Friday 25 November 2011

M&S shoppers evacuated from fire-hit store

From STV

Around 1000 shoppers were evacuated from the Marks & Spencer store in Aberdeen city centre after a fire. Fire crews were sent to the shop at the city's St Nicholas Centre at around 11.40am on Friday morning.They evacuated around 1000 customers and 200 staff while they investigated the source of the blaze.Crew spent around 40 minutes in the store before it was reopened to the public.

A fire service spokeswoman said two fire engines and an ariel appliance were sent to the scene. She said: "The fire was dealt with very quickly. There were no casualties or extensive fire spread." A Marks & Spencer spokeswoman said an investigation would now be launched into the cause of the blaze

Sprinklers save Scottish workshop

From info4fire

The effectiveness of sprinklers in loss-prevention was underlined when a fire at a factory in Inverness-shire was successfully extinguished in 15 minutes.

The fire took place on the 1st November at around 07:45 when an Acetylene torch manifold failed in a timber processing factory.

The sprinkler system was quickly activated, bringing the fire under control within 15 minutes and leaving just 10% of the workshop damaged. The sprinkler also played a vital role in cooling the gas cylinder that supplied the torch, mitigating the danger of an explosion.

18 fire fighters from Highlands & Islands fire and rescue service attended the scene and continued to cool the cylinder until they were certain the danger was passed.

Ross Nixon of Highlands & Islands Fire and Rescue Service, passed the information on to the National Fire Sprinkler Network, a not for profit group who campaign for better use and development of sprinkler technology.

Last month we reported on a Government e-petition to enforce the installation of sprinklers in all new dwellings.

UK Govt scuppers Res Sprinkler plan

From info4fire

Low cost sprinkler initiative ‘scuppered’ by localism agenda
23 November 2011

A low-cost and potentially life saving domestic sprinkler programme is under threat after the UK government has seemingly washed its hands of it.

The 'ultra-low cost' sprinkler initiative, launched in 2004 after BBC presenter and safety campaigner, Nick Ross, challenged the industry to come up with a low cost system based on one in use in New Zealand. The system uses domestic plumbing and does not meet the specification of more expensive systems installed to BS 9251, the code of practice for residential and domestic sprinkler systems.

The original programme envisaged the installation of pilot schemes in five or six fire authorities, which could then be used to provide a cost-benefit analysis comparing them to BS 9251 compliant installations.

Cleveland Fire and Rescue Service has installed 30 domestic sprinkler systems during 2011 with more planned. But the initiative looks like being stymied by lack of government support and water industry failure to accept the ultra low cost FPA design guide. The water industry’s objection is based on the claim that the guide does not satisfy Water Regulations Advisory Scheme criteria over the potential contamination of the mains by stagnant water in short piping ‘deadlegs’, variable mains pressure, and flow choke caused by water metres.

Critics of ultra-low cost systems say they are less reliable than pumped systems installed to recognised standards. But in response Nick Ross said:

“The system would not have been entirely reliable but the price point would have made up for the technical limitations. It is better to save 90% of fire victims with imperfect equipment which is almost universally applied than to save virtually none with 100% dependable automated fire suppression which is rarely installed.

“There have been other advances on sprinklers meanwhile, of course, not least the legislative progress in Wales and Scotland; but I remain deeply frustrated at how the sub-£600 project has been scuppered.”

In February this year, the government said it could not take the project any further as the pilot schemes had not been installed long enough in occupied homes to provide meaningful data. In an email seen by info4fire.com, an official at the Department for Communities and Local Government went on to say that if the fire safety sector wished to undertake more work on low cost sprinklers, they would have to do so themselves, as the government was “committed to localism...and overseeing a fundamental shift of power away from Westminster to those best placed to deliver outcomes”.

Meanwhile, there is a growing campaign aimed at persuading MPs to follow the lead of Wales and pass similar legislation to mandate sprinklers in all new English homes. The Building Regulations (Review) Bill would oblige the secretary of state to conduct a review and impact assessment of a requirement to install automatic fire suppression systems in new residential premises.

The bill, introduced in the Lords by Lord Harrison of Chester, is due for its second reading in the Commons this week. The bill is also backed by former Welsh Secretary Alun Michael MP, who has tabled an Early Day Motion on the subject in parliament.

Thursday 24 November 2011

New cigarette safety Regulations

From FIA

New cigarette safety regulations are set to be implemented which could significantly reduce the number of house fires in the UK. The European Union regulations will require every cigarette sold across the continent to meet a reduced ignition propensity (RIP) requirement which will mean that the cigarette will go out if it is not actively smoked.

