ThoroughTec exhbits hi-fidelty ARFF at INTERSCHUTZ

by Featured NewsProducts

ThoroughTec Simulation, a leader in heavy equipment simulators and workforce performance optimisation solutions, is demonstrating its new, hi-fidelity CYBERDRIVE ARFF Operator Training Simulator at INTERSCHUTZ this week.

Firefighters that visit hall 12, stand B35 will be able to test drive the simulator, under a wide range of conditions, fighting fires on various aircraft types, from helicopters to multi-engine passenger jets.

Visitors will be able to and experience how, at the click of a button, instructors enjoy complete control over simulated incidents, controlling everything from the weather and time of day to location and difficulty of the scenario.

The simulators exercises are designed to be real and challenging that even the most experienced firefighters will be challenged.

ThoroughTec’s product provides the ability to train in the application of various extinguishing agents, many of which are now prohibited for use in training. In the simulator, ARFF crews face no restrictions perfecting application techniques without safety or environmental concerns and critically, without any of the associated wear-and-tear costs on your prime mission equipment.

CYBERDRIVE hi-fidelity full-mission simulators incorporate a 6 Degree-of-Freedom, military-grade motion platform; panoramic, 270° high-definition projected displays; a full replicated vehicle cabin including all OEM instruments and controls.

A dual-screen instructor station and intuitive software training tools allow instructors to create highly customisable exercises, monitor operator performance in real time and automatically record the sessions for post-mission debriefing.

Being able to review the vehicle’s sub-systems, situation parameters and view a ‘live’ 3D After-Action Review (AAR) of events can be crucial to help operators understand where mistakes were made and how they might be remedied.

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.

Bengal Fire Department launches fire safety awareness drive

by Featured NewsPassive

The Bengal Fire and Emergency department has launched an awareness drive on fire safety through drills and to inform people about the precautions to take if a fire breaks out.

The campaign, which kicked off on 5 May in Calcutta will run for a month until 5 June. Teams from the department will travel to various locations carrying equipment and will demonstrate how one should respond to a fire.

The demonstrations are touring shopping malls, hospitals, hotels, office buildings, industrial units, petroleum outlets and in crowded locations in and around the city of Siliguri.

Bhaskar Nag, the officer-in-charge of the Siliguri fire station, said during the campaign, they will also conduct fire audits at these sites to determine whether the places have adequate fire-fighting equipment and arrangements to evacuate people.

“We are carrying out mock fire drills, which include evacuation exercises. Also, during our visit, we are training people, for example, employees of industrial units and security men of shopping malls, as to how they should douse a fire,” he said.

The department is also promoting the need to keep adequate fire extinguishers in hotels, hospitals, schools, colleges, offices, markets and factories, and will for employees of petrol pumps it will conduct a separate training “as we cannot have on-site demonstrations at a pump.”

FIA Course: Carl Bryan speaks about advantages of hypoxic fire prevention systems online

by Events

Carl Bryan, Managing Director WAGNER UK, offers CPD accredited training as part of the Fire Industry Association (FIA) online training on 10 September 2020. For one hour, he will talk about the fire prevention solution with oxygen reduction. He will explain the technology behind and the advantages of using a hypoxic environment as a fire prevention solution. Participants will also be informed about the key considerations when specifying, designing and operating such systems.

Interested parties should book the training course online: https://www.fia.uk.com/event/a-guide-to-understanding-hypoxic-fire-prevention-environments.html

The FIA offers industry-recognised courses and qualifications for fire safety professionals. According to their own admission, more than 35,000 professionals have increased their skills through FIA trainings. The learning courses cover all aspects of fire protection and cover Fundamental Qualification, Advanced Qualifications as well as trainings and courses. If you need more information, go and visit https://www.fia.uk.com/training.html.

Kentec Installer Programme branches out internationally

by Projects

The Kentec Installer Programme (KIP), launched by the leading manufacturer of life-critical control systems at last year’s Firex, is now expanding to include Kentec’s vast international installation customer network. To date it has registered more than 100 installers, making it one of the largest partner programmes in the fire industry.

The scheme provides Kentec’s registered customers with a wide-ranging programme of bespoke training and best-in-class technical support, as well as dedicated software and enhanced product functionality. It has been designed to further professionalism within the industry and assure end users that their installations take best advantage of even Kentec’s most advanced and sophisticated panels.

