February 2026 Issue

Welcome to the February edition of International Fire Buyer which arrives at a time when the fire industry is reassessing how prevention, protection, and response must evolve together. Across both active and passive fire.

Our Big Interview sets that tone from the outset. Mike Brunzell, VP of global business development at NFPA, discusses the association’s global fire safety mission and the growing need to strengthen prevention strategies worldwide. Brunzell’s perspective reinforces the idea that fire safety is increasingly a shared international responsibility, not a localised challenge. 

Innovation is a recurring theme throughout this issue. In our Innovator interview, Gary Walsh, from Dräger Safety UK, reflects on leadership, technology adoption, and the realities of introducing change into operational environments where reliability is non-negotiable. His insights bridge the gap between frontline experience and manufacturer led innovation. 

Detection takes centre stage in both our editorial features and product spotlights. From Hochiki’s award winning ACD multi sensor with CO, demonstrating how multi criteria detection is improving accuracy in complex environments, to Advanced’s Axis AX platform delivering UL listed, scalable fire protection, the shift away from crude sensitivity toward intelligent discrimination is clear.  

Our detection feature explores this evolution in detail, examining how reducing false alarms no longer needs to come at the expense of speed or life safety. 

Suppression also features prominently. TLX Fire and Security’s new supervised solenoid valve highlights how compliance and installation are being simplified even as system performance expectations increase.  

As always, this edition is about practical insight, grounded expertise, and informed progress. I hope it provides clarity, challenge, and value to your work across the fire safety landscape.