South Williamsport Fire Department fire deal considered ‘revolutionary’

by Americas - Featured NewsFeatured News

Officials involved in a proposed five-year cooperative agreement with Loyalsock Township and its fire department have labeled it as ‘revolutionary’ and one that could incorporate future municipal partners to provide fire and rescue services for their communities.

South Williamsport Borough Council in Pennsylvania approved the proposal earlier this week and township supervisors continue to review it as minor revisions get ironed out.

The agreement, a copy of which was provided to the Sun-Gazette, includes provisions for paid fire protection and rescue services that funds the departments and apparatus and equipment through existing fire taxes.

Under the banner of Susquehanna Mutual Aid Regional Team, or SMART, the dwindling manpower of the South Williamsport Volunteer Fire Department was given new legs this week.

The cooperative fire agreement, meanwhile, creates a legal mechanism to provide sufficient funding to the participating fire companies from participating municipalities and other third party sources, he said.

SMART will begin with an initial paid staff of five fully trained firefighters and rescue responders consisting of four full-time, 40-hour-per-week positions, Monday through Friday, with one shared administrative position providing the administrative oversight for the services administered under the SMART program, according to the terms, the SunGazette reported.

The four full-time positions will be assigned into two separate firefighter crews, with one crew to be stationed at Loyalsock Township, and with one crew to be stationed at South Williamsport Volunteer Fire Department.

The agreement provides necessary personnel, training, and equipment required to supplement the participating fire companies with paid firefighters that will provide for adequate paid fire protection and rescue services within the participating municipalities.

Global fire suppression systems Market to reach $26.6 Billion by 2027

by ActiveBreaking News

The global market for Fire Suppression Systems is estimated at US$19 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$26.6 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 4.9% over the analysis period 2020-2027.

Dry Chemical-Based, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 5.6% CAGR to reach US$10.8 Billion by the end of the analysis period.

After an early analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Water-Based segment is readjusted to a revised 4.6% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 28.7% share of the global Fire Suppression Systems market.

The U.S. Accounts for Over 29.7% of Global Market Size in 2020, While China is Forecast to Grow at a 6.7% CAGR for the Period of 2020-2027

The Fire Suppression Systems market in the U.S. is estimated at US$5.6 Billion in the year 2020. The country currently accounts for a 29.69% share in the global market. China, the world second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$3.8 Billion in the year 2027 trailing a CAGR of 6.7% through 2027.

Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 3.5% and 4.2% respectively over the 2020-2027 period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4.1% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$3.8 Billion by the year 2027.

Other Product Types Segment Corners a 32.6% Share in 2020

In the global Other Product Types segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 4.1% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$4.9 Billion in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$6.5 Billion by the close of the analysis period.

China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$3 Billion by the year 2027, while Latin America will expand at a 4.9% CAGR through the analysis period.

Rosenbauer adds to forest firefighting vehicle portfolio

by Featured NewsProductsVehicles

Austria-based fire service vehicle manufacturer, the Rosenbauer Group, has added to its product portfolio for fighting forest fires.

The range, which features a line-up of forest firefighting vehicles, water-saving extinguishing systems (high/extreme pressure systems, compressed air foam systems), special technical equipment and lightweight personal protective equipment, has added the Rosenbauer firefighter excavator.

The new vehicle can be operated at high ambient temperatures and is designed to be used in wildland fire fighting, such as for creating firebreaks and access paths, dig trenches, or widen fireproof barriers (such as roads and paths).

The brigade excavator, which is positioned as an ideal clearance and recovery device in the event of floods, mudslides, or avalanches, does not have to be transported to the site of deployment on a truck trailer as it can drive there on its own at speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour.

It features two modules: an all-wheel drive chassis and an excavator attachment with a telescopic boom.

The excavator module is powered by its own 126 hp engine, which provides a maximum digging force of 85 kN. The telescopic arm is extremely robust and has a horizontal reach of up to 14.6 m, giving the excavator a large radius of action and enabling work to be carried out at a safe distance from the seat of a fire, with a lifting capacity of 7 tons when the telescopic arm retracted, and 2.6 tons at maximum extension.

The model has a range of accessories, including shovels, buckets, tongs, grapples and hydraulic tools (hydraulic hammer) which can all be mounted on a rotary head which allows the tools to be rotated 360°, facilitating excavation and demolition work or the demolition of fire remains from all sides.

