FME May - June 2011

FIRE

ISSUE NO 13 MAY/JUNE 2011

MIDDLE EAST

THE MAGAZINE FOR FIRE PREVENTION, FIREFIGHTING AND RESCUE

Integrating Fire Detection with Building Management Systems PAGE 08

Fire Engineering in the Modern World

Major Fire & Rescue Challenges at Japanese Disaster

Exhibition Round Up: Protex Arabia: Arabian Construction Week: Intersec

PAGE 12

PAGE 22

PAGE 37

Fire Extinguisher Training PAGE 16

Pre-Incident Information and Command System PAGE 28

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FIRE MIDDLE EAST

CONTENTS FIRE MIDDLE EAST MAGAZINE ISSUE 13 » MAY/JUNE 2011

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FOREWORD: IN THE LINE OF FIRE The Editor comments on recent fire related topics and events

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REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS Recent significant international fire and rescue emergency incidents and news

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INTEGRATING FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS INTO BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS Eva Kosanovic of Apollo Fire Detectors Ltd examines the issues involved in the integration of fire detection with other building management systems

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FIRE ENGINEERING IN THE MODERN WORLD: A EUROPEAN VIEW Peter Wilkinson of the Fire Protection Association sets out the interesting attitudes expressed by stakeholders during a recent research project

16

FIRE EXTINGUISHER TRAINING IS ON THE INCREASE Craig Nixon of Tyco Fire & Security UAE considers why some of the largest companies operating in the region actually regard fire safety as an investment

18 22

PRODUCT SHOWCASE MAJOR CHALLENGE FACES FIRE & RESCUE TEAMS AS HUGE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI HITS NORTHERN JAPAN An outline of the catastrophic events caused by the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami and the battle to control the dangerous situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant

28

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX OFC IFC 02 05 06 07 11 15 17 20 23 25 27 28 29 31 36 39 IBC OBC

FIREX FIKE HOCHIKI VICTAULIC AUDAX FFE TELECTRON XTRALIS TYCO DUPONT TUBETRADE LION APPAREL FP ASSOCIATES FIRE MIDDLE EAST No 14 SIMULATION TERS INTERSEC 2012 QATAR CIVIL DEFENCE FIRE RESCUE MIDDLE EAST 2011 KLAXON ATEIS

PRE-INCIDENT INFORMATION AND INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM Greg Jakubowski of Fire Planning Associates describes the need for and the value of systems to manage multiple long term disasters and incidents

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THE NEED FOR MULTI-THREAT PERSONAL PROTECTION FOR FIRE & RESCUE PERSONNEL Recent developments in the provision of multi-threat personal protective equipment for firefighting and rescue personnel at disasters and major incidents such as the Japanese earthquake and tsunami

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IN CASE OF FIRE: FIRE MIDDLE EAST CASE STUDIES

37

EXHIBITION ROUND UP Reports from Protex Arabia in Jeddah; Arabian Construction Week in Abu Dhabi; and Intersec in Dubai

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FIRE MIDDLE EAST DIARY

Front Cover Image A Firex water/foam tender based upon a Mercedes Actros 2031 chassis. Firex’s talented and experienced team bring all their skills together to produce a firefighting and rescue vehicle that completely satisfies the customer’s requirements. www.firexuae.com The Editor acknowledges the use in this edition of several images from West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service, UK.

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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FIRE MIDDLE EAST

FOREWORD CONTACT US EDITORIAL Editor Neil Wallington T: +44 1778 440085 E: NeilWallington@aol.com

Publisher Barry Bebbington T: +44 1708 229354 F: +44 1708 220017 E: barry@pubint.co.uk

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IN THE LINE OF FIRE

ADVERTISING Head Office Barry Bebbington T: +44 1708 229354 F: +44 1708 220017 E: barry@pubint.co.uk

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For subscriptions and advertising enquires, or for further information on the magazine visit our website: www.firemiddleeastmagazine.com

The whole world was shocked and horrified by the effects of the huge earthquake, the subsequent tsunami and a large number of aftershocks that struck the north eastern coast of Japan on 11 March onwards.

Even as the devastating effects were being felt by the population of that region, Japanese fire and rescue crews found they were faced with an insurmountable task and international teams from around the world were quickly mobilised to assist in the massive firefighting and rescue operation.

Apart from a number of major fires and a nearoverwhelming amount of search and rescue work, the emerging priority challenge for firefighters soon became the large nuclear power plant at Fukushima Daiichi. Since then the battle to contain radiation leaks from the badly damaged plant has gone on for some weeks and this edition of Fire Middle East carries a brief report on the firefighting and cooling operations taking place there. At Fukishima, the watching world has been inspired as it has witnessed the selfless bravery and physical resilience from all those workers who have been involved at close quarters in attempting to control one aspect of the aftermath of nature’s awesome fury.

This edition of Fire Middle East also carries several significant features concerning innovative fire safety measures, together with the application of fire engineering in modern structures. These features include some new technology that enables the integration of fire detection into building management systems, whilst the fire engineering

pages set out some interesting and surprising attitudes expressed by stakeholders when interviewed as part of a detailed research project.

We also look back in this issue on several recent Gulf exhibitions and conferences at which Fire Middle East has been prominent with its presence and support. As is demonstrated by their increasing year-on attendances, these various recent events respectively held in Dubai, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi continue to provide evidence of strong individual and company interest in passive and active fire safety technology, firefighting vehicles and equipment and other associated safety topics.

However, it is regrettable that the news pages of this issue of Fire Middle East continue to tell of a number of global fire and other tragedies arising in a range of occupancies. In modern times, the vital human and material value of the continuing work of fire engineers and safety professionals, together with the frequently heroic efforts of firefighting and rescue teams in reducing and mitigating such fatal outbreaks of fire should never be under-estimated.

The Fire Middle East team continue to strive to produce an informative and lively publication as a modest contribution to the understanding and attainment of a high level of fire safety and protection across the communities of the wider Middle East region. We trust that our readers continue to find Fire Middle East an interesting and thoughtful read.

Neil Wallington Editor FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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NEWS RECENT SIGNIFICANT INTERNATIONAL FIRE AND EMERGENCY INCIDENTS FEBRUARY – APRIL 2011 22 FEBRUARY: BAMAKO, MALI

36 DIE IN STAMPEDE AT RELIGIOUS CEREMONY 36 persons were killed when a stampede and crush occurred after a ceremony in a stadium to mark the Muslim holy period of Maouland.

5 MARCH: MUMBAI, INDIA

21 INJURED AND 2,000 HOMELESS IN FIRE IN SHANTY TOWN A fire that broke out in the sprawling Garib Nagar tin-roofed shanty town quickly spread to engulf and destroy many other family homes. Amongst the homes destroyed was that of the Slumdog Millionaire child star Rubina Ali, who lost most of her awards for her film parts. The cause is still under investigation, although one likely cause is a short circuit from the many illegal electricity supply connections found at the site.

sustained rescue efforts proved extremely difficult. Two weeks before the blast, the mine had been declared dangerous by the authorities.

14 APRIL: MENILMONTANT DISTRICT, PARIS, FRANCE

11 MARCH: NORTH EASTERN JAPAN

HUGE OFFSHORE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI DEVASTATES ALL IN ITS PATH International firefighting and rescue teams were called in to support Japanese fire crews in the response to the massive earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale and subsequent 7 metre high tsunami that affected a wide area. At the time of going to press, some 9,000 persons are known to have died and 12,500 are still missing. See Page 22 of this edition of Fire Middle East for further detail of the protracted firefighting and rescue operation.

21 MARCH: NEAR QUETTA, PAKISTAN

45 MINERS PERISH IN COAL MINE METHANE GAS BLAST A build-up of methane gas is believed to have caused the death of 45 miners in a coal mine explosion in south west Pakistan. Up to ten other miners remained trapped but

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FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

FIVE FATALITIES DURING MAJOR FIRE IN APARTMENT BLOCK Five residents died in a serious fire that spread through an apartment block in the northern Paris district of Menilmontant.

Four of the victims jumped from windows on upper floors whilst 42 others were injured, including four in a critical condition.

Over 300 firefighters fought the fire, the cause of which is yet to be determined.

25 APRIL: DAXING DISTRICT, BEIJING, CHINA

17 WORKERS KILLED AS FIRE SWEEPS THROUGH ILLEGAL DWELLING A serious fire that engulfed a four storey garment warehouse took the lives of 17 migrant workers who were trapped by the fire and smoke. 24 other workers were seriously injured.

At the rear of the building complex was a workers dormitory that fire safety officers described as illegal. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

FIRE MIDDLE EAST

NEWS USA SCIENTISTS INVENT A ‘HARRY POTTER’ ELECTRICAL WAND TO COMBAT FLAMES At a recent meeting of the American Chemical Society, scientists unveiled a method of controlling fires using a wand that puts out flames by ‘zapping’ them with electricity.

Ludovico Cademaritri, a Harvard University physicist stated that this ‘Harry Potter’ style device could enable firefighters to quell flames without having to resort to water or foam.

Cademartiri’s team has exploited a phenomenon in which electricity can affect the shape

of flames, making them bend, twist, flicker and even die out.

The scientists connected a 600 watt electrical amplifier to a wand-like probe and used it to shoot beams of electricity at a flame more than a foot high.

The flame was snuffed out.

This happened due to the flame containing soot particles that become electrically charged during combustion. These respond strongly to electrical fields and can be blasted away, carrying the flame with them.

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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NEWS WARNING TO BEWARE OF FIRE TEST REPORT WORDING When it comes to the issue of fire, how you interpret the validity of a fire test report or assessment certification could make the difference between whether the fire protection measure in question succeeds or fails in its objective, warns the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP).

To the uninitiated, who are faced with a very difficult and potentially expensive need to achieve a required standard of fire performance to comply with a specific Building Regulation, the offer of a simple ‘fix’ must be very appealing, says the Association. Take, for example, the ornate door in a heritage property or a decorative lath and plaster ceiling that require to be upgraded in terms of fire performance. In these types of situations the need to maintain the original structure of the substrate (certainly in the eyes of the building owner) is of paramount importance and the issue of fire safety, very much a secondary concern.

The process of fire testing is a vigorous and often very costly endeavour and common sense dictates that not all potential configurations to which a product of system is to be used, can be realistically tested.

In such situations a range of tests may be carried out in different configurations, which in turn leads to an extrapolation of data contained in an assessment report.

Such comprehensive reports should not be confused with what has become known as the ’indicative’ or ‘ad-hoc’ test.

The ASFP, along with many Certification Bodies, are now very concerned at the growing

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FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

indiscriminate use of such very limited test reports that may well appear to solve a difficult dilemma, but in reality give little more than the illusion of a solution that has no foundation practice.

To be clear, there is nothing wrong with any product manufacturer undertaking ‘indicative’ or ‘ad hoc’ testing as a way of observing and assessing how its products or systems may perform in conjunction with the type of configuration to which it may be used. However, as the test laboratory will often state in its report, the information gained is for the test sponsors benefit only and as such should not be used to demonstrate performance against the standard to which it would normally be measured.

