FLIR airborne solution helps find missing man in Canada

When a 38-year-old man went missing in Waterloo, Canada, on November 19, local law enforcement turned to an airborne solution by FLIR—a remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) with a thermal imaging camera—to search the area and found the man safe later the same day.

The agency uses its SkyRanger, a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS), to conduct a variety of law enforcement and public safety activities, including evidence collection at crime scenes, reconstruction of serious collisions, search and rescue operations, and monitoring of large gatherings.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service reported it used its RPV for eight investigations during October, including four suspect searches and four serious collisions. The drone’s activity and flight updates can be viewed on the agency’s RPV Twitter page.

With search & rescue operations, the sooner search efforts start, the better the chance of a successful outcome. For over a decade, FLIR has established a reputation for developing the leading small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for public safety organisations around the world. FLIR sUAS can be airborne within minutes of first responders arriving on scene, and include both infrared and daylight cameras to help spot people hidden under dense tree cover and in rough terrain. 

In addition to hands-on pilot training and dedicated customer support, FLIR partners with law enforcement and fire operators around the world to build successful UAS programs that save time, resources, and lives by enabling operators to quickly visualise an impacted area and make real-time decisions.

To find out more about FLIR Sytems airborne solutions visit the website

Oshkosh Corporation named one of the World’s Best Employers of 2020 by Forbes

Oshkosh Corporation is proud to announce that it has been named one of the World’s Best Employers of 2020 by Forbes. This is the first time Oshkosh has received this global designation.

The 2020 results included 750 multinational and large corporations across 45 countries. Oshkosh is ranked #76 out of 750.

“We are proud to be among this list of leading global employers,” said Kerry Rocole, Oshkosh Corporation Vice President of Talent & Culture. “At Oshkosh, we have a purpose of making a difference in people’s lives – for our team members, customers, investors and in our communities.

In everything we do, we keep this purpose at the forefront. Our purpose, along with our core values, People First culture and innovation focus will enable us to continue to make a difference and remain a great place to work.”

To determine the list, Forbes partnered with Statista, a leading market research firm. Statista surveyed more than 160,000 full and part-time team members from 58 countries working in various businesses across different countries and regions.

The surveys were anonymous, and respondents were asked to rate their willingness to rate their own employers to friends and family. Additionally, they were asked to rate the employers in their respective industry that stood out either positively or negatively.

Lastly, respondents were asked to rate companies on areas including COVID-19 response, image, economic footprint, talent development, gender equality and social responsibility, as well as other topics.

In addition to being named one of the Forbes World’s Best Employers of 2020, Oshkosh was recently listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the second consecutive year, has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere™ for five consecutive years, one of America’s “Most Responsible Employers” by Newsweek and one of Barron’s Top 100 Most Sustainable Companies for three consecutive years.  

To learn more about Oshkosh’s impact and culture, please visit our impact.

NFPA releases new warehouse fire safety fact sheet

On the heels of last month’s well-attended Considerations for Warehouse Fire Safety webinar for contractors, installers, engineers, facility managers, and code officials, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released a Warehouse Fire Safety Fact Sheet.

The new resource provides warehouse safety statistics; identifies key benchmarks that are available for those responsible for warehouse safety; and summarises best practices for keeping storage structures, contents and occupants safe from harm.

With more and more businesses looking for storage space to meet online shopping and shipping demand, warehouse fire safety is at the forefront these days – or should be.

Several recent large scale warehouse fires including the epic explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, a suspicious fire at an Amazon distribution center in Redlands, California, and a relentless blaze at a recycling facility in South Carolina have also prompted interest in warehouse fire safety.

NFPA research shows that warehouse fires happen at a frequent rate with an average of 1,410 warehouse fires, two deaths, 20 injuries, and an estimated $159.4 million in direct property damage annually.

To help warehouse operators and code officials reduce risk, NFPA developed a new at-a-glance fact sheet that draws on the guidance found in NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. The piece covers:

  • Warehouse Fire Data
  • Responsibility for Safety
  • Commodity Classification
  • Sprinkler Design
  • Management of Change
  • Inspection, Testing and Maintenance
  • Fire Prevention Measures
  • Importance of ITM

NFPA has a myriad of resources related to warehouse fire safety including the recent warehouse fire safety webinar, incident information, reports, and suppression related research including new information on Early Suppression

Fast Response (ESFR) sprinklers,  which are often installed in warehouses to avoid installation of in-rack sprinklers.

IWMA to host series of webinars in 2021

The International Water Mist Association (IWMA) have announced that a second series of webinars on fire protection with water mist will take place early in the new year.

