IFSJ News Archive

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Maintenance of Fire Equipment: Inspection, Testing & Safety Best Practices

Most people never give their fire extinguishers a second thought. They hang on the wall, gathering dust, ignored, right up until the day something catches, and that’s the exact moment you find out whether anyone bothered to check them. The maintenance of fire equipment isn’t glamorous. Nobody’s handing out awards for it. But skip it, and a device you’re betting a life on can quietly turn into a dead weight bolted to the wall. Here’s the thing: gear fails. Pressure leaks out, seals crack, rust creeps in where you can’t see it. A regular fire extinguisher inspection and a bit …
July 17, 2026Iain Hoey

Fire safety: from a compliance obligation to a strategic enabler of autonomous buildings

Susanne Seitz, CEO of Buildings Smart Infrastructure at Siemens , explains why digital, IoT-enabled fire safety systems are transforming fire protection For decades, fire safety systems have been viewed primarily through the lens of compliance. Essential, yes – but rarely seen as a contributor to performance, resilience or sustainability. As buildings become smarter and more autonomous, that perspective needs to change. Across industries, aging fire safety infrastructure often hides significant inefficiencies: high false alarm rates, disconnected systems, rising maintenance effort and limited ability to use data effectively. Facility teams spend up to 60% of their time validating false alarms rather …
July 16, 2026Lewis Tyler

5 of the biggest fire safety news stories of 2026 so far

2026 has already delivered no shortage of headlines in terms of fire safety news. As fire risks continue to evolve, so too does the industry’s response, with innovation, regulation and investment shaping the future of fire protection and life safety. In this roundup, we look back at five of the biggest fire safety news stories of 2026 so far. These developments have captured the attention of fire safety professionals worldwide, influencing policy, operations and the technologies protecting people, property and critical infrastructure. KiddeFenwal expands NATURA line with Micro fire protection for small assets In January, KiddeFenwal launched NATURA Micro, a compact inert …
July 16, 2026Lewis Tyler

How Self Contained Breathing Apparatus Enhances Fireground Safety

Fires don’t wait for firefighters to get comfortable. Smoke thickens quickly, chemical byproducts pile up, and oxygen can drop to dangerous levels within minutes. That’s the reality a self contained breathing apparatus is built for. Ask any veteran firefighter what piece of gear they’d never step into a burning structure without, and the SCBA is usually the first thing they mention. It’s not glamorous. It’s just the thing that keeps you breathing when the room around you can’t. The technology has come a long way from the clunky tanks and masks of decades past. A modern breathing apparatus now pairs …
July 16, 2026Iain Hoey

Hochiki Training Academy launches FIREbeam course for beam smoke detection projects

Hochiki Europe has expanded its online Training Academy with a free course covering the FIREbeam beam smoke detection range for large open-space application Hochiki Europe has expanded its online Training Academy with the launch of a new course focused on its FIREbeam beam smoke detection range. Available free of charge to registered users, the course is designed to help installers, specifiers and distributors develop their knowledge of beam smoke detection and gain confidence in specifying and installing FIREbeam systems for projects involving large, open spaces. The course introduces both products in the FIREbeam range, including the addressable FIREbeam Xtra and …
July 15, 2026Lewis Tyler

Ramtech deploys wireless fire detection system at 2026 Le Mans race

Ramtech has successfully deployed its wireless fire detection technology at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, providing temporary fire protection across key event infrastructure and demonstrating the increasing adoption of automated fire safety systems at major motorsport events. Working alongside event infrastructure specialist iEvent and integration partner Prodomo, Ramtech France installed a temporary network of more than 300 wireless devices, including smoke and heat detectors and manual call points. The system protected 14 team paddocks and the Genesis Hospitality Building throughout the event. Installed on a one-month rental basis, the system delivered continuous 24/7 fire monitoring during both the …
July 15, 2026Lewis Tyler

Gateway 2 lessons: Preparing construction projects for Gateway 3 success

Quelfire shares expert insights into the key lessons from Gateway 2, highlighting common compliance challenges and how construction teams can prepare for Gateway 3 In many ways, Gateway 2 has become the new normal. It’s already changing the industry for the better, especially for teams that genuinely want to get things right. That said, the industry isn’t fully there yet. Some still hold the mindset of “we’ve always done it this way” and approach the Gateway regime as something they have to do, rather than as something that can make a real difference in how we design and construct buildings. …
July 15, 2026Lewis Tyler

MSA Safety completes $555 million acquisition of Autronica Fire and Security

MSA Safety has completed its acquisition of Autronica Fire and Security, strengthening its fire and gas detection portfolio and expanding its presence in key global markets MSA Safety Incorporated has completed its acquisition of Autronica Fire and Security in a transaction valued at approximately $555 million, strengthening its position in the global fire and gas detection market. Headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, Autronica designs, manufactures and supplies fire detection, gas detection and alarm systems. The company reported approximately $160 million in sales during 2025. MSA said the acquisition supports its mission and Accelerate profitable growth strategy, while enhancing its capabilities in …
July 14, 2026Lewis Tyler

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety appoints President of Commercial Services

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety has appointed Peter Robbins as President of Commercial Services, a newly created leadership role that will oversee the company’s acquisition activities, commercial strategy and growth initiatives across the United States. Reporting to CEO Bart Proctor, Robbins will lead efforts to guide Pye-Barker’s acquisition strategy while helping evaluate, integrate and grow acquired businesses. The company has completed more than 200 acquisitions as part of its expansion strategy. Robbins joins Pye-Barker from Baird, where he served as Managing Director in the Global Technology and Services Investment Banking Group. There, he jointly led the firm’s coverage of Facility, Industrial, …
July 14, 2026Lewis Tyler

PFAS-free fire extinguishers: future-proofing fire safety for sustainability and compliance

Andy Spence of Britannia Fire explains how fire safety professionals can prepare for PFAS restrictions, reduce carbon emissions and improve whole-life value through PFAS-free technology, circular economy principles and sustainable procurement The fire safety sector is entering a period of significant change. Growing environmental expectations, evolving regulations surrounding PFAS and increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions are prompting organisations to reassess how fire protection products are specified, managed and maintained throughout their lifecycle. At the same time, budget constraints and supply chain considerations are placing greater emphasis on long-term value rather than upfront cost alone. Future proofing requires organisations to …
July 13, 2026Lewis Tyler

How UL Solutions supports confidence in passive fire protection

Product development in today’s built environment is accelerating. Manufacturers must address evolving project needs, support complex designs, and deliver solutions quickly. However, in life safety categories, speed must not compromise confidence, compliance, or performance. At Siderise®, innovation in passive fire protection is grounded in practice. Each solution is validated through rigorous testing, certification, auditing, and quality control to ensure safer construction in real-world applications. Why certification matters in life safety applications This commitment was recently emphasized by Sreenivas Narayanan, Global Partnerships Director at Siderise, who collaborates with UL Solutions to efficiently bring passive fire protection products to market while meeting …
July 13, 2026Lewis Tyler

How Maritime Safety Standards Are Evolving for Marine Battery Systems

Walk through any shipyard in Norway or the Netherlands, and you’ll see something that would have looked strange a decade ago. Battery rooms. Not backup generators, actual compartments sized for a marine battery pack doing real propulsion work, not just running the lights. Ferries, offshore support vessels, tugs, even some cargo ships are leaning on electric power in ways once reserved for research vessels. This wave of maritime electrification is exciting for anyone who cares about emissions. It’s also given regulators a real headache, because a marine battery inside a steel hull does not behave the way a battery pack …
July 10, 2026Iain Hoey

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