HD Fire deploys fire protection applications in Yotta NM1 Data Centre, India

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HD Fire systems have deployed fire protection applications at Asia’s Largest Data Centre, in Navi Mumbai, India. The data centre is called Yotta NM1 and it is spread over 600 acres at Hiranandani Fortune City in Panvel.

“This Data Centre is a global pioneer not just in terms of capability and price but more so in terms of its focus on efficiency and sustainability. We provide the most efficient power offering available in the market today – not just the lowest price of power but also a Power Usage Efficiency or PUE that is a global benchmark for the tropics,” said Darshan Hiranandani, Group CEO – Hiranandani Group.

The Data Centre will also have the capacity of 50 MW Power with 7,200 Racks and is the first of a five-data-centre complex that is being set up in the Integrated Yotta Data Centre Park. The whole complex, when fully built, has a capacity of a 30,000 racks with a power capacity of 250MW.

Pre-Action fire sprinkler system uses the concept of having a dry pipe sprinkler system and requires two separate fire detection signals in order to operate. Thus the systems are effectively designed for water sensitive areas like Data Centres – that require protection from inadvertent water flow into the sprinkler system piping.

hdfire.com/

Haines Fire & Risk Consulting becomes authorised distributor for FireDos in US

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FireDos is expanding their sales network in the USA. From now on, the company Haines Fire & Risk Consulting (HFRC) is functioning as another Authorised Distributor.

Based in Medford, New Jersey, HFRC is specialised in fire protection, extinguishing water supply, emergency management and fire investigation. Headed by Stephen W. Haines, the company operates in various industries, including oil & gas, chemistry, pharmaceutical, warehousing, power supply and waste disposal.

FireDos founded a U.S. branch in December 2019. The location of its subsidiary FireDos US Inc. in Houston, Texas, the heart of the oil & gas industry, ensures some intensive customer care from a central place. Doing so, the service-focused company is supported on the U.S. market by companies like HFRC.

www.firedos.com/

Bedfordshire fire & rescue service pioneers cloud-based control room solutions from Motorola Solutions

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Motorola Solutions has announced that Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service is the first fire service in the United Kingdom to utilise the combined Motorola Solutions cloud-based control room solution CommandCentral CRS, the data storage solution CommandCentral Vault as well as the integrated CAD solution delivered by Motorola Solutions partner 3tc.

By upgrading its operations into one platform, the new solution helps the fire and rescue service in Bedfordshire to manage their end-to-end workflow. CommandCentral Vault, in addition, offers an encrypted, secure, centralised storage solution for all operational digital media assets and associated meta-data. In addition to the Motorola DP4000 two-way radios used by Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service, the new solutions offers a next-generation control room experience, designed to increase operational efficiencies in incident response and streamline processes and critical communications across the organisation as a whole.

Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service serves a population of 665,000. As part of its ongoing digital transformation, it needed to replace its legacy control room functionality. The new control room solution provides the control room staff – who receive over 60,000 calls per year – the best digital tools to respond effectively. It also provides IT staff with a fully reliable end-to-end workflow, which is easy to manage through the cloud. Together with enhanced security and availability, the CommandCentral software offers integrated voice, data and multimedia communications on a single platform where all data is easily captured and processed, so that incidents can be responded to and reported as efficiently as possible.

The new cloud-based control centre simplifies IT management including the ability to scale data capacity at busy times and reduce costs through the automation of tasks, such as reporting, that were previously done manually. A hosted solution also enhances resilience and support for agile working, so that staff can work remotely and from different sites. In addition, being cloud-based ensures equipment is more secure and resilient.

“We strive to provide an outstanding Fire and Rescue Service to the citizens and visitors of Bedfordshire and lead the way with the latest digital technologies to respond faster and more effectively,” says Paul Fuller CBE, Chief Fire Officer at Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service. “Our control room is at the epicentre of our operations and needs to be failsafe so that every vital piece of information is captured and responded to as efficiently as possible. Through our work with Motorola Solutions and 3tc, we wanted to make a future-proof investment and be the first Fire and Rescue Service to adopt full cloud technology for our control room to further improve our robust, 24/7 operation to make us more responsive and help protect our community.”

“Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service is clearly a pioneer when it comes to developing a cloud-based control room,” says Fergus Mayne, Country Manager and Head of Sales UK & Ireland at Motorola Solutions. “As the next evolution of public safety technology, the new solution can be relied upon as it can be managed remotely with 24/7 support with greater resilience. Ultimately, the new platform enables control room staff to focus on the job at hand – resolve the call at the first contact or dispatch resources in the most efficient way possible to protect the public.”

