Funds to support wildfire risk reduction projects for communities  Nature is both beautiful and dangerous. As more and more people choose to live in and around the forests and grasslands of this country, the challenge of preparing communities for the devastation of wildfire becomes more complex. To help communities prepare residents for the possibility of a wildfire, State Farm® is providing funding to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Wildland Fire Operations Division. Local organizations will receive monetary awards through this grant to support and implement wildfire risk reduction projects. State Farm has a long history of proactive wildfire safety education to its policyholders in high-risk regions, including the use of NFPA’s Firewise materials and concepts. "This is a valuable partnership to help save lives and protect property. It just fits with our ‘Good Neighbor’ beliefs,” said Vickie Hodges, Loss Mitigation Analyst with State Farm Insurance. “It is appropriate for State Farm, the largest home insurer in the United States, to take a leadership role in homeowner safety and property protection.” The Bloomington, Ill.-based company insures one out of five homes in the U.S. NFPA’s wildfire division is sponsoring two high-profile national campaigns aimed at encouraging residents to take action to make homes and neighborhoods safer. State Farm is providing monetary support for both campaigns. The Firewise Challenge is a campaign that began in 2013 as a way to encourage increased neighborhood participation in the national Firewise Communities/USA® Recognition Program. Communities in ten states with the most participation will receive funds provided by the State Farm grant to implement safety projects. Five communities in Arkansas, Washington, Pennsylvania, California, and New Jersey are receiving a grand prize of $5,000 to be used for mitigation activities, including chipping of brush, removal of vegetative material, and similar activities that will reduce wildfire hazards. Five additional communities in Virginia, Colorado, Oregon, Tennessee, and Maine will receive a runner-up prize of $900 to use on safety gear, tools or mitigation projects. The second major campaign focusing on wildfire education is the first nationwide Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, slated to take place May 3, 2014. The national Preparedness Day gives people of all ages a chance to participate in a risk reduction or wildfire preparedness activity that makes their community a safer place to live. A portion of the State Farm grant funding will be awarded to 20 neighborhood wildfire safety projects being implemented during the May 3rd event. Information on how to apply for an award can be found at www.wildfireprepday.org. "What’s exciting about State Farm’s funding support goes beyond mere dollars," said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. “NFPA’s public education goal is to empower residents to take action with regard to fire safety. One way they accept ideas and act on them is to hear the safety message from multiple, credible sources. Working on wildfire safety issues with such an influential partner like State Farm sends a very powerful message." Wildland fires are a serious threat to lives and property. The National Association of State Foresters (NASF) cites more than 72,000 U.S. communities are now at risk from wildfire. The combination of drought, mild temperatures, high winds and an excess of dried vegetation in forests and grasslands has made fire seasons progressively worse over the past 50 years. According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), 2012 saw one of the worst fire seasons in decades with over nine million acres burned. For more information about the Firewise Communities/USA® Recognition Program Challenge and National Wildfire Preparedness Day, please visit www.nfpa.org/wildfire.

