Fire safety technology expert, FireAngel, has developed a roundtable with delegates from the National Social Housing Fire Strategy Group, Ealing Council, and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, to discuss a digitally powered, fire safety evolution for housing associations. Viewers can gain insights into the current fire safety landscape for housing associations, what’s driving change and innovation in the fire safety world and what the near future will look like.
Following the Grenfell fire tragedy, those responsible for fire safety were struck with a heart-rendering wake-up call; organisations did not have the golden thread of information about their buildings or know enough about their residents.
Today, advancements of the Internet of Things (IoT) and in artificial intelligence (AI) are driving technological innovation in housing associations and strengthening the golden thread of information for buildings. However, there is a general risk-aversion and need for greater understanding and collaboration among stakeholders to accelerate progress.
Fire and rescue services are still heavily reliant on upstream referrals from agencies, such as ambulance services and housing providers, but with more data and better collaboration, more fires can be prevented. To access the potential of innovative technology, key stakeholders need to buy-in to these solutions.
Ealing Council is one of the first social housing providers in the UK to adopt IoT technologies to improve the levels of protection it provides its tenants. Its roll-out of FireAngel devices in around 14,000 homes has enabled the organisation to gather data on trends and high-risk patterns of behaviour to prompt earlier intervention before an actual fire event.
Derek Box, Industrial Division Marketing Manager, Nightstick tells us the importance of new innovations in lighting technology for firefighters to combat smoky situations
What emerging technologies will today’s fire service need to be aware of?
Multi-function and dual light torches are becoming a must-have feature for firefighters, especially volunteers who often pay for their own equipment. If you can combine a traditional angle light with a floodlight that illuminates trip hazards and then give it a 90° rotating head that becomes a standard torch, you’ve got three lights in one package. Similarly, if you combine a side mount helmet light that has a tight, focused beam and add a soft area floodlight, you give the firefighter more options, and more options give more time. More time can mean the difference between life and death. At the FDIC show in April 2022, Nightstick will be showcasing our extensive lineup of dual-light portable LED lights specifically designed for firefighters.
What is the best light for a firefighter?
The short answer is, one you bring with you. When firefighters arrive on scene, the situation is fast-paced and sometimes chaotic. They need their hands free to pull hoses, swing axes, climb ladders, operate extraction equipment, and do many other critical tasks. Often the only lighting they have immediately available is what is strapped to their bunker gear, such as angle lights and helmet lights. These lights must provide excellent visibility and adapt to the situation. A blinding 600-lumen spotlight on their helmet is not helpful if they are examining a trapped motorist. The ability to switch over to a soft area floodlight with the push of a button while wearing gloves is an excellent example of adapting to the situation. Another essential consideration is runtime. Often the initial danger is under control within the first hour, but finishing the job can take several hours. It’s critical to have the runtime necessary to complete the job.
What is the best way to combat smoke visibility on scene?
A tight beam pattern is vital to cutting through smoky areas without having the blinding glare of a bright unfocused high-lumen torch bouncing back at you. The design and engineering for a tight smoke cutting beam pattern is much different for portable firefighting equipment than standard torches designed to illuminate a large area. For safety and coordination amongst firefighters, it’s crucial to have “follow me” lights on the back of their lighting equipment. The most visible color to the human eye is in the center of the spectrum at 550 nanometers (green). Many manufacturers use wavelengths on the edge of the visible spectrum, such as 700 nanometers, because they are cheaper to produce. A green light is up to 4 times more visible in low light situations and far superior.
British inspection specialist PFE Limited has used FLIR Thermal Studio software to accelerate site inspections and reporting, and to deliver consistent reporting quality to its demanding customer base.
Based in Wallasey, North-West England, PFE Limited is a family-owned business, specialising in a wide range of inspection and reliability services for industrial customers. To provide trustworthy and repeatable reporting quality, PFE engineers make use of the latest technology on the market for vibration analysis, dynamic balancing and thermography, among other things.
The company has been using thermal imaging for more than 15 years for mechanical, electrical, and process-related inspections. One of the more specialized types of inspections that PFE Limited offers are furnace inspections, for which the company is using a FLIR Exx-Series pistol-grip camera.
