By Roger Williams, Global Market Director for fire protection, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings When fire strikes in the civil construction industry, time is critical in protecting steelwork against structural damage. Offering proven protection against fire, cellulosic passive fire protection (PFP) systems such as Sherwin-Williams’ FIRETEX® FX series can provide a valuable time window and are designed to meet the specific demands of architects and engineers. From primers to topcoats, the world-class FIRETEX FX series ensures both the performance and aesthetic integrity of PFP and delivers industry-leading low dry film thicknesses to achieve optimal loadings. In different global markets, there are a number of independent testing procedures in place to provide those specifying PFP systems with the reassurance that the chosen approach offers proven protection against fire. FIRETEX thin film intumescent coatings protect steelwork for up to two hours and have been independently tested to the highest international standards, including ISO 9001, BS476 Part 21:1:1987, EN13381-8 and other national approvals. Although there is no legislative requirement anywhere in the world regarding explosion testing in civil construction, Sherwin-Williams have carried out gas explosion tests to ensure FIRETEX thin film intumescent coatings enhance the safety of tall buildings. Third party verification concluded that FIRETEX products provide a ’significant level of hydrocarbon fire resistance’. Form meets function Whilst never compromising on functionality, FIRETEX thin film intumescent coatings achieve the highest levels of finish, allowing structural steel to be transformed into an architectural feature. FIRETEX topcoats are available in sheen or gloss finishes and functionally provide additional abrasion and moisture resistance. With a strong track record, recent projects featuring the FIRETEX series include some of the world’s most iconic steel office and hotel structures such as the Al Kifaf Tower, Statoil Headquarters, the Shard, Sonkar Hilton Hotel, BayArena – FC Bayer Leverkusen, The Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and the Olympic Stadium in London. Projects in the civil construction industry have a wide range of requirements and may be best suited to a solvent-borne, water-borne or epoxy-based intumescent coatings system. Ideal for confined areas, FIRETEX water-borne systems have low odour and meet the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act. FIRETEX solvent borne systems are fast drying and well suited for application year round. Able to withstand exposure to the elements for up to 30 years, FIRETEX epoxy based systems are specifically engineered for use where long term exterior durability is a primary concern. Preparation and application Flexibility is also essential when it comes to the preparation and application of the PFP system. The coating might need to be applied in-shop or on-site and disruption to schedules should be minimised to deliver both time and cost savings. Designed with ease of use at front of mind, FIRETEX intumescent systems can be applied by airless spray or by brush to give maximum control and allow for fast application. The thin film intumescent coatings also offer excellent storage stability, reducing the need for mixing or preparation. To prepare, surfaces must be abrasive blast cleaned to a minimum of Sa21/2 EN ISO 8501-1:2007, with a surface profile not to exceed 100 microns. Spent abrasive needs to be removed by vacuum, clean compressed air or brush. Mechanical damage should be scrapped back to the film edge and FIRETEX primer applied within four hours of cleaning, or before the surface has rusted. During application, regular and frequent measuring of wet film thickness is recommended to achieve the specified dry film thickness. Overcoating can take place after just four hours. A worldwide leader in asset protection Now trading as Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings following the acquisition of Leighs Paints, Sherwin-Williams has more than 20 years’ experience in delivering high performance cellulosic passive fire protection to the civil construction industry. Driven by technology, innovation and quality products, Sherwin-Williams’ dedicated R&D team has a history of developing industry-leading PFP products to meet the highest standards of performance. By pooling the resources and expertise of Sherwin-Williams and Leighs Paints, Sherwin-Williams continues to innovate with coatings technologies that are optimised to meet the requirements of each market. From bespoke specifications, site surveys or technical assistance, Sherwin-Williams’ dedicated specialists are on hand to support at all stages of a project. Certified experts ensure that the highest standards are met and there is an experienced team available to provide on-site support, wherever it is required. Led by structural engineers, the Fire Engineer and Estimation Team (FEET) understands the technical challenges faced by the industry and is able to assist with fire engineering solutions as early as concept stage. To achieve the highest degree of detail, proprietary FIRETEX Design Estimation (FDE™) software is used to determine the thickness of coating needed to ensure fire protection is optimised. Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings currently distributes products across 47 countries and has European sales and technical support centres in the UK, Germany and UAE. www.sherwin-williams.com/protectiveEMEA  

