IFSJ Exclusive: Data over opinion with Fomtec

by Breaking NewsFire SuppressionIFSJ Exclusives

John Ottesen, CEO and Founder of Dafo Fomtec AB, sits down with IFSJ Editor Iain Hoey to talk about his life, his company and why the fluorine-free foam pioneer is focused on a data-driven approach

Fomtec has been around for 22 years – can you tell me about your background in the firefighting foam industry and what led to the founding of the company?

I’ve been in the industry for 30 years now. I started my career in the fire industry at Tyco back in Norway in the early 1990s. I spent almost 10 years at the company in various positions, but everything I did related to foam – that is how I became connected to the foam industry.

I found that there is a lot of good things about working in a corporate environment, but I thought there might be an opening for more agile customer-focused company, where decisions could be made more dynamically and quickly and with strong customer focus – that is how the idea for Fomtec came to life.

Going back to 2000 something big happened in the industry – 3M exited the foam market, leaving a significant gap. This was a natural opening for how we came to enter the market, and I have now spent 22 years at the helm of Fomtec.

What were your initial plans and goals for Fomtec back in 2001? Has this changed in the intervening years?

I wanted Fomtec to be an agile, customer-focused, and innovative company. It was about creating the marriage of the product focus and the customer focus: putting the product in perspective as to how it is being used in the system.

We are a fire protection company that makes foam concentrates and hardware, not a chemical company blending a product. The idea I had was to be strongly customer and product-focused and offer in-depth insights into how our products are being deployed in a holistic approach.

My overarching goal was to have the company playing in the ‘Premier League’. You never know when you start something where it will end, but my ambition was always to be coming to a point where we have that kind of position in the market.

The industry has in many ways stayed the same, but there have been many changes over the past couple of decades. When I started back in 2001 and you looked at the UL listings – which is very important in our industry – there were only a small handful of companies with UL-approved products. Today there are many, so in that way, it has become very competitive on the approved-products side of things

After the PFAS story started when 3M exited the sector, the forever chemicals narrative has been impacting our industry ever since and has been strengthening our ambitions year on year to the point where in 2023 we are standing in front of a major phase-out of PFAS products.

How has the industry changed over the course of Fomtec’s lifespan?

Even though we had the internet and emails back in 2001, the internet is today very different from what it was, whether that’s marketing, finding customers, or even down how you deal with people online – it has changed the way we conduct our business. The mediums that we use to communicate and the role the internet plays in how we are visible to the market is a huge transition.

On the chemistry side, obviously, the impact of PFAS restrictions is big. This forces the industry into product development and innovation, it brings in new players into the market, and it challenges us in all aspects of what we do.

Product-wise there have not been any huge changes to the systems. The only thing that has really grown over the years, apart from the chemistry, is CAFS [Compressed Air Foam Systems] has become more of a product than it was back in the day. It was not a big thing back in the early 2000s, but now it has become something more significant. Other than that, it is pretty much the same except for the conditions which are around us. It can be a very volatile market from time to time, just as we are experiencing right now.

What are the biggest milestones/achievements for you and the company to date?

When we set out to do this, I wanted to play ‘Premier League’ when it comes to being one of the top companies in the world when it comes to product offerings and approvals and our overall position. I must say that when we got our first FM approval in 2007 it was a huge thing for me because FM does not approve products, it approves systems. Fomtec is not just a product offering, it is a system – that was a big thing that really lifted the position of the company.

The next big milestone for me was when we got our Military Specification (MIL-SPEC) in 2014 –  there are very few companies on the Qualified Products List (QPL) for the American military, and that was a hugely significant step for Fomtec. At the same time, we made a very smooth transition to C6 – we finished with the transition to C6 in 2014, which I’m proud of.

C6 is short for Short-chain fluorochemistry, and the move from long-chain (C8) chemistry to short-chain (C6) fluorochemistry was a big push by our industry to take steps to introduce more environmentally responsible chemistry. The industry had a voluntary deadline of January 2015 to make this transition from C8 to C6. These days C6 is being regulated as well, and that leads to the transition away from fluorochemistry (PFAS) altogether.

The thing that I’m most proud of is that we were the first company to bring an FM-approved fluorine-free sprinkler foam suitable for both hydrocarbon and polar solvent fires to the market. Being the first to introduce something to the market, to me, stands out as a fantastic achievement.

Those are my three – if you look at it, it’s 2007, 2014, and 2021 – it’s a seven-year cycle between these things.

We’ll have to check back in 2028 to see what you’ve done next!

That was my thinking too.

What is the current focus for Fomtec for the years ahead? What do you foresee being the main focus for yourself and the company?

It’s all about innovation now. It’s really important to be innovative and to continue to drive innovation at this time. We want to bring first-class products to the market. In the way we conduct our business and our innovation, what we talk about is to inspire the industry to focus on data, not opinion.

This transition [to fluorine free foam] is a major technological change and it affects not only the concentrate, but the whole system and the way the products are being used. We who take part in this early transition carry quite a heavy burden because we are setting the stage for what this is going to be. Is the future of foam going to be based on data and facts or are we going to take a short cut by making assumptions based on old truths?

In future generations, when people 10-20 years from now base their system designs and approach to fire protection, they’re going to look back at what was done in the early transition, just as we did. We have relied on the PFAS and testing that was carried out in the 70s and 80s – these we know now are old truths. We are making the new truths, and it is really important for us to do that in the correct way. That is the main focus for us now: to base everything on data, not opinion, to be innovative, and to continue being customer focused, which is key.

This is what I do. I have been doing it for my whole career, and for me, it is about carrying on what I have done and trying to keep that spirit we have had from the very beginning – to be customer focused, innovative, and never lose sight of where we started.

Has the response to your approach been positive?

I think so – I cannot speak for others in the industry, only for us, but it is a commitment to say data not opinion, because it puts a lot of responsibility on our shoulders. We have to really generate data and stick to data, and sometimes that is a heavy burden – you can do something wrong out of ignorance because you really do not have data, but if you do know and you still take the shortcut then that is a heavy responsibility. Our approach has been well received, and customers and users appreciate that, but it comes at a cost – it is not for free.

You have been in foam for most of your career – if you were not doing this, what do you think you would be doing instead?

That is a difficult question because you never know where you’ll wind up! Often it is a pure coincidence, and I think in my case it was a coincidence winding up in the fire industry altogether. But I have always said that if I was not making foam, I would be brewing beer.

Do you have any word of advice/wisdom for the readers of IFSJ?

