Rising wildfires a growth catalyst for firefighting aircraft market

by Featured NewsProductsVehicles

The global firefighting aircraft market size is expected to grow from $7.11 billion in 2021 to $7.73 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8 according to a new report from The Business Research Company that provides firefighting aircraft market statistics. The market size is expected to grow to $9.60 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 5.6%.

The growing number of wildfires is expected to drive growth in the firefighting aircraft market going forward. Firefighting aircraft are used to stop the spread of fire in the forests and minimize the damage. As a result, a growing number of wildfires will increase the demand for firefighting aircraft.

New product innovations have emerged as the key trend gaining popularity in the firefighting aircraft market. Major companies operating in the firefighting aircraft market are focused on new product innovations to meet consumer demand.

Major players in the firefighting aircraft market are Airbus SE, Coulson Aircrane Ltd, Kaman Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, ShinMaywa Industries Ltd., Textron Inc., Viking Air Ltd., Rockwell Automation Inc., Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Bombardier Inc., Siemens AG, Conair Group Inc., Sabena Technics, AeroFlite, and Canadair.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the firefighting aircraft market in 2021. North America was the second largest region in the global firefighting aircraft market. The regions covered in the global firefighting aircrafts market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

Boston Fire Department names new Fire Commissioner

by Featured NewsPeople

Mayor Michelle Wu has officially announced that Boston Fire Department veteran Paul Burke has been appointed as the new Fire Commissioner. Burke, who most recently served as a Deputy Chief, replaces the outgoing Jack Dempsey, who hit the mandatory retirement age of 65 in June.

Burke’s most recent posting as deputy chief of fleet and facilities has involved supervising all. vehicles and buildings. Previously, he managed the team in charge of technical rescues and other emergencies.

“Paul is a trusted leader in this department and has served in many roles leading our fire response,” Mayor Wu said in a statement. “I’m proud to welcome this Roslindale native into leadership as a partner to build a healthy environment for our firefighters and a diverse, connected workforce serving our communities in moments of need.”

“It is a tremendous honour to have the opportunity to lead our Fire Department,” Commissioner Burke said in a statement. “I look forward to working with all of our firefighters to deliver this critical service to our city.”

London Fire Brigade invests in electric-hybrid fire engine

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London Fire Brigade has announced it investing in the development of an electric-hybrid fire engine as part of its commitment to reduce carbon emissions, supporting the Mayor of London’s ambition for London to be net zero carbon by 2030.

The Brigade is currently working with Emergency One, a leading manufacturer of specialist fire and rescue service appliances, to build a Zero Emission Capable Pumping Appliance (ZEPA1). It will be the first fire and rescue service to use an electric-hybrid fire engine when it is due to start being trialled later this year.

Developing zero emission solutions for fire engines can be particularly challenging as they have demanding performance requirements as they need to both attend incidents as soon as possible, be able to pump water for long periods of time and transport equipment and machinery to deal with fires, flooding and other incidents.

This announcement comes during London Climate Action Week, where there is a huge focus on finding new ways to create a sustainable Net Zero London and follows years of work to reduce the emissions from the Brigade’s fleet and support electric and hybrid vehicles. A total of 96% of all the Brigade’s buildings have electric vehicle charge points, with 242 charging sockets. A further three fire stations have publicly accessible rapid charging.

London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe said: “Our first priority is always to ensure the Brigade provides a first-class prevention, protection and emergency response service for London. But for some time we have been looking towards a more sustainable future and working to identify the challenges and solutions to ensure that we as a fire service can move to a zero emission fleet.

“ZEPA1 is a very big and exciting step for us and the whole of the UK fire service and we are incredibly proud to be part of the innovation that will lead to the UK’s first electric-hybrid fire engines at one of our fire stations.

“It is hoped that in leading the way on developing an electric-hybrid fire engine, the project will help drive and grow the market for zero emission specialist vehicles in the UK’s emergency services and particularly in the fire service.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It’s fantastic to see London Fire Brigade driving innovation among fire services across the country by supporting the UK’s first electric-hybrid fire engine.

“I am passionate about tackling the climate crisis, which is why London is leading the world in taking bold action to reduce carbon emissions, with a commitment to make our capital zero-carbon by 2030. I am determined to build a greener and safer city for everyone.

