Posts in category: People

The Metropolitan “Metro” Fire Chiefs Association Board of Directors has unanimously voted to rename their annual Lifetime Achievement Award the “Russell E. Sanders Lifetime Achievement Award” in recognition of Sanders’ leadership and continuous contributions to Metro Chiefs and the international fire service. Metro Chiefs is a section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Metro Chiefs President John Lane, the fire and paramedic chief in Winnipeg, Canada, lauded Sanders for his vision, passion, and energy. “Metro Chiefs is an organization of chiefs from the largest fire organizations in the world. Russ has collaborated with authorities from North America to South America to Europe to Australia, and spent every waking moment dedicated to the Metro Chiefs organization and our mission,” Lane said. “There is no more fitting recognition of his more than 34 years of service to the Metro Chiefs organization than to name this award after him.”

The Russell E. Sanders Lifetime Achievement Award is granted to an individual who has demonstrated a long history of accomplishments and contributions to the Metro Chiefs organization, as well as contributions to fire safety, in general. Honorees demonstrate leadership and have overcome workplace challenges. 

Sanders spent 27 years in the Louisville, Kentucky fire department, serving his last nine years as chief of the department. He joined the National Fire Protection Association in 1995 and has served as Executive Secretary of the Metro Chiefs since then. Sanders has a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Master of Education degree, and a Master of Science degree from the University of Louisville. He is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and Harvard University’s Senior Executive in State and Local Government Program.

Sanders has received many of the highest honors in the fire and emergency services including the rank of Fellow in the Institution of Fire Engineers (highest grade offered); the Everett E. Hudiburg Award from the International Fire Service Training Association; induction into the 2018 National Fire Heritage Center’s Hall of Legends, Legacies and Leaders; and the Mason Langford Fire Service Leadership Award by the Congressional Fire Services Institute for exemplary leadership in public safety. He also co-authored the first edition of Structural Fire Fighting: Strategy and Tactics in 2000 and a second edition in 2008.

Sanders will retire from his Metro Chiefs role and his NFPA career at the end of 2021.

Industrial fire detection specialist Patol has further extended its team with the announcement of the appointment of Jan Jaglarz as an Internal Sales Engineer.

33-year-old Jan joins the business at its Reading based UK head office to strengthen the sales and support for Patol customers seeking fire safety solutions in a wide range of applications. The appointment also sees the promotion of Stuart Glazbrook to the position of Regional Sales Engineer.

Commenting on the appointment, Iain Cumner, Patol Sales Director, said “last year was one of the most successful for us against what is obviously a difficult backdrop for business in general. To continue to grow and develop we recognise the importance of investment, both in product development and in personnel. We welcome Jan on board. He will be primarily office based, liaising with customers, while Stuart will now be more focused on external sales, including identifying opportunities and new business potential.”

Jan joins Patol with a background as an Internal Account Manager in the electrical services supply chain. He said – “I am really looking forward to the new challenge, particularly working with customers to develop fire safety system solutions with our dedicated design software.”

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is shining a light on the work of women across Fire and Rescue Services.

This year, the Council are running the ‘Choose to Challenge’ campaign, and NFCC Chair Roy Wilsher is urging everyone to consider the fire service as a career.

Mr Wilsher commented: “We have seen an increase in the number of female firefighters which is encouraging but we must all ‘choose to challenge’. We need to move away from the stereotypes which sadly still exist when it comes to the role of a firefighter.

“As we can all see from stories being shared today, there are so many inspirational and hardworking women across the UK FRS. If seeing these examples can encourage more women to see how they could do the job, have a career they could thrive in and apply, we are on the road to success.

“The past 12 months alone have seen firefighters and support staff undertake a wide-range of work to support communities during the pandemic. COVID does not recognise gender and the FRS response to it doesn’t either; helping those who need assistance is what is important to our staff.

“We see services across the country carrying out innovative recruitment campaigns which is helping to drive this forward. We want to make sure all sections of society know the benefits of being part of our fire family. It is not a job ‘for the boys’, it really is a job for all.

