The project is slated to be complete by September 2015 Today, Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin will join local Representatives and the Richland-Lexington Airport Commission for a groundbreaking ceremony on a project set to bring 350 jobs to Columbia. The Columbia Metropolitan Airport is getting a new, state-of-the-art Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting facility. The current facility was built in 1974 and added on to in 1992. Officials say, because FAA standards have changed and the airport’s fire and police departments have combined to a single, 24-hour department, a new facility is needed. With about 47 contractors working on the project, expected to cost $5.8 million dollars, officials estimate nearly 350 jobs will be created through construction. The project is slated to be complete by September 2015. A ground breaking ceremony will be held Monday at 3:00 p.m. at Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

ISG wins the contract World leading manufacturer and supplier of advanced thermal imaging solutions ISG, has announced that Evrelko SA, ISG’s Greek sales partners, have won a tender to supply the Greek Fire and Rescue Service with 105 ISG E-Series E380 thermal imaging cameras. This order is the biggest single investment in new fire equipment the Greek authorities have made this year. “Our E380 cameras will provide Greek firefighters with a level of situational awareness unmatched by any other related technology” says Andy Slater, ISG UKs GM & Sales Director. “Our Greek partners Evrelko SA have done a fantastic job of highlighting the advantages of using advanced thermal imaging from ISG, I am pleased to say that after extensive testing of other thermal cameras on offer, our E380 excelled in the tests and was declared the camera of choice.” The Greek Fire and Rescue Service will receive their new ISG cameras in October.

Already been used to combat eight fires Firefighters are using a new piece of technology to fight fires more efficiently and help Idaho’s forests and rangelands recover quicker. It was developed in the Gem State by Idaho State University and NASA. Every year, wildfires scorch thousands of acres of Idaho, destroying homes and vegetation, and even changing the soil. After a wildfire is contained, the Bureau of Land Management or other fire management agency has just two weeks to figure out how they are going to try to help the land recover. They need all sorts of information to do that, from the soil, to the vegetation, to the land, and more. It would take an agency like the BLM four days to compile all that. But, Keith Weber, Director of ISU’s Geographic Information Systems Research Center, already had a bunch of that information from other projects. So the center created, with NASA scientists, a program called RECOVER that compiles that information much faster than four days. "We can go from nothing on the screen to a complete decision support system web-map in five minutes," said Weber. It’s an interactive map with 20 layers of information on the history and ecology of a wildfire site. Once fire managers heard about RECOVER, they wondered if it could be used while a fire is burning to help them make, not just wildfire recovery decisions, but firefighting decisions. And, of course, it could. "So, now we’ve got this decision support system that is actively being used by the BLM, Idaho Department of Lands, and so on… to get right on top of the fires as they happen," said Weber. Starting in 2013, RECOVER has so far been used on eight Idaho wildfires, including the Big Cougar and Timber Butte fires this year. It’s accessible by fire managers anywhere they can get a signal on a smartphone or tablet, and is updated in real-time. All in an effort to keep Idaho green, growing, and beautiful. According to Weber, "Yeah, it’s very cool." NASA funded a lot of the work that went into RECOVER, and NASA scientists continue to work on it daily. Weber says firefighters seem to love it. In fact, he says, they’re going to start using it to help coordinate fire retardant drops from their air tankers.

Booth features all-new Saber and Enforcer chassis Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] company, is displaying seven custom firefighting and rescue vehicles at the 2014 International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Fire-Rescue International (FRI) Conference and Exhibition at The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Tex. Among many highlights at Pierce booth #4313 are the new Pierce® Saber® and Enforcer™ custom chassis, both introduced earlier this year. In addition, Pierce Manufacturing and Hurst Jaws of Life are sponsoring the “Power to Protect” sweepstakes at the Pierce booth to benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF). “We are a proud supporter of the IAFC, and Fire Rescue International is an excellent opportunity for Pierce to showcase its industry-leading lineup of fire and emergency apparatus,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president Fire & Emergency. “From the all-new Saber and Enforcer chassis, to the groundbreaking Dash CF, visitors to the Pierce booth will not be disappointed.” A Pierce Saber and an Enforcer pumper are front and center in the Pierce booth. The Pierce Saber establishes a higher level of performance and value in its segment, while the Enforcer (available with the Pierce exclusive DD13 big block engine) supports a wide-range of apparatus configurations. Other vehicles on display in the Pierce booth include the innovative Pierce Dash® CF aerial platform (shown courtesy of the Midlothian Fire Department in Midlothian, Tex.), Dash CF pumper and a commercial-chassis based rescue vehicle (both on display courtesy of the Irving Fire Department in Irving, Tex.), Pierce Velocity™ pumper (thanks to Champions Emergency Services District in Harris County, Tex.), and a Pierce 75-foot aluminum aerial ladder (shown courtesy of the Frisco Fire Department in Frisco, Tex.).   The “Power to Protect” sweepstakes, sponsored by Pierce and Hurst Jaws of Life, will award a state-of-the-art Hurst eDRAULIC rescue set valued at more than $30,000 to a lucky entrant. FRI attendees are encouraged to purchase $10 tickets at the Pierce booth for the chance to win*. All proceeds benefit the NFFF to support its work on behalf of the families of fallen firefighters. (The winner need not be present at the drawing.) *All rules, including instructions for entry and eligibility requirements, will be at the Pierce booth. No donation required for entry.

