Evolution installs fire system at Edinburgh’s JWPS

by Featured NewsFire DetectionProductsProjects

Evolution has installed a customised fire and security solution the at Johnnie Walker Princes Street (JWPS) in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Princess Street is frequented by several hundred thousand visitors annually on an immersive journey through the 200-year history. The street is known for its food and beverage, pubs, and bars. The JWPS experience is hosted across eight floors of the transformed landmark building in the Scottish capital. It features the 1820 rooftop bar, with views across the city and The Label Studio, which hosts a number of live events and performances throughout the year.

JWPS is owned by Diageo a global firm in beverage alcohol with more than 200 brands. Diageo appointed FES Group to tender for the fire and security system, and FES in turn recommended and appointed Evolution to manage the bespoke system’s design and installation.

Evolution’s solution comprises a complete fire detection and alarm system, including disabled refuge systems for emergency evacuation. The security system includes access control, CCTV, intrusion detection and an intelligent International Communications (InterComms) system which enables live communications with an infinite number of doors/master stations with no distance limitations, and can be fully integrated with other IP-based systems.

The fire and security systems are fully networked and integrated into a front-end graphics system that enables Diageo’s on-site security staff to monitor and manage all system components in a single platform. The platform has been specifically designed to protect against cyber-threats. This solution has archiving and failover technologies that provide business continuity across a variety of outages.

John Baillie, head of UK sales, Evolution, said: “JWPS is one of Edinburgh’s most popular attractions, located in a prestigious location and its status as a listed building meant we had to be mindful of a number of potential risks and structural restrictions. From the initial drawings and design phase, through to the commissioning of the new systems, we are proud to have been involved in this project, delivering a complete fire and security system tailored to meet the specific needs of the client.”

US officials stress importance of fire hydrant inspections

by Breaking NewsProjects

Local authorities and fire officials in the city of Syracuse, New York are stressing the importance of fire hydrant checks months after a fire at Destiny USA called for a major response.

Two of the closest hydrants were not pumping water when the fire broke out on the roof of one of the biggest malls in America last December, CNY reported.

Joseph Awald, Commissioner of the Syracuse Water Department says fire hydrants are inspected annually. The hydrants in that fire were not maintained by the city, unlike the street-based ones that are usually maintained by the city.

There are reportedly 5,506 hydrants in the city, checking hydrants takes time as they are inspected thoroughly. Central the water department checks the caps, chains, operating nuts and more, Awald told CNY

While the city water department oversees hydrant inspections and replacements, the Syracuse Fire Department is responsible for clearing the area around hydrants.

Syracuse Fire Chief John Kane said clearing hydrants is especially high maintenance in the winter and after snowstorms, which can be a time-consuming exercise.

Kane has also called residents to help shovel out hydrants near their homes, which will help the fire department significantly. However, the fire chief, said residents should refrain from checking whether hydrants are working, stressing to leave that work to the professionals.

In addition, locals and residents have been urged to call the water department in the event of visible leaks or damage on +1 (315) 448-8238.

Firefighters to engage public on fire safety campaign plan

by Featured NewsPeopleProjectsSafety

Philippines: A ranking official of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) on Tuesday said firefighters will continue to engage the community to make the residents feel safe and secure from fires and any forms of man-made and natural calamities.

In his speech, chief Supt. Felixberto Abrenica, BFP director for operations, said bureau personnel should be visible to the public even beyond March of each year when the entire country is celebrating Fire Prevention Month.

Abrenica is in Cebu, the country’s to lead the Central Visayas version of the simultaneous kick-off ceremony of the Fire Prevention Month 2022 with the theme “Sa Pag-iwas sa Sunog Hindi Ka Nag-iisa”, held at the BFP-Region 7 headquarters on N. Bacalso Avenue here.

“I encourage you to be more visible in your communities. Initiate programmes and activities that would make the public feel safe and secure,” Abrenica said, reading the message of BFP chief, director Louie Puracan, urging firefighters in the region to interact with schools, children, and other civic leaders in initiating fire safety programmes and activities, and train them for emergency response.

Senior Supt. Mary Joy Candelario, BFP-7 deputy regional director for operations, said during the kick-off programme ensuring safety during fires is a responsibility of everyone, not only the personnel of the BFP.

“We are dreaming (that) to fight against fire is no longer a fight of the bureau but the fight of every Filipino, of every Cebuano, Boholano, Negrosanon, and Siquijodnon. Let us altogether work hand in hand to practice fire safety, take part, and be cautious in preventing unwanted fire incidents and always remember that the key to fire prevention is awareness and vigilance,” she said.

