Tuesday, February 21, 2012

FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS ASSOCIATION PRESENTS LEADERSHIP AWARD AT 2012 ANNUAL FORUM

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FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS ASSOCIATION PRESENTS
LEADERSHIP AWARD AT 2012 ANNUAL FORUM
William Eckholm and Roger Bourgeois to Receive Honor at President’s Banquet
Baltimore, MD- The Fire Suppression Systems Association (FSSA) today announced that William Eckholm, President and CEO of Firetrace International, and Roger Bourgeois, Founder and President of Bourgeois & Associates, Inc., will be presented with FSSA’s Leadership Award during the President’s Banquet at its 2012 Annual Forum in February in Rancho Mirage, CA.
The FSSA Leadership Award is presented annually to honor individuals in the special hazards fire protection industry that have shown great leadership and responsibility in their professional and personal lives. When choosing a recipient, the FSSA Awards Committee takes into consideration a variety of attributes including dedication to and longevity in the industry, integrity and fairness in their work, and a desire for innovation and change to improve the industry.
William Eckholm, a founding member and past president of FSSA, began his career in fire protection in 1972. Among the many impressive titles held throughout his career, he is currently President and CEO of Firetrace International, a company based in Arizona which makes automatic fire-suppression systems. Originally hired to create a business plan for the company, Eckholm stayed on board to implement his plan and was extremely successful in expanding Firetrace into new markets and areas of expertise.
Roger Bourgeois, also a past President of FSSA, has more than thirty years of experience in sales, installation, and testing of all types of automatic fire detection and suppression systems. In 1984, he founded Bourgeois & Associates, Inc., a company specializing in solving “special hazard” fire protection problems. In addition to his membership with FSSA, Bourgeois is a member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), a founding president of the Louisiana Automatic Fire Alarm Association (LA AFAA), a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS), and NICET certified at Level IV in Special Hazards Systems Layout and Fire Alarm Systems. He is also currently serving as the president of the Automatic Fire Alarm Association (AFAA).
“We are extremely proud to honor William Eckholm and Roger Bourgeois as well respected and trusted industry leaders in front of their peers at our Annual Forum,” said FSSA President, Larry Grodsky. “FSSA is grateful for their many years of service and all of their hard work and contributions to the fire protection industry.”
Eckholm and Bourgeois will receive FSSA’s coveted Leadership Award among their peers during FSSA’s 2012 Annual Forum, a four day conference bringing together industry leaders for educational sessions and industry updates from February 25 – 28, 2012.
About Fire Suppression Systems Association (www.fssa.net)
FSSA, the Fire Suppression Systems Association, is a not-for-profit trade association, drawing members internationally. FSSA is a unique blend of designer/installers, manufacturers and suppliers working together to share ideas and strategies for the benefit of the fire suppression systems industry. FSSA members are dedicated to the highest level of safety, reliability and effectiveness of special hazards fire suppression. The mission of FSSA is to promote the use of, and be the leading recognized authority on, special hazard fire protection systems; employing existing and new technologies to safeguard people, high-value assets and the environment.
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FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS ASSOCIATION
5024 Campbell Blvd., Suite R, Baltimore, MD 21236-5974
P: (410) 931-8100 F: (410) 931-8111

http://www.fssa.net

Friday, February 17, 2012

Covenant basement evacuated temporarily for hazmat

By James Clark

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) -
Lubbock firefighters were called to Covenant Medical Center for a hazmat situation just before 4:50 AM Friday. Shortly after the first firefighters arrived, the hazmat team was then called.
There was one report of an injury, a security guard who had trouble breathing.

Michael Lewis, Lubbock Fire Department Division Chief, said, "They've had one person taken to the E.R. for some inhalation, and have him checked out. We're not positive it's related to this but it could be."

KCBD NewsChannel 11 was able to confirm a discharge of halon in the computer room of the Covenant basement and the basement was evacuated for a time. Halon is a fire suppression substance. Officials at the scene were not sure why the halon was discharged, which was followed by an automated fire alarm.

People were allowed back into the basement by about 5:45.

Copyright 2012 KCBD NewsChannel 11

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

National Association of Fire Equipment Dealers (NAFED) - LAS VEGAS


We are pleased to offer you the convenience of ordering services online for the upcoming
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTORS.

Simply click on the link below:
http://www.freemanco.com/store/show/showInformation.jsp?showID=282676&sc=345950&referer=e

We look forward to doing business with you.



Please do not reply to this message directly.

If you require assistance preparing for NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTORS, please call Freeman Exhibitor Services at 702-579-1700 or email us at FreemanLasVegasES@freemanco.com.