The excavator was jointly developed with the mechanical engineering company CSM Industry on the basis of their proven UDS multi-functional excavator. Production takes place on the premises of the Slovakian partner while Rosenbauer handles global sales.

CertAlarm completes fourth cycle of round-robin tests

by Featured NewsSafety

CertAlarm, an organization offering a pan-European quality mark in the fire protection and security systems industry, today confirmed the completion of its 4th cycle of round-robin test series.

Round-robin tests are comparative tests performed by the participating laboratories at regular intervals and using the same test sample. As such they are an important monitoring tool for CertAlarm’s partners and recognized test laboratories. They enable quality supervisors and management to place the results obtained by the laboratory performing the tests in a wider framework and to identify problems and initiate actions for improvement.

In particular, round-robin tests help to bring to light inconsistencies in the testing systems or methods and can give rise to necessary corrective action, e.g.:

  • interpretation of standards,
  • calibration/maintenance of the testing equipment,
  • training of the laboratory personnel,
  • adjustment of influencing factors relevant to testing (e.g. climate).

“In order to improve our program we specifically select tests which have proven to be difficult to perform or have shown in the market place that inconsistencies exist in approved products. One of the tests selected for this cycle’s series was therefore the measurement of the make and break distances of opening contacts according to EN 50131-2-6 (clause 6.4.2). The criticality of this test lays in the interpretation of the PASS/FAIL criteria in coherence with the manufacturer declaration and the requirements in clause 4.3.1.2 and 4.3.1.3.”, says Benoît Stockbroeckx, Technical Manager of Euralarm and Chair of CertAlarm’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG).

“As a matter of fact, diverging interpretations highlighted unclarity in the wording of the standard. This issue has been brought to the relevant standardisation working group (CLC/TC 79/WG 2) and the discussions paved the way for an improvement of the standard in view of a future revision. Thanks to this exercise we can now be sure that all of CertAlarm’s labs will test and conclude according to this understanding in the future. Moreover, CertAlarm so contributed to the improvement of the standard for the benefit of all European laboratories, certification bodies and manufacturers dealing with opening contacts”, he adds.

“The round-robin procedure helps us understand if we are doing things right and providing our customers the same level of results”, confirms Anja Kinsky, General Manager of CertAlarm.

Sustainable building materials could lead to more fires

by ConstructionFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

The increase of sustainable building materials during construction has been welcomed by many environmentally concious. However, the use of certain products, while good for the environment, pose a higher risk of catching fire.

Jonathan O’Neill, Managing Director, Fire Protection Association told IFSJ in an exclusive interview: “Building methods have evolved dramatically over the last decade, we are using different materials which are combustible.

“This will not change over the next 20 years because some of it ties into the sustainability agenda. In the years to come, we will continue to build with even more combustible products because they have less impact on the environment. We accept that. At the same time, we need to re-write some of the building rules, which were done keeping old fashioned building materials and techniques.”

In Britain, a newly ratified law, the Building Safety Act, came into effect towards the end of April. The new law has been a work in progress fueled by modern fire disasters in the UK.

O’Neill welcomed the new bill but told IFSJ that we now need a fundamental root and branch review of building regulations in the UK. “It’s been well over a decade since the last review,” he said.

Rhino Doors expands with EV charging point installations

by Featured NewsSafety

UK-based engineered doors manufacturer Rhino Doors is strengthening its commitment to its people and the environment with the installation of electric vehicle charging points at one of its manufacturing facilities.

Rhino Doors, whose main base is in Port Talbot, South Wales, installed the charging points to encourage its team members to adopt the use of electric vehicles (EV), and to support clients visiting the facility via an EV.

By providing its team with the facilities to charge their vehicles at work, Rhino is working to offset its carbon footprint and mitigate negative impacts on the environment.

This new initiative comes after the manufacturer completed Made in Britain’s Green Growth Programme in February of this year, scoring highly for social impact and green credentials.

The Green Growth Programme is designed to support UK manufacturers to advance their progress on sustainability and work towards reaching net zero by 2050 or earlier.

In January of this year, Rhino also published its strategy on Corporate Social Responsibility, outlining the ways in which it is working to prioritise both people and planet.