“Our emergency services are a key part of our clean air goals and this high-performance green fire engine will help to ensure Londoners breathe cleaner air whilst working to tackle blazes across the city – proving once again that sustainability can and must be at the heart of the modernisation of our public services.”

ZEPA1 is planned to be trialled as a frontline fire engine later this year and is capable of meeting all of the Brigade’s demanding operations – ensuring it will carry out the work of a standard diesel appliance in travelling to a fire, pumping the water required to put it out, and travelling back to the station.

Proposed pay rise for UK firefighters ‘utterly inadequate’ says FBU

by Featured News

Firefighters and firefighter control staff have responded to a 2% pay offer from fire and rescue employers calling the proposed increase ‘utterly inadequate’. The Fire Brigades Union’s executive council is recommending rejection of the pay offer to members.

The 2% pay offer is against a current rate of inflation of 9.1% (CPI, year on year to May 2022). The fire service annual pay award is due on 1 July. The pay offer comes against a background of long-term pay cuts to firefighters’ pay. Between 2009 and 2021, firefighters’ real pay has been cut by 12%, or nearly £4,000.  

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary said: “The FBU has today received a proposal from our employers of a 2% increase in pay. This is utterly inadequate and would deliver a further cut in real wages to firefighters in all roles in the midst of the cost of living crisis.

“This latest insulting proposal follows 12 years of government-imposed reductions in real wages. This proposal will anger firefighters, those working in emergency fire controls, and those in in all uniformed roles in fire services across the UK. It is galling to be insulted in this way, especially after our contribution to public safety during the pandemic.

“Firefighters will now inevitably begin to discuss reactions, including industrial action. The Fire Brigades Union and our members do not consider or take industrial action lightly or without ensuring that all efforts to resolve the issue have been exhausted.

“To that end, we will be writing to the national fire employers to inform them of the anger and frustration their proposal will create. We will also seek confirmation that they have written to and met with the Westminster fire minister to request additional funding in order to make a realistic offer which meets the urgent needs of firefighters, respects their workforce and has some prospect of being accepted by firefighters.”

“Similarly, we will be writing shortly to the ministers and/or government departments responsible for fire and rescue services in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland to seek urgent additional funding to enable fire and rescue employers to make a reasonable offer.

“Our members will now begin to discuss this offer and the Executive Council will reconvene shortly to discuss our next steps. We will now consider all options, including strike action.”

City of Varennes Fire Safety Service orders fully electric fire truck

by ProductsVehicles

E-ONE, a subsidiary of REV Group, Inc., has announced that it is building an all-electric Vector Rescue Decon truck for the City of Varennes Fire Safety Service in Quebec; the first Rescue truck using the first fully electric North America- style fire truck design.

This Vector order, which will become one of the initial EV fire trucks in operation in Canada, came from the City of Varennes.

REV Fire Group introduced its EV fire truck in August 2021, which utilizes 316 kilowatts of proven automotive grade batteries, and can be customized to accommodate specialized fire ground duties such as air support and decontamination of firefighters to remove carcinogens from gear after fighting structure fires.

The Vector design features low battery cell placement which offers a safer, lower centre of gravity for enhanced stability while operating. The crew from Varennes worked closely with the engineers at E-ONE to develop this unique mission critical apparatus to serve their community.

Key features of the Vector Rescue Decon truck are:

  • 100-inch-wide Cyclone cab with raised forward roof and rear vista
  • Extruded aluminum walk-thru body with full height / full depth compartments on each side
  • Upgraded air conditioning system with auxiliary A/C in the crew area of the cab and body
  • Diesel fired interior area heaters with on-demand hot water heating capabilities for
    Decon
  • Thermal battery management system
  • 500-amps of available 12-volt power
  • Range extender for emergency back-up power to stay on scene for extended duties
  • 4-bottle DOT 6000 PSI cascade system, booster pump and 2 bottle fill station for air support
  • Complete Decon package and shower inside the body with changing room for personnel
  • Walk-through body design to cab allows for separation of duties with a dirty firefighter entering in the back door and emerging through the cab crew doors decontaminated.