Nor should it be taken as a means to assess such a product or system against any regulatory requirement. Often, such tests are not conducted under the accreditation process and requirements, for example, of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and may not have complied with the full requirements of the given Standard.

The ASFP supports third party product certification as the most appropriate way of demonstrating the performance of passive fire protection products in the market. Such certification is undertaken by independent bodies who verify the quality of the product. Third party product certification is the only way of providing architects, specifiers, enforcement authorities and building owners a high level of confidence that products are ‘fit for purpose’. Further detail can be obtained at: www.asfp.org.uk

FIRE MIDDLE EAST

NEWS OMAN CIVIL DEFENCE URGES ESTABLISHMENTS TO FOLLOW FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS In a recent statement Lt. Colonel Al Wahaibi, Director of Fire Safety at the Oman Directorate of Civil Defence said that in the first quarter of this year 320 violations of safety regulations were reported during inspections carried out by the Civil Defence teams.

Lt. Colonel Al Wahaibi said: “As the summer sets in the chances of fire increase.

Therefore, we urge every establishment in the country to follow fire safety regulations.”

He warned that the offending establishments would be referred to the Public Prosecution Department for continuous

violation of safety regulations.

He revealed that the Civil Defence teams were conducting regular visits to check the fire extinguishers, electrical connections and emergency exits at various establishments in Oman.

In one week alone in mid-April last, an Omani factory producing automobile oil and other materials caught fire in Rusayl Industrial Estate, whilst shops in the old city area of Muttrah were gutted in a fire believed to be caused by faulty electrical connections. Lt Col Al Wahaibi said that when a safety violation is detected,

a ticket is given to the offending establishment and action is taken to suspend co-operation with the establishment until it resolves the problem. If the establishment continues to ignore the regulations, the case is referred to the Public Prosecution Department for court trial.

Speaking about the causes, Lt Col Al Wahaibi said fire accidents are usually caused by lack of proper storage of materials, poor electrical connections, overloading of appliances, lack of maintenance of such equipment and fuel leaks coupled with uncontrolled sparks from welding machines.

WELSH ASSEMBLY REQUIRES ALL NEW HOMES TO BE FITTED WITH SPRINKLERS The Welsh Assembly has voted unanimously to follow the lead of cities in Canada and the United States in requiring all new residential properties to be fitted with automatic sprinkler systems. This law will apply to all such accommodation as dwellings, flats, residential care homes, educational establishments such as universities, and houses of multiple occupation. Sadly, over 100 persons have died in fires in Wales since 2004 and in many of these cases, it is believed that lives would have been saved had sprinklers been in place.

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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FIRE DETECTION

Integrating Fire Detection into Building Management Systems Buildings today can have any number of systems installed in order to control security, heating, lighting and ventilation. It is common practice, particularly in larger scale buildings, to combine these different elements into a single, integrated building management system (BMS).

Eva Kosanovic of Apollo Fire Detectors Limited examines the issues surrounding the integration of fire detection with other building management systems and explains the latest technological developments Introduction Buildings today can have any number of systems installed in order to control security, heating, lighting and ventilation. It is common practice, particularly in larger scale buildings, to combine these different elements into a single, integrated building management system (BMS).

One essential building service has, to date, resisted full integration – fire detection. This situation is set to change with the evolution of a new device called OpenConnect Gateway. To understand why this development is so significant it is important to understand why fire detection systems have been kept separate from other building services in the past and explore why integration is now so desirable.

The Complexity of Integration Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, fire detection is deemed safetycritical. It could therefore be argued that fire detection should take precedence over other building services systems and remain completely independent.

This is why fire detection systems are subject to much stricter standards and controls than other building management services.

The regulations governing the integration of fire detection systems are many and various and this can lead to some rather strange anomalies.

For example, where a BMS and a fire alarm system are channelled through a common information-gathering system, the cabling must be fireproof. However, a simple wire connection from the fire detection system to the BMS may fall outside this rule.

It is worth noting that there is no legislation as such on the topic of integration, only recommendations. At the European level, there is a draft standard on integration - DD CIC/TS 50398:2009 - which has been adopted by the UK and which states: “the integrated alarm system shall be designed so that any application is not adversely affected by any other application in normal conditions.” It therefore takes a highly accomplished system designer and installation engineer to understand the application standards and work out which takes precedence where different systems meet.

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Practical Considerations While regulations may appear to discourage fire system integration, in practical terms interaction between the different elements of a BMS are not only desirable, but also necessary if safety-critical procedures are to be effective. The ability for a fire signal to tell a security system to release certain access doors for use as escape routes is one simple example.

Indeed, some degree of fire detection integration has been satisfied already by the use of interfaces and complex bespoke integrations, which enable a fire alarm to trigger other pieces of plant and equipment. Actions can include opening and closing doors, shutting down air conditioning, or stopping passenger lifts safely at ground level.

However, there are some restrictions associated with the use of interfaces. Even interfaces with built-in isolators do not address the fundamental issue that multiple additional devices are required to facilitate, even simple levels of integration between fire devices and other building services equipment. As commercial buildings become larger and more complex, and the expectations of occupants become more sophisticated, adding more and more physical devices to link building services together becomes less and less practical. It is therefore time to return to first principles and ask what it is we are actually trying to achieve.

Finding a Solution When reduced to basics, integration is actually all about communication. The benefits of having diverse building products and systems co-operating with each other are self-evident.

FIRE DETECTION

The scale of a high rise tower such as the 72 floor Rose Rayhaan Hotel in Dubai, emphasises the importance of integrating fire detection and building management systems

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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FIRE DETECTION Faster response times, co-ordinated strategies in case of emergency

or failure, and pre-planned and pre-programmed evacuation procedures are amongst the most effective results of inter-system communication.

BMS is essentially an attempt to find a common translation for all these different languages so that lighting, heating, ventilation and other equipment can work in harmony.

Apollo Fire Detectors Limited has been working on a solution to fire system integration for some time. The result is a simple, off-the shelf product called OpenConnect Gateway. OpenConnect will take the information from a fire alarm control panel and connect it to a building management system using standard protocols such as BACnet™, Modbus® or LonWorks®. The device is effectively a ‘plug and play’ concept that fire panel manufacturers can incorporate into their existing products.

This integration solution has been developed in conjunction with Tridium and uses their well-established Niagra AX software framework, on which many building monitoring, automation and control applications are based. Apollo has also worked closely with leading fire panel manufacturers through its Panel Partnership and will continue to support the development and adoption of OpenConnect as it comes to market.

In line with Apollo’s belief that collaboration and openness are the best basis for innovation, it will be making the OpenConnect protocol available to participating control panel manufacturers under licence.

The licenced manufacturer will be able to develop their own software to incorporate this protocol and will provide a suitable physical connection between their panel and the OpenConnect Gateway.

This allows sufficient freedom for the panel manufacturer to continue to offer its own unique design and features while incorporating the option for integration with BMS. Installers benefit because there is no need for modification of fire detection and alarm devices used in conjunction with OpenConnectenabled control panels. Nor is there any need for recurring engineering

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FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

for each new project. End users will enjoy full integration of the fire system and reduced cost through the use of standard software and a single interface, while the integrity of the fire system remains assured.

The new integration device is being made available in four base model options: 200 BMS points, 1,600 BMS points, 12,000 BMS points and 25,000 BMS points. For maximum integration, each OpenConnect Gateway includes as standard two Ethernet ports, an RS232 and RS484 port, a 15V dc input and two spare comms card slots.

Conclusion The precautionary approach adopted in current codes and regulations when giving guidance about integration is understandable but not legally binding, and in practice system designers and specifiers have been moving towards greater integration for several years. Fire product manufacturers have also acknowledged the need for greater communication between fire and building service products through the development of interface units. However, the needs of the market continue to evolve and OpenConnect Gateway is one example of how the issue of integration can be resolved far more effectively using a single device than dozens of individual interfaces or bespoke solutions.

To summarise, fire detection systems evolved for the purpose of protecting lives and property. For this reason they should always be classed as safety-critical, which means that fire detection devices should be physically separate from other building services equipment. That said, there is no reason why closer information integration should not be pursued, especially if it brings practical benefits such as reduced time and cost without compromising the integrity of the fire system.

For further information contact: Alison Jones, Proteus PR Tel: +44 (0)1295 279626 Email: alison@proteuspr.co.uk

FIRE ENGINEERING

Fire Engineering in the Modern World: A European View Fire engineering is increasingly being used and whilst it may be the only practical way to achieve a satisfactory standard of fire safety in some large and complex buildings (1), such as airport terminals or sports stadia, questions remain relating to the appropriateness of its application and supporting regulation, and the potential implications that this creates for insurers. Peter Wilkinson, Associate Director of the UK Fire Protection Association explores some of the attitudes expressed by stakeholders in the fire engineering design process when interviewed as part of a research project 1 Introduction As an engineering discipline within the United Kingdom, fire engineering is relatively young, having been established as an alternative means of meeting the functional requirements of the Building Regulations since the publication of the 1985 edition of Approved Document B, in England and Wales.

Fire engineering is increasingly being used and whilst it may be the only practical way to achieve a satisfactory standard of fire safety in some large and complex buildings (1), such as airport terminals or sports stadia, questions remain relating to the appropriateness of its application and supporting regulation, and the potential implications that this creates for insurers. This article explores some of the attitudes expressed by of stakeholders in the fire engineering design process when interviewed as part of a research project 2.

The Issues It is generally agreed that traditional prescriptive design techniques can stunt innovation and creativity, and are impossible to apply sensibly to buildings with special functions, such as sports stadia, high-rise developments and transportation infrastructure. Fire engineering, as a means of satisfying the requirements of building regulation, is an approach which has freed up building design, whilst at the same time providing suitable levels of safety. Many of the landmark buildings in the UK have been engineered for fire safety as they could not have been built under the previous prescriptive regime (2).

Despite these successes, a literature review (3) revealed that some concerns exist regarding the availability of the data and tools required to undertake advanced fire safety analysis. Furthermore, the motivations for using fire engineering are increasingly being questioned. Examples are documented where architects are seen to be trying to buy their way out of problems they have created through poor design with complex technology and inappropriate fire engineering arguments (4). This is sometimes referred to as ‘performance justified engineering’ (5).

Similarly, concerns over the fire safety objectives used in the design process have been raised (6). It appears to be common practice for some projects to concentrate solely on life safety because this is mandated by the building regulations process (7). What effect could this have on property and business protection when compared with a prescriptive code compliant solution?

1 2

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The Interviews In order to investigate these issues a further 19 key individuals were interviewed and 10 additional responses were received via an internet based questionnaire.

The stakeholder groups interviewed were identified as:

Academics: Those involved with the teaching and equipping the fire engineers of the future, and also those involved in research; pushing the boundaries of knowledge in the field.

Designers: Those architects and others, involved with the design of buildings and facilities, often as ‘principal adviser’ to the client.