Councillor Susan Hall, chairperson of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority's community safety committee, labelled the move as a "watershed" moment in cigarette fire safety."Cigarette fires are a killer, destroying lives and properties across the country every day," she said."These new safety standards amount to an all-out attack on the single biggest cause of fire deaths in the country.

But people still need to take care. Never smoke in bed and always dispose of cigarettes carefully."Figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government revealed that around 2,800 fires in the UK were caused by smoking materials in 2008, leaving 101 people dead and 932 injured.The new cigarettes are forecast to prevent 1,800 fires, 67 fire deaths and 600 casualties a year in the UK.

Man rescued from Pub Fire

From Fire Industry Association

A man had to be rescued by firefighters yesterday (17th November) after a blaze broke out in a pub in Cumbria.Barrow Fire and Rescue was called to the Black Dog Inn in Dalton-in-Furness at about 5am after a passer-by saw the building's roof was aflame.

Fire officers wearing breathing equipment found the worker asleep in his first-floor bedroom and led him to safety. He had no injuries and did not require treatment.The fire was brought under control at 6.30am and Broughton Road, on which the pub is located, was re-opened at 8.30am after being temporarily closed.

A 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in England and Wales, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.If the fire risk assessment is deemed to be carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person can face an unlimited fine or a maximum prison sentence of two years.

Fire hits secondary school in Leith

4 Nov 2011. Thanks to Fire Industry Association.

A secondary school in Scotland has been damaged after a small fire broke out in the building yesterday (23rd November). Firefighters were called to Leith Academy in Edinburgh at around 8.30am just as the school day was beginning, reports STV Edinburgh. Officers found the blaze had been caused by an over-heated tumble dryer in the home economics department.

The fire was dealt with by isolating the power supply to the machine, according to a spokesperson for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service. One woman was treated for smoke inhalation but did not require hospital treatment.

A 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in Scotland under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005. If this fire risk assessment is judged to have not been carried out to a suitable extent, the Duty Holder for the establishment can face up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine.

Sunday 20 November 2011

Learn not to Burn. Fire Safety in the Home.

This is a very good site aimed at Fire Safety in your Home. Go to: http://www.seecsyl.com./
and have a look. It was written by Arthur Herscovitch from Canada.

Friday 18 November 2011

four die and 31 are injured in raging fire in nursing home.

From Mail on Line & Info4Fire 18th November 2011: Bold and Italics are mine.


Police probe 'suspicious' blaze as four die and 31 are injured in raging fire at Sydney nursing home. Flames flared in two different parts of the building. Sniffer dogs were used to hunt for traces of gasoline. Rescued residents in beds lined the footpath.Firefighters had to crawl through thick black smoke to reach the Residents.

A fire which tore through a Sydney nursing home killing four elderly people and injuring 31 was today being treated as 'suspicious' by police.Homicide detectives and forensics officers are sifting through the charred and smouldering ruin of the home in the suburb of Quakers Hill. Sniffer dogs are being brought in to detect for any traces of gasoline. A blaze flared in two different parts of the building forcing 88 residents to be evacuated, many covered in soot. Several are in a serious condition suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.

The elderly and infirm who could not flee the fire were pulled, still in their beds, on to the pavement amid chaotic scenes.

Beds containing those elderly residents who had been rescued lined the pavement with frightened and confused old people being looked after by ambulance officers and police.

Firemen even hosed down some of the soot-covered residents as they lay outside in their beds.

Thirty-two were taken to eight hospitals suffering from smoke inhalation and some with burns - 14 of those are in intensive care, four with severe burns.

New South Wales Fire Commissioner Greg Mullins described the scene as 'chaotic' and 'tragic' as more than 100 fire crews, police and ambulance officers arrived at the home on Hambledon Road, just after 5am.

'This is a firefighter's worst nightmare,' Mr Mullins said. 'Turning up to a nursing home with elderly people who can't get themselves out of harm's way.

'Firefighters could not see their hands in front of their faces in the thick smoke so you can imagine what it was like for the elderly trying to escape.'

He said that firefighters had crawled into the building through the thick smoke, reaching up to feel into beds to establish if there was anyone there who they could rescue.

'Getting them out was like a military operation,' he said.

The wards at the back of the home, which is described on its website as providing a 'secure, friendly and home-style environment.' were completely gutted.

Relatives of the residents - some of whom are believed to be British-born - arrived at the scene, praying that their loved ones were among those rescued.

