Emergency Services Show returns to showcase technology and innovation transforming emergency response

Organisers report on The Emergency Services Show returning to the NEC, Birmingham, on September 21-22, showcasing how technology and innovation are transforming emergency response for all blue light services and first responders

The UK’s largest event of its kind brings together police, fire and rescue, ambulance and rescue professionals to collaborate, share experiences and learn from each other. Registration for the event is now open at: www.emergencyuk.com

“When unprecedented and unforeseen events ranging from Covid to the Ukraine crisis are starting to feel like a new normal, the pace of innovation throughout our emergency services is an inspiration to all who come in contact them,” says David Brown, ESS Event Director. “The Emergency Services Show offers a unique forum to support the entire emergency services community to be better prepared for future incidents, by seeing and touching the latest products and equipment and exploring new technologies.”

This year’s free-to-attend Emergency Services Show will be the biggest yet, with more than 450 exhibitors and 20 per cent more floor space than ever before. Emergency service procurement and operational teams looking to source new technology and products will be able to see the latest innovations for every response from the leading names in firefighting equipment, vehicles and fleet, public safety, medical, drones, satellite and blended communications, search and rescue, extrication, water rescue, CBRNE, first response, protective clothing and uniforms, training, community safety and station facilities.

After its successful launch in 2021, the Future Policing area returns, 50 per cent larger than before. Supported by an Advisory Council chaired by Lord Hogan-Howe, the former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Future Policing showcases the latest technologies, equipment and training for the police sector

Shaped by the Advisory Council, which includes representation from the Home Office, Police Digital Service and the College of Policing, a two-day, CPD-accredited seminar packed with high-level speakers will be a major highlight of Future Policing. Among key issues to be explored will be how UK policing will:

  • Improve professionalism and increase the confidence of the public
  • Become more effective in beating crime
  • Accelerate innovation to ensure technology keeps pace with that used by criminals
  • Work more effectively with suppliers
  • Tackle the increase in online fraud and cyber crime.

 

There will be a host of learning opportunities on offer throughout The Emergency Services Show, with a programme of CPD-accredited seminars across four further theatres:

  • Lessons Learnt Theatre for experiences of, and responses to, real-life UK and international incidents and emergencies, ranging from Covid-response to Grenfell and the Manchester Arena
  • Health & Wellbeing Theatre to address physical and mental health for emergency responders
  • Emerging Technologies Theatre to showcase how the emergency services can manage and leverage data and technology more efficiently and effectively
  • The College of Paramedics will once again offer its popular 30-minute CPD workshops.

 

The Extrication and Trauma Challenges also return as interactive experience for participants. Hosted by West Midlands Fire Service, who are hosting the 2022 UKRO challenge later in September, the challenges showcase the latest technology and equipment in action, live streamed to large screens within the exhibition hall.

In the networking hub of the show, The Collaboration Zone, some 40 emergency services, voluntary groups, charities and NGOs will be sharing details of the support they offer, while members of other partner agencies will be available to discuss co-response and partnership working.

Registration for the event is at www.emergencyuk.com. Entry to the Emergency Services Show and parking at the NEC are both free. The NEC is linked to Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport and is directly accessible from the UK motorway network.

www.emergencyuk.com

Improving home life safety

Aico report on launching AudioLINK+, now faster, quieter and more reliable than ever before

The second iteration of Aico’s award-winning AudioLINK technology makes it easy to access real-time data from alarms via the free AudioLINK+ app.

AudioLINK+ extracts the same data as AudioLINK, but does this quicker and quieter than before to reduce disturbance and does not affect any other functionality of alarms. With the average time to take a report taking between four to seven seconds, AudioLINK+ technology makes getting real-time data from smoke and carbon monoxide alarms more efficient – saving time, money and lives.

The AudioLINK+ app is backwards compatible, meaning AudioLINK alarms currently installed do not need to be replaced to utilise the new technology and will work with the new version of the app. However, users will need to update to the latest version of the app to download reports from any AudioLINK+ alarms installed within their properties.

