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Kentec fire detection protects Dumfries ‘church of the 21st Century’

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Kentec fire detection protects Dumfries ‘church of the 21st Century’ Kentec Electronics Ltd., one of the world’s leading manufacturers of life safety systems, has had its highly acclaimed Taktis® fire detection and alarm technology chosen to help protect an iconic new £4.7 million flexible use community hub development for Scotland’s Dumfries Baptist Church. The church for the 21st century in Dumfries, Scotland is a £4.7 million community facility and will be a new home for the Dumfries Baptist Church’s congregation. The church had long outgrown the building where the congregation had met since 1873, but suitable land had to be secured and funds raised before this ambitious project could be realised. Fast forward six years to the recently completed new building; a 2,000 m2 community hub which comprises a main church hall seating around 500 and conference facilities including full catering, youth facilities plus a full specification games hall and multi­‐use games area. A central full height ‘Avenue’ links all spaces, allowing light to flood the building, with cell rooms over two storeys offering flexible use of space options. Such a busy, multi‐use facility demands a fire safety system of the highest pedigree, performance and reliability, which is why leading specialists JJ Group (Contracting) Ltd. opted for an open protocol L3 system built around the sophisticated features of the Taktis Technology Platform, and comprising a Taktis two loop fire control panel connected to a variety of Apollo addressable loop powered devices including multi sensor detectors, sounders and beacons. Kentec’s Taktis fire detection and alarm system combines the very latest in hardware and software to produce a control and indication system that is both powerful and sophisticated, yet simple to understand. Available in 2-­8 loop or 2-­16 loop versions and certified to EN54-­2 and EN54-­4, Taktis is ideal for installation in larger buildings. Its capacity to be networked up to 128 panels and repeaters gives reassurance to all building owners/operators that they’re in safe hands. Not only does Kentec’s Taktis provide solutions to the most technically challenging applications in life safety it delivers added value through ease of use, displaying clear information to ensure that when an event occurs appropriate action is taken swiftly. NSI Gold Carlisle based electrical contractors JJ Group (Contracting) Ltd has over 20 years experience in fire safety system design and installation, expertise that provides solutions for a broad range of industries including local authority, commercial and industrial clients across the north of England.

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TRIGEN Automotive unveils Auberon

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TRIGEN Automotive unveils Auberon TRIGEN Automotive, a leading manufacturer of special function vehicles and robotics solutions for emergency services worldwide, is proud to unveil its latest firefighting solution – Auberon Pneumatic Exoskeleton. In an ever changing urban landscape where high-rise buildings are becoming increasingly commonplace, new sets of firefighting challenges are being posed to emergency services daily. Recognising this phenomenon, TRIGEN Automotive is determined to equip firefighters with enabling technology that empowers them with effective firefighting solutions while placing a strong emphasis on user safety. Auberon, conceptualised together with Singapore Civil Defence Force, is developed with the aim of helping firefighters carry heavy firefighting equipment up multiple flights of stairs when lift systems in a high-rise building malfunction. These firefighting equipment, which typically include breathing apparatus, hoses, nozzles and power tools, can weigh up to 40 kilogrammes and pose considerable strain on the fireman when he has to climb up several storeys to reach a fire scene. With Auberon, the equipment are slung across specially designed frames which help to free up the fireman’s hands as he makes his way up the building. At the same time, the muscle stress placed on the fireman, especially on the shoulders, will be reduced as the weight of the equipment will be passed through the exoskeleton and transferred to the ground via the footplate. In addition, pneumatic pistons on the legs of Auberon assist in pushing the fireman up when he climbs stairs, making the process less physically demanding. By alleviating physical strain, it allows the fireman to focus on tackling the emergency situation more efficiently. Designed as a pure mechanical system, Auberon uses two 6.8 litres compressed air tanks to power up the system. This enables the fireman to climb up and back down a 12-storey building three times with compressed air to spare. On top of that, no external intelligence to complicate the controls of the exoskeleton nor electronics are used to power Auberon. This ensures that the system will function even in adverse conditions and is not affected by extreme high temperatures or wet environments. At the same time, a quick release catch on Auberon allows the fireman to jettison the exoskeleton swiftly in an emergency. In firefighting situations where reliability of systems and safety of users are of utmost importance, these design factors help contribute to the robust nature of Auberon. “Auberon demonstrates TRIGEN Automotive’s recognition of the essential and demanding work carried out by firefighters worldwide,” said Lim Joo Siang, Senior Project Manager of Auberon. “We have worked very closely with emergency services to understand their challenges on the ground and engineered a reliable solution that mitigates the harsh conditions faced by firefighters in high-rise firefighting.” TRIGEN Automotive has also developed a series of firefighting and emergency vehicles, including the flagship Tumbler Element, a compact yet powerful firefighting truck designed to provide rapid response to emergency situations and function in tight urban spaces that larger fire engines may have difficulties getting into.