Paul Darley, President and CEO of industry giant W.S. Darley, shares his views on the evolution and future of the fire equipment industry W.S. Darley is one of the world’s leading fire equipment manufacturers, with over 100 years of experience and innovation. In an exclusive interview with International Fire Buyer, the company’s President & CEO, Paul Darley, explains the ethos of the company, and shares his thoughts on the current state of the fire industry in the US and internationally. Give us a brief overview of the company’s history My grandfather started the company in 1908 and began selling fire-fighting equipment all over America. In 1926 he decided he wanted to build his own fire truck. Back in those days all the major fire truck manufacturers in the US built their own cab and chassis and sold their trucks for $3500 to $5000. My grandfather introduced a fire truck for $690 on a very basic Ford Model-T chassis. It completely disrupted the market, and a few years later all those truck manufacturers went to the pump manufacturers and said, “let’s cut Darley off from being able to buy a pump.” They were successful in that, and my grandfather was left with the choice between pulling out of the industry and making his own pump. He hired the chief engineer from one of the pump companies, who agreed to work for him so long as he could continue building pumps in northern Wisconsin. It was 350 miles from my grandfather’s headquarters in Chicago, but he saw the potential. The lumber industry had just left the area, and left behind a good surplus of craftsmen, so my grandfather took the plunge. By World War Two the company was building fire pumps and trucks for the US military. At the end of the war, this equipment was left all over the world and became the springboard for our international business. Today, our international business accounts for about 50% of the company’s activity. We have a significant presence in any place where they follow US standards – China, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, parts of the Middle East. In UK-influenced areas, such as Hong Kong, we’re not so big. It seems clear that quite a large part of the company’s ethos is to focus on the customer. How do you go about providing the best for every one of your clients? First off, we make sure to listen to the customer. Our top three core values are integrity, customer focus and relationships based on respect. Everything we do is focused on the customers. If you look at most business models nowadays, then companies either need to be a low-cost producer, an innovator or they need to be customer-focused. I personally think you need to be all three of those things. In our particular case, being a family business, the client focus comes very naturally to us. It’s really what we focus on in all of our markets; we listen to the customer, we communicate, we’re respectful, we do what we say we’re going to do – we under-promise and over-deliver. This has helped us build long-term relationships with our customers by finding out what their needs are – be it a quick delivery, a specialised pump or whatever – and then we cater to those needs. Have you been seeing any particular trends in terms of what your customers are specifying recently? Absolutely. Over the years we’ve seen a rise in CAFS (Compressed Air Foam Systems). The British Navy invented CAFS in the 1930s and Darley resurrected that technology in the late ‘70s. We were the first in the whole fire industry to do so, and today we’re the clear market leader in CAFS. That certainly represented a paradigm change, coupled with the use of Class-A foam. The second big trend, certainly over here in America, is multi-purpose vehicles. With budgets being cut, Fire Departments can no longer afford to designate a truck to be just a pumper, or just a tanker; they’ve got to be a tanker, a pumper, a rescue vehicle. Multi-purpose vehicles are the biggest paradigm shift taking place right now. In 2011, you mentioned that the US fire market was down about 50%. Have you seen any rebound on domestic figures at all, or do Darley still have to look internationally for growth? As a company, we’ve tripled our sales in the last ten years and doubled them in the last four. We have grown in the United States, but the domestic market as a whole has not. The overall truck market remains pretty flat. Last year, in fact, it was exactly flat. 2012 remained down roughly 42% compared to 2008, and we’re not seeing any resurgence this year as yet. Most economists don’t see