As the BFP modernization law mandated innovation and transformation of the agency, Puracan signed Memorandum Circular 2022-003 as guidelines in institutionalizing the bureau-wide Fire Prevention Month campaign.

The BFP’s flagship contingency planning model called community fire protection plan directed every fire station in the region to choose a target barangay under its area of responsibility where they can conduct hazard evaluation, hazard elimination, and tactical defense.

In this programme, the barangay will be guided in creating a community hazard map, a detailed guide for the exit routes, evacuation routes, and predetermined evacuation areas when any form of emergency strikes.

The 2,354-strong BFP-7 reported 1,891 fires in 2019 with damage pegged at PHP257.4 million, with smoking, open flame from rubbish, bonfire to structural fire as main causes.

But the figures dropped during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

In 2020, the agency recorded 918 fires with PHP231.3 million value of the damage, with electrical ignition as the main cause.

It further decreased in 2021 with only 905 fires but pegged a higher value of the damage at PHP335.5 million, with electrical ignition caused by arcing as the main reason.

Lack of domestic smoke alarms in UK causing fatalities

by ActiveBuilding ManagementFeatured NewsFire DetectionIndustry SectorsProductsProjects

In research presented by BAFE and NAPIT, data collated over the last decade (2010-11 to 2020-21) in England, Wales, and Scotland record an unsettling 424,464 dwelling fires.

These fires resulted in almost 82,000 non-fatal casualties and close to 3,000 deaths. In more recent statistics made available by Fire and Rescue Services nationwide, there is an ongoing issue with high failure rates or a complete absence of domestic smoke alarms.

In England alone, during 2020 / 2021, there was a 28% failure rate of smoke alarms (i.e. that failed to operate or were not present). This failure rate rises to 39% in Scotland and increasing even further to half of all fires (50%) in Wales.

The ‘Fire Kills’ campaign from the UK government states: “You are around 8 times more likely to die from a fire if you don’t have a working smoke alarm in your home”. Both BAFE and NAPIT have stressed the paramount importance of having suitable life safety systems in place.

Provisional data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities reports close to 176,000 new build dwellings were started in England alone during the previous 12 months from year ending 2021 (July-September). It is of key importance that the housing development sector complies with Building Regulations and relevant Approved Documents when providing appropriate domestic fire detection and alarm systems. These must be installed by competent contractors.

In August last year, BAFE launched its latest competency scheme with NAPIT, called DS301. This provides a route for contractors to demonstrate their competence to design, install, commission, and maintain Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises. This supports appropriate British Standards and working best practice, most notably the latest iteration of BS 5839-6 (Code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises).

Justin Maltby-Smith, managing director BAFE, said: “This information clearly outlines that it is extremely important that any work on Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems is performed in compliance with the appropriate current regulatory and competency documents available. Having suitable systems in place will aid in alerting residents as quickly as possible, allowing for a safer evacuation and providing emergency services more time to mitigate any damage. The housing sector has a great responsibility to use competent contractors, which is why the BAFE DS301 Scheme was developed, and it will clearly help in evidencing this competency. We must not lose focus that these are people’s homes, and they should feel safe and be confident in the systems installed.”

Frank Bertie, chief technical officer, NAPIT added: “These statistics show the risk to life posed by fire is a real threat. NAPIT are proud to be leading the way with the introduction of the new DS301 Scheme with BAFE to provide homeowners, house builders, management companies and specifiers with confidence that the contractor they use is appropriately qualified, competent, and assessed.  Registered members on the NAPIT DS301 Scheme have demonstrated their competency to deliver design, installation, commissioning and/or maintenance works for Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises. Correctly installed fire detection systems help save lives and must be considered a priority in all homes.”

Authorities knew dangers of cladding that caused Grenfell tower fire

by Breaking NewsProjects

Long before the Grenfell Tower fire, a senior official has admitted that the government knew the folies of the cladding used in the building.

The official, reported The Guardian, knew that plastic-filled cladding panels burned “fast and fierce”, 15 years before the incident. It was also known that these sort claddings weren’t suited to be used in tall buildings.

Anthony Burd, the principal fire safety professional and later head of technical policy in the government’s building regulations division from 2000 to 2013, denied there was a cover-up.

The tests revealed a “catastrophic” failure in the cladding panels, with flames reaching 20 metres into the air within five minutes.