Underpinned by third party certification UCL has broken new ground by becoming the first University to be third party certificated to carry out Life Safety Fire Risk Assessments through the UK’s leading fire and security Certification Body, NSI. UCL turned to NSI (one of the first certification bodies to be licensed to deliver BAFE’s Fire sector schemes), to take it through the process to become third party certificated to BAFE’s SP205-1 Scheme for Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment. To ensure compliance with the BAFE Scheme requirements and to prove their competency, UCL were rigorously assessed by NSI against the Scheme criteria and their documented management system. Their management system process was thoroughly audited and the execution of fire risk assessments by the appointed UCL fire safety team, witnessed by NSI. Having successfully completed the certification process, dual BAFE registration and NSI approval for the Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment Silver Scheme was granted to UCL at the end of July. UCL’s campus extends to over 250 buildings across London: these include office premises, classrooms, research facilities, laboratories and student accommodation. Those responsible for fire safety within the University are now able to prove they have the necessary competencies to carry out their own risk assessments, or sub- contract this work to a similarly competent organisation, if they so wish.   To maintain their approval with NSI, UCL have committed to carry out regular internal audits to ensure their fire risk assessors continue to meet the necessary competency requirements and they will be regularly audited by NSI to verify continued compliance with BAFE’s requirements. Keith Todd, Fire Safety Officer from UCL comments “We are delighted to have successfully attained BAFE SP205 third party certification. In so doing, we have demonstrated that UCL are providing suitable and sufficient fire risk assessments. It also helps us to ensure that we continue to operate to the highest fire safety and management standards possible, and can demonstrate this to our relevant persons, our organisation and fire authorities responsible for enforcing legislation”. On achieving their NSI approval, Richard Jenkins, NSI Chief Executive stated “I am delighted UCL chose NSI to act as their third party Certification Body. Our certification process and auditing capability has a reputation second to none within the security and fire sectors. UCL clearly understands the value that NSI certification brings: demonstrating their competence and ongoing commitment to the safety of all on their premises.” Stephen Adams, Chief Executive of BAFE, comments “There is significant evidence across the UK, that end users are recognizing the value of competent providers of fire protection services. The BAFE scheme for Fire Risk Assessment is receiving rapidly growing recognition in the public and private sectors and from the statutory bodies including the Fire and Rescue Services. The UCL team should be congratulated for their vision of excellence in achieving this certification.” Background With the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in England & Wales (and equivalent legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland) anyone responsible for premises that come within the scope, is required by law, to carry out a fire risk assessment. The ‘Duty Holder’ or ‘Responsible Person’ for the building(s) must ensure that a fire risk assessment is completed, so that the building is ‘safe enough’ for the escape of anyone who is lawfully allowed on the premises, or within the immediate vicinity of the building, should a fire occur. By selecting to use a third party certificated organisation to carry out fire risk assessments the ‘Responsible Person’ can help to demonstrate that they carried out “due diligence” when selecting their fire risk assessment provider. As a sector-specific Certification Body accredited by United Kingdom Accreditation Service, NSI is well placed to provide effective third party certification to this discipline.

Teaser: Dubai, UAE Website: http://www.intersecexpo.com/frankfurt/18/for-visitors/welcome.aspx

Teaser: Birmingham, UK Website: http://www.emergencyuk.com

Teaser: Essen, Germany Website: http://www.security-essen.de