End Users: Those who either commission buildings, or are responsible for operating them.

Enforcers: Those authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) for approving building designs against the requirements of the Building Regulations, within Building Control functions and Fire Authorities.

Practitioners: Those engineering consultants and designers who assist the building design process by advising on fire safety matters, to varying degrees.

Insurers: Those insurers and brokers who are responsible for insuring property and businesses, and advising their clients on risk management issues.

Policy Makers: Those responsible for determining Ministerial priorities, monitoring and affecting changes to Regulations, etc.

Institutions: Trade bodies and professional institutions that have a role in informing, developing and/or regulating a membership.

The whole data gathering process revealed some interesting facts and opinions.

The Results When asked why they thought fire engineering exists as a profession or discipline, the overwhelming views of the interviewees related to its ability to facilitate architectural design freedoms, in terms of shape and materials of construction. Responses suggesting that customer demand

This research project is part of an Engineering Doctorate which is investigating the application of fire engineering in the UK, facilitated by Loughborough University, UK, and supported by the Fire Protection Association, UK. This research project is part of an Engineering Doctorate which is investigating the application of fire engineering in the UK, facilitated by Loughborough University, UK, and supported by the Fire Protection Association, UK.

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

FIRE ENGINEERING

has been a driver for fire engineering development were common.

Similarly, a view held by many interviewees is that fire engineering is the result of a natural progression away from prescriptive design, keeping apace with developments in architecture and construction.

More controversially, the second most frequent comment made in response to this question centred on the issue of fire engineering enabling the reduction of construction project costs. Some practitioners of fire engineering saw this as a positive contribution of fire engineering, citing cost effective, risk appropriate fire safety measures. However, many more interviewees discussed concerns about fire engineering being used primarily for cost saving reasons. It was felt by many that fire engineering is sometimes used as a method of legitimising deviations from what would otherwise be code-compliant building designs, and even that fire engineering enables the abuse of these rules.

When discussing how fire engineering, or its impact has changed over the past decades, and how it is envisaged it might change in the future, some interrelated topics emerged. It was widely accepted that the profession has matured, transforming from a pursuit for academics, to a situation today where it is emerging as a recognised, separate discipline. Interviewees agreed that fire engineering is becoming more accepted in the UK and a change has been seen in the types of buildings that fire engineering is now being applied to, recognising that it is frequently applied to more mundane projects.

This leads to another important point raised by a significant number of interviewees. As one enforcer put it, there is a proliferation of designs for buildings which don’t comply, that have been labelled as ‘fire engineered’ as it enables them to put forward an argument as why it doesn’t need to comply.

There is agreement with this opinion from practitioners who state that there are very few buildings that have a full performance based approach carried out on them.

One frequent comment made by interviewees from all stakeholder groups is that fire engineering has been able to be used more widely because the tools now available are far more sophisticated, which is another indication of a maturing discipline. A practitioner added a note of caution with the widespread use of models by users lacking fundamental knowledge and not knowing when a mistake is made.

An academic added that not only is the misuse of modelling tools a concern, but the very proliferation of tools is a greater concern.

He warns of the existence of many fire and evacuation simulation tools that have not been validated, tested, nor described in peer reviewed literature, yet are being used blindly and being accepted by enforcers.

Further Responses Some interviewees predicted that UK fire engineering failures, or examples where fire engineering has been incorrectly used within a building project could come to light in the near future. A practitioner predicted that there will be a serious fire in a fire engineered building that will show the failings of practitioners. An academic was equally concerned suggesting that a disastrous fire in a fire engineered building, which is later shown to be caused by dubious fire engineering, could set back the whole discipline.

The need for further research to expand the pool of data available to support fire engineering concepts was discussed at length.

Practitioners commented how research is needed to keep apace with new fire safety developments, such as research into human behaviour to inform the use of lifts for evacuation.

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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FIRE ENGINEERING Additionally, one academic raised the issue of keeping data current

and appropriate, citing an example where a researcher has asked for his material to be removed from an international guidance document because he was concerned that the data was no longer valid.

The Controversial Element Now, the most controversial part of this research exercise involved asking the interviewees about their perception of the roles of the other stakeholders involved in fire engineering. Analysis of the responses shows clearly that interviewees had more critical comments than positive when describing their fellow professionals. The four stakeholder groups attracting the most criticism were architects, enforcers, insurers and practitioners.

Whilst the input from academics is widely valued, it was felt that they are disconnected, or removed from the real world. This was felt, both in terms of teaching and research, as their industrial experience is perceived to be limited and they struggle to keep up to speed with change.

The work of building designers and architects was described as mostly well intended; however, they received much criticism from the interviewees for not understanding fire safety issues, and not understanding how to use fire engineers. The issue of architects loosing skills was raised, as well as many interviewees criticising what they consider to be inadequate fire safety related training within architectural degrees. The way architects use fire engineering was again criticised; an academic described fire engineering as the ‘new liquid paper’, enabling their mistakes and omissions to be conveniently endorsed. Further comments of building designers and architects was a criticism of their lack of understanding of their clients’ needs, and the poor way in which they attempt to define the objectives of the design.

The criticism of end users within the fire engineering process can be summed up as a lack of engagement when the building is designed and then falling short of their responsibilities during operation.

It was stated that often end users don’t even know that they’re in fire engineered buildings, because of a lack of information transfer from the practitioner, through the construction company, to the client.

These issues were echoed by many of the interviewees with the importance of good dialogue and transfer of knowledge to the end users being emphasised.

Whilst some encouraging comments were made about the competency and actions of enforcers, both Building Control body and Fire Authority based, far more critical statements were made.

A common feeling was that the quality of enforcement varies dramatically across the UK, with consistency of approach really lacking. There were many criticisms of the skills base within the Building Control enforcement community- they don’t know what to look for, and they don’t know how to challenge. Also it was stated that Building Control enforcers do not inspect on-site installations.

There was agreement that the enforcers need to be trained as well as, if not better than, the engineers, in order to work in a performance based environment.

Practitioners of fire engineering, i.e. those consultants who use fire engineering methods, received significant criticism from their colleagues. Comments ranged from criticising their perceived intentions, to their working practices and the commercial pressures that practitioners often work under.

Insurers and Policy Makers Insurers received a similar level of criticism. It is thought that insurers do not play an active role in the fire engineering process, and when they do, their poor levels of knowledge and understanding precludes

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any meaningful interaction. A practitioner commented that insurers simply don’t have a role at all in fire engineering - most of the time they simply wait until the building is completed and then decide whether or not to insure it. A practitioner added, in relation to an industry event he had attended, that their only message seemed to be ‘Put in sprinklers’. Some advice was given by several interviewees, to those within the insurance community urging them to engage in the design process and have an input into the objective setting phase.

A counter-argument, given by an insurer is that the insurance industry would welcome being more greatly involved, but the opportunities presented to insurers are few and far between. He suggests that they are only asked to be involved after the design stage has been agreed.

The criticism of policy makers focused on the slow nature of policy change. Comments about perceived attitudes were made, such as current political focus on environmental and climate change issues. Institutions and trade bodies are seen as vital within the fire engineering process as they are the groups who translate research into practical every day advice. However, the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) received quite a bit of criticism from interviewees. Many practitioners feel that the role the IFE plays in fire engineering is inadequate. An academic added that the IFE needs to be pushing good practice, coming up with guidelines and informing its members.

Conclusions This investigation has shown that the common expectation across all stakeholder groups was that fire engineering would facilitate architectural design freedoms and support creative construction allowing the UK, and more specifically London, to continue to develop its reputation as a city of world-class importance.

However, it has also become evident that since fire engineering has become more accepted, significant concerns have been raised regarding various elements of the design process and all these issues need to be addressed if fire engineering is to enjoy continued growth as a profession, and continued acceptance as a legitimate contribution to the building design process.

Peter Wilkinson can be contacted at the Fire Protection Association, Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 0RH, UK pwilkinson@thefpa.co.uk www.thefpa.co.uk

References (1) The Building Regulations 2000 : Approved Document B : Fire Safety. 2006 ed. London: The Stationary Office; 2006.

(2) Hopkinson J. Fire safety engineering: the consultant's view.

The Structural Engineer 2001 2 October 2001;79(19):22.

(3) Wilkinson, P.J., Glockling, J.L.D., Bouchlaghem, N.M. and Ruikar, K.D., Has fire engineering lived up to expectations?, Proceedings : 8th International Conference on Performance-Based Codes and Fire Safety Design Methods, 16-18 June 2010, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. Society of Fire Protection Engineers, Bethesda, MD. and Dept. of Fire Safety Engineering, Lunds Universitet. 2010.

(4) Ham SJ. Fire. London: RIBA; 2007.

(5) Dix A. Are political risks the greatest emerging threat to improved fire safety? Fire Australia 2003 August 2003:4.

(6) Fire Protection Association. Approved Document B: Fire Safety (Volume 2)- Buildings other than dwellinghouses. Incorporating insurers' requirements for property protection. London: RIBA Publishing; 2008.

(7) Glockling J, Barnett D. Design concerns. Fire Prevention 2004 April 2004(379):33.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER TRAINING

Fire Extinguisher Training is on the Increase Business Development Manager Craig Nixon of Tyco Fire & Security UAE, a leading fire protection and detection company in the region considers why some of the larger companies operating within the Gulf States actually regard fire safety as an investment

Recent proactive fire safety awareness campaigns conducted by the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence have encouraged some businesses to play a more determined role in safeguarding their businesses and their employees from the threat of fire.

In today’s highly competitive and demanding markets the emphasis is clearly moving towards improving life safety and standards.

Companies who place orders and contracts need to know that the suppliers they choose have a proven track record for man-hours worked without Lost Time Injury (LTI) coupled with OHSAS 18001 approvals and standards such as ISO 9001and Environmental Management System, ISO 14001. As a result, our organisation has witnessed a steady demand from clients requiring fire extinguisher training for their employees. This increase in demand can be attributed to three key factors.

Firstly, the continued stability and growth within the region has generated consistent and frequent business opportunities that have attracted new entrants into what are already highly competitive and demanding markets. Therefore, more and more companies are continually striving to enhance ‘Standards of Excellence’ in customer satisfaction and service delivery in order to remain competitive.

With these facts in mind, many companies are proactively focusing on developing strategies that eliminate the risk of operational disruption that could jeopardise their customers ‘Business Continuity’ and continued customer loyalty.

One key aspect of this focus has identified the threat of fire as a major concern of companies in their efforts to eliminate disruption to their daily work schedules.To underline this fact independent international statistics reveal that 80% of companies never fully recover from a serious fire, losing orders, contracts and key employees.

This often results in many businesses closing down completely.

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FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

According to Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, the acting director general of the UAE Civil Defence and the director of Dubai Civil Defence, the number of fires nationwide increased to 2,602 in 2009, from 2,472 in 2008. Because no figures were available for each Emirate in 2008, it is unclear which areas had the largest increase.