The most tangible output that the company is offering to its customers are reports, so it speaks for itself these need to be of consistently high quality. PFE Limited therefore relies on FLIR Thermal Studio software with routing functionality from the FLIR Route Creator plugin.
Jake Ford, Reliability and Mechanical Engineer at PFE Limited said: “We used to go on site for our inspections, combining the use of a thermal imaging camera with some kind of clipboard or electronic tablet.
“For every asset and every image taken with our thermal camera, we used to jot down numbers and comments on a separate device. This was not only unpractical, but it also took twice the time we spend on inspections today. Thanks to the introduction of the FLIR Thermal Studio software, we were able to cut our inspection time in half.”
Chris Ferrara, CEO and President, US Fire Pump talks IoT in the world of fire pumps, with a major rise in uptick of services
In today’s world the increasing of new technologies seems never ending, and quite overwhelming at times. We start the process of adopting new technologies and seemingly it’s out of date before it’s even implemented.
However, paraphrasing the 36th American President Lyndon B Johnson, ‘you can get crushed if you’re not prepared for the new technologies available or even for the acceptance of adopting new technologies.’ When it comes to technological adoption you must start somewhere, or risk falling behind.
At US Fire Pump our team was often requested to provide a mobile temporary pump solution with the technology to mimic stationary or fixed firewater pumps. At the time this technology, packaged in a true mobile firewater pump, didn’t exist. Our engineering team didn’t scoff at the idea, even as they found the process of development to be no short order. In fact, hearing the repeated need from customers, only strengthened their resolve to create a solution.
Professionals that have worked with mobile fire pumps as compared to fixed fire pumps know that their requirements differ greatly. Finding a suitable adaptation to these requirements, in a temporary mobile package, was the first task for our team. Fixed pumps have the luxury of control rooms, fire control panels and many other redundant safety systems in place, and usually all in a controlled environment.
However, what we were being asked to achieve was a mobile system without the liberty of any of the above controls in place. Our team was able to engineer a smart system for mobile use, thanks to which these smart fire pumps can be used in your next turnaround, unplanned outage, or as a temporary replacement for fixed fire water pumps.
Our smart systems have since been installed in petrochemical facilities, private health institutions and State facilities throughout the United States.
To be a market leader and innovator you must have forward thought mindset. To do so, you must find or develop new technologies to make that road easier to navigate.
US Fire Pump’s in-house engineers and experts can assist with pre planning for outages, or at a moment’s notice for emergency unplanned outages and events. Our rental fleet of fire and ancillary equipment is the largest on the globe and our smart technology is ready for dispatch 24/7.
Tell us a bit more about smart technologies and how it has made its way into pumps. The ability for mobile pumps to mimic fixed pumps in temporary situations has been a big change. In what seems like never-ending supply chain issues and parts shortages, more and more fixed fire pumps are being taken out of service for extended periods of time. How do you replace these and keep facilities on-line? With temporary solutions like our mobile fire pumps. Adding smart pumping technology to these mitigates the need for firewatch personnel and acts in accordance with the fixed firewater pumps, albeit in a temporary solution.
How does the Submersible Response Truck address market requirements? The idea behind Submersible Response Truck was to address areas with water shortage, and for a myriad of reasons there are many use case scenarios. For the industrial sector it can be that your fire water supply has been temporarily, or by accident, nullified. For the municipal sector, particularly rural settings with no hydrant systems but plenty of water in the surrounding area, it allows the SRT to have the submersible pumps deployed to any static water source for water supply. This, depending on the water source, can sustain water supply for much longer than your average tanker.
Tell us about US Fire Pumps research and development efforts? US Fire Pump will always be at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. We welcome ideas from First Responders who work in the field daily. Not to forget our own Emergency Response Team members. In addition, we have a team of dedicated engineers who are tasked with developing innovation and technologies for the fire service sector. I’ve always felt that old problems need new technologies for solutions.
Tell us why equipment rental is gaining popularity? We have seen many our rental customers use this programme to fill ‘stop gap’ methods for repairs and unplanned outages. Quite often there isn’t sufficient capital to support purchase of new equipment, especially during fluctuating economic scenarios. The benefit of renting means unallocated funds can go towards temporary replacement of other critical equipment. We also offer long term lease that gives customers a chance to test new gear on site.
