Joost van Ree is appointed as new head of the Sales Department VSTEP today announced the expansion of its Sales and Business Development team. Mr. Joost van Ree is appointed as new head of the VSTEP Sales Department and will be responsible for worldwide sales growth for all VSTEP simulator products. Following the strong international growth of VSTEP over the past year, the company has appointed Joost van Ree as its new head of Sales. Van Ree will be heading up the company’s global sales force for all its simulator products, including the NAUTIS maritime simulator and RescueSim Incident Command departments. Becoming an integral part of VSTEP management, van Ree brings a career of over 10 years in Senior Sales, Business Development and Management positions with a maritime background to the company. Van Ree will also lead further expansion of the global sales & business development team and the VSTEP partner network. Pjotr van Schothorst, VSTEP Director: “We are very pleased that Joost van Ree has decided to join our team. With a solid background in maritime management and business development, Joost will head up VSTEP’s sales department and bring a wealth of experience to the role. We are confident Joost will expand and maintain the high level of customer relationships our company is known for. “ With simulator installations and clients in over 30 countries, VSTEP continues to build on its reputation of closely working together with its clients to deliver world-class simulator solutions. Joost van Ree will play a key role in executing VSTEP’s corporate strategy as the company maintains itself as a top of the line simulator provider.

For leading pharmaceutical research plant The Baldwin Boxall Vigil system, through Tri Management, was chosen to provide a Voice Alarm (VA) system upgrade to a leading UK pharmaceutical research plant in Hertfordshire. Following the installation of a Baldwin Boxall BVR20 networked system in early 2000s the end user decided to carry out a complete fire detection upgrade to the site, which included a new fire alarm system, detectors, voice alarm, fibre network and loudspeakers. Over 50 control panels, around 9,000 fire alarm devices and about the same number of loudspeakers will be replaced, checked and tested across the site during the 24 month project. At a site that employs around 2,000 staff, it was imperative that any disruption during the replacement of loudspeakers, or any part of the system, was kept to the minimum. Tri Management has carried this out impeccably. Baldwin Boxall was handed the order to provide a replacement VA system in Autumn 2013 – comprising of 14 EVAS digitally networked racks, touchscreen control, fire and control microphones. In December 2013 the systems were delivered to site and installed adjacent to the existing BVR20 racks. During this period a new multimode fibre backbone was installed throughout the complex and the new racks were then connected to the network and soak tested over the Christmas break, thus ensuring there were no faults on the fibre network. The existing BVR20 system remained operational during this period. In January 2014, with the co-operation of Baldwin Boxall’s project management team, Tri Management planned the best way to swap over the BVR20 VA system to the new EVAS system, with the minimum downtime as possible. A programme of works was carried out – starting with the fitting of new fire detection panels, detection loops/devices, and connecting these panels the BVR20 rack system. Strictly adhering to ‘good practice’ methods throughout the project, Tri Management checked all loudspeaker circuits, prior to the migration; clearing any faults found ensured that the new system would be fault free at the time of changeover. New voice alarm termination boxes were installed in each rack room and, initially, connected to the BVR20 system. Loudspeaker lines were fed through the new EVAS racks and re-terminated back onto the old, in preparation for the changeover. One by one, each circuit was disconnected to the correct circuit within minutes. This method, along with taking full advantage of the fact that the system is wired on a dual circuit basis, ensured that there was no system downtime throughout this complex site. Prior to the final swap over, each building was tested with a local alert and evacuate message. At this point it was necessary to amend the messages as the client wished to have the existing old VA messages and not new versions. So, Baldwin Boxall’s engineer simply downloaded the existing messages from the old system then uploaded to the new. Then each local fire microphone was tested. This ensured a smooth transition when the final swap over took place. Effective planning and efficient methods meant that the transition from old to new was carried out in an incredible 2.5 days – which really impressed Tri Management’s client. On the building’s fibre network sit three touchscreen control stations at various locations within the site. At each station, it is possible to quickly view the system status, carry out local and site wide paging, broadcast messages and view various history logs. Two BVRD VA control microphones are also included which enable local and site wide paging, message control, emergency all call, music selection and volume control. Each building is an independent zone, with the ability to evacuate independently. During evacuation, occupiers of the other buildings are automatically advised, via pre-recorded messages, that an evacuation is underway. At various locations throughout the buildings there are background music systems installed to provide radio, CD or MP3 audio whenever needed. Some areas also include wall mounted remote access points for local paging, background music inputs and volume control. There are ambient noise sensors installed to ensure that the system remains audible at all times. Especially important due to the potential for high background noise levels – should there be a need to evacuate a building. The remote access points can be used to communicate with evacuated staff to keep them informed of the situation. As part of the site’s environmental procedures, the old BVR20 system has been completely recycled using the sites WEEE scheme. Commenting, on the system Stuart Nichols, Director of Tri Management said, “We have been delighted with the outcome of this project. Our relationship with Baldwin Boxall’s team has ensured that the system was installed smoothly with no downtime whilst swapping from the old system to new, which was critical at such a vital site. If we needed assistance from Baldwin Boxall their response time was extremely good and we were impressed with their engineers’ ability to come up with solutions when needed.” Nick Baldwin, Marketing Director for Baldwin Boxall, said “During the tour of the site I was most impressed with the installation, it is clear that Tri Management has taken great care when carrying out the work – it was one the most professional installations I have seen. It is obvious that Tri Management has carried out considerable planning prior to the swap over to ensure the end user was left with a system that fully met their requirements.” Both Baldwin Boxall and Tri Management have had a working relationship for many years. Chris Hartup, Baldwin Boxall’s Sales Manager commented, “We have had a long and varied working relationship with Tri Management, and various members of the team, over a number of years. The benefit with this particular site, was the fact that Stuart Nicholls was involved with the very first Baldwin Boxall, VA network changeover at this site, around 13+ years ago, using our BVR20 electronic analogue router(s), utilising a graphic PC based message store (non critical messages), around multiple racks on site . “This prior knowledge, along with detailed

