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

by Breaking NewsIndustry SectorsProductsProjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Magirus launches range of firefighting equipment at Spain’s SICUR

by Featured News

Magirus has launched a portfolio of technology-packed firefighting products at the SICUR trade fair in Spain.

One of the highlights will be the Magirus M32L-AT NB with SmartControl is its telescopicing arm, the articulated turntable ladder opens up areas of application that conventional ladders cannot reach. The intelligent, particularly intuitive control is carried out via technically and ergonomically redesigned operating elements that ensure precise and safe maneuvering even in the most stressful situations.

The Wolf R1 enable even more effective and safe operations, with a completely electric drive. Magirus says the Wolf R1 been designed to meet the increased requirements of complex, high-risk operations.

The robot allows firefighters to stay out of harm’s way in conditions of intense heat, collapse dangers, hazardous materials investigations or poor visibility, while persevering on the spot with complete precision.

The multifunctional robot enables all-round visibility thanks to special camera systems which, thanks to a particularly stable data transmission solution, reliably provide the operations command with live images for situation assessment. Particularly in conjunction with the Magirus TacticNet mobile tactical operations network and drone support, the Wolf R1 creates transparency for mission command and enables a new level of safety.

Magirus is also displaying its AirCore TAF60 and debuting the new AirCore TAF35-C firefighting robots. The robots have a remote-control range of up to 300 metres. Both AirCore TAFs are compact and, with a height of less than 2 metres.

Alabama Fire College programme will benefit firefighters globally

by Breaking NewsIndustry SectorsPeople

Alabama Fire College in Tuscaloosa, USA has developed a way to help firefighters focus on their main mission while easing the paperwork burden. Firefighters like fighting fires and caring for sick and injured people, but they are not overly fond of paperwork, the US-based college justified.

Tracy McNair, the college’s database administrator, led a team to come up with a data management system that is changing the way fire departments manage and track their training, certifications and record keeping.

The system turned what has been a frustrating paper-based system into a sophisticated online records management system that will benefit every paid fire department in Alabama and many around the world, Tuscaloosa News reported.

McNair’s system is set to benefit people who must deal with the administrative side of the fire service.

The first phase of the programme involves the development of a new website. The second phase, which came online in November 2021, was the rollout of a new department dashboard, which allows officers and administrators to manage most of the training and certifications, class registrations and record keeping. This means that all that information can now be accessed and controlled by each individual fire department.

The third phase of the rollout is the development and will allow individual firefighters to create a profile and manage their own records and personal information.

The Alabama Fire College is accredited through Pro Board, the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications and through the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress.

Global fire protection systems market to reach $130bn by 2030

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementConstructionIndustrialIndustry SectorsSafety

The global fire protection system market size is expected to reach $130.37bn by 2030, according to a study. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.7% from 2022 to 2030. Increasing adoption of wireless technology in fire protection systems, growing human and property loss owing to fire breakouts, and stringent fire safety regulations are projected to fuel the market growth.

Increasing implementation of building safety codes and renovation projects is also anticipated to be a major factor influencing the market growth. The application and usage of fire protection systems are anticipated to increase continuously with the developments of commercial entities and corporations.

Reportlinker.com released a report titled ‘Fire Protection System Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product, By Service, By Application, By Region And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030’.

Technology enhancements such as extinguishing technology based on mist and products such as laser optical / infrared smoke detectors, alarms with embedded voice evacuation announcements, hypoxic air fire suppression systems, and wireless fire alarm systems are expected to gain traction in the market globally. In addition, in 2020, the market was hampered due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has interrupted production, impacted demand, and caused supply chain disruption.

The growing trend of integrating fire alarm and detection systems with building automation systems offers vast growth opportunities to the market. Connectivity with building automation systems is increasingly becoming a major feature of fire protection systems in commercial, industrial, and residential applications.

This can be attributed to the fact that such integration allows for the development of systems that are capable of sharing and gathering data, which can help in alerting individuals about fire safety issues in the premises. A notable rise in investments in smart building automation technologies across several regions is expected to lead to new opportunities for building automation systems in the industrial and commercial sectors.

Consumers in developed regions such as Europe and North America have seen a steady rise in demand over the past few years, and the growth trend is also projected to continue over the next few years. However, a lack of stringent regulations and the high cost of advanced fire protection systems have kept the markets in emerging countries largely untapped.

Nevertheless, improving economic conditions in countries, including Brazil and India, are anticipated to boost the demand for fire protection systems over the forecast period.

Infrastructural development activities across the Asia Pacific region owing to the rising demand for new transport and utility infrastructure will drive the demand. The high rate of urbanization is placing increased pressure on under-invested, weak city infrastructure.