NSW fire Superintendent Rick Parkes said the dead victims were found in a six-room ward at the back of the building.

It was separated from the other parts of the single-storey home when a fire door came down to stop the blaze from spreading.

There was no sprinkler system in the nursing home as they are not required under state laws.

At first it was feared that 15 had died but a police officer later downgraded the number to 'less than 10'.

Freelance cameraman Adrian Munn, choking back tears at what he had witnessed, said: 'I saw only smoke when I arrived, billowing everywhere. One of the police officers grabbed me and asked me to get all the footage I could.'

'They wanted to get as much as they could for an ongoing investigation.'

He added: 'It's quite a thing down here. It is very, very, sad, seeing elderly people gasping for breath, moaning and crying for help. It was a heartrending scene.'

Firefighters reported flames shooting through the roof at one end of the building while another blaze was believed to have started in a bedroom.

NSW assistant police commissioner Robert Redfern confirmed the fire was being treated as 'suspicious' and revealed that homicide and arson squads had joined fire investigators and forensic officers at the scene.'

But he stressed that 'all fires such as this' were considered suspicious.

Detective Superintendent Michael Willing, from the homicide squad, said his detectives were involved because it was a 'complex investigation'.

He told the Sydney Morning Herald: 'It's going to take a long time to establish what has happened here.

'We treat all of these matters as suspicious until we can eliminate the possibility of that being suspicious.

'So at this point, we just don't know what we've got on our hands.'

It could be days or weeks until examination of the fire scene can be completed, he said, due to fears the building could collapse.

The Reverend Dave Hilliard, the senior state police chaplain, praised two young police officers who were among the first to enter the burning building and rescue residents.

"They're young and being asked to do some extraordinary things beyond their years," he said. "I'm blown away by them."

Families of victims are being cared for in the Quakers Hill Anglican Church by counsellors and chaplains from emergency services.

The fire is Sydney's worst since 16 residents died in a nursing home blaze in suburban Sylvania Heights in 1981.

This Fire is being treated as suspicious (Wilful Fire Raising) Whay kind of person could intentionally start a Fire In a ResidentialCare Home? This amounts to multiple murders and attempted murders. I hope they find the culprit quickly.

Wednesday 16 November 2011

PLease visit our Blog and feel free to comment and stimulate debate on Fire Safety issues.

If you are reading this, you have already shown an interest in an article or a comment made via Twitter or our Facebook page.

Please feel free to browse our past articles and leave comments if you wish. Let us stimulate debate for the benifit of Fire Safety in Scotland (in particular but also in the wider Fire Industry.)

Looking forward to your debates on here.

Getting inside the minds of young firesetters.

Getting inside the minds of young firesetters. From Daily Bullietin California.
Should we be doing more in Scotland to understand our youth who feel it is ok to set fires?

Interesting Research in the USA.

The quiet 6-year-old girl who shared a cramped bedroom with four other peple did not match the definition of a firesetter.But when she was brought to an occupational therapist at Loma Linda University, her drawings showed there was something much deeper going on inside her head.The girl shared through art that she was frustrated with her living conditions - an overcrowded home filled with siblings, cousins and parents - and a bedroom so crowded that four beds lined the walls and barricaded the door, blocking them in at night.

The girl told her therapist, "If I could burn the house, if I could burn the room, my parents would have to get a new house.""The thinking builds up and triggers," said Praveen Injeti, an occupational therapist at Loma Linda University Medical Center. "She didn't do anything about it but she was looking for something to control."Injeti was using the young girl as an example during a two-day conference held at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario that focused on juvenile arson.

Therapists, along with doctors, nurses, firefighters, police officers and prosecutors, met inside a conference room Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the problem of teens - or younger - setting fires.Topics included the role of fire service and mental health professionals, interpretation of children's drawings, child-related fires in school, interviewing tips and the discussion of a pathological firesetter versus a curious one.

"This year, the conference focused on the mental health of juvenile firesetters," said James Floros, executive director and CEO of the San Diego-based Burn Institute, one of the sponsors of the conference.Firesetting is usually a symptom of a larger program."The majority of kids are good, normal kids who don't know the danger (of firesetting). But other kids have psychological problems that they don't know how to deal with. And it really is a mental health problem."Anger and rage.

