Fire Service receive Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers accolade at House of Commons

by EventsPeople

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) was honoured to recently be named as one of the country’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers.

As part of the accolade, earlier this week (Tuesday 10th September) a representative from TWFRS proudly attended the House of Commons for a special lunch reception hosted by Baroness Smith, Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education for the recipients of the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers award.

The announcement by the prestigious apprenticeship index has placed Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service among highly respected public and private sector organisations. 

Over the past six years, TWFRS have successfully delivered 145 in-house and externally operated apprenticeships, with results including 122 passes and 23 distinction grades. 

The workforce areas to benefit from the varying courses have been accountancy, community safety advisors, data protection, firefighter control, heavy vehicle technicians, learning and development consultant business partners, management and operational firefighters.

Dale Howey, Head of Learning & Development at TWFRS, said: “It was an honour and a privilege to attend the House of Commons to receive our award on behalf of the Service, our apprentices and the communities that we represent and protect across Tyne and Wear.

“To be amongst the gathered representatives from the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers epitomised all of the hard work that goes on behind the scenes at TWFRS to help nurture the future generations of fire service employees.  We will use this recognition as a springboard to excel and develop for the years ahead.

“We would also like to thank all of the firefighters for their efforts in ensuring they engage with the development of the apprentices, and to the wider Learning and Development team who help to bring the programme to life.”

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service currently has 71 TWFRS employees taking part in the Apprenticeship Programme, with an additional 25 people starting in September.

The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers* celebrates England’s outstanding apprenticeship employers and helps future apprentices, parents and careers advisers to identify apprenticeship opportunities at the country’s leading employers.

*Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service were placed 88th.

Lynsey McVay, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at TWFRS, said: “We are proud as a service to receive this prestigious accolade of being named amongst the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers.

“It perfectly reflects all of the hard work delivered over the last six years as the apprenticeship scheme epitomises our investment in education and career development.  The beneficiaries of this work aren’t just the employees but their colleagues and the community which they both protect and represent.”

Every new emergency contact handler, community safety advisor and operational firefighter is enrolled on to the apprenticeship scheme. This allows them to study and develop as part of their on-the-job training once they start in their new role.

For further information about the work being delivered in the community by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, please visit www.twfire.gov.uk.

nfpa-logo

Free webinar from the Fire Protection Research Foundation

by EventsHealth and SafetyProductsSustainabilityWaste & RecyclingWaste & Recycling

The NFPA are inviting teams to participate in the next upcoming Fire Protection Research Foundation webinar, from their 2024 annual webinar series:

Scheduled for September 12th, 10 am – 11:30 am US Eastern Time on the topic of “Environmental Impact of Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents Compared to Other Types of Fires”.

The registration link to share with international interested parties is: https://nfpa-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/6217248721378/WN_rkpEqsMnQUSPhl6weH-q1A#/registration

Registrations are free and required to attend the live webinar.

New White Paper from Survitec urges reform of Methanol Fire Safety Guidelines

by Fire SuppressionPorts & MaritimeProjectsSafetySustainability

Global Survival Technology solutions provider Survitec has welcomed new guidance from classification society DNV on the fire safety arrangements for methanol-fuelled vessels but advises that more work is required before ships running on methanol can be completely fire-safe.

Findings from a Survitec study carried out earlier this year and published in the White Paper ‘Do we need new fire safety standards for methanol?’, distributed to industry for the first time at the SMM trade fair in Hamburg, Germany, confirmed existing fire-fighting methods are insufficient for methanol.

“Current water mist-based Local Application Firefighting (LAFF) arrangements, for example, had no effect on a methanol fire even after five minutes of continuous operation,” said Michał Sadzyński, Product Manager, Water Mist Systems, Survitec.”

The safety study conducted by Survitec found two factors were key to putting out a methanol engine room fire: the volume of water released under pressure and the discharge pattern of the water. This required adjustments to the water pump supply and the water mist nozzle’s spacing and placement height to achieve the right coverage to completely extinguish the fire.

“While the LAFF system is a localised first-response system that focuses on the most likely source of a fire, generally the engine, a gas-based Total Flooding solution – CO2 or Survitec 1230 Clean Agent – will also be required to cover the entirety of the machinery space,” said Sadzyński.

The firefighting foam typically used to extinguish bilge hydrocarbon fires was also found to be inadequate, even alcohol-resistant foams using conventional nozzles and water:foam ratios, leading Survitec to develop new nozzles and attachments.

