Survitec launches ‘Head Start’ programme for ship fire safety

by Featured NewsSafety

Survival Technology specialist Survitec has introduced a new programme to ensure shipowners are fully equipped to protect crews and assets throughout the entire lifetime of their vessels.

The “Head Start” programme is a complete through-life supply and service initiative. Survitec has been working with shipowners, designers and ship builders from first designs to ensure that vessels are protected with the most advanced safety solutions possible and to ensure they can be operated and maintained efficiently throughout the vessel’s lifetime.

Finn Lende-Harung, Commercial Director – Fire Solutions, Survitec, said: “Being involved from the planning phase onwards, we can help to optimise safety system design, installation and commissioning as well as ensuring shipowners benefit from the most cost-effective means of managing their ongoing system training, servicing, and certification requirements.

“From the very beginning of a project, shipowners have immediate access to our global network of experts through a single point of contact. We’re providing a complete one-stop safety shop from the design phase through to ongoing vessel operations. We’re setting shipowners on course for a lifetime of safety at sea.”

Rafal Kolodziejski, Survitec’s Head of Product Support and Development – Fire Systems, cited the increasing number of newbuilds opting to run on alternative fuels as one of the main reasons why the initiative is becoming so appealing.

He said: “The industry is well advanced in fire extinguishing technologies and mediums for gas and methanol fuelled fires. However, li-ion batteries, ammonia, and hydrogen are relatively new marine fuel and powering options, presenting very different challenges for shipowners and operators.

“The risk of fire from these alternative fuels can be substantial, requiring a higher focus on prevention and the monitoring of gas leakage and temperatures. When we are involved in a newbuild project from the beginning, we can better mitigate any risk further down the line through quick-response fire system solutions.”

Lende-Harung added that as the shipping industry moves towards digital technologies and the possibilities of autonomous shipping – accelerated perhaps by current operational and financial challenges: “Remote monitoring, diagnostics and online maintenance will in the future become a major consideration at the design stage.”

Survitec’s fire system experts can monitor system conditions, support ship crew with trouble shooting and adjustment of equipment shoreside without having to physically attend the ship,” said Lende-Harung. “A remote VPN gateway connects to the fire safety system operator panel via an ethernet cable or Wi-Fi through a secure gateway.

“We can connect at short notice in case of issues threatening normal operation or to provide training to ship crews. For example, we can help a system operator tune-up their inert gas system to reduce fuel consumption, reduce maintenance and increase system stability. Remote diagnostics and the monitoring of fire safety equipment will become a major factor in the swing towards autonomous shipping.”

National Weather Service issues critical fire warning across US south-west

by ActiveAmericas - Featured NewsFeatured News

The National Weather Service has issued critical fire condition warnings across the US South West as wind gusts have been predicted to case fire-jumps across containment lines.

The warning comes as fire crews in New Mexico continue their efforts to stop growth of the country’s biggest wildfire – the result of two fires that merged to create the largest wildfire in the history of New Mexico.

The seven-week fire has burned 491 square miles of forest and rugged terrain east of Santa Fe since the beginning of April after being started by two intentionally-set blazes by authorities.

The National Weather Service has now issued a red flag warning of critical fire conditions for parts of Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah with predictions of strong winds, low relative humidity and dry vegetation.

Bruno Rodriguez, the fire management team’s meteorologist, said that forecasts predict wind gusts up to 50mph, with critical fire conditions continuing into Monday, followed by more favourable weather later in the coming week.

John Chest, a fire operations manager, commented: “Imagine traveling in your car and the fire can outpace you. That’s the kind of extreme fire behavior that we’re talking about.”

PBI: Pushing the boundaries of fire protective clothing

by Breaking NewsFirefighting EquipmentProducts
Exclusive: Fabrics and materials manufacturer PBI has been pushing the boundary with its latest trademark innovation PBI LP, Ian Callaghan, Senior Director, International Marketing and Sales, PBI International tells us more

PBI is at the forefront of incredible innovation in the development of fabrics that protect firefighters against heat and flame, but are also lightweight and breathable, reducing the risk of heat stress.

The company’s range of fabrics have become the preferred choice of fire services all over the world. From USA and Europe, the Middle East to the Far East and Australasia, firefighters go to work every day protected by PBI outer fabrics.

Choosing to work with only the best fabric manufacturers in the supply chain ensures that every PBI product performs to the highest levels required in modern firefighting and rescue. The company’s close working relationship with its supply chains is a key factor in the continued investment in research and innovation which results in products that set new standards in comfort and performance. It has driven the development of an extensive range of structural firefighting outer shells designed specifically for the different needs of fire services.

