Posts in category: Americas – Products

Emergency Reporting, the provider of Fire & EMS records management software has released a new report to assist customers with their applications for the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The application period for this grant opened January 4. With fire department budgets being significantly challenged in today’s climate, the AFG program provides some much-needed relief.

Completing a grant application can be daunting and time-consuming, but with so many fire departments struggling to budget for adequate staffing, protective equipment and gear, software, and other resources, grants can be essential for keeping first responders and communities safe. To help make the AFG application process simpler, Emergency Reporting created an easy-to-use report that significantly reduces the time needed to compile all of the data required in the AFG Application Checklist Table 4: Call Volumes. 

The report is designed to provide a nicely formatted lookback of three years’ worth of response data for fire departments that use Emergency Reporting software to document and submit incident reports, and it closely matches the layout of the actual table in the AFG application that must be submitted to apply for funding.

In addition to the many challenges faced by those in the fire and EMS service during the current pandemic, fire departments across the country are being forced to propose significant budget cuts. Emergency Reporting CEO David Nokes says that many fire agencies are using their Emergency Reporting software during this time to help save time and money, and to secure crucial grant funding.

“Cloud-based fire software like Emergency Reporting can save departments thousands, as well as many hours of personnel time,” Nokes says. “The benefits gained from a high-quality RMS becomes especially clear in times like these.”

First responders collect information daily that has the potential to provide life-saving insights to fire service and community leaders. “Unfortunately, some fire departments are still playing technology catch-up when it comes to actively using this data to support initiatives within their department,” Nokes says.

This point is also clear in the FY2020 AFG Communications Project Guide released by FireRescue1, where reviewers state that they would have given many applications higher scores if the applicants had only presented a more complete picture of their situations. Nokes adds, “A comprehensive Records Management System can help harness a department’s data in order to paint that picture clearly in a grant application.”

For more grant resources and a free white paper download about how to get more grant funding, visit https://emergencyreporting.com/grants/.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released a new energy storage systems (ESS) safety fact sheet as President-elect Joe Biden, a strong clean energy proponent, is set to take office on Wednesday.

The 46th president and his Administration are expected to spearhead a Clean Energy Revolution via a 9-step plan their campaign laid out. That strategy states, in part, that, “On the first day of Biden’s Administration, according to the intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, there will only be nine years to stop the worst consequences of climate change.

Biden will act on climate change immediately and ambitiously, because there is no time to waste.” Biden will invest $400 billion over ten years, as part of a broad mobilisation of public investment, in clean energy and innovation – an investment (in today’s dollars) that is twice what was made in the Apollo program that put man on the moon.”

As a global organisation devoted to eliminating loss from fire, electrical and related hazards, NFPA is no stranger to clean energy safety. Over the past 10 years, the Association has introduced groundbreaking training for the fire service and others on topics such as solar energy, energy storage systems, electric vehicles, and flammable refrigerants to ensure that as communities embrace and incentivise the use of green technologies, first and second responders are well-informed about potential safety issues.

Policy makers, code officials, manufacturers, designers, engineers, skilled labor, and the public also share responsibility in ensuring the safety of people and property and have also found enormous value in the NFPA guidance.

With more and more countries, states, and communities putting forth zero emissions deadlines, tax breaks and other changes, NFPA developed the at-a-glance Energy Storage Systems Safety Fact Sheet to bring the safety considerations of ESS to the forefront. The resource distills key points identified in NFPA ESS training, NFPA 855, Standard for the Installation of Energy Storage Systems, and a myriad of related materials, with an emphasis on:

• The meaning of ESS
• The advantages of supplemental service, peak-shaving, load-leveling, and uninterruptible power supply
• Hazards such as thermal runaway, stranded energy, toxic and flammable gases, deep-seated fires, mechanical/thermal/electrical abuse and environmental impacts
• Designer/contractor considerations for safety – explosion protection/prevention, fire protection systems, battery management systems, and ESS spacing
• Permitting checklist for authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs)
• Pre-incident planning and emergency operations planning highlights
• Available resources such as research, other fact sheets, and related standards

Additionally, the Fire Protection Research Foundation, the research affiliate of NFPA, is in the process of finalising an Energy Storage Research Consortium for interested members of the energy storage and fire protection industries to discuss industry-relevant fire protection issues and related research needs.