These nozzle adaptors aspirate the foam, allowing it to expand within the space and to extinguish methanol, diesel, heptane and lubrication oil fires. Trials of the new nozzle also confirmed that fluorine-free alcohol-resistant foam was just as effective with the new adaptor for methanol fires as standard AFFF alcohol-resistant foams.

Maciej Nieścioruk, Product Manager, Foam and Clean Agent Systems, Survitec, said: “DNV-RU-SHIP Pt.6 provides additional guidance on the Total Flooding, Bilge Foam and Local Fire Fighting requirements for engines running on methanol. This helps clarify international guidelines under IMO’s MSC.1/Circ.1621, which many ship operators have found confusing. However, we still believe more needs to be done.”

A particular issue of concern is that international guidelines do not provide clear test protocols for alcohol-based fires. These are required, says Survitec, because the firefighting systems, foams and nozzle configurations used for hydrocarbon fires are ineffective in extinguishing alcohol-based fuel fires. As a result, system arrangements must be adapted to work for methanol fire, with system performance then tested and verified in the lab.

“Local Application Firefighting systems are not covered at all in the IMO rules, and there is no mention of any fire safety adjustments being required for the safe use of methanol (CH3OH) as a marine fuel, although some classification societies like DNV, are starting to specify additional requirements,” Nieścioruk said.

“In practice, this means that firefighting measures for methanol will largely be based on those that exist for hydrocarbon fuels, which we now know will not put out a methanol fire,” he said.

The tests carried out at the RISE Fire Research Laboratory, Trondheim, Norway, one of the world’s largest research organisations on fire, showed that for Category A Machinery Spaces, three separate systems are required to protect the ship and crew from methanol-fuelled engine fires.

The Survitec fire safety team has since been working to raise awareness of the key challenges surrounding methanol fire safety and share their findings from the safety study. They are already discussing with other class societies and shipyards how to develop comprehensive requirements covering all vessel types.

“We encourage all stakeholders to come together to address methanol’s unique fire risks and create clear standards, new testing protocols and updated safety rules for methanol to ensure we keep our vessels – and most importantly – our crews, safe”, says Sadzyński.

The Survitec White Paper ‘Do we need new fire safety standards for methanol?’ can be downloaded here Do we need new safety standards for methanol? | Survitec (survitecgroup.com)

About Survitec

Survitec is a global Survival Technology leader to the maritime, defence & government, aerospace and energy sectors. Survitec has over 3,000 employees worldwide, covering 11 manufacturing facilities and over 400 service centres. They operate in over 2,000 ports, spanning 96 countries. Survitec are the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier of liferaft, Marine Evacuation Systems (MES) and offshore rental PPE. They are a leading supplier of fire solutions to the maritime industry and hold a market leading position for Pilot Flight Equipment in the aerospace & defence market. The Survitec team live by their purpose “We Exist to Protect Lives”. Throughout its 168-year history, Survitec has remained at the forefront of innovation, design and application engineering and is the trusted name when it comes to critical safety and survival solutions. www.survitecgroup.com

9/11 – We will Never Forget

by Americas - EventsPeople

As the word reflects on 9/11, we honor the 343 brave firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice that day. Their courage, selflessness, and dedication serve as a powerful reminder of the risks first responders face daily. The events of 9/11 highlighted the unwavering commitment of the fire service to protect lives, even in the face of unimaginable danger. As we remember those we lost, we also reaffirm our pledge to carry forward their legacy – continuing to train, respond, and serve with the same bravery and resilience that defined the heroes of that day.

London fires prompt WMC’s call for enhanced building safety with fire survival cables

by ConstructionConstructionFire DetectionProducts

Wrexham Mineral Cables (WMC), a leading UK cable manufacturer, is calling for better building safety standards through the use of fire survival cables before more lives are put at risk.

WMC’s call to action comes after the recent fire in a residential tower block in Dagenham, east London, which required the evacuation of 80 people. The incident occurred just weeks after a blaze at the historic Somerset House, home to priceless artworks.

WMC says these high-profile fire events underscore the urgent need for building designers and specifiers to identify and install appropriate cables that can survive – not just resist – real-life fire scenarios.

Currently, specifiers are presented with a choice between polymeric cables and mineral insulated copper clad (MICC) cables. Due to the existing testing regime, both cable types are classed as fire-resistant, creating a misleading impression of equivalence. However, MICC cables have consistently demonstrated superior performance and proven to perform to higher safety standards in ‘real fire’ scenarios.