The company’s product portfolio was recently expanded with the addition of, PBI LP, a trademark lightweight fibre that further enhances comfort, breathability and freedom of movement for future structural firefighting gear. 

Fabric made with PBI LP, which stands for ‘lightweight performance’, is 10% lighter than other outer fabrics for structural fire gear, helping to reduce the risk of heat stress.  Even though the unique PBI LP™ is lighter, it still enhances heat and flame protection and resistance to break open, without compromise.

The new lighter fibre performs incredibly well when used in outer shell fabrics, even when tested against other heavier para-aramid and meta-aramid outer shells. In independent test undertaken by BTTG in the same conditions the 180 gsm PBI LP garment outperformed an identical garment made with 220 gsm meta-aramid outer fabric. An eight second burn test was undertaken on the 2006 version of the male heat sensing manikin known as RALPH, which was developed by BTTG and conforms to ISO 13506.  For the test the hands and head were not used, leaving 123 sensors on torso, arms, legs that monitor the temperature on the surface of the manikin during the test.

The BTTG tests showed 2nd and 3rd degree burn injury prediction of only 1.8% for the garment with lighter PBI LP™, compared to a much higher figure of 19.3% burn injury for the meta-aramid, despite the meta-aramid also being 40gsm heavier.

Like all PBI fabrics, PBI LP delivers excellent tensile strength and will not become brittle, shrink, or break open when exposed to flame and high temperatures. This means that the integrity of the internal layers of the garment is protected, and the transfer of any radiant heat is slower, allowing more time for firefighters to escape to safety in a situation such as a flashover. PBI’s protection from exposure to heat and flame has been proven over many years of independent testing and performance in the field.

In a Dynamic Flame Test, which is used to demonstrate the time it takes for an outer fabric to breaks down under tension, PBI LP of 180g/m2 lasted 48 seconds, while a much heavier 220/ g/m2 Para-aramid/Meta-aramid fabric lasted just 3 seconds. 

PBI LP fabric is a result of PBI’s continued investment in research and development that creates new standards of firefighter protection.  That development process must always take account of the balance between comfort and protection.  That is why outer shells made with PBI LP join a wide range of PBI fabrics that meet the need of every situation and work effectively as an integral part of all garment design. Each product has different properties and applications, but every PBI fabric exceeds the required protection standards from heat and flame for outer fabrics.

PBI’s continued commitment to innovation and new product development is not restricted to structural firefighting solutions. Working closely with the supply chain, PBI has also developed a range of lightweight protective fabrics with increased tensile strength that is designed specifically for technical rescue, wildland and industrial firefighting. 

One of the biggest challenges to firefighter safety is the risk posed by heat stress.  It can cause many problems, from muscle fatigue and reduced cognitive function to cardiovascular strain and cardiac arrest.  Research has shown that more firefighters dies in the line of duty from cardiac arrest than any other cause. One of the paradoxes of firefighter protection is that structural firefighting garments designed to protect the wearer from heat and flame can potentially contribute to the rise in core body temperature that triggers heat stress. That’s why it is so important that the outer shell, which has a primary role of protecting from heat and flame, is designed to mitigate the risk of heat stress.

All PBI fabrics are designed to offer maximum thermal protection from the outside, while at the same time delivering high levels of breathability and comfort to reduce the risk of heat stress. They will not become brittle, shrink or break open when exposed to flame and high temperatures, which is among the characteristics of other fabrics. This means that the integrity of the internal layers of the garment is protected and the transfer of any radiant heat is slower, allowing more time for firefighters to escape to safety in a situation such as a flashover.

In the 40 years since opening for business in Charlotte, North Carolina, PBI Performance Products has created a reputation for protection without compromise that is recognised all over the world.

This article was originally published in the May edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here

Swiss Air Force teams up with Rosenbauer for aircraft firefighting training

by AviationFeatured NewsIndustry SectorsProjects

The Swiss Air Force has teamed up with fire service vehicle and equipment manufacturer Rosenbauer to implement its PANTHER training system to enable training for the tactical handling of ARFF vehicles as well as handling the extinguishing and control panels.

The PANTHER training system will be installed in the fire training center of CFR Campus PHÈNIX at Payerne Airport.

The simulator landscape consists of two PANTHER tactical simulators – 8×8 and 6×6 S, as well as two simulators that can be configured bot as ARFF vehicles and command or logistics vehicles.