The CommandCentral software suite is the industry’s most integrated end-to-end mission-critical software solution for public safety that unifies data and streamlines incident management workflows.

Wagner highlights causes of fire and ultimate prevention in warehouses

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Statistics on warehouse fires make it clear: If a fire occurs in the warehouse, the owner has not only to deal with business interruptions, but also with the loss of goods, damages to the building and delivery problems. German-based fire protection system supplier, Wagner, has produced a review of the possible causes of fires and the evaluation of the consequences of the fire lead to a definition of the protection goals. This is the basis for the planning of a holistic fire protection with the analysis showing whether the warehouse is safe.

According to a study by the German Insurance Association, more than one third of all industrial and commercial fires occur in warehouses. As such, fire prevention takes on special importance within the storage and logistics sector, and needs to play an important role in logistics centres and warehouses right from the planning stages. Most warehouse fires are caused by sparks emitted by overloaded electronic components, such as drive motors or high-back racking units.

Technical defects represent another fire hazard. The particular conditions in warehouses and logistics centres increase the risk that fires will spread rapidly: narrow alleys, high bay systems, long conveyor belts, a concentrated volume of goods within a tight space, and flammable packaging materials are all conducive to fire development. Fire protection takes on particularly great significance when storing small load carriers (SLC) or hazardous materials. In SLC storage, the fire behaviour of the plastic material used to make the SLCs creates additional risk. In hazardous materials storage, the mildly to highly flammable substances stored here must be specially protected due to the explosion hazards fires would create.

The significance of fire protection in storage and logistics…

  • Personnel protection
  • Environmental protection
  • Protecting operating processes and maintaining uninterrupted delivery capability (thus part of securing continued existence)
  • Protecting investments in goods, technology and buildings

The need for, and thus the number of, logistics centres and warehouses is steadily increasing. At the same time, the storage and logistics industry is being confronted with a number of new requirements: Developments like online retail and increasingly high customer expectations (same-day delivery, for example) are resulting in new and increasingly complex challenges.

Process automation, optimised interfaces, speed and complete flexibility are all necessary for providers to be able to ensure ever-shorter throughput times from goods receipt to dispatch. And maintaining delivery capability and operational processes at all times is crucial to the company’s success and continued existence.

Wagner take a solution-oriented approach to addressing the individual requirements and protection needs that our customers bring to us. With more than 40 years of experience as successful fire protection systems engineers, Wagner’s numerous innovations are the product of their in-house research and development labours, which have resulted in more than 700 patents so far.

www.wagnergroup.com

Profab Access: the benefits of bi-directional fire testing

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The Hackitt Report revealed major concerns regarding the quality assurance of fire doors and the issues surrounding the transparency of information and availability of audit trails with regard to these types of building components.

Here Austin Stone, Technical Director at Profab Access, explores the importance of specifying riser doors that have been bi-directionally fire tested, to not only provide the highest standards of safety and compliance with current building regulations, but to successfully futureproof public sector buildings for years to come.

Following the release of Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, the issues regarding fire doors and their consistency of fire-resistance performance was, and remains, a significant concern for the industry.

The report, along with subsequent amendments to Building Regulations Approved Document B (Fire Safety), prompted significant changes to the adequate testing of fire doors, particularly with regard to the way in which these building components are manufactured, tested, installed and maintained.

Focusing on the specification and fire safety of riser doors in particular, the sufficient fire testing of these products is paramount to ensuring the successful prevention of the spread of fire to other parts of the building via the riser shaft. Whilst timber riser doors were traditionally popular among architects and specifiers, concealed steel riser doors offer superior fire performance, whilst also offering a range of enhanced aesthetics and security benefits.

Throughout the specification process, professionals should look to utilise steel riser doors that have been fire tested to BS EN 1634-1:2014+A1:2018 (as outlined in Approved Document B Volume 2) and BS476 part 22. The doors should also comply with BS 476-31.1 for smoke tests, BS8214 for the installation for fire doorsets and BS 9999:2017 for the Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.

However, if the industry is to drive a cultural shift in the specification of these types of passive fire safety products, architects should look to specify riser doors that have been bi-directionally tested, superseding current industry requirements.

