Showcase of latest electric and connected vehicles at The Emergency Services Show

Organisers report on the new Vehicle Innovations Theatre at this year’s Emergency Services Show taking place at the NEC, Birmingham on September 7-8

Vehicle technology and innovation will feature strongly at The Emergency Services Show this autumn, with leading names in fire appliances and connectivity announcing plans to showcase their latest developments. Taking place at the NEC, Birmingham on September 7-8 the show will feature a new Vehicle Innovations Theatre with a two-day seminar programme covering the fastest growing areas of innovation in the fire and rescue sector.

Emergency One will premiere its new E1 EV0, an all-electric, zero emission, full UK-specification fire and rescue pumping appliance and the world’s first all-electric pumping appliance. The operational service-ready model features a 280kWH battery pack and a 200-mile driving range.

Building on the success of its Concept Fire Truck (CFT), Rosenbauer will be showcasing its four new firefighting vehicles, known as Revolutionary Technology (RT), Advanced Technology (AT) Compact Technology (CT) and Modular Technology (MT). The RT features an electric drive system that delivers an emission-free and virtually silent drive. It is powered by two electric motors that deliver a combined output of 360kW and up to 50,000Nm torque.

Integrating technology for connected vehicles is a key theme of the show. Connectivity is critical for fire appliances as Nicola Savage, Group Marketing Director for Excelerate Technology, explains: “Only recently we were asked to help at a protracted fire incident where the cellular networks for fire personnel was extremely unstable. Not even the telecommunications providers that supported them could help. However, we responded to their requests and installed our ‘Excell’ 4G optimisation antenna onto one of their on-scene, deployed vehicles.

“Excell combines the benefits of an omni-directional and directional antenna into one and powers the 4G signal towards the direction of the cellular mast. This meant that this particular fire service deployed at the incident were able to experience dramatically improved internet connectivity over 4G – increasing the range, speed and throughput. Otherwise, they would have been reliant upon manually transferring messages – let alone critical data.”

Drivers of fire appliances can find out what training courses are available from Emergency Response Driver Training Ltd (ERDT), which has launched an industry-first, Level 3 Award driving qualification and a range of driving and instructors’ Certificate of Achievements to address planned changes in the legislation covering the driving of emergency vehicles. The new legislation will require drivers to undertake, or be in the process of taking, a suitable high speed training course before they are permitted to exceed speed limits.

Firefighter Health and Wellbeing Top of the Agenda

The dedicated Health & Wellbeing Seminar Theatre, sponsored by MSA Safety, will feature a speaker line-up of experienced professionals who will share their expertise of mental wellness, health and nutrition, workforce diversity and the latest digital support platforms. Audiences will hear the real-life experiences of practitioners, frontline responders and experts in the field including the likes of Greg Lesson from London Fire Brigade who will talk about the work he has been doing on nutrition and diet with the Fire Service to help maintain firefighters in peak physical and mental shape.

Diversity in the Fire and Rescue Service will be covered by Jenny Pollock and Emma Shute from the organisation Women to Work. They will share their experiences of working with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue to overcome the barriers to women’s progression in the service, enabling them to maximise their potential.

In the main exhibition, visitors with an interest in wellbeing can speak to safety technology experts MSA Safety about their campaign to protect firefighters’ health. Meanwhile people services’ experts Rego will be discussing transforming workplace culture, The Eleos Partnership will be sharing tips on reducing the impacts of stress and pressure and PTSD999 will be offering trauma response training, and expertise on psychological health and safety and the assessment and treatment of PTSD.

The Emergency Services Show will be co-located with The Safety & Security Event Series including The Fire Safety Event, The Health & Safety Event, The Facilities Event, The Security Event and National Cyber Security Show. Parking at the NEC for show visitors is free. Register in advance for free entry to all six events with a single pass at: www.emergencyuk.com

 

 

 

 

Reduce your paper outlay and digitally transform the way your service operates

A paperless environment may be hard to comprehend and it could feel unachievable to eliminate paper entirely. Take the initial step and have a look around your service… Can you cut back on your paper output? CSS report

The most evident benefit of reducing your paper output is to become an environmentally friendly service, contributing to a greener world by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. To put it into perspective, a single tree can produce 17 reams of paper that results in around 110lbs of CO2 being released into the atmosphere. Rightly so, this reason alone is the driving force towards change for many services. However, there are many more benefits of reducing paper usage and ultimately becoming paper-free.