“This emergency truck is one-of-a-kind,” said Varennes Mayor Martin Damphousse in a city press release. “In addition to having a self-sufficiency that guarantees reliability for the entire duration of interventions, it will meet the needs of the Fire Safety Service on three specific points: the decontamination of firefighters on site with their equipment, air refuelling breathing and release during a call.”

“We are excited to partner with Varennes Fire Safety Service to help protect both their community and the environment with one of the first EV fire apparatus in Canada,” said Kent Tyler, President of REV Fire Group. “It’s our first EV Rescue truck, which demonstrates the Vector’s customization and flexibility to suit a fire department’s needs.”

Women in the Fire Service UK event gains certification

by Featured NewsTraining

SFJ Awards, the UK fire and rescue services’ qualifications partner of choice, has announced it is certificating the 2022 Women in the Fire Service UK (WFS) Training and Development Event free of charge in a gesture of support for the not for profit’s commitment to raising skills and increasing gender equality.

The event, which took place over the course of three days at the Fire Service College in Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire, saw women representing fire and rescue services from across the country attend a series of expert-led workshops.

Covering a range of contemporary issues in fire and rescue services, delegates deepened their understanding of everything from mental health and racial equality to hazmat incidents and fire safety in commercial buildings.

Facilitated by Lancashire Fire & Rescue’s Jenny Nangle and more, SFJ Awards’ involvement provides free, independent recognition for delegates attending a range of workshops, each designed to enhance learning and benefit delegates in their future careers.

Candace Miller, Executive Director of SFJ Awards, commented: “SFJ Awards is a long-time admirer and supporter of WFS and their work in enabling women to enter and thrive in the many fantastic careers available in fire and rescue services.

“To achieve gender equality in fire and rescues services, it is vital to create learning and development opportunities such as this, and we are delighted to support this annual event returning after a two-year hiatus following Covid.

“The programme is unique insofar as it provides a safe space for learners to share their experiences and exchange ideas, whilst acquiring solid evidence of quality learning for ongoing career developments.”

Caroline Anderson, Fire and Rescue Service Crew Manager at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue and WFS Vice-Chair, said: “Working with SFJ Awards has been such a positive experience. It’s been a pleasure to collaborate with Candace and her team to champion our women in Fire and Rescue.

“As a leading provider of fire sector qualifications, we are delighted SFJ Awards are kindly supporting us again this year through provision of Certificates of Attendance for a number of our workshops at our 20th national training and development event through recognised certification.

“We have similar aims and ambitions, to increase confidence, raise the standards in skills, and support the many types of people and roles in the sector.”

Members of WFS are of all gender and, come from all roles across the Fire and Rescue Service – from firefighters and control staff, administrative and support staff and senior officers, to members of airport, defence and works fire services.

UK building safety reforms come into force

by Breaking NewsConstructionIndustry Sectors

Many leaseholders will for the first time be legally protected from unfair bills to make their homes safe as measures in the Building Safety Act 2022 have now come into force.

Those responsible for historical safety defects, and those who own buildings, will instead be required to fund essential repairs.

So far, 45 of the UK’s biggest homebuilders have agreed to fix life-critical fire-safety defects on all buildings 11 metres+ that they have played a role in developing or refurbishing in the last 30 years.

Stronger measures in the act include new powers for the Secretary of State to restrict irresponsible developers’ ability to build new homes, an extension of the Building Safety levy worth an estimated £3 billion and improving building owners’ rights to launch legal action against developers.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: “Today marks a major turning point for building safety in this country, as we introduce a tough new regime to make homes safe and help rid the sector of bad practice once and for all.

“Hundreds of thousands of innocent leaseholders now have the legal protection they rightly deserve, freeing them from a financial burden they should never have faced.

“I’m pleased that most of the largest developers have agreed to play their part in solving this.

“But there is more to do – we are focusing intensively on work with lenders to unlock the mortgage market and empower leaseholders to take their next step on the property ladder, and we will remain vigilant if anyone fails to act on the pledges they have made.”

Where freeholders or owners of buildings over 18m with cladding related issues do not have clear plans to address these issues, they must have full assessments ready to submit to the Building Safety Fund, which will reopen for new applications shortly, helping to ensure applications can be handled in good time, reducing the disruption and stress to leaseholders.