As the riser door is physically tested in both directions, it offers the highest levels of fire safety as professionals can be confident the riser door will withstand exposure to fire and smoke from both directions for the allotted time period. This adequately prevents the spread of fire throughout a multi-storey building as the opportunity for the fire to enter the riser shaft through a riser door located in a corridor and exit through another riser door in a different area or floor of the building is entirely eliminated because both sides of the door have been successfully tested.

Professionals here should look to specify riser doors that have been fire tested by a certified third party, providing a clear audit trail of test evidence that confirms compliance with all relevant regulations by demonstrating the integrity of the riser door for the specified duration. This includes the maintenance of the riser door’s frame, limitation of the spread of fire and the transmission of radiant heat.

For many architects, the configuration of double or triple riser doors in a single unit is a popular choice due to the style of aesthetics they offer over individual riser doors that are spaced at specific intervals. Professionals should here look to work with a manufacturer that offers bi-directional fire testing across a whole suite of configurations and complementary riser door products, successfully meeting the visual requirements of each individual project, without having to compromise on the fire safety of these elements.

Whilst bi-directional fire testing isn’t a current industry requirement, this proficient approach to fire safety also futureproofs the building as the architect has gone above and beyond the current specification to meet the requirements and regulations of the future.

This step change in the specification of riser doors must be implemented from the very initial stages and, in order to be successful, professionals should choose riser doors that are supported by a wide range of BIM and CAD files, along with comprehensive fire test certifications. This will aid the specification process and streamline the initial design stages, whilst also providing a clear audit trail of evidence and subsequent due diligence, supporting Dame Hackitt’s ‘Golden Thread’ of true transparency and accountability.

The test certifications play a vital role in helping architects facilitate the ‘golden thread’ of information, which seeks to extend fire safety best practice beyond fire professionals into wider society, successfully communicating key information about a building and the components utilised throughout its construction.

As Dame Hackitt encourages the industry not to wait for legal changes to start the process of behavioural change with regard to fire safety within commercial and residential buildings, professionals within the public sector can continue to drive this shift change through the specification of bi-directionally fire tested riser doors.

For further information on Profab Access, visit www.profabaccess.com

Victaulic adds virtual access to renowned continuing education program

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Victaulic is now offering free virtual courses from its accredited University program to construction professionals around the world.

Growing demand for more versatile training options and shrinking access to traditional classes given the COVID-19 pandemic presented an opportune time for Victaulic to make its robust catalog of courses, many of which offer International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) Continuing Education Units (CEUs), available to industry professionals such as owners, engineers, contractors, architects and designers online.

“The launch of Victaulic University’s virtual platform is another successful result of collaborating with customers to help solve their challenges,” said Eric Luftig, Vice President, at Victaulic. “We are pleased to introduce an innovative and convenient way to support the industry’s need for high-quality education.”

Victaulic has instructed 175 live sessions since March, attracting approximately 7,200 virtual learners from 99 countries. Attendance is growing rapidly as Victaulic adds new content and more users discover the program.

“The Victaulic education program presents valuable information in a well-organised and easily understood fashion,” said Mike Stossel, Senior Design Manager at KNS Sprinkler Design and a recent Victaulic University participant. “The content is extremely insightful, and we look forward to participating in more courses in the future.”

Victaulic’s 45+ piping technology courses are available at no cost in two virtual formats: live, instructor-led webinars and self-paced courses, which are available on-demand at any time. Courses are taught in English, Spanish, and German, with new languages being added regularly, and cover several industries, including:

  • General Engineering/Construction
  • Plumbing, Heating and Air
  • Data Centers
  • Fire Protection
  • Virtual Design and Construction

CEUs or Professional Development Hours (PDHs), which are required for maintaining engineering certifications are immediately available upon completion of applicable courses.

Victaulic established accredited Victaulic University in 2013.

“Between Victaulic’s 100-year legacy and over 200 years of knowledge amongst the instructors, the global construction industry will undoubtedly benefit from Victaulic University,” said Colin Phelps, Sales Training Manager at Victaulic. “So far, we’ve had more than 12,000 courses completed. With our robust content and a growing curriculum, there’s something for everyone.”

www.victaulic.com

Rosenbauer set to deliver 15 aerial rescue devices for Australia

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This year, Rosenbauer will deliver a total of 15 aerial rescue devices of various kinds to different Australian fire service organisations. In addition to vehicles from the L32A-XS and B32 standard series, these will include hydraulic platforms with a working height of over 40 m and compact aerial ladders with a rescue height of 24 m. All aerial rescue devices have been constructed on Scania chassis (6×4 or 8×4) and designed as multi-function or First Attack vehicles, which – some with full firefighting equipment on board – are already equipped for every application: rescue, firefighting and technical assistance.

