Hand Media at IFSEC 2019
Hand Media at IFSEC 2019 Below is a video of our time at IFSEC 2019.
Hand Media at IFSEC 2019 Read More »
Baldwin Boxall joins the Fire Industry Association (FIA)
Baldwin Boxall joins the Fire Industry Association (FIA) Safety and voice alarm company Baldwin Boxall have recently announced that the company has become a member of the Fire Industry Association (FIA). With over 800 members, the FIA is the largest fire protection trade association in the UK and its objective is to promote, improve and perfect fire protection methods, devices, services and apparatus through training and technical support as well as the promotion and shaping of legislation and professional fire industry standards. Speaking about the decision to join the FIA, Nick Baldwin – Baldwin Boxall’s Sales and Marketing Director – claimed that the move is a logical step for the company. “Our own mission has always been to supply products and solutions that set the industry benchmark and to develop meaningful relationships with our customers so that they know we are a company that they can rely on,” Baldwin said. “We feel that the FIA reflects those values and that we and our customers can only benefit from the association. “As a result, we are delighted to become part of the FIA family and look forward working in partnership with the organisation and becoming involved with their industry training, promoting best practice and the various networking opportunities that being a member also brings.”
Baldwin Boxall joins the Fire Industry Association (FIA) Read More »
Kentec at IFSEC 2019
Kentec at IFSEC 2019 Whilst at IFSEC, we spoke to the UK’s largest independent manufacturer of fire alarm control panels, Kentec, to learn more about their new products and find out why they consider IFSEC an important event to exhibit at. Products on show at the stand included the ZXT Extinguishant Control Panel, which enables targeted extinguishing that limits damage and reduces costs; and the Vizulinx alarm management system, which passes fire system events via e-mail, SMS, and Modbus® message format.
Kentec at IFSEC 2019 Read More »
Firefighters continue to battle 10,000 acre Catalonia wildfire
Firefighters continue to battle 10,000 acre Catalonia wildfire Firefighters in Spain are battling a major wildfire that is speculated to have started after an “improperly managed” pile of manure self-ignited amid the intense European heat wave. Spontaneous ignitions can occur when flammable materials, such as piles of hay, compost or manure heat up to a temperature high enough to cause combustion Around 10,000 acres of forest and other vegetation were affected by the blaze near Tarragona in the country’s north-east, according to the Catalan regional government. As of early afternoon, 28 June, the fire was still not under control and 53 people have been evacuated from the area. The Catalan fire brigade said around 350 fire crew, 12 fire engines and a number of vehicles with large water tanks are at the scene. Seven aircrafts, two hydroplanes and heavy machinery have also been deployed, the fire service said. Locals have been advised to stay indoors and keep their windows shut to avoid smoke inhalation. The firefighters said the blaze is one of the worst in Catalonia in the last 20 years. They warned it could spread to as much as two times its current area because of the harsh weather conditions and tough local terrain, which includes steep slopes and deep ridges. The Catalan government said that while temperatures are forecast to rise again on Thursday, the strong winds that helped the fire spread quickly late on Wednesday are expected to ease. Europe has been struggling with a major heatwave this week, with temperatures expected to rise even higher on Thursday and Friday. Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic all recorded their highest-ever June temperatures on Wednesday. On Thursday, Météo-France, the French national weather authority, issued a “red level” alert for four departments in the south of the country, the first time this level of alert has been used for a heatwave. Climate scientists have warned that heat waves such as this one are becoming more frequent and increasingly severe because of the climate crisis. Météo-France said the frequency of such events is expected to double by 2050.
Firefighters continue to battle 10,000 acre Catalonia wildfire Read More »
Coltraco CEO awarded OBE in Queen’s Honours List
Coltraco CEO awarded OBE in Queen’s Honours List Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter, CEO of Coltraco Ultrasonics has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Prime Minister’s list for the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his Services to Business and International Trade, on Saturday 8th June 2019, published in the London Gazette. This swiftly follows the news last month about the company winning the Queen’s Award for International Trade. Carl Stephen Patrick HUNTER Chief Executive Officer, Coltraco Ultrasonics. For Services to Business and International Trade. (Somerset) “The Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2019, published on Saturday 8 June, recognises the outstanding achievements of people across the United Kingdom.” Carl would like to add a few words: “I am honoured to be awarded an OBE by Her Majesty The Queen which was announced in The Queen’s Birthday Honours List on Saturday for Services to Business and International Trade. “Since 2017 I have had the privilege to see some very fine, and largely unreported, work in our government and Parliament and have met extraordinary and dedicated Ministers, Parliamentarians, Civil Servants and business leaders. Public service is about the common good and the elevation of the condition of the people at home and overseas. “As a former soldier and businessman I believe “national service” is done for the country as much in the private as the public sectors, that the partnership between government and business in a shared national endeavour is therefore an essential one, and see UK exporting and investment as a key component to global stability and national prosperity and that the link between both is a national interest that serves global security. “I believe my role in the company is to create a happy and dynamic environment for all the members of it so as to create a profitable and sustainable company. We are a high exporting manufacturer to 110 countries. I am proud of the company, for the wonderful and professional human beings they are and it is a credit to them that we won the Queen’s Award for International Trade last month.