Spanning the key areas of Environment, Community, Workplace & People, and Marketplace, the company’s CSR strategy details a range of initiatives it has implemented to positively impact on local communities and the wider environment.

Stuart Lawrence, Group Managing Director of Rhino Engineering Group, said: “As a manufacturer of industrial doors, we know that the intensive work we undertake can have an impact on the environment and the people around us.

“We’re very proud to have been recognised by Made in Britain for our continued efforts to minimise our environmental impact and work towards carbon neutral operations.

“This new initiative is just one small way in which we are working to implement sustainable practices and bolster our ethical standing with all our stakeholders.”

Dräger launches compact thermal imaging camera

by Featured NewsProductsThermal Imaging

Dräger, an international leader in the fields of medical and safety technology, has launched the UCF FireVista, a thermal imaging camera (TIC) that can be activated one-handed with just one button, providing split-second access to critical visual support within a firefighting incident.

TICs provide vital insight when visibility is significantly reduced due to fire, smoke or darkness, thereby supporting firefighters whilst attending the most challenging environments. They deliver vital intelligence in locating casualties and helping locate the seat of a fire, so that it can be rapidly extinguished.

With the ability to detect even the smallest change in temperature, and providing a clear contrast between walls, doors and stairs, the UCF FireVista proves especially useful in detecting hotspots when a fire is behind cladding or in a building’s void. It therefore limits invasive physical damage as emergency teams have less need to strip out the fabric of a building to reach the fire.  

The UFC FireVista is compact, robust and features an ergonomic design and almost indestructible outer shell. It can withstand mechanical stresses and its IP67 protection class guarantees that is water and dust resistant. A fast frame rate and ultra-high image picture quality deliver a quick overview of an incident even under the most difficult operating conditions.

Weighing only 870g, the UFC FireVista is one of the lightest thermal imaging cameras currently on the market. This helps increase the mobility and reduce the physical strain placed on the firefighter.

The camera has an operating time of approximately five hours, due to its powerful rechargeable battery, which gives enough leeway for longer deployments. The camera is virtually maintenance-free, and the integrated battery has a lifetime of approx. 4000 charging cycles.

The compact and intuitive camera is easy to use and operate, with just one on/off switch, which means it can deliver vital information in seconds. 

Liz Millward, Marketing Manager Emergency and Rescue Services at Draeger Safety UK, says the UFC FireVista is an excellent addition to the range: “Dräger’s thermal imaging cameras are designed to supply firefighters with vital information during any incident where visibility is impaired, whether as a result of smoke or an underground or collapsed environment. The UFC FireVista is an important tool when speed, straightforward functionality and high-quality imaging are required,” she says. 

“Ultimately, it supports firefighters’ ability to save the lives of others and to protect their own safety.”

Brazil hospital complex installs connected fire alarm system

by Featured NewsHealthcareIndustry Sectors

Brazil’s bustling general practice hospital in São Paulo, the Centro Médico Campinas installed a connected fire alarm system.

Over the past five decades, the hospital campus has undergone significant expansions to add new buildings and specialized healthcare services.

This resulted in installing eleven different, incompatible fire alarm panels across the sprawling campus that required individual monitoring, cleaning, and maintenance.

For seamless, around-the-clock fire safety of the entire premises, clinic operators wanted a unified and future-proof system. The Hospital Centro Médico Campinas chose a system designed by Bosch and implemented by Brazcamp Tecnologia installers in Campinas, Brazil for a completely integrated fire alarm system to provide optimized safety coverage.

The system secures the entire city hospital campus around the clock. All fire detection devices are connected via the Modular Fire Panel 5000 Series from Bosch for improved response times and better maintenance options –including remote maintenance – to the healthcare facility.

The project also required retrofitting of legacy fire prevention equipment and smart connectivity to accommodate the premises’ unique layout. By installing one single, fully customized solution, the hospital:

• Fixed compatibility challenges. Integration and consolidation of all data from connected devices on the fire panel. Thanks to retrofitting of legacy detectors, devices now communicate seamlessly.

• Decentralized access 24/7. Direct access for personnel via remote keypads connected to three desked areas: Main reception, on-site fire department, and operation and control center.

• Entire campus on a single network. Five loop modules cover all areas of Hospital Centro Médico Campinas with panels and detectors, including sensitive environments such as the ICU, operating theater, patient wards, and the hospital laboratory.

