Ferrara welcomes R&R fire truck repair to its dealer network

by Americas - Featured NewsFeatured NewsProductsVehicles

Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Inc., a subsidiary of REV Group and a manufacturer of custom built, heavy-duty fire apparatus, announces the addition of R&R Fire Truck Repair to its nationwide dealer network.

R&R Fire Truck Repair, Inc. has added the Ferrara product line at its full-service centers in Northville, MI with service technicians located in LaSalle and Alpena. Established in 1992, the modern facility offers sales, service, parts, repairs and more. R&R has been serving the fire apparatus and emergency vehicle industry for 30 years.

“We are excited to bring the Ferrara product line to the Michigan fire service and support the apparatus with parts and service,” said Rick Roselle, Vice President of R&R Fire Truck Repair.

“R&R brings a wealth of knowledge with their many years of experience. We are delighted they are our partner in the great state of Michigan,” said Jason Louque, Director of Sales, Ferrara.

The company is also a Spartan Emergency Response and Smeal dealer for Michigan, both REV Group subsidiaries.

The importance of fire doorset inspection training

by Featured NewsFire DoorsProducts

Independent Fire Training Ltd.’s range of fire training courses have been tailored to varying levels of experience and training outcomes, Ben Freeman talks to IFSJ 

Fire safety has never been more of a focus than it is currently within facilities, construction, and maintenance. It is at the forefront of media following the unnecessary loss of life at the Grenfell Tower and further-more in relation to the subsequent ongoing enquiry. 

Independent Fire Training Ltd (IFI) are passionate about developing knowledge and competency to ensure that the buildings of the future are safer than the past. 

Fire doorsets, their importance and compliance has been a focus point for discussion and opinion in the Fire Safety Industry recently. Brought to the attention of the world following the tragedies at Grenfell and the failures in compartmentation, the importance of fire doors in life safety has never been more relevant.  

The purpose of fire doorsets is to restrict the spread of fire and smoke by maintaining the fire separation of compartmentation, to protect escape routes and to restrict the initial development of fire.  Fire resisting doorsets are generally required along escape routes, staircases, at the principal entrance to flats and in locations where fires are expected to occur. A fire doorset and its importance is often overlooked, and that is why it is paramount that fire door training isn’t just limited to those people within the industry who are looking to develop their wealth of knowledge and is made more accessible to the wider audience.

It is important to recognise that not all candidates require the same level of training. Many will not require to become a Fire Door Inspector but do need to understand the properties of a fire doorset and the tell-tale signs of a poor installation or maintenance. Those candidates who are manufacturing, installing, maintaining, repairing, and inspecting fire doorsets should be held to a higher standard of training. 

IFI pride themselves on providing a range of courses suitable for varying levels of experience and training outcomes, assisting the varying levels of candidate looking to continue their professional development and support competency within the industry. 

The company’s fire doorset training portfolio includes a variety of training formats such as classroom-based, e-Learning and virtual training to suit any training preference and availability. The classroom-based courses include the Level 3 Award in the Inspection and Testing of Fire Resisting Door Installations (a formal inspection qualification), Timber Fire Doorsets and Fire Door Maintenance & Repair Modules with options for additional practical on-site training, and the BWF Fire Door Installation and Awareness Course. Recently launched, The Fire Doorset Inspection Course is an e-Learning training option. 

Training courses dates are pre-booked for throughout 2022 and any candidate can join these courses by contacting the Training team to reserve their place. IFI also conducts training for clients at a site of their choosing for groups of candidates where this is more suitable.  

The Level 3 Award in the Inspection and Testing of Fire Resisting Door Installation offers a formal qualification in the inspection of fire doorsets. This is a ProQual qualification regulated by Ofqual, the governments office for examination and qualifications. The qualification is best suited to site managers, supervisors, inspectors and to anyone else who works directly with fire doors. However, one of the major benefits of this qualification is that a 3-day theory and practical course is ran prior to their respective assessments which details all the information and knowledge required for the assessment. For those candidates lacking prior experience and learning with inspecting fire resisting doorsets, the Fire Doorset Inspection e-Learning Course will provide a comprehensive foundation of knowledge to enable them to progress to the qualification in the future. 

