Grenfell: Three years on, still 2000 UK buildings with same cladding According to a committee analysing the government, there are still 2000 buildings in the UK that have the same cladding as Grenfell. The Housing Community and Local Government (HCLG) committee has been looking into how the government has handled post-Grenfell events and the results are not good, with the report claiming that some properties are “unmortgageable and unsellable” in their current state, unless residents fork out “tens of thousands of pounds” just to live in a safe environment, as per Sky News. Speaking about the revelations, chairman of the committee Clive Betts (MP) said that the government simply must take action, as nowhere near enough has been done. “We have challenged the government to finally commit to removing all forms of dangerous cladding once and for all,” Betts said. “Three years on from the Grenfell Tower disaster there are still thousands of homeowners living in buildings with some form of dangerous cladding. “The financial and emotional toll has been significant, with temporary safety measures costing huge sums and the ongoing stress of living in a property that may not be safe. This is not good enough. “This should not just be a question of the government, and therefore the taxpayer, stepping in with a blank cheque. “Those who have caused, and in some cases refuse to rectify, safety issues must be made to pay. “We call on the government to consider taking legal action to recover the cost of works on individual buildings. “Compulsory purchase order powers should be used to take direct ownership of buildings where owners have failed to begin remedial work by December 2020. “It is time for the government to commit to end the scourge of dangerous cladding once and for all. A piecemeal approach that will see homeowners facing many more years of stress and financial hardship – this is not an option.”

Nittan fire detectors help protect NHS Nightingale Hospital Nittan Europe is proud to have its Evolution analogue addressable fire detectors installed into the NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol. Built in less than three weeks at the University of West of England Frenchaycampus, NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol has the capacity to provide up to 300 intensive care beds for coronavirus patients, if local services need them. The new facility is one of seven Nightingale hospitals to be set up around the country as part of a massive NHS effort to respond to the COVID-19 health emergency. The Nittan fire detectors have been incorporated into Ramtech Electronics’WES wireless firm alarm system, which is designed to provide a simple, fast and secure method of communicating fire and medical emergencies in the complex environmental conditions of construction sites. Whilst WES has been designed to provide temporary protection on construction sites, its ease of use, reliability and quality made it ideal for use in the temporary Nightingale Hospital. Wireless fire alarm systems are ideal for temporary sites as they don’t require specialist trades to set up, and any number of call points can be deployed in minutes and linked wirelessly to cover large or small sites. The signal passes through all commonly found materials including steel, concrete and stone. Nittan Evolution EVC-DP dual optical detectors are incorporated into the WES system.  These award-winning detectors feature dual optical technology to reduce false alarms caused by non-combustion products such as steam, dust and aerosols. Unlike other conventional detectors on the market that claim to distinguish between smoke and non-combustion products, the EVC-DP effectively measures the actual particle size in the chamber via its combined IR and blue LED technology. As steam and dust are much larger particles than smoke, the detector won’t false alarm.  This makes the EVC-DP detector ideally suited to use in hospitals, hotels and other areas of multiple occupancy which are prone to steam and dust. The WES wireless fire alarm system featuring the Nittan detectors has been installed into the communal and welfare areas of NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol.

IWMA release call for papers for IWMC, taking place 21-22 April 2021 The International Water Mist Association (IWMA) have found – after having to discard the initial plans for October 2020 – a new date for THE worldwide water mist event and have announced that the 20th International Water Mist Conference (IWMC) will take place in Warsaw, Poland, on 21st and 22nd April 2021 at the Regent Warsaw Hotel. As such, the call for papers was released. The deadline to hand in abstracts is 30th October 2020. The speakers will be notified by 23rd December 2020 about acceptance. The final versions of the presentations will be due on 7th April 2021. Another important deadline is 30th December 2020. Until that day, young researchers who have dedicated their master thesis to water mist can submit a summary to the IWMA Scientific Council. Also: From 15th July 2020 onwards, sponsors can book tabletops for the exhibition which will run alongside the conference. Speaking in relation to the much welcomed news by the industry, Bettina McDowell, the IWMA General Manager, gave some helpful information as she said: “The Call for Papers, the abstract template as well as the sponsorship application forms can all be downloaded from the IWMA webpage or obtained from the IWMA head office in Hamburg”.