A number of Injeti's clients associate fire with anger and rage.He showed a self-portrait of a girl who had colored the top of her hair red and the rest of it blue. The girl told Injeti that the red portion of her hair represented rage and when she gets angry, she heats up.Another patient, who was a firesetter, defined fire as protection."He said, `with fire, you can take away the hurt completely and it doesn't come back again,"' Injeti told the room.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, juvenile arson and youth-set fires result in more than 300 deaths and 2,000 injuries as well as $300 million in property damage and more than 400,000 incidents annually.Younger children tend to play with fire at home and in a bedroom, where a lot of things can catch fire, said Mimi Kang, who has master's degrees in child development and clinical mental health counseling. Older children often play with fire outside, in vacant areas."Children are under the impression they can control the fires they set," she said during the conference. "And parents underestimate children's knowledge of using matches and lighters.

"It's really important to know why (children) play with fire. It can help parents prevent future fires."Pathological vs. curiousProfessionals must first determine if the juvenile fire setter is a pathological or curious one.Sixty percent of juveniles are non-pathological fire setters, said Kenneth Fineman, a board certified psychologist.Fineman said he tries to determine whether the juvenile will set more fires and if that person will be responsive to treatment.If the suspect is deemed experimental or curious - determined by a lack of understanding of the destructive potential of fire, access to lighters, matches, or open flame unsupervised - then Fineman advises to "give him some fire education and send him home," he said.It's the other 40 percent Fineman worries about.

Experts say pathologically motivated firesetting describes a severely disturbed juvenile, including those who are actively psychotic, acutely paranoid or delusional, or youth who have lived in chronically disturbed and bizarre environments."If a person is getting a rush from firesetting, we gotta know about it... and we gotta worry about it," he said.But do not be quick to categorize, Fineman said, because the myths like race, age or intelligence are not necessarily true when it comes to firesetting."The not smart ones get caught, he said. "The ones who are bright get away with a lot of firesetting.Yucaipa firesetterOn the surface 16-year-old Ricky Sean Lukacs, who admitted to setting a number fires in 2009 in the the Yucaipa that scorched more than 2,400 acres combined, didn't fit the stereotype either.

The Yucaipa resident had a 4.2 GPA in high school and was taking additional classes at Crafton Hills College twice a week. He had no criminal history and was liked by his teachers, said San Bernardino County Sheriff's Detective Holly Liepert, who worked the case.But looking deeper, there were signs of distress. He didn't have a lot of friends, his father was out of the picture, and his mother worked three jobs to make ends meet, Liepert said.In addition to being intelligent, the boy seemed to be interested in fire and had a fascination with weather."We believe his intellectual level helped him use weather to make fires so grand and cause so much damage," Liepert said.Ricky Sean Lukacs admitted to starting the fires, she said, and his list came to 13 blazes that dated back to 2007."He just used the lighter and put it directly onto the brush to burn, which just took off," Liepert said.

It was later determined that the fires he set caused just under $10 million worth of damage."These fires just devastated the area," Liepert said.Cases like these are what encourages Floros to continue with the annual Juvenile Firesetter Conference."It is widely accepted that juvenile firesetting is the fastest growing fire threat in the U.S.," he said. "Firesetting is a problem anywhere, but firesetting in Southern California, with the dry brush conditions and Santa Ana winds, is a recipe for disaster."
See a house fire from a Firefighters perspective. From The Sun:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3895246/Firefight-film-highlights-br-burning-citys-plight.html

A FIREFIGHTER is tackling a burning house in a trail-blazing documentary about their battle to save their city from going up in smoke.The film shows the full terror of a house fire from inches away — shot using HD helmet cameras.The two filmmakers behind BURN are hoping to highlight the plight of crumbling Detroit, where fires are commonplace due to bad wiring and disrepair.Video: Watch blaze from a fireman's eyesDETROIT heroes film inferno on helmet cam for new documentary Burn.

Ipod Nano Fire Risk Check Model here

From FIA:

Apple recalls old iPod Nanos which pose fire risk. 16th Nov 2011.

Apple has begun recalling old iPod Nanos after it was revealed that some of the devices can pose a fire safety risk.The technology giant has urged users of the first-generation devices - sold between September 2005 and December 2006 - to hand in the portable music player for a free replacement.
A batch of the slimline iPod Nanos are thought to contain batteries which can overheat after long periods of use, with Japanese reports linking the defective products to six fires. The company said in a statement: "This issue has been traced to a single battery supplier that produced batteries with a manufacturing defect."While the possibility of an incident is rare, the likelihood increases as the battery ages.
The recall could come at a significant cost to Apple as the company sold more than 60 million iPods from September 2005 until December 2006, although the firm has not revealed how many of those were the nano.