for virtual incident training  The Cheshire Fire Authority and VSTEP renew their partnership for training of fire & rescue personnel through use of the virtual incident management platform RescueSim. The partnership reconfirms RescueSim as the virtual training software of choice at the high-tech Cheshire Fire Authority training centre in Winsford. The decision to renew the partnership and continue working with RescueSim was taken by the Fire Authority after careful evaluation of the other virtual incident training programs currently available in the market. Following this comparison, RescueSim was again selected due to its realism, ease of use, excellent customer service and its continuing development and innovation which allows the Cheshire Fire Authority to maintain their status of delivering the best command training in the UK and having the facilities to support this. VSTEP and the Cheshire Fire Authority have been working together since 2010, when a partnership was signed to use VSTEP’s incident management platform RescueSim to enhance the incident preparation and response training for Fire & Rescue personnel at the state-of-the-art training facility in Winsford. The virtual training suite at the training centre gives the incident command teams the most realistic training environment possible, incorporating a range of innovative features to maximize immersion and training efficiency. Peter Walsh, Business Development manager UK at VSTEP: “We are extremely proud to continue our technology partnership with the Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service. RescueSim being selected as the virtual incident training platform of choice at the most innovative virtual reality training facility in Europe is a recognition of the enhanced training value our virtual training offers to emergency incident responders. We look forward to continuing this partnership with the Cheshire Fire Authority for many years.” Cheshire’s Chief Fire Officer Paul Hancock acknowledges that while there would always be a need for practical training in using equipment to fight fires and rescue people from vehicles, the use of virtual reality facilities is also a vital element in the future: "Cheshire is now far safer than it used to be with major reductions in the number of fires and incidents we attend. That means far less practical opportunities for staff to develop their skills so our suite is essential in providing a completely safe environment for people to become competent in managing a whole range of emergency incidents,” he said. RescueSim allows emergency crews to train in virtual environments and experience any incident as they would in real-life. They assess the situation and determine the best response strategy, implement it and then observe the consequences of their decisions. The RescueSim virtual incident training platform is currently used in over 20 countries worldwide and its customer base continues to increase as more emergency services and safety professionals recognise the positive effect virtual training has on their incident response effectiveness and as enhancement of their practical training. More info about the RescueSim virtual incident simulator can be found on www.rescuesim.com For more info about the Cheshire Fire Authority, visit www.cheshirefire.gov.uk

Industry leading five year warranty For greater peace of mind, signalling products for hazardous areas, fire and industrial applications and wide area disaster warning are now available with a five-year warranty. Priding itself on stringent quality procedures being applied throughout the product manufacturing process, the company has backed up this claim by extending its product warranty period to from two years to five years. This significant increase will provide system integrators, specifiers and end clients alike added peace of mind regarding their investment in E2S life safety signalling solutions. “Due to the nature of our products and the environments they are applied in, we are keen to demonstrate our commitment to safety and quality by offering this extended warranty on our products. We hope that this is a clear sign of our own confidence in our product design, manufacturing capability and quality processes”, commented Neal Porter, Sales and Marketing Director of E2S. The high-performance audible and visual signals and control devices manufactured by E2S are widely specified in commercial, industrial, marine, onshore, offshore and hazardous locations around the world. The five-year warranty is automatically applied and it covers products sold worldwide. For more information about products from E2S and the new extended warranty which applies from the beginning of 2014, please visit www.e2s.com

For real-time industrial, oil & gas and emergency response gas detection RAE Systems Inc., the leader in wirelessly connected gas and radiation detection solutions, today introduced the industry’s first wireless, portable, 4-gas pumped and diffusion gas monitor that will significantly enhance worker safety in industrial environments and better protect first responders. RAE Systems’ new QRAE 3 is a versatile, rugged, one- to four-sensor gas monitor that provides continuous exposure monitoring of oxygen (O2), combustibles, and toxic gases, including hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN).QRAE 3 The QRAE 3 is certified for use in hazardous environments, and is designed for use across a broad array of industries where exposure to toxic gas is a constant safety threat. These industries include a broad range of industrial, oil and gas, environmental, first responder and national defense applications. When a situation