholders from fire safety costs ‘without relying on tax payers’ money’, while a new building safety charge will make it ‘easy for leaseholders to see and know what they are being charged for’. To ensure these costs are affordable, the government has ‘deliberately included powers to limit’ costs that can be re-charged to leaseholders. ‘For the first time’ new build buyers will be able to complain to a new homes ombudsman, and developers will have to be a member of the scheme, with the ombudsman having the power to require they ‘pay compensation’. For construction, the bill will ‘fully establish’ the BSR to ‘enforce new rules and take strong actions against those who break them’, ensuring they are ‘accountable for any mistakes’. The BSR’s three functions including overseeing safety and standards of all buildings; ‘directly’ assuring safety of higher risk buildings; and improving the competence of those ‘responsible for managing and overseeing’ works. A ‘more stringent’ set of rules for high rises will apply when buildings are ‘designed, constructed and then later occupied’, with each stage making it ‘clear who is responsible for managing the potential risks and what is required to move to the next stage’. This ties into the “golden thread” of ‘vital information about the building’, and buildings need to be registered with the BSR as well as apply for a building assurance certificate. The accountable person will then need to ‘conduct and maintain’ a safety case risk assessment and appoint a building safety manager ‘to oversee it day to day’, with building inspectors ‘responsible for signing buildings off as safe for people to live in’ also having to follow the rules and register with the regulator. Additionally, the government will have the power to ‘better regulate’ construction materials and products, and ‘ensure they are safe to use’. Ministers will appoint the UK’s first chief inspector of buildings, who will lead the new regulator ‘to make sure effective action is taken where concerns are raised’. It was later reported that a survey of 1,000 leaseholders across the UK found that 70% were ‘reluctant and worried’ over the plans for increased responsibility for flat block safety, before leaseholders in Leeds stated the plans had caused them ‘enormous alarm’. Two year prison term for breaches of the new regulations revealed in the draft bill, as well as a host of other information, including how the BSR will have ‘far-reaching powers to police design, construction and operation of buildings and competence’. On the project gateways that the BSR will oversee, the site noted that the first would see a ‘fire statement’ submitted with planning documents and consultation undertaken with the BSR, with construction unable to begin until the BSR is ‘satisfied’ with the design. Finally, all key design and construction documents would be sent to the BSR for it to issue a completion certificate. The ‘onus’ has been put on designers and workers to ‘report any structural or fire safety occurrences which could cause risk to life’, with the ‘tough’ new enforcement powers seeing the time limit for prosecution for non compliance with building regulations and correction of defects extended from two to 10 years, with both individuals and companies ‘liable’ for prosecution. A failure to ‘heed’ notices will be a criminal offence and a maximum of two years in jail plus an unlimited fine. In turn, provision of ‘false or misleading’ information to the BSR could also result in a two year jail sentence, and on building control reforms, all approved inspectors will need to register as building control approvers, with their details to be held on a new national register. Builders will also ‘no longer be able to appoint’ their own building control body on high risk buildings, with the BSR ‘granted power to strike off building control professionals that fail to perform’. Charis Beverton, a senior associate in the construction team at law firm Winckworth Sherwood, commented: ‘The Draft Building Safety Bill represents a substantial shake-up of the fire safety regime nationwide but it may be sometime before the new framework is up and running. This is a complex piece of legislation and will ultimately involve a lot of planning and preparation for operators across the industry. ‘While the Bill may have been widely trailed, only now is the detail of new roles (like the accountable person) available, and organisations will need time to adjust in order to fit the new roles and responsibilities into existing structures. Government will be eager to have the new system in place before the end of the Grenfell Tower inquiry, but rarely do politics and industry run on the same timetable. ‘Implementation will have to be led by the industry who should set out what is possible and, crucially, when.’   Share this post on our LinkedIn or Twitter. See more news here.

Bristol’s Stock Styles take action Bristol Uniforms’ new stock styles for structural PPE are proving popular with fire and rescue services around the world, with orders received from Malaysia to Germany to Saudi Arabia, and many customers already putting their new kit through its paces. Launched at the end of last year, the three stock styles (XFlex, Ergotech Action CEN and Ergotech Action NFPA) are particularly suited to international customers since they adhere to a variety of international standards and offer a cost-effective means of obtaining excellent quality PPE. As the kit is ready-made, customers benefit from swift delivery times, whilst each coat can still be personalised by adding a heat-sealed patch to the back. Firefighters at Shannon Airport in Ireland were in need of a PPE upgrade and arranged a competitive tender. According to Brian Casey, Airport Police & Fire Service Training Manager at the Airport, the XFlex stock kit was the clear frontrunner. He comments: “XFlex is good value and certainly offered the best quality. It was also recommended to me by others in the industry.” Brian Casey’s team ordered 73 sets of XFlex stock PPE from Fireguard, Bristol Uniforms’ distributor in Eire.  The new kit was delivered in May. He continues: “The Bristol Uniforms stock kit is by far the best kit we’ve ever had.  I can honestly say we’ve had no issues whatsoever with any of the items we received.  They fit very well and are comfortable to wear.  My crew are really pleased with them.” Other satisfied customers include Kettershausen Fire Brigade and the Verallia Glass Factory in Germany, who recently received their stock XFlex PPE.  Uwe Raschel is the owner of Fritz Raschel Feuerschutz GmbH, Bristol Uniforms’ distributor in Germany. He comments: “Both customers are fairly small fire services with a limited number of firefighters.  They were impressed by the quality of the kit, but also particularly keen on the swift availability.” The XFlex design is based on Bristol’s flagship XFlex structural firefighting range, providing excellent range of movement and breathability.  It is certified to CEN standard EN469 Level 2. The two Ergotech Action stock styles have been adapted for different certifying bodies. One adheres to the CEN standard EN469 Level 2, featuring a navy Hainsworth TITAN1220 outer layer and a Gore Crosstech Fireblocker moisture barrier. The second conforms to NFPA 1971:2018 and comes in a Desert Tan colour, with box bellow pockets on both the coat and trousers. Interest in the stock styles continues from all corners of the globe, with orders for Ergotech Action EN469 PPE received from customers in Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. The Ergotech Action EN469 kit was also recently delivered to Kennelbach, Rothis and Riefensberg Fire Brigades in Austria, and to the Petronas oil and gas company in Malaysia. For further information visit: http://www.bristoluniforms.com/stock-styles   Share this post on our LinkedIn or Twitter. See more news here.