They must inform and consult leaseholders throughout. If they do not do these things, responsible authorities now have the legal powers to compel them to remediate their buildings, and to ensure that they meet the costs.

Alongside this, the government has signed contracts for a new Professional Insurance Indemnity Scheme. This will help assessors conduct EWS1 assessments to identify whether buildings have fire safety risks, ensuring professionals can make sensible decisions and restoring common sense and proportionality to the market.

Leaseholder protections

For the first time, qualifying leaseholders living in buildings above 11 metres tall or with at least 5 storeys will be legally protected from building safety costs:

  • Qualifying leaseholders (those living in their own homes, or with up to 3 UK properties in total) will be protected, in full, from the costs associated with the remediation of unsafe cladding. They will also have robust and far-reaching protections from the costs associated with non-cladding defects, including interim measures like waking watches.
  • It will be illegal for freeholders to pass on the cost of historical building repair works or the removal of cladding to any of their leaseholders, including non-qualifying leaseholders, if they are or are linked to the building’s developer.
  • It will be illegal for freeholders to pass on any historical building safety costs to qualifying leaseholders if they pass the wealth test set out in law.
  • Where a developer cannot be held responsible and the building owner is not required to meet the costs in full, leaseholders with non-cladding related issues will also be protected by a cap on how much they can pay for these costs. The cap will only apply to non-cladding related work for those whose property is valued at more than £325,000 (London) and £175,000 outside London (owners of properties below this ceiling will pay nothing). Where leaseholders have bought through shared ownership, their cap will reflect their share of ownership in the property.
  • Any costs that are not recoverable from leaseholders will need to be met by building owners and landlords.
  • Buyers of new build homes will be able to hold their developer responsible for safety and quality issues under a new scheme from the New Homes Ombudsman.

Making industry pay

New powers for the Secretary of State have been granted to restrict irresponsible developers’ ability to build new homes, including if they refuse to take responsibility for fixing life-critical fire safety defects on all buildings 11 metres+ that they have played a role in developing or refurbishing in the last 30 years.

The Building Safety Levy has been extended to be charged on all new residential buildings. Expected to raise an estimated £3 billion over 10 years, this will fund a new government scheme to pay for the removal of unsafe cladding on buildings of 11-18m where the developer cannot be traced or has failed to agree to cover the costs upfront.

Building owners now have enhanced civil liabilities, enabling them to launch legal action against developers, contractors and manufacturers for shoddy construction works and defective products which have caused homes to be unhabitable in the past 30 years.

Extra powers for the courts in England and Wales have been granted to go after associated companies, meaning businesses who have hidden behind shadowy shell companies within their corporate structures can now be pursued to pay.

These new laws will allow the government to consider appropriate action to pursue these companies as part of a new Recovery Unit that is based in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Improving building standards

New regulations for the industry will enforce a higher quality of building standards – ensuring homes are made safer and that a proportionate approach is taken to safety:

  • A new Building Safety Regulator – overseen by the Health & Safety Executive – will enforce a new, more stringent regulatory regime on the safety and performance of high-rise buildings in scope, in England. It will also consult and respond to safety concerns raised by residents through a new Residents’ Panel.
  • A National Regulator for Construction Products will implement stronger standards on construction manufacturers in the UK. Part of the Office for Product Safety and Standards, this new regulator will conduct vital market surveillance to spot and remove unsafe materials faster, as well as confront poor practice by taking action against those that break the rules.

Winnipeg firefighter shortages creating ‘unsafe situation’

by Americas - Featured NewsFeatured News

The United Firefighters of Winnipeg, the union that represents Winnipeg firefighters, has called out staffing shortages at city fire stations which it said are leading to an “untenable and unsafe situation” putting its members and the public at risk.

United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg president Tom Bilous said that all shifts are being affected and the shortages are causing engines and sometimes entire squads to be unavailable.

“That’s a safety issue for our members … it’s also unsafe for the (public) that’s waiting (while) those valuable seconds are ticking by and machines have to come from further away,” he told Global News Winnipeg Morning

Bilous blamed the city’s hiring practices and “an inadequate and outdated staffing ratio” for the shortages.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) has acknoledged that it is going through a repeated short-staffing issue. Assistant Chief of the WFPS, Jason Shaw, said several factors are at play, including Covid-19, burnout, long-term disability and mental health issues.