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Firefighters tackle major blaze on Peckham High Street in south east London

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Firefighters tackle major blaze on Peckham High Street in south east London A huge blaze has broken out on Peckham High Street with more than 70 firefighters called to tackle it. Ten fire engines were called to the scene which forced the busy road to be blocked off during rush hour. Flames could be seen emerging from buildings while thick grey smoke billowed into the air. Peckham High Street was closed in both directions near the junction with Bellenden Road, forcing several bus routes to be placed on diversion. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Ten fire engines and 72 firefighters were called to a fire in Peckham High Street in Peckham. “The Brigade was called at 0556 and the fire was under control at 0737. Fire crews from Peckham, New Cross, Old Kent Road, Brixton and surrounding fire stations attended the scene.” Footage from the scene showed scores of fire engines lined up as water was being poured on the fire from above.

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Fire-Dex welcomes Lindsay Anderson

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Fire-Dex welcomes Lindsay Anderson Fire-Dex welcomes Lindsey Anderson as the new Quality & Compliance Coordinator based out of Medina, Ohio. Lindsey will be responsible for developing, implementing, and managing Fire-Dex quality control systems and product specifications, while ensuring all industry regulatory requirements are met. Lindsey holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering from The Ohio State University. She is certified as a Six Sigma Yellow Belt. Before joining Fire-Dex, Lindsey gained experience as a Quality Engineer for a large manufacturer and as an Industrial Engineer Intern while earning her undergraduate degree. Lindsey has a passion for the fire industry and her husband, Ian, is a full-time and part-time firefighter for local departments

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Fire at derelict Denbigh Hospital in Wales thought to be deliberate

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Fire at derelict Denbigh Hospital in Wales thought to be deliberate Fire and police officers have said that the latest fire at the site of the Grade II-listed former Denbigh Hospital in Wales is thought to be deliberate. At around 12:30 on the 5th April, fire crews attended a blaze, and it took them over 12 hours to put it out. Over the years, the derelict former North Wales Hospital has repeatedly been damaged by fire. At time of writing, the North Wales Police, Denbighshire council and the North Wales Fire Service are all investigating the cause of the fire. “We are truly saddened to hear about the fire on Wednesday and the fact it was started deliberately beggars belief,” Denbighshire council leader Hugh Evans said.

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Fire crews in Manchester, UK, ‘ashamed’ over response delay following bomb blast

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Fire crews in Manchester, UK, ‘ashamed’ over response delay following bomb blast According to the Fire Brigades Union, firefighters felt “ashamed” that they were unable to assist the victims in the Manchester Arena attack in a faster manner. 22 people were killed in a blast in May 2017, but fire crews felt they were “out of the loop” as it took them two hours to attend the scene of the incident. The north-west secretary, Mark Rowe, claimed that firefighters were left “angry” after “the order never came down from the top.” Subsequently, the fire service’s chief has apologised for the failings, which were highlighted in a damning report by Lord Kerslake. The report was initially commissioned by the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and unearthed that poor communication between both the police and the area’s fire service meant that “valuable” assistance of their crews was held back and delayed by two hours and six minutes after the bombing incident took place, which also left hundreds of people injured. The report also had a deeper look into the emergency services’ response, after Salman Abedi detonated a home-made device at 22:31, while 14,000 people were leaving an Ariana Grande concert on the 22nd of May. Mr Rowe said: “Members were very angry that they weren’t being deployed to the scene. “There was frustration. Members have talked about their embarrassment that they weren’t deployed and also feeling ashamed that they were prevented from doing anything that night.” Dawn Docx, the interim chief fire officer of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said the service could have helped if it had been on site and its response on the night should have been better.

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Lake Assault Fireboat Preparing for Duty with the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District in Nevada