Launched in March 2022, The Fire Doorset Inspection e-Learning Course is the newest addition to IFI.’s course portfolio. This course was developed in response to the ever-increasing demand for comprehensive fire doorset training. This would include key topics such as inspection, installation, maintenance, specification and testing but in a more accessible format. This course also consolidates the importance of a fire doorset and its upkeep with in-depth information on the Building Regulations and associated legislation that is specific to fire doors. A major benefit of this course is that once purchased, the candidate will have access to the training material via the Independent Fire Training website for 3 years, allowing them to refer to the course material as required. This e-Learning course is accredited by the Institute of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM), meaning a well-respected and recognised body within the Fire Safety Industry has reviewed the course content and are happy that it is up to a standard that they approve of. 

It is important to mention that IFI’s trainers and assessors are Senior Fire Door and Fire Stopping Inspectors by trade, meaning that the training is being delivered by an expert within the industry and allows delegates to ask specific questions and promotes a wealth of active discussion throughout the training.  

IFI is a registered delivery centre of the National Open College Network (NOCN) an Ofqual regulated Awarding Organisation and licensed by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF). As an approved NOCN training provider IFI are approved to deliver the SiteRight assured BWF Fire Door Installation Awareness 2-day course. The course has been developed in collaboration between NOCN Group and the British Woodworking Federation to promote awareness in the construction and manufacturing industries of the factors involved in the appropriate installation of timber fire doors and doors sets. IFI hold this course publicly at a central location throughout the year and it can also be delivered at a customer’s premises for a minimum number of participants.  

IFI take fire doorset training very seriously and aim to make their training accessible to everyone. By providing top quality, recognised and accredited training IFI ensure that they uphold the integrity that should be seen across the industry. All training courses are continually reviewed and amended in line with current best practice, Building Regulations, and associated Legislation.  

IFI’s overall course portfolio covers all aspects of passive fire protection, such as fire stopping, cavity barriers, linear gap seals, structural steel protection, fire rated partitions and ceilings, fire dampers and fire rated ductwork and many other courses at varying levels of expertise. 

IFI are committed to maintaining the integrity of the industry and the high standards outlined Regulation and Legislation. IFI makes a promise to stay current within this developing industry so that everyone taking part in our training receives informative relevant learning and excellent service. 

Ben Freeman, MD, IFI Group Ltd and Founder of IFI says; “As a leading training provider, our focus is on increasing the knowledge and competency of all those who are involved in the delivery and management of fire safety within buildings. We ensure that our training is fit for purpose regardless of what level of experience the training is aimed at and deliver training that covers varying levels of expertise. We work in an industry where you can certainly be under qualified, but never overqualified.” 

For further information around the courses available, please contact info@thefiretraining.co.uk or visit our website for further details.

Deadline closing in on Heather Schafer Memorial Scholarship

by Featured NewsPeople

This Heather Schafer Memorial Scholarship is set to recognise exemplary emerging leaders in public safety who are committed to improving the fire and emergency services in the areas of health, safety, recruitment and retention, department culture, and emergency response. Four recipients will each receive up to $1,500 to attend one of the NVFC’s training conferences in 2022.

This scholarship honors the legacy of longtime NVFC CEO Heather Schafer and is designed to assist the recipient’s professional growth as an emergency volunteer fire and emergency service leader through educational and networking opportunities offered through the NVFC’s training events and conferences.

Candidates must have made an exemplary impact at their local level by demonstrating leadership in one of the following ways:

  • Promoting and supporting projects or activities that have positively impacted health and safety within their department.
  • Assisting in the development of a sound recruitment/retention plan for their department or region.
  • Participating in actions or activities that have measurably improved the emergency response capability of their department.
  • Contributed to an innovative solution that has improved the culture of the department in ways that relate to improved health, safety, recruitment and/or retention, and emergency response.

