Fire-Dex hire Alexa Green as their new Content Marketing Coordinator Fire-Dex recently announced the hiring of a fourth marketing team member as Alexa Green, a recent graduate of Kent State University, fills the newly created role of Content Marketing Coordinator. “It’s been amazing to watch the growth within our marketing team over the last few years as we’ve reduced outsourcing and brought more talent in house,” said Jenny Surovey, Marketing Manager. “I’m incredibly proud of where our team has taken us and I am confident that Alexa will help drive us to the next level. We are so excited to welcome her to the Fire-Dex family.” As Content Marketing Coordinator, Alexa will assist with communications, content strategy and content creation. She will be responsible for internal and external communications, public relations, email marketing, and creative and technical writing. As Fire-Dex has grown through expansion and acquisition, it’s expanded job opportunities throughout the U.S. in areas including sales, administration, marketing, customer service and production support. Discover current openings at firedex.com/employment. Fire-Dex is a family-owned, global manufacturer of head-to-toe personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders. Maintaining the core values on which it was founded in 1983, Fire-Dex extended its ability “to serve those who serve” with the acquisition of three major brands; Chieftain, TECGEN, and most recently, Gear Wash, adding PPE clean and repair services to its portfolio. The company is headquartered in Medina, Ohio with a second production facility in Georgia. To learn more, visit www.firedex.com.

telent and Tait Communications enable improved firefighter safety for ESFRS Tait Communications has been chosen by East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (ESFRS) to provide a new safety critical fireground communications solution, improving firefighter safety. The equipment will be supplied and installed by telent, its long-term IT partner and a specialist in the effective operation of the UK’s critical national infrastructure. Fireground radios provide a vital safety critical communication tool for local communications between firefighters and on-scene incident commanders. They are used by firefighters in breathing apparatus when operating hoses, scaling ladders and entering buildings. ESFRS’ current radios are aging and require urgent replacement. The solution, developed by operational teams at ESFRS working with Tait Communications, in collaboration with telent, overcomes these challenges by providing better compatibility with firefighters’ breathing apparatus for improved voice and audio performance in digital mode. In addition, new audio accessories with large buttons are incorporated for easier use when wearing protective gloves and an enhanced digital communications range allows multiple radios to be used together over both long and short distances. When the “Push To Talk” button is pressed on the digital radio, it sounds an alert tone indicating to the firefighter to start talking, increasing usability and user confidence especially for breathing apparatus wearers in zero visibility, high stress conditions. Following successful simulated incident trials, telent will supply 350 Tait handheld digital radios to ESFRS. These will be a mix of ATEX units for use by firefighters and non-ATEX units for use by incident commanders, with both units sharing a common battery. Ongoing support and maintenance of the radios will be provided by telent. “Crucially, this solution will enhance communications between firefighters on the ground, providing them with better protection and ensuring they can carry out their vital work safely,” said Richard Fowler, Assistant Director, Operational Support and Resilience, at ESFRS. “As the radio was designed specifically to meet the requirements of our fire service, it targets the key areas that needed to be addressed to improve our operational capabilities.”