“We have a dedicated work programme which solely focuses on people. A key driver of this work is to ensure the UK FRS is attracting the best talent and getting the message out there that being a firefighter isn’t hindered by gender, race or backgrounds.

“NFCC would like to see more progress in regard of the number of both female firefighters and those from ethnic minorities; the numbers are still far from good enough.”

The latest Home Office statistics (April 1^st 2019-31 March 2020), show that number of female firefighters now make up seven per cent of the workforce, compared to 6.4 per cent last year. It is encouraging that for the second year running this is not due to a decrease in the number of male firefighters (due to retirement or finding other work).

International Women’s Day has occurred for well over a century with the first gathering held in 1911. Women have played an essential role within the fire service since 1938 and by the end of Second World War, more than 90,000 women had joined both the auxiliary and national fire service.  

DITEK, the leading provider of surge protection and network solutions, is pleased to announce the promotion of Wendy Gattis to Chief Executive Officer.

“Over the past 17 years Wendy has gained experience at all levels of the company and is well prepared to lead DITEK into its next era of success,” says Robert McIntyre, Founder of DITEK Corporation. “We are thrilled to see her take on this important role.”

Ms. Gattis joined the company in 2003 as the Director of Marketing Services, leveraging her experience in electronic component sales and supply chain solutions. Over the next 13 years she continued her ascension through the company, serving as Controller and Chief Financial Officer. In 2016, Ms. Gattis became Chief Operating Officer, continuing to build her leadership expertise and managing the day-to-day operations of the business.

“This company has been, and continues to be, a fantastic place to build my career and the best possible professional home,” said Ms. Gattis. “I look forward to continuing the DITEK legacy of producing high-quality surge protection, UPS, and networking devices that exceed customer requirements and expectations.”

Leading European-based fire detection manufacturer, Global Fire Equipment (GFE), has appointed Sudeep Dalvi as Technical Support Engineer to cater for the company’s growing customer base in the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, South East Asia and the Middle East.

In his new role as Technical Support Engineer, Sudeep will be responsible for providing advanced technical support for GFE’s partners’ installation and service teams, developing and delivering technical training, as well as writing technical specifications for GFE’s product ranges and strengthening the company’s existing pre- and post-sales technical support for customers in these key regions.

Sudeep has extensive experience in the fire detection industry having worked across project planning, installation, commissioning and maintenance roles for two leading international suppliers to the fire detection industry.

Based in Mumbai, India, Sudeep will report to Vikrant Patil, GFE’s Regional Director for India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. 

Paul Pope, Global Fire Group’s Business Development Director Worldwide, comments: “We are delighted to welcome Sudeep to the company. His vast experience in providing technical support for fire detection solutions across commercial, industrial and marine sectors make him ideally placed to further strengthen our offering for both existing and new customers in India, Sri Lanka, South East Asia and the Middle East, all of which are strategically important regions for GFE.”

Commenting on his role, Sudeep adds: “It’s an exciting time to be joining GFE as the company has a very strong product offering and is experiencing substantial growth. There are a number of large-scale projects in the pipeline in the regions I’ll be covering, so I know my skillset and technical expertise will add value as these projects come to fruition.  I’m very much looking forward to this exciting challenge and collaborating with my new colleagues at GFE.”  

For further information on Global Fire, please visit www.globalfire-equipment.com/.

Ajax Systems, a leading European developer and manufacturer of professional security systems, has appointed a Regional Sales Director to enhance the influence in the Northern Europe market and develop the local team.

Michael Hygild is an experienced sales professional with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. He has experience in building up the security-related organization, channel and reseller networks, and was nominated as Sales Excellence of the Year by Business Denmark in 2020.

Michael joins Ajax as the head of the Northern Europe sales team and will work towards its dynamic growth and development. He will strengthen the Ajax team starting from March 1st.