I just want to reiterate that what Fomtec is all about these days which is: data not opinion. That is really key for the audience and everyone involved in foam and fire systems – that their design and approach to fire protection is data not opinion. It is really important. Fire systems, for most users, are an overhead – it does not contribute to the bottom line of the company who buys the system – but the day it needs to work, it definitively needs to work, which is why the data is absolutely critical. That is my wisdom to share: base your decisions on data not opinions.

This article was originally published in the March edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: Evacuation – Have you got a plan for that?

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIFSJ Exclusives

Kevin Carr, Senior Fire Protection Specialist, talks about the NFPA’s emergency evacuation guide

Recently, someone that I know was in a building that needed to be evacuated due to an emergency situation. As many of us have experienced, building evacuations are often unplanned events that require an immediate response from occupants. Even under the least stressful conditions, relocating people to a specific area within a building, or having them vacate entirely, can be an arduous process. In this particular case, the individual I mentioned has a cognitive disability, which makes processing information and responding calmly difficult for them. Thankfully, due to a previously developed emergency evacuation plan that was properly executed, both the individual, as well as his companions, were able to egress the building safely without incident.

This example underlines the critical role that emergency evacuation plans play for occupants within a given building. These plans can take many forms, and may be required by applicable building, fire, and life safety codes. I would argue that a key consideration of these documents is understanding the occupants who are likely to be present. This includes people with disabilities, as they may have specific challenges and assistance needs, some of which may not be apparent. Unless carefully considered during the plan’s development or update, these concerns could potentially be overlooked.

To assist with these endeavors, NFPA recently released the third edition of the publication, Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities (herein, the Guide). The document’s main purpose is to provide building occupants, as well as building managers in non-residential buildings, guidance on how to develop an emergency evacuation plan that is inclusive of people with disabilities. Similar to previous editions, the document was developed by the NFPA Disability Access Review and Advisory Committee (DARAC), who specialises in advising NFPA regarding disability concerns.

DARAC, along with NFPA staff, sought to reimagine the publication from previous iterations. Most pressing, the focus was to guide the reader through practical considerations to develop a plan, explaining the fundamentals of evacuation, and provide a tool to record their findings. Given this premise, the Guide was reformatted into four distinct areas listed below, with some practical questions to consider:

1. Preparing an emergency evacuation plan

It could be argued that one of the most difficult challenges with emergency evacuation planning is where to begin. This section outlines practical considerations that should be considered before, during and after the plan’s creation. For many organisations, emergency evacuation plans could be a component within a larger emergency plan, and include other aspects, such as business continuity operations, for example. Others may develop a stand-alone document that is not reliant on outside factors.

In either case, the emergency evacuation plan often originates with the creation of a planning team. This team should ideally be composed of key stakeholders, such as building management, and seek to include people with disabilities among its members, as they are able to offer specific and relevant information. The team, once constructed, should assess the building, its operation, and occupants, leading to the creation of relevant and detailed plan.

Once developed, and most critically, the plan should be practiced. This step cannot be overstated enough, as testing will reveal how occupants might respond during an actual emergency. The planning team should review any exposed deficiencies to determine the most appropriate course of action. Finally, the planning team should establish a time to review the plan and provide updates at appropriate intervals.

Are you developing a new emergency evacuation plan or revising an existing one? If so, you may wish to consider these questions to get you started:

  • Does my organisation or building have a current plan?
  • When was this plan developed?
  • When was the last time a test of the plan was performed?
  • Who is responsible for the plan?
  • How is the plan communicated to occupants?
  • Has input, specific to people with disabilities, been received for inclusion within the plan?

2. Stages of an emergency evacuation

Understanding the building, and its operation, is an essential component for the creation of an effective plan. This section reviews five stages of evacuation to help the reader ensure that each phase is considered. The phases (Notification, Exit Signs, Exit Access, Exits, and Exit Discharge) are provided with associated images to visualise these concepts for the reader.

These five components, which are steeped in aspects of NFPA codes and standards (for more information, see www.nfpa.org), are provided in simple terms so both new and experienced individuals may participate in the plan’s development. It is important to note that while the Guide is a tool, it does not take the place of local, state, federal or other legal or regulatory requirements applicable in any jurisdiction. Please contact your authority having jurisdiction (otherwise known as “AHJ”) for information regarding your specific responsibilities.

Questions to Consider:

  • How is your building arranged?
  • How does your building utilise each phase of evacuation?
  • Who can assist you with questions you may have about your building’s arrangement?

2. Checklist for emergency evacuation planning

Having a tool to collect information is essential to crafting an effective plan. This section provides a checklist for the planning team, or individuals, to document their findings. The checklist is provided in five separate parts, based on the topics covered under the Stages of Emergency Evacuation, mentioned above. This is by design, as it allows the checklist to work in tandem with the source material to assist in uncovering any gaps that might be exposed.

Questions to Consider:

  • What items on the checklist are most applicable to the building’s arrangement?
  • Does the checklist need any additional areas to be added?
  • How will the information from the checklist be used and stored?

4. Resources

As the Guide is provided as a tool only and is not intended to replace legal or regulatory requirements, the planning team may determine that additional resources are needed to assist them with specific considerations. This section provides a partial list of NFPA and other resources that have expertise in a variety of areas and topics. As mentioned previously, a key resource to consider is the AHJ, who may include, but is not limited to, a building or fire official. Please consider contacting them with specific questions or concerns, as well as guidance.

Questions to Consider:

  • What resources are essential for your emergency evacuation plan to consider?
  • What outside resources should be consulted?
  • Have any areas for training been identified? If so, how will they be addressed?

As this brief outline of the Guide demonstrates, emergency evacuation plans are vital documents that have the ability to assist all occupants, including people with disabilities, in emergency situations. It is imperative that careful thought and consideration be undertaken when developing and revising these plans to achieve the most inclusive results.

When practiced and executed effectively, these plans have shown to have a significant impact on occupants’ ability to observe safer, calmer, and orderly evacuations. I challenge you to examine your own building’s plan and ask questions about how it could be improved for the benefit of everyone.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and stay inclusive.

About the author

Kevin Carr is a Senior Fire Protection Specialist at NFPA. He is the staff liaison for several technical committees, including NFPA DARAC. He may be reached at kcarr@nfpa.org.

Any opinion expressed in this column is the personal opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the official position of NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition, this piece is neither intended, nor should it be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or services.

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: Improving evacuation strategies with Evac+Chair

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIFSJ Exclusives

Ges Wallace, Managing Director at Evac+Chair looks at improving evacuation strategies for all

Planning for the safe evacuation of everyone has become of increasing prevalence in recent years. With many commercial organisations adopting a more inclusive recruitment strategy to attract a wider demographic of employee, it is imperative that the correct health and safety policies and procedures are in place.