HAAS Alert Responder-to-Responder Alerts: V2V comes to key response Recently, the nation’s first vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication network for first responders went live, powered by HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud – the only technology-agnostic vehicle communication service. Haas have been delivering Responder-to-Vehicle (R2V) alerts to civilian motorists through our connected vehicle technology since our launch in 2015, but today, we’ve enhanced our service so that thousands of First Responder vehicles can alert other responding vehicles of one another in real time as they approach intersections. Pierce Manufacturing announced the launch of a Responder-to-Responder (R2R) collision prevention solution powered by Safety Cloud. This technology allows emergency vehicles to communicate directly with each other when they are en-route to an emergency for safer, faster response. They join an ecosystem of emergency manufacturers relying on HAAS Alert for responder safety and protection including REV Group Inc., E-ONE, Ferrara Fire Apparatus, KME, and Rosenbauer America. This is the first vehicle-to-vehicle safety technology that is deployable globally without the need for roadside or municipal infrastructure for all responder vehicles regardless of brand, manufacturer, or type. Police, Fire, and EMS departments are all enabled to communicate by sending a safety message that first responders are approaching or intersecting other Police/Fire/EMS vehicles. Creating safety alerts isn’t just about creating the alert, but how those responding are alerted – it’s all about the alert mechanism ensures first responders, in their rush to a scene, are able to receive an alert with enough warning time. Safety Cloud’s Responder-to-Vehicle service leverages similar technology to warn motorists about nearby emergency response vehicles, tow trucks, DOT work trucks and other fleet vehicles with warning lights that impact roadway safety and mobility. Safety Cloud can even feed alerts into automotive OEM cloud platforms, connected cars and autonomous vehicles for “connected safety” services, enhancing situational awareness and preparedness, connected intersections, or other Smart City infrastructure.

Sourcewell strike up a partnership with FireRescue GPO Cooperative purchasing organisation Sourcewell has joined forces with the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA), founder of FireRescue GPO. This FireRescue GPO partnership with Sourcewell will provide an even greater opportunity to meet the cooperative procurement needs of the nation’s fire service, as well as enhance FireRescue GPO’s ability to serve the fire service. Revenue generated through FireRescue GPO is shared with fire chiefs’ associations across the country including the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), its divisions, and state fire chiefs’ associations. “With this new partnership, we will significantly grow our fire service and public safety contracts to provide even more options to our public safety community,” said Tom Perttula, Sourcewell manager of contract administration. Sourcewell is a government organization serving other public entities for more than four decades by providing cooperative procurement solutions across the United States and Canada to more than 50,000 participating agencies. Sourcewell offers a growing contract portfolio, including: Fire apparatus Firefighting equipment* Firefighting PPE* Ambulances Fleet vehicles and products Public safety video surveillance Technology Construction Furniture Office supplies *recently awarded Future solicitations include public safety technology and communications, critical care and resuscitation equipment, public safety body armor, and more. “This partnership leverages the power of scale to our cooperative procurement program,” said Chief Jeffrey Johnson, CEO of the Western Fire Chiefs Association, “providing a more effective and comprehensive purchasing experience for our members.” View contract options for public safety through the FireRescue GPO partnership at sourcewell-mn.gov/fire-rescue-gpo.

New Evac+Chair International site at Blythe Valley Park UK manufacturer, Evac+Chair International is investing to futureproof the business as it relocates to Blythe Valley Park (BVP) in Solihull, Birmingham, near junction 4, M42. The move began on May 25 2020 and now Evac+Chair International have begun manufacturing and distributing its products worldwide from the new, 38,223 sq. ft site. The increased space will allow the manufacturer to continue to grow and develop its world-leading products. Evac+Chair International is the parent company of both Evac+Chair – manufacturer of emergency evacuation solutions – and Paraid – manufacturer of medical patient transportation solutions. Gerard Wallace, managing director, Evac+Chair International said: “We’ve been based at our old site for over 35 years, so we are all extremely excited to be making the move to our new, much larger premises later this month. “The current situation is undoubtedly challenging for every business, however by working closely with the NHS we have been able to continually support the healthcare sector, allowing the Paraid brand to flourish and our new premises will enable us to expand this further. “At Evac+Chair International, our core goal is to ensure safety, whether that be for building occupants in the event of an emergency or hospital patients during transportation. As we move to the new site, the safety of our team is our main priority. The increased space will enable us to ensure social distancing procedures are rigorously maintained at all times. “The site will also bring a new and improved working environment for the whole team, including the ‘Evac+Café’, a new showroom for our product ranges, extensive meeting facilities and the potential to develop an on-site training academy in the future.” Located alongside a number of established technology businesses, Blythe Valley Park is the perfect location for Evac+Chair International to streamline the efficiencies of its manufacturing operations and continue its innovation into R&D and product development. Ultimately, the new site will help to secure the future growth of the business, and, as a result, the safety of building occupants and healthcare patients worldwide.