Do you have market expansion on your mind? Absolutely, the company’s pumps and fire equipment have been used by customers all around the world. We have also advised customers on emergency responses across the globe and have a large international presence. As for further expansion geographically, we are assessing different markets. US Fire Pumps is ready to go places.
New legislation to ban products made by forced or child labour from entering the European Union (EU) market is “a big step towards promoting safe and secure working environments for all workers”, IOSH says.
The European Commission recently presented its Communication on Decent Work Worldwide, which has the eradication of forced and child labour at its heart. The ban on products made by forced labour is part of its comprehensive approach, with the ‘legislative instrument’ covering goods made inside and outside of the EU.
In announcing this development, the commission said that ‘decent work’ is still not a reality for many people around the world, with 160 million children in child labour and 25 million people facing forced labour.
The development is aligned with the International Labour Organisation’s Global Call to Action for a Human-centred Recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and takes place when the EU is supporting renewed efforts to integrate the right to safe and healthy working conditions into the ILO framework on fundamental principles and rights at work.
Dr Ivan Williams Jimenez, Occupational Safety and Health Policy Specialist for IOSH, said: “This represents an excellent opportunity not only to leverage the UN Sustainable Development Goals–related aim for a world of work where businesses frame their sustainability policies towards decent work principles, but to promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious jobs.
“As forced labour is publicly recognised as the most common form of modern slavery and, in many cases, it affects the most vulnerable and excluded groups in society, IOSH has long demanded that companies tackle and remove forced labour and modern slavery risks from their value chains.”
Jimenez added: “Progress has been slow so far; we know that some countries have passed national and state laws asking the private and public sector to report on modern slavery risks in their supply chains. However, this is a field where there is certainly room for further improvement.”
The European Commission has now invited the European Parliament and the Council to endorse the approach set out in the Communication and to work together on its implementation. More details can be found here.
Plans for a new fire safety support hub in Cardiff have been turned down. The hub was proposed to help victims of the cladding scandal. Currently, thousands in the city are still living in apartments at serious risk of fire, five years after the Grenfell Tower disaster, with many facing gigantic bills for work to make their homes safe.
A fire safety support hub could help those affected with financial and legal advice, as well as signposting and counselling for those suffering from mental health issues, councillors said. Liberal Democrats in Cardiff put forward a motion on Thursday, March 17 to set up a hub, with backing from other opposition councillors.
But this was voted down by the ruling Labour group. Councillor Rhys Taylor, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: “Five years on and people are still trapped in potentially unsafe homes, and are paying the price both financially and mentally for the mistakes of developers.
“Leaseholders in some instances have faced bills of thousands of pounds due to be paid with less than 28 days’ notice. That’s because kettles have more consumer protection than the leaseholders who are trapped in this scandal. People are looking to pay their whole life savings to meet these bills, and war veterans are even considering selling their medals, Wales Online reported.
“In June, management companies will be issuing the second half of annual services charges. For the Celestia buildings in Cardiff Bay, that’s half of the £2.4m needed to repair defects. If leaseholders can’t pay, of which there will be many, they’ll be pursued by debtors. A support hub would provide help and advice for people in these situations.”
Extra costs heaped onto affected residents include skyrocketing insurance premiums, service charges, patrolling fire wardens, and remediation work like replacing cladding. Many of the issues faced by affected residents in Cardiff are complex and technical, including fraudulent fire safety certificates and inadequate wall inspections.
Lots of residents also suffer from poor mental health as a result of the issues, according to recent surveys. Labour said the fire safety issues were difficult to address and had previously explored council tax residents for affected residents, but later ruled this out as too expensive.
Cllr Lynda Thorne, cabinet member for housing, dismissed the motion as a pre-election stunt. She said: “This administration is committed to doing all we can to help and support all those residents affected by the plethora of faults and design failures built into these developments. It’s a whole gambit of failures that makes this issue so difficult to address. These issues aren’t straightforward.