From improved accessibility and facilities, to having an evacuation plan that details how a mobility impaired individual will be assisted in the event of an emergency evacuation, organisations must ensure they are appropriately prepared. With the average retirement age increasing coupled with the growing number of disabled individuals in employment and many more individuals living with non-visible disabilities, it is of increasing likelihood that in an emergency there will be someone who will require assistance to evacuate.

Emergency evacuation for everyone

Everyone has the right to a quick, safe means of escape, which sounds simple enough for the able-bodied and something which is never questioned or no doubt thought about. However, the same cannot be said for those who have a mobility impairment, it is a daunting, frightening experience – as soon as the fire alarm goes off, they know only too well this starts the waiting game for them.

Not only will they have to wait for assistance to be taken to the safe refuge area, but they will also then have to wait to be evacuated, watching everyone rush out of the building, to safety. Even in a false alarm, the feelings of abandonment and fear are known only too well by those individuals who are left waiting. The question is clear: how long can we continue to let this happen?

Historically, the focus has been on visible impairments and almost all the signage we see, depicts that being disabled means being in a wheelchair. Today, we know that this view is outdated and not reflective of the world in which we live. The terms ‘mobility impaired’ and ‘disabled’ now cover a much broader spectrum of conditions and many are not always visible or permanent.

Temporary impairments such as a sporting injury, pregnancy or recovery from surgery and non-visible impairments such as mental health, illness or neurological conditions, can impact a person’s ability to self-evacuate and can be further exacerbated, during an emergency situation. At some point during all of our lifetimes we will become mobility impaired or our mobility will be impacted. With all of this in mind, there is a need for more to be done to ensure no one is left waiting to be evacuated, or worse lose their life.

It is estimated that 1.3 billion people (1 in 6) equating to 16% of the global population, have a moderate or severe disability and an estimated 386 million of the world’s working-age population have some form of disability. In the United States alone, 2 in 10 adults live with a disability, 306 million have difficulty walking or climbing upstairs, 12 million require assistance with everyday tasks and 3.6 million use a wheelchair. With these statistics increasing due to an aging population, rising numbers of obesity and chronic health conditions, now is the time for change.

Safe evacuation for all

These statistics highlight more than ever, the importance for all commercial buildings to have the means to evacuate everyone. Whilst fires are the emergency, that we all naturally think of being the main cause of an evacuation, there are a number of other risks that need to be considered. The climate crisis is making flooding and extreme weather the norm and the energy shortage is increasing the likelihood of blackouts. In addition, broader emergency situations such as security breaches, terrorism and electrical faults – especially in densely populated areas, cities and urban locations are all increasing the number of risks and therefore the likelihood of the need to evacuate in an emergency.

Being prepared for any eventuality and having the correct assistive equipment will ultimately save lives, should the worst happen. A mobility impaired person trying to evacuate without assistance may impede the whole evacuation process, and as a result put others’ lives along with their own, at risk. With lifts out of service and the stairs being the only option, it is not uncommon for people to panic and race to exit a building; causing accidents and congested stairwells, leading to further delays for everyone involved.

Planning ahead will save lives in the future. Having an evacuation plan that has been tried, tested and is regularly checked and updated will ensure the correct measures are in place in order to evacuate everyone. It is imperative during the planning stage, to factor in the building and its layout. Challenges can arise when evacuating high-rise buildings, where there will be many individuals all rushing to the fire exits and the time needed to travel down multiple flights of stairs to exit the building, will mean the evacuation will take longer – the higher the building, the more complex the evacuation plan.

The correct equipment to evacuate safely

Having a suitable evacuation plan which includes a PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) or a GEEP (Generic Emergency Evacuation Plan) detailing the correct assistive equipment, is of paramount importance. Furthermore, ensuring everyone knows what to do in an emergency, including personnel who are trained to assist in the safe evacuation of everyone from Fire Marshalls to operators of assistive equipment, will ensure the evacuation is successful.

The type of assistive equipment required depends upon the building, the personnel who require assistance and the evacuation route itself. Evac+Chair offers a wide range of products to suit any type of staircase or personnel requirement and it is vital these requirements are taken into consideration, when selecting the correct equipment. In addition, the assistive equipment must be stored in the correct location, ensuring it is easily accessible and regularly maintained.

An Evac+Chair is quick and easy to deploy and use, providing complete peace of mind that should you need to evacuate the mobility impaired; you can do so safely and quickly. Evac+Chair products are suitable for all environments including (but not limited to) offices, hotels, schools, sports stadia, retail outlets, healthcare and factories, each chair has a unique set of features that make it more suitable for certain environments.

The safest and fastest way to evacuate down stairways

Evac+Chair International Limited is the original manufacturer and global leader in emergency evacuation chairs for the mobility impaired. Underpinned with over 40 years of experience in the design and manufacture of evacuation chairs, Evac+Chair is trusted and relied upon in emergency situations to assist in saving lives.

Manufactured in the United Kingdom in a state-of-the-art headquarters, Evac+Chair uses world class technologies and processes. With a wide range of accreditations including ISO 9001 Quality Management standards, ISO 13485 Medical Device Quality Management and a number of quality checks throughout the entire manufacturing process and prior to shipment; Evac+Chair prides itself on its superior product quality.

The Evac+Chair was invented as a result of a very personal experience, by US citizen David Egan following an emergency evacuation in which he and his wife were involved. David’s wife had suffered from polio as a child, which had caused her mobility to be impeded and when they were forced to evacuate from the 38th Floor of a Manhattan building, David had to carry his wife to safety as there was no assistive equipment. Following this event, David recognised the need for a product to assist in the quick and safe evacuation of the mobility impaired and set about designing a solution that would do just that.

Today, the iconic blue and yellow Evac+Chair is recognised worldwide; exported to 70 countries, across 6 continents and has assisted in saving countless lives. Earning a well-deserved place in the 9/11 memorial museum for assisting in the evacuation of mobility impaired people, during the twin towers attack, the Evac+Chair is undoubtedly a life saver.

Whilst the fundamental design aspects of the Evac+Chair have been unaltered over the past 40 years, customer insight and investment in R&D has led to the product range being expanded and enhanced, providing greater safety and comfort to both the operator and passenger. Independent research carried out by the University of Greenwich concluded that an Evac+Chair provides the safest, quickest means of escape for the mobility impaired, compared with other types of evacuation products.