the municipal market improving until about 2017, and then we’ll settle into a new normal. The US fire market was at about 6000 vehicles a year before the recession, whereas last year it was at about 3500 vehicles. Once everything sorts itself out and we find the new normal, we’ll probably be looking at about 4300-4500 new vehicles per year. As a result of that, Darley and most of the other truck building companies are all looking to export markets for growth, as well as other lateral markets. We’re really looking to reinvent ourselves at the moment: We were just awarded an $80 million pump contract from the US Department of Defense for fuel transfer pumps, we’ve launched new water purification products, a line of drones, a residential fire sprinkler company, and we’re in talks about acquiring another company. If US companies are looking to grow in the domestic market, they’re going to have to do it either by getting a larger market share – taking business away from their competitors, because the market is going to remain flat – or by looking to export to markets internationally or develop new products for new and existing customers. Last month I attended Fire China in Beijing, and noticed

Data centres demand a unique perspective on fire prevention Data centres and server farms are a vital part of the modern landscape. Their importance to modern society is reflected in the commensurate level of investment being made to ensure they stay up and running 24/7 Ask anyone which commodity is the most valuable in the modern business environment and most will respond with “data”. The investment in data gathering, cleaning and storing followed by dissemination via comprehensive global communications networks is truly vast, with billions being spent around the world to build up personal and corporate profiles and histories in order to tailor business transactions and advertising down to an almost individual, personal level. One look at the money companies like Google, Apple and Microsoft pour into data gathering activities and you will be left in no doubt that knowing the ins and outs of every person on the planet must be the ultimate aim. Even if you are ‘Big Brother’ averse, you will not have escaped the eye of some form of data-gathering exercise. What most people don’t see is what goes on behind the scenes. Server farms, data centres and telecoms hubs can occupy hundreds of thousands of square feet of real estate, with racks upon racks of servers and communications modules catering to the demands of the modern consumer and business environment. To illustrate the scale and complexity of such an installation, Google recently threw the doors open on one of its many worldwide locations. It simply has to be seen to be believed. With their value skyrocketing everyday and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) promising 99.99% uptime, the integrity of these installations is paramount. One of the biggest hurdles is the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) environmental control – coping with the staggering amount of heat that is generated by thousands of server racks or exchange points. The second is fire protection, both passive and reactive. These are not ordinary buildings and, as such they demand a rather unique way of dealing with fire issues. The problem with heavy-demand HVAC solutions is that unobstructed airflow is essential for their optimal operation. This immediately creates issues from a fire-containment perspective as it leaves clear paths through which fires can propagate. This is dealt with to a certain degree automatic-duct-closure systems and by one of the primary approaches to passive fire protection – compartmentalisation. By segregating servers into sub groups and keeping them separate from others, fire containment becomes a lot simpler. It also makes sense from a computing perspective where back-up servers should be isolated and remote relative to each other. Complementing the architectural segregation many sever cabinets have built in fire resistance, or at the very least solutions to help fires propagating too far too quickly. Where the cable runs and other interconnecting or structural elements are concerned, architects often specify intumescent or vermiculite fire protection. Vermiculite fire protection is where structural elements are covered very thick layers of protective materials, although a cheap option it is not all that pleasant to look at so tends to be hidden away – especially in instances where cleanliness and flowing lines are the order of the day such as what we can see in the Google server farms. Intumescent fireproofing normally comprises a layer of paint, which is applied along onto structural members in coating thicknesses that are commensurate with the cross section and perimeter of the item being coated. Because of their relatively low thickness, appealing finish and corrosion protection capabilities, intumescent coatings are often preferred in terms of both performance and aesthetics, although not generally in terms