According to the Biden renewables strategy, a target will be set to reduce the carbon footprint of the U.S. building stock 50 percent by 2035 and incentives for deep retrofits that combine appliance electrification, efficiency, and on-site clean power generation will be introduced. Biden will also work with governors and mayors to support the deployment of more than 500,000 new public charging outlets by the end of 2030, an infrastructure issue that NFPA is currently focused on as part of the NFPA Spurs the Safe Adoption of Electric Vehicles though Education and Outreach effort.

NFPA has dedicated microsites for ESS, alternative fuel and electric vehicles, and the flammable refrigerants that are part of a global accord signed by nearly 200  countries including the United States; as well as insights from the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Policy Institute. All these resources stress that safety is a system.

KME Fire Apparatus, a subsidiary of REV Group^®, and a leading manufacturer of fire apparatus, is pleased to introduce the new X-Series Custom Pumper where performance, value, and reduced delivery time meet. 

The new X-Series is designed to help fire departments navigate the challenges associated with specifying and procuring fire apparatus by offering multiple core models that can be customised with thousands of options to meet their unique needs. This allows KME to build and deliver custom pumpers that fit fire departments’ budgets and best serve their communities with reduced lead times.  

Some core features of the X-Series include:

• Custom fire apparatus aluminum cab
• Optimised pump and body configurations to meet a variety of fire departments needs
• Maximum compartment space for equipment storage
• 750 to 1,000-gallon water tank capacities
• Hale or Waterous pumps
• Side or top-mount pump control configurations

“We’ve listened to the marketplace and developed the X-Series to deliver custom fire apparatus at a competitive price with industry leading delivery times,” said Chris McClung, Director of Sales for KME.  “With all the uncertainty and challenges faced by today’s fire service, we made it our mission to deliver quality custom pumpers in the most efficient means possible that perform day in and day out,” added McClung.

TRI-Lift has been appointed as Bronto Skylift’s distributor in Canada. TRI-Lift is a division of TRI-Crane, which was founded by three partners, Jason Hanna, Mark Williams and Aaron Hanna in March 2019 and is based in Ontario. TRI-Lift was established in 2020 and will be carrying out sales, service, spare parts and rentals of Bronto Skylift’s non-insulated aerial platforms.

Mark Williams, Partner, TRI-Crane said: “When we got to know Bronto Skylift we did some background research and saw great potential in the Canadian market. We have good experiences of the European OEM’s. I know how Finns do business and really look forward to the co-operation.”

TRI-Lift and Bronto Skylift were brought together by Jason Darnell, Sales Manager of Bronto Skylift, who knew the crew from his previous career. In addition to selling and renting the non-insulated models of Bronto Skylift aerial platforms, TRI-Lift will provide full maintenance and spare part services for Bronto aerials. First 230-foot model, the S230XR is already ordered and will be available for demonstration and rentals in March 2021.

Jason Darnell, Sales Manager, Bronto Skylift commented: “I look forward to working with the TRI-Lift team; I believe they are one of the industry leaders who know the market in this country. I also feel this team is well respected within the industry so customers will take their new partnership with Bronto Skylift as serious as they do.”

Extensive knowledge from the lifting industry

TRI-Lift crew truly enjoys working hands-on in the industry’s most difficult projects and going the extra mile for their customers. Jason Hanna, Partner, TRI-Crane said: “It’s our passion to always find a solution even for the most difficult projects, that nobody else wants to do. When others turn away, we go there.”

Being able to provide Bronto aerial platforms gives TRI-Lift the flexibility to cover multiple industries and complicated projects in filming industry, the wind sector and other applications. Aaron Hanna, Partner, TRI-Crane added: “We are very excited about the distributorship. There are a lot of industries and applications that this kind of equipment can be utilised.”

All three, Mark, Jason and Aaron, have an extensive career in the lifting and rental industry. Mark is a third-generation family business owner and has grown into the industry from a young age. Jason has been in the industry from the late 80’s and served as a crane operator and various managerial roles before coming the President of TRI-Crane and TRI-Lift. Aaron Hanna is the Vice President of Sales at TRI-Lift and brings in 20 years of sales experience in the industry. Aaron also started as a crane operator, so there is vast knowledge about the daily operations in the lifting industry.

“With their extensive knowledge, partners of TRI-Lift enable us to explore and expand our market in Canada.” added Janne Pulkkinen, Vice President, Bronto Skylift Inc

Current distributor, Hycotec Inc, will also continue to operate as a Bronto Skylift distributor in Canada.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have approved two COVID-19 vaccines for emergency services use, with some states already receiving does, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council.