An additional security tool dedicated to fire-fighting and search operations On the 22nd December 2010, a routine operation took a dramatic turn for firefighters in Chicago, Illinois. Two of them died and 14 others were seriously injured after the collapse of a burning building. Since this accident many others have occurred around the world. To prevent such accidents, a simple and effective solution to monitor movements of a structure and alert rescue teams of an imminent risk of collapse: Designed by LEADER in collaboration with international experts in victim USAR research techniques, LEADER Sentry provides additional security of intervention areas on which are engaged rescuers, rescue teams, fire fighters, doctors, workers and other persons or victims. With a simple program setting, the inoffensive laser ray of the LEADER Sentry detects the slightest movement of a structure or mass that may endanger persons: unstable building, vehicle accident, landslide, rockfall or snow slab…  Two LEADER Sentry laser sensors can be linked simultaneously to monitor two different structures or two axis of movement of the same structure. If the movement of the structure under surveillance exceeds the warning threshold chosen, a powerful siren and a flashing light are activated to warn of an impending collapse allowing rescuers to take security or evacuation measures. The applications: LEADER Sentry monitor the stability: • Of buildings during firefighting operations (fire damaged metal structures, wooden houses or building after a fire), • During operations of USAR – Search for victims (after a collapse or natural disaster), • During the work / inspections within dangerous underground structures (Galleries, tunnel, mines….), • During emergency shoring and securing trenches and structures (Trenches, shorings…), • Of constructions and temporary structures (tent, grading, football stadium…), • During operations of construction (scaffolding, buildings under construction…), • During securing of fragile structures (snow on roof of houses or stadium….) or dangerous unstable masses (cliffs, archaeological excavations, landslides of dangerous rocks, felled tree…), • Of wreckage during Rescue on damaged vehicles and road traffic accidents (lifting of damaged vehicles (trucks, train…) or of structures during operations of road rescue (movement or collapse of a bridge or a road structure). Strengths of the product: • Simple and intuitive, • One or two laser heads can be plugged on the same control box to be used simultaneously, • A laser beam with a range of 30 meters (100 feet), • A 98 dB alarm and a red flashing beacon enable teams warning, • A quick and easy programming, • A sharp adjustment by increments from 5 to 100 mm (0.2” to 4”) to determine the acceptable maximum threshold of movement depending on the structure and context • A clear control screen showing movement in real time with the choice of measurement (meters or inches) • Possibility of multi-sources power to be operational in all situations (batteries taken 12/24 V, taken 110/220V). • An automatic switchover to AA batteries back up if the main power source fails, • A telescopic sight enables to precisely pinpoint the laser on the targeted area, Contact us: www.leader-group.eu