Cottenham firefighter rallies community to support hospice A Cottenham based firefighter has rallied his local community to donate face masks to a hospice charity. Crew Commander Roger Pake raised more than £2,000 to cover the cost of 700 N95 masks for staff at Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridge. Roger said: “I saw the plea from the charity on Facebook and felt I could help. I know people that have family members looked after by the hospice, plus my wife works there so I am fully aware of the great work they do. This is why I was very keen to do something to help.” Roger divides his time between running his own business as an electrician and being available to respond to emergencies as an on-call firefighter from Cottenham Fire Station. He added: “I knew I could use contacts from my business to source masks for the staff at the hospice, so decided to see if my Facebook friends wanted to get involved and donate some money to fund them. I have been truly overwhelmed by the response and the generosity of people. I had no idea that I’d receive this much support.” Roger delivered the masks to grateful staff at the hospice last week. Hospice Matron Carly Love added: “We are so grateful to Roger and all those who contributed to the collection and the purchase of 700 masks. This is vital equipment that the hospice currently needs to enable the excellent care that they deliver in the community to continue, and ensure that the patients that still need the help of the hospice continue to receive this vital service. We were truly touched by this generous donation, it really will make a difference.”

MagneGrip Exhaust Removal System installed by Ohio fire department By utilising the MagneGrip Exhaust Removal System, the Monroe Fire Department in Monroe, Ohio has taken a proactive approach to cancer prevention and to ensuring the health and wellbeing of their firefighters. Working with Assistant Chief Dave Leverage, MagneGrip installed an exhaust removal system. MagneGrip Exhaust Removal Systems remove diesel exhaust emissions in firehouses to reduce firefighter risk for cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The patented magnetic nozzle provides an airtight seal and is 100% effective in removing exhaust emissions. Systems have wireless auto-start activation. MagneGrip’s 1,000° F rated hose is now standard equipment. In the video, Chief Leverage notes the importance of exhaust removal in the health and safety of Monroe Fire Department’s fire fighters and the ease of working with MagneGrip to install an effective and efficient system to reduce first responders’ cancer risk. MagneGrip Group also manufactures AirHawk Air Purification Systems with ceiling-mounted air filtration units positioned to remove hazardous airborne contaminants including viruses, bacteria and mold spores and neutralizes gaseous compounds such as carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide. MagneGrip Group offers a free Grant Assistance program through FireGrantsHelp.com. Grant experts provide personalized assistance until a grant is found. The program includes local, state and national grant alerts, online grant writing training, narrative review and optional grant writing at 50% discount.

AMKUS Rescue Systems releases new tool lineup Recently, AMKUS Rescue Systems introduced a line of high performance, battery powered and twin-lined rescue tools. The cutters, spreaders and combi-tools are constructed from solid aluminium and are ready for service in the severe duty challenging first responders. The new battery powered ION tool’s onboard pump system delivers amazingly fast performance under both loaded and unloaded conditions. The tools are compact to access tight spaces and require less room on apparatus. In addition, they utilise the DEWALT FLEXVOLT platform, so the affordable batteries can be shared with other fire rescue tools like saws, lights and drills. A full line of FLEXVOLT fire rescue kits can be found at AMKUS.com or ShopAmkus.com. Like the ION tools, the new AMKUS LINE tools bring superior operator safety and performance to a family of tools long recognized as versatile and reliable. The all-metal bodies include ergonomic operator controls and the ability to reposition the tool at any time with minimal effort. According to Kyle Smith, AMKUS president, “What really sets these tools apart, both ION and LINE, is their ability to deliver reliable performance in real world extrication scenarios. They’re powerful, quick, and versatile.” Contact your local AMKUS dealer for a local demonstration or for more information. AMKUS Rescue Systems develops and manufactures a wide range of hydraulic and battery powered rescue tools and accessories.