Seven coronavirus patients die in Alexandria hospital fire, Egypt

At least seven people have died after a fire broke out in an intensive care unit in an Egyptian hospital. The fire was in the coronavirus ward of a private hospital in Alexandria.

The source of the fire is thought to be an electric short-circuit in the air conditioning unit on the ward. Nurses heard the unit explode and tried to put out the flames but the ward was engulfed in thick smoke, according to AP.

It’s the second such fire over the course of the pandemic after a fire broke out last month at a coronavirus isolation centre in Cairo. Medics have been warning since the start of Egypt’s pandemic that the healthcare system is about to collapse partly because of chronic underfunding and outdated equipment after years of government neglect.

Already entire hospitals and departments across the country have had to shut their doors after becoming overwhelmed with Covid cases and large numbers of infections among the medical staff.

Doctors have complained that there is not enough space in ICU centres whilst Egyptians have resorted to social media to try and find beds.

In one widely shared case, a video was posted of a woman asleep on the pavement outside a hospital after being rejected from several health care centres due to lack of beds and sufficient medication.

Despite this, the government is restarting its economy with restaurants, cafes, churches and mosques opening their doors.

The country’s medical union has warned that this could overwhelm the healthcare system.

Egypt officially has 66,754 total cases and 2,872 deaths though experts have warned the real figure is likely to be far higher due to lack of testing and government attempts to control the narrative in a bid to appear as though they are in control.

Henry Brothers appointed to build £18.5 million joint police and fire HQ

Henry Brothers Midlands has won a contract to build a new £18.5 million joint headquarters for Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service. The three-storey facility will be constructed on land behind the existing Nottinghamshire Police headquarters at Sherwood Lodge and is scheduled to open by the end of 2021.

Work on the new building, which will include a control room, training centre, changing rooms, gym, canteen and shared offices, is expected to begin next month. Once complete it will form part of a wider joint campus that will also include all of the existing police headquarters.

After a competitive tendering process Nottingham-based Henry Brothers Midlands has been chosen to construct the new three-storey building. A formal contract was agreed on 29th June.

Since planning permission was granted in December 2019, a considerable amount of work has already taken place on this multi-phase project under the direction of construction consultancy Gleeds.

The site, which will include a new access road, additional car parking and improvements to existing facilities, has already been levelled and cleared – ahead of time and below budget.

Ian Taylor, Managing Director of Henry Brothers Midlands, said: “As a local company, we are delighted to have been appointed to build this new joint headquarters building for Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service.”

The joint headquarters project is the next step in a series of collaboration projects between the two services, which already share premises at Highfields, West Bridgford and London Road fire stations, and at the new tri-service hub in Hucknall. The two organisations also jointly procure fuel, have a shared drone and incident welfare vehicle, and conduct joint safety and educational initiatives.

Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “This is a significant day in the history of this project and also a good time to reflect on the huge amount of work that has taken place since we began preparing the ground once we got the planning decision at the back end of last year.”

Chair of the Fire Authority, Cllr Michael Payne, added: “This is fantastic news in what has, in recent months, undoubtedly been an extremely challenging time for our police and fire staff, the wider public sector and our communities across the whole of the city and county.

“The appointment of a local company to build our new joint headquarters reinforces our commitment to the people of Nottinghamshire, and I look forward to the next phase of the project where we will start to see the redevelopment of Sherwood Lodge taking shape, and the relationship between the two organisations going from strength to strength.”

US fire departments anticipate busy 4th July as fireworks sales skyrocket

Fireworks sales are skyrocketing across the US as most public displays are canceled due to the coronavirus, prompting concerns among fire departments that this year’s Fourth of July weekend could lead to record numbers of injuries and blazes.

