OroraTech transforms wildfire detection and monitoring from space
This summer, a record-breaking heatwave in the Arctic Circle has caused wildfires that will leave lasting effects on biodiversity, air quality, and forest health. The European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast…
Vehicle rescue provision – a new approach to rescue
They say that having a near-death experience can change a person’s perspective and that’s what happened to me. In 2016 whilst on a humanitarian training mission in Tajikistan and travelling along the Pamir highway through the Khorog mountains the vehicle…
The evolution of PPE for the world’s female firefighters
Roger Startin, Joint Managing Director of Bristol Uniforms, looks back on the history of female firefighters across the globe and how PPE has evolved to protect them. There are many examples of heroic female firefighters throughout history, coming from all…
Use of foam for firefighting in tank farms of the oil and petrochemical industry – Part 2
Part One of this article described the typical incident scenarios at tank farm fires and presented foam as the most suitable extinguishing agent together with the firefighting equipment most commonly used. In Part Two we look at foam concentrate proportioning…
The causes of fire fatalities and serious fire injuries in Scotland
Fire fatalities in Great Britain have gradually been decreasing over the last three decades but have now plateaued. This first phase of a research study investigating fire fatalities and serious injuries in Scotland has identified the types of people most…
Operational concerns involving Electric and Hybrid Vehicles at vehicle related incidents – Part 2
The true concern with these vehicles is not extrication but fire. We already have vehicles with a significant fire load without adding in a drivetrain that adds hundreds of power cells of either NiCad, NMHiD or Lith-Ion, pounds of combustible…
Emergency services and accountability
First responders are highly trained individuals who are taught to be observant on the scene of a traumatic event or a crisis situation, but too few of them are taught to manage their own mental health. Being accountable is somewhat…
Crisis planning: Establishing a reserve corps
For months, the world has grappled with a crisis of staggering proportions, the havoc imposed by COVID-19. International travel has been restricted, global trade has ground to a veritable halt, and entire nations have enacted virtually unprecedented countermeasures ranging from…
Battery powered rescue tools
“This is much heavier than our previous equipment”, “And what do I do if I forget to charge the batteries?” “Can I work submerged with it?”, “The casing is plastic, is it stable enough?” Well, the early years weren’t easy…
Public Safety Drones: A Global Perspective
The use of aerial drones in firefighting and public safety are growing much faster than ever before. This trend does not seem to be slowing any time soon, even in the midst of COVID19. When agencies were asked if they…
Public alerting system for tower block residents
The tragic events at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017, when 72 people lost their lives, has brought into sharp focus the need to improve fire safety for those who reside in medium- and high-rise residential buildings (MHRRBs) in the…
Fire services: Device health is critical for firefighting
The use of technological innovation has always been a big part of a firefighter’s arsenal of tools. From the infrared-based heat sensors to mobile devices, technology greatly improves a firefighter’s ability to both do their job effectively as well as…
Compressed and Liquified Gases
When Fire and Rescue are called to restore order at an industrial site, such as a warehousing complex, production / manufacturing plant (or a public highway); as part of the dynamic risk assessment – the incident commander / controller must…
Advances in communications and emergency warning technology bolster safety for firefighters and the public
The Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters recently reported that in 2019, 396 natural disasters occurred around the world, killing more than 11,000 people, impacting the lives of 95 million others and costing $130 billion in US dollars.…
Firefighting foam action in Wisconsin
Water contamination issues from PFAS are creating pressure on the fire service to make changes in toxic AFFF products. PFAS contamination of drinking water is threatening people’s health in many communities worldwide. Firefighters have been and continue to be placed…
Occupational firefighter concerns on PFAS: What do Dockers® pants and the precautionary principle have to do with firefighting foams and firefighters?
Occupational firefighter concerns on PFAS: What do Dockers® pants and the precautionary principle have to do with firefighting foams and firefighters? Fluorinated firefighting foams were transitioned from long chain to short chain PFAS due to the US EPA Stewardship Program.…
Major upgrade to Tresco Heliport Fire & Rescue Service
Tresco is a small, family-run island measuring approximately 3.5 kilometres by 1.75 kilometres wide! It’s one of the five inhabited islands, which together with 200 or so islands, islets and rocks, form the Isles of Scilly, an area of outstanding…
Community Fire Safety
This article discusses common mistakes made by our communities and what can be done to ensure fire safety is kept on the forefront of everyone’s minds. Health and safety training in the workplace is not just encouraged, but essential, with…
Carbon Monoxide detection in parking garages
Nowadays parking garages have become widespread with increase of the population and vehicle usage. Parking garages are common in shopping malls and residances where population density is high. Carbon monoxide in the exhaust gases of the vehicles in parking garages…
Surviving the unknown – safety through disaster
Disaster. Crisis. Disease. Horror. While the multitude of humans avoid these like a plague, pun intended, they are the basis of why fire and emergency services exist. Our current world environment subjects us to an abundance of hazards, risks, and…
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