Spain’s Andalusian fire authority fast-tracks deployment Spain’s Andalusian fire authority fast-tracks deployment of Globalstar SPOT Gen3 satellite messengers to safeguard firefighters amid Covid-19 crisis  Globalstar Europe Satellite Services Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Globalstar Inc. (NYSE American: GSAT), and the leader in satellite messaging and emergency notification technologies, announces that 550 SPOT Gen3 satellite-enabled safety devices have been deployed to safeguard and track firefighters across the vast expanse of Andalusia in southern Spain. For this rapidly-delivered project, SPOT Gen3 satellite messengers are the backbone of an advanced fire management technology platform from wildfire solutions specialist Technosylva to monitor and protect the region’s fire response teams and vehicles. This was a particularly urgent requirement by INFOCA, the administrative authority for forest and wildfire management, a department of the Junta de Andalucia, the local government for this region. INFOCA needed a fast deployment of a far-reaching, reliable tracking system to monitor and protect firefighters as Spain deals with the many complications and risks created by the global Covid-19 pandemic. INFOCA is one of the largest fire authorities in Europe with 5,000 response personnel. Andalusia is Spain’s most populous region with eight million inhabitants and several million tourists throughout the year. Fire is a major problem in Andalusia, its climate always subject to the extreme influences of the Sahara Desert. With its rugged and mountainous terrain, human exposure to fire risk is very high. Along with the need to provide 24/7 operational safety to firefighters in this potentially volatile environment, Spain has been dramatically affected by this year’s Covid-19 crisis. Since the outbreak began, INFOCA has been collaborating with other emergency services to deploy measures intended to limit the virus’ spread, and it has engaged in extensive prevention activities to protect the public. For instance, INFOCA’s fire equipment has been deployed to help with disinfection operations. Joaquin Ramirez Cisneros, Principal Consultant at Technosylva, explains: “INFOCA was very clear – this requirement was very urgent because of Covid-19.” Technosylva provides sophisticated fire behaviour analysis and management software. Fire authority operations teams can precisely track firefighters’ locations, via a user-friendly display of GPS positions in near real-time via the Technosylva fiRespons platform, a wildfire decision support system. Thanks to the pre-integration and smooth inter-operation between fiResponse and SPOT Gen3, the deployment for INFOCA was able to be completed in record time, in a matter of weeks. INFOCA already had confidence in the capabilities of Technosylva and SPOT because in July 2015, Junta de Castilla La Mancha fire authority selected Technosylva and SPOT Gen3 devices to safeguard its fire response teams in the neighbouring region. “To keep crews safe, it is critical to accurately and reliably monitor where the firefighters are at all times, in relation to the engines, pumps and other equipment,” says Ramirez Cisneros. If a firefighter needs help urgently, with the single press of SPOT Gen3’s SOS button, INFOCA operations co-ordinators are alerted, the user’s GPS coordinates are instantly transmitted, and rescue or support procedures can be initiated. “When there is a fire, it is also important to know how far away firefighters and resources are from the heart of it: The ability to track personnel, and the resources they use, all in real-time, is the Holy Grail in fire management,” he added. Gary King, SPOT Regional Sales Manager at Globalstar, commented: “We’ve seen a dramatic uptake of SPOT devices among first responders, and we are proud that our technology is helping to safeguard and support Andalusia’s firefighters.” The new agreement with the Junta de Andalusia builds on Technosylva’s earlier adoption by other firefighting organisations around the world. Technosylva has extensive and growing reach in the US, having numerous state-level fire authorities as customers, as well as supporting fire agencies in Spain, Canada and Latin America. SPOT Gen3 is a rugged, pocket-sized low-priced personal GPS messenger that helps users stay connected via satellite even where there is poor or no GSM signal. SPOT devices have been used in over 7,000 rescues worldwide since Globalstar launched the technology in 2007.   Share this post on our LinkedIn or Twitter. See more news here.