Coltraco CEO awarded OBE in Queen’s Honours List Read More »
Stanley Security installs wireless fire alarm system at Harvey’s Windows & Conservatories
Stanley Security installs wireless fire alarm system at Harvey’s Windows & Conservatories Stanley Security has installed a wireless fire alarm system at Harvey’s Windows & Conservatories, meeting their insurance requirements while saving considerable expense. As part of its insurance policy, Harvey’s Windows & Conservatories conducted a Fire Risk Assessment, undertaken by a third party. The assessor stated that an L2 category Fire System was required throughout the building. BS 5839-1:2017, the British Standard for fire detection and fire alarm systems in non-domestic premises, categorizes systems based on their objectives. Category L is a system designed to protect life and ranges from minimal protection ‘five’ to top protection ‘one.’ L2 requires Manual Call Points throughout and optical automatic fire detection (AFD) in escape routes and all rooms, corridors and compartments that open onto escape routes, plus further AFD in areas identified as high fire risk. L2 systems therefore often come with a high price tag, especially in a large building such as that owned by Harvey’s Windows & Conservatories. After receiving several quotes that were out of the company’s reach, STANLEY Security provided the company with an affordable, effective alternative. “One of the key costs in the previous quotes was cabling,” stated Ashley Hickling, Fire Sales Manager for STANLEY Security. “Other installers were looking to cable the entire system or use a hybrid of hard wired and wireless equipment. With a large building, the amount of cabling pushed the price high. “Furthermore, there were no cable routes, so a lot of containment would have been required for a hard-wired solution, which is also expensive and not aesthetically pleasing – an issue for the dance studios.” The cost of labour to fit the cabling also added to the budget. STANLEY Security instead recommended a full EMS wireless system which negates the need for cabling and therefore reduces the costs significantly. Furthermore, the entire system is financed under STANLEY Assure, a finance solution for customers wishing to benefit from up to date security and fire technology without the risks of ownership and with evenly spread, manageable payment terms with no hidden extra costs.
Advanced invites visitors to experience Firex’s largest ever exhibition zone
Advanced invites visitors to experience Firex’s largest ever exhibition zone Advanced is set to showcase its latest industry leading products at Firex International 2019 as it forms part of the annual event’s largest ever exhibition zone. Global leaders in the design, manufacture and supply of intelligent fire systems, Advanced, alongside fire brands Apollo, Argus, FFE and Klaxon have joined together to form the Fire Solutions Sector at this year’s Firex International, June 18-20. Visitors to Advanced’s striking stand (FX610) at the Fire Solutions Sector can expect to learn more about the industry’s unbeatable multiprotocol MxPro 5 fire alarm panel for the UK and its Axis EN intelligent fire system for export markets, both of which recently received FM Approval to the EN54 standard. Axis AX, the manufacturer’s UL 864 system will also be on display which includes synchronised fire audio and ground-breaking smoke control solution, DynamixSmoke. Advanced will offer delegates to the exhibition a ‘sneak-peak’ at some of its latest innovations inside its Product Discovery Lab. Ahead of their official launches, demonstrations of its first cloud-connected fire panel, the MxGo, and its complete solution for remote management and servicing of the fire system, DynamixLive, will take place in the Lab. Aston Bowles, Marketing Director at Advanced said: “Firex is a key event on the exhibition calendar for Advanced as it provides us with a fantastic platform to communicate with fire industry professionals. We’re keen to show that we continue to invest in our technology to ensure we stay at the forefront of the industry and look forward to the response we get from delegates on the innovations on show in our Product Discovery Lab. “Fire engineers stand to benefit significantly from time and cost efficiencies – delivering a huge range of features including pre-emptive maintenance and remote configuration allowing for quick identification and resolution of any issues.”