Visit https://supportform.apple.com/201110/ and enter your iPod's serial number to order a replacement.

Some Sony TV's a Fire Hazard. Check your model here.

From FIA:
Sony TV fire warning issued11 Nov 2011Sony television owners have been warned that a number of models are a potential fire hazard.The electronics giant has revealed that a small amount of 40-inch Bravia LCD TV devices, which have been available in Europe since June 2007, could be faulty.
The affected models contain a defective component which can potentially over-heat and catch alight to melt the upper casing of the television. Jackie Boyle, community fire safety officer for West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, told the West Sussex County Times that anyone who owns a Sony Bravia TV should check to ensure it isn't on the list of potentially faulty models.She said: "If you do own one of the affected models and you notice any abnormality, for example an unusual noise, smell or smoking then turn it off immediately, unplug the power cable and stop using the TV."
We also urge everyone to make sure they have a smoke alarm on every floor of their home and test them weekly.

The affected models are the: KDL-40D3400, KDL-40D3500, KDL-40D3550, KDL-40D3660, KDL-40V3000, KDL-40W3000, KDL-40X3000, KDL-40X3500 and the KDL-40Z3000.

Who needs smoke detection when you can hear voices?

Amazing what you find on the Internet. Without being flipant, who needs smoke detection when you can hear voices?

Go To:

http://www.godvine.com/11-Year-Old-Boy-Hears-a-Voice-That-Saves-his-Entire-Family-799.html

Or copy and paste into your address bar.

No further comment from me but you can feel free..............

Monday 14 November 2011

Pensioner to the rescue -Chip pan fire

'Sheila prevented chip pan fire from devastating neighbour's home'


From Grimsby Telegraph:


A FIREMAN has commended the heroics of a 65-year-old lady who put out a chip pan fire just "moments away" from engulfing a whole kitchen.

Sheila Blunden, of William Street, Cleethorpes, went to the aid of her neighbour, when the panicked teenager knocked on her door and revealed he was struggling to deal with a chip pan fire.

Without wasting a second, she told her neighbour – who did not wish to be named – to call the fire brigade and rushed to his kitchen to check out the blaze.

The smoke was thick, making it difficult to breath, and flames from the pan were 2ft high, blocking the route to the sink.

Mrs Blunden told her neighbour to run upstairs, soak a bath towel and bring it downstairs, which he did.

She placed it over the pan, which extinguished the fire, minutes before the arrival of two fire crews, who had receiving the call at Peak's Lane five minutes earlier.

Watch manager Niel Knight, who attended the incident on Wednesday, November 2, said: "Her actions prevented a bad situation from becoming devastating to the family concerned.

"The fire was a moment away from engulfing the whole kitchen and could have had an effect on the whole house.

"Had she not acted so effectively, the outcome could have been very different.

"It must have been quite frightening, but she was brave and very careful in the way she dealt with it."

Mrs Blunden was "proud" to receive Mr Knight's commendation, but said she didn't even think about what she was doing at the time. She said: "I just acted in the spur of the moment.

"There isn't chance to think – you just get on with it.

"The flames were 2ft high and there was black smoke all over the place.

"It made me realise just how quickly something like that can spread."

Mrs Blunden, who is divorced and lives with her dog Jack, added: "I was just glad I could help and I am quite sure any of my neighbours would do the same for me."

Although Mrs Blunden dealt with the situation very well, Humberside Fire And Rescue usually recommend that you do not extinguish chip pan fires yourself, giving these top tips:

Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so.

Get out and stay out.

Call the fire service.

Never leave chip pans unattended.

Regularly test smoke alarms.

Mr Knight said: "In this case, the fire was dealt with safely and no one came to any harm, but in the past, people have been burnt moving a flaming chip pan or throwing water on it."
From BNO News:

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) — Three crew members were killed on Friday when a fire extinguisher exploded aboard a ship in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, local media reported. Several others were injured.The incident occurred at the shipyard of PT Pulau Kuda Laut in North Jakarta when a fire extinguisher located in the engine room of the MV Melinium exploded while a number of crew members were working in the area, the Antara news agency reported.The report said three people, who were identified as Johan, Niko and Eko, were killed as a result of the explosion. Two other crew members who rushed to the engine room to help the victims suffered from smoke poisoning and were taken to Sukmul hospital.“All of a sudden, I heard the loud sound of an explosion coming from the engine room,” a crew member told Antara. It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion, and Antara said police detectives had launched an investigation.