Over 200 now confirmed killed  An explosion at a coal mine in western Turkey has left at least 201 workers dead and scores injured, officials say. Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said 787 people had been inside the mine at Soma in Manisa province when an electrical fault triggered the blast. Rescuers worked through the night, but Mr Yildiz said hopes were fading of finding any more survivors. Worried relatives have gathered near the privately owned mine, about 450km (280 miles) west of the capital Ankara. Mr Yildiz confirmed the latest death toll on Turkish TV and said some 80 people had been injured. He said that of the workers inside the mine at the time of the accident, only about 360 of them – including those killed – had been accounted for. Mr Yildiz said that carbon monoxide poisoning had claimed many lives. Oxygen was being pumped into the mine to help those still trapped. He later said hopes were fading that anyone else would be found alive. The electrical fault triggered a power cut, making the mine cages unusable. Those trapped are reported to be 2km (1.2 miles) below the surface and 4km from the mine entrance. The blast happened at about 12:30 GMT on Tuesday. Initial reports said 17 people had died but the death toll leapt later in the day. TV footage showed rescuers helping workers from the mine, their faces and hard-hats covered in soot and dust. Some were carried on stretchers to waiting ambulances. Police were keeping the crowds back to allow emergency services in and out of the area. Sena Isbiler, a mother of one of the miners, stood on top of piles of wood, anxiously craning her neck to see those being led out of the mine. "I have been waiting for my son since early afternoon," she told AFP news agency. "I haven’t heard anything about him yet." Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has postponed a trip to Albania over the accident and is to visit Soma instead, his office said. The mine’s owners, Soma Komur Isletmeleri, said an investigation was under way but the accident occurred despite the "highest safety measures and constant controls". "Our main priority is to get our workers out so that they may be reunited with their loved ones," the owners said in a statement. Lignite coal mining is a major industry in the Soma area, helping to supply a nearby lignite-fired thermal power plant. Analysts say the safety record of Turkey’s coal mines lags behind that of most industrial nations. The country’s worst mining disaster was in 1992, when 270 miners were killed near Zonguldak, on the Black Sea.  (BBC)

Bryan Rambo brings over 30 years of experience in fire-fighting foam concentrates Bryan Rambo brings over 30 years of experience in fire fighting foam concentrates and flammable liquid fire protection with fluorochemicals. After receiving his BS in Chemistry from West Chester University (Pennsylvania) Bryan joined National Foam Inc in 1982 as a chemist, progressing through a number of positions including Director of Chemical Manufacturing, Director of Operations, Foam Concentrate Product Manager, Business Development Manager, General Manager and VP of Sales and Marketing. As well as contributing to major fire protection projects round the world, Bryan coordinated National Foam’s world-wide emergency response system, which supported its customers during emergencies, providing urgently-needed, critical foam concentrates. Bryan has also served his local community for over 25 years as a volunteer firefighter, fire department chief and instructor.

Blueproof kills smoke and fumes from radiators A revolutionary fire suppressant, which not only fights fire but also, for the first time in history, kills toxic smoke and fumes is about to go on sale in the UK. Blueproof is a device, which fits onto ordinary domestic radiators then, if a fire breaks out, automatically detects the heat and sprays a fine mist of water onto the flames, using water from the radiators. This quickly turns to steam and recent, official full-scale fire tests showed that the steam generated by the device’s activation killed the smoke and fumes (which kill more people than actual fires). This is the first time this has ever been achieved. Nottingham-born David Atkinson, a scientist and health and safety expert with four decades of experience in the oil and gas industry, invented the device after he saw news reports of the 2012 house fire in Derby, which killed six children. He was determined to use his scientific knowledge to come up with something that would stop similar tragedies. Said David, ”Conventional fire sprinklers were invented way back in 1812 and have not really changed since then. By using more modern materials we have been able to come up with a device, which has huge potential to save thousands of lives.” Unlike smoke alarms or sprinklers, Blueproof does not need any power. If there is a fire and the device activates it immediately starts to reduce the temperature not only in the room which is alight, but also throughout the building. The devices are made from a high-tech co-polymer material which is impregnated with Titanium Dioxide. Over a year’s development by a team of experts throughout the world has been spent achieving a cutting edge status for injection moulding, ensuring the optimum possible wall thickness of the device. Bluerad Ltd   QUICK FACTS: • In official, full-scale fire tests, Blueproof defeated killer smoke for the first time in history. (Babies and pets are even more susceptible to fumes because their breathing is shallower.) • Blueproof lowered the temperatures by hundreds of degrees within 60-90 seconds of activation. • Blueproof tests show that just a small quantity of water at the onset of a fire is the most significant. • The average amount of fluid in a radiator (12L) is four times what is needed to extinguish a fire in an average sized room. • That’s because when water turns to steam its volume increases by around 1700 times • Each day in Europe 12 people die and over 100 are injured in house fires. • In the UK insurers pay – £3.6 million every day – for damage caused by fires. • Twenty one people die each year because the battery in their smoke alarm was flat or missing. Blueproof needs no power or testing. • Blueproof prevents “flashover” – making firefighters’ jobs much safer.