These fire accidents are generally caused by people through their lack of fire safety awareness, by unsafe working processes, employee neglect or even malicious intent. A lot of these fires caused by electrical faults, storage and use of hazardous materials could be extinguished in the early stages by fire extinguishers used by trained firefighters.

Fortunately, many forward thinking companies now appreciate that employees who have received fire extinguisher training are capable of preventing a small fire developing into a large formidable fire within the workplace. Fire extinguishers are not as complicated as they seem.

There are different types of fire extinguishers that are clearly marked to suit different types of fire and with the right training, fire extinguisher operators can confidently suppress or extinguish a fire prior to the arrival of the Civil Defence fire teams.

This viewpoint is shared by Major General Al Matroushi whose Abu Dhabi Civil Defence domestic fire safety awareness campaign actively encourages many families who already have fire alarm fitted to take the next step and buy a fire extinguisher. The campaign was meant to help them so that if the worst were to happen and a fire was to break out in the home, they would know what to do, and how to put out a fire, he said.

With the authorities taking the initiative to raise the standards of fire safety in the UAE, I believe that future of fire extinguisher training programmes in the country are good and in line with Western Europe and North America but still has room for improvement.

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Why we are different and why it matters to you Companies look to Tyco because our organisation has established a proven ‘track record’ in fire extinguisher training spanning more than 70 years. Our organisation provides Fire Safety Training across more than 17 vertical market sectors in over 60 countries throughout the world. Since the 1940’s we have trained over 100,000 students either from our world renowned 350 Acre Training School in Marinette, USA, including our regional and national sites or our client’s own premises.

The training philosophy of the Tyco UAE Fire Training Team is based on the conviction that the best training is achieved with comprehensive ‘Hands-on’ experience. We create realistic fire scenarios under the supervision of expert trainers. This enables our students to get up-front and personal with a number of different types of fire and experience ‘True-to-Life’ fire extinguisher training.

Students will use a variety of water, foam, dry chemical, carbon dioxide and wet chemical fire extinguishers. This is supported by detailed ‘Classroom topics’ covering every aspect of fighting fires safely and effectively. Our typical classroom topics include:

Fire Classifications and extinguishing agents Operation of cartridge operated extinguishers

Operation of stored-pressure extinguishers Extinguisher rating system and selection criteria Inspection and care procedures of extinguishers

Tyco Value Added Services When we train a ‘first aid’ fire fighting student, we create a competent firefighter whose skills and expertise stay with them for life.

We achieve this through extensive training and more importantly, continued professional development. Upon completion of one of our courses, we provide our students with a comprehensive reminder of the skills they have developed in the form of a Tyco UAE training manual.

This provides a summary of the completed training schedule and videos illustrating successful firefighting techniques. In addition, we keep in regular contact with previous students by email, providing them with regular updates.

For further information regarding the Tyco Fire & Security UAE Fire Extinguisher Training Programmes contact a member of their dedicated team at info@tycofireuae.com Alternatively you can contact us by phone on 09712 6777 776 or visit our website at: www.tycofireuae.com

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

To advertise in this section please contact Wendy Otway on +44 (0)1795 530111 or email fire.middleeast@btinternet.com

XTRALIS

LEAVES SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICES

Open Area Smoke Imaging Detection

The safest way to escape from fire and save life

Xtralis™, the company behind VESDA, will launch the award winning OSID (Open Area Smoke Imaging Detection) revolutionary technology designed for open spaces where fire detection presents unique challenges.

OSID delivers verified results including fast, unsurpassed immunity to reflections, vibrations and extreme building movement; and highest immunity to dust, steam, fog, condensation and other obstructions.

A significant benefit of OSID is its ability to provide volumetric coverage.

As many as seven emitters can be placed within the field of view of a single imager, each placed at different heights. The imager's large viewing angles, both horizontal and vertical, enable three-dimensional area coverage for design flexibility and additional deployment savings.

Leaves Supply Chain Services is the sole distributors for the Middle East for this latest product from USA. The iEVAC Fire Escape Hood Protects against •toxic gases including carbon monoxide, smoke, hydrogen cyanide, chlorine and more •harmful particulates: soot, fumes, aerosols, and others. It contains a HEPA filter that removes more than 99.996% of sub-micron particles such as anthrax, smallpox, and radioactive particles •lifethreatening physical hazards: flammability and radiant heat.

The hood comes vacuum sealed in a foil bag and its key features are •twin cartridges for easy breathing •high visibility reflective strips •adjustable head harness •protects entire head and lungs •universal size •unobstructed vision •Can be used with glasses, beards, and long hair TEL +971 43334736 EMAIL sushil@leavessupply.com WEB www.leavessupply.com

TEL + 962 79 5211139 EMAIL marketing@xtralis.com WEB www.xtralis.com

HOCHIKI AMERICA

Sophisticated fire alarm systems Hochiki America Corporation develops and manufactures sophisticated, cost-effective fire alarm systems featuring superior quality engineering, innovative technology, and top-notch reliability.

The FireNET™ and FireNET™ PLUS Analog Addressable Control Panels are UL 864 9th edition listed, are expandable and can be networked. Each loop supports multiple devices in any combination such as smoke and heat sensors, contact monitor modules, relay, supervised output and short circuit isolator modules.

All Hochiki America sensors utilise their patented, noise immune Digital Communication Protocol (DCP). Hochiki photoelectric, ionisation, heat and duct sensors incorporate automatic day/night sensitivity modes and automatic drift compensation.

Conventional Control Panels are also available.

TEL +1 (714) 522-2246 EMAIL sales@hochiki.com WEB www.hochiki.com

FIRE PLANNING ASSOCIATES

Blazemark™ – critical info when you need it most

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XTRALIS

Powerful Solutions Xtralis is the leading global provider of powerful solutions for the early detection of fire, gas and security threats.

Our solutions include VESDA by Xtralis – the world’s No.1 brand of very early warning aspirating smoke detection (ASD) systems, VESDA ECO by Xtralis™ – ASD plus gas detection and environmental monitoring, ICAM™ by Xtralis – flexible aspirating smoke detection, ICAM ECO

by Xtralis – ASD plus gas detection and environmental monitoring, OSID by Xtralis – smoke detection for open areas, ADPRO® by Xtralis – perimeter, multisite and enterprise security, and ASIM™ by Xtralis – traffic detection.

Xtralis’ technologies prevent disasters by giving users time to respond before life, critical infrastructure or business continuity is compromised.

TEL + 962 79 5211139 EMAIL marketing@xtralis.com WEB www.xtralis.com

VICTAULIC

Victaulic AquaFlex® Sprinkler Fitting Range

Blazemark is an intuitive, modern web application to develop, deploy, and share pre-plans. With just a simple web browser enter information/media about sites, buildings, structures, protection, water supplies, hazmats, etc. and produce a printable & portable PDF document for hard-copy storage and offline use as needed. This modern solution permits Blazemark to custominterconnect with many existing systems and industry initiatives. The power of a 24x7, high-availability secure web server allows control of multi-level security access on a need-to-know basis for various groups. Blazemark allows users to be in Groups and allow Groups to “share” preplans with other Groups in readonly fashion for true “mutual aid” and response team interoperability.

Victaulic AquaFlex® offers fast, dependable installation, durable performance and is cost effective for maintenance and retrofit applications, requiring fewer man hours to install. It is a convenient and safe solution that is easier to position than rigid piping.

AquaFlex® stainless steel sprinkler fittings are suitable for commercial suspended and hard ceilings and for round or square duct work to provide fire protection where combustible gasses may be present.

The range comes preassembled and consists of a flexible stainless steel hose, a reducer for connecting the sprinkler and a branch nipple for attachment to the piping system. A versatile and time saving installation-ready bracket is included when ordered as kit.

For more information about the AquaFlex® product line, visit www.victaulic.com/aquaflex.

TEL 001 215 321 6260 WEB www.getBlazemark.com

TEL +971 48838 870 WEB www.victaulic.com/aquaflex

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

To advertise in this section please contact Wendy Otway on +44 (0)1795 530111 or email fire.middleeast@btinternet.com

FIKE

ATEIS

Integrated voice evacuation & messaging system

PAVA System for Small to Medium Installations

Fike Alarm Systems has rounded out its complete line of fire alarm solutions with the 2010 Integrated Voice Evacuation and Messaging System. Fike’s Integrated Voice System offers a safer means of communicating in an emergency situation, and features integrated back-up amplifiers for built-in redundancy, virtually unlimited messaging, multiple levels of fault protection, and the flexibility to fit any application, from single-channel to large distributed systems. Fike’s Integrated Voice Evacuation System is built around the intelligent and dependable CyberCat® fire alarm panel technology.

The seamless combination of fire detection and voice messaging, simplifies operation, installation and programming of the entire system. For more information on all of Fike’s safety products visit our website.

WEB www.fike.com

FIRE FIGHTING ENTERPRISES

New Instructional Online Videos Fire Fighting Enterprises Ltd (FFE), leading provider of optical beam smoke detectors, has recently launched a new range of training and technical support videos on its website at www.ffeuk.com/training.

The videos give a visual walk-through of the step-by-step process to correctly commission the FIRERAY 5000 and FIRERAY 50/100R reflective beam smoke detectors. This obviously lets users actually see exactly what they need to do, or even follow the video during their own setup process as each step is displayed and explained on-screen with audio and visual guidance.

In the coming months, more videos will be added to support other products and in multiple languages for.

TEL +44 (0) 1462 444 740 EMAIL sales@ffeuk.com WEB www.ffeuk.com

TELECTRON

Ideal for industrial flame detection Telectron, a specialised engineering house operating since 1974 based in the UAE, is pleased to work with Detector Electronic Corporation in offering a premier solution in Fire & Gas monitoring for industrial applications.

As part of a complete solution, the X3301 Multispectrum IR flame detector is ideal for harsh industrial settings that require the highest level of false-alarm rejection.

This single device detects flames from multiple fuel sources, can detect a n-Heptane fire at 210 feet, and has a solid cone of vision for methane. Accurate performance is enhanced by the detector’s heated optics and automatic optical integrity check.

TEL www.safety.det-tronics.com

The Diva8M from ATEIS is a compact PAVA system compliant with EN 60849, EN54-16, and BS5839-8 standards and ideal for small to medium-sized installations such as malls, hotels, restaurants, museums and other public places. The module incorporates a digital signal processor (DSP), matrix, digital message player, fully monitored fireman microphone, together with amplifier monitoring and switching to a backup amplifier. It can process and route a PSSG2 security microphone console or up to 8 cascaded PSM paging microphones and two 0 dB audio inputs, plus one Mic/Line input, into 2 Music and Voice channels. Each input is fitted with volume controls and equalisers.

Up to 45 minutes of digital messages can be produced as WAV files directly from a computer into the DIVA8M Master unit. 2 messages can be played simultaneously in different zones and 1 can be used as a chime for the PSS paging console.

Each DIVA8M Master unit and DIVA8S Slave unit has 8 output zones with a+b wiring which can be routed manually or automatically to either audio channel. The DIVA8S Slave unit can have up to 128 zones. The 2 Music channels can be switched ON/OFF in each zone separately and can be used as a second alarm channel for an evacuation.

