Croatian firefighting aircraft to participate in RescEU missions again this year

For the second year in a row, Croatia’s firefighting aircraft will be on stand-by as part of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (RescEU) mechanism, the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday 16th June.

Croatian firefighting planes will be prepared to participate in the RescEU mission from June 15 to October 31, based on two models. Under the first model, two aircraft would fly to neighbouring Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania and would return to Croatia each day, while the second model envisages missions of several days to more distant countries like Spain, France and Israel.

A third model also exists where aircraft can be deployed to countries with a high wildfire risk and will be prepared to intervene if necessary.

The commander of the 855th firefighting squadron, Colonel Tomislav Vacenovski, said that together with other sections of homeland security, Croatia’s firefighting system has also been strengthened and is capable of providing assistance to other countries.

“We have had 19 international missions in seven countries which confirms our high potential and preparedness to promptly deploy our forces not only in Croatia but in countries that request assistance,” Vacenovski said.

RescEU is a project that reinforced and strengthened the EU’s disaster risk management by upgrading the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and has the objective of enhancing both the protection of citizens from disasters and the management of emerging risks.

Fire Industry Association launches CPD Certification Centre

The Fire Industry Association’s all-new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certification Centre is an exclusive member-focused benefit affording the organisation’s members’ CPD sessions the FIA ‘stamp of approval’, in turn saving them thousands of pounds.

Members will now be able to have their CPD certified by the FIA as part of the cost of their membership. The FIA can host, market and manage all bookings for any sessions which have been certified by the FIA CPD Certification Centre. The FIA will then issue CPD certificates on behalf of its members to the delegates involved (the only proviso being that the CPD session must be hosted by the FIA). Importantly, data on attendees will only be shared with the member company delivering the CPD session.

The organisation is readily able to assess the technical content of CPD sessions and give them its stamp of approval or otherwise assist with bringing it up to standard. This enables the Trade Association to be able to assess any presentations which are submitted and also give the stamp of approval on its educational quality.

The FIA strives to do all it can to champion, represent and help improve the excellent advice given by its members to their customers and, indeed, the wider industry.  By checking and certifying members’ CPD, the FIA feels that this will be of massive benefit to all parties involved and also serves as a practical way in which to improve standards right across the entire fire industry.

By having the weight of the FIA’s technical and educational backing behind them, CPD sessions gain a level of credibility specific to the industry at which they are aimed. It also benefits end users (ie the target audience of FIA members) as they know that the CPD they are receiving has been checked and certified by the leading industry body, thereby giving it more value and credibility.

FIA members using its CPD service no longer have to pay fees to external generic CPD certification bodies who are not experts in the fire industry. This can potentially save companies thousands of pounds in unnecessary expenditure.

By making use of the FIA’s marketing ability and its extensive database of fire industry and related contacts, members can rest assured that their CPD sessions are being marketed directly to the right people and companies.

Crucially, the wider fire industry can also benefit from the FIA’s CPD Certification Centre as they become familiar with the online CPD process itself.

The certification process is a simple one. Members submit their presentation via e-mail to the FIA’s Technical Department for assessment. The presentation will be assessed against various criteria including (but not limited to) technical correctness, impartiality (there must be nothing product or company-specific) and educational quality, etc.

Once a session passes the assessment process and is certified, the FIA will enable usage of the FIA CPD Certified logo which can be applied to all certificates for that session.

The event is then booked in with the FIA’s training team and this will be added to the events calendar on the Trade Association’s website. Sessions will also be included in the FIA’s marketing releases and social media.

Sourcewell and FireRescue GPO partner up to meet procurement needs

Sourcewell, a co-operative purchasing organisation providing solutions across the US and Canada, has teamed up with the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA), founder of FireRescue GPO in an attempt to meet the cooperative procurement needs of the nation’s fire service, as well as enhance FireRescue GPO’s ability to aid the fire service.

“With this new partnership, we will significantly grow our fire service and public safety contracts to provide even more options to our public safety community,” said Sourcewell’s Manager of Contact Administration, Tom Perttula.

Revenue generated through FireRescue GPO is shared with the fire chiefs’ associations across the country including the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IFAC), its divisions and state fire chiefs’ associations.

Future solicitations include public safety technology and communications, critical care and resuscitation equipment as well as public safety body armour. “This partnership leverages the power of scale to our co-operative procurement program,” said Chief Jeffery Johnson, CEO of the Western Fire Chiefs Association. “Providing a more effective and comprehensive purchasing experience for our members.”

QTAC unveils the adaptable and modular SRT storage skid

QTAC™, has released the SRT, a modular, fully enclosed tank, pump and storage skid for UTVs. The QTAC SRT’s durable PolyTough™ construction will reportedly never rust, dent or crack, and its light weight means that the SRT is compatible with any UTV with a 1,000-pound or greater bed capacity.