New L24C FA compact aerial ladder

A completely new development is the L24C FA, deliveries of which to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Emergency Services Agency and to the Tasmania Fire Service are identical in construction. The C in the type designation stands for Compact, for two reasons: on the one hand, it has a pivot mounting that does not protrude beyond the vehicle contour when rotated 360°, while on the other the three-part ladder set is 120 mm lower than its four-part counterpart. This makes the L24C FA ideal for deployments in urban areas and in Australia’s increasingly densely populated inner cities.

It can also drive through lower restricted headroom areas and its full range of functions can be used in confined spaces. Another advantage of the compact pivot mounting is the possibility of installing extensive water technology without significantly increasing the vehicle’s dimensions. Both aerial ladders are equipped with a pump, foam proportioning system, tanks for water (1,800 or 1,500 l) and foam compound (200 or 200+50 l), waterway (Telescopic Waterway System – TWS), cage monitor and fast attack.

Hydraulic platforms with extended reach

Rosenbauer supplies multi-functional B42 2.0 hydraulic platforms to the ACT Emergency Services Agency and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. The vehicles have a four-part ladder set with a one-piece cage boom, and reach a working height of 42 m. They can also be braced to a width of 7.75 m, which means that they can reach a throw range of over 30 m (extended reach).

Risers for electricity (230/400 V), breathing air (4 bottles on the pivot mounting) and extinguishing agent (TWS) ensure that all media is available for all types of deployments in the rescue cage. The Queensland vehicles are also fitted with an on-board pump and tank.

The hydraulic platform’s rescue cage has a live load of 500 kg, can carry up to 5 people, and is equipped with a remote-controlled water turret, pressure outlets, a camera system (zoom and infrared camera) on the pan/tilt head and a high-voltage warning device. Automatic functions such as the Target Memory System (TMS) for repeating previously travelled routes, and the automatic retraction of the rescue cage (ARF) from positions with no line of sight make it easier to control the equipment. A rescue ladder attached to the arm set ensures the second escape route.

XS ladders for initial attack vehicles

In addition to the new hydraulic platforms, the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have also put new aerial ladders into service. These are vehicles of the L32A-XS 3.0 P/FA type, with a firefighting pump with corrosion-resistant gunmetal design and foam proportioning system installed in the middle. Tanks for 1,200 litres of water and 200 litres of foam compound are housed in the equipment compartments over the rear axle, with extinguishing agent being discharged either via pressure outlets or via a remote-controlled water turret mounted on the cage. The turret is connected directly to the pump via the TWS, which means that the FA ladders can immediately be put to use for extinguishing work, and can therefore be used as an initial attack vehicle.

www.rosenbauer.com/

MSA launches Digital Week to bring new safety technology to firefighters

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MSA Safety Incorporated recently launched a week-long event – called MSA: Connected – that used digital technologies to offer firefighters and first responders the latest information on various product and technology-based safety solutions. “The timing of MSA: Connected is not a coincidence,” said Yohan Morel, MSA Senior Marketing Manager, First Responder, Europe. “Interschutz, the world’s largest trade fair focusing on fire service and security, was originally scheduled for this week in Hannover, Germany. Because we recognise the value and knowledge our customers gain by attending conferences like this in person, our vision was to create a unique experience for customers that helps them stay connected with the latest in firefighter safety technology.”

Among the many activities scheduled were a series of live webinars that offered participants the opportunity to connect directly with MSA safety technology experts. Topics for these sessions included voice communications, technology standards, best practices to help reduce contamination risk, among many others.

The new M1 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) was also showcased in the company’s portfolio. Designed to meet the European Norm 137 (EN137) safety, health and environmental protection standards, as well as ATEX intrinsic safety standards for usage in hazardous or explosive atmospheres, the M1 SCBA is fully customizable and can be configured to meet a broad range of firefighter needs and brigade budgets.  Among its innovative features are a padded harness that is fully water-repellent, the industry’s lightest-weight backplate, and an advanced hip belt that evenly distributes SCBA weight for much improved ergonomics.

“Fighting fires requires durable equipment built to perform in extreme conditions,” said Jason Traynor, MSA’s General Manager for Global Respiratory Protection and Fire Helmets.  “Based on our extensive voice-of-customer research while designing the M1 SCBA, it quickly became clear that fire brigades want a range of SCBA options at a cost and configuration that’s right for them. Positive customer feedback and recent key order wins provide confidence that we’ve really hit the mark with our new M1 SCBA.”