The scholarship covers the cost of the registration fee, airfare (or mileage), meals, and lodging, up to $1,500, to a designated NVFC training event. In 2022, two scholarships will be awarded for the Health & Safety Training Summit and two scholarships will be awarded for the Recruitment and Retention Experience.

Eligible candidates must meet the following criteria:

  • Candidate must be 18 or older.
  • Candidate must be a member of the National Volunteer Fire Council.
  • Candidate must be an active volunteer fire or emergency service responder or have served a significant role in the volunteer fire and emergency service community.
  • A candidate for the Heather Schafer Memorial Scholarship cannot nominate him/herself. An application must be submitted by an individual who possesses a strong understanding of the candidate’s contributions to the fire and emergency services at their local level.
  • Candidate cannot be a previous recipient of the Heather Schafer Memorial Scholarship.


Nominations for the Heather Schafer Memorial Scholarship should be submitted online and include:

  • Letter of Nomination: The nomination letter must demonstrate how the actions or achievements of the candidate have made an exemplary, positive impact at the local level in advancing the capabilities of the department in health, safety, recruitment, retention, department culture, or emergency response. This statement should focus on specific activities and outcomes, including metrics when available, and specifically address the scholarship goals that are met by this candidate. Max length: 1000 words.
  • Letter of Support: A letter of support signed by the department president and/or chief is required.
  • Additional Materials (optional): Accompanying materials, such as additional letters of support, can be included in the application; however, the selection committee will place special emphasis on the aforementioned letters of nomination and support, which should convey how the candidate’s contributions have addressed any of the four goals described above.

Three custom MSA Helmets up for grabs

by Featured NewsFirefighting EquipmentProducts

MSA and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are working together to provide the most innovative and up-to-date technology to help first responders improve their health and safety. To that ilk, MSA will give out three volunteer firefighters, that are NVFC members, a personalized MSA Cairns XF1 Fire Helmet in 2022.

The jet-style design of the Cairns XF1 Fire Helmet reduces snag hazards, provides a personalized fit, and houses its own integrated light module. Plus, the soft goods are removable, washable, and replaceable, helping firefighters align with cancer awareness programs as written by the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.

To be eligible to enter, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Be an active volunteer firefighter in the U.S.
  • Be a member of the NVFC. Learn about member benefits and join at www.nvfc.org/join.
  • One entry allowed per member each entry period; prior winners are not eligible to renter.
  • Recipient agrees that his/her name, details from entry, and photo may be used in media by MSA and the NVFC for the purposes of promoting the donation

NVFC members will have three opportunities to enter to win an XF1 helmet in 2022. The first entry period is now open through April 30. Click here to enter.

A total of three volunteer firefighters that are also NVFC members at their time of entry will be randomly selected to each receive one MSA Cairns XF1 Fire Helmet in 2022. One firefighter will be awarded one helmet from each entry period. Winners will be announced the month following each entry period. Winners will be contacted directly before the public announcement is made.

The XF1 helmet is a light and easy to clean, and does not cause snags. The helmet also comes with a personalised fit and integrated accessories.

Former Boston fire chief Joseph Finn joins EvaClean as safety advisor

by Featured NewsPeopleUncategorized

With the goal of creating healthier firehouse environments, EvaClean Infection Prevention Solutions aligns with Boston’s top firefighter Joseph Finn as First Responder Safety Advisor.

First responders are a close-knit community, and most everyone knows the name, Joseph E. Finn. During a life-long career with the Boston Fire Department spanning close to four decades, Finn worked his way through the ranks to Fire Commissioner / Chief of Department, earning the moniker of Boston’s top firefighter.

He is credited with making numerous enhancements to the fire safety and EMS fields, and has received many prestigious honors, including Fire Chief of the Year. But, Finn is most known for introducing wellness programs to reduce epidemic level cancer rates among firefighters.

Although recently retired from his position as Boston Fire Commissioner, Finn continues to advocate for ways to minimize carcinogen exposure for fire service personnel. Along similar lines, Finn also spearheaded a movement toward creating healthier firehouse environments. Driven by a passion to protect fellow firefighters and EMTs from viral pathogens, Finn has now assumed the role of First Responder Safety Advisor to EvaClean Infection Prevention Solutions.

Finn said, “The more I learned about EvaClean, the more benefits I could see from using the best technologies and safer disinfectants to mitigate pathogens in firehouse settings. The biggest benefit is protecting firefighters and EMTs from illness and disease, as well as reducing the loss of critical man-hours when emergency personnel get sick.”

Most firefighters spend 48 hours a week living and working in firehouses, treating them much like second homes. In such close quarters, any illness has the potential to impact everyone in the station, as well as EMTs in the field. Inevitably, when Covid-19 arrived on the scene, it impacted firehouses all across the country.

“The advent of Covid magnified how important cleaning and disinfection is,” said Finn. “We need to ensure our firefighters are protected against viruses and bacteria before firehouses become incubators for contagious diseases.”

In an advisory capacity, Finn will help guide EvaClean’s first responder safety initiatives. He will also facilitate relationships with firefighter and EMS organizations, consult on outreach programs, support conference exhibitions, and liaison with public safety leadership.

Dan Clifford, EvaClean CMO said, “Our solution was designed specifically to address the kind of harmful pathogens found in most firehouse environments. Under Joe’s stewardship, our efforts to protect the health and safety of first responders will be infinitely more successful.”

Developing non-technical skills in emergency response with Hazmat Academy

by Featured NewsPeople

Antony Bholah, FRS station manager, Dorset & Wiltshire and Ed Sullivan NCEC Hazmat Academy manager put their highly sought-after expertise together as they go in detail analysing the importance of non-technical skills for emergency responders 

Training for emergency responders (ERs), specifically technical training, is centred around ensuring responders in the public and private sectors are safe, effective, competent, and confident in their response to incidents.  

But what about the skills that aren’t ‘technical’? After reviewing training requirements of more than 800 learners, experts at the Hazmat Academy, NCEC’s training platform, have found that there is still a lack of focus on developing and practising non-technical skills, which can fundamentally affect the management and outcome of an incident. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has already identified the benefits of such training and included it in its training programme. 

Non-technical skills can be defined as ‘the cognitive and social skills that complement a workers’ technical skills and, as such, contribute to safe and efficient task performance’ (Flin, O’Connor and Crichton 2008) and can be developed to complement an ER’s everyday skill set. These skills are include situational awareness, communication, decision making, leadership​, stress​ and pressure, and teamwork. 

Situational awareness 

The three stages of situational awareness are: the ability to know what is going on around you by gathering information; making sense of this information and anticipating what could happen next.  

ERs need to be able to demonstrate strong situational awareness in all three stages to fully understand the implications of acting on information received. They also need to consider that everyone perceives information differently based on the context and their own subconscious bias and experiences. The danger with situational awareness is that it can be affected by several components, which include lack of awareness in training, human limitations, stress, fatigue, and bias. ERs need to be trained to recognise these components to have a better chance of making the right decision.  

It can be difficult for ERs to develop situational awareness while dealing with low-frequency incidents, such as those involving hazardous materials, which are known to be high risk. There is little that can be done about the level of risk. However, by increasing the frequency of high-quality training, ERs can develop mental models to refer to during high-pressure response situations.  

Communication 

Communication is vitally important when responding to incidents. It must be of a suitable style and frequency for each situation. When reviewing lessons learned or case studies of incidents, communication is highlighted, but is usually focused on the technical aspects. Factors that are technical by their nature could include battery failings, radio dead spots or an individual failing to select the appropriate radio channel – but should there be more focus on communicating effectively during an incident? For maximum effectiveness, non-technical skills training should develop an ER’s ability to communicate effectively in a style suitable for the stakeholder and at an appropriate frequency. 

The following should be considered: Do you communicate effectively in 360 degrees? Do you consider the required frequency and most effective style of communications for each stakeholder? Do you communicate well under pressure? 

If the answer to any of the above is no or if you’re unsure, then you need to review your communication skill set. 

Decision making 
This is defined as the process of reaching a judgement or making the choice between options, perhaps better understood as a course of action to deal with the incident. In a pressured situation, the cognitive capacity of even the most resilient responders can become overloaded and compromised. Cognitive capacity can be affected by: too much information, habit, biases, health, groupthink, distractions, levels of experience, emotions, and pressure.  

Applying learnt controls and tools is necessary to enable the decision maker to reach a successful outcome when dealing with incidents.  

Leadership 

When leading a response team, ERs need to reflect on how their leadership style in an emergency is interdependent on their leadership style in a non-emergency situation. At any incident, the lead responder must enable and empower ERs to approach them with new information. The leadership style before the emergency sets the tone of how team members react during the emergency.  

Leaders must have the ability to be flexible in their leadership style in response to dynamic situations, taking on a more directive style when managing incidents and being more consultative in times of less risk. 

Stress and pressure 

There are many different factors to be considered regarding an individual’s ability to work in a stressful environment. Through self-awareness, training, utilising stress reduction techniques, being physically fit and being able to ask for support, responders can reduce the risk of negative impact from stress. When dealing with dynamic incidents, responders can manage the associated stress in the preparation phase by carrying out relevant training, which can assist them in becoming more familiar with that incident type. 

Teamwork 

When developing teamwork skills, responders must be mindful that they won’t always be part of the same team. They must reflect on how they are perceived by and respond to other team members, how they behave within a team and the impact of their behaviour. Within every highly effective team, there is a culture in which feedback is routinely given and accepted.  

Developing and practicing non-technical skills 

When reflecting on case studies of incidents where responders have been killed or seriously injured, there is usually an element of human error involved. To reduce the chance of this, ERs need to develop their non-technical skills. 

It is necessary to continue to train and test technical skills to enable responders to be safe, effective, competent, and confident. Non-technical and technical skills training can occur simultaneously to assist with the time constraints placed upon response teams and organisations.   

It is recommended that if training leads want to reduce the risk of human error and improve the safety of responders, they should look to integrate non-technical skills into training programmes at the earliest opportunity. Responders should continue to develop and practise these skills regularly. 

NCEC’s training platform, Hazmat Academy, is a hazardous materials (hazmat) training model. It has revolutionised hazmat training by providing a contemporary solution that meets the needs of individuals and takes account of the modern-day challenges that emergency services and commercial organisations are facing. 

The Hazmat Academy’s off-the-shelf courses cover non-technical skills, emergency response, chemical response training and detection, identification, and monitoring. They also offer distance learning modules on different topics such as waste fires, hydrogen fluoride and refrigerant gases and can cater to bespoke requirements.  

All courses are accredited by the International Organisation for Industrial Emergency Services Management (JOIFF) and the hazmat courses are delivered in partnership with the Fire Service College. 

The following schedule has been announced for this year’s emergency response courses: 

  • Hazardous materials adviser initial: 27 June, 5 September, and 21 November 
  • Hazardous materials first responder: 23 May 
  • Hazardous materials instructor: 12 September 
  • Hazardous materials adviser revalidation: 7 November 

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The academy’s distance learning courses are available to book all year around. You can find out more about the hazmat and chemical training courses through their website www.thehazmatacademy.co.uk. If you would like to speak with one of the hazmat academy experts for a more bespoke requirement, please contact them at support@hazmatacademy.co.uk.  

Promat supplies major Australian tower with fire protection products

by Featured NewsPassive

A 30-storey Woods Bagot-designed KODO Apartments in Adelaide has purchased several products from fire protection specialists Promat Australia.

The apartment block is set to be one of the tallest residential towers in Adelaide, which has designed for residents to experience inner city living while having the privacy enjoyed outside of business districts, AD Australia reported.

Promat was involved early in the project, supplying CAFCO 300 vermiculite spray to provide adequate fire protection to the steel structure. Once the service trades commenced work, Promat penetration seals PROMASTOP UniCollar, PROMASEAL FlexiWrap and PROMASEAL acrylic sealant were used to seal fire rated wall penetrations.

Finally, PROMASEAL bulkhead batts, PROMASEAL fire pillows, PROMASEAL SupaWrap and Promat’s latest innovation, PROMASHIELD were used to seal electrical penetrations in the building’s main riser and provide a complete firestopping solution.

PROMASHIELD was selected for its ease of installation, with no wrapping, strapping or taping required.

Major developers agree to fund building safety repairs

by ActiveBuilding ManagementFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

The government has revealed a wide-ranging agreement that will see industry contribute £5 billion to address the building safety scandal.

In a victory for leaseholders, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has agreed a solution with the housing industry that will see developers commit a minimum of £2 billion to fix their own buildings. Industry will also pay up to a further £3 billion through an expansion to the Building Safety Levy.

Under the new agreement, which will become legally enforceable, over 35 of the UK’s biggest homebuilders have pledged to fix all buildings 11 metres+ that they have played a role in developing in the last 30 years.

For the companies yet to make the pledge, the Secretary of State has also confirmed there is little time left for them to sign up, and that those who continue to refuse will face consequences if they fail to do so.

As set out in January, a new government scheme will also see industry pay to fix buildings where those responsible cannot be identified or forced to in law. This follows previous confirmation that plans for a 30-year loan scheme paid for by leaseholders would be scrapped.

The new scheme will be funded through an extension to the Building Safety Levy that will be chargeable on all new residential buildings in England. This is expected to raise up to an additional estimated £3 billion over ten years from developers and ensure no leaseholder in medium-rise buildings faces crippling bills, even when their developer cannot be traced.

New proposed laws, announced in February under the Building Safety Bill, will ensure qualifying leaseholders are protected from the costs of historical building safety defects, including total protection against cladding costs. Today’s deal establishes that the industry responsible – not innocent leaseholders – will pay.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: “Today marks a significant step towards protecting innocent leaseholders and ensuring those responsible pay to solve the crisis they helped to cause. I welcome the move by many of the largest developers to do the right thing. But this is just the beginning. We will do whatever it takes to hold industry to account, and under our new measures there will be nowhere to hide.”

The pledge published by government today commits developers who have signed up to legally binding contracts, and to implement their promises as soon as possible.

The detailed agreement confirms developers will:

  • Act as quickly as possible to fix buildings
  • Implement new proportionate guidance on building safety
  • Regularly report to leaseholders and government on their progress
  • Respect an independent dispute resolution process established by government; and
  • Refund money already received from the taxpayer to fix their buildings.

More information on how government plans to enforce the agreement in law will be released in due course.

The government is introducing new powers that could be enforced on a developer should they breach the agreement, as well as on any remaining companies who fail to sign up. These new powers would allow the Secretary of State to block those who refuse to sign from building and selling new homes.

The government is clear that building safety is an industry wide issue. Cladding and insulation manufacturers are yet to accept their share of responsibility and come forward with a proposal. The Secretary of State has also today written to the Construction Products Association and warned he will do whatever it takes to hold cladding and insulation manufacturers to account.

The announcement follows a statement from Mr Gove in January, when he set out a 4-point plan to reset the approach to building safety and give leaseholders more protection against unfair costs.

What does the Golden Thread principle mean for the UK fire services?

by Featured NewsPassive

Kyle Jones – Senior Business Development Manager UK for Uptick, explains the role digital job management software for buildings can play to meet the Golden Thread principles highlighted by Dame Judith Hackitt to improve building and fire safety. 

In what has been an uncertain and considerably disruptive year (or two) for us all due to the pandemic, remote work has been one constant for many throughout. The ongoing struggles of video conferencing, mute buttons, or my personal favourite – launching your meeting following your daughter’s home-schooling session to find she has amended your virtual background to Mr Bean – are well known to us all. 

Ultimately, working from home has enforced better communication lines across organisations and it is heartwarming to see the increasing appreciation towards businesses making a positive impact in this field. In our world, it has never been more important to ensure discussions and information around fire safety in buildings are transparent, and easy to access for stakeholders, such as building owners, occupiers and risk assessors. 

After all, fire safety belongs to everyone, not just fire safety professionals. 

The Golden Thread principle 

The ‘Golden thread’ was first coined in the UK fire industry by Dame Judith Hackitt, following her interim report of the Grenfell Tower fire review in 2017. In essence, the principle seeks to extend fire safety best practice beyond fire professionals to wider society, ensuring that the right people have the right information at the right time. This will ensure buildings are safe and building safety risks are managed throughout the building’s lifecycle. The ultimate goal is to arm end-users with all the information they require. 

The ‘Golden thread’ is both: 

  • the information about a building that allows someone to understand a building and keep it safe 
  • the information management to ensure the information is accurate, easily understandable, can be accessed by those who need it and is up to date” (Golden thread: factsheet updated 8 November 2021) 

As we continue to measure compliance and enforce consistency across the industry, solutions are being heavily invested in and developed to ensure businesses can operate within the guidelines. Asset & Compliance Management solutions allow a better way to maintain building safety, for instance. 

Digital job management software as a solution? 

The focus is on intelligent digitised job management software for building maintenance and compliance. The industry is hugely underserved, yet highly regulated and intricate, creating a unique opportunity to digitise fire safety working methods. Integration into the Building Information Management (BIM) process creates conditions for greater participation and better communication between all stakeholders on a project – from design, through to construction and occupation. Collaboration leads directly to increased quality and efficiency – a must for both profitability and sustainability within the sector. 

As someone who has spent over 10 years within the fire and security sector, I know all too well the challenges faced around outdated management systems and lack of automation. By providing back-office staff and on-site teams with the right tools to do their jobs, productivity increases as well as performance. 

Digitisation, automation and remote access to business tools can be transformative to a business – poor processes help no one. With tragic events across the globe over the past few years, it has propelled industry organisations to work towards more functional safety practises and better management of compliance. Grenfell remains a chilling reminder of the importance of fire safety and has played an intrinsic part in forcing the fire and wider construction industry to stand up and re-think the processes currently in place. 

Dame Judith Hackitt’s enquiry into Grenfell revealed a need for greater fail safes, and this is where digital adoption plays a huge role in guaranteeing the safety of buildings and end users. Supplying up to date and relevant information has an immeasurable benefit to the future of the industry. Digital tools not only improve standards, they improve record keeping and auditing at every stage, minimising costs and improving quality. 

Society’s expectations are continually evolving, and the industry must adapt. End users want visualisation of their property data, through digital services and improved user experience with a single source of truth. The use of cloud-based software can empower a business to provide this service to the fire industry. 

Industry organisations have historically been resistant to making changes due to time, regulatory or financial constraints. Investment of time now could, however, produce positive change. Creating a ‘Golden Thread’ of information will provide a source of truth that will be invaluable in the future as portfolios grow. 

Finding the right asset maintenance software is imperative to maintain building safety. By utilising innovative systems, information is digitised and easily accessible, paper waste is significantly reduced, and ultimately buildings across the UK will be safer. Software providers’ goals should be aligned with the industry’s own goals and focuses. By improving the safety of the buildings we all live and work in, the overall mission is to help building owners, managers and service providers do just that. 

Our responsibility for the ‘Golden Thread’ never stops. It’s an ever-evolving process that spans across the facility’s full life story and we all play an intrinsic role in delivering quality compliance. 

Pierce to showcase electric fire trucks at FDIC 2022

by EventsFeatured NewsProductsVehicles

Pierce Manufacturing Inc will showcase an extensive selection of the latest fire apparatus and technology developments at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 28-30, 2022.

A main feature will be North America’s first-in-service and fully U.S. manufactured electric fire truck – the Pierce Volterra Pumper. Attendees will find Pierce’s display in the north end zone of Lucas Oil Stadium (booth #8807), which will feature 14 fire trucks and interactive opportunities to learn about the latest product and technology innovations.

“The past year has been monumental for our company in advancing our objective to create the most progressive solutions in fire apparatus safety and efficiency,” said Lisa Barwick, vice president of marketing for Pierce’s Fire and Emergency Segment. “We’re excited to welcome Fire Chief Steven Davis from The City of Madison Fire Department and EnTech Solutions to our 2022 FDIC booth. Visitors will have the opportunity to hear first-hand from these representatives about the performance of the Pierce Volterra electric pumper, its charging infrastructure, and the impact on reducing emissions and improving firefighter safety; all with no compromise on features, performance, or functionality.”

Pierce’s Volterra Electric Fire Truck Display to Include:

  • Two electric pumpers and charging infrastructure solutions
  • North America’s first-in-service electric fire truck – The City of Madison, Wisconsin Fire Department’s Volterra electric pumper
    -City of Madison Fire Department’s recently retired Chief Steven Davis, and Assistant Chief Scott Bavery will be on-site and available for Q&A
  • Portland, Oregon Fire & Rescue’s Pierce Volterra electric pumper
    -Pierce’s expert engineers will be available to discuss features, customizations, and attributes of the U.S.made electric fire apparatus
  • EnTech Solutions electric vehicle charging infrastructure – Pierce has partnered with EnTech Solutions, an expert in energy solutions provider from concept to installation, and representatives will be on-site at Pierce’s FDIC booth to discuss: 
    -The impact of EV charging on a fire station
    -The best options for the individual site
    -ROI opportunities with renewable energy
    -Available grants/incentives
    -Costs and anticipated lead times
    -Ongoing support  

Additional Technology and Latest Fire Truck Component Features on Display Will Include:

  • Introduction of the next generation in fire apparatus pump design and fire suppression upgrades with enhanced flow capabilities paired with unmatched serviceability and performance.
  • 100’ Heavy-Duty Low Profile Steel Aerial Ladder – Introduced in late 2021, this 100’ low profile steel ladder has an overall height as low as 10’ 10” with waterway, and 10’ 8” without waterway, a rated load capacity up to 750 lb in winds up to 35 mph with a 100 lb allowance of additional firefighting equipment at the ladder tip (while flowing up to 1500 gpm).
  • Pierce CZ Connect Fully Integrated Telematics Solution providing remote access to vehicle data from anywhere. Available in feature packages which provide the users’ desired level of dashboards for diagnostics, maintenance, operational overview, and more.
  • PACCAR MX-13 big block engine – available exclusively on Pierce Arrow XT, Enforcer, and Velocity custom chassis. PACCAR is known as a global leader in the design and manufacturer of diesel engines, and experts will be on-site at Pierce’s FDIC booth to discuss the industry-leading design attributes of the MX-13 engine.

Barwick continued, “The launch and North American placement of our new PierceVolterra  electric vehicle was an incredibly important event for our company, but certainly not the only Pierce innovation which has taken place in recent years. In our FDIC 2022 booth, we’re eager to showcase and help visitors learn more about the many advancements which have been made available as standard or custom features on some of our most in-demand fire apparatus.”

In addition to product and technology demonstrations, on Friday, April 29 at 1:00 pm (EDT), the opening ceremony for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) 9/11 Stair Climb event will take place at Pierce’s booth. The 9/11 Stair Climb is a way for attendees to honor and remember those in the fire service community who selflessly gave their lives, so that others might live. In past years, more than 700 FDIC participants in each event have paid tribute by climbing or walking the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center.