The three events will take place on the 14th, 21st and 28th of January 2021, each one at 10.00 a.m. Registration is free of charge. The event on the 14 of January will deal with “water mist for hospitals and the healthcare sector”.

The topic on 21st will be “water mist for public transport” and attendees will learn all about “water mist for high-rise buildings” on 28th January. The programme will be published on 7th January.

IWMA webinar registration open on the 7th of January

That will also be the day when registration via their homepage will start. International Water Mist Association general manager Bettina McDowell says: ”The webinars will from now on be a part of the IWMA activities. The next series will take place in April. There will be regular updates for the January as well as for the April series on the website www.iwma.net.”

Terberg Special Vehicles appoint Taylor as distributor for the Southeast of the U.S

Terberg Special Vehicles, manufacturer of heavy duty terminal tractors, has appointed Taylor Machine Works, Inc., located in Louisville, Mississippi, as a US distributor to serve seven states in the Southeast of the US: Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and Kentucky. This agreement enables Terberg to better serve this region, especially for the aftersales market.

George Terberg, Chairman of the Board, commented: “Terberg and Taylor, both family-owned companies, complement each other perfectly. As a manufacturer of heavy-duty forklifts Taylor has developed an excellent distribution network in the central and southern parts of the US.

Taylor recently released a new generation of lift trucks

Terberg can now benefit from that network. We both build high-quality products, for the same group of customers in ports, industry, and logistics. Our customers will soon get the best of both worlds.”

Robert Taylor, President and COO of the Taylor Group of Companies, said: “We are pleased to be the new distributor in the USA for Terberg’s top of the line spotting tractors. This relationship between our companies will be a real asset to our customers.

The Terberg quality products, backed by Taylor Sudden Service’s network of service centers and master certified technicians, as well as the rental and leasing programs available through Taylor, will truly give our customers the best experience.”

Taylor will supply Terberg’s YT terminal shunt tractors and RT RoRo tractors to port operators, distribution centers and industrial customers. The company will also provide services to maximise the vehicle uptime, such as telematics, proactive maintenance, and rental solutions.

BSI appoint new Chief Executive

The British Standards Institution today announced that Susan Taylor Martin will be appointed as Chief Executive of BSI in 2021.

Susan will join BSI in January, and benefit from a progressive handover from current Chief Executive Howard Kerr who leaves the business in 2021 after leading it for 12 years.

During Howard’s tenure as Chief Executive, BSI has had an uninterrupted period of resilient growth, more than trebling its revenues from £179 million in 2007 to £548 million in 2019 and expanding its client base from 124 to 179 countries.

John Hirst, Chairman of BSI said: “Howard can be immensely proud of the achievements he has made during his tenure at BSI. He leaves the company in great shape to tackle the challenges of the future.

“His leadership has enabled BSI to develop into the purpose driven, successful and globally relevant organization it is today. We are fortunate to have Susan joining us as Chief Executive to maintain our growth, and to support businesses and governments worldwide at this critical juncture as we all look to build back better post-pandemic.”

Susan has led a range of information, publishing and software businesses, first at Reuters and then at Thomson Reuters. Most recently she served as President of its Global Legal Business, based in New York, where she led the transformation of its online information service into an AI-enabled suite of digital and SaaS offerings.

She has experience of the consumer, leisure and hospitality sector, as an independent non-executive director of Whitbread plc since 2012 and is a former Chair of the London Council of the Confederation of British Industry.

Howard Kerr, Chief Executive said: “It is with great pride that I move on, leaving the organization in Susan’s capable hands. BSI has many opportunities as it enters its 120th year and I am confident that the next chapter of BSI’s long history will continue to be successful, true to our purpose and values to inspire trust for a more resilient world”.

Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive Designate said: “I am excited to be joining BSI at a pivotal stage in its evolution. I have been hugely impressed by the power of the mission, the expertise of the team and the quality of the brand.

“I have also been struck by the opportunity we have – as a team – to work together and leverage BSI’s talent, knowledge and insights for an even greater impact for all our stakeholders. There was never a more important time to lead an organization which shapes and maintains the standards that help businesses improve performance, reduce risk and grow sustainably.”

FLIR Systems Introduces Raymarine YachtSense

FLIR Systems, Inc. announced today Raymarine YachtSense™, an advanced digital control system affording total command and complete awareness of a vessel’s electrical systems.

The modular nature of the YachtSense system redefines the future of vessel automation for boat builders and technical installers. Engineered for reliability, flexibility, and ease-of-use, YachtSense offers scalable, customizable and failsafe marine automation through intuitive control of onboard systems via any Raymarine Axiom® multifunction display.   