Evac+Chair is dedicated to evolving its products and delivering innovation. Investing in research and development and listening to customer feedback, Evac+Chair ensures its products meet the needs of its customers and is committed to creating a safer, more inclusive world. With the risk of an emergency evacuation growing and the global number of individuals with conditions that affect their mobility increasing, being prepared for the quick and safe evacuation of everyone must be a number one priority for us all.

Tel: +44 (0) 121 706 6744
Website: evacchair.co.uk
Email: enquiries@evacchair.co.uk

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: Prepared to protect with Telgian

by Breaking NewsIFSJ ExclusivesTraining

Telgian Vice President and NFPA instructor Ralph E. Bless, Jr., PE, CFPS, SET discusses the CFPS test prep for fire protection training he recently carried out in KSA

Over the past 25 years, countries within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have experienced incredible growth. This concentrated, rapid development has led to myriad electrical, fire protection, code enforcement, and ITM challenges.  

As part of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) commitment to serving global stakeholders such as those in the MENA region, Telgian Vice President and NFPA instructor Ralph Bless provided five days of CFPS test prep for team members from the Saudi Electricity Company fire protection group in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. By providing this training for NFPA, Bless supplied participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to prepare them for the CFPS Exam. The CFPS is an essential credential verifying proficiency in mitigating both physical and financial loss from fire hazards. 

Bless has long been recognised as one of the industry’s top experts and he shares this knowledge as a speaker, presenter and instructor across the US and around the globe. He has also published numerous articles on related fire and life safety topics in industry publications worldwide.

Bless is licensed as a Professional Engineer in six US states, a Certified Fire Protection Specialist, Level IV NICET senior fire sprinkler layout technician and holds four additional NICET certifications, as well as ten US state licenses. Dedicated to the industry, he plays an active leadership role within several important fire and life safety organizations including the NFPA.

IFSJ Editor Iain Hoey sat down with Ralph E. Bless, Jr., PE, CFPS, SET, to discuss fire protection training in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Can you tell me about your background in the fire sector?  

I have 40 years of experience in fire protection including a broad range of water-based and special hazard system design, code consulting and fire protection engineering services. I am licensed as a Professional Engineer in six states in the US, a Certified Fire Protection Specialist, Level IV NICET senior fire sprinkler layout technician and hold four additional NICET certifications, as well as ten state licenses.

In addition, I serve on six NFPA committees including Chair of for Record Storage, NFPA 232 as well as NFPA 1, NFPA 13 Installation and Correlating, NFPA 15 and NFPA 915.

How did working with the Saudi Electricity Company fire protection group in Jeddah come about?

NFPA was contracted by the Saudi Electricity Company for in-person CFPS training. The Saudi Electricity Company is the leading provider for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power in Saudi Arabia, with 45 power generation plants across the Kingdom.

This training was very important, as these professionals are involved in the electrical power supply for an entire nation. I was thrilled to be selected by NFPA as the on-site instructor, based on my years of fire protection and teaching experience.

What exactly did the training involve and why is it essential for the participants?

Training involved five days of presentations on a variety of fire protection topics, focused on the NFPA Fire Protection Handbooks.  The focus of the training is to provide participants with the knowledge and skill necessary to prepare for the CFPS Exam.

The CFPS is considered “the global gold standard credential” in the fire protection industry.

Was the training a success? Do you have plans for a similar initiative in the future?

The feedback from the participants was very positive and I look forward to working with them again in the future.  Although I don’t have anything currently on the schedule in KSA, I do have over 40 other training events planned for this year.

What did you learn from conducting this training?

It is always a pleasure to work with other fire safety and fire protection professionals around the world.  And during this trip, I was also able to learn a little about the fascinating culture and history of KSA.

I really enjoyed my time in the country. The people were wonderful and welcoming, and I look forward to continuing to work with professionals for the betterment of the industry and society.

Contact Ralph at rbless@telgian.com

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: Inside Newcastle International Training Academy

by Breaking NewsIFSJ ExclusivesTraining

IFSJ takes an inside look at the fire training on offer at Newcastle International Airport

In 2022, Newcastle International Training Academy, which was officially recognised as a JOIFF Accredited Training Provider by JOIFF, the International Organisation for Industrial Emergency Services Management.

The accreditation, which was awarded by industry experts from the emergency services, recognises training providers who offer high quality training courses, facilities and a great learning experience capable of developing competency of emergency response personnel.

Gerry Johnson and Craig Kelsall, Consultants on behalf of JOIFF, visited Newcastle International Training Academy to undertake an audit of the training provisions and awarded the accreditation later that day. Formally recognising courses such as the Firefighter Bridging and Breathing Apparatus Instructor as trusted high quality training.

Johnson spoke about the accreditation process following the official certification, saying it: “Followed a rigorous audit of three elements of accreditation, including; looking at their establishment, including safety management systems and procedures; instruction, covering instructor experience, qualifications and mentoring systems; and the course programmes, looking at course content, and frequency of updating.”

IFSJ spoke to Gary Wright, Fire Manager at Newcastle International Airport, to find out about its new accreditation and the different kinds of training they have on offer for the fire professionals.

Can you tell me about the history of the training academy, when and why it was set up?

Customers expect quality training, and we believe at Newcastle International Airport that we have the right people and passion to be able to deliver commercial and industrial courses to businesses across the North East.

The Training Academy at the airport has been delivering professional training for nearly 30 years to ensure that fire services are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills. The Academy now provides a range of training solutions including aviation, offshore and industrial firefighting courses, as well as health and safety practices, first aid, confined space and team building.

The Academy delivers training to clients from all over the world, recently including the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

What fire training courses are on offer at the Academy?

The Academy specialises in aviation and industrial fire fighter training, with a range of courses available, including; Breathing Apparatus Training; Fire Fighter (Initial and Revalidations); Supervisor (Initial and Revalidations); plus Fire Team Member and many more.

Our unique infrastructure allows us to offer hot fire training, allowing fire fighters to experience as close to a real-life scenario as possible during their training course on aircraft and industrial specific live simulations. 

Have you added any recent courses of note? 

After a rigorous audit, the Academy has recently been recognised as an accredited training provider by JOIFF, the International Organisation for Industrial Emergency Services Management. The courses that have been awarded this accreditation are:

  • Aviation Fire Fighter Bridging
  • Breathing Apparatus Instructor
  • Breathing Apparatus Refresher
  • Industrial Fire Fighter Team Member
  • Industrial Fire Fighter Refresher
  • Industrial Fire Fighter Initial
  • Industrial Fire Fighter Team Leader 

Following the success of our newly accredited training, the Academy recently submitted an application for JOIFF accreditation for additional courses. 

What other kinds of training does the Academy offer? 

