Posts in category: Events

At least 92 people have been killed and thousands are missing following severe flooding in Belgium and Germany. The area has seen heavy rain over the last few days which has caused the Ahr river, which flows into the Rhine, to burst its banks.

In the Ahrweiler district over 1300 people remain missing. Authorities in the countries are concerned that the death toll will continue to rise, and have evacuated of several villages below the Steinbach reservoir, with concerns growing that a dam near the Belgium border could burst and cause further devastation.

Prior to the flooding, the German Weather Service had issues extreme weather warnings for western parts of the country, and Hagen has issued a state of emergency. The army are now being brought in to assist with the rescue mission.

Video footage of the disaster has shown cars and trucks being thrown across streets, as roads are blocked by wreckage from the floods. Over 200,000 properties in the region are now without power

The disaster has caused major disruption to rail, road and river transport, with shipping suspended on the Rhine river. As the rescue mission continues the army have been deployed to help stranded residents on Wednesday. The extent of the disaster is so far unknown but there are fears that the death toll may continue to grow and thousands of people will lose their homes.

A major fire has broken out at a restaurant in Maidstone, Kent, with fifteen fire engines and sixteen firefighters on the scene. A statement on the Kent Fire and Rescue Service website stated: “Kent Fire and Rescue Service has been called to reports of a fire at a commercial premises in Week Street, Maidstone. 
 
“Fifteen fire engines are in attendance, as well as a height vehicle and a command support unit. People who live and work in the area are advised to close their windows and doors, due to large amounts of smoke coming from the fire.  Members of the public are also asked to avoid the area while crews work at the scene.”

Extra resources brought in to help firefighters contain the fire

Shortly after arriving at the blaze, which is reported to have broken out in the early hours of the morning, fire services deployed a height vehicle as well as a technical rescue team to help contain the fire. People who live and work in the area are being advised to keep their windows and doors closed, due to large amounts of smoke in the area.

Members of the public are also being asked to avoid the area while crews work alongside other partner agencies at the scene.
 
There are no reported casualties, and a fire investigation will be carried out to establish the cause. 
More to follow

California has once again been hit by wildfires as temperatures in the region hit 54C, the highest since 1913 when the area recorded temperatures of 57C. As the fire services tackle the fires, other areas of the west coast have also been hit. On Friday Idaho declared a wildfire emergency which has seen the National Guard being brought in to help fight the fires.

Although some communities are being allowed back in their homes, as the blaze grows thousands more are being displaced. Those who are allowed to remain in their homes are being advised to conserve their electricity as the flow from three major transmission lines have been disrupted, resulting in an increased risk of electricity cuts.

Firefighters become first victims of the wildfire

With only 23% of the fires now extinguished, helicopters have now been brought in to help ground crew bring the fires under control, however, responders are claiming that the heat is so intense that the water dries before hitting the ground. On Saturday two firefighters operating a firefighting helicopter were killed whilst attending the blaze. In a statement posted on Twitter The Bureau of Land Management stated: “The accident occurred around noon today (July 10) and involved an air attack aircraft performing aerial reconnaissance and command and control over the fire. Two crew members were on board and we are sad to report there were no survivors.”

The wildfire, which is the largest the area has seen this year has also caused highways on the nearby Nevada border to close. As the operation to douse the fire enters its 9th day, there are concerns that the intense heat could continue in to next week, although officials are confident that their efforts will contain the fire despite weather conditions bringing additional challenges to responders.

60 firefighters and eight fire engines were required to tackle a huge warehouse fire in Enfield, London. The fire caused nearby cars to explode, and many others, as well as two shipping containers on the site were also destroyed.

Within minutes of the blaze, plumes of smoke could be seen billowing out from the warehouse, and local residents were advised by London Fire Brigade to keep their doors and windows closed.

Station Commander Dave Bracewell, who was at the scene, commented: “Firefighters were faced with a well developed blaze on arrival. Crews worked hard to stop the fire spreading to surrounding buildings and a turntable ladder was used to tackle the blaze from height.

“The fire produced a significant amount of smoke, so residents in the area were advised to keep their doors and windows closed.”

Fire brigades from Chingford, Enfield, Edmonton, Woodford, Tottenham and surrounding fire stations were called in the early hours of the morning and have now managed to contain the blaze. Crews have remained on site to ensure the fire is fully extinguished.

No injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

17 bodies have been recovered following a factory fire in the Bangladesh capital Dhaka. The fire broke out at the Hashem Food and Beverage Ltd, a factory in Rupganj on Thursday night.

The fire was extinguished on Friday and the search and rescue operation has now begun. Although the exact number of casualties is yet to be confirmed, officials have raised concerns that the number of deaths could be as high as 49, with firefighters now struggling to recover further bodies.