From the front panels, the user can route the fireman microphone signal and 3 digital messages into selected zones and control the music in each zone separately. In case of evacuation, the zones’ attenuators are automatically bypassed. 1 output contact per zone (8 per unit) can be activated each time the zone is occupied with a source having a higher priority than the music (alarm or microphone paging).

All DIVA components and peripherals are constantly monitored (without music interruption). All incidents are recorded into a data file which can be consulted on the DIVA8M Master unit display or on a PC. Also any detected faults and alarm status are signalled by general fault and alarm output contacts.

A local loudspeaker enables selective listening to all the sources and the system’s output signals.

TEL +971 43262730 EMAIL info@ateis.ae WEB www.ateais.ae

SIMULATION TERS

Excellence in fire training simulators Simulation are international specialists in the manufacture, installation and commissioning of live fire training simulators for the Fire & Rescue Services.

The company provides a complete project management service offering: • research & feasibility • advice & consulting • design & build Simulation supplies to civil airports; the civil defence; military, industrial, offshore and maritime training schools.

TEL +44 1283 213395 EMAIL lp@simulation.uk.com WEB www.simulation.uk.com

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

DuPont™ FM-200® Protecting the World’s Assets In 2010 newly installed FM-200® systems protected 2 million cubic metres of high valued assets and critical facilities throughout the Middle East. This can be compared to protecting the Burj Khalifa from top to bottom, with enough left over to protect all of Emirates Tower One. FM-200® is expected to protect at least another ‘Burj Khalifa’s worth’ this year as well Since the 1950’s DuPont has provided the technology to safely protect the world’s most important assets. From the initial development and commercialisation of Halon 1301 to today’s family of clean, safe, and effective fire suppression agents, DuPont has led with innovative science and application research and development. Today DuPont™ FM-200® is the world’s preferred choice when protecting assets, people and the environment from fire. Over 70% of all clean agent installations since the early 1990s have used hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-based agents, primarily FM-200®.

In 2011 the global and regional acceptance of FM-200® shows no sign of slowing down.

Strong global demand for FM-200® fire suppression, combined with the global economic recovery, continues to put pressure on raw material supply to the fluorochemical industry. Current DuPont production plans indicate while 2011 production will be strong, the quantities of FM-200® available in 2011 will be slightly less than in 2010 and we may see some shortages in specific packages or regions.

DuPont is allocating available production to our primary Operating Regions and OEM partners in the US, EMEA and Asia Pacific and has taken additional measures to ensure continued availability.

FM-200® has proven itself time and time again. Its unique combination of characteristics makes it the top choice for fire professionals worldwide.

DuPont™ FM-200® is:

Safe:

Efficient

Cost effective

Environmentally sustainable

Tried and tested

Safe FM-200® systems designed in accordance with the applicable international standards (NFPA 2001, ISO 14520) pose no danger to personnel inside the protected enclosure. Best practice is to ensure all personnel evacuate an area where a fire has been detected, but when this is not possible (nuclear facilities, air traffic controllers, hospitals), it is critical to choose an agent that when discharged does not itself pose any danger to persons in the room. FM-200® is the clear choice for these situations.

Unlike inert gas systems, FM-200® systems do not significantly lower the oxygen level in a room. Instead the FM-200® agent puts

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FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

out fires by absorbing the heat of the flame until it can no longer sustain itself. The advantages of this mechanism are lower quantity of agent required; no drop in oxygen levels and minimisation of combustion.

In addition, FM-200® does not metabolise in the human body, meaning it does not react at all when inhaled. This makes it ideal for use in occupied areas.

Efficient & cost effective When compared on a mass basis, FM-200® is the most efficient clean agent available. Using less agent translates into lower cost and a smaller system footprint, resulting in improved efficiency, easier installation and service, and a better return on your fire protection investment.

Environmentally sustainable FM-200® has a zero Ozone Depletion Potential, which makes it a viable and sustainable alternative to Halon. It holds relevant approvals around the world and continues to set the performance benchmark for clean agent fire suppression systems.

HFC fire extinguishing agents are also accepted under all current global warming initiatives. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States estimates that less than 0.01% of climate change impact is due to HFC fire extinguishing agents. This makes FM-200® an environmentally sustainable solution well into the foreseeable future.

There are no bans or restrictions in place on the use of FM-200® globally. The latest F-Gas regulation assessment report from the European Union, due out in July, discusses options to further reduce F-gas emissions. The current draft imposes no limitations on the use of FM-200® and proposes no new fees or taxes to impede its use.

To further support the sustainability of FM-200® in the Middle East, DuPont recently announced the launch of the FM-200® Falcon Customer Protection Program. Falcon CPP gives customers in the region the assurance that they have chosen the best fire protection for their critical applications. The Falcon Customer Protection Program provides a 20 year warranty for DuPont customers and is currently available in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Tried and tested With over 20 years and hundreds of thousands of applications worldwide, from the Eiffel Tower to Burj Khalifa, from Dusseldorf Airport to the Dubai Metro, FM-200® is time and time again the agent of choice for clean agent systems.

DuPont’s family of clean agent fire suppressants also includes FE-36™, providing maximum protection for people and assets in a portable fire extinguisher. The range of DuPont™ FE™ extinguishing agents embody the commitment of the company, for more than 208 years, to the safety of people, assets, and the environment.

For more information, please contact your nearest DuPont office.

DuPont Middle East (Dubai): +971 4 3439774

When asset protection matters most.

DuPont™ FM-200®.

DuPont™ FM-200® clean agent can reach extinguishing levels in 10 seconds or less, stopping ordinary combustible, electrical, and flammable liquid fires before they cause significant damage. When fire is extinguished that quickly, it means less damage, lower repair costs, and an extra margin of safety for employees and valuable assets—making it easier to keep your business running smoothly.

Make sure your business is protected with the most widely specified clean agent in the world. Get maximum protection with DuPont™ FM-200®.

1.800.473.7790 cleanagents.dupont.com DuPont Fire Extinguishants. The Science of Protection.™

Copyright © 2010 DuPont. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont ™, The miracles of science ™, The Science of Protection ™, and FM-200 ® are trademarks or registered trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

DEALING WITH DISASTER

Major Challenge Faces Fire and Rescue Teams as Huge Earthquake and Tsunami Hits Northern Japan Japanese firefighters and rescue teams were quickly called into action during the midafternoon of 11 March 2011 when a major offshore earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale was soon followed by a tsunami, some 20 feet high, that swept all in its path along much of a 1,300 mile stretch of the northern eastern coastline of Japan Cities and villages alike were affected, and even as the sheer scale of the disaster unfolded, it became clear that the human toll was high.

The earthquake caused a large number of fires in properties ranging from urban factory complexes through to dwelling houses in rural areas of the region. Large sections of the affected area were isolated for days on end due to the severe damage caused to road and rail links, and communications were initially also badly affected. A large number of aftershocks further complicated the firefighting and rescue operation.

As news of the disaster spread , the international response from firefighting and rescue teams grew and within hours, experienced and well-equipped crews from around the world were being mobilised to assist Japanese firefighters with the immediate tasks facing them.

The United Kingdom contingent, for instance, quickly mobilised over 60 specialist search and rescue personnel drawn from several regions of the country, taking with them over 11 tonnes of equipment and two search dogs to Japan. Other similar specialist groups came from Pacific Rim countries, USA, Canada and mainland Europe.

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DEALING WITH DISASTER

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

23

DEALING WITH DISASTER The task facing all the rescue teams was daunting. Within days

of the earthquake and tsunami, the Japanese government estimated that some 10,000 people had died and over 12,000 were listed as missing. It was feared that these initial casualty figures would rapidly rise and search and rescue tasks facing the gathering army of firefighters drawn from across Japan and elsewhere in the world was almost overwhelming in its magnitude.

In addition to those casualties buried under collapsed buildings and structures, other survivors of the catastrophe required rescue from roofs, high ground, and even from floating debris and water around the coastline. Paramedic and medical services were also stretched to the limit in the early days after the earthquake.

Apart from numerous smaller fires, a major conflagration and explosions in a large petrochemical plant together with another in a big refinery caused great concern. A major difficulty was getting fire crews and their firefighting vehicles and equipment to the site of where they were most needed. Another critical aspect of firefighting and rescue operations was the setting up of command and control protocols although achieving an effective level in a short timescale was understandably affected by the sheer widespread nature of the disaster.

But it also quickly became apparent that an immediate focus of high profile concern to the Japanese authorities was the increasingly unstable

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state of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Authorities began to institute a large-scale evacuation from a wide area around the plant as initial measures were taken to try to control the situation.

The Japanese government subsequently instituted a mandatory evacuation order for everyone within 13 miles of the plant and began planning to kill all remaining livestock in the area.

When the earthquake first struck, the Fukushima Daiichi plant went into automatic shutdown. This was standard procedure and the reactors were kept cool by emergency generators, but when the force of the tsunami surge reached land some 30 minutes or so later, the reactors were swamped with seawater and stopped pumping the essential coolant. Efforts to bring the pumps back into operation failed, gas buildups caused successive explosions, and electrical power was lost to the plant, all compounding the worsening situation.

Within three days of the earthquake, the explosions that occurred in the Fukushima plant appeared to have released radioactive dust into the atmosphere. Government officials admitted that it was “highly likely” that the fuel rods in three separate reactors at the plant had started to melt despite the concerted efforts to cool them using seawater pumped from the nearby coastline. Safety officials said they could not rule out a full meltdown as workers, including local firefighters, struggled to keep temperatures under control in the cores of the reactors.

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Lion Develops New Technical Support Programme for Middle East Lion Apparel, one of the world’s leading providers of high performance protective clothing for firefighters, has developed a specialist technical support programme for its customers in the Middle East. The initiative is part of the company’s commitment to develop and maintain long term partnerships with customers in the region and ensure that all of their needs continue to be met.

Lion has made a considerable investment in the Middle East in recent years, which has resulted in a major growth in sales.

Most recently, the company has been awarded new contracts for over 6,000 Pro-Tek Max fire suits by civil defence organisations and a number of industrial brigades.

The new technical support programme ensures full support for customers and Lion’s own personnel work closely with them to deliver tailored seminars and workshops so that operations staff can have a full understanding of how to maintain and protect their PPE. As part of the new support programme Lion delivered over six seminars to more than 500 officers and majors across a number of locations in the last three months. The seminars

included a technical demonstrations of the operational use of all specialist fire kit, as well as presentations on how the kit should be used and cared for on a day to day basis.

Chirag Chudasama, Sales and Marketing Director (UK & ME), Lion Apparel, said: “We are committed to ensuring that our customers in the Middle East benefit from the highest standards of customer service. The new technical support programme has been developed specifically for our customers in the region and will ensure that they get the most out of their protective clothing.”

Chirag continued: “The seminars give senior operational staff the opportunity to spend time with our technical team and gain a full understanding of the clothing’s design and application. It is a process that also allows them to raise any questions they may have and discuss how their own needs are best met.”