YachtSense employs a unique, modular architecture that allows boat builders the freedom to design and standardize digital control solutions that are scalable across their entire model range. 

Raymarine

Each YachtSense system begins with the YachtSense Master Module and Power Supply Module and is completed with a combination of additional multi-channel signal modules. 

These individual modules interface with specific types of onboard devices and systems – from lighting, pumps, windlass, swim platforms and entertainment systems to climate control, generators, and other on-vessel mechanical systems.

YachtSense’s customized Axiom user interface options empower marine manufacturers and installers to create modern and elegant vessel automation solutions.  These give captains total control of every onboard system with simple, touchscreen operation from any Axiom mutlifunction display. 

“YachtSense is the new standard in premium digital control solution for today’s most sophisticated vessels,” says Gregoire Outters, General Manager for the Raymarine brand at FLIR Systems.

Raymarine

“Our smart, modular and expandable system gives total freedom to boat builders to design ultra-reliable and highly tailored solutions that best meet the individual needs of their specific vessels and customers.”

Raymarine YachtSense to be unveiled at METSTRADE Connect 

Engineered for complete peace-of-mind during the unexpected, YachtSense delivers three levels of electrical redundancy. Master Modules feature an integrated keypad for manual override, as well as an LCD for system diagnostics. All YachtSense modules are housed in rugged IPX6 waterproof enclosures and are backed by a three-year warranty.

YachtSense is being unveiled and demonstrated during this week’s METSTRADE Connect online event. Boat builders and integrators are invited to learn more about Raymarine YachtSense by visiting www.raymarine.com/yachtsense.

Dräger repay staff after turbulent 2020

Since the beginning of the corona pandemic, Dräger’s Technology for Life’ has been needed more than ever. The company’s focus has always been to fulfil its social responsibility to provide for society in the best possible way and to help its global customers protect, support and save lives.

This extraordinary year 2020 is coming to an end. The employees were particularly challenged. “Our employees have all given their best in recent months. Many of them have even put private matters aside.

They do it with heartfelt dedication,” says Stefan Dräger, CEO of Drägerwerk Verwaltungs AG. “The Executive Board has therefore decided to pay the employees a one-time “thank you bonus” before the end of the year.”

Dräger staff to be made shareholders


In Germany the thank you bonus consists of two parts: The first part consists of five Dräger preferred shares, which the employees were able to order in November.

Almost 7,000 employees participated and are now shareholders. “They now own a part of the company they work for every day. This opens up a new, holistic view of the company. I am very pleased about this,” continues Stefan Dräger.

As a second part of the thank you bonus, the employees will receive an additional cash amount at the end of December together with their salary. The bonus amount ranges between a minimum of EUR 300 and a maximum of EUR 1,000 depending individually on the weekly working hours and attendance in 2020.

As Dräger is using this thank you bonus to help mitigate the additional and extraordinary burdens on its employees caused by the Corona crisis, the payment is mostly tax-free due to the special regulation of the German government within the meaning of Sec. 3 No. 11a EStG.

“All other Dräger employees worldwide will also receive a thank you bonus for their extraordinary commitment. The specific amount will be aligned with the respective salary structure in the countries”, says Reiner Piske, Chief Human Resources and Sales Officer of Dräger.

In addition to the thank you shares, employees in Germany again had the opportunity in November to participate in the annual employee stock option program.

This allows employees at the German locations to participate in the company and thus directly in the company’s success. Employees could purchase up to 60 preferred shares. Dräger contributed one bonus share for every three preferred shares purchased.

In 2020, a total of more than 2,000 employees participated in the program, investing an average of 33 shares in Dräger. This means that the number of participants doubled year-on-year.

CertAlarm launch Online Quoting Platform

CertAlarm, an organisation offering a pan-European quality mark in the fire protection and security systems industry, today announced the launch of its new Online Quoting Platform.

With a variety of national marks in Europe, manufac­turers are forced to prove compli­ance by having their product re-tested and re-certified by local test and certifi­cation bodies – a highly expensive and time-consuming process that needs to be repeated in each country. With CertAlarm, fire and security products need to be tested and certified only once.  

Multiple offers with just one click

Manufacturers who wish to get their security or fire product or system tested and certified to gain access to European markets can now easily obtain multiple quotes by filling out CertAlarm’s project information sheet via the new Online Quoting Platform just once. As a result they will obtain quotations from all or selected CertAlarm partners, all of which are experienced and accredited Certification Bodies and Test Laboratories.