Pierce secures order for eight custom pumpers from Clayton County Fire Pierce Manufacturing Inc. have announced that it has secured an order for eight custom pumpers from Clayton County Fire and Emergency Services, based just south of Atlanta in Riverdale, Georgia. Sold through the exclusive Pierce dealer for Georgia and Florida, Ten-8 Fire Equipment, the order for eight Pierce® Enforcer Pumpers is the largest in the department’s history and a continuation of Clayton County Fire and Emergency Services’ 2016 apparatus additions. Like the pumpers ordered in 2016, the new pumpers will also be built on the Enforcer custom chassis adding to the 100 percent Pierce fleet. “This purchase completes the initiative to create consistency by making our fleet of first-out pumpers, as well as our reserve fleet, all Pierce Apparatus,” said Landry Merkison, Fire Chief and Emergency Services Director for Clayton County Fire and Emergency Services. “Our firefighters will now have the unique ability to work between pumpers in the field, as well as our reserve fleet, with uniformity in each apparatus when it comes to layout and operations of the unit.” The eight new Pierce Enforcer Pumpers will feature: Hale 1,500 GPM pump Cummins L9 450 hp Allison 5th Generation Transmission 750-gallon booster tank Pierce rear camera system Low hose bed/crosslays 197-inch wheelbase Pierce Carcinogen Awareness & Reduction to Exposure (CARE) clean cab features “Our team is grateful to once again support the incredible work of Clayton County Fire and Emergency Services with the selection of fire apparatus that we know will best meet their needs,” said Jeff Amlong, Sales Consultant for Ten-8 Fire Equipment. “Our team would also like to recognize the important role of Clayton County’s Board of Commissioners, Finance Department, and Central Services who were all instrumental in making the apparatus order a reality. It was a team effort across the board that had a lot of moving parts, and in the end, all parties worked together toward the common goal of putting the right apparatus in place to best serve the community.” Clayton County Fire and Emergency Services is an all-hazards department with 14 fire stations covering a service area encompassing approximately 122 square miles and 259,000 residents. Given the department’s proximity to the world’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, as well as three major interstates that run through Clayton county, daily populations served can swell to over one million during peak hours.

Magirus Lohr announces a brand new plant near Graz, Austria For almost 100 years, Magirus Lohr has manufactured fire engines in Hönigtal near Kainbach in Austria. As a result of successful business developments in recent years, there is a requirement to accommodate potential growth. “Following increasing demand, we started a strategic search for a new location in 2017,” said Christian Reisl, Managing Director, Magirus Lohr. “Due to the specific topographic conditions, there is no possibility for expansion at the Hönigtal site.” The company has therefore determined a site in Zettling, located in the municipality of Premstätten near Graz, Austria, which, by 2020, will become a modern plant, comprising development and production facilities, a distribution centre as well as a point-of-sale for firefighting equipment. At 17,000m2 and an investment totalling some 10 million euros, the Company’s new location will operate to the latest standards and be ready to meet future challenges. Regional Economic Councillor Barbara Eibinger-Miedl underlines the importance of the company for the Graz location, “Companies such as Magirus Lohr GmbH are the backbone of the Styrian economy. With Magirus Lohr, Styria has a leading company that turns tradition into innovation. The company’s new location is a result of successful developments over the past few years and creates the conditions for further growth and secures existing jobs in the region.” A key priority of Magirus Lohr is maintaining uninterrupted production during the transfer, whilst seamlessly optimising manufacturing processes. Magirus Lohr won the majority of tender lots advertised by the Austrian Federal Procurement Agency (BBG) for fire engines in late 2019. In addition, this site will continue as the manufacturing centre of excellence for crew cabins, group-wide components as well as responsibility for strategic market developments in Eastern Europe. “Close customer relationships are the most significant element of Magirus’s philosophy,” said Marc Diening, CEO of the Magirus Group. “The new location will enable us to provide even better on-site customer support, and bring us closer to our customers, a fact already appreciated in Austria and abroad.”