In 2023, WMC published a white paper outlining how cables – often an overlooked component of a building’s system –directly impact building safety. The paper advocates for the introduction of a higher classification of fire survival cable, which can continue to power critical circuits in the event of a fire.

Colin Hughes, Group Manager at WMC, commented: “Last year, the UK Government introduced stricter building regulations in England as part of new secondary legislation to implement the Building Safety Act. Sadly, recent events in London remind us that buildings of all types remain at a high risk of fire, and we must take every measure to ensure their safety.

“Fire survival cables are a vital component of building safety, yet they often remain an unrecognised hazard. Due to the lack of understanding about the important role they play in keeping buildings safe, all too often inferior cables are frequently installed, which may prove inadequate in the event of a fire. This uncertainty can only be addressed when all fire-resistant cables, regardless of size or construction, are subjected to true fire scenario tests. “At WMC, we are committed to educating the market about the advantages of specifying MICC fire survival cables.”

Zelim Unveils World’s First Unmanned Man Overboard Rescue Vessel at SMM Trade Fair

by Ports & MaritimeProductsSafetyTransportVehicles

Zelim, the Edinburgh based sea survival innovator, has officially launched the world’s first unmanned/manned remotely controlled person-in-water rescue vessel.

GUARDIAN, an 8.4m long, 2.5 wide aluminium hulled Next Generation Fast Rescue Craft (FRC), was unveiled to the international maritime industry for the first time at the SMM Trade Fair, in Hamburg, Germany.

Specifically designed for rapid deployment from a ship to recover both conscious and unconscious man-overboard casualties, the GUARDIAN FRC can operate in maritime conditions that conventional manned recovery solutions would find challenging or too dangerous to deploy.

Taking four years’ research and development, with input from the UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency and the US Coastguard GUARDIAN incorporates Zelim’s type approved SWIFT rapid rescue conveyor and ZOE, Zelim’s intelligent detection software for optimising search.

During a MOB event, GUARDIAN is instantaneously lowered into the water by way of a ship’s existing LARS davit installed at deck level.  Once in the water, an Alamarin AJ285 waterjet powered by a single Bukh VGT 400HP motor speeds the rescue vessel along at a rate of 30-plus knots towards the casualty. GUARDIAN’S range is 15nmiles with a six-hour endurance.

As it nears the person(s) in the water, the FRC lowers the integrated SWIFT and slowly heads towards the casualty who is then recovered from the water by the rescue conveyor, which is specifically designed to grip and recover immersed casualties, whilst minimising the risk to casualties from the loss of hydrostatic pressure. SWIFT can pull two survivors to safety simultaneously, minimising the risk for rescuers.

Given that about 40% of all man-overboard incidents results in fatality, with more than 1000 people falling overboard annually, the efficiency and simplicity of Zelim’s GUARDIAN in rescue missions cannot be understated. 

“Sea survival is hugely dependent on the time it takes to retrieve individuals from the water, but inclement weather can prohibit the launch of manned rescue craft and lives are needlessly lost,” said Zelim founder and innovator Sam Mayall.

“Ship crews have little time to carry out an effective rescue before maritime conditions prevent the casualty from assisting in their own rescue. When rescue vessels approach, many survivors simply don’t have the strength to pull themselves to safety. This is even more difficult when they are unconscious or unresponsive. GUARDIAN has been designed to ensure more people can be rescued in the harshest of weather conditions.”

With capacity for 11 survivors (nine if GUARDIAN deployed with a two-person crew), the lightweight FRC also benefits from AI-based person-in-water detection and alerting system.

Peter Lloyd, Zelim’s Director of Search and Rescue, said: “Speed is the key to rescuing individuals from the water before they perish. But first you must find your casualty. Sea search is notoriously difficult with human performance subject to distraction and loss of attention, especially during a prolonged search. In Zelim’s aim to develop an unmanned rescue vessel, sea search had to be automated.”

The result of Zelim’s product development was ZOE, a new software tool capable of providing instant detection and alerting of persons and objects that enter a field of view. ZOE is also capable of differentiating between a human in the water and other objects that might be present such as buoys, flotsam and jetsam.

Providing real time location information and integrated with the GUARDIAN’S navigational system, the technology allows rescuers to see what the human eye cannot with visual cues overlayed on a simple display.

