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To streamline critical networking Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue have deployed Peplink routers and access points to integrate Satellite and Bonded 3G/4G cellular networks within a range of emergency response vehicles, trailers and portable units to ensure reliable network access during incident response. Covering an area of over 1000 square miles in South West England, the Service has 22 stations serving a population of approximately 600,000 people. In common with most fire services in the UK, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue maintains a command vehicle and several deployable units to provide first responders with access to information and communication services to help manage incidents. These critical ICT systems within Command Vehicles can range from incident response planning software to accessing detailed digital maps of an area or individual buildings. Since 2003, computers in the Command Vehicle have communicated with headquarters and the wider internet using a satellite uplink. However, the satellite system was susceptible to problems if the vehicle was in a location without line-of-sight to the satellite for example in dense urban areas with high rise buildings or in certain geographic areas. Understanding the need for more resilience, the Service was approached by Primetech, the solution provider for the Service, who suggested Peplink as an innovative solution to the topography problem. Peplink Routers and Access Points allow Ethernet, Satellite, DSL, Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G networks to be bonded together forming an aggregated redundant link to increase bandwidth, enhance Internet reliability, and reduce costs. As Rob Lacey, Head of IT, Telecoms and Resilience for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service said, “The Pepwave technology has proven incredibly useful and allows us to use the most effective communication method without requiring a complex failover or reconfiguration process – this simplicity is essential when we are attending an incident.” In its main Command Vehicle, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue use a Peplink appliance to manage the connection between two satellite receivers on KA and KU bands and two separate mobile broadband connections from two physically separate providers. The Command Vehicle can also create a separate Wi-Fi network for other users within Civil Protection or other blue light agencies. The Service has also deployed Peplink into trailer and suitcase based solutions, giving flexibility in various scenarios for mobile deployment. “The Peplink technology has been incredibly valuable and has improved the usability and resilience of our information and communication systems,” adds Lacey. Following the successful deployment, Primetech, a Peplink partner has been approached by several other ‘blue light’ organisations. As Henry Walker, MD for Primetech explains, “Resilient and robust solutions that utilise a combination of satellite broadband, 3g / 4g and Wi-Fi capabilities are crucial to improving operational stability, particularly where different types of data traffic can be transparently distributed over the most appropriate carrier.”

To install their Deaf Message Service Fireco, leading supplier of fire safety products and systems, has signed a landmark contract with premium hotel brand Hilton London Gatwick, as the first hotel in the chain to stock Fireco’s Deaf Message Service (DMS). DMS is a messaging system that sends a text when a fire alarm sounds to all connected users. All site staff and hard of hearing guests will be alerted to a fire alarm at the Hilton London Gatwick, helping protect them and assist with speedy evacuation in the event of a fire. Hilton London Gatwick installed DMS following a recent successful trial, with the rest of the properties in the chain now looking to potentially follow their lead. Every hotel owner has a legal responsibility to comply with the Equality Act and ensure that reasonable adjustments are made for the disabled, which includes deaf and hard of hearing people. Installing DMS will help hoteliers comply with this Act by offering deaf and hard of hearing guests the freedom to move around buildings and have a restful night’s sleep without the worry of missing an emergency situation. Neil Purssey, Managing Director of Fireco, says: “We are extremely pleased to sign this deal with Hilton. We hope to roll-out this easily installed product to the rest of the Hilton group and to the wider hotel industry in the near future, ensuring that deaf and hard of hearing guests receive the same protection as others.” As an additional service for deaf and hard of hearing customers, Hilton London Gatwick also offers Fireco’s Deafgard product to ensure they are alerted to a fire alarm while they are asleep. The moveable device fits snugly under a customer’s pillow and ‘listens out’ for a fire alarm, vibrating and flashing in the event that the alarm sounds. For more information please visit www.firecoltd.com.

With E2S Wide Area Signals Chesil Beach is located in Dorset, South Coast of England. The shingle beach is approximately 14 miles long and it is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The Chiswell settlement and the southern neck of Chesil Beach have been flooded many times and this is well documented. Many sea defence systems and flood drainages have been constructed at the Portland end of the Chesil Beach to try to alleviate the overtopping and flooding problems. In addition to sea and flood defences, the Environment Agency replaced their legacy sirens with wide area disaster warning sirens designed and manufactured in the UK by E2S Warning Signals in London. The sirens are sited at intervals through the community. The alarm sirens are intended to warn local residents and individuals present on the beach and nearby towns of a real danger of flooding so that evacuation can take place. In some locations people are advised to stay indoors when they hear the siren as waves come over the beach and sweep through the town. The location is particularly demanding due to the high background noise levels, the extremely exposed position and the high potential for risk to life. In stormy conditions, the noise of the waves, wind and moving shingle is very loud at this location. Responding to these challenges, E2S teams worked closely with the Environment Agency to ensure a suitable solution was found. The E2S sirens were sounded on five occasions in January and February 2014. On each sounding the equipment worked well, and was effective in that members of the public, who were putting their lives at whilst risk standing on the sea wall, were seen to retreat very quickly when the sirens were operated. The alarm sirens can be initiated either remotely from the Environment Agency’s incident room via the web, from the Environment Agency’s lookout post in the village by radio or independently using a key at each installation. There were many factors to take into account when choosing the right sirens including reliability, ruggedness and flexibility of operation. Under normal conditions, the audible distances of the A141 siren from E2S can reach over 1km. Neal Porter, E2S, sales & marketing director comments, “Working closely with the Environment Agency we were pleased to be able to put forward a bespoke siren system to create an effective warning system that will help to save lives.”