Lion’s success is as a result of the recognition for its Pro-Tek Max ensemble, developed to provide the highest standard of protection for firefighters and incorporating some unique new design innovations. The suit includes a 205gm PBI® outer fabric, delivering extremely high tensile strength and Gore’s CROSSTECH® breathable moisture barrier. The company has developed a unique new lining system that uses its proprietary shadowbox wicking technology to remove moisture and heat from the body. This liner is soft and smooth, creating a high level of comfort and is ideally suited to the hot climate conditions of the Middle East.

Knee pads are covered in Kevlar® based Arashield, specially cut to allow more freedom of movement and comfort. Extra material is included in the back and front of the trouser waist to provide greater protection to the back and stomach areas when bending. Firefighters will experience greater freedom of movement thanks to an under arm bellows system and an extra seam sown into the elbow. These innovative additions allow a much greater range of arm movement without the jacket riding up.

For further information go to www.lioninternational.co.uk

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

25

DEALING WITH DISASTER

A firefighter rigged in a multi-threat personal protective suit and equipment, tackles a chemical incident

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FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

DEALING WITH DISASTER As several new fires broke out amid the damaged structure

of the plant, officials also admitted for the first time that the inner containment vessel of one reactor was damaged, raising the prospect of far more dangerous levels of radioactivity escaping and a much greater health risk. In many cases, the teams working close to the plant braved high radiation levels as they continued to pump cooling seawater into the damaged reactor building and also added quantities of boric acid, which can dampen nuclear reactions.

However, despite all these efforts, it became clear that the reactor cores at Fukishima were melting and over the next few days, the level of the nuclear emergency began to be progressively raised as the situation further deteriorated.

On 13 April, the Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency upgraded the disaster to the maximum level 7 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale. The level 7 rating put Fukushima Daiichi in the same category as the devastating 1986 Chernobyl explosion in Russia.

However, the Japan Times reported that the government would be prepared to let some residents back in to the area to collect belongings but only one person from each household to return for a limited time.

Even as those who once lived near the plant attempted to pick up something of their lives, emergency crews at the Fukishima site worked tirelessly to bring the melting reactors under control.

Using massive high-volume pumps, many drafted in from around the region, together with airborne drops, workers continued to pour seawater onto the reactors in an effort to cool them down.

However, whilst these emergency measures appeared to have some effect, they did present major problems. As the reactors were doused with water, some of it boiled off and created steam clouds laden with radioactive material.

Cooling water that did not evaporate began to pool at the bottom of the reactors and mix with material from the nuclear fuel.

The water that pooled was highly radioactive and some of this water escaped to the ocean where it was likely to be a potential threat to the environment around the plant for years to come, threatening Japan’s vital fishing economy. Faced with the choice between allowing the reactors to completely meltdown or creating a lake of radioactive water, workers at Fukushima Daiichi chose to continue with their efforts to try to stabilise and control the situation.

As Fire Middle East goes to press, more positive reports state that electricity supply has been restored to all the nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This means that the control panels have now been illuminated instead of there being an inky darkness, and electricity is now energising the plant’s cooling pumps.

The Fukushima Daiichi plant is operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Company. On 17 April Company Chairman, Tsunehisa Katsumata, stated that the company aims to bring the crisis under control in the next six to nine months. He told a news conference that the company had a phased plan to end the crisis and allow residents who have been evacuated from the area around the plant to return home. The company was focusing on cooling the reactors and spent fuel rods, cleaning water that has been contaminated by radiation, mitigating the release of radiation into the atmosphere and soil, and measuring and reducing the amount of radiation affecting the evacuation area.

The lessons from Fukushima Daiichi for the power generation industry and in particular, the emergency services, are yet to be determined. Fire Middle East will carry further reports on the overall outcomes of the Japanese disaster in future editions.

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T H E M AGA Z I N E F O R F I R E P R E V E N T I O N , FIRE FIGHTING AND RESCUE

FIRE Middle East is the only fire publication which is free to subscribe to and distributed throughout the Middle East & North Africa.

More than 42,000 people whose role encompasses the protection of people, property and the environment from fire read a copy of FME, 3 times a year. In excess of a 1,000 more subscribe to the online version.

FIRE Middle East is the only publication which is the sole official fire magazine at major fire & rescue events in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.

FME is the publication of choice for fire industry marketing specialists when • launching a product • announcing an exhibition / conference • re-inforcing a brand • offering a service • creating a presence in the region • promoting product ranges It is also the preferred magazine / reference source for technical information, advice, news and product updates for fire safety professionals throughout the region.

There will be more than 20,000 copies of the SEPTEMBER issue in circulation and FME will be the official fire magazine at two major conferences & exhibitions: FIRE & RESCUE MIDDLE EAST, Abu Dhabi 31st October – 2nd November QATAR 3rd CIVIL DEFENCE, Doha 14th November – 16th November For more information go to www.firemiddleeastmagazine.com or email fire.middleeast@btinternet.com

WE ARE PLEASED TO CONFIRM THAT THE DECEMBER ISSUE WILL BE THE OFFICIAL FIRE MAGAZINE AT INTERSEC IN DUBAI FROM JANUARY 15-17.

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INCIDENT INFORMATION AND COMMAND

Pre-Incident Information and Incident Command System Recent world events, such as the Japanese earthquake and tsunami have shown the reality of the need for systems to manage multiple, long-term major disasters and incidents simultaneously, and the value of quality preincident information being available to those tasked with managing these emergencies.

Greg Jakubowski, Principal and Chief Engineer, Fire Planning Associates, Inc, Washington Crossing, PA, USA reports The Incident Command System (ICS) was born about 40 years ago in the United States, and has been utilized worldwide to manage incidents that have lasted minutes or hours, or days or even weeks in length.

In recent years, ICS programs have been developed to train individuals in dealing with complex incidents that might involve large areas.

A key piece to a strong management system for complex incidents is quality pre-emergency information about the area, and the facilities involved in the emergency. After a massive natural disaster occurs, with man-made nuclear, chemical or biological implications, is not a good time to start trying to gather key information about a facility to assist in managing an incident. Where do you stand with pre-incident information about your facility? Do you have it? Is it in a binder securely located inside your facility (which you may or may not be able to access during a disaster), in a file in an administrative office somewhere, or is it readily accessible to your incident management team, and your community incident management team?

Large complex facilities can develop a life of their own during a disaster. It is best for facilities management personnel if this does not occur, and while “automatic” shutdowns and other safety features are good, they may often require some form of human intervention.

How these shutdowns and safety features work is critical for incident managers and incident planning officers to understand and be able to properly use during these key times.

How the building or facility is constructed can play an important role in managing an emergency in the building or facility. But this information can only best be utilized when it is accessible to responders and incident managers in a time of crisis.

INCIDENT INFORMATION AND COMMAND

This appears to be a photo of a simple office building:

However, if we have done a good job of planning this same building during construction, we find that it is not what it looks like at first glance - it is an outpatient cancer centre with some sophisticated multi-million dollar medical equipment in this section of the building.

This equipment uses gamma rays to treat patients, and thus has concrete walls built around this section:

Had pre-incident planning not been done during construction, and then documented in a software programme that makes this information available to firefighters, police, and EMS, responders arriving at an emergency might be quite surprised to find 4 feet (1.22 metres) of solid concrete behind the “windows” of this building and be challenged by the 8000 pound (3629 kg) doors to these rooms. But, since effective pre-emergency information gathering was completed, accurate data about the facility is available to responders that would be on the scene, and area commanders whom may be miles (kilometres) away.

Preplan information is not only valuable for firefighters, but also for police/security forces which may need to deal with an active shooter or a hostage situation in a building such as this, or to find a place to shelter in case of severe weather or civil violence/ disturbance. Webbased programs allow the integration of MSDS databases, security and traffic cameras, and other web-based resources into the pre-incident information cache for responders, commanders, and planning officers.

We have watched media cameras at incidents from a distance or aerial reconnaissance of disaster zones showing damage to facilities in plain sight. We may have also received the call that a facility outside of our region that is in trouble, and what advice can we provide to them?

In these situations, having a good understanding of what is being exposed by these facilities, and what protective systems are in place in these facilities can provide great assistance to the incident management team in attempting to stabilize the situation, and save lives and property.

Preparing your response teams with a strong, well-exercised incident command system and first-class pre-incident information will provide a strong basis for achieving success in some of the worst conditions.

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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PPE EQUIPMENT

The Need for Multi-Threat Personal Protection for Fire and Rescue Personnel One of the primary factors of personnel dealing with a CBRN emergency incident is the provision of an effective level of personal protection equipment (PPE). It is absolutely critical that emergency services have the best possible level of protection as they proceed into an identified CBRN incident Multi-wear PPE ensembles designed to provide protection against a variety of threats, including chemical/biological terrorism agents, are required to meet the following standards:

BS EN 8467:2006 category B2

BS EN 943:2002

CE Approved

NFPA 1994 Standard on Protective Ensembles for First Responder to CBRN Terrorism Incidents, Class 2.

NFPA 1992 Standard on Liquid-Splash Protective Ensembles and Clothing for Hazardous Materials Emergencies.

One suit that meets these standards is the Lion Apparel Tactix® MT94. This suit has a wide range of uses, including technical rescue, HAZMAT, confined space rescue, decon, high-risk entries (such as narcotics labs), and bomb (secondary threat protection). It also offers protection against flame and “weaponized” chemical and biological agents.

According to Lion Apparel, the MT94 is separated from all other chemically-protective ensembles by nature of its combination of durability, mobility, safety, and comfort. During extensive wear trials, the suit really demonstrated its tactical mobility. It has proven to provide the wearer with a higher level of capabilities than they can achieve with alternative ensembles that might be used for the same function. The suit has additional factors in its favour. Its increased capability allows first responders to perform more effectively in rescue operations and another plus is that it is re-usable. It can be employed for multiple wears and have multiple washings, as long as it has not been exposed or contaminated.

The MT94 employs GORE™ CHEMPAK Ultra Barrier fabric, a thin, lightweight, and high-strength PTFE film with a tough NOMEX® outer shell. When combined with the streamlined design

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of the suit, it delivers outstanding protection and creates a significant reduction in weight and bulk. This provides a greater range of motion, increased mobility, and ease in donning and doffing.

The suit interfaces with many commonly-used CBRN breathing apparatus systems. Standard features on the emergency services ensemble include a radio pocket on the left chest, roomy thigh pockets, hook and loop ID tabs, and yellow and silver 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material on the wrists, pants cuffs, and back. The MT94 is available in navy for law enforcement applications. Standard features include thigh pockets, hook and loop ID tabs, and hook and loop belt loops for duty belts.

F I R E M I D D L E E AS T M AGA Z I N E C O V E R S T H E R E G I O N A L S H O W S A N D W I L L B E AT T E N D I N G : THE INAUGURAL FIRE RESCUE MIDDLE EAST EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE IN ABU DHABI, 31 OCTOBER TO 2 NOVEMBER 2011 THE 3RD QATAR CIVIL DEFENCE EXHIBITION IN DOHA, 14 - 16 NOVEMBER 2011 INTERSEC IN DUBAI, 15 - 17 JANUARY 2012

UR O Y K O O B !