of price. Passive fire protection appears in multiple other guises, but in most instances it is the ruggedising of structural elements in order to reduce the risk of fire or, at the very least, slow or even prevent it spreading any further. Should the worst happen, we quickly dive into the world of active fire-fighting solutions. Like any other industrial installation, fire detection and suppression is key; and in many instances the fire detection technology is very similar to what you would see anywhere else, although in some case it may be tuned to adapt to higher operating temperatures. Fire suppression is when it becomes awkward… rather than accepting asset damage as an unfortunate side effect of fire fighting, the solutions demanded by data centres often lead to highly advanced techniques and materials that although costly compared to more general fire suppression approaches, can do the job with negligible damage to the assets being protected. One of the most effective ways to fight fires is through the use of gaseous systems, which deploy proprietary materials specially developed to extinguish flames and sources of ignition. One of the most well known solutions is Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid from 3M. A proprietary technology from 3M, Novec is a fluoroketone that works as a gas upon discharge, yet it is a liquid at room temperature. It can be used for total flooding applications in engineered and pre-engineered systems and is ideal for environments such as switching centres, computer rooms, control rooms and data centres where uninterrupted operation is critical. In addition to its impressive fire-fighting capabilities, Novec 1230 fluid also offers zero ozone depletion potential, a five-day atmospheric lifetime and a global warming potential of just 1 – an environmental profile that hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and other halocarbon agents can’t begin to match. Because of this, Novec 1230 fluid – unlike HFCs – is not targeted for phase-down or regulatory restrictions anywhere in the world, making it today’s sustainable choice for clean agent fire protection. Gaseous systems can also be used to prevent fires. Hypoxic air fire prevention systems can be deployed to permanently reduce the oxygen concentration inside buildings or sub sections. They are installed to actually prevent both ignition and spreading. Although they are the ultimate in fire prevention they do have a downside in that operators rely on the oxygen that they replace – leading to the need

Mobile Turbo Power  With the P630 SG LUKAS introduces a new mobile power unit for simultaneous operation of two hydraulic rescue tools. It combines light weight and maximum power in a unique way and also features the turbo function to speed up rescues considerably, making it a valuable assistance for all rescuers who need to change locations quickly. The new power unit with convenient size and light weight suits perfectly for rescue work at traffic accidents, operations in rough terrain or hard-to-reach places, USAR and disaster response operations. The turbo function doubles opening and closing speeds. This is very helpful if tools with a high oil volume such as telescopic rescue rams need to be used. Thanks to the sophisticated design of the new oil tank, filling and usable quantity are almost the same. The standard oil filling is 2.2 litres. If required it can be topped up to the maximum oil quantity of 3 litres. The oil level can be checked visually through a slot in the side panel. With the practical carry frame the power unit is perfectly all-round protected.

Re-opening of the IFTS fire-testing laboratory at Herzogenrath  On July 3rd Vetrotech Saint-Gobain – the world’s leading producer of fire-resistant glass products – re-opened the International Fire Testing Services (IFTS) facility at its new location in Herzogenrath (Aachen, Germany). During a small gathering of customers, partners and glass processing professionals, Jean-Pierre Floris, Senior Vice-President of Saint-Gobain and President of the “Innovative Materials” sector, cut the ribbon and opened the brand new testing facility. “This is an important milestone in further improving our testing and customer services” said Jean-Pierre Floris during the opening ceremony. Vetrotech Saint-Gobain carries out over 400 fire tests every year. The new test lab has the latest state-of-the-art equipment including two test furnaces for elements of up to a size of 3 x 4 m. The unique exhaust gas cleaning system offers maximum health protection for staff and customers as well as largely reduced emissions for the protection of the environment. Tests to a wide range of European and international standards for building and marine applications can be conducted in the IFTS fire test laboratory. In order to officially validate the fire tests, Vetrotech Saint-Gobain collaborates with independent verification and certification agencies such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL), Exova Warringtonfire, IBS etc.