The two PANTHER simulators are equipped with identical PANTHER cockpits, while the other two have generic cockpits on which all functions can be operated the same way as in the respective original vehicle.

Everything that happens outside the vehicles is displayed on large LED screens in Ultra-HD (4 times HDTV) resolution. Each screen is controlled by its own computer; a total of 18 computers with powerful graphics cards are installed in the training system.

The system also includes a control panel on which the virtual training sessions are planned, programmed, and documented. There are five airport layouts and numerous aircraft types to choose from, the time of day or night, and the weather and runway conditions can be modified in order to make the operational action as realistic as possible.

All firefighting operations from leaking jet fuel to an undercarriage catching fire or burning jet engines can be trained on, whereby the control of the firefighting equipment is just as sensitive as in the real-life counterparts.

“The Swiss Air Force is building a competence center for aircraft firefighting here, where the members of the aircraft incident squads will receive their complete training in future and be able to complete regular drills under real conditions,” saod Hans Schmid, Head of Crash and Fire Rescue Swiss Air Force.

“In the future, each and every member will train on the simulators for at least two days a year. Their integration into an overall system allows us to systematically and efficiently structure the training. In addition, three liquid gas-fired fire simulators (dummy aircraft) are available for “hot” drills on the approximately 26,000 m2 site.”

Markus Zellinger, Managing Director of Rosenbauer Switzerland added: “The Swiss Air Force’s aircraft incident squads can train for every operational scenario imaginable in a resource-saving, safe, and controlled manner. That’s the great advantage of simulator training.”

NFCC launches tools to support fire and rescue services

by Breaking News

National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) People Programme has launched four new tools to support fire and rescue services in the selection, recruitment, nurturing and growth of diverse talent. 

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Hub, Recruitment Hub, Talent Management Toolkit and Coaching and Mentoring Portal have been put together as the culmination of months work by the NFCC project teams and colleagues from across the fire and rescue sector. 

Each tool champions best practice processes, showcasing sector-endorsed guidance to provide a consistent approach at a national level.  

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Hub contains a of resources to help services ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion are part of everything they do.  

The Recruitment Hub is a centralised resource for colleagues finding and bringing in diverse talent.  

The Talent Management Toolkit has been developed to provide support to fire and rescue services around the key talent management areas: attract, identify, develop, engage, retain, deploy, and evaluate.

And the Coaching and Mentoring Portal allows a continuation of learning and connects individuals with coaches and mentors from within the sector.   

Ann Millington, People Programme Executive said: “I am immensely proud of the work by members of the People Programme in conjunction with fire and rescue services, and the resulting four products.  

“These products signify another significant leap forward by the NFCC in supporting the people already working in, and those yet to join, this exciting and dynamic sector.” 

The toolkits can be found on the UKFRS website.

North American Firefighters prepare for worsening fire forecast

by Americas - Breaking NewsBreaking News

Nearly 3,000 firefighters in North America are preparing for a worsening fire forecast in the days ahead as the country’s largest wildfire reached a temporary standstill in northern Mexico on Tuesday night due to light rain and snow in the mountains

The ongoing wildfire burning for in New Mexico has become the largest in the Southwestern state’s recorded history and it forced the evacuation of a small ski resort and villages in drought-hit mountains east of Santa Fe.

Fire officials in New Mexico said they planned to continue to clear flammable vegetation and deploy aircraft to douse smoldering forests before windier, hotter, drier conditions return this weekend.

Forest Service fire behavior analyst Stewart Turner predicted that by Friday: “Fire weather starts to enter the critical stage where we’ll probably see more growth and fire moving.”

Controlled burns put on hold

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on Friday called a temporary nationwide halt to controlled burns meant to reduce fire risk after the agency accidentally started part of New Mexico’s largest ever wildfire, having burned over 300,000 acres (123,000 hectares), destroyed up to 1,500 properties and displaced tens of thousands of people.

Forest Service Chief Randy Moore said fire danger levels were too high to use prescribed fire and ordered a 90-day review of policies before operations planned for this fall.

“Lessons learned and any resulting program improvements will be in place prior to resuming prescribed burning,” Moore said in a statement.

So far this year, wildland fires have burned across roughly 2,650 square miles (6,860 square kilometers) of the U – roughly twice the average burn for this time of year, according to a national center for coordinating wildfire suppression.