The company information associated with REMTEC INTL is:
Customer Number: 345950
Company Address: 1100 HASKINS RD
BOWLING GREEN, OH 43402-9363

If this information is incorrect, or for other customer service assistance, please call the Freeman Customer Support Center at 888-508-5054 or send an email to CustomerSupport@freemanco.com.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Frequently Asked Questions About Halon



Q: What is Halon?
A: Halon is a fire suppressant agent found in both Fire Suppression Systems (Halon 1301) and Fire Extinguishers (Halon 1211). This is the most effective extinguishing agent available. Halon leaves no residue so causes no damage to your property.

Q: Is Halon Banned?
A: Halon is not banned. It is no longer manufactured though. The phase out is being discussed but no dates are set. For more information about the phase out you can read the Clean Air Act on the US EPA's website.

Q: Who uses Halon?
A: From protecting computer and communication rooms throughout the electronics industry, to numerous military applications on ships, aircraft and tanks, to ensuring safety on all commercial aircraft, Halon is an integral and unparalleled fire-extinguishing agent. Halon 1211 fire extinguishers play a vital role in protecting peoples' lives as well as property including homes, autos and boats.


Q: What is the HRC voluntary Code of Practice? 
A:    An ethical code of practice for reclaimers of halon. This Code of Practice has been developed to provide an assurance to the public that HRC Enrolled Sellers engaged in the business of halon recycling and recovery operate in a manner that promotes safe and environmentally responsible
halon reclamation.

Q: What are laboratory certifications? 
A:    Each cylinder or bulk tank supplied should have a laboratory certification. This means it has been tested to one of the industry-accepted standards (i.e. ISO-7201 or ASTM-D5632, Type 1 or Type 2). Every cylinder or bulk tank supplied by RemTec has laboratory certification. Always ask for complete laboratory certifications.

Q: Where can I buy recycled halon? 
A:    Recycled halon should only be purchased through a certified reclaimer like RemTec. RemTec assists sellers wishing to dispose of halon in a responsible manner, and helps buyers with "critical needs" locate supplies of Halon 1211 and 1301 for recharging their existing systems. RemTec operates a comprehensive Halocarbon Bank Management Program that meets all requirements of the EPA's 1990 Clean Air Act.

Q: What are "recycled halons?" 
A:    They are used halons cleaned by means of filtration, distillation, separation or other mechanical processes. As a result, our finished product meets the standards as set forth in ISO 7201 or ASTM D5632, Type 1 or Type 2.

Q: What is a certified reclaimer? 
A:    RemTec is a certified reclaimer. We are listed by the EPA after rigorous testing and adherence to all EPA standards. We also operate in accordance with NFPA 10 and 12A Standards and all work is performed according to the Montreal Protocol Treaty and Clean Air Act as amended in 1990. Always ask for complete laboratory certifications.

Q: I would like to remove halon from my systems. What should I do next? 
A:    Call our professionals. RemTec makes it easy for you to sell us your unwanted halon. We accept Halon 1211 and 1301 along with many CFC's, HCFC's and HFC's into our Halocarbon
Management Program.

Q: What is a Halocarbon Management Program? 
A:    RemTec established a comprehensive Halocarbon Management Program in response to our customer's environmental and fire protection needs. We purchase, reclaim and sell recycled halocarbons, meeting or exceeding all industry standards. We only sell to "critical users" and strictly follow all regulations and laws regarding the safe handling and transportation of halogenated agents.

Q: What if I need to dispose of my halon? 
A:    RemTec can also help you dispose of your halon. Occasionally, owners of ozone depleting chemicals may select destruction as a preferable option, especially if their corporate policies require permanent disposal of all ODS's (Ozone Depleting Substances), Class 1 CFC's and halons. RemTec International, stands ready to accept these unwanted agents for destruction. This program is located in Bowling Green, Ohio and can achieve destruction effiencies up to 99.9999%.

Q: What size containers do you have? 
A:    We have the following containers available for both halon 1211 and 1301: 50 lb. 100 lb. 200 lb. 300 lb. 500 lb. 1000 lb. 1 ton (2000 lb.)