During the week MSA provided an exclusive outlook on their new technologies coming in 2020/2021 and presented a vision for the future. MSA is dedicated to innovating on behalf of firefighters around the world to help ensure their personal protective equipment keeps them safer than ever before possible.

gb.msasafety.com/msa-connected

Dräger reaffirms commitment to Aberdeen operations

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Dräger (or Draeger) Marine and Offshore, a division of The Dräger Group, has confirmed a new phase of investment in its Aberdeen office.

The latest phase of investment will focus on significantly expanding the company’s rental fleet of offshore safety equipment, which includes its fire and rescue apparatus. The company’s safety products are employed by many operators in the North Sea, and its Aberdeen base is home to the UK’s largest direct to customer rental fleet of Dräger equipment with over 1600 items.

The company has also announced the appointment of David Donaldson to head up its Marine and Offshore UK office, based in Aberdeen. Twenty five staff are based at the Aberdeen office, which in addition to its rental fleet, is also home to an international offshore safety training academy and state of the art service workshop. Dräger is the only safety manufacturer with a base in Aberdeen, and the firm also has premises at Grangemouth.

Donaldson, who brings to the company over 30 years’ experience working in the offshore, oil and gas industries, said: “Dräger has had a presence in Aberdeen for almost ten years, and the company has weathered many challenges through this time. The ongoing investment in Aberdeen reaffirms our commitment to the local business community, as well as our staff, who have been working hard to maintain our customers’ critical safety operations throughout lockdown.”

As well as continuing to service offshore equipment such as rigs throughout lockdown, Dräger staff have also adapted safety training courses to be delivered online to enable its customers to continue operationally-critical work during the pandemic.

The adoption of new technology has resulted in Dräger Marine and Offshore winning a new contract to install the largest wireless gas detection system ever employed by a North Sea operator. Work will commence on the project, which includes the installation of over 120 wireless gas detectors, in September, and will be fully operational by November.

Donaldson concluded: “Despite the great challenges that face the oil and gas industry as a result of Covid-19, there is growing optimism for the future, particularly amongst medium-sized organisations that are large and robust enough to weather the storm, but small and nimble enough to respond to new and emerging opportunities that the current crisis is presenting. We see real opportunity in this area of the market, and look forward to playing our part in supporting future growth here as business starts to resume.”

www.draeger.com/

Henry Brothers appointed to build £18.5 million joint police and fire HQ

by Featured NewsProjects

Henry Brothers Midlands has won a contract to build a new £18.5 million joint headquarters for Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service. The three-storey facility will be constructed on land behind the existing Nottinghamshire Police headquarters at Sherwood Lodge and is scheduled to open by the end of 2021.

Work on the new building, which will include a control room, training centre, changing rooms, gym, canteen and shared offices, is expected to begin next month. Once complete it will form part of a wider joint campus that will also include all of the existing police headquarters.

After a competitive tendering process Nottingham-based Henry Brothers Midlands has been chosen to construct the new three-storey building. A formal contract was agreed on 29th June.

Since planning permission was granted in December 2019, a considerable amount of work has already taken place on this multi-phase project under the direction of construction consultancy Gleeds.

The site, which will include a new access road, additional car parking and improvements to existing facilities, has already been levelled and cleared – ahead of time and below budget.

Ian Taylor, Managing Director of Henry Brothers Midlands, said: “As a local company, we are delighted to have been appointed to build this new joint headquarters building for Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service.”

The joint headquarters project is the next step in a series of collaboration projects between the two services, which already share premises at Highfields, West Bridgford and London Road fire stations, and at the new tri-service hub in Hucknall. The two organisations also jointly procure fuel, have a shared drone and incident welfare vehicle, and conduct joint safety and educational initiatives.

Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “This is a significant day in the history of this project and also a good time to reflect on the huge amount of work that has taken place since we began preparing the ground once we got the planning decision at the back end of last year.”

Chair of the Fire Authority, Cllr Michael Payne, added: “This is fantastic news in what has, in recent months, undoubtedly been an extremely challenging time for our police and fire staff, the wider public sector and our communities across the whole of the city and county.

“The appointment of a local company to build our new joint headquarters reinforces our commitment to the people of Nottinghamshire, and I look forward to the next phase of the project where we will start to see the redevelopment of Sherwood Lodge taking shape, and the relationship between the two organisations going from strength to strength.”