EarthSafe launches cleanup solution for first responders

by Featured NewsProductsProjects

EarthSafe Chemical Alternatives, known for developing the EvaClean Infection Prevention Solution which firefighters use to mitigate pathogens in their fire stations and emergency vehicles, has launched a safer, more sustainable line of industrial-strength products to address hazardous spills and inhibit harmful moulds. 

FlashDry is EarthSafe’s new absorbent solution for hazardous and non-hazardous leaks and spills made from 100% organic coir, a coconut fiber that is non-carcinogenic and safe to handle.

It contains clay absorbents with granular crystalline Silica generate highly carcinogenic Silica dust and create excessive amounts of toxic waste and is not only lighter, with seven times the absorbency, but it also costs less.

FlashDry is designed to be a more sustainable way to clean up oil and chemical spills without putting first responders at risk.

EarthSafe’s line of industrial-strength cleaning solutions includes a more effective way to mitigate water damage and sick building syndrome at a lower cost per square foot. Its XMold Pro is designed to inhibit the growth of harmful moulds and protects indoor and outdoor surfaces whilst remaining harmless to personnel and the environment.

Joe Finn, former Boston Fire Commissioner, Chief of the Department, and current First Responder Safety Advisor for EvaClean said of chemical cleaning products: “Firefighters and EMS personnel handle all kinds of emergencies, including hazardous spill clean-ups and mould remediation.

“To ensure the health and welfare of our first responders, the chemicals they use to mitigate these issues in the field must be as safe and effective as the disinfectants they use in the firehouse.”

Steve Wilson, EarthSafe CEO added: “With Joe’s guidance, our team is developing safer cleaning technologies to better protect first responders both in the firehouse and on the job.” 

Golden State Fire Apparatus to open second service centre

by Featured NewsProductsVehicles

 Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, has announced authorised dealer Golden State Fire Apparatus, Inc. will open its second service center, a new 45,000-square-foot facility in Tracy, California, to serve customers in central California, particularly the Bay Area.

The project is currently in the design stage with construction expected to be completed in the next 18 to 24 months. It will also serve as Golden State Fire Apparatus’ service hub for the revolutionary Pierce Volterra platform of electric vehicles.

“Opening a service centre in Tracy will increase capacity to our customers and will reduce their travel time for service by at least 50 percent,” said Ryan Wright, President of Golden State Fire Apparatus. “This will decrease turnaround time, getting the apparatus back into service faster, benefiting the communities our customers serve.”

The Tracy, California service centre will be equipped to provide Emergency Vehicle Technician (EVT) certified repairs and servicing on the electric vehicles as their use increases.

Primary benefits of the new Golden State Fire Apparatus service center in Tracy, CA include:

  • 30 additional service bays
  • Increased parts availability
  • Increased service team capacity
  • Fast turnaround for repairs and maintenance
  • Pierce Volterra electric fire apparatus support

Forecasting customers’ needs in the years ahead led the Golden State Fire Apparatus team to select Tracy, California as the location to best serve the company’s southern territory.

“We believe a good process allows us to pivot quickly as we’ve strived to ensure our team has a productive and safe environment to work while maintaining the level of service our customers have come to rely on,” Wright added. “The expansion will allow us to continue improving our support with the ultimate goal of reaching new customers and completing repairs quicker.”

Industry responds to commencement of Fire Safety Act

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIndustry Sectors

The UK government’s Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Building Safety Act 2022, which have both now come into force, have been met with mixed response from the British fire and safety industry.

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) welcomed he publication of the government’s White Paper on Fire Reform which focusses on driving forward reform, strengthening governance and improving talent and professionalism.  

According to NFCC, the white paper and subsequent consultation provides a further opportunity to continuously improve what fire and rescue services already do and to reach into new roles and responsibilities to respond to local risk and support partner services. The reforms can build on the fantastic work already carried out every day.  

NFCC Chair Mark Hardingham commented: “I am pleased to see today’s long anticipated publication of the white paper together with the announcements on fire and building safety.  

“The public have great confidence and trust in firefighters and their fire and rescue services. We all carry a collective responsibility to build on that reputation in how we shape the fire and rescue service for the future – with the needs and expectations of the public at the forefront of our thinking. 

“NFCC has a significant role to play in advising and delivering on reform and improvements. However, no one organisation alone holds the key – we want to work with the various fire service bodies to inform and implement further improvements.” 

The Council said it would now respond to the consultations after exploring the recommendations in detail with fire and rescue services.  

A perfect storm

The Fire Industry Association has said the new legislation will create a ‘perfect storm’ for fire risk assessors, as they will now face additional challenges when it comes to satisfying new legal requirements designed to meet fire safety competency standards.