“Despite the warnings against at-home displays, firefighters across the country will be ready to respond as more people turn to do-it-yourself shows,” said Doug Stern, a spokesman for the International Association of Fire Fighters. “A firework-less Fourth of July may be a disappointment, but it doesn’t make firecrackers and bottle rockets any safer at home, and a severe traumatic injury or burn—or starting a house or vehicle fire—is a lot worse way to spend the holiday.”

This year’s scarcity of professional pyrotechnic displays—which many local leaders have declared a no-go in the age of social distancing—presents a unique challenge for fire safety officials, who usually centre their Independence Day outreach campaigns on encouraging people to attend public fireworks shows instead of attempting to create them at home.

“While fireworks are an emblem of July 4 celebrations, in the absence of public displays this year, we strongly encourage people to find safe and creative alternatives for celebrating the holiday,” Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at the National Fire Protection Association, said in a statement. “Fireworks are simply too dangerous and unpredictable to be used safely by consumers.”

Fireworks sparked roughly 19,500 fires in 2018, causing five deaths, 46 injuries to civilians and $105 million in direct property damage, according to data from the association. More than 7,000 people reported injuries related to fireworks around the 4th of July holiday last year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. More than half of those injuries were burns.

But that hasn’t dampened amateur enthusiasm for sparklers and cherry bombs. Sales of consumer fireworks for some retailers have doubled or tripled in the past month compared to last year, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association, which expects record-breaking sales numbers over the holiday weekend.

“The APA predicts an all-time high in backyard consumer fireworks sales and use as families prepare to celebrate Independence Day at home due to the pandemic and cancellation of large public celebrations,” Julie L. Heckman, the association’s executive director, said in a statement. The group recommends that firework users follow safety guidelines, such as reading the directions, not allowing children to handle fireworks and setting them off from a “hard, level surface.”

Cities across the country are already reporting higher-than-normal numbers of calls about illegal fireworks, including noise complaints. Police in Raleigh, N.C. received 105 reports of fireworks between June 12 and June 25, up from just 16 in the same time period last year. Officials in New York City fielded more than 13,000 complaints about fireworks between June 1 and June 22, compared to 32 calls in the same time period in 2019. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh told reporters in early June that calls to police about illegal fireworks in May increased by 2,300% compared to last year.

“This is a serious issue,” he said. “People are frightened. People are losing sleep. Babies and kids are woken up. Pets are terrified. Our veterans and others with PTSD are experiencing real harm, and it’s a real fire hazard in our city.”

In addition to the nuisance, Carli said, an increase in at-home fireworks mishaps could overwhelm a public health system that’s already taxed from responding to Covid-19. Emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,100 fireworks injuries last year, according to federal data.

“Fireworks cause thousands of needless fires and injuries each year,” Carli said. “By simply choosing not to use consumer fireworks, these types of incidents can be easily prevented, lessening the strain on already overtaxed first responders and emergency room workers.”

United Safety acquires QTEC Fire Services PTY Ltd

United Safety, a global manufacturer of safety and survivability solutions, has announced the acquisition of QTEC Fire Services Pty Ltd, effective from 1st July. QTEC, an Australian-based manufacturer of pre-engineered fire suppression systems for mobile plant and equipment for the mining, construction, transportation, and forestry industries is the second fire protection acquisition the company has made in recent years.

United Safety President and CEO Joe Mirabile stated, “We are extremely excited to welcome QTEC Fire Services into the United Safety family. QTEC will significantly increase our available offerings and allow us to provide multiple high-quality fire suppression products to our global customers. This is a continuation of our mission to deliver many more lifesaving products to those who need them.”

QTEC Fire Services Pty Ltd was founded in 1992 with a focus on manufacturing Australia’s highest quality fire suppression systems. The company continues to shape the fire suppression industry as the only Australian based company to continually develop and manufacture products in Australia for both domestic and international applications. Mike Hompesch, partner at Dubin Clark, United Safety’s ownership firm stated, “United Safety continues to be a dramatic growth story that delivers groundbreaking products that save lives around the world. We are proud to have recognized a great opportunity with this team and we look forward to continuing to partner with and support management to expand the company further.”