  • It saves money! Expenditure will be reduced through the elimination of printing costs
  • It saves time as information will be accessible online in real-time
  • Data reliability will be improved by reducing human error and lost information
  • Easier auditing and reporting capabilities
  • Data security will be increased
  • Multiple users will be able to access information from anywhere.

Technology plays a vital part in becoming paper-free. From basic Microsoft Excel and Word programmes to more advanced software options that can help with everyday operations. We have it all at our fingertips and can eliminate the need for paper throughout each department, even the well-known paper-intensive functions such as finance and administration.

Creative Software Solutions (CSS) Fire and Rescue specific asset management software solution Pro-Cloud BlueLight will help you towards achieving a more controlled and managed environment. The system enables your service to keep track of your entire inventory across all stations. You can view asset information within one centralised location, configure digital inspection checklists that allow for task and test questionnaires to be set up, ensure asset movements and updates are never missed and the loss of equipment is reduced. Pro-Cloud BlueLight can record it all, eliminating the need for paper through every aspect of your inventory management process, saving you time, money and improving data accuracy throughout.

Accurate asset tagging in conjunction with the Pro-Cloud BlueLight software is how fire and rescue services track their assets effectively. Through working closely with the unrivalled global leading hardware organisation Zebra Technologies, CSS can offer some of the best tagging and hardware solutions for the best possible price, ensuring you achieve maximum benefits when using the software.

There are a variety of handheld mobile scanning devices to choose from including the TC26 and TC57. Zebra scanning devices are some of the best options on the market, ensuring fire and rescue services are always equipped to track and trace assets and allocate equipment effectively. RFID technology is a predominant tagging solution used by many services that use Pro-Cloud BlueLight. Thanks to Zebra’s progressive hardware options, mobile devices can be transformed into RFID readers through an attachable RFID sled, guaranteeing efficient equipment identification at an accelerated pace compared to other tagging options.

Managed through Pro-Cloud, the integrated Zebra scanners capture all barcode options from RFID, QR codes, traditional barcodes and NFC, making sure equipment is always digitally recorded and locations are continually updated, reducing the loss of equipment throughout services and creating a more sustainable way of working by eliminating the need for paper records.

Reduce your paper usage and become digital by using software solutions that will elevate your fire and rescue service.

Find out more about Pro-Cloud BlueLight by visiting: https://www.pro-cloud-bluelight.com. Alternatively contact the Business Development Director, Emma Strain: emma.strain@csseurope.co.uk – 0800 652 0488.

 

 

 

 

Why breathability in PPE matters

Breathability plays a crucial role in tackling heat stress in firefighting gear. But it’s a complex area that is often misunderstood, reports Suzanne Prince, W.L. Gore & Associates (UK) Ltd Some think that breathability prevents sweating or is about air permeability. Others believe that it is about freedom of movement. The truth is that the term ‘breathability’ is in itself very misleading because it is used to describe a process where clothing allows water vapour to escape through the material to the outside, not air.

For firefighters, the challenge is to ensure their garments are breathable while at the same time being waterproof from the outside. When we get hot, the body’s natural response is to cool itself by sweating. When liquid sweat on your skin evaporates it takes the heat away from your body, which helps to cool it. It is that process of sweat evaporation that does the cooling.

For evaporation to work effectively, firefighting clothing needs to let the sweat (moisture vapour) pass through the hotter/ warmer high vapour pressure area next to your body to the lower pressure area outside the garment. It must also perform consistently for the operational lifetime of the garment, not just on the day it is issued.

Activity, or a rapid temperature rise, will trigger the body’s sweating system to lose heat. This increases blood flow from the body core to the skin. The body is sensitive to even the smallest rises in body temperature. US military research has shown that once core body temperature of 100°F is reached, every increase of 0.1°F is physiologically significant, leading to a higher risk of heat exhaustion. As temperature rises, the symptoms intensify from not hearing and reacting, to decreasing mental accuracy and speed.