Michael Hygild, Regional Sales Director for Northern Europe at Ajax Systems said: “Ajax Systems is the most interesting company in the intrusion market. The company’s vision and plans of how to build a product that is state-of-the-art technology and software that is customer-focused is something I find very motivating to work with. Ajax’s willingness to invest and go deeper into the local markets is a very important part too.

“I bring a background of working in reseller, distribution and manufacturer, which enables me to understand all aspects of the supply chain. I have been part of building an organization from scratch at a global manufacturer, and believe I will interpret a corporate strategy into a local approach.”

Aleksandr Konotopskyi, CEO at Ajax Systems added: “For Ajax, Northern Europe is one of the key markets, and therefore we’re striving to increase our presence there. Michael is a great professional, and we believe he will help Ajax explore this major market deeper. We also plan to build a full-fledged local team there, so you will certainly hear about many new appointments in this region soon.”

Ajax Systems officially entered the Northern Europe market in 2016. Since then, it became one of the top 10 focus markets for the company. Ajax alarms are of particular interest to this market due to their high quality, neat design and wireless connectivity.

Last year Ajax was chosen to protect a UNESCO World Heritage site in Norway. In cooperation with Elotec, a Norwegian distributor of security systems and manufacturer of wired fire alarms, the company won a tender from the municipality of Bergen for the supply of a wireless fire security system. Wireless Ajax detectors will provide an opportunity to protect the city center without disturbing the interior of the buildings.

People from some of the most disadvantaged parts of London are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine thanks to London Fire Brigade (LFB). The brigade have committed mobile shelters so doctors can access densely populated areas where residents have limited access to transport routes.

The all-weather mass decontamination units – normally used at chemical incidents – have their own lighting and heating and can be set up anywhere within an hour. Brigade vehicles have also been adapted to become mobile lateral flow testing and vaccination centres and firefighters will be on hand to give socially distanced fire safety advice.

LFB Working with faith leaders

LFB have also joined forces with the Covid Crisis Rescue Foundation to bring the vaccine to large groups of vulnerable people who are without access to vaccination hubs.

As part of the move, LFB have identified five fire stations and buildings across the capital as potential vaccination hubs. London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe said: “At every stage of this pandemic my staff have stepped up and used their skills, knowledge and compassion to help. The latest in a long list of initiatives that London Fire Brigade has put in place to support Londoners during Covid-19. Currently 185 firefighters are driving ambulances and since April they have attended more than 110,000 incidents alongside a medically trained practitioner.

“They have also helped to deliver 20 million pieces of vital PPE to social care providers and fire crews have brought medicine and food to London’s most vulnerable. Now we are ready, willing and able to assist in the largest vaccination process this country has ever seen. We are experts in getting fire safety information to hard to reach groups so we jumped at the chance to help Covid Crisis Rescue Foundation vaccinate more Londoners.

“Fire stations are strategically placed across London, trusted, safe and at the heart of our community. Londoners can be proud of the work their fire service has provided to support their communities during this most testing of times.

“Londoners can be proud that their fire service is stepping up and prepared under clinical guidance to administer the vaccine and increasing the roll out so we can combat Covid-19 sooner.”

Throughout the pandemic, LFB have helped assist the fight against COVID-19. Over 150 LFB staff are working with London Ambulance Service to boost their emergency response.

The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) have condemned the “senseless” attack on one of its on-duty firefighters. The firefighter was attacked with a glass bottle while attending an incident at Duncairn Gardens, Belfast.

A NIFRS Spokesperson said: “Unfortunately one of our Firefighters was injured when he and his colleagues came under attack while responding to an incident in Duncairn Gardens, Belfast just before 6.30pm yesterday (24 February).

“One Appliance from Whitla Fire Station had responded to reports of pallets being burned and they were forced to withdraw when they came under attack. One Firefighter received a cut to his face after a glass bottle was thrown at him. Thankfully he did not need to attend hospital and was able to finish his shift. I commend him and all his colleagues involved for their professionalism. NIFRS will make sure crews receive any wellbeing support necessary.