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Lake Assault Fireboat Preparing for Duty with the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District in Nevada Lake Assault Boats, a leading manufacturer of purpose-built and mission-specific fire and rescue boats, has delivered a 32-foot fireboat, named Marine 24, to the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District (TDFPD) in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The custom-built craft is in service 24/7/365, with marine firefighter training for all crews to be completed this spring. The boat is designed to respond to a wide range of emergencies, including structural and wildland fires, and on-the-water rescue operations. It is funded, in part, by donations and fees collected for membership in an innovative fee-for-service program. “We are thrilled to have this Lake Assault fireboat serve with the Tahoe Douglas FPD to help protect lives, property, and natural resources on one of our nation’s most revered bodies of water,” said Chad DuMars, Lake Assault Boats vice president of operations. “The craft’s powerful firefighting system enables the boat to function like a floating fire hydrant, and its rescue capabilities offer first responders the flexibility to respond to any emergency.” An independent, third-party fire engineer reviewed strategies to address the area’s fire protection requirements, and supported the TDFPD Board of Trustees’ decision to approve the fireboat purchase. “A comprehensive plan has been developed to aid firefighting in areas without a traditional fire suppression water supply,” explained Scott Baker, Fire Chief for TDFPD. “The new boat will give our firefighters access to a much larger water supply, and one that is pumped from the lake in a safe and ecological manner.  This new capability will directly save lives, property, and our precious Lake Tahoe environment from catastrophic fire damage.” “Homes today around Lake Tahoe are larger, built closer together, and are located further from the lake, while emergency access is hampered by narrow roads and limited turnarounds for responding fire trucks; that makes this fireboat an important new tool in our firefighting arsenal,” added Eric Guevin, Fire Marshal for TDFPD. “We learned about Lake Assault through a neighboring department, and had several opportunities to see its boat in action. We really needed this apparatus to meet the code requirements and provide fire protection to homes along the lake that are not yet connected to a municipal water system.” The progressive V-hull, landing craft-style fireboat is outfitted with twin 350 hp Mercury Verado four-stroke outboard engines, and is equipped with the Skyhook Digital Anchor and Joystick Piloting systems that significantly improve the craft’s on-the-water performance.  It features a 1500 gpm Darley pump (powered by a dedicated V-8  engine), a rooftop remote-controlled TFT Monsoon monitor, two deck monitors, and a large diameter hose discharge mounted in front of the pilothouse to supply land-based apparatus. The boat also sports a 74-inch hydraulically operate bow door (with an integrated ladder), a port side dive door, and hose storage compartments. The pilothouse is 11-feet long and 9.5-feet wide, with center position fore and aft doors, 80 inches of headroom, and an integrated helm station. Its onboard electronics include dual 12-inch touchscreens mounted on the dash, Garmin radar and sonar with GPS, chartplotting, structure / side scan, and a forward looking infrared (FLIR) system.

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Hochiki Europe introduces life safety whitepaper for HMOs

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Hochiki Europe introduces life safety whitepaper for HMOs Following the growing debate around fire safety within Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs), Hochiki Europe, leading manufacturer of life safety systems, has published a new whitepaper exploring current British standards and guidance. The report – available to download for free via Hochiki Europe’s website – examines issues around the installation of fire detection systems in HMOs and the guidance outlined in British Standard BS 5389. In recent years, there has been a perceived change in the advice given to landlords and building owners on the design, specification and installation of life safety technology within housing schemes, student accommodation and sheltered housing projects. This focuses on whether building owners should install BS 5839 Part 1 (Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings. Code of practice for design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of systems in non-domestic premises) devices in the whole HMO building, or just in communal areas, with BS 5839 Part 6 (Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings. Code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises) devices in the actual living accommodation. Reducing false alarms is a key concern for duty holders in HMOs, and there is an industry perception that having self-contained Part 6 domestic detection devices and connected audio/visual devices in individual flats or rooms, helps reduce the risk of a total building evacuation in the event of a non-life-threatening incident. However, there are also potential safety implications in certain scenarios when these types of devices are selected over their Part 1 counterparts. Hochiki Europe’s new whitepaper, which includes a number of example scenarios and visual aids, is ideal for installers to refer to when explaining the different life safety options and making recommendations to building owners. Richard Wharram, Regional Sales Manager, Hochiki Europe, commented: “Given recent, tragic events, it is not surprising that fire safety in HMOs and tall buildings is being closely scrutinised. With this in mind Hochiki Europe has created an extremely helpful whitepaper to explore the topic further, supporting those responsible for installing systems, and increase safety for occupants. “Our conclusion is that, although a mixed Part 1 and Part 6 system is currently a perfectly acceptable and cost-effective solution for HMOs, a full Part 1 system can avoid unnecessary risks to both the property and the residents in some circumstances, as well as future-proofing buildings and their fire detections systems for their owners/operators if fire regulations were to become more stringent.” To read and download the full document, visit www.hochikieurope.com/literature.

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INTERSCHUTZ 2020: Registrations to open soon