The Academy offers an extensive catalogue of other courses from Team Building, First Aid and Health and Safety, through to highly specialised training including; Confined Space; Offshore Firefighting; Helicopter Fire Fighting; Breathing Apparatus Training; Wildlife Management and Winter Operations.

Why is fire training necessary in the aviation sector? 

Fire training is necessary in aviation in order to save lives in the event of an aircraft accident or incident occurring at or in the immediate vicinity of an airport.

Working on an active safety critical concept area allows our trainers to be up to date with the latest legislation and practices required in aviation.

We hope we never need to use our fire services, however, if the time comes, continual fire training is necessary to ensure that fire fighters are trained to the highest standards and have the knowledge and experience to respond to any situation.

How did the JOIFF accreditation come about, and what does this mean for the Academy?

JOIFF accreditation recognises training providers who offer high quality training courses, facilities and a great learning experience capable of developing competency of emergency response personnel.

The Academy prides itself on the high-quality training it delivers and this accreditation highlights the calibre of training provided by our world-class instructors.

This prestige certificate is testament to the team’s hard work and reassures our clients that they are receiving world-class training at the training academy. 

Are there any future plans or ambitions of note for Newcastle International Training Academy?

We are currently looking to expand our training facilities to accommodate more participants and additional courses in the near future.

We are always looking for ways to enhance the services and training we provide and regularly test and trial the latest technologies available in the industry. It is positive to see technology improving the training tools available for specialised facilities like the Newcastle International Training Academy and it will be interesting to see how such technologies could enhance the training services that we deliver in the future.

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: Preparing for the potential

by Breaking NewsIFSJ ExclusivesTraining

Neil Crosby, Middle East Aviation Emergency Training Correspondent, talks preparing for all outcomes

No matter where in the world you currently operate there is no more developing and more vibrant than the UAE. The speed at which it is consistently changing a advancing towards it future is remarkable and exciting to witness. Its very evolution from that of fifty years ago to the current day is astounding. Growth, population and infrastructure come coupled to engineering and wealth. The diversity of the cultures and populous is vibrant and attractive to those aiming to be apart of its future.

This metamorphosis of such a region brings with it opportunity and challenge, challenge to build, challenge to growth and challenge to compete. The UAE is synonymous with the intention towards perfection and presence. Its very vision is one of being the very best that can be offered, in lifestyle, accommodation, health and of course its safety, these are accolades bestowed by those thriving in the region or by those who have enjoyed the benefits of visiting lavish localities it has to offer. 

Heat stress

From every angle the evidence of growth and success can be seen, however this does not come with ease or without challenge. The very geographical location presents its own challenges from weather, sun, sand, heat or wind. Emergency services must consider this impact and consider they do.

Engagement in temperatures of 45 degrees or more in the summer months and 35 possibly in the evening hours hamper services to operate effectively or to conduct training. The occupations of those engaged must be monitored with consistent attention to prevent dehydration or exhaustion.

Every aspect of the service during events has an enlarged capacity for consideration due to heat, vehicle and appliance operating temperatures over prolong periods, media resources, equipment inoperability, firefighting actions and fire growth, flammable vapours and fire gas movement, all such occurrences agitate any event loading the considerations of any Incident Commander. The consistently changing locations which emergency services must respond change at a frequency and dimension difficult to imagine.

The city sky lines change almost overnight and the colossal enormity of the structures reach vertically or laterally in all directions. Emergency services must be topically and geographically familiar with their response areas, from a hazard perspective, what may be held within and what could to be to be expected. Typography, risk response, and risk register must become daily appraisals to be proactive as opposed to reactive.

Parking areas in the main are ventilated. However this will not prevent the growth and movement of fire gases within a structure. The challenge to the emergency service will be in the form of access, fuel loading and sheer volume of vehicles parked in close proximity.

Vehicles and their design are captivating to the motorist and to their owner, to an emergency service member, a hazard, a risk, or a dangerous challenge which must be approached in the most considered method. Simple entry or exit of the occupant is not always a straightforward as one would imagine. SUV vehicles have a vast selection of options, their construction materials, seating, and safety or protection systems all pose hazards to the uneducated or the initiated.

The aviation sector

There is one final area in which we must consider a potential: Aviation. Aviation is the most fundamentally changing areas for occupation within the region.  Over the last fifty years there has been a monumental growth in air travel and concept design.

The UAE airports support essentially all that the UAE is and has been to know to have become. Their major airports are fundamentally the beating heart of the UAE and Dubai and the surrounding locations. Their airports consistently brake records of achievement and challenges its self to be the most visual and efficient airports in the world. The aircraft traffic they handle is without question some of the most prominent and efficient the aviation sector has to offer.

Passenger volume is intended to breach 58 million within 2022 and striving to return to the pre Covid figures within 2023. It supports 238 airports, in 227 cities form 102 counties. 

The aviation sector has had to meet numerous challenges in the form of growth, location, expansion, experience, infrastructure, regulation, the weather and more over the vision and the need to succeed.  The sector is dynamic to say the very least, consistently changing, re-evaluating, personally challenging and consistently reacting to market and world forces.  The aerodromes also carries upon their shoulders the knowledge that the region is essentially feeds its sources. Should an event take place at an aerodrome the ripples emanate from the source to far wide reaching locations.

Aircraft movements take place at a frequency of departure and arrival at the most busy of periods at two minute intervals utilising the synchronicity of two runways simultaneously. It is not unusual to have ten aircraft taxiing or manoeuvring at the same time. Passenger loads on the largest aircraft frequency are in the range of six hundred occupants per rotation.

The ripples from an event will be felt the world over should the incident not be correctly handled. Approaching flights, departing flights, aircraft wishing to depart their country unable to arrive at their intended destination, slot allocations and interconnecting flights using the airport as a hub to connect to final destinations all may be impacted during any potential operational event. With this is an ever-present pressure to succeed and to overcome.

Every member of the aerodrome emergency service carries a shared responsibility to perform, to remain competent and operational compliant. It is essential they must remain engaged in all areas of occupation relating to their operational response. The complexity of the location and the frequency of movements dictate that operational fire service members must be appropriately qualified and certificated to for fill their operational responsibilities without restraint.

The constant need to train and to ensure an effective response is relentless. Each and every day there is a need to see a learning opportunity or to educate members on their growing potential risk. To say you know enough, or to believe you can do enough, is never enough.

Aircraft firefighting

Aircraft firefighting is without question one of the most technical fields of occupation, knowledge of the rescue and firefighting equipment provided to meet the risk are extraordinarily technical in their own right and the methods of firefighting based on the aircraft potentially involved are on a scale based around physics, chemical and structural engineering.        

