In addition to having the appropriate equipment to extinguish a fire, it is also important to ensure that your premises, whether it is commercial or domestic, has clear and logical signs and safety information to inform people of safe escape routes, location of fire equipment and its correct use or to highlight potential fire hazards.

Fire and Safety Solutions (FASS) supply domestic and commercial Fire Extinguishers which come in a range of different types depending upon the fire they are designed to extinguish. We are always happy to recommend the correct extinguisher for your needs.

Fire Extinguishers are covered by the British Standard which is BS EN3 for portable Extinguishers and for specific fires such as cooking fat, they must be BS 7937. By law, all extinguishers must also have the BAFE mark which our extinguishers do.

Fire and Safety Solutions (FASS) are approved installers of Wet and Dry Risers (fire mains) which are a key item of fire safety equipment for large buildings to contain and extinguish fire which could cause major damage or even worse, fatalities.

There are two main types FASS supply, for buildings above 18m we install dry-risers (fire mains) and buildings over 50m we install wet-risers. A FASS surveyor will visit your site to advise you and ensure the correct safety equipment and riser is recommended.

A court case relating to the damage caused by an extinguisher which was discharged maliciously, has prompted changes to be made to the BS 5306 Part 8 (the Code of Practice for the selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers).

British Fire Consortium President Graham Newman commented, “Interestingly the manufacturer of the fire extinguisher has been charged with negligence, rather than the installing company (a division of the manufacturer). The extinguisher was sited correctly and was correct for the type of risk, however the judge ruled that there was a duty of care to advise customers that if an extinguisher is used maliciously for a reason it was not intended, then it may make a mess! Because of this ruling I am concerned that appropriate and explicit advice is given in the Code of Practice telling installers how to deliver this advice to their customers and I am working on behalf of the BFC to ensure this happens.

Article courtesy of The British Fire Consortium who endorse Fire and Safety Solutions Ltd. FASS supply a full range of Fire Extinguishers types including relevent fire action signs and are fully qualified to advise and install extinguishers plus carry out fire extinguisher servicing. Please contact us for further information.

Fire and Safety Solutions Ltd (FASS) are pleased to announce the recent installation of smoke detectors at the highly regarded Little Venice restaurant, near Cambourne, Cambridge.

Ensuring the safety of staff and diners alike, FASS specialist skills in supplying Fire Safety Equipment were called in to carry out a site survey, recommend and supply a series of smoke detectors that enable Little Venice to comply with the British Standard.

Paul Wilkinson, Managing Director of FASS said; “Making sure everyone is safe is always a top priority, especially so in areas where there is extreme heat and potential hazards such as a commercial kitchen. Early detection of fire quite literally saves lives and we are always delighted to advise and assist companies in meeting and exceeding regulations covering Fire Safety.”

The Little Venice restaurant is available for bookings 7 days a week, for further details please visit http://www.lvrest.co.uk or call tel: 01954 715 315.

For more information regarding Fire Safety, please contact us.

No body ever likes to imagine the worst situations, least of all when you are on holiday which is why The Old Forge  near La Rochelle in the French Vendee region employed the services of leading UK based Fire Safety company, Fire and Safety Solutions Ltd (FASS), to carry out a full risk assessment and safety check at their self catering holiday rental gite.

As part of the assessment we gave advice on escape plans and routes, appropriate fire extinguishers for the equipment in the house, fire blankets and positioning of smoke alarms throughout the building to ensure they comply with Fire Regulations for holiday rentals.

Paul Wilkinson of FASS said, “It’s important that property owners are conscientious when renting out holiday homes. It’s not just a question of having a smoke alarm or two but also the appropriate fire extinguishers and blankets plus being aware of potential hazards and having clear instructions for an escape route in the event of a fire. We’re pleased to have been able to assist The Old Forge in this”.

Further information about The Old Forge can be found by visting: http://www.gite-in-france-to-rent.com

Fire and Safety Solutions Ltd are proud to announce their involvement with The Lisa Kent Memorial Trust, a charitable organisation dedicated to providing the children of the Gambia with the education they need for a brighter future.