A four-point fire protection design Norfolk based Delta Fire have now completed the production of two bespoke Foam Skids designed to protect a fuel storage facility in Venezuela on the northern coast of South America. Delta Fire is recognised the world over for their ability to manufacture high-tech Foam Protection Packages to individual customer specifications from design, schematics and manufacture to testing, installation and commissioning providing a single-source solution to a wide range of Industries around the world. The remit for this latest Venezuelan project was to provide bund and fuel storage tank protection as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. Delta’s Technical Team benefit from an accumulation of many years industry experience in this field and were able to design two fully integrated Foam Skids to achieve their customer’s very specific directive, all in accordance with NFPA11 requirements. The completed System consists of a four point fire protection design with both foam Bund Protection and Tank Protection backed up by a comprehensive coverage by 10 Stainless Steel Fire Monitors fitted with Bronze Nozzles providing on-site water cooling. A further package of Hose Cabinets equipped with Delta’s Nova Type 3 Fire Hose and Attack 500 Fire Nozzles completes the package. The first foam skid was designed and manufactured to provide protection to the fuel bund (a walled or banked area containing fuel storage tanks) in the provision of low expansion foam preventing the spread of fire from one tank to another whereas the second skid provides foam to the top of the fuel tanks via a series of Delta Top Pourers. These Top Pourers provide flammable liquid storage protection by a pre-set flow of foam onto the tank shell gradually cooling and pouring gently onto the fuel surface. Delta Fire has become a leading force in this specialist area of Fire Protection and is at the forefront of design and development of custom-built foam systems. Recent projects have included the provision of specialist systems for International Naval Fleets, Off-Shore Platforms, Heli-decks, Major Airports and Petrochemical Plants. Delta Fire’s client base testifies to their excellent reputation in this field with major global companies recruiting their services such as BAE Systems, Shell, BP, Total, Conoco-Phillips, AMEC, Bechtel, Reliance, ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) to name just a few. Working closely with numerous Defence markets at home and abroad Delta Fire are proud to be suppliers of firefighting equipment to the Royal Navy providing hi-performance, dependable systems that will withstand the most difficult of working environments. Delta Fire have seen demand for their products and services increase dramatically over the last few years and have been very pro-active in ensuring that their infrastructure grows equivalently ensuring that their high level of service and product quality is retained at all times. Investing over £1m this year on a second new CNC production site Delta Fire boasts what is probably the most advanced fire product manufacturing facility in the UK with the ability to design and build large scale foam systems under one roof. A full size on-site Test Cell allows Delta to provide full scale equipment tests to their clients prior to delivery. Final testing is regularly carried out in-house with Lloyds inspectors present for approval in the presence of the client ensuring total customer satisfaction.

A new product line of structural fire-fighter clothing The LHD Group, headquartered in Cologne, has displayed LION turnout gear made up with a new type of flame retardant outer material in Asia recently for the first time. The material is mainly produced from Lenzing FR® fibers which are manufactured by the Austrian Lenzing group of companies. Lenzing FR® impresses with superb properties. The integrated heat protection sets worldwide a new quality standard and cannot be removed by cleaning or scrubbing. It protects the firefighter against fire, radiated heat, heat of an electric arc, molten metal splashes, and inflammable liquids. The material does not break up after flame impingement or exposure to the heat of an electric arc. Class 2 metal splashes just bounce off the surface. The innovative, rather lightweight material is very suitable to be used in ergonomically designed personal protective equipment (PPE). It is easy to move in. It does not impede during overhead work. The use of water vapor permeable, perforated, reflective strips further enhances the high breathability of the turnout gear. The LHD Group’s ‘Brave’ PPE combines this unique outer layer with well proven lining material and additional heat and moisture barriers to technological masterpieces that impress with market leading, innovative functionalities. The other material components used in the manufacture of the firefighter clothing also include Lenzing FR® fibers. ‘Brave’ offers firefighters the highest level of protection and comfort. The performance and the efficiency of a fireman are significantly increased by the very high breathability of the material composition. The multifunctional PPE can be ordered worldwide in all usual standard sizes. It can also be tailor-made. “We have been able to make a quantum leap with the ‘Brave’ firefighter suit. It scores top marks for durability and comfort as well as protection and clearly surpasses the requirements of EN 469: 2005 norm “, says Klaus Hawerkamp, Manager Service Delivery, LHD Group GmbH. LHD Group’s fire fighting gear is used by fire brigades on five continents, e.g. in Accra, Amsterdam, Christchurch, Hamburg, and Hong Kong.