Through developmental changes to the complexities of aerodrome infrastructures, aircraft, and the localities faced by the new generation of fire service members, the rescue and firefighting service must have a more considered approach to command decision making when applying the use of fire fighting and tactical ventilation.

Ventilation can facilitate the passage of ‘wet air’ through the induction of water spray, in elevated locations to infuse and create rapid reductions in compartment temperature growth. The synchronicity of simultaneous applications involves high level intelligent firefighting understanding and an incident command structure with increased tactical advantages.

Incidents must be considered both on and off aerodrome and access to any such incident must be accomplished within the defined response time. Multi-agency interoperability is essential in order to be successful at the scene of operations and the close cohesive working relationship established by all responding services. 

All these and many more considerations must take place in the most challenging of environmental weather conditions or working locations. Crews may be engaged for long and protracted periods of time and successful emergency planning will ensure a successful conclusion at any potential incident location.

There should be a more immersive programme of interoperability within all emergency service within the UAE with one aim, to become the very best the region can provide. They should strive towards the sharing of information, technical excellence and more importantly the overall ability to respond.

There is a wealth of knowledge and experience within the UAE, from overseas external influence, or subject matter experts, previous experience and local intent to succeed. The never-ending vision to demonstrate improvement and to embrace all that could be ahead. The road ahead is bright and yet it will be consistently challenging to those who strive for excellence.

The emergency services must embrace this challenge and many more, with the vision of the UAE and to continue on this journey no matter how difficult or diverse it may be. Draw on the expertise available, learn from the past to build for the future, embrace challenge and strive as an emergency community to prepare for the potential by being prepared. 

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: The integrated approach to emergency lighting with Advanced

by Breaking NewsIFSJ ExclusivesLighting

Matthew Jones, Emergency Lighting Business Manager at Advanced, talks fire safety strategy, CPD and emergency lighting maintenance

What led you to the role of Emergency Lighting Business Manager at Advanced?

I have background in the fire industry and when there was an opportunity to head up the emergency lighting business unit at Advanced, I thought it would be a great chance to raise the profile of emergency lighting education, particularly about best practice and British Standards.

As part of fire protection, emergency lighting is a vital life safety system which helps enable safe evacuations when a fire takes place.

What are some common emergency lighting pitfalls?

A common pitfall is not testing emergency lighting frequently enough. With emergency lighting, a short function test should be completed each month, which we usually recommend should take 10 minutes. Then once a year a full duration test is required, which typically takes 180 minutes. It is important to consistently test that your emergency lighting is functioning correctly to be compliant with the relevant standard BS 5266, the Code of Practice for the Emergency Lighting of Premises.

There needs to be a way of isolating the emergency luminaires in case other essential services are connected to the circuit. It is therefore essential to use test-key switches, self-testing devices or a fully automatic addressable system, such as Advanced offers. Many people still rely on manual testing with a test-key switch which is fine for a handful of lights on a shop front but when there is a greater number of lights another type of testing is needed.

If a building has more than 40- 50 emergency luminaires then it can benefit from an automatic addressable testing system. The sites that we work with at Advanced are vast, such as universities and hospitals, where systems feature 4,000+ luminaires being monitored at any time. These buildings have multiple teams of people maintaining the emergency lighting systems, so addressable systems that are robust and report all the information remotely are handy for the maintenance process. (This is available in the UK and Ireland, but we don’t currently offer this internationally.)

What are the latest emergency lighting developments that people should be looking out for?

Our intelligent lighting system, LuxIntelligent, is an automatic, addressable, emergency lighting test system, that shows all emergency lights are compliant and functioning, with no engineer involvement required and can work with retrofits or conversions of architectural lighting.

We work with standalone emergency lighting systems, but we also offer new technology to the market that is unique, for example our Dynamic Safety Signage System (DSSS) [pictured above]. The DSSS can be used as a standalone system or integrated with conventional/addressable fire alarm panels to trigger emergency lighting if an incident occurs. An addressable fire system can integrate with the DSSS telling it where the fire is within the building enabling the lighting system to indicate the routes that are viable for evacuation via green arrows, while also showing the routes that are no longer viable with red crosses, helping aid safe means of escape. This is all driven by the cause-and-effect software in the fire panel, which moves people away from hazardous areas within the building and provides them with a route to safety.

Finally, if a building has not already moved from fluorescent lighting to LED, now has never been a better time to do so, especially because this means lower electricity usage, lower CO2 emissions and so lower electricity bills.

Can you tell me more about integration of emergency lighting systems?

The way our intelligent emergency lighting systems work is based on EN 54 approved fire panel technology, so they are absolutely bullet proof in terms of robustness. Since they are based on the same fire panel architecture, we can interlink them to pretty much any fire system to drive and control emergency lighting using the fire control panel. This allows the integration of the emergency lighting with other systems, for instance anti-panic lighting or Dynamic Safety Signage which could be integrated to help with safe evacuations.

Where can the Responsible Person find out how to comply with emergency lighting regulation and best practice?

We want to help Responsible Persons gain the compliance they are trying to achieve and are happy to provide advice and guidance on emergency lighting legislation. At Advanced we offer a third-party CPD accredited service where we run an hour-long, online CPD remotely to help educate people on exactly what they need to know – everything from what the legislation is, to who is responsible, to where you need to put your emergency lighting. We also offer a handy pocket guide which helps explain in great detail where to install emergency lighting.

For more information contact Matt: mjones@advancedco.com, +44 (0)345 894 7000

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: Practical water mist applications with IWMA

by Breaking NewsFire SuppressionIFSJ Exclusives

The International Water Mist Association looks at the growing use of water mist suppression across various industries

It all started with marine and offshore applications. However, for many years water mist systems have been installed in buildings on land. When it comes to the different classes of fires, water mist ticks more boxes than any other kind of fire suppression system. This is due to the smaller droplets that interact with the fire in a different way than the larger droplets from traditional sprinkler systems. Water mist systems deal with heat and oxygen, whereas sprinkler systems only deal with heat. This is reflected in the list of applications that – over the years – has grown to considerable length.

Healthcare

One typical area is the health sector. Hospitals, health centre, care homes. Derek Killaspy, managing director of Fireworks Fire Protection and IWMA (International Water Mist Association) member, explains: “While fire sprinklers have been the traditionally chosen solution in the past, we saw the beginnings of the transition to water mist fire protection around a decade ago. Private clinics were amongst the first to benefit from the superior life-saving properties offered by water mist.”