The association raised the issue thattThe legislation requires that a building’s external walls be considered as part of any fire risk assessment, which has been much debated by the industry. The Building Safety Act goes further still, it said, placing a clear duty on ‘Accountable Persons’ and ‘Responsible Persons’ to confirm the competency of any fire risk assessor whom they appoint to assist them in undertaking a building fire risk assessment.

It also noted the lack of detailed definition around the term ‘competent’, which then puts these ‘duty holders’ under considerable pressure to make the correct choices.

Dennis Davis, executive officer at the Fire Sector Federation, said: “Those accountable for building and fire safety, including fire risk assessors operating without clearly demonstrable competency, need to make sure they’re ready now.

“They must fully understand the implications of demonstrating compliance with their obligations under the new legislation. Using existing third party assurance schemes that demonstrate fire risk assessors are competent is a practical way forward for clients. Joining such schemes or engaging with those organisations developing standards will allow qualified professionals to show they’re competent. It’s a way forward for contractors.”

He added: “We need to face up to these challenges if we are to avoid a ‘perfect storm’ in the fire risk assessor sector which could undermine fire safety in our buildings.”

‘An attack on workers’ rights’

The Fire Brigade Union called highlighted the white paper’s review on pay and move to operational independence of Chief Fire Officers. Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary called it ‘an attack on workers’ rights by undermining collective bargaining and a proposal to remove frontline firefighters’ voices.

He said: “The narrative set out in the white paper on the fire service’s response to the pandemic is one firefighters will not recognise. Firefighters, through their union, negotiated a contract which kept them safe and allowed important work to protect the public to take place. Before this agreement, Covid positive firefighters were deployed to doorsteps – not something certain chief fire officers can be proud of.

“We’re proud of how the tripartite agreement was achieved through our long-standing arrangements, and attempts to belittle it are false and insulting.

“The vast bulk of this white paper does not relate directly to Grenfell recommendations. It is unclear why the government is trying to paint this picture. Instead of listening to frontline firefighters, the government appears to have listened only to the anti-union voice of the politically motivated, including outgoing fire inspector Tom Winsor, and fire bosses. We look forward to working with the government to address these proposals and making sure that frontline firefighters are heard.

“The union has never opposed clarifying the role of a firefighter and in some instances, expanding that role, and we have tried to have these discussions with ministers for over a decade. It is ministers who have failed to answer these questions. It is imperative that any changes are properly negotiated and discussed with frontline firefighters – it is their say that should matter most. 

“The proposals on governance suggests that we could see more Police Fire and Crime Commissioners. Throwing fire in with police means fire and rescue services do not receive enough scrutiny. Furthermore police and fire are very different functions and there is a vital need to maintain the neutrality of fire and rescue services in the public perception. If this breaks down it will make the work of fire and rescue services in communities far more difficult.”

Auckland firefighter staff-shortages at ‘crisis point’

by Featured News

The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union said that the staffing issues in the Auckland fire department has reached a crisis point.

The union made the comment after over the past weekend there were 23 gaps in firefighter coverage, including five fire trucks out of commission due to no staff and several more short-staffed.

The union’s Auckland local secretary Martin Campbell said there has been a lack of investment over the past 10 to 15 years and that now it was hitting rock bottom. He said: “We’ve had no significant increase in the number of career firefighters in Auckland since the 1980s and early 90s, in fact Auckland is less than half the number of career firefighters per capita than the rest of New Zealand.”

On Saturday in Tāmaki Makaurau, there were 98 firefighters on during the day, 20 percent fewer than usual, looking after the region’s 1.7 million people, Campbell said.

“If stations are unstaffed or closed down because we haven’t got enough firefighters, other stations have to respond from longer and further away, it takes longer for Fire and Emergency to get fire trucks to emergency incidents,” he added.

Fire and Emergency region manager Ron Devlin made a comment of reassurance to the community, however, that the service had the capacity and planning in place to respond to emergencies.

“We have capacity built into our capability to allow for coverage on any given day should appliances be committed to large fires or when we routinely take trucks off service temporarily for several reasons – including training our people and maintaining our fleet,” he said in a statement, explaining that fire and emergency has been impacted by staff absences due to Omicron.

He added that

Fire and Emergency New Zealand recruited for career firefighters twice a year and it received applications from many quality candidates: “In fact, we are currently running an additional recruitment for Auckland only, which opened on 1 April and will close on 15 May, with the objective of filling an additional 15 to 20 roles.”