Bilous said at least 50 new firefighters are needed to fix the immediate issues, and the union is proposing a hiring blitz.

He said overtime shifts are starting to affect firefighters. “We have a very busy fire department, so we need that time off,” he said. “We’ve stretched the rubber band as far as we can and something’s going to snap.”

Shaw said nine people have recently been hired, and the service is working with the union to further address the shortages.

“We’re working through the processes, we’re communicating with our union partnerships,” he said. “We’re really doing our best to makes sure that we can get everyone back.

“It’s been challenging. We’re talking about very high call volumes and it’s been a busy time and we’re hopefully coming out of this.”

London Fire Brigade issues e-bike safety warning

by Featured News

The London Fire Brigade has issued an e-bike safety warning following a blaze at a block of high-rise flats in London’s Shepherd’s Bush on Wednesday 22 June.

Charlie Pugsley, London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety, said: “It’s incredibly concerning that we are continuing to see a rise in incidents involving e-bikes. When the lithium-ion batteries and chargers fail, they do so with ferocity and because the fires develop so rapidly, the situation can quickly become incredibly serious. e-bikes and e-scooters are often stored in communal areas and corridors and can block people’s only means of escape.”

He continued: “Another issue with fires involving lithium-ion batteries, and which we witnessed at this latest fire, is that, when they fail, they eject their contents over a wide area, which can lead to multiple areas of burning in the room where the fire has started.”

The Brigade’s investigators have determined that many of the e-bike incidents have involved e-bike conversion kits (used to convert a standard push bike into an electric bike) rather than purpose-built e-bikes. These only provide the motors and control gear, but batteries for conversion kits must be sourced separately, he continued “There is a significant risk posed by e-bikes created through conversion. We are predominantly seeing fires in ones that have been purchased from online marketplaces and with batteries sourced on the Internet. The latter may not meet the correct safety standards. Lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used.”

He added: “Our advice is to try and store and charge these items in a safe location if possible, such as in a shed or a garage. If they must be stored inside, make sure smoke detection systems are fitted and that means of escape are not obstructed. We know this will not be possible for everyone, so if e-bikes are being charged indoors, it’s always best to adopt safe charging and ensure that everyone in residence knows what to do in the event of a fire.”

A spokesperson from Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council commented: “We are grateful to the Emergency Services for their speedy response on this incident. We urge all residents to follow the London Fire Brigade’s advice when charging e-scooters and e-bikes at home. These batteries and chargers that are often bought unregulated on the internet, are highly dangerous and expose people to unacceptable risks. We will be looking to take robust measures to ban charging inside Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council-run accommodation and seek the Government’s assistance.”

Gas explosion destroys homes in Birmingham

by ActiveFeatured News

At 20:38 on Sunday 26 June, fire crews responded to multiple reports of an explosion on Dulwich Lane, Kingstanding, Birmingham. The explosion, now thought to be a gas explosion, destroyed one property and caused damage to other properties and vehicles nearby.

Dulwich Road is closed and is expected to be for some time. West Midlands Police managed evacuations in the area.

In a statement, West Midlands Fire Service said they believed the incident which completely destroyed one property and significantly damaged three adjoining properties, to be a gas explosion.

The statment said: “One man was rescued prior to the arrival of the fire service and was taken into the care of West Midlands Ambulance, and was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Four other people have been treated at the scene for minor injuries.

“We have evacuated the affected and surrounding properties with our colleagues from West Midlands Police. Our search and rescue dog and handler have been mobilised to the scene and an additional search and rescue dog from Lancashire has been requested and is also en route to assist us.

“Birmingham City Council planning officers are standing by to assist residents that may need rehousing. A structural engineer has also been requested.

“We continue to ask the public to avoid the area and follow the instructions of on-scene emergency service officers.”

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “One property has been completely destroyed with three others badly damaged. Cars have also been damaged.

“A man was helped from the property by people at the scene but had suffered very serious injuries.  After assessment and treatment at the scene, he was taken on blue lights to the major trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham with the MERIT team travelling with the ambulance.  His condition on arrival at hospital was described as life threatening.”