Fire Protection Association’s managing director Jonathan O’Neill OBE will be addressing the audience in the Fire Safety Theatre with the Fire Protection Association’s concerns about the forthcoming Building Safety Bill. O’Neill will address audiences on Wednesday, April 6, from 10:15 to 11:00am
On Thursday 7 April, 14:00 – 15:00, the FPA’s Senior Fire Safety Trainer Alan Emms will be co-presenting a CPD session in the Training and Competency workshop taking place in the Fire Safety Theatre which will provide practical guidance and an insight into all aspects of fire safety training whilst focusing on the role of the Responsible Person.
Launched in 2016, The Fire Safety Event is one of the UK’s important industry events which has been on the radar of several professionals and manufacturers over the last six years. During its time, it has become the UK’s largest fire and safety show, with more than 100 leading manufacturers and service providers showcasing the most cutting-edge fire safety products and solutions in active and passive fire protection.
The Fire Safety Event is run alongside The Security Event, The Workplace Event, and The Health & Safety Event. Collectively known as ‘The Safety & Security Series’ that is set to welcome more than 700 exhibiting businesses and visitor numbers surpassing 28,000 attendees.
O’Neill began his career in the insurance industry and was appointed Managing Director of the FPA in 1999. During his time as MD, he has overseen two relocations and has managed the organisation to financial independence from insurers.
O’Neill has served on numerous government, ministerial, and sector advisory bodies and was part of the strategic advisory group on the Fire Futures Review. He represents UK insurers on the Prevention Forum of Insurance Europe, is the UK’s representative at the General Assemblies of CFPA Europe and CFPA International, and sits on the Executive of the Fire Sector Federation.
In 2017, he was awarded in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to fire safety and received his OBE from Prince William, Duke of Cambridge on Tuesday 31 October at Buckingham Palace.
In 2014 Chris Ferrara, president, and CEO of US Fire Pump, saw a glaring need for the petrochemical industry to have high quality equipment adapted specifically for its needs. In addition, Ferrara saw that supplemental emergency response teams to aid in larger than usual fires, something that many customers requested.
With this in mind, and using his more than four decades of knowledge in manufacturing, Ferrara embarked on a journey eight years ago. He was also backed with the expertise of having been the owner of one of the largest fire apparatus manufactures, and his decades of fire service experience. Marrying these rich experiences he founded US Fire Pump, a manufacturer of fire equipment and the world’s largest Emergency Response Organization. Ferrara’s vision to provide innovative equipment and firefighting methods has taken the world by storm.
Ferrera quotes one of the USA’s founding fathers Benjamin Franklin. He said: “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”
Already having satellite offices in Texas and manufacturing in Louisiana, Ferrara continued his vision for growth via expansion, and progress by constructing a new world class manufacturing facility in Holden, Louisiana in 2020.The facilities are not only home to state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment but large testing and training facilities and the largest fleet of emergency response and fire rental equipment on the globe. Since is construction, many pieces of custom designed and built fire equipment have been delivered from the facility to customers spanning several continents.
Facilities and expansion
Being growth minded Ferrara knew that creating a presence strong regional and global presence to better serve the industry would need to be a top priority. Ferrara says: “Our locations in Holden and Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, Vidor, Texas and additional firefighting foam storage in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Spain ensure that we are able to serve our customers strategically. As you can see, from locations across the Gulf South, we have a heavy presence in the region due to the sheer amount of the industrial facilities concentrated in the area.
“To enhance our already robust coverage across the region, I’m excited to announce that we are opening a brand-new facility on I-10 in Mt. Belvieu, TX. The new facility in Texas will be a hub in the region for warranty, repair, service and dispatch of rental and emergency response equipment.”
On the opening of the new facility Ferrara adds: “These new openings are paramount in achieving the success of US Fire Pump and allows for continued growth and success in the industry.”
The new Texas facility is located at 11331 I-10 East Mont Belvieu, TX 77523. Of course, having additional space for service is going to ease the demand on each location, but as we opened this location in Texas because of the demand that the “Everything is bigger in Texas created”. Although the rest of the United States and in particular the Gulf South have many petrochemical plants, Texas is an anomaly due to the sheer volume of product required in the Greater Houston Region and the Golden Triangle. Having this facility in Mont Belvieu allows for us to have dedicated resources to this region. From a petrochemical industry standpoint, it’s mindboggling as to how many companies are concentrated in Texas. For us being in the region and providing exclusive dedicated resources to the area makes the most sense for speed of service to the customer.