The consecutive rise in focus on new residential and infrastructural development projects is expected to propel the demand for fire protection systems across this region; thus, such factors are fuelling the market growth.

Dahua’s new technology reduces Chinese mountain wildfire by 80%

by Featured NewsFirefighting EquipmentProductsThermal Imaging

At the beginning of 2020, Dahua Technology provided an intelligent forest fire prevention monitoring system for Rizhao. This solution gives an automatic early warning of fire, real-time fire control and closed-loop response through digital intelligence technology, significantly improving forest fire prevention and dispatch.

Mountainous regions, like Rizhao in Shandong Province of China, are vulnerable to forest fires. Recognised by the United Nations in 2009 as one of the most habitable cities in the world, this city consists of 4,358 mountains, with a forest area of 1,400 square kilometers that account for 70% of the region.

Up until now, forest rangers have manually scouted and monitored the area, walking nearly 10 kilometers of treacherous trails for several hours a day.

The Illegal wood burning in the area, if not controlled properly, can lead to a disastrous wildfire. According to a World Health Organization report, in 50% of wildfires recorded, the cause that triggered them is unknown.

At present, high-altitude dual-lens thermal imaging cameras cover the main mountains in the city, carrying out 360 ° remote monitoring 24/7. This solution also offers real-time sensing and intelligent management of people and vehicles coming in and out of the forest areas.

Furthermore, to reduce false alarms, the system adopts algorithms for deep smoke and mountain scanning, thus improving the accuracy of real fire alarms and saving manpower and material resources.

After half a year of operation, the system has detected more than 30 real mountain fires. The average number of fires found every day during fire season has significantly decreased by 80% compared with the initial stage of the project. This reflects the effectiveness of the solution in fire monitoring and the increasing awareness of villagers regarding fire safety.

Overall, this solution helps guarantee the safety of 1,400 square kilometers of forest resources in Rizhao.

Major fire forces road closure in Wiltshire

by ActiveFeatured News

A fire in an large home caused a major road to be closed in Wiltshire, with plumes of smoke covering the skyline in the nearby area. The Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the property in the Westbrook near Bromham, just off the A3102.

An official statement from the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 6.59pm this evening our Service Control Centre received the first of multiple 999 calls to report a property fire in Westbrook near Bromham.

https://twitter.com/DWFireRescue/status/1494408374917775365

“Initially crews were dispatched to the incident from Calne and Melksham. Firefighters quickly requested support and we currently have 15 fire engines, three water carriers and an aerial ladder platform at this incident (approx. 75 firefighters).”Crews are dealing with a significant fire in a large property. The A3102 has been closed and will remain closed overnight while we deal with this incident.”

An update earlier today from the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We have reduced our attendance at this incident over night. 20 firefighters remain on scene. The A3102 remains closed to allow us to deal with the incident. The road will remain closed for some time yet. A fire investigation into the cause of this incident will begin as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Fire breaks out on ship carrying Volkswagen and Porche vehicles

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsPorts & Maritime

A 650-foot-long cargo ship carrying Porche, and Volkswagen cars caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean. The ship’s 22 crew members fled the scene thanks to rescue works carried out by the Portuguese Navy.

Built in 2005 Felicity Ace can carry up to 4,000 cars. The vessel was on its way to a port in Davisville, Rhode Island, having set sail from Germany’s Emden.

The ship sounded the alarm after a fire broke out in the hold, the Associated Press reported.

Portugal’s navy said one of its patrol boats and four merchant vessels were helping with the rescue. Portuguese air force aircraft were also mobilized.

Both Volkswagen and Porche released separate statements, acknowledging an incident had taken place on a vessel that was carrying their vehicles among the cargo on the ship.

Porche in its statement said that ‘it’s thoughts were with the 22 crew members of the merchant ship’. The statement also reaffirmed that the Portuguese authorities had rescued the crew members.

The Portuguese Navy has said there are no further details about the recovery operation, but the ship is said to be drifting eastwards.

Global fire alarm and detection market to reach $53.15bn in 2032

by ActiveBreaking NewsFire DetectionHealthcareIndustrialIndustry SectorsPorts & MaritimeProducts

The global fire alarm and detection market is expected to be $53.15bn in 2032 expanding at a CAGR of 6% from 2022 through to 2032. The market is currently valued at $29.68bn in 2022.

The increase is forecasted to comes from a demand for developed fire safety systems in mining, automotive, petrochemical, oil and gas exploration, and power and utility sectors.

Rising deployment of fire alarm and detection systems across educational institutes and increasing awareness about its benefits among residents for fire detection systems are key factors propelling market expansion during the forecast period. Furthermore, ongoing technological developments in fire detection and alarming devices is expected to boost the industry’s growth in the coming time.