New guide published E2S has published a complete guide for easy specification and installation for their range of intrinsically safe sounders, beacons and combination devices. The guide is based on the ATEX certification but in general, the guidelines apply to other intrinsic safety standards including NEC and IECEx. Focusing on interface selection, the guide offers advice regarding the advantages and disadvantages of Zener barriers and isolation interfaces and provides the general entity parameters for E2S intrinsically safe products. Typical system diagrams detail how efficiently to employ different types of Zener barriers or isolators to control combination audio-visual signals and multiple alarm stages. Additionally, the article proposes suitable barriers for use with E2S intrinsically safe products which the company can source and supply as part of your product order. The intrinsically safe range from E2S includes audible and visual signals and manual call points suitable for use in Group II Zone 0 and Group I mining plus Class I Division 1 applications. The IS range features approval to ATEX, IECEx and NEC standards as well as Russian TR CU (EAC EX) certification. The guide can be downloaded from www.e2s.com/isguide.

32-year FDNY veteran and former chief of department to lead New York’s Bravest Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced his appointment of Daniel Nigro to serve as New York City’s fire commissioner. A 32-year veteran of the FDNY and former chief of department, Nigro brings decades of operational and administrative experience to the department. Mayor de Blasio charged Nigro with ensuring the safety of New York City’s residents and firefighters, increasing diversity among the ranks, and maintaining the department’s commitment to swift FDNY response times in neighborhoods across the city. A well-respected leader who has held every uniformed rank in the FDNY, Nigro returns to the department with years of first-hand knowledge, deep operational familiarity, and extensive leadership experience from his time with the FDNY. Appointed chief of department on the afternoon of September 11, 2001, Nigro led the FDNY through search, rescue and recovery operations at Ground Zero, and provided operational leadership for FDNY and EMS response units and personnel. Nigro was also instrumental in merging the cultures and operations of FDNY and EMS into an exemplary medical response and care program, which resulted in a substantial increase in the diversity of department staff. “Every day, New York City’s bravest rush toward danger to protect our children, parents and neighbors—and the FDNY’s heroic men and women deserve a leader who shares their unwavering commitment to this noble profession. In the aftermath of 9/11, Daniel led the FDNY through some of its darkest days with an unrelenting determination to rescue and protect our fellow New Yorkers. Our administration is committed to building on this department’s impressive record, increasing diversity in the ranks, and improving response time—and I know Daniel has what it takes to lead the FDNY forward,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “For more than 30 years, I’ve watched the men and women of the FDNY perform fearlessly in the face of tremendous hardship, and I couldn’t be prouder to lead this team of heroic New Yorkers. Our courageous firefighters sacrifice to protect this city each day, and I will ensure these first responders are protected and cared for as well. The Mayor has outlined a strong vision for the future of this department—one that provides for all our residents equally and reflects our city’s diverse communities—and I look forward to making this vision a reality,” said incoming FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro. “Chief Daniel Nigro led his fellow officers through some of the FDNY’s most difficult times and displayed true heroism as a Chief of Operations in the days after September 11th, 2001. I congratulate Mr. Nigro on his appointment and look forward to working with him,” said Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito. “I commend Mayor de Blasio on his appointment of Daniel Nigro as the new FDNY Commissioner. Nigro has a strong, well respected record serving in the department, and pioneered the integration of EMS into the FDNY. From reducing EMS response time, to fixing our 911 call system, to increasing workforce diversity, especially in hiring more women—we have a lot to do in the fire department. I look forward to working with our new Commissioner to make the necessary reforms to keep New Yorkers safe,” said Council Member Elizabeth Crowley, Chair of the Council’s Fire and Criminal Justice Committee. “I welcome Daniel Nigro’s return to the service of our city and its people as the leader of New York City’s Fire Department. As a lifelong city resident and chair of the Council’s Public Safety Committee, I know the essential role that the FDNY and its many hardworking firefighters play as they confront danger and save lives each and every day, and it is good to see a steady and experienced hand take the helm of New York’s Bravest,” said Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson, Chair of the Council’s Public Safety Committee. “I have had the pleasure of working with Dan Nigro on past assignments. He is personal and open-minded. I’ve seen him lead change and increase diversity within the department, when he oversaw the merger of the FDNY and EMS. He has the character to lead and command the respect of the men and women who serve in the department,” said Bob Turner, Chief of the FDNY’s First Line Supervisor Training Program. “The Mayor couldn’t have made a better choice than Dan Nigro. Dan is a proven leader who managed the integration of EMS into the FDNY. After 9/11, Chief Nigro led this job with quiet dignity. You never saw him on TV or at baseball games, but he demonstrated his leadership as well as his compassion for the members of the FDNY,” said Pete Gorman, Chief of Staff at the International Association of Firefighters, as well as a former captain and 34-year veteran of the fire department. “As Chief of Department, Daniel led the FDNY through one of the most trying periods in the department’s history. I applaud Mayor de Blasio for choosing a respected leader who will preserve all that makes this department great, and who understands the critical need for increased diversity among the ranks,” said Reverend A.R. Bernard. “Daniel is a natural fit for FDNY Commissioner, and I know he’ll spend every day building up this department to make New York the safest city possible.” “In naming Dan Nigro as commissioner of the FDNY, Mayor de Blasio has chosen a proven leader who is prepared to bring the department into its next chapter of excellence. Dan Nigro combines the two qualities necessary in this position: he knows every aspect of the fire-fighting profession, and he is keenly aware of the work needed to advance that profession. Building on his heroic service on 9/11, Commissioner Nigro will now accelerate the pace of change in the FDNY to serve a transformed city,” said Jeremy Travis, President of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “Dan took two different cultures at FDNY and EMS and was a positive force in bringing them together. He is a fair, open-minded and thoughtful person, accepting of all people. I