Q: Can I buy a cylinder of unclean halon? 
A:    No, because when you buy a system container of halon that has not been recycled and laboratory tested, you cannot be assured of what is in it. RemTec takes great pride in selling only recycled and laboratory certified products. Always demand laboratory certifications for each tank or cylinder containing halon.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Boeing’s New ETOPS Offering Brings Asia Closer to the Rest of the World

by Gregory Polek

Boeing expects the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue approval for Rolls-Royce-powered 777s to fly 330-minute ETOPS missions by the end of the first quarter, followed by authorization for Pratt & Whitney-powered airplanes some time near the end of the year, according to 777 vice president and chief project engineer Bob Whittington. In December the company gained approval for operators of 777-300ERs, 777-200LRs, 777 Freighters and 777-200ERs powered by General Electric GE90 engines to fly up to 330 minutes from an alternate airport, allowing for more direct routes, less fuel burn and a reduction in CO2 emissions–particularly over the vast expanse of the South Pacific and on polar routes from Asia to North America and Western Europe.


The first airline to buy the new, longer ETOPS option–Air New Zealand–completed the first 240 ETOPS flight late last year with a Los Angeles-to-Auckland-bound 777-300ER. Whittington told AIN that the airlines that opt for the longer ETOPS capability must still gain operational approval from their respective regulatory agencies. Still in the midst of that approval process, ANZ must first fly 240-minute ETOPS for about a year before it can start flying routes requiring 330-minute ETOPS.

Meanwhile, Boeing continues to work toward European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval to satisfy the international regulatory agencies that require European certification, allowing Air France, for example, to fly from Paris to Tahiti. Whittington estimated the GE90-powered 777s would gain European paperwork within three to six months.

After Boeing worked with the FAA for some two-and-half years to win authority to offer 330-minute approval, analyzing data on each system to ensure they all met reliability standards, engineers needed to change nothing in the airplane, he said.

“The two major components that have to change to make the airplane good for extended ETOPS, whether it’s 240 or 330 [minutes] are the crew-oxygen and the fire- suppression systems,” explained Whittington. “So [the question is] if you have a fire in the cargo compartment, do you have enough Halon to keep it suppressed for 330 minutes.”

Most of the airlines interested in flying 240-minute ETOPS, for example, fly airplanes already equipped with extended oxygen and Halon options, he added.

“Air New Zealand, for instance, didn’t have to do anything to the airplanes,” said Whittington. “We updated their flight manual and they just had to get regulatory approval and they could go.”

One-engine-out Capability

In fact, Boeing’s ability to extend its ETOPS offering had less to do with any advances in technology than in the demonstration of the 777’s ability to divert on one engine from such distances. “A couple of things have happened,” said Whittington. “One is, we have demonstrated the reliability of the airplane and the engine over the past 15 years, which has given everybody comfort…we have real data that says all the systems are capable of operating at that ETOPS range. And the other thing is that the markets have developed, so where we used to fly just 747s essentially–big airplanes from hub to hub–and as the market fragments and wants to go to smaller point-to-point service, there has been more market demand for smaller airplanes that can fly point to point over such long distances.”

Now regularly using 240-minute ETOPS capability, ANZ flies a 777-300ER between the U.S. mainland and Auckland. For any airline, the capability will reveal its value most on missions between the South Pacific and the U.S. mainland, the South Pacific and Africa or South America, and polar routes between Asia–including such points as Singapore, China and Japan–and both Western Europe and the U.S., said the Boeing executive.

Flying directly over the North Pole using the 180-minute ETOPS standard requires open landing alternatives in Siberia, for example, forcing operators to re-plan the route and add fuel in the event of an airfield closure due to weather. Such diversions cost considerable fuel and time, while even a 240-minute ETOPS capability would avoid most such scenarios.
In fact, relatively few routes require 330-minute capability, said Whittington. Although Boeing’s package allows the airplanes to fly 330-minute ETOPS, most airlines need only 240. “When you start drawing 330-minute circles, there aren’t many places on the globe where you need to go from 240 to 330,” he said.

330-min South Pole Routes

Most of the routes that could benefit from 330-minute ETOPS–such as Sydney to Buenos Aires or Auckland to Johannesburg–take airplanes over the South Pole. “A typical 180 [ETOPS flight] across the South Pacific would create a dogleg,” explained Whittington. “If you fly direct, that’s 20 percent less fuel that you need to upload.”

While Air New Zealand will account for one of the few airlines that will make use of the 330-minute capability, the airline already gleans quite an advantage from its 240-minute ETOPS operation. Boeing calculations show that compared with a four-engine airplane, a 777 equipped to fly 240-minute ETOPS would save about 100 minutes in transit time, burn 20 percent less fuel and emit almost 20 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) on a route between the U.S. mainland and Auckland. The fuel savings alone equates to roughly 50,000 pounds. Compared with a 180-minute ETOPS-equipped 777, on operator would save about 30,000 pounds of fuel, or about 11 or 12 percent, said Whittington.