Advanced invites visitors to experience Firex’s largest ever exhibition zone Read More »
New Kentec addressable fire panel protects new air ambulance HQ
New Kentec addressable fire panel protects new air ambulance HQ Staff and air ambulance helicopters at Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance headquarters in Chatham are being protected from the risk of fire by a fire safety solution that centres around the new Taktis addressable fire panel from Kentec. The HQ main office building is monitored by the Taktis panel and hard-wired Hochiki detectors, with wireless versions specified to cover the helicopter hangar. Alvin Lewis, Operations Manager at CSG Fire and Security, the company that installed the system, says the customer has been impressed by the new panel: “We have worked with Kentec panels exclusively for about 15 years and the latest version is the best one we have installed yet. “From our point of view, it’s very easy to install – our engineers very rarely have any issues with it. From a customer perspective the new touch screen has made it even easier to use.” Kevin Swann Managing Director of Kentec says the new addressable panel is providing a new level of convenience and functionality: “The evolution of the Taktis family brings us into a new era of product excellence – providing the utmost flexibility for system’s design, ease of installation and genuine multi-protocol ability.” Initially configured as a fire detection and alarm system, the flexibility of Taktis is such that it can be re-configured to realise many other control and indication applications, with direct integration into intelligent buildings. Available in four and eight slot variants, Taktis fire control panels have up to 16 detection loops. It is capable of networking up to 128 panels, making it ideal for the largest sites including schools, hospitals, multi-site retail/supermarkets, critical infrastructure and major commercial and industrial facilities.
New Kentec addressable fire panel protects new air ambulance HQ Read More »
More care homes not compliant with regulation
More care homes not compliant with regulation It has been announced that care homes around London have failed fire safety standards carried out by the London Fire Brigade (LFB), with Bromley and Croydon topping the list of the most homes not following regulation. Regional data found that of 1,226 fire safety audits carried out in London since June 2017, 51 were served an enforcement notice and 498 received a notice of deficiencies. Topping the list, Bromley had 71 care homes that failed to meet fire safety standards and Croydon had 44, amounting to one in three not being compliant. Nonetheless, the Mayor of London commented that the majority of care homes were found to be “broadly compliant” with fire safety standards. As of March 2019, the LFB conducted follow up visits at 30 care homes that received an enforcement notice, with the remaining 21 sites to be checked in the near future, giving operators an opportunity to fix the problems. The information was made available following a written question to the Mayor of London submitted by Labour Assembly Member Andrew Dismore. Labour member Tom Copley told Inside Croydon, “It is very concerning that some of the most vulnerable Londoners are being put at risk in this way. These inspections carried out by the LFB have been vital in highlighting not only a local issue but one that urgently affects the whole of our capital. “Care homes have a duty of care to their residents. It is vital they co-operate fully with the LFB to get their fire safety standards up to scratch and take all possible measures to prevent any future tragedies.”
More care homes not compliant with regulation Read More »
Pawcatuck Fire Department welcomes new pumper truck to its fleet
Pawcatuck Fire Department welcomes new pumper truck to its fleet Members of the Pawcatuck Fire Department have welcomed a new pumper truck to its fleet, part of an effort to assure the department’s apparatus are well-maintained and ready to serve the community into the future. The department took receipt of the truck, a 2019 E-One Typhoon pumper truck, approximately two weeks ago. The custom-built truck cost the agency US$439,000 and replaces a 1994 truck built by the same company that had served the town for 25 years, Fire Chief Kevin Burns said. “We replace this kind of equipment on a regular cycle and this was part of that (ongoing effort).” The Typhoon, which features a roll cage cab and a 330-600 Cummins HP engine according to the E-One website, was purchased based on custom specifications that both helped to meet the departments need while simultaneously reducing the cost. The average price for a pumper truck in approximately US$650,000 and can go even higher based on a variety of optional features. The town was also able to trade in the 1994 model to help further reduce the cost, officials said. “When we purchase a truck, we try and keep it as focused and specific to the features we need,” Burns said. “We have been fortunate to have members who can assist with custom work, and that’s helped keep the costs down as well.” One of the new aspects of the truck is an expanded water tank that will allow the pumper to transport 750 gallons of water, which will help provide a stronger initial response to fire calls. The 1994 model held approximately 500 gallons of water, but Burns said the department sought to increase that capacity with the latest purchase. Burns and Assistant Fire Chief Byron Stillman said the expanded capacity can only serve to enhance response to one of the more populated sections of Stonington. Although the department and its members are excited to put the new truck to use, Burns said it was still bittersweet to trade in the old model.
Pawcatuck Fire Department welcomes new pumper truck to its fleet Read More »