Early reports have stated that the building may have been locked from the inside when the blaze started, forcing some workers to escape by jumping from windows.

Fire service spokesman Debashish Bardhan said: “We will conduct a search and rescue operation inside. Then we can confirm any further casualties, if any,”

The head of the local fire department has also said that they believe that the blaze started due to stockpiling of highly flammable chemicals and plastics.

Members of FDNY union Uniformed Firefighters Association, the union that represents the firefighters of New York joined the boycott of yesterdays Hometown Heroes ticker-tape parade which honored COVID frontline workers.

In a message sent to all members of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, the Union said that the parade has come too soon as the pandemic is not over.

Earlier this week it was also announced that members of the FDNY EMS will also boycott the parade on the back of a dispute over pay, unless they are already on duty. The parade has been organised by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, but Uniformed EMS Officers Union head Vincent Variale has said that the Mayor is disrespecting workers and using them for “a public relations photo opportunity.”

Much of the dispute centers around low pay, poor protection during COVID and a lack of contracts over the last three years.

On 23^rd June, the International Water Mist Association (IWMA) will hold a webinar to explain the content of EN 14972-1:2020. EN 14972 is the European Standard for fixed water mist systems. Part one is entitled: “Design, installation, inspection and maintenance” and was published on 23^rd December.

The document is available at national level and the member countries have until 30^th June 2021 to implement its publication, and thereby give it the status of a national standard, and at the same time withdraw the technical specification CEN/TS 14972:2011.

CEN members can implement the document as a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement and withdraw any conflicting national standards.

IWMA General Manager Bettina McDowell says: “We feel that now is the right time to tell the water mist community and others of course about the content and also about the implications of this document.” She adds: “Those interested can register via the IWMA webpage. There is no charge for this event!”

Fire protection, life safety, and security industry leader Telgian have announced the recipients of the company’s Top Gun Awards. The Top Gun Awards are a highlight at Telgian’s Annual Meeting and recognise the year’s top performing business development associates for each business unit.

This year’s winner for Telgian Fire Safety (TFS) is Steve Goyette. For Telgian Engineering & Consulting, LLC (TEC), the Top Gun recipient is Louis Burton Jr.

“These gentlemen are not focusing solely on sales,” explains Telgian Executive Chairman Russell Leavitt. “They represent the highest levels of integrity and dedication to the profession of fire protection and life safety.  Their individual resolve to provide the best possible solutions to meet the needs of those with whom they work is the secret to their success.”

Steve Goyette is Vice President of Business Development for Telgian Fire Safety and has over 30 years of experience in fire protection design and consulting for a wide variety of industries.  He is a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS), as well as Level III NICET certified in Automatic Sprinkler System Layout.

“Receiving the 2020 Top Gun award is actually a reflection of the broader team at Telgian,” says Goyette.  “We work together to achieve great outcomes for our customers, and it is the customers’ needs that come first when we’re approaching new business opportunities.  It is an honor to work with these colleagues, each of whom plays a vital role in helping craft the best possible solution for prospective clients. And, I look forward to continuing this work in future years.”

Louis Burton Jr., CFPS is a Strategic Account Manager for Telgian Engineering & Consulting, LLC where he oversees client relations, design, engineering, construction, and procurement teams to ensure projects are delivered accurately, on budget and to code. He has over 18 years of experience in fire protection across a wide array of sectors and holds a certification as a NICET Level II in Fire Suppression Design, as well as a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) designation.

“What drives me daily are growing my relationship with my clients and establishing new ones,” says Burton.  “I truly value the ability to impact Telgian’s ultimate success. Knowing that I do is, in itself, an award to me.”

A wildfire that has burned through more than 87,000 acres of land in Arizona has become the 10th largest in the history of the state. Firefighters have managed to contain some of the fire, which has stretched across to two counties. The initial disaster had forced thousands of residents from their homes, but some areas are beginning to return.

The wildfire is believed to have been caused by a human, but officials have said that the fire has spread due to dry, windy weather in the area.

FEMA authorise federal funds to assist with wildfire response

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorised the use of federal funds to assist the state of Arizona in combating the Telegraph Fire, which is burning in Pinal and Gila counties.

On June 6, the state of Arizona submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) for the Telegraph Fire. At the time of the request, the fire threatened approximately 2,600 homes in and around the communities of Top of the World, Kearny, Superior, Kelvin, Riverside, Miami and Dripping Springs. The fire also threatened around 100 buildings, five mines, a critical watershed, power distribution lines and cell towers in the area.

The FEMA regional administrator approved the state’s request on June 6, as the fire threatened to become a major incident.

FMAGs provide federal funding for up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs. The Disaster Relief Fund provides allowances for FMAGs through FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause major disasters. Eligible costs covered by FMAGs can include expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilisation, and demobilisation activities attributed to fighting the fire.