Breathability in a garment mitigates the rapid rise in core temperature, but in a firefighting environment must also be combined with waterproofness from the outside. This is one of the critical roles performed by the moisture barrier in fire gear. The moisture barrier incorporates gaps that are smaller than a molecule of water but larger than a molecule of water vapour, allowing the passage of vapour while blocking water.

The EN469 standard includes a test for breathability using the Sweating Guarded Hotplate, which measures the movement of moisture from a plate through the garment material. The standard was recently updated to include an optional Sweating Torso procedure, which is a published ISO standard method that replicates the plate method in a 3D shape.

Without breathability, the risk of heat stress and burns from moisture build up increase significantly. In waterproof firefighting garments, boots and gloves the only way to deliver breathability is with a high performance moisture barrier.

Unlike some products which see a reduction in breathability after multiple washes, GORE-TEX Moisture Barriers maintain consistent levels of breathability over many years of washing. In garments, boots and gloves, GORE-TEX Moisture Barriers are proven to deliver lifetime performance, with examples of gear that continues to meet standards several years beyond the contractual period.

All Gore technical fire fabrics comfortably exceed International PPE performance standards including EN469, ASNZ4967 and the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, as well as NFPA 1951, 1999 and 1971. They maintain that level of performance thanks to outstanding resistance to wear and abrasion and the ability to consistently retain high breathability and waterproofness after exposure to extreme cold and heat.

 

 

 

 

Showcasing the world’s first fully electric fire appliance

Emergency One Group report on their return to the UK’s largest event for emergency services, The Emergency Services Show, at the NEC Hall 5 L12 & 0S10. To see the latest technology and innovation in the fire industry, be sure to stop by!

Emergency One Group Ltd (E1) Director Steven Bell stated: “We are looking forward to returning to ESS and finally being able to showcase our latest projects. Despite the difficulties many companies faced last year, Emergency One were able to navigate through the storm and we are very optimistic about what the future holds for the company.”

Since Emergency One’s last visit to ESS a lot has happened, and despite Covid-19, 2020 marked the release of the world’s first fully electric fire appliance, the “E1 EV0”. Designed and manufactured from the company’s manufacturing campus in Cumnock, Scotland, the EV0TM (Electric Vehicle, Zero Emission) is both a vision of the future for UK and international firefighting, and an expression of all that is possible with current technologies and Emergency One’s best-in-class British engineering. Emergency One has long been committed to positively contributing to a low carbon economy. This mirrors the needs and demands of our customer base, whether in the UK or worldwide, given that they require to reduce their appliance fleet emissions and carbon footprint.

Emergency One’s engineers embraced the remit, and over several years, took the concept from initial design right through to final production. The E1 EV0™ is not a prototype – it is a series production, operational service ready model, easily integrated into existing appliance fleets. Emergency One did not want to produce a hybrid vehicle, a concept truck, or one with limited range and operational performance, but rather aimed to produce a next-generation solution. One that builds on the current features of today’s diesel-fuelled fire appliances, while also including many new and innovative features, designed to improve firefighter and public safety. In other words, a low emission fire and rescue vehicle that exceeds the current appliance specification and looks the part.

In April 2021, Emergency One and Allison Transmission, also exhibiting at ESS, announced a strategic Memorandum of Understanding whereby the two companies will integrate the Allison eGen Power™ 100D electric axle into Emergency One’s fire rescue and emergency vehicle platform. This agreement builds on their successful relationship, and further develops the EV0 range.

The E1 ScorpionTM will also be making a return to ESS. Whilst the E1 Scorpion concept is not new (water tower pumping appliances have been around for decades), the manufacturing and systems engineering, and technology employed within this vehicle certainly is new. The Scorpion features a 20m High Reach Extendable Turret (HRET) system along with the optional “Fire-Spike” piercing lance system (designed and manufactured in the UK). The installation facilitates up to a 20m vertical reach and 14m horizontal reach, with full 360º rotation. Water and foam delivery is available via the boom-mounted high flow monitor (up to 4,000lpm), or via the “Fire-Spike” (1,000lpm). CCTV and thermal imaging cameras are also installed, with images relayed to locations such as the cab or pumpbay system controls and/or the chest-pack “ePump RC” remote control system (a remote system, allowing full control of the HRET and of all pumping systems).