The App generates a simple to read colour-coded report giving information on a range of alarm data including; alarm activations, sensor status, alarm testing information, battery and back up cell status, recorded Carbon Monoxide (CO) levels within CO alarms, and advice on dust contamination levels within the 3000 series alarms.

All of this information can be emailed directly from the phone or tablet to one or multiple addresses, being sent as a PDF report for the property or exported as a .csv file for simple integration with housing management and maintenance systems. Additional information can be added to the report to help link it to a specific alarm and to communicate important and helpful information.

There is no change in the pricing of alarms sold by Aico, just an improvement in the technology offered within the alarms. AudioLINK+ data extraction technology is built-in to all Aico’s Carbon Monoxide alarms such as the Ei208, and the entire 3000 series alarm range.

Find out more about this new iteration of Aico’s home life safety technology at: https://www.aico.co.uk/about-us/why-aico/technology/audiolink/

Business Charity Award winners

Willowdene Rehabilitation and Aico have won the Community Impact Award at the Business Charity Awards 2022, in recognition of how their partnership has delivered social value within their community

Taking place at the London Marriot Grosvenor Square Hotel, the Business Charity Awards recognise and reward the partnerships between corporate and not-for-profit organisations. The Community Impact Award focuses on the vital support an organisation provides to a charitable project within their local community that delivers social change.

Dr Matt Home, Director of Willowdene, comments: “Willowdene Rehabilitation and Aico have been working together for four years now and it was great that the combined work was nationally recognised and it was an honour to receive the Community Impact Award. Aico’s continued support enables Willowdene to offer life changing opportunities for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.”

Willowdene Rehabilitation is a pioneering rehabilitation facility in West Mercia, which works with males and females facing complex issues and challenges to achieve lasting transformation. Aico partnered with Willowdene Rehabilitation in 2019, and offer support in a variety of ways, including volunteering opportunities for colleagues, marketing support, and sponsoring Willowdene’s Family Assessment Centre; these initiatives have enabled Willowdene to extend their support to more individuals and families.

Jane Pritchard, Community Liaison at Aico, adds: “It was a lovely evening with Matt Home and his team from Willowdene, at the Business Charity Awards. We are so proud to win the Community Impact Award, recognising the amazing work Willowdene do and celebrating our partnership. It is an honour to work alongside such a great organisation.”

Aico’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme, Aico in the Community, is designed to support both local and national educational and charitable organisations in building sustainable futures for their communities.

Find out more at: www.aico.co.uk/in-the-community/

Lifts boost workshop activities for vehicle conversion specialists

The UK’s foremost producer of converted frontline accident and emergency vehicles relies upon a set of Stertil Koni heavy-duty mobile column lifts to increase efficiency and throughput at its modern workshop in Bradford

Vehicle Conversion Specialists (VCS) operates from state-of-the-art facilities in Bradford and Bolton with a combined size of 70,000 sq ft. From these sites, the company produces a wide range of emergency vehicles including the E-DCA – the UK’s first fully-electric ambulance and the only zero-emissions ambulance to be in active use on the frontline in Europe.

Based on the company’s proven, lightweight dual crewed ambulance (DCA), the revolutionary E-DCA uses a tried-and-tested heavy-duty electric powertrain. The result is a zero-emissions ambulance that can achieve speeds of up to 75mph, an effective range of 110 miles and a charging time of just 4.25 hours. This proven performance means that the E-DCA offers ambulance services the opportunity to take the important first step in electrifying their ambulance fleets.

In order to boost throughput within its Bradford workshop, VCS decided to purchase a set of four heavy-duty mobile vehicle lifts, type ST1075FSA, from Stertil Koni. Each lifting column provides a safe lifting capacity of 7.5 tonnes so that, when used as a set of four columns, the combined lifting capacity is an impressive 30 tonnes.