Similar panels went on to be used on more than 400 high-rise blocks, including Grenfell, where they were the main cause of the spread of the fire on 14 June 2017 that killed 72 people.

Burd said the results should have been published but denied that this did not happen because the government feared it would trigger “an immediate cladding crisis” and was afraid of the response of the companies who made the materials.

The inquiry is focusing on how combustible insulation foams and aluminium composite panels (ACM) filled with a plastic core that burns like petrol came to be allowed on Grenfell and thousands of other homes. It has already heard how Arconic, which made the combustible panels on Grenfell, targeted the UK market for sales of its most combustible polyethylene-filled panels because of less stringent requirements.

Kentec’s K-Mesh wireless system installed on 1,000-year Chester Cathedral

by Featured NewsFire DetectionProductsProjects

K-Mesh, a wireless fire detection technology from Kentec Electronics, has managed to tackle several challenges enroute its successful installation at the historic Chester Cathedral.

Brad Parker, founder of Charles Thomas Heritage Fire Protection, was tasked with specifying and upgrading the wireless fire detection system previously installed in the Cathedral. The thick walls and lead-lined roofs and the other challenges that come with a building that can trace its roots back to 1093, meant Brad had to think outside the box. 

He opted for Kentec’s K-Mesh system, a technology that uses self-healing and configuring mesh technology. It also makes it easy to use, install and commission – and ultimately provides robust assurance that fire incidents are detected and communicated immediately. It is available as part of a complete fire detection system with Kentec-manufactured panels, such as the Syncro AS panel and in this case the Taktis panel.

A wireless translator module, which sits at the centre of the K-Mesh system, is hard-wired to the fire alarm control panel loop and communicates continuously with the wireless devices. Sensors are supplied in three variants: optical; thermal; and multi-criteria, with the optical and multi-criteria sensors featuring adaptive signal processing and double dust traps to prevent false alarms. Thermal detectors can respond to a fixed temperature threshold or detect a rate of rise in temperature. Wireless sounders, call points and testing kits are also available within the range.   

K-Mesh has a seven-to-ten-year battery life, which is approximately twice that of the industry standard. The technology is also fully expandable, and configurable from anything from two to 2,000 devices. Further capabilities include a communication range of up to 1,200 metres and immunity to hacking.   

Due to the size of Chester Cathedral, many expanders were needed, and with the K-Mesh system, each expander has up to 5 redundancy paths which connects to the strongest expander, creating the mesh. Even the dead spots in the cathedral can communicate with the strongest radio signal expander within its area, so in case of an emergency, every corner of the building is covered. 

“With the latest mesh technology, rather than one expander we can have three, four or even five redundancy paths and the signal connects itself automatically to the strongest expander to create the mesh,” Parker explained. 

Byronn Alty, operations manager, Charles Thomas Heritage Fire Protection said: “We went to what we would believe would be the dead spots within the cathedral and low and behold the device started communicating with the strongest radio signal expander within its area. I would look at the drawings and thought it would communicate with expander one, and yet the device ends up linking to expander two.”

A further benefit to the mesh technology is that it is plug and play: “The cathedral has an outbuilding with an old bell tower so there needed to be a link between the two. This was an initial design challenge for us to think how we were going to get radio over there, but the new wireless mesh is just plug and play and it was just great to see it working,” Alty added.

Kevin Swann, managing director, Kentec Electronics said: “We are pleased and excited about our new K-Mesh system and seeing it installed in such an important landmark is an honour and confirmation of our best practice. It is fast to install and less invasive to a building’s structure and all of us here at Kentec are committed to helping protect our heritage buildings and assets of national importance.”

London development installs 2,000 Hyfire wireless devices

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More than 2,000 Hyfire wireless devices have been installed across four towers in a London development. The project was completed with installers Gemini AMPM and property management firm FirstPort.

With up to 25 floors, the Elektron Tower, Proton Tower, Neutron Tower and Switch Tower are located on the banks of the Thames in Tower Hamlets, comprising 497 apartments in total. With fire system upgrades required outside the normal schedule of improvements to the buildings, wireless was an obvious choice, helping to limit time on site and reducing impact on the fabric of the building.

Jamie Dawson, director, Gemini AMPM, said: “With the requirement to install the upgraded system in an occupied buildings, wireless was the obvious choice, and Hyfire wireless devices are the best in the business. The original schedule to install the 2,000 individual detectors, call points, sounders and other wireless devices was six weeks, but we managed it in four thanks to the ability to pre-programme devices offsite and install them in minutes, with around 90% less cabling required.