One hospital which is equipped with a water mist system is the VUmc University Medical Centre in Amsterdam, one of the largest high-pressure water mist projects in the Netherlands. Provider of the system is the German company Fogtec (also an IWMA member). Rüdiger Kopp, Fogtec’s managing director fixed systems, says: “We believe that high-pressure water mist offers the best fire protection for the hospital environment. Two points in favour of this technology are the high cooling effect and the minimal water usage. The result is an easy evacuation in case of a fire and limited fire and water damage to the valuable equipment and the building.”

Particularly in retrofit situations to existing hospitals, the small pipe diameters and reduced water storage requirements render a flexible and space saving installation of the system possible.

In 2020, the installation process started. The system was selected as an integral part of the buildings’ engineering scheme to lift the hospital complex’ fire safety concept to the highest level. It was installed while the medical centre was in full operation, which means that installation works were carried out while patients were taken care of and doctors, nurses and students were on duty.

Special installation concepts had been developed by Fogtec to ensure as little interference as possible to the daily routine in the hospital. The use of flexible high-pressure stainless-steel hoses in conjunction with high-pressure press fittings reduces the site presence to a minimum and guarantees a quiet and clean system integration.

Data centres

Two further, nowadays typical and common applications are the protection of data centres and archives. Regarding the protection of data centres, IWMA member Marioff can report about two projects in the Dutch cities Groningen and Eindhoven.

The facility at Groningen is a multi-tenant data centre with customers across industries. One significant client is Overheids Datacenter (ODC) Noord, one of the four government data centres in the Netherlands, underscoring the need for uninterrupted operation.

Business continuity at NorthC Groningen, as for all data centres, is paramount. Fire suppression in the facility is particularly challenging because of the need for the high airflow and high-power density. NorthC Groningen ultimately chose Marioff HI-FOG as the fire suppression solution to protect their critical infrastructure through Marioff’s partner FireX with a complete suppression and detection system.

The facility at Eindhoven is the first carbon-negative data centre in the world that also holds a Tier 4 certification, the highest guarantee of reliability possible, which means failure of their digital systems must be avoided at all costs. All systems and installations at the 1,200 square-metre facility must be redundant and separate.

This meant thinking through the fire protection plan from the ground up, while simultaneously meeting the fire suppression challenges of high airflow and power density presented by data centres. Finally, Eindhoven’s commitment to cradle-to-cradle sustainability principles meant accounting for water usage.

The fire safety concept for the facility was developed in collaboration with RHDHV and FireX. For Eindhoven, detection was made highly sensitive, with automatic and localized discharge to protect the data centre’s business continuity — a tailor-made fire protection solution for protecting the most critical data.

HI-FOG discharges high-pressure water mist that effectively suppresses, controls and cools fires. It uses less water than traditional sprinkler systems, minimising water damage in the event of fire and reduces the possibility of a false discharge when compared to gas suppression.

Public buildings

One famous archive which is protected with water mist is the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. Another example: the Hubei Provincial Archives. They maintain the province’s collection of nearly one million extremely valuable books, paintings, calligraphies, and other historical documents – many dating back to the Ming Dynasty.

“When the government built the new 60,000 square-metre building to house these very flammable treasures, the responsible engineers selected amongst others Danfoss PAH (Pump Axial-Piston High-Pressure) pumps to power our advanced high-pressure water mist fire suppression system,” says Amin Hadian, application manager at Danfoss High-Pressure Pumps.

The focus lay on providing a compact, reliable, simple to maintain high-pressure water mist system that would protect these historical treasures. Because the collection is largely paper-based, engineers from fire-suppression specialist HeFei KDLian proposed installing a water mist system, which reduces water damage significantly better than traditional sprinklers.

Hadian explains: “For this project, high-pressure pumps by Danfoss were definitely part of the solution.” Based on project requirements and positive past experience with Danfoss products, the HeFei KDLian engineers specified 85 PAH 80 pumps to provide misting pressure. They also selected Danfoss solenoid, check, and pressure relief valves.”

Protecting businesses

Of course, in most cases, what is protected are lives, properties, and jobs. In other cases, it is seemingly small things like labels on wine bottles. “But if that is your business, it is also your livelihood”, says Bettina McDowell, IWMA general manager.

Valuable bottles of wine lose their value if the label is flawed by – for example – activated sprinkler systems that can impair or even wash labels off wine bottles. IWMA member BFL Baltic Fire Laboratory was contracted by Ultra Fog – also a member of IWMA – to check nozzle capacity against storage racks with a very high fire load.

To validate the damage on goods, the Baltic Fire Laboratory suggested making the test more realistic by placing a bottle of wine in the rack next to the burning one to make sure it did not explode due to heat exposure (which it did not) but also to make sure the water would not wash the label off the bottle (which also it did not happen). 

The aim was to design a protection for a medium-sized storage with a height of 5.25 metres. The Baltic Fire Laboratory (where the test was performed in August 2022) used – as a base – FM 5560 HC-2 with the difference that the storage height was slightly changed to three instead of two racks.

The data and conclusion that could be drawn from this test underlined the cooling effect and radiation shielding water mist provides.

Other applications

Over the years, speakers at the International Water Mist Conference have introduced their projects: The Spanish Congress Palace in Madrid, the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest, St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice and St. Patrick’s Church in New York. They talked about safeguarding escape routes in high-rise buildings, about the protection of industrial oil cookers, saunas and wooden churches and sensitive roof structures.

“It will be interesting to see what topics will be submitted for the 22nd International Water Mist Conference”, adds Bettina McDowell. This event will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 11th and 12th October 2023. The conference hotel will be the Copenhagen Marriott. The call for papers will be released on 1st February, the deadline by which abstract should be submitted and the date from which onwards delegates can purchase their tickets is 15th May.

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: Controlling the Burn with Drone Amplified

by Breaking NewsIFSJ ExclusivesWildland Fire

IFSJ takes an in-depth look at Drone Amplified, the controlled burning tool being used as a preventative measure against wildfire

In 2020, Drone Amplified, a company that pioneered wildfire fighting using drones, signed a contract with the US Forest Service to source and vet US-made drones to fight wildfires with Drone Amplified’s aerial ignition system. The $750,000 contract was designed to increase and scale the utilisation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for aerial ignitions in fire management and develop the next generation of aerial ignition capabilities.

The deal followed the successful development and deployment of Drone Amplified’s aerial ignition system called IGNIS – the only UAS-based aerial ignitions payload available to the US market that is approved for use on Federal prescribed fires and wildfires.

IGNIS’s patented technology carries a payload of standard ping-pong ball sized chemical spheres and can be integrated with infrared and other types of cameras. The spheres are pre-loaded with potassium permanganate and later injected with antifreeze prior to being released. The spheres then, ignite after hitting the ground, set off back burns to create defensive lines for firefighters in rugged and sometimes unreachable terrain.