Bob Guthrie, a NVFC director and a volunteer firefighter said in a statement on the NVFC website: “I received my first dose of the Moderna vaccination on December 30. On December 4, members of my department were asked if they wanted the vaccine.

“On December 9, a signup process was initiated via email for those of us who had expressed interest in taking the vaccine. That list was submitted to the Yale New Haven Sponsor Hospital, which contacted us directly to schedule appointments to be vaccinated. The process was the same for paid and volunteer members in my department.”

Some states in the U.S are prioritising vaccine to emergency responders who provide EMS. As well as being prioritised, first responders are being called upon to help administer the vaccine.

E-ONE®, a subsidiary of REV Group® have announced the delivery of an E-ONE TITAN® 4×4 ARFF vehicle and Aviation Support 4×4 eMAX® Custom Pumper to the Department of National Defense Canada (DND).

The TITAN 4×4 ARFF will serve the Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, located near Cold Lake, Alberta. Key features include:

• E-ONE unique cab design manufactured from welded aluminum extrusion, exceeding ECE R-29 safety standards

• Scania 670 horsepower engine with a Twin Disc® transmission
• 1585-gallon water tank and a 225 gallon Class B foam concentrate cell
• Burner 500 lb. dry chemical system
• 375/750 GPM Rhino® low attack bumper turret with Akro-Chem® nozzle
• Akron 375/750 GPM roof turret with air aspirated nozzle
• Full structural plumbing package
• Hale 8FG water pump
• Fire Research AutoFoam® electronic foam proportioning
• Winterization
• ECOLOGIC® Foam Test Port
• 10 kW Harrison hydraulic generator
• Orlaco FLIR camera

The Aviation Support 4×4 eMAX Custom Pumper will be used to protect helicopter operations at the Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Ranges located on the east side of Vancouver Island, at Nanoose Bay.  Key features include:

• Typhoon® 58-inch medium cab
• 450 HP Cummins L9 engine with Allison EVS™ 3000 transmission
• 750-gallon water tank and a 50 gallon cell for Class B foam concentrate
• Fire Combat 250 lb. dry chemical system
• Zico nitrogen bottle lift and lock system
• Akron 300 GPM bumper turret with Akro-Chem® nozzle
• eMAX® pump
• Full structural plumbing package
• Winterization
• 8 kW Harrison hydraulic generator
• Orlaco FLIR camera

“What an honor and a privilege it is to deliver the TITAN 4×4 ARFF and the eMAX Pumper to the DND for use at their military bases,” said RJ Jones, E-ONE’s Director of Sales for US Government and Airport Products.  “DND is a driving force in the ARFF industry with more than 50 E-ONE vehicles in service throughout Canada. We’re very appreciative that they continue to choose E-ONE to supply these mission critical vehicles.”

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety have announced it has acquired Nardini Fire Equipment Company , an innovative fire protection company headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota and Fargo, North Dakota.

With this acquisition, the company further strengthens its presence in the Midwest while expanding its national footprint by adding services in five new states: Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

Founded in 1949 by Ralph Nardini Jr., Nardini Fire is a family business that provides the Midwest—and beyond—with solutions for fire protection, fire/gas detection, and Special Hazards fire suppression. Owner Tom Nardini shared the following about joining Pye-Barker Fire:

“The Nardini Fire family is honored to become part of such a prestigious fire protection operation with Pye-Barker Fire. Every Pye-Barker Fire representative we met, from the president to the field personnel, were extremely personable yet highly professional and very down to earth.

“Discussing business with the president was comparable to having a conversation with one of your buddies over a beer in the back yard. This attitude ran true with every member of their upper management and transition team.

“Their support of our employees and organization’s future success is very clear,” Tom continued. “The entire Nardini Fire team wants to thank Pye-Barker Fire for showing confidence that our employees and business align perfectly with their current and future plans for strategic growth.

“Nardini Fire is a long-standing, industry-leading fire protection business with a strong reputation that is highly respected from coast-to-coast,” said Bart Proctor, CEO of Pye-Barker Fire. “Their platform will provide a solid foundation for continued expansion throughout the Midwest”.

CENTEGIX, an IoT company that innovates technology to save lives, is partnering with Mutualink, a leader in public safety interoperability solutions, to advance two-way radio and video communications to first responders in the case of an emergency. Both CENTEGIX and Mutualink focus on interoperability for public safety organizations and work diligently to secure communities. 