The rugged and reliable ST1075FSA heavy-duty lifts incorporate Stertil Koni’s unique ebright Smart Control System, which allows workshop staff to operate the lifts from any column in the set. Featuring full-colour touch screen consoles, the ebright Smart Control System has been designed and developed to simplify operation by providing maximum visual information about every lifting operation – all at the fingertips of the workshop technicians. For added safety and performance, the ebright Smart Control System also shows how many columns in the set are being used.

All columns incorporate Stertil Koni’s maintenance-free, synthetic runner wheel system, which is self-lubricating, and the system is covered by a lifetime guarantee. An integral advanced hydraulic lifting system incorporates a microprocessor-controlled synchronisation feature to ensure safe, smooth and precise movement at all times, even in the event of extremely uneven load distribution. Safety is further enhanced by an independent mechanical locking system, incorporated into each column, which allows technicians to securely lock the lift to prevent a vehicle from being inadvertently lowered.

In addition, the ST1075FSA provides a maximum lifting height of 1.85 metres, which is reached in just 75 seconds thereby making it one of the fastest commercial vehicle lifts available. The mobile column lifts are used by VCS to simplify vehicle conversions throughout a daily two-shift pattern totalling 19 hours. Depending on workflow, the Stertil Koni lifts are used to raise between four and six vehicles a week, which comprise various sizes of commercial vans including Fiat Ducato, MAN Modular and Peugeot PTS.

“We rely heavily on the Stertil Koni mobile column lifts to support our development and conversion of a wide range of ambulance vehicles including the fully-electric E-DCA,” says Kevin Stevens, General Manager at Vehicle Conversion Specialists. “Following a thorough survey of available vehicle lifts, we opted for Stertil Koni based on the company’s reputation in the market place, excellent service support and an extremely competitive price.”

www.stertilkoni.co.uk

Wolf Safety ATEX Zone 0 TR-65 compact LED safety torch

With a market leading 300 lumens emitted from the torch, the ATEX Zone 0 TR-65 has three power modes, is lightweight, compact and robust. Reliable, durable and easy to use and carry, it is ideal for use in the most demanding work places

Its three power modes offer maximum choice and flexibility. The highest power setting gives a class leading light output of 300 lumens for up to seven hours. Medium power supplies excellent operational illumination with an increased duration of up to 14 hours. On the lowest power setting, the torch provides a useful light to be seen by, which will last for up to a staggering 159 hours.

The beam pattern is specifically designed for the optimum combination of spot and fringe light; perfect for viewing into the distance whilst providing enough nearby light to ensure safety from obstacles close at hand.

When the battery level falls to 15 per cent of its maximum level, the battery charge indicator will flash (battery charge indicator only on TR-65 model), and the beam will be interrupted momentarily once every five seconds (both TR-60 and TR-65 models), clearly alerting the user and ensuring they need never be left in the dark.

Strong and robust, both models are made from impact and chemical resistant thermoplastic – the same tried and tested super tough material used on Wolf hazardous area torches for nearly two decades. The lens is made from toughened glass.

Ergonomically designed for comfort in use, its large switch is easy to operate, even when wearing gloves. Two integral lanyard fixings allow the torch to be securely attached to a tunic, tool belt or bag.

A flatter back increases stability and a highly robust polymer clip keeps the torch firmly fixed in place, though it can be detached quickly if required and will ‘give’ if the user gets snagged on an obstacle.

Spare parts are readily available to enable users to replace the LED module, lens, clip, end cap, cassette or circuit if required.

The TR-60 is an economical and very viable alternative to the TR-65. Certified for use in Zone 1, it emits 200 lumens from a single setting, has a 12 hour battery duration and is fitted with a polycarbonate lens. It shares the same robust materials and construction as the TR-65.

For more information visit: https://www.wolfsafety.com/portable-lighting/torches/atex-compact-safety-led-torch