FASS are pleased to be sponsoring two young boys, Bubacarr Jallow who is 5 and Amadou Sanyang who is 7, helping to pay for their education, school clothes, books and pens.

Having been introduced to the School and the work of the trust by the founder of the project Liz Tinkler, FASS were invited to a fund raising evening which highlighted the initial project, the development and rebuilding of the nursery school in the village of Sanchaba Sulay Jobe, The Gambia. In addition, a sponsorship scheme was created to help the poorer families to be able to provide an education for their offspring. The trust now have in excess of 150 children sponsored in nursery (3-7 years) and primary education across a variety of schools and are currently building a new school.

Managing Director of FASS Paul Wilkinson said “We are extremely impressed with the work carried out by The Lisa Kent Memorial Trust and recognise that by supporting their work with a small contribution, the lives of these young children can be changed for the better”

It is also hoped that FASS can provide a football kit for the school for both the boys and girls team. If you are interested in finding out more about the work of The Lisa Kent Memorial Trust or feel you could help by sponsoring a child, please visit the links below.

Could You Help Us By Sponsoring a Child?

£60 (only £5 per month) covers the cost to educate a child for one year. This includes their school uniform, all stationery and all of their school fees. The cost remains the same when they attend primary school.In return you will receive a photograph of your child, together with their family details and copies of their school report at the end of the academic year. www.lisakenttrust.org/donations.asp

If you want to reduce the risk of death in a fire as much as possible, you should get sprinklers fitted in your home. They provide a high level of protection from the risk of dying in a fire and are particularly suitable for older people and for those who have difficulty moving around or have some other impairment. In parts of the USA where sprinklers have become compulsory, almost no one dies from fire at home.

If you’re considering getting a sprinkler system fitted, here are some further points to bear in mind:

• sprinklers are fitted in as many rooms as you want them to be – their pipes are small and run off mains water
• they are individually heat-activated, so the whole system doesn’t go off at once
• they rarely get set off accidentally as they need high temperatures to trigger them
• they operate automatically, whether you’re at home or not
• if you have a sprinkler system, you should also have a smoke alarm, as this will alert you to slow-burning, smoke-generating fires
• which may not generate enough heat to trigger the sprinkler
• sprinklers also sound an alarm when they go off, so they alert you as well as tackling the fire

These are fire-resistant sheets of material that you can use to cover a fire to cut its supply of oxygen or wrap around a person whose clothes are on fire.

They are quick to use, easy to maintain and cheaper than fire extinguishers. However, to use them, you need to get close to the fire – meaning your hands will be particularly at risk of burning. You can also only use them on very small and contained fires (like fat-pan fires on the cooker) and it’s likely that you will only get one go at putting out the fire. If you don’t put it out, you won’t be able to retrieve the blanket.

They’re ideal to keep in the kitchen, but they aren’t good for general use. If you get one, you should make sure it conforms to British Standard BS 6575 and bear these points in mind:

• it should be easy to get to in an emergency
• never put it away in a cupboard
• it shouldn’t be mounted above a cooker or heater
• a fire blanket is most useful in the kitchen

There are three main types of fire extinguisher: powder; water; and foam. No single type of extinguisher is totally effective on every kind of fire. Before buying one, it’s vital to look carefully at what kinds of fires it can be used on to make sure you get one suitable for your own needs.

Multi-purpose dry powder extinguishers or Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) extinguishers are usually the best choices for home use. They have the fewest dangers and are effective on many types of fire.

Tips for the safe use of any type of extinguisher:

• make sure you read the instructions and are familiar with how to use it
• they are best placed in the hall and taken where needed
• only buy one you can carry easily
• don’t put it near a heater or fire, but do fix it to the wall, so that it is out of the reach of children, but easily accessible by others
• get it serviced once a year (or as often as the manufacturer recommends
• when using the extinguisher on a fire, keep yourself on the escape route side of the blaze

If you’re not sure which extinguisher to get for your home, you can contact your local Fire and Rescue Service for advice.