arises, safety officers must make critical, split- second decisions about how and where to deploy resources. They need access to real-time threat data, which QRAE 3 can provide, to help make faster, more informed decisions to protect lives and property. The QRAE 3’s wireless communication capability enables access to real-time, remote instrument readings and alarm status – including an innovative “Man-Down” alarm – from any location, for better visibility and faster response. Real-time hazard readings can also be communicated to the ProRAE Guardian Safety System and the EchoView Host Closed-Loop Wireless System for safety-enhancing wireless monitoring outside the hot zone, from a plant safety office or from a remote, enterprise location. This can help facilitate faster, data-driven decision making to alert responders, save lives and protect assets. “RAE Systems has been the industry leader in advancing wireless gas detection technologies that help save lives and assets for more than a decade,” said Thomas Negre, vice president of Products and Marketing for RAE Systems. “With the addition of the QRAE 3, RAE Systems now offers the most extensive line of area, survey and portable wireless gas detectors making affordable, cutting edge toxic gas detection solutions available to more customers across a broader range of applications. Our wireless monitors include single-gas, 4-gas, multi-gas with gamma (radiation detector), transportable multi-gas with gamma and semi-fixed with gamma for enhanced organizational safety.” “The toxic vapors present in fire smoke, particularly hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide, the “Toxic Twins,” are increasingly recognized as the most dangerous and deadly part of any fireground operation. As such, it is essential for incident commanders to have access to critical, real-time threat data to help protect personnel from dangerous exposure levels,” said Jason Krusen, Chief of Special Operations at Columbia, SC, Fire Department and President of the FireSmoke Coalition. “With the QRAE 3, emergency responders now have wireless access to Toxic Twin gas information, which can help protect their long-term health and safety.” QRAE 3 Breakthrough Technology The QRAE 3 offers breakthrough gas detection features and capabilities, including: Advanced wireless functionality – First and only solution that is rapidly deployable in both closed-loop and global, 24/7 Internet-based systems. Enhanced organizational safety and compliance – Organizations can leverage policy enforcement features (RAE Systems AutoRAE 2 bump and calibration stations) to ensure users follow calibration and bump test procedures and that their instruments are working properly. The QRAE 3’s AutoRAE 2 Cradle will be available during the first calendar quarter of 2014. Protection Against the “Toxic Twins” – The QRAE 3 is the only gas monitor that provides a wireless fire smoke configuration to detect for the “Toxic Twins” (CO and HCN). Advanced User Interface – The QRAE 3 features large graphical display, icon-driven user interface through intuitive, two-button operation. The QRAE 3 also includes a “Man Down” alarm and automatic flip screen. All ToxiRAE Pro, MultiRAE and QRAE 3 monitors now feature a similar menu, navigation and icons. Available in Multiple, User-configurable Monitors – All configurations are available pumped or diffusion, and wireless or non-wireless, and with various sensor configurations. The QRAE 3 includes a three-year warranty on standard sensors. Compatible with RAE Systems wireless safety systems – QRAE 3 real-time threat data can be monitored on mobile devices via the ProRAE Guardian Wireless Safety System, 24/7, through a secure Internet connection, or via the EchoView Host Closed-Loop Wireless System. Availability The RAE Systems QRAE 3 will be available in North America in February 2014. The QRAE 3 will be available with ATEX, CSA, IECEx certification worldwide beginning in March 2014.

Applications start on March 21st The application process for the International Conrad Dietrich Magirus Award 2014 starts on 21 March – this worldwide competition recognises outstanding commitment to public services. Fire brigades from around the world can apply at www.world-of-firefighters.com and win a trip to visit the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). No matter how varied the nature of duties and the structure of fire brigades in many countries may be, they all have one thing in common: firefighters give their utmost 365 days a year on every call-out, even putting their own lives at risk in emergency situations to save others. Once again in 2014, following its successful launch in the previous year, the International Conrad Dietrich Magirus Award aims to recognise this commitment. From 21 March, fire brigade teams can apply for the title of ‘International Firefighting Team of the Year 2014’ by logging on to www.world-of-firefighters.com and submitting the details of their most impressive and spectacular call-outs. The competition is open to all fire brigade teams except those in Germany, where a national contest is getting under way at the same time. The aim of the competition organiser Magirus is to increase public awareness of the extensive services provided by local fire brigades. Tobias Knebel from Magirus explains: ‘In the view of many firefighters, they are merely doing their job. However, you have to bear in mind that their job is an exceptional one that requires a great deal of courage, a strong sense of responsibility and the readiness to be called out on duty 24 hours a day. We want to honour this indispensable service to society.’ Winners to visit the FDNY The ‘Firefighting Team of the Year’ will be honoured with the Conrad Dietrich Magirus award statue. Furthermore, the winning team will receive the prize of a unique journey, allowing a group of ten people to travel to New York City to meet their colleagues in the world’s most famous fire brigade. The package includes flights, accommodation, a full and exciting itinerary, and the priceless experience of mingling with peers at the FDNY. All welcome Every fire brigade team is welcome to enter for the award between 21 March and 31 August, no matter whether they are a voluntary team, a professional firefighting unit or a company fire department. The criteria include technically demanding call-outs, innovative strategies, exemplary teamwork and courageous rescue operations, such as the one that won Palermo Fire Department the award in 2013. The Italian team did not hesitate to evacuate a four-storey building that threatened to fall down just before it collapsed completely. Thanks to their courageous, rapid action and an excellent demonstration of teamwork, the firefighters managed to rescue 15 people from the building. ‘We received an incredible amount of congratulations and recognition after the award ceremony, and we are now looking forward very much to finding out about the work of our colleagues in New York,’ says team leader Salvatore La Sala. ‘And of course we are curious to see which brigade will win the competition this year.’ Quick and easy participation It is important that the call-out detailed in your entry took place between 10 September 2013 and 31 August 2014. The nature, size and individual equipment of the firefighting team do not matter. Any firefighting team that wishes to take part only needs to submit a short report of the call-out, outlining the key details of the process and tactics used together with some photographs from the scene. Applications are welcome from Friday 21 March to Sunday 31 August. Copies of the entry form and more detailed information are available at www.world-of-firefighters.com. An international expert jury with an understanding of firefighting in different countries will review the entries and make a preliminary selection. Fire brigade enthusiasts will then select the winning team from a shortlist of finalists in a global public online vote. The three teams with the most votes will be invited to the award ceremony in Germany, where the prize will be presented on Friday 21 November at the headquarters of Magirus in Ulm. Hotel accommodation and travel costs are included so exciting, unforgettable moments are guaranteed. About the Conrad Dietrich Magirus Award The Conrad Dietrich Magirus Award was first announced in Germany in 2012 and has been organised on an international level since 2013. The competition is named after an individual who was a pioneer in firefighting and who to this day remains a role model for those in the profession all over the world: Conrad Dietrich Magirus. The firefighter from Ulm made it his mission to improve safety in firefighting for himself and his peers. He came up with revolutionary inventions that went on to receive international attention, such as the turntable ladder, also known as the ‘Ulm ladder’. He founded Magirus 150 years ago, and the company follows the same spirit today, focusing on the work of firefighters and giving these professionals special recognition with the Conrad Dietrich Magirus Award.

Deemed too dangerous for career fire-fighters CFA volunteers have been given toxic firefighting foam this bushfire season that career fire officers are banned from using because it contains dangerous chemicals. The foam was pulled from CFA fire trucks in 1997 after studies linked it to serious health problems such as infertility, blood and bone marrow disorders and dermatitis. Paid CFA firefighters working on the recent Grampians bushfires stumbled on the banned stocks in the volunteers’ firefighting arsenal and noticed a teenage volunteerdeveloped a serious rash. The CFA yesterday denied there was any health risk attached to any of its foams. It is understood the CFA bought a large batch of the banned foam last summer when it ran out of the usual product, known as First Class. The banned substance — Forexpan S — was brought into the stateto get through last summer’sfires. Unlike the banned foam, First Class does not contain a compound considered hazardous to human health. The CFA decided to give the banned foam tovolunteers to use till stocks ran out. An internal CFA email warned managers to be “considerate of the heightened sensitivities” surrounding what “could be perceived as special treatment for our career staff”. “Where we can, let’s use up this Forexpan S stock during these fires to get it off our books so we can then revert back using First Class,” the email dated January 30 stated. The CFA says both foams are equally safe and that use of First Class “simply comes down to an agreement of brand of foam to be used”. An October 1997 article in the Ballarat Courier said the CFA had banned its use because it “may present major health risks”. Geelong City CFA brigade senior station officer Pat Geary said he and CFA management knew the foam was unsafe. The 52-year-old was paid WorkCover compensation after developing a chronic skin disorder after trial use of the foam in the mid-1990s. He said when he went to give blood, they turned him down because of a low red blood cell count. He was a strike team leader at the Grampians fire when staff discovered the Forexpan S stocks. “I’m disappointed that the CFA didn’t have the common courtesy to advise us.” CFA spokesman Craig Rowston said Forexpan S was used by other fire authorities.