Five biggest changes in the industry
Ferrara says: “From my humble beginnings as a welder / pipefitter, volunteer fireman to building a company that manufactures fire apparatus’, I have seen a massive evolution of the fire services, emergency responders, and safety industry.”
Technology would be number one; the speed that advancements in technology within the fire service industry has been rapid. “I’ve always prided myself and our company on being innovative and developing new technologies to introduce to the fire service market. It’s what always has set us apart from the competition.
Secondly, firefighting foam and the regulations with PFAS and PFOA’s have seen several changes. This goes hand-in-hand with technology but the speed of the regulations has caused the technology of using fluorinated foams to the use of non-fluorinated firefighting foam. Third, is the clean cab technology in the fire service. A shift to move firefighters from, for instance wearing bunker gear in the apparatus cab due to the constant exposure to carcinogens is something someone would not have even entertained 30 years ago, for that that even as recent as 10 years ago.
This goes back to technology but the robust filtrations systems to reduce these exposures to the hazardous substances is something that is one of the biggest changes I have seen to date. Number four: The use of passenger and commercial electric cars on our roads, and the demand on firefighters to extinguish electric car fires. This is all new to the fire servicepeople and it’s here to stay. There is major difference in the way traditional fossil fuel powered cars are extinguished.
Lastly, it’s not something that has changed but an element that has remained constant. It’s the people. The emergency responders who serve the public everyday are the same today as they were 40 years ago and will continue to be heroes for generations. Their passion and dedication drive people like myself and our company, to continue to innovate products to serve them.
We have a long list of clients who use our products and services, and I would like to thank them all. From building high velocity pumps for FDNY’s ‘Super Pumper’ to our Emergency Response Teams extinguishing major fires for numerous corporations and government agencies, we have nothing but gratitude for the trust shown in our services, people, and products.
The pandemic and giving back
The nature and impact of Covid was devastating. The pandemic, and resulting illness that it cause, affected many companies with employee welfare severely affected in some cases leading to fatalities. However, for US Fire Pump employees saw no major impacts to their health. Such was our strength that we never ceased operating for a single day throughout the last two years. This was down to the high demand of Emergency Response calls during the pandemic and the subsequent waves that hit different states in the US, at different times. During the pandemic, we also witnessed an uptick in request for our rental equipment and other services that we offer different market segments. The one negative implication of the pandemic has been the severely restrained global logistics sector. Components that are typically considered ‘everyday’ items are considerably harder to source. Even when in stock procuring them in a timely manner is still a major issue.
Speaking about employee welfare, US Fire Pump are major believers in giving back to the community through our various corporate social responsibility efforts. Ferrara says: “I’ve always been a firm believer in giving back to the fire service industry. For many years, even with my previous company that manufactured fire apparatus’ and now through US Fire Pump, giving back to first responders has been a key pillar of our DNA. We give back in many ways, the obvious ones are through donations that support fire and security conferences.
“But I feel the best way to do give back and leave a lasting impression is through education. Here at US Fire Pump, we hold free training sessions for first responders. These modules would otherwise cost each individual member a few thousand dollars. The reason we have kept our trainings free is because knowledge and expertise are worth their weight in gold, not only in terms of career progress but also to save lives. Afterall, serving the public and protecting lives is our main aim and mission and education is key to its success.
In a slightly delayed celebration of its 125thanniversary, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) will return to an in-person event for its annual Conference & Expo (C&E) at the Boston Convention Center in Boston, Mass., June 6-9, 2022. While the event has been held online the past two years due to the pandemic, this year will once again bring together thousands of the industry’s leading professionals who will attend more than 110 educational sessions and special events. It will be kicked off with a keynote on leadership by Admiral William H. McRaven.