It also provides access to Kentec’s protected partner site, Virtual Resource, as well as Taktis LE2 commissioning software and enhanced Bridge Functionality – the solution for migrating Syncro panel networks to the latest Taktis technology.

A dedicated KIP technical support helpline provides installers with access to Kentec’s experienced team, training is providing on Kentec’s full fire product range and all KIP members can promote their Kentec product expertise with the KIP logo on their websites and marketing collateral. Kentec also features a list of its KIP partners on its own website.

Kentec’s approach is about considering the evolving market place and the requirements of installers to demonstrate competency on the manufacturers equipment, whilst not leaving its core values of being ‘open protocol’ behind.

Mark Wheeler, Managing Director of EA-RS Fire Engineering Ltd, says the Covid-19 outbreak has been a good opportunity to invest in training:

“We predict there will be a surge in business in coming months with projects that were put on hold due to Covid-19 being re-scheduled. It therefore makes sense to use training to put the company in the strongest position to meet additional demand,” he says.

“Creating the KIP scheme was a bold step for Kentec, acknowledging that a higher industry standard was required. It has been an important step in furthering the assurance we provide end users that critical life safety systems are only being installed by fully-competent firms, that have received training on the latest industry innovations. This ultimately ensures that life safety systems are optimised.”

Daren Pool, Managing Director of Triple Star Fire & Security Limited, joined the scheme as his business saw Kentec’s Taktis panel becoming increasingly prevalent:

“Taktis has become one of our preferred panel choices for its networking capabilities and easy-to-use interface. As we are installing the panel into more and more customer sites, across a range of critical sectors, I felt it was important that myself and engineers fully understood the latest developments and full capabilities of the panel in order that our customers are able to realise its full potential. The scheme has worked very well in providing us with full confidence that we are providing all our customers with this service.”

Derrick Hall, Director of Sales at Kentec, says he is proud of what the KIP scheme has achieved so far:

“Our KIP partners have been carefully selected based on their skill, expertise, experience and accreditations. We are proud to have developed a system that installers find useful in optimising installations of our highly-sophisticated fire panels. We’ve adapting to lockdown to make sure training can be delivered online and this has worked very well.”

https://kentec.co.uk/

Victaulic adds virtual access to renowned continuing education program

by Projects

Victaulic is now offering free virtual courses from its accredited University program to construction professionals around the world.

Growing demand for more versatile training options and shrinking access to traditional classes given the COVID-19 pandemic presented an opportune time for Victaulic to make its robust catalog of courses, many of which offer International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) Continuing Education Units (CEUs), available to industry professionals such as owners, engineers, contractors, architects and designers online.

“The launch of Victaulic University’s virtual platform is another successful result of collaborating with customers to help solve their challenges,” said Eric Luftig, Vice President, at Victaulic. “We are pleased to introduce an innovative and convenient way to support the industry’s need for high-quality education.”

Victaulic has instructed 175 live sessions since March, attracting approximately 7,200 virtual learners from 99 countries. Attendance is growing rapidly as Victaulic adds new content and more users discover the program.

“The Victaulic education program presents valuable information in a well-organised and easily understood fashion,” said Mike Stossel, Senior Design Manager at KNS Sprinkler Design and a recent Victaulic University participant. “The content is extremely insightful, and we look forward to participating in more courses in the future.”

Victaulic’s 45+ piping technology courses are available at no cost in two virtual formats: live, instructor-led webinars and self-paced courses, which are available on-demand at any time. Courses are taught in English, Spanish, and German, with new languages being added regularly, and cover several industries, including:

  • General Engineering/Construction
  • Plumbing, Heating and Air
  • Data Centers
  • Fire Protection
  • Virtual Design and Construction

CEUs or Professional Development Hours (PDHs), which are required for maintaining engineering certifications are immediately available upon completion of applicable courses.

Victaulic established accredited Victaulic University in 2013.

“Between Victaulic’s 100-year legacy and over 200 years of knowledge amongst the instructors, the global construction industry will undoubtedly benefit from Victaulic University,” said Colin Phelps, Sales Training Manager at Victaulic. “So far, we’ve had more than 12,000 courses completed. With our robust content and a growing curriculum, there’s something for everyone.”

www.victaulic.com

US army soldiers and Bavaria firefighters participate in firefighting training

by Americas - Projects

US Army soldiers assigned to the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade have recently participated in fire prevention training with the US Army Garrison (USAG) Bavaria firefighters in Germany.