Amthal fires up 20th anniversary celebrations by launching new logo Amthal is celebrating its 20th birthday with the launch of a specialist logo, dedicated to showcasing its fast-growing, evolutionary journey to becoming a fire and security specialist. Launched in 2000, by close friends John Allam and Paul Rosenthal, Amthal now has over 60 members in the team and operates on a nationwide basis providing design, installation, maintenance and monitoring services across all commercial, public sector and residential sectors. In 2008, Jamie Allam joined the management team to become Commercial Director and created the structure to drive an ambitious growth plan, incorporating all aspects of the business, from operations, through sales and commercial targets. Since 2019, a dedicated Senior Management Team has been created to manage day-to-day operations, including team members from across the business, some of which began their Amthal journey as an apprentices. Says Jamie: “Since we opened our doors in 2000, the economy and the challenges our clients face have evolved dramatically and our business has always taken a proactive approach.  We have continued on our dynamic journey, transforming the way we work to operate as a total solutions provider for clients, to deliver full fire and security services. “We are very excited to reach our 20th anniversary and wanted a special way to celebrate our year, which reflected our mission, vision and values, both to our incredible team and our customers.  The logo was created by providing keywords we associate with Amthal, such as ‘Strength,’ ‘Diversity,’ ‘Understanding’ and ‘Trustworthy,’ alongside recognising our commitment to smart solutions and latest technology.” The logo will now be appearing across all social media channels and marketing material, and marks the start of the celebrations through the year, culminating in an anniversary event on Amthal’s actual birthday, 14th November 2020. Independently owned, Amthal Fire & Security is dedicated to satisfying end user needs for security safety and convenience offering design, installation, service and remote monitoring of advanced electronic fire & security solutions, including intruder, Fire, Access and CCTV systems. Amthal Fire & Security is accredited by the Security Systems and Alarm Inspection Board (SSAIB) United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS) and British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE.)

Apollo Fire Detectors to celebrate 40th anniversary at FIREX International 2020 Apollo Fire Detectors will be celebrating 40 years of making smart devices that keep people safe from fire at FIREX International 2020. The company, which holds the Royal Warrant, can be found on stand FX510 at The Fire Solutions Zone alongside their Halma sister companies. They will be exhibiting a variety of next-generation products including the Soteria range. This includes the flush mounted Soteria Dimension designed for commercial environments with high aesthetic requirements and is also ideal for healthcare environments due to its flat, easy to clean surface. A specialist variant is also available, designed specifically for applications that require anti-ligature and anti-vandal features. Charles Lombard, Managing Director of Apollo Fire Detectors said: “2020 is an exciting year for us.  We’re celebrating 40 years of innovation, integrity and trust, and taking time to recognise our achievements and impact on the industry.  Our hard-earned reputation for quality and innovation has been won following 40 years of hard work, including investing in our R&D departments so we can be responsive to change and develop reliable new technology.” “FIREX gives us the opportunity to interact with a wide range of professionals within the fire industry and share our knowledge, expertise and solutions which have been developed over the past 40 years and we look forward to an exciting and fruitful event.” FIREX takes place from May 19-21 at ExCeL London. For more information visit www.apollo-fire.co.uk.