In addition, the advancement of wireless and remote function fire detection and alarm systems are anticipated to offer significant opportunities for expansion in the evaluation time.  

The Covid-19 pandemic ushered in a change in the demand and consumption pattern of fire alarm and detection systems. With increasing hospitalisation rates and shift towards remote working, the need for residential and healthcare setting oriented fire safety protocols have increased, leading to growing sales of fire alarm and detection systems across these domains.

Key players in the global fire alarm and detection market have adopted various strategies of mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships. In August 2021, ProPharma group acquired iSafety Systems, an Indian pharmacovigilance service provider.

Then in July 2021, ICON plc acquired a CRO, called PRA Health Sciences. The objective of the acquisition was to increase the services portfolio of ICON plc. In October 2020, Honeywell rolled out its first tools from its new suite of Connected Life Safety Services (CLSS), which is its first all-in-one cloud platform for fire safety systems.

London Mayor consults residents on guidance to improve fire safety

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is spearheading important fire safety improvements
in the capital. The London Mayor has launched a full public consultation
on innovative draft guidance to ensure all new developments are designed with
the highest standards of fire safety from the earliest stage, keeping
Londoners, their property, and the fire service safe.

Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, in which 72 Londoners tragically lost
their lives, Dame Judith Hackitt’s Review highlighted the need to transform the
fire and building safety regime. Dame Judith recommended that ‘some minimum
requirements around fire safety will need to be addressed when local planning
authorities are determining planning applications and will require input from
those with the relevant expertise’.

Khan has a strategic planning role for the city and his ‘London Plan’ sets
out guidance for development and building across the city.

He has also reiterated that the fire safety requirements in existing
national Building Regulations are not fit for purpose and the progress of
reform is too slow. With this draft Fire Safety London Plan guidance, Sadiq is
leading the way in London to ensure fire safety is embedded in the early stages
of all planning processes.

This guidance sets out how developers should demonstrate compliance with the
Mayor’s detailed London Plan policies to achieve the highest standards in fire
safety and ‘safe and dignified’ evacuations. This is in addition to the
Government’s fire safety considerations that apply only to a limited number of
buildings at the planning application stage.

The draft guidance also highlights that it is the responsibility of
developers to demonstrate that their developments can be constructed and
occupied safely with regards to the highest standards of fire safety, in a way
that won’t impact neighbouring buildings. To ensure this, the design of the
development needs to consider fire safety and the safe and dignified evacuation
for all from the outset – for example, where a fire engine will park in the
event of fire, whether there is a safe and accessible evacuation route for
occupants, whether the external walls are made of non-combustible materials and
what fire safety measures will be incorporated into the buildings.

Drager partners with the Fire Service College

by Featured NewsHealthcareIndustry Sectors

Dräger, a medical and safety technology company, has partnered with Fire Service College (FSC). Together furthering technical innovation through the optimisation of SCBA product development, firefighter training and communications. 

The FSC, owned by Capita, delivers training to all UK fire and rescue teams, as well as defence, national resilience and critical national infrastructure, and is recognised as an international leader with delegates from across the globe regularly utilising its expertise and facilities. Located on a 320-acre former Royal Air Force airfield, more than 7,000 delegates a year train using every scenario imaginable across domestic and industrial buildings, a ship, aircraft, motorway, train set/station and high-rise buildings – all of which are used for real fire and rescue scenarios on a daily basis. The FSC puts a strong emphasis on interoperability and large-scale exercises.

Dräger’s relationship with the FSC spans more than three decades, and includes the provision of SCBA sets supported by bespoke training. FSC instructors are in an ideal position to provide feedback that supports product development, and to act as product ambassadors to demonstrate the manufacturer’s commitment to firefighter safety.   

As part of the new partnership, Dräger will provide the new PSS AirBoss Connect SCBA kits including telemetry, face masks, communications, and cylinders. And in reinvigorating the relationship there will be further joint activities to ensure delegates are provided with the latest developments and industry insight.

Dominik Wellmann, MD, of the FSC, said the partnership supports the college’s goal to use market leading, technical innovation. He said: “A key part of our responsibilities as a world-leading provider of emergency services training is investing in state-of-the-art kit that delivers optimum safety to all of our delegates. As the global leader in fire safety equipment, we recognise Dräger as the ideal partner to support this goal.”

Matthew Bedford, managing director sales and service added: “We’re very pleased to see the new AirBoss SCBA being utilised at the FSC and look forward to receiving feedback. The partnership enables us to support our industry and learn from it. It’s an invaluable long-standing relationship from which everyone wins.”