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INTERSCHUTZ 2020: Registrations to open soon The tradeshow partners are all signed up. The official site layout has been finalized. And already several hundred companies have signaled their intent to exhibit at INTERSCHUTZ 2020. Starting on 1 May, exhibitors can begin registering for the world’s leading trade fair for the fire and rescue services, civil protection, safety and security. The release of the new INTERSCHUTZ brochure marks the beginning of Deutsche Messe’s promotional campaign aimed at exhibitors. Around 1,500 exhibitors and over 150,000 visitors took part in the last INTERSCHUTZ, in 2015. The upcoming INTERSCHUTZ will be staged from 15 to 20 June 2020 – again at the Hannover Exhibition Center in Hannover, Germany.   “We are hugely looking forward to 2020,” said Martin Folkerts, Global Director INTERSCHUTZ at Deutsche Messe. “The reason is simple. INTERSCHUTZ is a trade fair that is well known for its passion and positivity. The energy and boundless enthusiasm of all the participants are already palpable in the discussions we are currently having with our partners and exhibitors.”   Just one glance at the new INTERSCHUTZ brochure reveals the special focus of the upcoming event: connectedness. In a new first for INTERSCHUTZ, the 2020 edition of the show will feature an overarching, all-encompassing lead theme: “Teams, Tactics, Technology – Connected for Protection and Rescue.” The theme draws attention to two key aspects now shaping the future of the sector: the use of innovative digital solutions and increased collaboration among the many professional organizations and institutions involved. INTERSCHUTZ’s main display categories are the fire services (vehicles, materials and services for fire protection and firefighting), the rescue services (first responder vehicles, medical devices and services), civil protection (new technologies and logistical solutions for dealing with major natural and man-made disasters), personal protective equipment, and information, communication and safety/security technology.   INTERSCHUTZ is the only show worldwide that presents the rescue and fire services, and the fire and civil protection sectors in their entirety as an integrated whole. The site layout for 2020 will place commercial and non-commercial exhibitors in various topic clusters, both in the exhibition halls and on the open-air site. That way, visitors will not have to walk far to reach offerings of specific interest to them, and will never be far from the action, either. INTERSCHUTZ is a place of thrills and excitement – where heroes like height rescue specialists, smokejumpers and firefighters demonstrate their unique skills and put the latest technology through its paces at popular events such as the “Toughest Firefighter Alive” championships.   INTERSCHUTZ is a must-see for anyone wanting to learn about the latest innovations, trends and developments in each of the show’s display categories. It is the undisputed highlight event for the world’s providers of solutions for fire and rescue services, civil protection and safety and security and shapes their business cycles. It’s also the platform of choice for companies planning to reveal their latest developments and innovations to the public for the first time.   Starting next year, the organizers are re-targeting their marketing efforts to pitch the show to an international audience. Deutsche Messe and its global representatives have already had promising talks with a variety of publishers and industry associations in Germany and abroad. The German Firefighting Convention, which will be staged in parallel with INTERSCHUTZ, will attract additional groups of visitors to the Hannover Exhibition Center. Tickets for INTERSCHUTZ 2020 go on sale in the late summer of 2019.   INTERSCHUTZ INTERSCHUTZ is the world’s leading trade fair for the fire and rescue services, civil protection, safety and security. The next INTERSCHUTZ will be held from 15 to 20 June 2020 in Hannover. The fair covers the full range of products and services for the disaster relief, fire and rescue services, civil protection, and safety and security sectors. Exhibits include technical support equipment and disaster relief solutions, equipment for fire stations, technical fire and building protection systems, fire extinguishing technology and agents, vehicles and vehicle equipment, information and organization technology, medical apparatus, first-aid supplies, control-center technology and personal protective equipment. INTERSCHUTZ is in a class of its own internationally when it comes to the quality and number of visitors and exhibitors it attracts. It brings together key German industry associations, such as the DFV, vfdb and VDMA, the show’s commercial exhibitors, non-commercial exhibitors such as fire and rescue service organizations and disaster relief organizations, and the show’s many visitors from the professional and volunteer fire services, plant fire services, rescue services and the disaster relief sector, not to mention architects, building system designers and corporate fire protection officers. The last INTERSCHUTZ – held in 2015 – attracted over 150,000 visitors and around 1,500 exhibitors from around the world. The Italian REAS and the Australian AFAC shows both run under the “powered by INTERSCHUTZ” banner, thereby creating an international tradeshow network that further strengthens the INTERSCHUTZ brand. The next AFAC show for the fire and rescue services will run from 5 to 8 September 2018 in Perth, Australia. From 5 to 7 October 2018, the REAS fair in Montichiari, Italy, will once again be the No. 1 platform for the Italian rescue services.

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Demands for Humberside helicopter fire-at-sea team to be reinstated

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Demands for Humberside helicopter fire-at-sea team to be reinstated Fire chiefs in the UK are demanding the reinstatement of helicopter winch training, which will allow their officers to respond to fires at sea. In 2015, the Maritime Coastguard Agency stopped training for fire crews boarding vessels by helicopter, and as a direct result, the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service were forced to withdraw their fire-at-sea operation at the beginning of 2017. The Humberside Fire and Rescue Service are now calling on Nick Hurd – the fire and policing minister – in order to get the training reinstated. Back in 2016, a Humberside Fire Authority report warned that they would “reluctantly” stop going to vessel fires at sea if the position remained as it was. Chris Blacksell, the fire chief, has said that firefighters are unable to attend refresher courses, as the withdrawal of winch training meant that certificates lapsed.

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