Why Everton FC invested in Evac+Chair equipment exceeding new ASG regulations When one of the biggest and most historic Premier League teams in Everton came to Evac+Chair to help them with Goodison Park, the company helped in the best way possible Everton FC – a Premier League football club – has committed to comply with the new regulations for disabled access set out in the Accessible Stadia Guide. It has undergone major redevelopment and has chosen Evac+Chairs for Everton’s mobility-impaired supporters who are unable to use the stairways in an emergency. Everton’s commitment to become ASG-compliant, encouraged them to make a substantial investment to improve equality of evacuation and prevent discrimination for all their fans in its 39,950 capacity, Goodison Park stadium. The improvements involved significant work including a range of new viewing positions for fans with disabilities, new evacuation equipment and improved toilets and facilities. A key part of the project was new, elevated, wheelchair, viewing platforms and a number of accessible seating options in various areas of the ground. All Premier League clubs agreed to comply with the requirements of the Sports Grounds and Safety Authority (SGSA) Accessible Stadia document. Boosting accessibility In terms of accessibility, one of the criticisms levelled at several clubs, was that wheelchair users suffered poor sightlines of the match by being positioned at pitch level. The new elevated platforms at Goodison Park now provide an additional 89 positions for wheelchair users between the Goodison Road Main Stand and Sir Phillip Carter Park stand, as well as some additional elevated positions in the Howard Kendall Gwladys street stand and the Bullens Road away end. In total, positions for wheelchair users at Goodison Park have now increased to 214 spaces. A range of improvements – including four, new, fully-accessible lifts, two new, accessible wheel chair lifts, new stairs and designated entrances and exits – have improved access and emergency evacuation. The club already had 12 evacuation chairs in place and has invested in another four chairs to become fully compliant. Everton FC has made the significant investment to ensure equality for all visitors even though the club is set to relocate to a new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock on the Liverpool waterfront in the future. Underpinning a fire strategy Speaking about working with Evac+Chair, Richard Cairns, Facilities Manager at Everton FC, said that while the club had an option to invest in a new stadium, they wanted to stick with the original ground due to the fans, even though that meant that they had to potentially increase spending to make sure that the correct evaluation was done – which they duly got when Evac+Chair came to the fore. “We chose to invest in our ground regardless of the new stadium because, as a club, we are committed to all our supporters and hold the need for equality, particularly in sports, in high regard,” Cairns said. “Evacuation procedures obviously underpin our fire safety strategy, but we also need to provide for any circumstance where someone may need assistance and the lifts are out of action. “Correct evacuation training is vital for all football clubs as, you can imagine, we have a lot of people working here on match days, so we needed to develop a policy that enables us to train as many of our team as possible. “Evac+Chair helped implement a training programme for key match day staff and accessibility Stewards and we are confident that all of our fans and visitors to Goodison Park would be evacuated safety and correctly in an emergency.” Avoiding heavy lifting The chair model chosen by Everton FC is the 300H, which has a 182kg carrying capacity and is designed for one-person operation. It avoids the need for heavy lifting or manual handling.  British-made, all Evac+Chairs carry the CE mark (class 1 medical device) and also undergo independent type testing. Adding further comment, Colin Moore, UK Sales Manager at Evac+Chair, said that it is perhaps more important at this time than any other that football clubs in the modern age stick to the guidelines in place to keep people safe at matches and that part of the service that they offered the Toffees proved to be very useful as it meant that the most appropriate equipment could be used. “It’s more important than ever for all football clubs to comply with the accessible stadia guidelines by providing the means for a safe exit in an emergency,” Moore said. “We not only just supply the equipment but also provide full training support that a club might need to implement safe practices on match days. “As part of the full service we offer, we undertake a full site survey to find the most appropriate equipment for each area. “This integrated service means Everton FC has achieved its aims for full compliance with the act by appointing us to provide the equipment and train its team to ensure it’s used properly. “More clubs are moving towards compliance and equality. Evac+Chair is helping equip them with world-class apparatus and all the necessary knowledge to ensure their facilities afford safe access for all, no matter how able they are.”

Bronto Skylift announce THT Polička s.r.o as their new Czech Republic distributor Bronto Skylift are pleased to announce that THT Polička s.r.o. has been named as a distributor in Czech Republic. The exclusive distribution agreement includes the sales of Bronto Skylift high-rise rescue and firefighting products as well as supporting services and is limited to the area of Czech Republic. Bronto Skylift’s previous distributor in Czech Republic, D.I.K. consulting will be helping with the transition and remains as a service contact until the new collaboration is fully effective. “We are very thankful to D.I.K. Consulting and Jiri Kollar for his support during the past years and expecially for the help he is able to provide during the transition. Collaboration with THT Polička will give us a stronger footprint in this territory and we are looking forward to it”, says Dominik Keller, Area Manager Europe, Bronto Skylift. THT Polička has been serving the firefighting industry for over a hundred years. It was first founded in 1899 with the name Stratílek and produced fire engines and accessories. Nowadays they provide water tenders, crew carries, fire containers and several other products for rescue and firefighting. As state of the art rescue and firefighting platforms, Bronto Skylift’s products are a natural addition to THT Polička’s offering. “In cooperation with Bronto Skylift, we are ready to continue building good reputation with firefighters in the Czech Republic. Our goal is to provide comprehensive services to all Czech customers,” states Klejn Vojta, THT Polička s.r.o.