We will have to keep an eye out for the findingsof this investigation. Not alot of information here not even the type of extinguisher.

Will you be using candles this Festive Season? Read this.

Will you be using candles this Festive Season?

From Mercury News:

With over 50 fires started by candles every day, the service wants everyone to take extra care with candles this winter. Between October and February candle-related house fires rise sharply, peaking at more than double the summer average in December. From September to October last year, DSFRS recorded 38 fires caused by candles, 33 of them accidental.

Important steps to ensure people’s safety include making sure candles are kept away from flammable materials like curtains and putting them out when you leave the room, even for a moment. “Candles are a typical sight in many homes, scenting our rooms and giving an atmospheric glow to cold winter nights.“But it’s important to remember that a candle is not just another piece of furniture.“Left unattended, an open flame scenting your home could leave a trail of devastation.

“Over 50 fires are started by candles every day – make sure you don’t join the statistic.“Place your lit candles with extra care, away from curtains, pets and children and always remember to put them out when you leave the room, even for a moment.“Even with these precautions it’s vital to be prepared should the worst happen.“A working smoke alarm can give you the vital time you need to get out, stay out and call 999.

“Keep yourself and your loved ones safe by testing your alarm regularly and practice your escape routes.

Friday 4 November 2011

Third-party Certification to support Fire Risk Management

From FPA/IFE Fire Risk Management Journal:

Industry debates role of third-party certification to support risk management


A cross-industry group of leading fire industry figures is debating how to better encourage the use of third-party certification in all areas of fire safety, and to promote higher levels of compliance with UK legislation.

The think-tank, which also includes three MPs, argues that more robust information is needed to help bring clarity to the risk process. In particular, it says that fresh guidance should be introduced to support the Fire Safety Order in England and Wales, the accreditation of fire safety management in a building, and the certification of whole buildings.

Jonathan O’Neill, head of the Fire Protection Association (FPA), said: ‘The current hands-off approach to building regulations – with no mandatory testing of building systems and products – is quite disturbing.

‘As an industry, we are fragmented, and if we can create clearer guidance for the responsible person it would be much better and would provide a statutory defence in law, should it be needed. We have to educate and get the responsible people on side to reduce the risk.’

Discussing third-party certification and moves towards a national scheme, Chris Hughes of Exova Warringtonfire, which sponsored the meeting, said: ‘Products are tested independently, but then they are only as good as the person installing it. The end-user relies on these people being good at what they do – but how are they to find them?’

The debate included representatives from Government, the Association of British Insurers, the FPA, the Association of Specialist Fire Protection, the Chief Fire Officers Association and Local Authority Building Control, as well as Shadow Fire Minister, Chris Williamson, All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety Group chair, Roger Williams, and former Fire Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick.

Participants agreed to explore ways of further developing voluntary guidance for the responsible person, which could be developed as a form of building management guidance in the longer term. A summary of discussions and action points will be circulated to a wider audience.

Woman seriously injured in firework attack

From @LBFire

A timely reminder. Play safely with Fireworks. Do not throw them at people. Should you have to be told this?

Woman seriously injured in firework attack.
The woman's eye was injured in the attackAN ELDERY woman had her eye damaged after yobs threw a firework at her as she waited at a bus stop.The 66-year-old woman was waiting on Lochgelly Roadin Lumphinnans at around 6.40pm on Wednesday night when the passenger in a moving car hurled a banger at her.Police say the woman was lucky not to lose her eye and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.PC Stewart Kinnell, who is leading the enquiry, said “A 66yr old pensioner, innocently waiting in a bus shelter, was injured on Wednesday night through the thoughtless actions of a passenger in a vehicle, who whilst passing, threw a ‘banger’ firework into the shelter. The vehicle which approached from Lochgelly continued on toward Cowdenbeath.“The ‘banger’ exploded leading to her suffering injury to her left eye which required hospital treatment. This was a highly irresponsible thing to do and it is fortunate that the woman did not lose the sight in her eye.“I would appeal to any person who was in the area at the time of this offence or who may have experienced something similar which could help with this enquiry to call us on 0845 600 5702 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0845 600 5702 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0800 555 111 end_of_the_skype_highlighting where all calls are treated anonymously.”

Landlord pleads guilty to breaching fire laws. £21k fine

From Info4fire

Landlord pleads guilty to breaching fire laws
28 October 2011

A landlord and his property firm have been ordered to pay more than £33,000 for breaching fire safety legislation.