High protection of sensitive data

As a logged in user, the manufacturer and his CertAlarm contacts are the only persons who have access to the confidential information relating to the project. The platform is secured by an SSL-encrypted transfer, a service provided by 1&1 IONOS SE, which ensures the highest possible protection of the sensitive data. Once all offers have been provided, the manufacturer can easily compare them, consult with CertAlarm’s partners for further clarifications and finally make his choice.

One-time bonus

Users of the new platform will also receive a one-time bonus valid until 31.03.2021 (date on which the order is placed). “We grant every new manufacturer who asks for a quote via our new Online Quoting Platform a free listing for four years for their first CertAlarm certified product”, says Anja Kinsky, General Manager of CertAlarm. “Already registered manufacturers get the same bonus for their first certificate they received based on the usage of our new platform, provided they do not possess any transfer certificates”, she adds

For more details, please visit www.certalarm.org.

Johnson Controls release Energy Efficiency Indicator survey findings

Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart and sustainable buildings, released the findings of its annual Energy Efficiency Indicator survey, which found that more than half of organizations plan to increase investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy and smart building technology next year, comparable with investment trends after the 2010 recession.

Of the factors determining investment, the majority (85 percent) said that reducing energy costs was a very or extremely important driver of investment and more than three-quarters (76 percent) believe that protecting the health and safety of occupants during emergencies was a very or an extremely important driver of investment.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to improve the health and safety of buildings, particularly by increasing their ability to operate under different conditions, both planned and unforeseen,” said Clay Nesler, vice president of global energy and sustainability at Johnson Controls.

“Though the pandemic has altered how people are investing in their buildings, occupant health and energy efficiency continue to be top of mind and we anticipate these investments will be a priority in 2021 as more people return to shared spaces.”

Despite reduced occupancy, the study found that facility energy use dropped surprisingly little during the pandemic, with less than 10 percent of facilities reducing energy use more than 20 percent.

Investments in Air Quality and Flexibility

As the world learns more about the spread of Covid-19 through aerosol transmission, indoor air quality has become one of the most pressing issues for facility managers to address.

The survey found that 79 percent have already or are planning to increase air filtration, three-quarters have already or are planning to install an air treatment system and 72 percent have already or are planning to increase outdoor air ventilation rates.

The majority of respondents, 81 percent said that increasing the flexibility of facilities to quickly respond to a variety of emergency conditions was very or extremely important driver of investment.

Further, in an increasingly digital world, the integration of systems has become more important than ever. Three-quarters (75 percent) of respondents’ organizations have invested in the integration of security systems with other building technology systems, a 36 percent increase from the 2019 study. And one-third of respondents (33 percent) plan to invest in the integration of building technology systems with distributed energy resources in the next year, a 15 percent increase over 2020.

“Digital offerings that integrate a number of systems are more of a priority than ever for organizations evaluating their investment plans for 2021,” said Michael Ellis, executive vice president and chief customer and chief digital officer at Johnson Controls.

“We took note of this trend, which is why we invested in our comprehensive OpenBlue offerings and continue to expand those with partners to meet their increasingly interconnected needs around energy efficiency, sustainability, digitization and occupant health.”

The integration of new technology continues to be a theme, with 79 percent of respondents noting that data analytics and machine learning will have an extremely or very significant impact on buildings, up five percent from last year’s study.

Increased Interest in Net Zero Energy Buildings

The study found growing interest in net zero energy buildings and resiliency, with 70 percent of organizations very or extremely likely to have one or more facilities that are nearly zero, net zero or positive energy or carbon status in the next ten years – an increase of seven percent from 2019.

Further, two-thirds of organizations are very or extremely likely to have one or more facilities able to operate off the grid in the next ten years – an increase of three percent from 2019.

Additionally, 63 percent of organizations invested in onsite renewable energy in 2020, a 22 percent increase from the organizations that said they were planning to in the 2019 study.

Funding Facility Improvements

The 2020 survey found that funding for facility improvements increasingly came from internal capital budgets (71 percent), energy services agreements (24 percent) and economic stimulus and recovery funds (20 percent).

To download a summary of the 2020 Energy Efficiency Index please go to: https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/-/media/jci/corp/media/news/files/2020/2020_eei_survey.pdf

Survey methodology: This independent survey was fielded online to 150 energy and facility management executives across the U.S. between September 11, 2020 through October 5, 2020. Of respondents, 27 percent held roles in commercial organizations, 37 percent in institutions, 23 percent in industry and 13 percent in other organizations.