While Zelim is marketing SWIFT and ZOE as standalone maritime safety and security tools, their integration with GUARDIAN demonstrates how easily the technology can mitigate the risks for both rescuer and casualty to improve the chances of MOB recovery.

“The decision to launch any rescue asset is always a balance between the risk to the rescuers and the probability of success. An unmanned, or lean manned GUARDIAN, may permit a launch in conditions beyond those normally accepted,” said Lloyd.

The FRC can operate with or without a crew, remotely, and has enhanced rescue situational awareness capability. It has the same footprint as conventional craft, and can be easily stowed and deployed using existing davits.

In addition to MOB missions, GUARDIAN can perform a variety unmanned maritime safety and security roles, including search and rescue, security patrols, standby and recovery. Zelim believes GUARDIAN should be installed on ocean-going vessels, including cruise ships, and offshore vessels and platforms, as a matter of course.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and Salvation Army Renew Welfare Partnership

by Health and SafetyPeople

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service is proud to announce the renewal of its welfare partnership with The Salvation Army.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed at Marley Park Community Fire Station representatives from both organisations. This agreement cements an invaluable relationship that has been in place for the past four years.

The memorandum ensures that the welfare of firefighters and crews, who are working on the ground at incidents, is in safe hands, as The Salvation Army helps to provide essential support in the form of on-site food and drink supplies.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Stewart Nicholson of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This vital renewed relationship with The Salvation Army is one part of the Service’s welfare package.

“The Salvation Army is a superb partner that provides essential and flexible welfare provisions at operational incidents for our operational crews. Supplies include much-needed food-on-the-ground and hydration facilities during some quite challenging situations.

“Their dedication and devotion to the community cause highly complements our diverse workforce.”

The emergencies can vary from prolonged incidents like wildfires through to relatively short-term events in the community.  But those welfare facilities will be available for all crews with the short-term duration being up to eight hours or less.  

Adrian Clee, Territorial Emergency Response Officer at The Salvation Army, said: “We think this is a real worthwhile investment as we look to work alongside Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service during what can be quite traumatic circumstances.

“We signed our first agreement just before COVID and have invested a lot of time and resources into purchasing the right vehicle to support Tyne and Wear crews when they need us the most.

“Our catering vehicle will be dispatched to major and prolonged incidents across the region with our volunteers giving out welcomed food and drink, and they can even provide support and a listening ear if needed.”

The catering vehicle based in Tyne and Wear is one of twenty-seven similar vehicles that The Salvation Army has up and down the country to support several other blue light organisations.

Phil Sowerby, Head of Operations at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: “When The Salvation Army turns up to any of our major incidents, all of the firefighters know just how important they are, as crews are always grateful to the volunteers who serve out food and hot drinks.

“The volunteers are welcome sight, especially if the firefighters have been working hard and are looking for that little bit of respite after experiencing some difficult circumstances.  The food and drink provide sustenance to keep them going throughout the incident.

“Our welfare provision is an essential element within our national operational guidance, and here in Tyne and Wear we take that very seriously. We have just invested to extensively upgrade our welfare provision for areas like sanitation and washing facilities where contaminants are involved: and the work that we are doing with The Salvation Army will help to harmonise that welfare provision.”

Over the coming weeks TWFRS officers will be receiving awareness relating to the new welfare unit and the offering being provided by The Salvation Army. This will ensure the facilities are available to fire fighters at operational incidents, training events and exercises.

For further information about the work of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, please visit our website www.twfire.gov.uk or social media platforms.

FEU Statement on Violence against First Responders

by Health and SafetyNews CategoriesPeopleSafety

The Federation of EUropean Fire Officers (FEU), a collective voice representing the interests of Fire
Officers across Europe, recently gathered at the FEU Council meeting in Birmingham, UK, to
address the escalating issue of violence and aggression against first responders.

The Federation stresses the importance of conveying a clear message that aggressive behaviour
towards aid workers is never acceptable under any circumstances.

The FEU strongly condemns the incidents of violence directed towards those on the front lines of
emergency response and expresses deep concern for the safety and well-being of our dedicated first
responders. There is an urgent need for coordinated efforts at both the national and European levels
to combat this growing threat and protect those who risk their lives to safeguard our communities.
First responders play a crucial role in ensuring public safety and providing timely assistance during
emergencies. However, it is disheartening to witness an alarming rise in violence targeting these
dedicated professionals. Such incidents not only jeopardize the safety of first responders but also
impede their ability to carry out their life-saving duties effectively.