W O N D STAN The largest and most comprehensive exhibition and conference for security and safety in the Middle East • • • •

Commercial Security & Information Security Fire & Rescue Homeland Security & Policing Safety & Health

January 15 – 17, 2012 Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dubai, UAE

Intersec 2011 – once again a big success!

• Visitor numbers up by 13% • Exhibitor numbers up by 14% • Proved again to be the most important Safety and Security exhibition in the Middle East

www.intersecexpo.com

IN CASE OF FIRE: FIRE MIDDLE EAST CASE STUDY

THE PROCESS FROM DESIGN TO POST PRODUCTION There is a lot more to fire protection regulation than simply following the rules – helping shape them is important as well.

Len Swantek, Director of Global Regulatory Compliance at Victaulic is an expert on the regulatory process. He takes Victaulic products through the from design to post production, and explains the importance of sharing responsibility in the industry.

Regulation is a highly complex affair for every company involved.

With nearly 100 different projects in the approval cycle at any given time plus follow-up examinations,Victaulic can expect to be audited over 200 times each year by external agencies. Given the critical applications where the company’s components are applied across such a broad range of systems around the world, it is not surprising that there should be so much scrutiny – but it does require considerable management and coordination to meet both agency and customer requirements.

Before regulatory procedures even begin, a tremendous amount of time is put into research and development.Victaulic is a designfocussed company that drives industry trends, and its engineers are involved in research and development all year round, evaluating new ideas and working on prototypes.

Development of a new product is lengthy – often taking well over 18 months.

Concurrent with this is also process development to assure consistency of global manufacturing to a wide range of international standards.

Once a new product is ready for market and the company is certain that every unit shipped will perform identically, rigorous internal pre-qualification testing is carried out in anticipation of regulatory requirements. Victaulic replicates known scenarios that could be encountered, applying process technology and even re-engineering products as necessary.

Fire protection industry regulations are constantly changing and a clear understanding of the most up-to-date requirements is vital to the successful completion of the approval cycle and managing time to market.

The level of regulatory involvement varies from one market to another, but fire protection is one of the most regulated industries and the product testing carried out is among the most exacting of all market segments. Whilst heavily influenced by the insurance industry, fire protection and fire safety also are amongst the most widely

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recognised areas of public concern globally, irrespective of cultural or demographic influence.

The five most commonly specified regulatory authorities in the world are FM Approvals (FM) and Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) in the US, the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) in the UK,VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH (VdS) in Germany and China Certification Centre for Fire Products (CCCF) in China.

Take a product such as a Style 009H FireLock® coupling - one of the most popular Victaulic products and part of their patented “installation-ready” line of couplings. This product consists of two ductile iron housings, an elastomeric gasket, two bolts and two nuts. The 009H was subjected to testing and examination by 20 different agencies globally.

Victaulic initiates the testing process by sending a confidential data “package” to each agency, containing approval objectives along with a product performance outline with detailed specifications, as well as internal test data and technical drawings.

The components of this package must be accurate and complete, and can take weeks to compile.

In order to facilitate the actual performance testing, product samples, pipe of various specifications and other related equipment must be organized and shipped to applicable agency facilities globally. At this stage, documentation must already be available in multiple languages for examiners to assemble equipment themselves based on an assumed level of skill equal to that of the end user. On average, the testing process can take three to six months to complete.

The approval authorities also are concerned with the manufacturing and assembly locations of specific finished parts or sub-assemblies.

Those parts that are most critical to the overall performance of the finished assembly will have greater regulatory oversight. Manufacturing in multiple locations globally may optimise supply chain logistics, but this can greatly increase costs as each location must be certified and audited on a regular basis.

In the event of a non-conformance at this late stage, a manufacturer risks losing valuable time to market and must resubmit for the evaluation process again, but only after design alterations have been finalized and documented. Upon successful completion of all platform certifications, the next segment of regional approvals can be initiated with similar steps involved.

IN CASE OF FIRE: FIRE MIDDLE EAST CASE STUDY

With over 32 regional agencies throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India and Asia-Pacific, and each having individual jurisdictional authority over specific systems or applications, approvals for the remaining market segments can take another six to nine months to complete.

Manufacturers like Victaulic can only go to market when they have secured all applicable certifications and each product or package carries the appropriate agency markings. Once complete, only then can results be reviewed and data fed back to the research and development teams.

Finally, all project correspondence is archived and manufacturers move on to the audit management process.

Audit management is the final phase in the regulatory cycle. This phase starts when a product certification is officially released and only ends when the product is no longer produced. Through various followup procedures and factory production control systems, products are retested annually as a minimum requirement. Some regulatory authorities re-examine products quarterly - and some even on a weekly basis - to ensure high-quality performance to regional agency codes and standards and to verify manufacturing processes remain unchanged.

Auditing is important because codes are constantly evolving to improve health and safety as a result of real-world factors. Witness, for example, the recent changes in the EU related to commerce policies.

Additionally, changes are frequently driven by trends in construction techniques – some for instance are prompted by the push towards lighter-weight and more disposable materials – but also by situations and events that occur in the field.

Victaulic views its role in the regulatory process as going beyond simply respecting the rules. The company has a department dedicated to regulatory compliance with regional teams across the globe, and sees regulation as an area of social responsibility where it can participate to benefit the communities in which it conducts business. An example of this is its dedication and support of fire safety research, and direct participation within many local and global codes and standards development committees.

The company works with regulators as well as other manufacturers to overcome problems encountered in the various industries and to better protect property and lives.Victaulic aims to learn from real-life situations and effect change where needed – whether this means collaborating in committees with competitors and regulatory bodies to create the most well-rounded and effective regulations, or joining with contractors and end-users to help solve real-world problems and build on shared learning to develop a new generation of products.

Working together is important - the safety of our communities is after all, the number one consideration of everyone in this business.

For more information visit www.victaulic.com

RENITHERM PROTECTS WATER DESALINATION PLANT IN BAHRAIN All of the steel constructions within the sizeable Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) plant in Durrat Al Bahrain are safely protected from fire by intumescent RENITHERM coatings which are made in Germany.

German AUDAX-Keck GmbH supplied their RENITHERM fire protection coatings for the ambitious 8,5 million USD project headed by civil contractor Nass contracting. The client, Energy Central, erected several buildings within an area of 5.020 sqm.

All steel constructions were treated with RENITHERM high-quality intumescent coatings for passive fire protection. The special high performance film coatings, with an average thickness of about 1mm and a wide range of colours, function as an effective heat shield for the protection of structural steel in case of fire.

For more information visit www.audax.de FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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IN CASE OF FIRE: FIRE MIDDLE EAST CASE STUDY

OSID SETS NEW STANDARDS IN BEAM DETECTION Fire Detection in open spaces presents unique challenges. Xtralis™, the company behind VESDA, has launched the award winning OSID (Open Area Smoke Imaging Detection) revolutionary technology designed for open spaces. OSID delivers verified results including fast, unsurpassed immunity to reflections, vibrations and extreme building movement; and highest immunity to dust, steam, fog, condensation and other obstructions.

OSID has been deployed on test sites in Europe and has been tested and verified in a wide array of application environments, including warehouses, metro stations, railway tunnels, places of worship, polluted manufacturing facilities and others.

On one of the sites G. Rymenans, Project Manager for at VAG Security, could not believe that any active smoke detection system could protect his plant. “The system is now running for 3 months without any faults or false alarms while being subjected to vibration, building movement and continuous moving cranes in the facility”.

“On top, the installation took only 25% of the time we would have spend on installing beam detectors if these had been able to operate in this environment”.

A significant benefit of OSID is its ability to provide volumetric coverage. As many as seven emitters can be placed within the field of

view of a single imager, each placed at different heights. The imager's large viewing angles, both horizontal and vertical, enable three-dimensional area coverage for design flexibility and additional deployment savings.

OSID overcomes the weaknesses of traditional detection solutions used in large, open spaces. In its simplest configuration, OSID resembles a beam detector but is an entirely new technology. Unlike Video Smoke Detection, OSID works reliably in any environment – regardless of lighting, smoke type or airflows.

Jorge Moreno, Program Manager, Environmental and Building Technologies, Frost & Sullivan, says that the quality and reliability improvements achieved by OSID have resulted in better performance and higher resistance to false alarms typically caused by dust, steam, insects, objects or human interference.

Ghassan Habelrih, Executive Vice President of Safety Products and Business Development for Xtralis, said: “Uniquely OSID provides the highest possible reliability in protection of facilities at low installed cost, yet maintains the system integrator’s bottom line over the life of the service contract, leaving everyone satisfied.”

For more information visit www.xtralis.com

HOCHIKI AMERICA INSTALLATIONS IN EGYPT Hochiki America is well known for the high level of reliability exhibited by all of its products and the Hochiki America FireNet™ fire control systems are UL 864 9th edition listed. Recent installations in Egypt both use the analogue addressable fire control panels from the FireNET™ series.

Full-featured and expandable, FireNET™ control panels can be networked into very cost-effective multi-panel multizone systems.

Hochiki America analogue detectors – also known as sensors – work with the special noise immune Digital Communication Protocol (DCP) technology which utilises interrupts for fast response to fires.

The DCP is robust, unique and is the original transmission protocol of Hochiki America. These detectors also use a simple and reliable device addressing method so that the system can identify the detector.

All Hochiki analogue detectors have a built-in test feature.

Aswan Armed Forces Hotel in Egypt This system was installed in 2008. This is the biggest hotel to date (March 2011) in Aswan, Egypt. Armed Forces hotels are used by American military personnel when they are assigned to overseas projects.

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This particular installation was handled by the Hawan Office consultancy and consists of 3 FireNET control panels. Each of these panels handles 4 Loops.

Each loop of a FireNET control panel can handle up to 127 sensors. This installation included 800 model ALG-V photoelectric smoke sensors and 100 model ATG-EA heat sensors. If filled to capacity, this installation could handle up to 1524 sensors before having to add another FireNET panel.

American School in Egypt The American School in New Cairo is very modern and one of the biggest international schools in Egypt. The installation consultant was Crown Home and this system was installed in 2010.

This installation consists of one FireNET™ control panel connected to 500 uemodel ALK-V photoelectric analog sensors and 60 model ACA Multi-Criteria Sensors. A Multi-Criteria sensor senses smoke from a wide range of combustibles found in various applications.

It minimises false alarms while effectively sensing flaming fires as well as smouldering fires.

For more information visit www.hochiki.com

IN CASE OF FIRE: FIRE MIDDLE EAST CASE STUDY

WORLD FIRST FOR ATEIS AT THE DUBAI CIVIL DEFENCE HEADQUARTERS ATEIS ME has installed the world’s first integrated fire alarm and PAVA control panel at Dubai Civil Defence Headquarters.