A new law is about to come into effect  The number of voluntary firemen in Russia is about to reach one million people who help protect 40 thousand settlements from fires, spokesman of the country’s Ministry of Emergency Situations Alexander Drobyshevsky has said. The Russian president has signed the law on voluntary fire-fighting service on May 6, 2011. A quicker enactment of this law was caused by sweeping forest fires in July-August 2010 when tens of settlements were stricken in the blazes in central Russia and the Volga River region. Then the Ministry of Emergencies leadership stated that at least 800 thousand voluntary firemen were needed in Russia to protect rural settlements from fires. “More than 37 thousand public fire security units with a total strength of more than 914.1 thousand people have been formed in all Russian regions so far,” Drobyshevsky said, noting that “Voluntary fire-fighting units protect more than 37.8 thousand settlements where 13.3 million people live.” More than 32 thousand settlements in Russia were not protected by fire-fighting teams due to their remote geographical position three years ago at the moment the voluntary fire-fighting service law was enacted. “From the start of this year voluntary fire-fighting units have put out 749 fires on their own, volunteers participated in fighting around six thousand fires as additional fire-fighting force, saving 228 people,” Drobyshevsky said. Voluntary firemen are provided with fire-fighting machinery and equipment. Voluntary fire-fighting teams use around 24 thousand units of fire machinery. Voluntary firemen participate not only fire-fighting, but also in rescue operations. “From the start of this year voluntary firemen participated in rescue operations for more than 2.6 thousand times, saving more than one hundred people,” the ministry’s spokesman said.

Bob Kaler is a Master EVT and his service techs are EVT certified Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Inc., America’s premier custom fire apparatus manufacturer, announced today that Bob Kaler, Kaler Fire Equipment located in Hatfield, Pennsylvania is their newest dealer.   Ferrara Fire Apparatus President/CEO Chris Ferrara said, “In keeping with our publically stated goal of expanding and improving our dealer network, we are extremely happy to announce Kaler Fire Equipment is a dealer for Ferrara Fire Apparatus in Pennsylvania. Kaler brings with them an excellent reputation in the apparatus service side of the business, as they provide their customers with both a large brick and mortar service center and mobile service. Bob Kaler is a Master EVT and his service techs are EVT certified. Kaler’s 10 years in the business says a lot about their ability to keep their customers happy.”   "Our sales and service teams are excited to join Ferrara, a true custom fire apparatus builder, and also to expand our service across Pennsylvania," added Mr. Kaler.   Ferrara Fire Apparatus manufactures a full line of fire, emergency and rescue vehicles. The company offers the Ultra, Inferno, Igniter and Cinder custom fire chassis, pumpers, tankers, rear and mid-mount aerial ladders and platforms, rescues and incident command vehicles and high-flow industrial apparatus. A leading innovator in the industry, Ferrara takes pride in offering such firefighter safety items as the MVP Multi-Vocational Pumper, On-Site Tilt Table Testing, Cab and Body NFPA Compliant Crash Testing, Independent Front Suspension, Complete Airbag Protection, and SmartWheel steering systems. Additionally, the Ultra, Inferno, Igniter and Cinder chassis are available with the popular F-Shield corrosion protection system, which has proven extremely popular in northern climates that are concerned with corrosive materials used on winter roads.