Chief Warrant Officer Thomas McNamara said: “We’re going to be picking up the Bambi Buckets over here to practice aerial firefighting. We’ve got the Grafenwöhr firefighters with us. We are going to be co-ordinating with them and practising fighting fires with them on a range in areas that may be inaccessible or too dangerous to get (from) the ground.”

The goal was to time the water drop effectively so the firefighters could easily handle the fire from the ground. McNamara commented: “The bucket is far below the helicopter. It’s just a visual judgment error to be able to bring that bucket and place it over the fire.”

Josef Rodler, Fire Chief at USAG Bavaria, added: “All my firefighters are host nation firefighters. This is the first time (we’ve done) real training with the pilots. Invite them to the next exercise so they can see how we do it and share the experience.”

The exercise will continue to help with fire prevention on USAG Bavaria and the experience gained for the participants of this exercise will continue to pay off.

FIA reveal new Level 3 FD&A qualification

by Uncategorized

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) has announced that it is now offering training to a Level 3 qualification for the fire detection and alarm (FD&A) sector – Fundamentals of FD&A in Non-Domestic Premises.

Designed to provide a “concise and focused” introduction to the FD&A sector, the course is suited to individuals that are starting out in the fire detection industry and are looking for training leading to a qualification within this area. The FIA reviewed its current training and Level 3 qualifications available following the Grenfell Tower fire and the subsequent Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, and identified the need for a “more succinct” Level 3 qualification focusing on the fundamentals of fire detection and alarm management.

The FIA have been running advanced qualifications since the beginning of 2018 which will continues to run alongside the new qualifications. The new training comprises two two-day training units with an open-book exam at the end of the second unit. Those who pass will gain a Level 3 qualification based on BS 5839-1.

As well as the two standard units, there is a ‘Conversion to Fundamentals’ unit – this is available to delegates who have previously taken the FIA’s Foundation to FD&A course. Delegates successfully completing the conversion unit and exam will gain the Level 3 Fundamentals of Fire Detection and Alarm Systems in Non-Domestic Premises qualification.

Ian Moore, CEO of FIA, commented: “We have been running our Level 3 qualifications for over a year now and it is clear from the feedback a different style of exam is needed. Modern exam techniques focus more on where to find the information that is readily available (i.e. through the internet, manuals or standards) and not a memory test as I was used to ‘back in the day’. The new Fundamentals qualification will have an open book (BS 5839-1 or the FIA training manual) exam and having completed, what we consider to be world-class, training the learners will be able to approach the exam with confidence.”

FSC to deliver NFPA accredited training outside of UK

by Uncategorized

The Fire Service College (FSC) has become the first centre outside of North America to achieve Pro Board approval to deliver training in overseas territories to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards.

Under the rules for Pro Board Accreditation, centres are restricted to deliver training within the territory in which they operate. The approval from Pro Board allows the delivery of training outside of the United Kingdom, which is a significant development for the FSC.

In order to gain this approval, the FSC worked closely with the International Safety Training College (ISTC) Malta, where the College delivered a NFPA Pro Board certified course to Maltese learners, whilst being assessed and validated by a member of the Pro Board executive team.

This latest development supports the FSC’s vision of “becoming a true Centre of Excellence for both UK and international Fire and Rescue Services”. As the home of firefighter development, the FSC is a “unique resource in the UK and is one of the world’s premier fire training venues”, attracting customers from across the world to train in a world-class facility with internationally recognised credentials.

Frederick Piechota, Pro Board accreditation manager, commented: “As the result of the Site Visit conducted by a representative of the Pro Board to observe certification testing conducted by the FSC in Malta, the Pro Board has determined that the parameters for Out of Country Certification Testing, that were established by the Board of Directors of the Pro Board, have been met and that any certifications that were issued are valid and may be processed into the Pro Board’s International Certification Registry. Our thanks to the College for its support.”

Ted O’Brien, director of product and quality at FSC said: “This approval underlines our position as a leading provider of firefighter training both at home and abroad. It acknowledges that the FSC is working to the most widely recognised fire and prevention standards in the world – those of the North American Fire and Rescue Services. This new approval from Pro Board opens up new opportunities for the Fire Service College, allowing us to extend the delivery of recognised, accredited training to new and existing international customers.”