Reduce rewind speed and increase motor torque Coxreels introduces the all new idler sprockets for the 1600 Series motorized hose reels. This new add-on benefits the user in reducing the rewind speed, increasing motor torque and fitting an optional 3-way brake. These high quality, all steel, idler sprockets are chain sprocket assemblies with a corrosion protective coating that change the drive ratio of the motor-to-drum drive system. They are available in three ratios 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4 and available with or without an optional extended shaft allowing for the use of 3-way brakes or electromagnetic brakes. Coxreels idler sprockets are mounted on a zinc plated steel axle and rotate on two self-lubricated bronze bearings. This add-on is generally used on electric motor drive systems but Coxreels’ idler sprocket is also available for hydraulic and 4-Vane air motors with a 1:2 ratio idler sprocket. The idler sprocket is a great addition to the features found on the 1600 Series for professionals who require tailoring and building a reel solution that will suit the most demanding needs.                   Coxreels® has remained steadfast and focused on manufacturing high quality industrial grade hose, cord, and cable reels with industry innovation since 1923. Offering a full product line serving the industry in every channel and application, Coxreels® takes great pride in designing, building, and supporting all of their products in the U.S.A. For further information on the Coxreels® product line, contact Customer Service at (800) 269‐7335 or visit www.coxreels.com.

Mr Sankpal joined Honeywell in 2010 as VP of strategy & marketing Honeywell has announced that it has appointed Sach Sankpal as global president for Honeywell Safety Products, part of the Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions’ Life Safety business. Sach Sankpal, who joined Honeywell in 2010 as vice president of strategy & marketing for Honeywell Life Safety, has led the Safety Products business within Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) for the last two years. During this time Sach has built a strong business foundation centred on strategy development, execution, a focus on people development and culture. “It is a privilege to be named Global president of Honeywell Safety Products, a business that I am tremendously passionate about.” commented Sach. “I am incredibly excited to lead a business and a team which, thanks to over 50 years of experience and innovation, has such a strong commitment to the safety of people at work and are passionate about providing them with high-performance and comfortable personal protection solutions. My top priority will be to build upon our strong position in the global safety industry by expanding our portfolio of leading-edge personal protective equipment (PPE), training, services, and value-added programs that support an enduring culture of safety.” He added. Prior to joining Honeywell Safety Products, Sach held positions with companies such as Avaya, Inc., Trimble Navigation, Ltd. and Navigant Consulting. He brings over 20 years of diversified general management experience, with previous leadership roles held in strategy, marketing, finance, operations and sales. Sach holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Rutgers University, a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Maryland and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Honeywell Safety Products (HSP) is the leading global manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE), providing an unmatched portfolio of head-to toe protection offerings including head, hearing, eye/face, respiratory, hand, footwear, clothing and fall protection. HSP covers all the PPE needs of men and women working in high-risk situations in vertical markets such as heavy industries, automotive, construction, manufacturing industries, transportation, utilities, fire safety, oil & gas, wind energy, army and nuclear. For more information from Honeywell Safety Products, visit the website at http://www.honeywellsafety.com.

The new CF2000GCPD can be configured for either one or two loop operation Power management company Eaton today announced that its Fire Systems business is introducing an enhanced entry level intelligent addressable control panel with a number of new features to meet industry and regulatory requirements. The new CF2000GCPD can be configured for either one or two loop operation, with up to 200 addresses per loop, designed to allow fast and accurate identification of a fire alert’s location. Equipped with four sounder circuits, the CF2000GCPD is designed to meet all the customers’ needs in the target application market. Certified to EN54 parts two and four, it is designed with ease of installation in mind. Iain Scott, Product Manager at Eaton’s Fire Systems business, said: “The introduction of the new CF2000 unit follows an intensive period of product development to meet the industry expectations for an entry level addressable panel. Developed with smaller applications in mind, the simple interface is designed to give customers complete and easy control.” It features a graphical display providing the user with a simple yet comprehensive menu-driven end-user interface. With the ability to fully support Eaton cause-and-effect programming and a wide range of easy-to-operate end user control functions, the new control panel is suitable for a variety of applications – ranging from small warehouses to small/medium office developments as well as many small industrial applications. As with all Eaton intelligent addressable panels, the CF2000GCPD uses ‘spur tolerant’ soft addressing to minimise installation time and remove the potential for errors associated with many forms of manual addressing. The back box of the new control panel can be surface mounted with cable entry points in the top, bottom and rear. The mother board and power supply are mounted on a sub chassis which is easily removed to aid panel fitting. As the CF2000GCPD can operate as a one or two loop panel, it is able to carry up to 400 addresses on both loops combined. Using Eaton system protocol, the panel ‘auto-learns’ the equipment mounted on the loops and ‘soft addresses’ each item ensuring a simple setup procedure while reducing the time required for system setup. All loop mounted equipment has integral short circuit isolators fitted ensuring loop integrity is maintained should a short circuit fault occur on the loop. The new control panel also features a comprehensive range of interface units including the CSI350 spur isolator which permits Eaton intelligent addressable sensors to be connected to the loop as a spur.