“Our installers worked with the Hyfire team, who helped us to pinpoint the exact number of devices required and where they should be located. The onsite property managers from FirstPort helped facilitated us working across the four buildings and liaised with residents, ensuring we could gain access to 99% of apartments within the four-week schedule.”

Taurus is a completely new range of high-performance wireless detection, control and alarm devices, based on a new protocol that offers unprecedented capabilities, quality and reliability. The range is fully certified to EN54 and fully compliant with BS5839 Part 1.

Standard addressable or conventional fire panels are wired via a loop to translators, from which wireless devices can be used on their own to build fully wireless systems of virtually any size or mixed with Hyfire wired products to provide seamless hybrid solutions, offering total flexibility to specifiers and installers.

Ollie Murray, regional sales manager at Hyfire said: “Since the launch of Taurus earlier in 2021, more and more installers have been discovering the benefits that wireless fire devices can offer. This is just one example of a project where fire system installations are made simpler and quicker, which is particularly beneficial in situations where buildings remain occupied. Whereas the upfront cost of the unit may be a little higher, the savings on running wiring loops and making good after are also considerable, so the cost/benefit analysis in favour of using wireless is highly favourable, and that’s before you even consider the other benefits.

The Taurus range includes all devices required to build a fully wireless commercial fire system, including optical, multi-criteria and heat detectors, manual call points, wall sounders, sounder bases, and output/input modules. The Taurus translator can process up to 128 devices, with expanders that can extend the range of the system by up to 1km in open air. This effectively means that the scale of the system is limited only by the number of devices that the fire panel can handle. Tony Ulasi, development manager at FirstPort, said: “Installing a new fire system across these four landmark towers is a huge operation. We needed to work closely with a trusted supplier that could provide a cost-effective solution, whilst going above and beyond to minimise disruption to our tenants during the pandemic. From the beginning of the project Gemini AMPM ticked all the boxes – from product selection, to design, to installation. As a result, we have been able to prioritise safety, whilst achieving considerable cost savings.”

West Midlands strengthen incident response with real-time data receiver tech

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West Midlands Fire Service and West Midlands Ambulance Service will implement data-receiver technology to enhance situational awareness, improve collaborative working across services, and assist incident resolution.

The authority is using the radio frequency technology supplied by Enterprise Control Systems (ECS).

The West Midlands emergency services will integrate ECS’s portable monitoring terminal, Handyview, onto command vehicles and in control centres to gain instant access to encrypted audio and video footage of live incidents transmitted via ECS video link equipment, Evenlode Airborne Data Link (ADL) – fitted on the National Police Air Service’s (NPAS) fleet of nineteen helicopters and four aeroplanes.

Gaining real-time access to this intelligence improves decision-making and ensures a faster more collaborative response to critical incidents such as large-scale and industrial fires, flooding, road traffic collisions, monitoring crowds at large events, and aiding the search for missing people.

West Midlands is one of the first regions in the UK to adopt this capability. The contract comes as a natural progression to the services’ advanced technological capabilities and is testimony to their ongoing commitment to innovation which helps to ensure the safety of communities, firefighters, and paramedics. It also follows the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry report, which highlighted the importance of access to NPAS footage to help teams on the ground effectively coordinate and respond to major emergencies.

Handyview complements both services’ existing drone capabilities and ensures crews can access live intelligence even when their drones can’t fly – for example, during poor weather conditions. Handyview will improve commanders’ situational awareness, allowing them to make better-informed operational decisions.

Marc Haysey, managing director, Enterprise Control Systems said: “This announcement represents an important next step in how the West Midlands emergency services – and the industry as a whole – are continually seeking to improve their multi-agency communications and collaborative response to incidents. At ECS we’re proud to design and manufacture equipment that’s already being deployed by air and ground teams, facilitating access to crucial data that empowers them to continue performing the essential task of protecting our communities and saving lives.”

Colin Waite, UK Police business development manager at Enterprise Control Systems said: “The ability to receive live high-quality video and data has always been key for the security and emergency organisations we work with. Now with more collaborative and joint operations, not only is it essential to have interoperable voice communications, but the ability to share situational awareness information which will be key in being able to resolve incidents efficiently and safely.”

Richard Moore, group commander, West Midlands Fire Service said: “We’re really excited to be linking up with our ambulance and police colleagues for this downlink project. It’s the latest innovation in our drive to keep our communities safe with a digital and data-driven approach. We’ve been trialling our own drones for a year, so appreciate how an aerial dimension can complement our work on the ground. The NPAS partnership will help our decision-making as we bring incidents to a safe resolution.”

