www.ushalonbank.com  1.800.433.1751                                   January 2021 - Vol 3, Issue 38
                            

FSSA Annual Forum on Track to Break Attendance Records

2021 FSSA Annual Forum - Welcome to Virtual!
2021 FSSA Annual Forum - Welcome to Virtual!
 
39th FSSA Annual Forum 
February 23-25, 2021
11:00 am - 4:00 pm Eastern each day 
 
For more information, including registration and the schedule, click here. 

Featured Story
Heard on the Street
News
DuPont and Chemours Settle Legal Disputes
JCI HQ Departs Milwaukee for the 'Burbs
JCI/Ansul Introduces Non-Fluorinated Fire Suppression Agent for Heavy Vehicles
NFPA Conference 2021 to Go Virtual
Biden/Harris EPA to Finalize HFC Allowances
Potato Factory Fire Prompts Towns Evacuation
Explosion at Biofuels Plant in Iowa
Fire in Auger System at Lawn Products Plant
Most Popular Stories from 2020
Studies and Reports
Climate Science
Mergers and Acquisitions
kiddeThe Kidde Fire Extinguisher Recall - The Inside Story from Consumer Reports
It was one of the biggest recalls in government history: Millions of Kidde-brand fire extinguishers were recalled in 2017 due to serious defects.
1/18/21

By Consumer Reports and Ryan Yamamoto
KOMO News

After one of the biggest recalls in government history, a new Consumer Reports investigation finds reports of serious problems with Kidde-brand fire extinguishers.

"We sifted through years of lawsuits and public reported complaints and found allegations that Kidde knew of the problems with its fire extinguishers for years before they finally issued a recall in 2015 and again in 2017," said Ryan Felton, Consumer Reports Investigative Reporter.

A judge recently ordered Kidde to pay a $12 million fine as part of a consent decree settling allegations by the Department of Justice that the company knowingly misled the government about the extent and scope of the problems with some of its products. Kidde did not admit that it violated federal law as part of the settlement.

Click here to read more of this article.
 
DuPont and Chemours Settle Legal Disputes
1/24/21

Explica

Dupont Co. and its spin-off Chemours have agreed to resolve legal disputes over environmental liability for chemical-related pollution linked to an increased risk of cancer and other health problems.

The mandatory MOU was announced just over a month after the Delaware Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit, according to which DuPont had severely downplayed the cost of environmental liabilities placed on Chemours when DuPont separated its former specialty chemicals unit in 2015.

Read this story here.
 
JCI HQ Departs Milwaukee for the 'Burbs
Johnson Controls' downtown Milkwaukee office complex will be sold, with the employees shifting to the company's Glendale campus. (Milkwaulkee Journal Sentinel)
1/25/21

By Tom Daykin
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Johnson Controls, which six years ago considered developing a downtown Milwaukee office tower, is instead closing its downtown offices and shifting those operations to its Glendale campus.

The company, which makes heating, air conditioning, fire protection, security systems and other equipment for hospitals, schools, military facilities, public housing and other buildings, will sell its downtown complex at 507 E. Michigan St. - home to nearly 1,300 workers.

 Read the full story here.
 
JCI/Ansul Introduces Non-Fluorinated Fire Suppression Agent for Heavy Vehicles
1/14/21

Agg-Net

New non-fluorinated liquid suppression agent delivers exceptional fire suppression and superior cooling

Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls have unveiled their new ANSUL LVS non-fluorinated liquid suppression agent designed for heavy vehicles and mobile equipment. The patented new suppression agent is manufactured without the use of perfluorinated chemicals and is performance tested to ensure maximum effectiveness.

The full story can be read here.
 
Wesco - A Better Way
Wesco - A Better Way
NFPA Conference 2021 to Go Virtual
Image credit: NFPA
1/14/21

By Derek Smith
International Fire Protection

With the continued uncertainty of live events stretching well into 2021, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced that the 2021 NFPA Conference & Expo will not happen as scheduled and instead will be replaced with the 125th Anniversary Conference Series, a year-long, targeted, virtual experience.

"C&E is recognized as a world-class experience for all our attendees and we can't safely hold an in-person event of this size," said Jim Pauley, NFPA president and CEO.

Click here to read the full story.
 
Biden/Harris EPA to Finalize HFC Allowances
U.S. President Joseph Biden
1/20/21

By Michael Garry
Hydrocarbons 21

EPA can go beyond Obama-era HFC rules in implementing new AIM Act, says EIA in explanatory blog.

With the inauguration on January 20 of Joseph Biden as U.S. President and Kamala Harris as Vice President, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can begin the rulemaking process to implement HFC allowances, sector bans and emission reductions authorized in the recently enacted American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020. It will have about nine months to finalize the allowances.

The AIM Act is part of sweeping bipartisan legislative package, the Consolidated Appropriation Act, which includes funds to address the economy and the COVID-19 pandemic. It was enacted on December 27.
 
Read the rest of this article here .

Potato Factory Fire Prompts Towns Evacuation
The fire in Warden, Wash. (Grant County Sheriff's Office)
1/22/21

By Brie Stimson
Fox News

A fire at a potato plant in Eastern Washington prompted authorities to issue a Level 3 evacuation order due to the risk of an ammonia explosion.

The Grant County Sheriff's Office issued the "GO NOW" notice for all residents living west of Road U-SE and south of Highway 170 in Warden, Wash. as the fire threatened an ammonia tank inside the Washington Potato Company.

Read the full story here.
 