The VELOX 4000 INT is the industry’s first fully integrated fire alarm control panel, paging microphone console and fire telephone handset, incorporated with pro-audio capability in a single enclosure.

No government department has pushed the boundaries of life safety, emergency response and management in the UAE as much as the Dubai Civil Defence, which continues to lead the way in protecting human lives and property during life threatening and emergency situations.

It is only fitting for a responsible organization of such stature to opt for the most reliable life safety and emergency response systems on the market to meet the ever challenging demands in the fields of fire alarm and detection, public address and voice alarm (PAVA), and mass notification.

The Dubai Civil Defence authorities decided to lead by example with installation of the first ever ATEIS VELOX 4400 INT fully integrated fire alarm, mass notification, and fire telephone system with pro-audio capability in the world.

In a bid to replace its existing PAVA system with a sophisticated one, the Ministry of Interior Civil Defence Dubai Headquarters at Al Qusais became the first site to have installed the ATEIS 4400 INT control panel, giving a great head start to the product launch in the region and unparalleled recognition for the ATEIS brand.

The building is a double-storey structure with several departments.

The design for the fire detection and voice alarm system specified four PAVA zones. From the reception to corridors, stairways to multiple rooms, each zone was required to have the guarantee of complete safety and easy accessibility from a centralised location.

ATEIS provided the ideal solution for fire detection and centralised monitoring of the four PAVA zones. The fully integrated and multifunctional panel is compliant with European and British standards for fire alarm, voice evacuation and sound systems, and it has the BSI Kitemark certification.

The scale of the project required a single 4400 INT integrated fire alarm control panel, which is situated at reception near the entrance,

making it convenient for staff members to monitor and control devices along with paging and emergency alerts.

The fire alarm system comprises 150 fire detection and alarm devices with in-built isolators, mainly heat and smoke detectors and manual call points, installed on a single loop connected to the control panel. This loop can be expanded up to 6 km with up to 240 devices, depending on loop length and load calculations. The 4400 INT control panel can support up to 4 such loops.

The paging microphone console on the 4400 INT control panel is linked to a PAVA rack on the first floor. The rack houses an IDA4M audio matrix and digital signal processor (DSP), in addition to a four-channel SPAg2 Class AB amplifier.

From the PAVA rack, the network branches into four 100V loudspeaker circuits established with a total of 61 RCS5 FTS ceiling speakers for all the zones. The IDA4M monitors all the four speaker circuits.

The PSSDT paging microphone console is a monochrome, touch-screen, security interface designed for simple, user-friendly operation. All faults are indicated on the screen.

The SPAg2 4120 amplifier on the PAVA rack is designed for operation with either AC mains or 24DC and has indicators on the front panel to show functional and operational status of the device and fault conditions.

The integrated fire telephone handset is part of the emergency voice communication system for situations when radio communication may not work. The secure, bi-directional, full duplex voice communication system allows routing of emergency messages to any zone on fixed or roaming outstation roaming handsets.

The possibilities of expansion of the system’s capabilities are as broad as one’s imagination. The Civil Defence Headquarters has a strong foundation in place for future scalability. The existing network can be expanded to support up to 200 integrated fire alarm control panels on a single network extendable up to 20 km with provisions for monitoring up to 8129 voice evacuation zones. The integrated pro-audio features enable simultaneous transmission of up to 48 high-fidelity audio channels on the network.

For more information visit www.ateis.ae FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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EXHIBITION ROUND UP PROTEX ARABIA Protex Arabia was held on 13 – 16 March 2011 at the Jeddah International Exhibition Centre. The construction industry in Saudi Arabia has seen an increased awareness of the problems and enforcement of safety regulations, due to the number of major projects underway.

In response to these market developments, the first international trade exhibition to focus on fire, safety and protection in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Protex Arabia 2011 took place at the Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events from where 2000 plus visitors & delegates were presented with a copy of Fire Middle East, the event’s official fire magazine. Protex Arabia is run jointly by two market leading organisers - The CWC Group and Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions – and focused on the fastest growing sectors crucial to the Kingdom;: commercial, IT and aviation security; homeland security & policing, fire & rescue and health and safety.

The CWC Group’s Exhibitions Director, Rob Percival said “Protex Arabia gave all firms with a serious interest in the fire, safety and protection markets, the opportunity to meet with key decision makers in the Kingdom and discuss and gather first-hand information about state-of-the-art technologies and services, whilst also networking with the biggest international companies of the industry.”

Protex Arabia was the first opportunity in the Kingdom to view special demonstrations of the latest unmanned drone technology, as well as presentations the Police K9 unit and fire service. In addition to this, SFFECO hosted an awards ceremony for the exhibitors awarded special contributions to the industry.

The event was a sell-out success story and a warm welcome awaited the 40 + international and domestic exhibitors who were delighted to discuss their projects and requirements.

ARABIAN CONSTRUCTION WEEK Arabian Construction Week, one of the most significant construction events in the Middle East region and INTERMAT Middle East, the second largest construction sector exhibition worldwide, was held on 28 to 30 March 2011 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The opening of the three-day event was led by H.E. Engineer Ahmad Mohammed Shareef, Undersecretary of the Department of Municipal Affairs, Abu Dhabi. Arabian Construction Week consists of three dedicated trade shows - Green Building Middle East for sustainable construction solutions, Future Build Middle East for Innovative construction products and Civil Engineering Middle East highlighting major infrastructure developments. Held alongside Arabian Construction Week is INTERMAT Middle East, where construction companies display the latest machinery at this exhibition for superior quality builds.

According to Deloitte Middle East's GCC Powers of Construction 2010 report, the UAE has 36 per cent (US$958 billion worth) of total construction projects in the region. KSA, on the other hand, currently has a 38 per cent share of the total construction projects in the region, and is expected to launch contracts worth US$86 billion in 2011.

Additionally, Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup, where it has pledged investments of up to US$75 billion for infrastructure, public facilities,

security services and products, sports facilities, tourism, communications and transportation to manage the event.

Visitors witnessed distinguished experts from across the world speaking at four significant Summits at Arabian Construction Week.

These were the Building Smart Summit, the Green Building Summit, the Infrastructure Summit and the Climate Control Summit.

Christopher Hudson, Managing Director, Clarion Events Middle East, said: “With the launch of Arabian Construction Week and INTERMAT Middle East, future industry leaders and professionals have the potential to learn where the sector is heading in the Middle East region through conferences held by distinguished global speakers.

Last year, 93 per cent of visitors to Arabian Construction Week had purchasing power and 64 per cent placed orders directly with exhibitors during the three days with an average value order in excess of US $410,000 across all orders.”

Arabian Construction Week covered over 20,000 sq metres of exhibition space. With over 500 exhibitors and more than 10,000 industry leaders, contractors, developers, urban planners, architects, consultants, government organizations and financers attended.

INTERMAT Middle East had 100 international manufacturers and distributors and 150 represented brands. The exhibitions took place with a 9,000 sq.metre outdoor display area with interactive demonstrations, as well as a 7,000 sq.metre indoor display area.

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

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EXHIBITION ROUND UP INTERSEC 2011 The 13th edition of Intersec took place on 16 – 18 January 2011 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre and reflected the growing interest in safety & health, commercial security, homeland security, and fire & rescue related matters and topics.

Intersec recorded over 21,000 visitors, a record for the event.

Occupying 8 halls and the Pavilion, the exhibition featured over 800 exhibitors from the commercial security, homeland security and policing, fire & rescue and safety sectors, and was the largest Intersec yet held.

Intersec turned the spotlight on issues of concern in the global security industry and is the world’s foremost security and safety trade show outside of Europe. In addition to the exhibition, Intersec featured conferences, workshops, live demonstrations and much more. One of the Intersec workshops focused on emergency planning for the oil, gas and petrochemical industry and in future years the conference section of the Intersec gathering will be developed further.

Ahmed Pauwels, the Chief Executive Officer of organiser Messe Frankfurt said: “This was a record event for us in terms of exhibitor and visitor numbers. But it is not just a matter of increased numbers.

– an event also has to be well organised and of high quality. We are building on the quality and scope of Intersec year on year and it was clear that both exhibition and visitors were extremely satisfied with this year’s edition.” Mr. Pauwels continued: “The support we have received from the local authorities has been invaluable to us and we endeavour to build and nourish these relationships in the future.

By bringing together the leading international safety and security providers with representatives from the local authorities and industry, we aim to further enhance safety in the region.”

Commenting on the Intersec show, Jonas Andersson, Director of Business Development, Axis, said: “Intersec is the most important trade

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show in the region. We are demonstrating a few niche products for the market and we have a lot of leads from this event. We are expecting new business but also keeping up with relationships with our customers in the region.”

Amongst the live outdoor demonstrations in the Plaza at Intersec were those on tactical deployment, rescue, and special operations in collaboration with Dubai Police and Dubai K9 Training Department.

In addition, the annual UAE International FireFit Championship was staged and included firefighter teams from across the UAE and a guest team from Canada. The teams competed against the clock in a series of physically challenging exercises in a specially constructed arena site including a tower.

DIARY

FIRE MIDDLE EAST DIARY I N T E R N AT I O N A L T RA D E S H O W S , E X H I B I T I O N S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S TA K I N G P L A C E OVER THE COMING MONTHS 16 – 19 MAY 2011

31 OCTOBER – 2 NOVEMBER 2011

INTERNATIONAL FIREX 2011

FIRE & RESCUE MIDDLE EAST 2011

HALL 3, NATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE, BIRMINGHAM, UK www.info4fire.com

ABU DHABI NATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE ABU DHABI, UAE www.firerescuemiddleeast.com

8 – 9 JUNE 2011 14 – 16 NOVEMBER 2011

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: PREVENTION AND ELIMINATION FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE OF BELARUS MINSK, BELARUS www.rescue01.gov.by

3RD QATAR CIVIL DEFENCE EXHIBITION DOHA, QATAR www.civil-defence-exhibition.com

20 – 22 NOVEMBER 2011 12 – 15 JUNE 2011

NFPA CONFERENCE AND EXPO 2011 BOSTON CONVENTION CENTRE BOSTON, MA, USA www.nfpa.org

FIRE MIDDLE EAST

I S S U E N O 1 4 – S E P T E M B E R /O C TO B E R 2 0 1 1

The various editorial topics covered in this next edition will include features on: • • • • • • • •

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Marine Fire Safety Fire Resistant Cables Fire Safe Glazing Design and Systems Focus on Oil, Gas & Petrochemical Firefighter Training and Equipment Line Rescue Equipment Firefighting and Rescue Vehicles Show Previews: Fire & Rescue Middle East 2011, Abu Dhabi, and the 3rd Qatar Civil Defence Exhibition, Doha, Qatar

FIRE MIDDLE EAST | MAY/JUNE 2011

IFSEC ARABIA 2011 RICEC, RIYADH SAUDI ARABIA www.ifsecarabia.com

15 – 17 JANUARY 2012

INTERSEC DUBAI INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE DUBAI, UAE www.intersecexpo.com

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