“It is with great excitement we announce that United Safety & Survivability Corporation has completed the acquisition of QTEC Fire Services and I am excited about the future,” QTEC founder, Mark Ivanovic said. Ivanovic has been highly successful in manufacturing fire suppression products for over 28 years, founded on the principal of high-quality Australian manufacturing.

The news comes after last year’s acquisition of Firestorm Fire Protection, another Australian based fire protection company, further widening the reach of United Safety’s focus on fire safety and strengthening the company’s portfolio of product offerings. Firestorm CEO Kristian Bischoff commented, “The ability to own and operate a first-class Australian manufactured fire suppression group such as QTEC Fire Services is fantastic and complements the Fogmaker misting system and the service and installation of Firestorm. Our future looks extremely promising and 2020 is shaping up to be a record year.”

www.unitedsafety.net/

Fire Fighters Charity launches urgent appeal after coronavirus fundraising downturn

The Fire Fighters Charity has launched an urgent appeal for new donors after its usual fundraising income fell by around £200,000 per month during the lockdown period.

The charity, which offers specialist mental health, physical health and social well-being support to members of the UK’s fire services community, receives no Government funding and relies on its fundraising income to raise the £10 million it needs each year to operate its national services in support of over 55,000 members of the UK’s Fire and Rescue Services and their dependants, as well as the retired fire services community.

However, the cancellation of all face-to-face fundraising and mass participation events over the past few months and, it would seem, for much of the rest of 2020, means that the organisation’s income is falling short by hundreds of thousands of pounds each month.

CEO Dr Jill Tolfrey has explained why the charity decided to launch an urgent appeal aimed at all those across the fire services community, as well as those who admire and support it. “This is an unprecedented time for the Fire Fighters Charity. We’ve never before faced such an extended period of time without any traditional fundraising activity and, for an organisation that’s almost entirely funded through the generosity of its supporters, we need to find a way to turn this around.”

Tolfrey continued: “I’m therefore hoping that this urgent appeal will strike a chord with those generous individuals and every member of our incredible fire service family. From front line firefighters to support and control staff, retired personnel and everyone for whom we provide our services, we will always be there for you when you need us, but right now we need you. Please start donating today and let’s navigate this tough time together.”

www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/

Abloy set to host virtual exhibition on security and fire safety

Abloy UK has unveiled plans to hold its first ever virtual exhibition, Keyvolution, which will take place online on 8 July.

With many exhibitions being postponed or cancelled in 2020, this initiative has been organised to meet the demand for online advice and information on security. It also aims to help visitors resolve current security issues and plan for future needs to ensure their building’s occupants and assets remain safe and secure.

The digital event will showcase innovative new products, as well as access control solutions for commercial buildings, education, hospitality, residential and healthcare.

Featuring new products, live webinars, software demonstrations, live chats, videos and downloadable brochures, the exhibition has been designed to help participants resolve short term security issues while planning for the future as the world emerges from lockdown.

The event will provide information on ASSA ABLOY’s Incedo Business, the new universal ecosystem available from Abloy UK that combines software and hardware into one environment to deliver realtime access control.

Other access control solutions will include Aperio, a wireless lock technology for hands-free door opening, and SMARTair, an intelligent alternative to traditional access control systems that enables you to send, revoke and update access permissions, restrict movement within a building and provide an audit trail.

Fire Safety 

Meanwhile, to share best practice on fire safety, the exhibition will also cover the Escape Door System, which is compliant with BE EN 13637, and its Electric Locks which are designed to meet and exceed test standards used in most European countries to ensure compliance on panic and emergency routes and dynamic lockdown.

Aaron Yule, Managing Director of Abloy UK, said: “With the postponement and cancellation of the major exhibitions in 2020, we wanted to create a digital event that would have something for everyone looking after commercial buildings.