Cameron McVittie, tactical incident commander, West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “Learning from incidents is at the forefront of our command development as an organisation, and the addition of the airborne Data Link into our command toolbox will be a fantastic asset to ensure that as a multi-agency command team we can make the best decisions to keep our patients and staff safe at incidents such as water rescue, fires or terrorist attacks.”

Improvements approved for Isle of Wight fire stations

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Fire stations across the Isle of Wight are to set to recevie improvements to the tune of £1.7m. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority (HIWFRA) approved the spending at a meeting last week.

The money follows on from a £1.1m investment in its Isle of Wight estate in 2021 (Phase one improvements) which saw the Island’s 10 stations fitted out with new and improved vehicle exhaust extraction kits and upgraded fire alarm systems.

Following the Fire Authority’s decision to invest further, all 10 sites will now receive electrical infrastructure updates and surveys to bring the stations in line with those in Hampshire.

Other work will include:

• Roof replacements at Newport, Cowes, Bembridge, Ventnor and Freshwater
• Kitchen upgrades at Ryde, Newport, Bembridge, Sandown, Shanklin and Freshwater, to make life better for our colleagues and attract partner agencies to these locations
• The appliance bay door at Shanklin will be upgraded
• A four-bed dormitory and bathroom will be created at Bembridge, providing accommodation for colleagues travelling to the Island, at no cost to HIWFRS

Rhydian Vaughan, Councillor and chairman of HIWFRA, said: “As we approach the first anniversary of the formation of the Combined Fire Authority, it is pleasing to see the progress that has already been made to improve fire stations across the Isle of Wight. The investment of a further £1.7m will now allow more essential maintenance work to be carried out, making life better for firefighters, support staff and our communities.

He added that council charges one of the lowest taxes in England, yet continues to be committed to providing good value for money to its residents. “Proactively investing in our estate is important because it ensures that our buildings are fit for purpose and can meet the needs of a modern fire and rescue service,” Vaughan added.

NFCC’s Digital and Data Programme lead on game-changing project for the UK Fire and Rescue Service

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The National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) Digital and Data Programme is commencing the final stage of delivering a national data analytics capability that will make efficient and effective use of data to support current and emerging needs of the UK fire and rescue service (UKFRS), as well as ongoing decision making and policy development.

Once fully implemented, the resource will be a central function of the NFCC comprising of skilled people, standardised processes, and technology, providing national data analytics and data governance to the NFCC and UKFRS to solve problems and support decision making.

Programme Executive and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s CFO, Andy Hopkinson, said: “I’m really proud to be leading the team on this project with NFCC’s Data and Digital Programme Manager Steve Beakhust.  Its successful implementation will be a game-changer for the UK Fire and Rescue Service, however, customers of the planned National Data Analytics resource could also include partner agencies, such as the NHS, as well as external change programmes and committees associated with NFCC’s Portfolio.

“We also want to attract the best in digital and data talent to join us on this journey.  This is a fantastic opportunity to play a leading part in the development of a project that will be rolled out on national level, changing the way data is collected and analysed for the fire and rescue sector and beyond.”

The core services provided by the analytics resource will include problem solving (through descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics), data sourcing (from internal and external sources, including data cleansing), and data consulting (such as methodology and subject research). Initially there will be limited capacity and service provision for proving the approach, with a focus on processing the highest value data questions to support areas of the NFCC change portfolio. This pilot approach will launch early 2022.  Over time the capability will scale up to the target state, providing the full suite of business services and a capacity to match demand

Additional functions of the national data analytics capability will include:

  • a controlled, governed processes to identify, assess and prioritise issues where data could provide insight
  • support to local data teams for analysis at a national level
  • support to local data teams to supply data that shares insight to national trends and analytics
  • establishment of standards, agreements and processes that enable services and partners to share data in a controlled, secure, legal, and ethical manner
  • capabilities to source, catalogue, enrich and manage data in support of developing insight to prioritised national issues
  • data sourcing, visualisation, analytics, and modelling
  • a data analysis capability which creates actionable insight in support of prioritised national issues
  • establishing arrangements with local FRS, partner agencies, academia, and industry to collaborate and share best practice
  • driving a culture of standardisation, consistency, and efficiency

For further information please email ddp@nationalfirechiefs.org.uk