Can be repaired and sharpened again and again Cutters Edge has successfully developed a totally new cutting technology for Rotary Saws called the BULLET BLADE®. Unlike other carbide-tipped blades, the BULLET BLADE® uses Cutters Edge BULLET CHAIN® and is the only carbide blade that can be repaired and sharpened and used over and over again with the same blade core. The new long-life BULLET BLADE® cuts a wide variety of materials – from roofs and wood to vehicles, thick metal and even CMU, with low vibration and minimal spark generation. It is available in 30.5 cm, 35.6 cm and 40.6 cm sizes with an Arbor size to fit all brands of Rotary Saws. For more information on the new BULLET BLADE® contact Cutters Edge at: +1 (541) 524-9999 or visit: www.cuttersedge.com

At least 19 US firefighters have been killed At least 19 US firefighters have been killed battling a wildfire in central Arizona, local officials say. They died while fighting the blaze threatening the town of Yarnell, about 80 miles (130km) north-west of Phoenix. The fire was started by lightning on Friday and spread rapidly amid high heat, low humidity and strong winds. At least 200 homes were burned. Arizona and other parts of the western US – including California – had near-record temperatures over the weekend. It is the highest death toll for firefighters in a single incident since 9/11. US President Barack Obama said the firefighters were heroes who had "put themselves in harm’s way to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens". Arizona Senator John McCain said the families of the dead firefighters were in the thoughts and prayers of all Americans. "This devastating loss is a reminder of the grave risks our firefighters take every day on our behalf in Arizona and in communities across this nation. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten," he said in a statement. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer said it could take "days or longer" to reveal how the deaths occurred. "This is as dark a day as I can remember," she said. "It has been confirmed that 19 wildland firefighters have lost their lives on the Yarnell Hill fire Arizona," the US Wildland Fire Aviation said in a statement. The firefighters were part of a specially trained "hotshot" unit who had battled other wildfires in New Mexico and Arizona in recent weeks, officials say. They were forced to deploy emergency tent-like structures meant to shield them from flames after becoming trapped and "something drastic" happened, said Dan Fraijo, fire chief in the nearby city of Prescott. "One of the last fail-safe methods a firefighter can do is literally to dig as much as they can down and cover themselves with a protective fire-resistant material, with the hope that the fire will burn over the top of them and they can survive it," he said. "Under certain conditions there’s usually only sometimes a 50% chance that they survive. It’s an extreme measure that’s taken under the absolute worst conditions." Two other members of the elite unit who suffered severe burns have been flown to a burn treatment centre in Phoenix. Dwight Devlin from the Arizona Sheriff’s Office told the BBC that the firefighters were carrying fire blankets but they were ineffective in this case. "Some were actually found with those blankets over them but unfortunately it appears the flames and the heat were too much," he said. Mr Devlin added that they were on their way on foot to an area where they had been directed to clear brush to prevent the spread of the fire. The tragedy is the worst in a wildfire since 1933, when at least 25 firemen died battling a fire in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Some 200 firefighters are still battling the fast-moving wildfire, which has grown to 1,000 acres. Additional reinforcements have been called in. The blaze has forced the evacuation of local residents. An estimated 200 homes were destroyed in Yarnell, the Associated Press reported, almost half the properties in the town. In recent days, dozens of people across western US states have been treated for exhaustion and dehydration, as the heat wave continues. Temperatures in some areas were expected to reach 54C (130F), close to the world’s all-time high recorded 100 years ago in California’s Death Valley.