NFPA continues its efforts to help communities plan, respond and recover from active shooter and hostile events
In May 2020, Bloomberg News reported that the number of mass shootings in the United States was down 24% from the year before as workspaces, businesses, places of worship, entertainment venues and cultural spots were closed. The news outlet indicated…
Residential sprinklers are the new standard
Australia’s population is growing, adding around 400,000 people per year to our suburbs and towns. This has led to a shift in the construction of residential buildings away from stand-alone dwellings on the traditional quarter-acre block to medium- and high-density…
Magirus iDL Series – Introducing new electric and natural-gas-powered fire engines
A CNG-powered (H)LF 10 tank pumper expands the Innovative Drive Line series. Following the introduction of small electric fire engines, the company is thus taking the next step in the development of directly deployable firefighting vehicles with reliable, alternative drive…
Fighting the Cobrico peat fire
When a bushfire tore through Cobrico in Victoria’s south-west igniting the peat bog underneath, toxic levels of carbon monoxide caused the temporary relocation of 20% of residents and those in surrounding areas. Peatlands cover about 5% of the earth’s surface…
Emergency One (UK) – The impossible, made possible…
On 9 October 2020 the Emergency One Group launched the E1 EV0: the world’s first all-electric, zero-emission fire and rescue service (FRS) pumping appliance. Designed and manufactured at the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing campus in Cumnock, Scotland, the EV0 (Electric Vehicle,…
Bristol Uniforms introduces EOS: Protection, flexibility, strength
Bristol Uniforms, a leading designer and manufacturer of protective clothing for the emergency services, has launched a brand new, state-of-the-art design for structural firefighting PPE. Named after the Greek goddess of the dawn, EOS builds on the success of Bristol’s…
In memoriam: Jaime Moncada-Pérez Advancing fire protection in Latin America
Jaime Moncada-Pérez passed away on 31 August 2020 in Bogotá, Colombia from complications following a cerebral ischemia, at almost 89 years of age. Don Jaime, as he was usually known, is recognized for introducing NFPA and modern fire protection to…
Using flame detectors for zone 2 hazardous areas
Workwear Group – New fire-retardant ensembles and fireboot in development
Warringtonfire invests in new ‘reaction to fire’ test equipment
Warringtonfire Australia, part of the Element Group, is excited to announce our new extended capabilities to conduct crucial ‘reaction to fire’ testing prescribed by the National Construction Code. Our team at the testing laboratory in Melbourne has been busy installing…
Gore sets the standard in moisture management
W. L. Gore and Associates Inc is regarded as one of the most innovative companies in the world with over 2,000 patents granted worldwide for diverse applications. Gore products are on Mars in the Curiosity Rover and are currently on…
The new Australian Disaster Resilience Index
Mark your calendar: AFAC is back in 2021
After the year that changed everything, it’s time to regroup, regather and reunite at AFAC21. The date has been set for 17–20 August 2021 when the emergency management sector will meet face to face once more to be inspired by…
Flame detector selection: which technology to use in gas-turbine enclosures?
Which flame-detection technology should I use in a gas-turbine enclosure? This is a common question when a fire-protection engineer is looking to protect a high-value asset or where fast detection is needed due to the escalation potential of a fire.…
Solar-panel fire risks and the opportunities to improve safety
Recently solar panels have been back in Australian headlines after the release of statistics from Fire & Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) showed a significant increase in solar-panel-system fires. These statistics reported that there has been a five-fold surge in…
Digitizing evacuations
Traditional evacuation systems require a fair amount of specialist installation, management and maintenance because they tend to be hard wired and permanently positioned. They also use a ‘press and guess’ approach in that there’s little visibility on the system’s power…
Artificial intelligence offers round-the-clock wildfire detection
Hazardous chemicals inspection and safe storage management
Hazardous chemicals inspection seems like a blatantly obvious task that is beyond improvement. Once there is a safe way to inspect hazardous liquids or materials, there is no need to change that, right? The matter remains that hazardous chemicals inspection…
Centralizing environmental resilience in emergency agencies using the Sustainable Development Goals
In 2018 I was approached by the then NSW SES Local Commander to conduct an environmental audit and highlight areas for improvement within the Newcastle SES Unit, I saw an opportunity to combine my SES volunteer role with my Disaster…
Firefighting under fire – Delivering fire and rescue services during armed conflicts
It is a troubling fact that presently there are more than 25 armed conflicts, wars or serious international disputes ongoing around the world, affecting parts of Central and South America, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent and…
You wouldn’t drive into a bushfire, so why drive into floodwater?
Rebuilding with standards
This time last year, Australia was reeling from the ongoing bushfires, which saw communities band together to support affected individuals and wildlife. The resilience shown by Australians over the summer bushfire season and subsequent global pandemic was inspiring. Throughout the…
New Hong Kong Fire Services Department Director
Leading the way: Introducing People First Fire Pty Ltd
On 1 July 2020, FSA Training Division became People First Fire Pty Ltd, Australia’s first national Indigenous fire-safety and emergency training provider, operating with a unique focus on ‘putting people first’ in community safety. Under the leadership of owners Jason…
An unassuming pair: pharmacists and disasters
A few years ago, I attended the Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management conference. In networking with some of the other delegates, the common questions ‘what do you do?’ and ‘what brought you to the conference?’ came up.…
We need face-to-face conferences and exhibitions to grow
Did you hear that? It was the applause given to me by 40 zoom attendees at the recent presentation I gave to Rotary on the mental health of firefighters. Of course, you…