Mike Madsen, Managing Director, Emergency One Group Ltd, commented: “We are delighted that both the E1 EV0 and the E1 Scorpion have been met with such enthusiasm. It is important to me that we offer our customers choice – hence both the E1 EV0 and the E1 Scorpion are fully customisable and offer a unique, no-compromise build solution along with a comprehensive option list. The build quality and truly innovative design features are testament to the quality, passion, drive and commitment of our employees and the collaborative approach we adopted throughout the design and manufacture process. Working closely with all stakeholders, I am proud that our appliances showcase the best of British engineering, innovation and manufacturing.”

Emergency One look forward to being able to display these amazing vehicles and the innovative technology designed in-house that makes them extra special. For anyone that is interested in seeing the UK’s leading manufacturer of fire and rescue appliances be sure to visit stand L12 or outside location 0S10.

Video Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQH_AUVNDXs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNzx6YXDOWU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cGqOXoneHQ&t=13s

Website Link:

https://e1group.co.uk/

Social media links:

https://www.facebook.com/e1Group

https://www.instagram.com/emergencyoneuk/

https://twitter.com/EOneUKLtd

https://www.linkedin.com/company/e1group

 

 

 

 

Major contract with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

MSA Bristol report on securing a major new managed services contract with the UK’s largest fire and rescue service: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

MSA Bristol is a leading supplier of personal protective equipment (PPE) to firefighters across the globe. Its specialist, in-house managed services team are now responsible for the inspection, washing and repair of all structural, urban search and rescue and wildland PPE for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s 6,660 firefighters, including fire coats, trousers, hoods and gloves.

As part of the contract, MSA Bristol regularly collects PPE from key fire service hubs that are spread throughout Scotland. The PPE is then thoroughly cleaned, de-contaminated and inspected for signs of damage or wear. If any issues are identified, items are swiftly repaired and then returned to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service – all within seven days.

MSA Bristol has two in-house service centres in Bristol and London and is in the process of setting up a third in Livingston, Scotland. The servicing of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s PPE is currently taking place in Bristol, but this will move to Scotland later in the year when its new service centre goes live.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s PPE was procured through the UK Collaborative PPE Contract, and supplied by MSA Bristol. Each item of PPE therefore has a unique bar code, which enables MSA Bristol and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to effectively track its service history.

Edward Shepherd, MSA Bristol’s Service Operations Director, said: “We are delighted that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has put its trust in us to clean and maintain its PPE. As manufacturers of their PPE, we know it inside out and can ensure it remains clean and always fit for purpose. The cleaning and maintenance of PPE is a top priority for the fire industry, with the vast majority of UK fire and rescue services now taking up professional managed services provision as part of their PPE contracts.

“In recent years, MSA Bristol has seen a significant increase in take up of Fully Managed Services packages in the UK, partly due to convenience and competitive pricing, but also partly due to health concerns. Our new service centre in Livingston will enable us to handle more items of PPE and improve our resilience.”

Roddy Mackinnon, Equipment Manager at the Scottish Fire and Rescue, said: “As the largest fire and rescue service in the UK, it is essential that all of our firefighters have the right PPE and equipment to continue to serve the local communities of Scotland and are adequately protected while doing this. Regular cleaning, decontamination and repair is recognised by the service and industry as the best way to ensure firefighters’ PPE remains fit for purpose. We have been using MSA Bristol’s managed services since March 2021 and have been very impressed with the level of service and quick turnaround times.”

 

 

 

 

KERMEL CORE FX Get Xtra time, Xtra protection

Committed to protect those who protect and save lives, KERMEL® reports on developing CORE FX – an outstanding and superior brand-new technology to provide more protection from heat and flame with a lighter weight

More Protection, More Time

More time can make all the difference in firefighting

“We aim to engineer the best protective solutions without compromise and make them the most accessible for all safety professionals,” says Pascal L’higuinen, Kermel Sales Manager.

“That’s how Core FX was born. A unique core yarn made of Kermel fibre reinforced with a para-aramid core. Kermel fibre is a meta-aramid, naturally non-flammable, which maintains maximal short-term protection against very high temperatures (up to 1,000°C). Regardless of washing or time, Kermel fibre will always remain flame retardant.”

More Lightness, More Comfort

Sometimes less means more

With a lighter weight (< 200 g/m²), Kermel’s innovative solution enables multilayer garments, with more comfort and agility in fight, without compromising on protection. KERMEL CORE FX is a high-end quality fabric with an outstanding mechanical resistance and appearance even after washing.