“Abloy is a trusted partner of many, and we are always building upon our heritage and innovation in high-end security access and control. Now we are adding an exciting new digital dimension to our existing portfolio of mechanical and electromechanical products.”

To sign up, visit https://bit.ly/2By9VZZ

www.abloy.co.uk/en/abloy/abloy-co-uk/

Elizabethtown joins campaign to ease volunteer firefighter shortage

As the state faces a shortage of volunteer firefighters, the NC Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Chiefs are kicking off a two-year plan designed to alleviate staffing shortages in key parts of North Carolina.

More than 70% of NC firefighters are volunteers. As the state sees the number of volunteer firefighters decline at 11-12 percent every year, several communities are in critical need of firefighters.

Bladen County was identified as one of the 15 at risk counties chosen to take part in the effort.

Elizabethtown Fire Department is the only department in the county that has a paid staff of firefighters, according to Chief Nick West. The other fire agencies in the region are predominately staffed by volunteers.

“There is a shortage, not only in Bladen County but this region itself. We will be utilizing this information from the workforce solutions program and getting the word out saying ‘we need some support.’ It’s a critical level for department members in Bladen County…some members volunteer in multiple departments,” said Chief West.

The campaign is funded by a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant to enhance the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. The effort will include local research on where to find potential volunteer firefighters and workshops to improve recruitment and retention.

Just a month into the campaign, the chief says they’ve seen an overwhelming response from the community. The new interest in lending a hand is further encouraged by the department moving to a brand new station that will serve as a crisp new backdrop for tours and educational events.

The chief says recently, they were awarded a grant for a fitness trainer for the department, giving potential volunteer firefighters even more incentive to work with Elizabethtown Fire.

Having a full staff of firefighters allows the department to work faster at fires and medical calls and do things like better handle traffic at car crash scenes, ensuring the safety of all the first responders working the call.

In addition to emergencies, volunteers are vital to efforts that prevent tragedies in the first place like smoke alarm canvassing, educational outreach and fire inspections.

“We want people to know we rely on our volunteers and say ‘look what we can accomplish in Elizabethtown or Bladen County with the great volunteers we have in our community.’ Its really humbling for sure. We’ve noticed in the hurricanes, people can’t necessarily volunteer but they bring stuff and ask ‘what can they do’ and you can tell in times of crisis, small communities really come together,” said West. “It takes a big effort from a lot of different people to help this work and we’re just thankful for the opportunity to get the word out and say here’s what our community’s needs are and here’s how we can expand it and make it better for sure.”

www.VolunteerFireNC.org

FIA works with NFCC to provide PPE for front line firefighters

When the COVID-19 pandemic reaching its peak in late-March, the Fire Industry Association (FIA) sought to collaborate with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) to make sure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was made readily available for firefighters to protect themselves against COVID-19 while undertaking their enhanced role assisting the National Health Service and the ambulance service.

The FIA assisted the National Fire Commercial Transformation Programme (NFCTP) that’s led by Kent’s chief fire officer Ann Millington by engaging its members and asking them to leverage their contacts in wider industry sectors to source PPE such as gloves, masks and hand sanitiser.

The FIA ensured that all suggested suppliers had evidence to prove that they were compliant with the appropriate standards as defined by the technical due diligence process outlined by the Kent Fire and Rescue Service. After these checks, the FIA then forwarded the suppliers to the team in Kent who would complete the due diligence and then liaise with Fire and Rescue Services up and down the country in a determined bid to ensure access to available supply of critical commodities.

Tina Butler, head of commercial and procurement the Kent Fire and Rescue Service and programme lead for the NFCTP, explained: “The NFCTP and the FIA have been engaged for some time prior to COVID-19, building a more professional relationship between the sectors to ensure that we move away from a fragmented approach towards market engagement.”