• Increased safety response and situational awareness via full integration with gas detection, sprinklers, and access control. As a result, personnel can pinpoint the location of a fire precisely and unlock doors and gates in case of an event for improved evacuation.

As the hospital continues to grow, the flexibility of the new solution allows for future integrations, such as access control and voice alarms.

London warns against home fires to save on heating

by Featured NewsSafety

Fire chiefs in London have warned the public that should not attempt to reduce their energy bills by improvising open fires at home.

The caution comes after a man in south-west London set fire to his property by burning timber in his living room to keep warm. The man was trying to avoid putting on the central heating in his home, fire investigators said.

Fuel poverty campaigners said the incident – one of at least 100 involving open fires, log burners and heaters in the capital in the last few months – laid bare “the harsh and dangerous reality of the cost-of-living crisis”.

Issuing an urgent safety warning, the London fire brigade (LFB) said the cause of the blaze on 26 April had been determined as “involving an open fire being used instead of gas central heating.”

It is understood to have also been caused by combustible items too close to an open fire. The London ambulance service said it treated three people at the property in New Malden, with one man being taken to hospital as a priority.

The LFB said there had been more than 100 fires involving open fires, log burners and heaters in the past few months.

It fears the rise in energy bills could result in a surge of fires as people resort to alternative means to heat their homes throughout the colder spells of the year.

Charlie Pugsley, assistant commissioner for fire safety, said: “We know this is a difficult time and people are thinking about ways to reduce their energy bills, but we’re really concerned that they may be putting lives at risk by doing so.

“If you do have a log burner or an open fire, follow our advice carefully. Almost 30% of fires involving log burners, heaters and traditional open fires are caused by items being placed too close to a heat source. Always use a fire guard and keep anything that could catch alight well away, such as logs and kindling which could be ignited by radiating heat.”

Weber Hydraulik secures ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 certifications

by Featured NewsSafety

Rescue equipment manufacturer Weber Hydraulik has secured two crucial environmental and sustainability certifications in ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 at its base in Losenstein, in Austria.

Both certifications comply with environmental guidelines and the efficient use of energy contribute significantly to the sustainable orientation of companies.

“Sustainability is a very important topic for us. We are constantly working on optimizing our processes with regard to the set environmental and energy targets. The ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 certifications now show quite objectively that we meet very high requirements in this regard,” says Günther Rebhandl, Head of Quality Management at WEBER- HYDRAULIK, who is pleased with the success.

Environmental risks can be reduced through sustainable environmental and energy management. At the same time, environmental performance is made transparent and targeted improvement measures are devised. Lower consumption of resources such as energy and water, plus the reduction of disposal costs also offer an economic advantage over the competition in the long term.

Environmentally friendly energy and heating technology

At its site in the Enns Valley, the innovative manufacturer goes far beyond the required measures. Photovoltaic systems installed on the roof of the building provide clean electricity from solar energy. With an output of 364 kWp, part of the electricity used in production is self-generated. “The proportion of electricity requirements that can be covered by solar energy has been continuously increased in recent years,” explains Albert Koppenberger, who is responsible for plant maintenance at the Losenstein site.

The heating system is also powered by wood chips in an environmentally friendly manner. “Our entire heating requirements are covered by the wood chip heating system,” Koppenberger continues. This makes the Losenstein site independent of oil and gas.

E-mobility reduces CO2 emissions

In March 2019, it was discovered that transportation causes a large part of the CO2 pollution at the Losenstein site. “By using e-mobility for work trips, we saw great potential to reduce the site’s CO2 emissions. That was the starting signal for the e-mobility campaign,” says Koppenberger. An attractive leasing model for e-cars was worked out for employees at the Losenstein site. In the meantime, around 70 employees have taken advantage of the campaign. The electricity required for the e-cars also comes from the company’s own photovoltaic system. Employees can charge their vehicles free of charge at the 20 newly installed charging points.

“Passing the certifications once again proves the consistently high quality orientation as well as the environmentally friendly and energy-efficient design of all processes in the company,” confirm Kurt Sperrer and Bernhard Obermayr as managing directors at the Losenstein site. “We are convinced that we can also offer our customers a decisive advantage with our sustainable orientation.”