Engineer the Best Protective Solutions

KERMEL®, the European meta-aramid fibre leader, engineers’ high-end solutions for firefighters, police, army and industry professionals to protect against heat and flames, with over 50 years of proven commitment, technology and partnerships all over the world.

Visit KERMEL at ESS 2021, HALL 5-F81

For more information:
pascal.lhiguinen@kermel.com

 

 

 

 

Next generation in SCBA

Dräger report on launching the PSS® AirBoss, the next generation in self contained breathing apparatus that provides firefighters and emergency service teams with the utmost in usability, safety+, serviceability, and connectivity

It was officially launched at the global virtual DrägerUp event where Dräger demonstrated how PSS® AirBoss represents a digital progression with telemetry and connectivity providing the information and enabling the integration and communication required to further firefighter health and wellbeing.

Dräger’s PSS® AirBoss includes a carrying mechanism with pneumatics, monitoring systems, masks and communication technology and numerous accessories such as the ultra-lightweight Type 4 Nano compressed air breathing cylinders, lung demand valves and fire escape hoods. Three models will be available: PSS® AirBoss Active providing the lowest weight; PSS® AirBoss Agile with increased safety features; and PSS® AirBoss Connect, providing maximum situational awareness for the firefighter.

With the new Type 4 Nano cylinder providing a continued reduction in cylinder weight, all new SCBA sets are significantly lighter than existing SCBA models, and its unlimited life can also reduce full lifecycle costs.

State of the art ergonomics is a vital feature of the Dräger PSS® AirBoss evolution. Improved wearer comfort has been achieved by shifting the centre of gravity relationship between the human body and the set and creating a ventilated space by the SCBA backplate. It is also improved through a pivoting waist belt and three-step height adjustments.

PSS® AirBoss’ weight is carried by the legs and pelvis rather than the back. This not only improves personal comfort, but also enhances mobility within confined spaces, while descending ladders and stairwells and in any situation that requires a high level of mobility.

On a practical level, the Dräger PSS® AirBoss has also been designed to be ‘snag-proof’, ensuring that all attachments are neatly connected or integrated to mitigate any risk of snagging or entanglement. Easy cylinder exchange has been achieved through the Quick Connect function and all key components are fitted with RFID tags for ease of asset management.

Also critical to the Dräger PSS® AirBoss system is digitalisation. Dräger provides the only operationally-proven telemetry solution in the UK, delivering vital information that is automatically communicated between the wearer of the BA set and the Entry Control Point – without the need for either team to stop what they are doing to communicate. These signals include manual and automatic distress signals, team withdrawal and evacuation signals to and from the wearer, cylinder pressure, time to whistle and time of whistle.

This system also provides comprehensive data regarding the firefighters’ condition in relation to their SCBA, proving invaluable to those responsible for monitoring and directing BA crews. A new feature, unique to Dräger’s PSS® AirBoss, are ‘Buddylights’ fitted to the backplate, which use digital data from the set to provide immediate and highly visible signalling to firefighters of their team’s cylinder pressures and physical condition. Connectivity is an important aspect to Dräger’s new solution. An entry control officer requires live information from all SCBA wearers of all entry points and to know they are accounted for in any scenario. Dräger’s accountability system accomplishes this.

The optional Dräger Web client enables workshop, management and command staff to utilise the data created on scene wherever they are. The only requirement is a connection to the Base station, which uses Wi-Fi or LTE to access data stored on Dräger’s Cloud. Authorised personnel can then remotely monitor the incident and access the full incident log at any time.

An additional benefit is that you can easily customise reporting for multiple purposes, from user or device history to synchronised overviews of complete incidents. The ability to create tactical and evidence-based incident reports provides comprehensive and valuable analysis post incident, essential for debriefing and training purposes – or as required for any investigation or inquiry.

Cleaning has been made simpler by designing smoother, non-absorbent, water-repellent surfaces to make equipment easier to wipe down and decontaminate. Reduced webbing material allows for faster drying and numerous attachment points mean kit can easily be dismantled for optimum cleaning – both mechanically and by hand.