CENTEGIX’s CrisisAlert™ platform is an incident alerting solution that protects people by empowering users to discreetly and immediately request help through a smart badge while providing first responders with actionable information enabling them to respond faster in any situation.  Importantly, CrisisAlertTM delivers precise, room-level alert location accuracy within buildings, immediate audio and visual incident notifications (including lighted strobes, screen messages, and two-way radio integration), simple activation via a mobile CrisisAlert badge, and 100% full campus coverage. 

Mutualink enables the sharing of telephone, radio, video, and data over one secure interoperability platform. Emergency managers and first responders use the technology to collaborate in real-time. The Mutualink multimedia solution can be accessed via desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, providing interoperability wherever users need it. 

“With a common goal of innovating technology to save lives, Mutualink is the ideal partner for CENTEGIX when it comes to advancing communications and situational awareness for first responders,” said Matthew Stevens, CEO, CENTEGIX. “This partnership continues to achieve our goal of delivering the fastest and most accurate response in an emergency because Every. Second. Matters.”

“Mutualink is currently used by hundreds of public safety agencies and private entities worldwide. Our partnership with CENTEGIX will further expand our network of connected communities,” said Jeff Kelly, National Director K12 Security, Colleges and Universities, Mutualink. “Collaborating with CENTEGIX enables us to deliver greatly improved public safety collaboration by combining best-in-class communications solutions.”

Following completion of rigorous evaluation by nationally recognised testing labs, a wide range of SimpliPhi Power’s energy storage products and system configurations are approved for Certification under UL 9540. The AccESS, BOSS.6 & BOSS.12 systems can be used individually or in combination to achieve multiple, robust solutions across residential and commercial applications, both on & off grid, and AC or DC coupled.

SimpliPhi Power also completed UL 9540A cell and module testing — the industry’s most stringent fire-safety testing protocols — affirming the inherent safety advantages of using cobalt-free, non-toxic lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry in their award-winning energy storage systems.

“Distributed energy storage is more than just backup power; it is critical to our economic recovery and sustainable energy future, creating savings for customers on their electricity costs and reducing losses compounded by ongoing planned and unplanned power outages,” said Catherine Von Burg, CEO and president of SimpliPhi Power. “Since our founding ten years ago, we have always prioritised the safety and simplicity of installing our best-in-class battery systems. Completing UL 9540A fire testing and receiving our UL 9540 certification provides further assurance to customers and installers, code officials and emergency responders that our range of cost-effective energy storage solutions meet the highest safety standards for resilient battery systems that can be installed in homes and businesses.”

The US market for energy storage had a breakout year in 2020 despite the global pandemic and economic slowdown, and is expected to grow from just under $1 billion in revenue last year to more than $7.2B in 2025, according to Wood Mackenzie. Sales at SimpliPhi Power grew more than 40% in 2020, as demand for safer lithium-ion chemistries continued to accelerate amidst a series of notable battery fires and global product recalls of cobalt-based lithium-ion batteries.

With systems operational in more than 40 countries, SimpliPhi products offer a decade of demonstrated safety and performance due to their proprietary manufacturing processes and inherently safe materials. SimpliPhi’s product line is based on the superior LFP lithium-ion chemistry, which is more cost-effective, longer lasting, and does not use cobalt, the primary hazard in other lithium-ion battery fires.

As more and more battery storage systems are installed in homes and businesses, building and fire codes, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, are rapidly adapting to accommodate customer demand. UL 9540 certification and 9540A fire safety testing eases the burden on local code officials and simplifies the approval process for new installations. Now, this wide selection of SimpliPhi Power system configurations can be approved and installed in just a few weeks, instead of months of lead time needed for competitor products that lack UL certification.

“Instead of limiting customers to a one-size-fits-all solution, we sought UL certification for a wide range of system configurations, using multiple SimpliPhi equipment components, such as the AccESS Sol-Ark, BOSS.12 and BOSS.6,” said Sequoya Cross, director of global sales & business development for SimpliPhi Power. “From 15.2 kilowatt-hours (kWh) up to 136kWh in one system, including single phase, split-phase, and three-phase setups, we have certified product offerings available to meet the resilient power needs of customers of all types – including residential systems, multi-family apartments, campuses, and commercial and industrial buildings.”

SimpliPhi Power’s network of Elite IQ™ installers and numerous distributor partners can deliver SimpliPhi’s line of UL9540 certified products all over the world.