Butler continued: “The unprecedented global impact on supply chains as a result of the pandemic has been a real test of this new way of working, and I’m incredibly grateful to FIA director Bernie Higgins and everyone involved within the network who have really pulled together with the Fire and Rescue Service to ensure that we can provide the right level of protection for our front line personnel. I look forward to building upon this good work to ensure that, together, we can deliver the most effective and successful recovery possible.”

Ann Millington added: “I’m indebted, as is the national fire service, to the extraordinary work carried out by Tina Butler and her team and the wider team of procurement professionals in this crisis. It’s no exaggeration to say we couldn’t have done the great work in supporting other agencies during this crisis were it not for the PPE supplies. The FIA has been a great partner in this and I thank the Trade Association for its tremendous efforts.”

Bernie Higgins responded: “This is an excellent example of the wider fire sector working together in the national interest to ensure that firefighters can continue to protect the public during this extremely challenging period.”

The FIA and the NFFC paused the arrangement on 15 June to reflect the more stable position of the sector, but have left the door wide open to re-starting this valuable partnership to help protect firefighters across the nation should the need arise.

As the national now enters the recovery phase, the FIA will be working very closely with the NFCC to assist Fire and Rescue Services and suppliers to it in order to ensure the most effective recovery possible.

Potter announces web integration of fire alarm systems into Intelliview

Potter Electric Signal Company, LLC of St. Louis, Missouri USA, announces the integration of Potter fire alarm systems with the IntelliView TM Dashboard. The web-based dashboard allows the user to monitor their Potter fire alarm control panels in addition to the IntelliGen TM nitrogen generators from anywhere in the world. A mobile app is also available in the iOS and Google Play stores and provides increased functionality.

A free Standard version of IntelliView for fire alarm systems is available with limited features that allow for high level panel status and information. The Premium version integrates with the mobile app to send push notifications for any off normal signal, give access to all signals on all fire panels, provide system data and display historical activity. In addition, the Premium version supports a One-Person walk test that can control the panel and provide the needed data for NFPA reports.

Bob Teta, Potter’s Software Engineering Manager said, “Mobile device access to a building’s fire systems is long overdue. IntelliView will make installation, testing and inspection much more efficient and accurate. It will also enable life-safety personnel to have immediate information when a system is in trouble or in alarm – this creates a safer environment for everyone. No system should be installed without Potter IntelliView.”

www.PotterIntelliView.com

AEI Cables says fire industry needs guidance on sprinklers

AEI Cables is asking for further guidance on the application of new measures which make sprinkler systems mandatory in all new high-rise blocks over 11 metres high.

The government announced an amendment to the statutory guidance to building safety regulations, known as Approved Document B, reducing the requirement for sprinkler systems from the current 30 metres to 11 metres.

Stuart Dover, general manager of AEI Cables, said: “The introduction of new legislation is welcomed but the cabling industry and wider fire safety industry needs more detail on the guidance to make it work in practice.

“The fire safety industry relies on the highest quality products to make changes in legislation and we are already being asked questions about the changes.”

The Fire Safety Bill, which was introduced to Parliament in April, will also empower fire and rescue services to take enforcement action and hold building owners to account if they do not comply with the law.

The tried and tested generation of AEI Cables’ fire performance cabling ensure critical fire-safety circuits can continue to operate in the event of a fire from 30 minutes up to 120 minutes and often support systems which provide intelligence for the fire and rescue services.

AEI Cables’ Firetec Enhanced cabling is the only cable to be independently approved and certified by LPCB to BS8519 (Annex B) Category 3 Control for firefighting systems including sprinkler pumps, fire suppression water mist systems, water spray systems, wet riser pumps, wet riser valve and equipment monitoring under the Code of Practice.

All AEI Cables’ products are supplied with approvals from independent bodies including BASEC and LPCB. It also holds approvals from organisations including Lloyds, the MoD, Network Rail and LUL and works to international standards around the world.

www.aeicables.co.uk