Lee Pemberton, a director of PemCo Investments Ltd, pleaded guilty to seven offences relating to a property above a shop, in Lune Street, Preston.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service chiefs said Pemberton put residents at risk of death or serious injury if there had been a fire in the house of multiple occupants.

The offences included failing to provide appropriate fire detectors and alarms; a lack of a suitable fire risk assessment; inadequate fire separation between the basement and the access staircase; a lack of fire safety measures; failing to maintain adequate fire separation between the first and second floors; an unsuitable system of maintenance for the building; and failing to comply with other responsible people to comply with the requirements of prohibitions placed on him.

Pemberton, who had already been prosecuted by the fire service for previous breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, was fined £1,000 for each offence at Preston Magistrates’ Court. He was also ordered to pay £500 costs.

PemCo was fined £3,000 for each offence, totalling £21,000, and ordered to pay £5,520 costs.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service fire safety officer, John Hampson, said: “While we will always work with those willing to address fire safety issues, where unnecessary risks are being taken or management responsibilities flouted, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action.”

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Scotland – Blooming Wonderful Approach to False Alarms!

By Graham Ellicott, FIA CEO

O Flower of Scotland,

When will we see your like again

The above are the first two lines of the unofficial Scottish anthem. Unlike many ‘anthems’ it’s not very old, indeed the lyric was written in 1967 by Roy Williamson of the Corries and thus befits the forward looking view of this proud nation in general.

But why am I writing about 40+ year old folk songs? Well, yesterday the FIA in conjunction with CFOA Scotland, participated in a ‘False Alarm Management Workshop’ at the Strathclyde Fire and Rescue HQ in Hamilton.

The event was well attended by representatives from the Fire and Rescue and the fire trade, and the refreshing thing for me was the positive approach from all present. For example, all of the workshop participants emphasised the benefits of having a consistent approach to the treatment of false alarms.

Plus there is no intention from Scottish Fire and Rescue Services to deny attendance to premises on the receipt of an unconfirmed signal passed on by an Alarm Receiving Centre. This is in direct contrast to the English brigades who have a disparate approach to false alarms.

In addition, some English Brigades (for example Warwickshire, West Midlands, Essex and Royal Berkshire) are denying attendance to automatic fire signals if they are not confirmed and I can’t help thinking that if this situation continues that we have a disaster waiting to happen.

Not only could people die but in the event of a major commercial fire businesses could go to the wall and jobs be lost !

The last lines of each verse of Flower of Scotland are:

And stood against him,

Proud Edward’s army,

And sent him homeward

To think again

The King Edward referred to in the lyrics is the one defeated at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314 by Robert the Bruce. The English Brigades would be well advised to think again with regard to their approach to the false alarm situation and heed the approach from, in my opinion, their better informed Scottish counterparts!

Oh Graham. You will be ostracised by your English colleauges for this.

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Would YOU give CPR to a pit bull? By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


If you saw two pit bulls struggling to breathe would you feel happy giving them CPR?

That’s exactly what Chicago firefighter Tammy Rodriguez did as she rescued two dogs from a house fire and resuscitated them both using CPR and applying oxygen.

Ms Rodriguez was in a fire team rescuing two pet pit bulls, Howdy and Hossa, from a blaze in Bucktown, Illinois, on Friday - and her quick thinking saved the lives of both.


Alive: Howdy the dog was saved by Chicago firefighter Tammy Rodriguez, who resuscitated her after a house fire using CPR and applying oxygen

Howdy, an adult dog, and Hossa, a puppy, were in the rear porch of a burning three-flat block where their owner, Jorden Grennan, lives. She was at work when the fire started.


One of Ms Rodriguez’s colleagues carried Howdy to her outside the fire. One of the dogs was critically injured and the other was in cardiac arrest.

‘(The dog) was completely out,’ Mrs Rodriguez, a 19-year fire service veteran, told CBS Chicago. ‘And we just started putting the mask (on) and giving it straight oxygen.


Ms Rodriguez was in a firefighting team rescuing two pet dogs from a fire in Bucktown, Illinois, on Friday - and her quick thinking saved the lives of both

‘I started performing CPR, and for a while there it wasn’t reacting, but I think just the positive pressure of oxygen made it start breathing, which was exciting.

‘All of a sudden she started opening her eyes and we’re like “Oh, my God” - and then she got up.’

Howdy has already made a public appearance at a press conference, but Hossa was kept in overnight at a veterinary centre.




Mrs Rodriguez said she 'started CPR, and for a while there it wasn't reacting, but I think just the positive pressure of oxygen made it start breathing'

The cause of the blaze, which did not injure anyone, is being investigated.