In recognition of the financial pressures that fire services are under, PSS® AirBoss enables fire services to maximise the significant investment already made into their SCBA and telemetry. With a modular design, PSS® AirBoss is backward compatible with existing Dräger PSS SCBA and telemetry, enabling elements of the existing set to be upgraded over time. This reduces the requirement to purchase a full suite of new equipment including telemetry, pneumatics, electronics, integrated communications, cylinders and vehicle charging systems.

Liz Millward, Marketing Manager Emergency and Rescue Services at Draeger Safety UK, says PSS® AirBoss should not be considered a standalone product, but a connected solution: “PSS® AirBoss has been ten years in development, during which time we have utilised medical, physiological and safety expertise and thoroughly tested technology. We have used not only our direct relationships with the UK fire services and global expert third parties including universities, but also our support of emergency events such as Grenfell and the Salisbury poisonings to make sure PSS® AirBoss has been designed with real life firefighting experience in mind,” she explains.

“PSS® AirBoss’ improvements reduce firefighters’ physical stress, which in turn reduces the risk of strain-related injuries and fatigue when wearing the set operationally, as well as extending potential working duration due to reduced physical exertion.

“In an industry where a split second can be the difference between life and death, these advancements are crucial for the safety of our firefighters.”

www.draeger.com

 

 

 

 

Philanthropic programme to help protect firefighters in developing countries

MSA Safety Incoporate report on a three-year partnership with UK-based FIRE AID

The programme will help deploy repurposed self-contained breathing apparatus to firefighters in developing countries, who often have limited access to protective equipment.

“MSA’s mission is to see to it that men and women may work in health and safety throughout the world, and that speaks to the heart as to why we chose to partner with FIRE AID,” said Bob Leenen, President of MSA Safety’s International business segment. “We want to do what we can to help firefighters in need, while also being environmentally responsible. In working with FIRE AID, we can assist in the repurposing of equipment in a way that helps protect firefighters, the communities they serve, and the environment. It truly is a win, win, win initiative.”

Founded in 2014, FIRE AID is an association of charities and services with a mutual interest in providing ethical and sustainable donations of fire and rescue equipment, as well as training services, in more than 50 countries around the world. The non-profit organisation has long-standing experience in coordinating humanitarian aid projects, facilitating product donations, and supporting the volunteer efforts of firefighters around the world to help train more than 5,000 firefighters residing in countries in need.

Under the three-year partnership, MSA will facilitate and fund the logistics associated with all donated and refurbished SCBA originating from the UK fire and rescue services. The UK fire and rescue services group represents more than 50 fire services across the UK.

The company will also provide a direct donation of new MSA firefighting equipment, providing these fire services access to the latest technology in firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE). Members of the MSA team will provide training and support to FIRE AID volunteers, and to the brigades receiving the equipment, once the new PPE is delivered.

Stephanie Sciullo, MSA’s Chief Legal Officer and Executive Sponsor of the company’s corporate social responsibility endeavors, explained that the partnership with FIRE AID is a natural fit with MSA’s CSR platform. “Safety is the mission of MSA, and creating a better world is a goal of our CSR efforts. We are proud to be able to partner with FIRE AID on this meaningful initiative. For more than a century, MSA products have helped protect the lives of tens of millions of workers around the world every day. We are proud that our mission can make a lasting impact on communities worldwide,” said Ms. Sciullo.

First responders in many developing countries endeavour to save lives every day while they themselves work without basic personal protective equipment, commented Claire Hoyland, FIRE AID Coordinator. “Because we deliver equipment and training around the globe to those first responders in desperate need, MSA Safety’s donation is very much appreciated and will go a long way in helping protect emergency workers as they help to protect civilian lives,” Ms Hoyland said.

About MSA Safety

Established in 1914, MSA Safety Incorporated is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous or life-threatening situations. The company’s comprehensive product line is used by workers around the world in a broad range of markets, including the oil, gas and petrochemical industry, the Fire Service, the construction industry, mining and the military. MSA’s core products include self-contained breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems, portable gas detection instruments, industrial head protection products, firefighter helmets and protective apparel, and fall protection devices. With 2020 revenues of $1.35 billion, MSA employs approximately 5,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered north of Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, Pa., and has manufacturing operations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. With more than 40 international locations, MSA realises approximately half of its revenue from outside North America. For more information visit MSA’s website at: www.MSAsafety.com.