The FEU calls upon European governments, law enforcement agencies, and the public to recognize
the severity of this issue and take immediate and decisive action to reduce violence and
mistreatment of first responders. We urge authorities to:

  • Provide comprehensive training and resources to enhance the safety and security of first
    responders in the line of duty.
  • Assist first responding agencies to invest in and use protective technology such as body
    cameras and mobile cameras
  • Launch public awareness campaigns to educate communities about the importance of
    respecting and supporting first responders.
  • It is our collective responsibility to ensure a safe working environment for those who dedicate their
    lives to protecting others. The Federation of European Fire Officers remains committed to working
    collaboratively with stakeholders to address the root causes of violence against first responders and
    to promote a safer and more secure environment for all.
    Let us give them the respect they deserve!
    For further inquiries, please contact the FEU Secretary, Mrs Anna Andersson Carlin at
    secretary@f-e-u.org

Cleveland Fire Brigade’s Chief Fire Officer Retires

by PeoplePeople

Cleveland Fire Brigade recently said goodbye to its longstanding Chief Fire Officer, Ian Hayton, after 49 years of dedicated service.

Since joining the Brigade in 1975, when it was known as Cleveland County Fire Brigade, Ian has served his entire career in Cleveland where he has been committed to building safer and stronger communities. Over the years Ian brought his expertise to strategic and operational Incident Command, risk management, fire safety, HR, health & safety, performance management, and much more.

Ian, who has served as Chief Fire Officer since 2009, reflected on his career, saying: “It has been an absolute honour and privilege to serve the people and communities of Cleveland Fire Brigade for the past 49 years. The sense of pride I have felt throughout this journey is immense. The Brigade is an exceptional and professional organisation, with a dedicated team committed to safeguarding the people of Teesside. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me, both personally and professionally throughout my career.”

After a special ceremony which included a personalised cake, banners and bunting, the Chair of Cleveland Fire Authority, Councillor David Coupe said: “On behalf of the Fire Authority I would like to wish Ian a long and healthy retirement and thank him for the immeasurable value he has given to our communities throughout his service with the Brigade. It has been a pleasure working alongside Ian and his knowledge, passion and professionalism has always been at the heart of everything he does.”   

Alongside his role as CFO, Ian is a Graduate member of the Institution of Fire Engineers and was also the UK National Fire Chief’s Council Chair for the Health and Wellbeing Committee, supporting services, firefighters, and service personnel across the nation in the promotion, prevention, support, and treatment of physical and mental health.

On behalf of everyone at Cleveland Fire Brigade, we would like to say a huge thank you to Ian for his decades of dedicated service to the Brigade. Ian’s commitment has made an enormous difference to not only the Brigade but the communities we proudly serve and his leadership and presence will be deeply missed by all of us.

Peter Rickard has been appointed the new Chief Fire Officer and will continue to guide the Brigade on its journey to providing the best prevention, protection, and emergency response for the communities of Cleveland Fire Brigade.

“Grief, anger and vindication” – FBU responds to the Grenfell Tower public inquiry

by ConstructionFire SuppressionNews Categories

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry has published its final report.  

Responding to the report, Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said:  

“Today is a sobering reminder of the tragic deaths of 72 people, and the deep scar that the Grenfell Tower fire has left on the community. The FBU shares the grief and anger of the bereaved, survivors and residents, and we call for justice for those who were killed by this entirely preventable fire.  

“The FBU has always argued that the fire was the result of decades of failure by central government to regulate the building industry – the prioritisation of private profit over human life.  

“This report completely vindicates that position, demonstrating beyond doubt that an agenda of deregulation cost lives. Construction companies gamed the system to maximise their profits. A system of semi-privatised building control put commercial interests ahead of regulatory duties.  

“Firefighters and fire control staff were put in an impossible position, forced to respond to a fire in a high rise building effectively wrapped in petrol.  Again and again, residents and firefighters warned of the dangers of combustible cladding but were ignored.  

“The FBU is still digesting the report’s recommendations, but the government must go further than what is set out in this report. The deregulation of recent decades must be comprehensively reversed. The systems for delivering building safety must be brought under public ownership and must be given the resources they need. 

“The lessons of the Grenfell Tower fire are relevant to fire and rescue services across the UK. To implement them, we need national standards set by a statutory advisory body on fire policy, giving a voice to firefighters and control staff and drawing on the best expert advice.  

“Seven years on from this horrific event, our thoughts and solidarity are with the victims of the fire.”