Ms Rodriguez - a trained emergency medical technician - said she owns three dogs who are 'part of her family' and was just doing her job.

'She rescued two dogs, performed CPR on them and brought both of them back to life,' a fire service spokesman said.

No big deal. Many a Firefighter has kissed many a dog.

Fireman spends £27,000 on business flights

Fireman spends £27,000 on business flights. Austerity measures?

A council has apologised after a single fire officer spent £27,000 in two years on business class flights.8:35AM BST 28 Oct 2011Figures obtained by the Taxpayers' Alliance revealed that Lincolnshire County Council spent more than £42,000 on overseas flights for its officers between April 2009 and March 2011.
Of this, £26,768 related to former chief fire officer Mike Thomas, who took trips to the US, Canada, Japan and New Zealand to attend search and rescue training programmes on business class tickets - then charged them back to the council.

Yesterday (THURS) Tony McArdle, council chief executive, admitted mistakes had been made and steps had been taken to address them.He said: "Around 75 per cent of these flights were booked by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue. The majority were for one individual in his work with groups aiming to improve firefighter safety at an international level."Regrettably, one senior fire and rescue officer often travelled at business class, contrary to the council's rules.

Forth Valley College gear up for Evacuation

From Means of Escape:

The entire campus network of Forth Valley College, Scotland’s fifth largest college, is now fitted with specialist evacuation chairs to provide a safer escape for students and staff with mobility problems in an emergency (the Falkirk campus specifically has benefitted from this development)
The evacuation chairs have been installed by Evac+Chair International in all four of the campus venues at Forth Valley College in Alloa, Falkirk, Raploch and Stirling.

Fiona Duff, Health and Safety Co-ordinator at Forth Valley College, said: “The installation of evacuation chairs has been an important addition to our existing approach to emergency evacuation and training. Providing personalised support for students and staff with mobility problems is crucial, not only in terms of accessibility, but also with regards to complying with necessary legislation.”

The college’s personalised emergency evacuation plans incorporate thorough training, drills and consultation ensuring the newly-fitted chairs serve their purpose in the event of an urgent situation.

Forth Valley College’s Health and Safety Department has taken part in a Key Trainer Masterclass© from Evac+Chair which trains staff to a higher level allowing participants to pass on their newly-developed skills to educate others. This approach goes a long way towards ensuring large numbers of people are trained in the chair’s use, ensuring procedures are properly retained.
From Means of Escape:

Is your electric blanket safe?As we are coming into the winter months and the temperature drops, many people are getting their electric blankets out to keep them warm throughout the night. Unfortunately though, there have been a lot of incidents over the past couple of months concerning electric blankets and authorities are now warning us of the hazards these blankets can bring us. News feeds are riddled with unfortunate events started by our warm comfy friend and it looks like these blankets could be an accident waiting to happen.

“A five-month-old baby has been taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a bedroom of a house in Edinburgh, caused by a faulty electric blanket.” BBC“A man from Gloucestershire has died in a fire thought to have been caused by a faulty electric blanket.” BBCCurrent research by Fire & Rescue Services show us that each year 20 people are killed and over 250 injured in electric blanket fires.

Faulty blankets cause more than 1000 house fires a year. The combination of heat, electricity and flammable material (usually your bedding) and a sleeping occupant does immediately not sound like a good mix. There is a major risk of an electrical fire starting here and what makes matters worse it the fact the over 50% of the time the occupant will be asleep. No wonder it is a growing concern for fire safety officials across Britain.Electric blankets require monitoring. Fire Safety requires monitoring. As a whole it is a manageable process and is well worth the little time it will take you to check.

As a fire safety consultancy that deals primarily with fire safety in the workplace we do believe that fire safety should begin in your home. Checking your fire alarm/smoke alarm, windows, and escape routes is all part of the management of fire safety. It is the life saver on which you will turn to in the event of a fire.

A fire is devastating and is just not worth it.Type in “Electric Blanket Safety Advice” into your search engine. Go to a reliable source and take the advice given to check your electric blanket. As 99% of electric blanket fires are started by blankets that are over 10 years old, I say to those, go and treat yourselves to a new one. The advice is simple and you can check it yourselves or if you don’t feel comfortable doing so, there are plenty of services that will check it out for you. It will be even comfier knowing that you are safe.

A note: Just as I was writing this article a news item popped through my RSS Feed “Elderly woman hurt in fire caused by electric blanket”