Boeing twin-engine jets have flown more than seven million ETOPS flights since 1985, and more than 120 Boeing operators fly more than 50,000 ETOPS flights each month.

“Really, the 767 opened the door to ETOPS,” said Whittington. “Again, it was part of Boeing’s philosophy of point-to-point service. It used to be you’d round everybody up at JFK, put them in a 747 and fly them to [London] Heathrow and distribute everybody from there. But then the engines [on the 767] had become so reliable that we were able to convince the regulatory agencies that the 767 could fly, say, from Chicago to Brussels directly.” Years later, airlines replacing four-engine airplanes with 777s over the Pacific began recognizing they could use more than the 180-minute ETOPS capability offered “out of the box,” convincing Boeing some two-and-a-half years ago to launch the 330-minute ETOPS program.

“This is the logical continuation of the Boeing philosophy of point-to-point service,” concluded Larry Loftis, vice president and general manager of the 777 program. “Passengers want to minimize their overall travel time. This is one more step in that direction.”

2012 Organizations and Conferences





Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Florida Fire Equipment Dealers Association - FFEDA Educational Seminar


FFEDA
February 25, 2012
Educational Seminar
State Fire College, Ocala
                 



You are invited to attend the FFEDA February 2012 Educational Seminar being held on Saturday, February 25th at the Florida State Fire College in Ocala, Florida..  

Our members and attendees have asked for the past year for a D.O.T. Representative to come and speak at one of our FFEDA meetings.   You asked and we provided!  Join us for the "U.S. D.O.T. Regulations Seminar" from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (with a break for lunch) to have DOT  teach us about the current D.O.T. Requirements for fire equipment profesionals and answer questions from the audience.

There will be 7 Technical Hours and 1 Business Practices Hour presented at this seminar and all are approved for both Licensees and Permittees for Portable Extinguishers and Preengineered Systems.  

Register Today!  We looking forward to seeing you to Ocala on Saturday, February 25th!

Sincerely,
FFEDA February 2012 Educational Seminar
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Florida State Fire College, Auditorium
Ocala, FL

Schedule of Events

7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. - Registration

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. - Cost of Doing Business Seminar
by Bill Johnson, Mid State Fire Equipment
(1 hour Business Practices CE)  Note: Content most suitable for owners and managers only

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - U.S.D.O.T. Regulations Seminar (continued in afternoon)
by Stuart Streck, DOT HMSAT Transportation Specialist 
(Total of 5 hours Technical CE for full seminar)

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. -  U.S.D.O.T. Regulations Seminar (continued from morning)
by Stuart Streck, DOT HMSAT Transportation Specialist

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Fire Equipment: State of the Industry Seminar
by Bill Johnson, Mid State Fire Equipment and John Gioseffi, Broward Fire Equipment
(2 hours Technical CE)

*** 7 Technical Hours and 1 Business Practices Hour approved for both Licensees and Permittees for Portable Extinguishers and Preengineered Systems ***



Complete the registration form with credit card payment and fax to the FFEDA Office at (850) 222-3019.

Check payments along with completed registration forms should be mailed to: FFEDA, 325 John KNox Road, L103, Tallahassee, FL 32303.

If you are mailing your check, please go ahead and fax in your registration form to fax (850) 222-3019 and write "check in the mail" on the form.

Please register early so that name badges and registration kits can be completed prior to the seminar.

Thank you for your continued support of FFEDA.

Florida Fire Equipment Dealers Association
 325 John Knox Road, L103
Tallahassee, FL 32303
(850) 224-0711 phone
(850) 222-3019 fax

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

FAA seeks non-Halon fire extinguisher designs

By: John Croft Washington DC   

The US Federal Aviation Administration has launched a market survey in its search for a portable hand-held fire extinguisher that does not use ozone-depleting Halon 1211.

Though production of Halon is generally banned in developed countries around the world, its use in aviation has continued through an exemption due to the industry's "unique operational and fire safety requirements," according to the FAA.

The market survey is seeking "information to redesign or optimise an aircraft hand-held fire extinguisher using an approved streaming replacement agent on the [US Environmental Protection Agency's] significant new alternatives policy list," the FAA said in a 31 January announcement. "The target is being the lightest, smallest volume, and most practical design effective enough to replace a portable Halon 1211 extinguisher used in aircraft applications."

Testing of applicable extinguishers to prove equivalence with Halon is to take place at the agency's William J Hughes Technical Centre at the Atlantic City international airport using fire tests developed by the international fire protection working group.

The FAA plans to interview interested companies at its technical centre from 21-23 February.