“We had received numerous requests for an all-weather UTV skid,” says QTAC President, Jason Black, “and almost every one of our customers is looking for additional storage on their UTVs. The SRT addresses both of these needs in a modular configuration that is unique in the industry.”

The SRT comes with a 40-, 50- or 60-gallon water tank, and is available with either a medium pressure pump or high pressure Waterax Versax® 6. The pump, plumbing and electric Hannay hose reel are accessible through the rear AMDOR roll-up door, and kept out of the elements in a welded copolymer enclosure. Adjustable rails on the side of the pump enclosure allow storage boxes or hose trays to be mounted at various heights to accommodate different UTV bed sides.

“Each SRT PolyTough side storage box has over six cubic feet of interior space, and the hinges and recessed gas shocks keep the entire door design clean and low profile,” continues Black.

“One of the key features of the SRT side boxes is that they don’t require any drilling in the UTV’s stock bed. Additionally, a customer can order the tank and pump enclosure without side boxes or use one storage box and one bolt-on hose tray. The SRT’s design is meant to give customers the flexibility needed to adapt the UTV to their specific requirements.”

Campaigners push for London Fire Brigade HQ plan

Campaigners against a £500m plan to redevelop the art deco, former London Fire Brigade headquarters on the Albert Embankment in Central London, have pledged to step up their opposition in the wake of the scheme being called in.
The mixed-use project has been drawn up by architect Pilbrow & Partners for developer U&I and will include two towers of 26 and 24 storeys respectively built behind the 1937 grade II-listed Thames-side building, which was at the heart of the brigade’s firefighting operation during the Blitz.

However, Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary, Robert Jenrick wants a second opinion. The scheme, which was given planning permission by Lambeth Council in December 2019, has been called in because of heritage concerns and the impact of the towers on nearby Lambeth Palace and the Westminster World Heritage Site.
Government heritage adviser, Historic England, raised concerns about the plans while objectors have included the 20th Century Society, the Skyline Campaign while former Vauxhall MP Kate Hoey took to Twitter on Friday praising Jenrick for calling the scheme in.

A spokesperson for the Waterloo Community Development Group said: “It is criminal that these central London sites have been left mostly vacant for 20 years in public ownership, yet all successive mayors [of London] can do is back schemes helicoptered in and completely out-of-scale or context and of little use to London or Londoners.
“Real people living in real social housing will lose up to 40% of their daylight because of safety-deposit boxes posing piled 90m high beside them.”

U&I had hoped construction would start on site next year and be completed in 2025. In a statement, the firm said: “[Jenrick’s] decision means [work] could now be significantly delayed. The plans followed extensive consultation with the local community [and] will positively transform a site that has lain vacant for almost 10 years.”

Other firms working on the scheme include structures and M&E engineer WSP, cost consultant Core 5, project manager Second London Wall and planning consultant Lichfields. A planning inspector’s report is expected to land on Jenrick’s desk this Autumn at the earliest.

UK commemorates Grenfell Tower’s third anniversary

The United Kingdom has marked the third anniversary of the Grenfell Tower apartment block fire with a virtual church service to remember the 72 people who died in the blaze.

Sunday 14th June marked three years since a small kitchen fire in the west London public-housing block turned into the worst domestic blaze in the country since World War II.

The fire spread rapidly and engulfed the 24-story building, shocking the nation and prompting a widespread investigation into low-cost and flammable cladding at high-rise buildings.

“As a nation, we are still dealing with the consequences of what happened and working to make sure it never happens again,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a video message to be shown at an online commemoration service. “While those affected by Grenfell are not able to gather in person, I want you to know that all of us in this country are with you in spirit.”

“I remain absolutely committed to uncovering the causes of this tragedy and ensuring it is never repeated.” In tribute to each victim who died in the fire, the bells of London churches will toll 72 times and green lights will glow from tower block windows to show solidarity with survivors and the bereaved.

The Humanity for Grenfell group recently held an online, multi-faith service and a 72-second moment of silence to remember the victims. Campaigners have also accused local and national authorities of allowing the installation of dangerous external cladding that became a major contributor to the rapid spread of the fire.

A public inquiry into the disaster was paused in March because of the coronavirus pandemic and is due to restart in July. Police have said no one is likely to face criminal charges until 2021.

The continuing Grenfell Tower Inquiry published its first report in October, highlighting “significant systemic failings” by the London Fire Brigade, including poor evacuation, command and communication procedures. Fire chiefs rejected the criticism.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick promised changes to building regulations to “ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.”