The October Edition of International Fire and Safety Journal is out now!
Iain Hoey
Share this content
Read the latest edition of International Fire and Safety Journal here
Article Chapters
ToggleEditor’s Note
Hello and welcome to the October Edition of International Fire and Safety Journal.
The culture and ethos of our fire brigades have long been under scrutiny. Today, as society demands more transparency and understanding, a deep dive into these values has never been more crucial.
Their storied histories, challenges, and triumphs reflect the heartbeat of the communities they serve.
In our exclusive Head to Head feature, we have the privilege of conversing with Dany Cotton, former London Fire Brigade Commissioner.
Known for her ground-breaking leadership, Cotton’s perspectives on culture within the UK fire and rescue service are both enlightening and thought-provoking.
Our PPE section spans a range of pivotal topics including the Puyallup Extrication Team’s experience with Fire-Dex, the innovative breakthroughs of Vallfirest’s Xtreme Boot in wildland firefighting, and the silent but dangerous threat of particulates addressed by PGI Safety.
In our Special Report, produced in collaboration with BAUER, we unravel the 75-year journey of a brand that has become synonymous with intuitive and dependable breathing air products. Their commitment to safeguarding firefighters while simplifying operations is a testament to the symbiotic relationship between technology and user feedback.
Our Expert Insight takes you on a journey with Mattijn de Graaf from Holmatro, exploring the future of rescue operations with OmniShore, whilst Mandy Bowden from Comelit-PAC touches upon the nuanced differences between approval and compliance in life safety systems.
In our Detection overview, discussions range from emergency lighting trends post-Grenfell to the cloud-connected capabilities of fire alarm systems and dive deep into the challenges of marine fire safety with Hochiki.
The fire suppression sector witnesses dynamic shifts and innovations. Learn about the benchmark-setting International Foam School by Fomtec and understand the impacts of PFAS-containing foam through Vicki Quint’s insights.
Concluding this edition, Ted O’Brien from FLAIM Systems has The Last Word on the transformative potential of virtual reality training for firefighters.
Lastly, I’m thrilled to announce I’m once again on the judging panel for the Intersec Awards – find out everything you need to know about how to enter in our exclusive preview!
Enjoy the magazine.
In this issue of International Fire and Safety Journal
18 – HEAD TO HEAD EXCLUSIVE
DANY COTTON – 18
Former London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton discusses culture within the UK fire and rescue service
24 – PPE
FIRE-DEX – 24
The story of how the Puyallup Extrication Team found its fit with Fire-Dex
VALLFIREST – 28
Could the Xtreme Boot could be a turning point in wildland fire footwear?
PGI SAFETY – 30
Understanding particulates and protecting our firefighters
34 – EXPERT INSIGHT
HOLMATRO – p34
Mattijn de Graaf talks the future of shoring with Holmatro’s OmniShore
37 – SPECIAL REPORT
COMPRESSION
Produced in collaboration with BAUER
KNOWLEDGE PARTNER – 42
Delve in to BAUER’s 75-year journey of creating intuitive and dependable breathing air products
50 – INDUSTRY COMMENT
DUNCAN J. WHITE – 50
IFSJ Managing Editor Duncan J. White discusses creating a safe environment for cultural change
52 – INTERSEC AWARDS
INTERSEC AWARDS – p52
Everything you need to know about the Intersec Awards 2024
56 – DETECTION
SIEMENS – 56
Maria Marks and Brian Donovan Product Manager discuss cloud-connected fire alarm systems
HOCHIKI – 58
Exploring the unique challenges of fire safety at sea
COMELIT-PAC – 62
Mandy Bowden delves into the difference between approval and compliance
64 – BUSINESS UPDATE
ADVANCED – 64
Matthew Jones looks at current and future trends in emergency lighting
70 – SUPPRESSION
FOMTEC – 70
Fomtec sets a new benchmark with its International Foam School
FOAM EXPOSURE COMMITTEE – 74
Vicki Quint highlights the impacts of PFAS-containing foam from two incidents in Illinois
IWMA – 76
Interview with outgoing President Are Wendelborg as the associations marks 25 years
80 – THE LAST WORD
FLAIM – 80
Ted O’Brien, Director of Customer Experience for FLAIM Systems, talks virtual reality training