About FIRE AID

FIRE AID is a UK-based charity, which brings together its 30 member organisations to deliver humanitarian aid to fire and rescue services worldwide. Members have been working in this field for more than 30 years and together have a wealth of experience across 53 countries implementing humanitarian projects.

FIRE AID provides a unique database for fire and rescue services and suppliers to donate perfectly useable (but decommissioned) equipment to projects, saving it from being scrapped and recycling it to save lives overseas. All equipment donations are accompanied by expert training, delivered by volunteer firefighters and medics.

FIRE AID projects actively save lives while protecting frontline emergency workers. For example, in Moldova FIRE AID has provided firefighters with over 1,500 sets of PPE. While in Ukraine 12 road traffic collision cutting sets saved more than 144 people during 2020 alone.

For further information visit: https://fire-aid.org/

 

 

 

 

System upgrade delivers ship-shape fire protection at HMS Belfast

HMS Belfast, the most significant surviving Royal Navy warship from the Second World War, has been equipped with leading fire protection from Advanced. The company reports

Permanently moored as a museum ship on the River Thames in London, the decommissioned Royal Navy warship HMS Belfast, is owned and operated by Imperial War Museum (IWM). As part of ongoing fire system upgrade works taking place across the museum’s estate, an eight-loop and a two-loop MxPro 5 fire panel, along with a TouchControl touchscreen remote control terminal and repeater, have been installed across six of the battleship’s nine decks, as well as in its on-shore visitor pavilion.

Facilities services company Atalian Servest was responsible for the installation, commissioning and networking of the fire panels in accordance with BS 5839. The panels were integrated with about 700 Apollo Xp95 detectors and interfaced with VESDA aspirating smoke detection.

Shane Robinson, Project Manager at Atalian Servest Fire & Security, said: “Following a number of successful MxPro 5 installation projects across numerous buildings operated by the IWM estate, Advanced’s solutions were our first choice when recommending a fire system for HMS Belfast. The fire alarm control and indicating equipment is both modern and extremely user-friendly for clients to operate, with the added functionality and aesthetics of the TouchControl panel.”

TouchControl is the low-profile, high-resolution touchscreen repeater that makes it easy to check fire system status via interactive maps and zone plans, while complementing a wide range of interiors. When in standby, it can be used to display branding, advertisements and information, but will instantly revert to fire operation when a fire condition occurs.

Responsible for the supply of the fire alarm control panels for the project at HMS Belfast was Advanced’s long-standing partner, ADI Global. Gareth Roberts, Category Manager of Fire for UK and Ireland at ADI Global, said: “It’s a pleasure to have been able to supply Atalian Servest with the MxPro 5 and TouchControl equipment required to protect such a treasured and iconic part of Britain’s maritime history.

“The customer chose ADI due to our excellent value proposition and our commitment to deliver against requirements. We utilised our extensive, industry leading stock portfolio to ensure the customer’s expectations and requirements were met throughout the lifecycle of this project.”

MxPro 5 is the fire industry’s leading multiprotocol fire system solution, certified by FM Approvals to the EN 54 standard. It offers customers a choice of four detector protocols and a completely open installer network, backed up by free training and support. MxPro 5 panels can be used in single-loop, single-panel format, or easily configured into high-speed networks of up to 200 panels covering huge areas. Ease of installation and configuration, as well as its wide peripheral range, make MxPro 5 customisable to almost any application.

Neil Parkin, Regional Sales Manager for the North at Advanced, said: “With around 350,000 visitors to the warship each year, the newly installed category L1 system provides the highest standard of protection to those onboard. Thanks to the work of all involved in this project, I’m confident that Advanced’s solutions will deliver unrivalled protection for many years to come.”

Advanced, owned by FTSE 100 company Halma PLC, protects a wide range of prestigious and high-profile sites across the globe – from London’s Shard to Abu Dhabi International Airport and the Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau Bridge

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of fire protection solutions. Advanced’s reputation for performance, quality and ease of use see its products specified in locations around the world, from single-panel installations to large, multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multiprotocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging, false alarm management and reduction systems as well as emergency lighting.

Halma is a global group of life-saving technology companies with a clear purpose to grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day.

For more information visit: www.advancedco.com