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By Natasha Marsh, UBM The design process, whether its object is a product, system, or a building, begins with a brief, which is then met with a certain specification. A project’s constraints and limitations must be understood clearly to satisfy the initial brief. The beginning of the process is the most crucial stage to factor into these considerations. Once production has commenced, alterations and amendments to design, materials, and manufacturing methods can significantly affect cost and time. Knock-on effects Fire protection has commonly been the fire safety officer’s sole responsibility and is often not considered at the planning stage. Building inspections can all too easily overlook inadequate fire-stopping materials. Replacing sub-standard materials can be expensive and encroach further into precious floor space on a shiny new development. Pre-design Before designers and architects are even appointed to a project, planners and developers should factor in essential fire-stopping measures. Planning regulations don’t currently require a detailed description or proof of which fire-stopping methods will be deployed within a development until construction has already begun. Fire regulations should be a prerequisite for planning approval and the conditions should clearly state what needs to be achieved before a spade has even been put in the ground. It’s all in the education Educating developers on the importance of fire protection within buildings is crucial to changing the mindsets of incorporating fire-protection considerations into building design at an early stage. Attitudes are beginning to change as technology evolves and fire protection measures are no longer seen as cumbersome inconveniences. It does, however, come with a price tag — which is where value engineering can help. But this is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reaching anyone actually building new structures. It’s a frightening thought that fire protection is often afforded a lower priority than the intricate splendor of an ornate ceiling. Aesthetics can even outweigh the practicalities of escape procedures, emergency crews entering a building, and a building’s accessibility for emergency vehicles. FIREX Academy Planners and developers can strengthen their knowledge of fire protection by attending seminar sessions at the FIREX Academy, the education stream at FIREX International. Attendees at the show, which takes place on 17 to 19 June 2014 at ExCeL, London, can experience sessions run by leaders in the fire industry, gaining a deeper understanding of how to make buildings as fire-safe as possible. The leading event for the fire industry, FIREX International is the only arena where professionals with fire-related responsibility gain expertise and guidance in life safety all under one roof. The full seminar program is due to be announced and will include influential speakers from BRE, ASFP, and FIA. For more information and to register for a free visitor badge, visit www.firex.co.uk.

The fire began on Tuesday evening about 1,700m below ground Rescue workers in South Africa are trying to free nine miners still trapped underground after a fire at Doornkop mine west of Johannesburg. Eight other miners have successfully been brought to the surface, the mine owners Harmony Gold said. "Efforts continue to establish the whereabouts of a further nine employees who are currently unaccounted for," spokesman James Duncan told the BBC. The fire began on Tuesday evening about 1,700m (5,600ft) below ground. Mr Duncan said rescue teams were struggling to access the affected area because of smoke and rock fall. There is some confusion about how exactly the fire began. Harmony Gold has confirmed there was some seismic activity in the area. South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers says this resulted in the collapse of underground rocks which caused the fire. "It… caused damage to ventilation pipes, electric cables and water pipes. The damage to electric cables triggered fire underground which is still burning," the NUM said in a statement. The eight workers who were successfully rescued on Wednesday had managed to reach a "refuge bay", where there was compressed air and water kept for such incidents. The BBC’s Andrew Harding in Johannesburg says the nine missing mine workers will be carrying their own packs of oxygen and Harmony Gold hopes they will have made their way to other refuge bays underground. In recent years the majority of deaths underground have occurred in illegal mines, he says. The Harmony Gold team has left the "Mining Indaba", Africa’s largest annual mining conference, being held in Cape Town. The meeting has been overshadowed by a major strike which is currently crippling South Africa’s platinum production. The mining industry is a vital part of the South African economy.