“Senseless attacks like this are incredibly disappointing. This is the third time already this year that Firefighters have been attacked in Belfast. Every time someone attacks our Firefighters, they are making their own community, their own families, less safe.

“We know that the people who do this are a small minority and we appreciate the overwhelming support we receive from the community. We will continue working closely with community groups, statutory agencies and elected representatives to try and prevent attacks like this happening again.”

Thirty-eight years of distinguished service, Donley Frederickson, Rosenbauer America’s Consortium Purchasing Manager, announced his retirement. Donley’s last day is Friday, February 26, 2021.

Donley began his career with former Central States Fire Apparatus, now known as Rosenbauer South Dakota, in 1982 as one of the company’s very first employees. Prior to joining Rosenbauer, Donley held positions in a variety of fields including maintenance, sales, and Army & National Guard recruiter amongst many others.

Of his 38 dedicated years, Donley spent 25 of them as the National Sales Manager for Rosenbauer America, a position he held until 2016. Since then, Donley established Rosenbauer’s consortium purchasing department. Donley was instrumental in growing Rosenbauer’s dealer network, industry relations, and creating the company’s consortium purchasing processes.

Reflecting on the last last four decades, Donley regards the relationships with fellow employees, dealers, fire chiefs, and departments as some of his most valued memories. He is grateful to the Boer and Heiman families for the opportunity to pursue a career in sales that became his passion, and to the many fire departments that supported him throughout his career.

Donley plans to spend more time with his family, friends, and new puppy, Molly, in retirement in Lyon, SD, where he and his wife, Nita, have happily lived for 40 years.

“Thank you to everyone I got to meet along the way, the life-long friendships, and relationships with countless departments. It was a fulfilling career, one that I loved, and one that I will miss,” said Donley.

Fire protection solutions company Advanced, has appointed Amanda Hope as the new UK Fire Business Manager

Over the past 20 years, Amanda has helped implement Advanced’s fire protection solutions at some of the UK’s most prestigious and high-profile sites, including the London Underground, the Natural History Museum and the Shard.

In her new role as UK Fire Business Development Manager, Amanda will focus on driving the business’s growth strategy in a number of priority sectors by increasing specification of Advanced’s fire panel solutions as well as its cloud-connected product offering, AdvancedLive

Amanda Hope, UK Fire Business Development Manager, said: “Having been responsible for managing customer accounts and growing business in the South East of England over the past two decades, it’s clear to me that our customers have a great appreciation for the Advanced brand, and trust our products’ abilities to deliver versatile, high-performance and dependable fire protection.

“Advanced has a tremendous track record in producing some of the most innovative and highest quality solutions on the market thanks to our industry-leading R&D and UK manufacturing teams. As I move into my new role, I look forward to introducing new customers to our range of fire and life safety systems, as well as working with new and existing partners to grow and develop our range of cloud-connected solutions, set to transform the way users manage and maintain their fire systems.”

AdvancedLive is the fire system manufacturer’s cloud-based remote management offering that will provide fire system users much more convenient real-time access to and control of their fire protection, wherever they happen to be, saving time, money and offering greater convenience.

Gary Craig, Sales and Marketing Director at Advanced, said: “In her 20-year career at Advanced, Amanda’s technical expertise and in-depth understanding of our customers’ challenges has won the business some of its most high-profile projects. As UK Fire Business Development Manager, Amanda will bring her wide-ranging experience to increasing the specification of our products across sectors where we have existing strengths, as well as in new areas where our products can improve levels of fire protection for people and property.”

Advanced, owned by FTSE 100 company Halma PLC, protects a wide range of prestigious and high-profile sites across the globe – from London’s Shard and 22 Bishopsgate to Abu Dhabi International Airport and Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia.

Halma is a global group of life-saving technology companies with a clear purpose to grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. Advanced’s reputation for performance, quality and ease of use see its products specified in locations around the world, from single-panel installations to large, multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multiprotocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging, false alarm management and reduction solutions as well as emergency lighting.