Jim Pauley, CEO and President, NFPA said: “We are excited to welcome the huge community of fire, electrical and life safety professionals back to a live C&E. Not only are the programmatic line-up and exhibits more valuable in person, but attendees learn so much from each other being in the same place.”
Educational sessions will address the latest issues, challenges, and opportunities for today’s fire and life safety practitioners, including the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem; code compliance; emergency preparedness and response; emerging technologies; global issues; public education; building and life safety and construction; fire protection systems; industrial hazards; electrical safety; and much more.
In addition, the NFPA Spotlight on Public Education (SOPE) will be held on June 6-7, covering a wide range of public education issues, such as fire and fall prevention among older adults; youth fire-setting education and intervention; and community risk reduction (CRR), to name a few. SOPE attendees are also invited to participate in a CRR workshop on June 8, which will support and assist CRR professionals in developing a community risk assessment (CRA).
This year’s expo will feature more than 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest products and services needed to comply with prevailing codes and standards for design, construction, and operation of the built environment. The NFPA booth will showcase its latest initiatives, programs, and resources, including a dedicated area for live NFPA LiNK demonstrations, highlighting the full capabilities of dynamic, digital access to NFPA codes and standards and related material. The expo floor will also feature specialty NFPA booths showcasing electric vehicles, wildfire virtual reality, and CRAIG 1300™, the digital tool that collects and analyzes community data in support of CRR.
The 2022 NFPA Technical Meeting, which will begin on June 8 at 1:00 pm EST, will consist of two days this year in anticipation of increased participation and interest in the continuation of cycling NFPA standards. More details about which certified amending motions will be debated and acted upon will be available online as soon as the agenda is finalized.
General session will be held on Monday, June 7 and will include presentations by NFPA President Jim Pauley, Board of Directors Chair Amy Acton, and Keynote Speaker Admiral William H. McRaven, USN (Ret.).
The biggest UK fire service convoy – made up of 22 vehicles and more than 5,000 items of kit and equipment donated by UK fire and rescue services – has been deployed to support firefighters in Ukraine.
The convoy, which left for Poland last weekend, also comprised of more than 60 volunteers from FIRE AID and fire and rescue services. The aid is providing vitally needed equipment to support firefighters, emergency services and volunteers, battling together on the frontline.
Vehicles underwent final checks and the convoy departed Kent on March 19. The estimated journey time to Poland was three days, after which the equipment was transferred to Ukraine. The equipment is expected to support emergency services which are dealing daily with fires and other emergencies to protect lives, people, and property.
Coordinated by UK charity, FIRE AID and International Development (FIRE AID), the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), and the fire industry through the Fire Industry Association, the 22-strong vehicle convoy includes 15 fire engines, an incident response unit, a hydraulic rescue platform, mechanical support for the journey, and two lorries containing equipment such as thermal imaging cameras, generators, lighting, hoses, and thousands of sets of PPE.
The deployment of these donations is being supported by funding from the UK Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and the FIA Foundation, as well as through a public appeal via JustGiving.
The wider fire sector – including the MSA Safety, Fire Sector Federation (FSF), the Fire and Rescue Suppliers [FIRESA] Council and the Fire Industry Association (FIA) – are also key partners in supporting and making the deployment.
Claire Hoyland, Project Manager, FIRE AID said: “We’re calling this a mega convoy as it is not only mega in size, but it has been truly a monumental effort from all involved. Within two weeks we have put together the biggest ever donation of aid from UK Fire and Rescue services. I am so proud of everyone involved and so grateful for the support of our project partners, including EASST, NFCC, and the Home Office, along with many others who have contributed time, money, and assistance.
“FIRE AID members have been working in Ukraine for more than a decade. We have a number of friends and colleagues within the Ukrainian fire service battling fires and responding to emergencies on the front line. We know that this donation is much needed and we are proud to be able to help in whatever way we can.”
Mark Hardingham, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: “To see the convoy of fire vehicles – packed with thousands of pieces of firefighting equipment, start its journey was incredibly humbling; every firefighter and volunteer involved should be immensely proud of how their amazing work is making this a reality. This firefighting kit will soon be with Ukrainian emergency services, helping our firefighter colleagues to save lives and protect their local communities – often whilst under devastating attacks.”