A one-day stop on Wednesday 17th September The Fire Industry Manufacturers’ (FIM) Expo is heading to Northern Ireland this autumn with a one-day stop on Wednesday 17th September at the impressive Titanic Centre in the heart of Belfast. Organised by the Fire Industry Association (FIA), FIM Expo features many of the UK’s leading fire detection and alarm manufacturers and focuses on showcasing the latest products and developments in this sector of the industry. With up to 20 exhibitors, FIM Expo is for anyone working in this area, whether as an installer or maintainer of fire detection and alarm systems, a manager of such systems in commercial premises or as an architect or person specifying what type of fire protection systems should be installed in a building. The event is a road-show that travels around the UK, providing an intimate forum for networking as well as finding out what’s new in fire detection. It is designed to give delegates access to all the key manufacturers in one location on one day. FIM Expo is open from 09.00 to 16.00 on Wednesday 17th September and is free to attend. For more information and to register go to www.fim-expo.com.

By the prestigious design industry IDEA programme Deltair™, a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) designed for the fire service industry, has been recognized with the GOLD Industrial Designers Society of America, International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) for research relating to the Deltair product development. Started in 1980, the prestigious design industry IDEA program recognizes excellence in industrial design. As news broke of Avon’s success, Avon’s Global Director of Product Management, James Wilcox said: “Avon Protection has time on time delivered innovative industry firsts to each of its core markets and our new SCBA for the firefighting community, Deltair, does just that. “Avon’s design team worked directly with firefighters to establish requirements and deliver a world leading SCBA system approved to the new NFPA 2013 standard and our thanks go to those involved for providing their expertise. At Avon we work to keep firefighters safe in the harsh environments in which they must work.” Avon’s Deltair design team developed a product that provides the features and benefits that are most important to the firefighting community, utilizing a completely new platform, unlike others which simply add adjustments to existing and dated products. The revolutionary Deltair offers superior air management, single-power supply, clearer communications and optimal weight distribution for firefighters and other first responder teams. The ergonomic design of this advanced SCBA evenly distributes the weight of the cylinder on the firefighter’s hips which alleviates pressure on the back and shoulders, minimizes the risk of fatigue and increases a firefighter’s ability to maneuver in tight spaces and challenging environments. The low-profile mask design provides the greatest field of vision in the marketplace, which is critical when firefighters are navigating dark, smoky environments. “Avon Protection does what it says it will do,” said Dean Holland, retired Saginaw, Michigan fire chief with more than 40 years’ experience and secretary/treasurer of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Great Lakes Division. “The company provides excellent service, training programs and product maintenance. Avon Protection helps firefighters do their jobs effectively and with confidence.”

From Prospector Offshore Drilling Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions (WTS) has received a repeat order to install its Unitor Low Expansion Foam fire extinguishing system on a second jack-up newbuilding for Prospector Offshore Drilling, the company said in its press release. The specialised fire-fighting systems will provide fire protection for the shale shakers and mud pits on PROSPECTOR 1 and PROSPECTOR 5 during their charters to Total E&P UK Ltd. PROSPECTOR 1 was delivered from Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Offshore Co Ltd in September 2013, PROSPECTOR 5 was delivered in June 2014 from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS). Order handling for the first contract was carried out between WTS’ Singapore and Poland offices and was completed in just 12 weeks to the satisfaction of the customer, which immediately requested a similar installation for PROSPECTOR 5. Engineering and manufacturing for the second contract was carried by WTS Poland while the rig was still under construction, with piping pre-installed by SWS. The rig is due to arrive by heavy lift vessel at Invergordon by mid-August where final installation will be carried out. Mike Evans, Sales Manager UK & Benelux, Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions said: “All owners, whether in offshore or marine demand a quick response, short delivery times and the ability to provide installation on turnkey basis. Both these contracts demanded very close teamwork across multiple locations, with good co-operation between departments to make sure we met the customer’s demands in terms of quality and timeframe.” Calum Mitchell, Manager – Technical, Prospector Offshore Drilling, added: “The installation performed on PROSPECTOR 1 at Invergordon had some initial challenges as proposed locations for the equipment and piping had to be adapted. The installation team, combined with the onshore support dealt with the issues accordingly and completed a successful install program whilst receiving high praise from the rig crew for their professionalism and execution. This was a major contributing factor to awarding the contract for the PROSPECTOR 5.” The Unitor Low Expansion Foam fire extinguishing system is a flexible, high quality and fully compliant fire extinguishing system which effectively blankets fire and prevents further outbreak using non-toxic low expansion foam. Modular skid-based units provide easy installation and reduced footprint while corrosion resistance component materials and coatings provide a robust, low maintenance system.