Carrick Detweiler, co-Founder and CEO of Drone Amplified and Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) started Drone Amplified based on technology initially developed at the university works. IFSJ caught up with Detweiler to learn more about the innovative approach to controlled burning.

Prescribed burning

Drone Amplified is the pioneer in developing a drone-based aerial ignition system that is able to ignite backburns to contain wildfires and prescribed fires to help better manage our lands and reduce the risk of wildfires.

Detweiler explains: “On wildfires, backburns are used to burn the fuel (dead wood, leaves, etc) in a controlled way in advance of the main wildfire front so that when the main wildfire arrives, it does not have fuel and is easier to put out.

“Traditional techniques for conducting these burns either require putting people on the ground near fire or using expensive helicopters for aerial ignition. Our system, called IGNIS, is less costly to operate, more readily available than helicopters, and keeps firefighters safer.”

IGNIS attaches to a modified Freefly Alta X drone, which is made in the USA, and is equipped with a thermal and visual camera for situational awareness. IGNIS is tightly integrated with the drone to make easy to use in the complex fire environment.

“The ability to quickly get an eye in the sky to identify and track the fire provides an increased level of situational awareness that keeps firefighters safer,” says Detweiler. “Combining these real-time observations with the ability to quickly and safely set backburns, while keeping a distance from the fire, is changing the way that fires are managed. Firefighters do not need to just react to the fire, they can observe and change its behaviour through strategic aerial ignition.”

How it works

IGNIS uses small “ping-pong” ball ignition spheres that are also used by full sized helicopter ignition systems. “The way this works is that the ignition spheres have one chemical in them and shortly before we drop them, we puncture the ball and inject a second chemical,” Detweiler explains. “The balls then ignite 30-60 seconds after we drop them. IGNIS can drop anywhere from 10-120 ignition spheres per minute to adapt to the needs of the firefighters.”

The spheres set off backburns to create defensive lines for firefighters in rugged and sometimes unreachable terrain. IGNIS is controlled and automated with a custom app and allows drone operators to release the spheres with a high degree of accuracy in terrain that is often difficult to navigate with helicopters or airplanes. The drone’s dynamic ability to fly in densely smoky, high-altitude areas makes it extremely useful.

IGNIS ALTA X

In 2022, Drone Amplified launched IGNIS for the Freefly Systems ALTA X, the newest development in unmanned aerial ignition. Drone Amplified modified the ALTA X and IGNIS to integrate thermal and visual cameras, a customised ground station based on the Herelink Blue, and ADS-B in for situational awareness of other nearby aircraft.

Combined with the app that was designed by firefighters, the IGNIS ALTA X package comes as a ready to go field kit for the most demanding firefighting missions. It is capable of laying down miles of fire line in only a few minutes of flight. Durability and ruggedness drove the design of IGNIS ALTA X and required aggressive testing to assure dependability in high temperature, dusty and ashy environments and extreme conditions of the wildland fire environment.

Detweiler says that feedback from UAS fire operators helped refine the system into the powerful tool that has quickly gained a reputation for high performance and dependability in the field.

The IGNIS app

With features for firefighters and other organisations that need knowledge of land elevations, altitude and mapping, the IGNIS App allows firefighting teams to easily plan and execute waypoint missions to let the drone fly itself and ignite precise burn lines or use full manual operation.

It has multiple layers of safety built in, including a geofence that disallows ignitions outside the specified area, enhances safety by monitoring other aircraft in the area with ADS-B In, and maintain situational awareness by importing burn plans and maps with geo[1]referenced PDFs, KML/KMZs, and other formats for offline use.

By providing a bird’s eye map view, live video and telemetry, gimbal control, and the ability to take photos and video, the app has a range of features making it possible to interface with a range of drones, including the Freefly ALTA X, Inspired Flight IF1200, DJI drones, and others.

Firefighting teams can download elevation maps for terrain-aware flight and missions to the app which uses the maps to calculate the drone’s altitude above ground level, enabling safer flight and easier compliance with airspace regulations. Teams can see a side view of the planned waypoint mission and adjust the altitude of individual waypoints to avoid obstacles and maintain a constant altitude above the ground.

It is also possible to import shapefiles from Google Earth or georeferenced PDF files from ArcGIS, as the IGNIS app will display them as overlays on the map whilst flying and allows editing of custom KML/KMZ files. Users can configure a variety of settings on the drone and remote controller, and also perform compass calibrations with via the app. The app automatically logs flights and ignition locations to a file on the connected mobile device that can be opened by common spreadsheet programs.

Future plans

Drone Amplified is currently on the 2nd major version of IGNIS. Detweiler says they are continuously improving and advancing IGNIS and the associated software to advance firefighting technologies based on the feedback they receive from firefighters.

He adds: “We aim to continue to support wildland firefighters in any way that we can. US Firefighters have already started to change how they combat wildland fires and how they perform prescribed fire by leveraging our IGNIS system. We expect to expand more broadly to the worldwide market to help mitigate some of the risk of wildfires that we are seeing worldwide as the climate changes.”

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

Images from Drone Amplified

IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference 2023 announces call for papers

by Breaking NewsIFSJ ExclusivesIFSJ Leaders

Are you a senior fire and safety manager, expert, director or business owner operating in the Middle East & Africa region? If so, then we want to hear from you about the challenges you currently face in operating and managing your business – and, what solutions you seek to help make your task easier, more informed and more efficient!

Call for Papers deadline – 24th March 2023

The deadline for speaker submissions for the IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety conference is 24th March 2023. Don’t miss this opportunity to share your thoughts and views and help shape the conference topics and agenda to your own needs.

Equally, if you have experience and skills that you would like to share in order to help other professionals within the region, why not consider applying to join our fantastic line-up of speakers or indeed apply to be one of our panel experts?

The IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference 2023, held in association with MSA Safety, will bring together 100+ of the region’s senior fire and safety professionals to network and share ideas on the latest trends and developments impacting the fire and safety sectors in the Middle East. Subjects such as building safety, fire and life safety systems, airport and industrial firefighting, firefighter equipment, training, logistics, public events and more!

Contact Iain Hoey at iain.hoey@intfireandsafetyjournal.com to share your thoughts about subject matters for the conference agenda and/or to find out how you or a member of your team can share their knowledge and expertise at the event on Thursday 11 May, taking place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Dubai, UAE.

For more information about the event visit the official IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference website and subscribe to the IFSJ for all the latest updates.