Explosion at Biofuels Plant in Iowa
1/6/21

Powder & Bulk Solids

Firefighters were dispatched to the Hero BX Iowa Biofuels plant in Clinton, IA after receiving a report of an explosion and fire at the facility, according to a report in the Clinton Herald.

Called to the site at about 4:15 a.m., crews saw flames that extended about 60 ft from a corner of the building, the newspaper said. Employees evacuated the facility without injury.

Read the full article here.
 
Fire in Auger System at Lawn Products Plant
A view of the Profile Products plant in Conover, NC.
1/14/21

By John S. Forrester
Powder & Bulk Solids

A two-alarm fire broke out in bagger and auger systems at the Profile Products LLC production plant in Conover, NC, the local fire department announced in a social media post.

Conover Fire tweeted that the fire was contained to bagger and auger systems in the facility. Crews worked for 110 minutes to extinguish the flames.

Click here to finish reading this story.
 
saffireHow Fire Behaves in Space - A Saffire (NASA) Update
Credit: NASA
1/19/21

NASA

Our understanding of the way fire behaves in space is expanding as the fifth in a series of NASA investigations ignited recently. The Spacecraft Fire Safety Experiment-V (Saffire-V) successfully tested larger, more dynamic fires for over 26 hours inside Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft, following its primary mission of delivering supplies to the International Space Station.

After Cygnus departed the station on Jan. 6, operators on the ground, for the first time on a Saffire mission, lowered the pressure inside the spacecraft and backfilled it with oxygen to replicate potential atmospheric conditions that would likely be experienced inside future human spacecraft.

After ignition, cameras and sensors monitored flame growth, temperature variations, and oxygen changes, which were translated into data. The data will be used to model fire response scenarios, as well as fire detection, combustion product monitoring, and post-fire cleanup.

To read this article in full, click here.

electrostaticPreventing Electrostatic Explosions and Fires
Electrostatic discharges are commonplace in many parts of life, but their presence in industrial settings can lead to destructive fires and explosions
1/1/21

By Vahid Ebadat
Chemical Engineering

There are many occasions in chemical processing plants where electrostatic charge generation and accumulation can occur, potentially leading to fires and explosions. Engineers must understand these hazards and how to mitigate them

We are all familiar with the electrostatic shocks we receive at home or stores, perhaps from elevator buttons or shop displays, or when getting out of a car. These shocks are examples of "sparks" or sudden discharges of static electricity (Figure 1). They are a nuisance in a home setting, but in an industrial context, electrostatic discharges can and do cause many devastating flash fires and explosions. This is particularly true in the chemical process industries (CPI), where plants routinely handle flammable liquids and solids in ways that inadvertently generate static electricity. These materials are often flammable, of course, and they can be ignited by discharges of the static electricity that they have generated.

To continue reading this article, click here.
 
batteryEnergy Storage - What the Fire Service Wants You to Know About Your Battery
1/11/21

By Thomas A. Bensen, Michael Bowes, Ryan Franks, and Nick Warner
Energy Storage News

Energy storage projects can range from a few hundred kilowatt-hours to multiple megawatt-hours in capacity. They can be located in arctic, desert, or tropical environments, in urban or rural settings and in a variety of property owner- ship situations from a solar development, to a utility substation, to a commercial or industrial facility. Each project has a variety of stakeholders present.

As a project is proposed, conceptualized and built, one entity is often overlooked - fire departments. While the circumstances and details surrounding an energy storage project can vary greatly, each one needs buy-in from first responders and public safety agencies. Energy storage projects have experienced opposition at public hearings, missed timelines, cost overruns and unrealized revenue from delayed operations in recent years. One remedy to these issues is engaging with the fire department from the outset.

Finish reading this article here.
 
epaUS EPA - How to Say Goodbye to Your "Forever Chemicals": An Interim Study
1/13/21

JD Supra

In response to Congressional direction in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, Public Law No: 116-92, on 18 December 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued "Interim Guidance on the Destruction and Disposal of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Materials Containing Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances" (Interim Guidance) as part of its continuing efforts to regulate the large body of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively referred to as "PFAS."

EPA issued the Interim Guidance, not as a rulemaking or policy statement, but to provide current scientific information on disposing of or destroying PFAS and PFAS-containing materials.

Click here to read the rest of this article.
 
greenhouse_gasesPulling Greenhouse Gases Out of the Air
A direct air capture system, developed by the Swiss company Climeworks, on the roof of a trash incinerator in Zurich. (Orjan Ellingvag/Alamy)
1/18/21

By Brad Plumer and Christopher Flavelle
The New York Times

Using technology to suck carbon dioxide out of the sky has long been dismissed as an impractical way to fight climate change - physically possible, but far too expensive to be of much use.

But as global warming accelerates and society continues to emit greenhouse gases at a dangerous rate, the idea is gaining support from a surprising source: large companies facing pressure to act on climate.

A growing number of corporations are pouring money into so-called engineered carbon removal - for example, using giant fans to pull carbon dioxide from the air and trap it. The companies say these techniques, by offsetting emissions they can't otherwise cut, may be the only way to fulfill lofty "net zero" pledges.

Read more of this article here.
 
summit_kimbroughSummit Fire & Security Acquires Kimbrough Fire Extinguisher Company, Inc.
12/2/20

Summit Companies

SFP Holding, Inc. (Summit Companies) is proud to announce that Summit Fire & Security, a subsidiary of SFP Holding, has recently completed the purchase of Kimbrough Fire Extinguisher Company, