Fire Industry Association launches CPD Certification Centre

by Featured NewsUncategorized

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

by Featured NewsProjects

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

by Featured NewsProducts

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

by Featured News

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.

Fire ravages The Claremont Hotel in Eastbourne, England

by Featured News

The Claremont Hotel in Eastbourne has been ravaged by a fire, leading to part of the Victorian seafront hotel collapsing.

Located in Sussex, the building is Grade II listed and was engulfed in flames when a fire broke out whilst guests were eating breakfast. Part of the rear wall of the hotel has also collapsed after reports that a chimney “appeared to be moving”. A spokesman for the Wealden District Council said: “The wind direction changed which led to the rear wall of the hotel structure collapsing internally on the existing debris.”

The building is still unstable and two fire crews, as well as building control, are currently monitoring the situation – however nobody was hurt as a result of the fire or the infrastructure collapsing. Once the building is deemed safe, further investigations will take place.

The owners of the hotel, Daish’s Holidays, said “significant damage” had been done which they described as “devastating”. According to the owners, there was 130 guests and staff members present when the fire began, and around 60 firefighters and 12 fire engines were on the scene at the height of the fire. Nobody was seriously harmed as a result of the fire or infrastructure collapse, however the ambulance service revealed that six people were treated for minor injuries and one person was sent to hospital with breathing difficulties.

Four Leonardo AW139 helicopters requested by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue

by Featured News

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) has signed a contract for four AW139 intermediate twin-engine helicopters.

Leonardo has revealed that the aircraft will be used to perform a range of missions, primarily fire suppression, emergency medical services (EMS) and search-and-rescue (SAR). The aircraft will also have special equipment including a cargo hook, rescue hoist and Bambi Bucket.

The first helicopter is expected to be delivered from Leonardo’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, facility in Q3, 2020. A comprehensive five-year support, maintenance and training package will be provided with the possibility of a further extension to a total of 15 years.

Carlos A. Gimenez, Miami-Dade County Mayor, commented: “The safety of our Miami-Dade Fire Rescue operations team and the well-being of the residents we serve is our greatest priority. For those reasons, the crashworthiness standards of the top-ranked Leonardo helicopters were a key factor in our county’s decision to award this contract. In addition, the purchase price, training services and support we will receive during the transition to these world-class aircraft were also strong considerations.”

The AW139 is used across many countries worldwide for firefighting, rescue and law enforcement duties including Italy, the U.K, Japan, South Korea and Australia, to name a few. Celebrating its 1,000th delivery in September, the AW139 is the most successful global helicopter program in the last 15 years. With more than 280 operators in over 70 countries to date, the AW139 “saves lives every day and guarantees safety in every corner of the world”.

Knox partners with National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

by Featured News

As part of Knox’s continued commitment to reducing firefighter risks, the company has formally established a partnership with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF).

The two organisations share “many important synergies” alongside the ambition to reduce the risks that firefighters face daily. The partnership includes a donation to the NFFF, as well as a donation earmarked for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend held annually in Emmitsburg, MD. Included in the tribute to those being honoured are Honour Guard and Pipe Band Units from across the nation.

Joni Trempala, president of the Knox Company, commented: “In the development of each rapid access product, increasing firefighter safety has always been one of the Knox Company’s primary objectives. The opportunity to be a partner with the NFFF and to provide support is a small way for us to demonstrate our respect and honour for those that have died in the line of duty; while providing some comfort to their surviving family members.”

Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, executive director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, added: “The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation thanks the Knox Company for their generous donation and support. They have been supportive of firefighter safety for more than 40 years and we welcome their participation with the Foundation.”

TJ Fire and Security acquires Prompt Fire Protection

by Featured News

TJ Fire and Security, installers and suppliers of fire protection equipment and training, has completed the purchase of Prompt Fire Protection.

TJ Fire and Security was established in 1973 and protects large and small businesses across the country with installation and maintenance of fire and security products. Formed in 1991, Prompt Fire Protection offers “cost effective, efficient and reliable” maintenance of fire extinguishers in London and the home counties. Both companies are based in Welwyn Garden City.

Steve Green, proprietor of Prompt Fire Protection, said: “I chose to partner up with TJ Fire and Security because I am planning to retire in a few years, and I want my existing clients to be looked after by a local company that has the same values as I do. TJ Fire and Security offer lots of additional services so I am hopeful that will also benefit my clients with their wider needs, saving them money long term as well.”

Natalie Higgins, managing director of TJ Fire and Security, added: “We are very pleased and proud to be working so closely with Steve, he has serviced and maintained his clients to an excellent standard, something we have always admired. We look forward to working with his clients and bringing them on board with our business with the same level of care, attention and workmanship that Steve has supplied them since 1991. Moving forward, TJ Fire and Security’s partnership with the Prompt Fire Protection management team will focus on continuing to integrate our two businesses, and we look forward to working alongside Steve as we do this.”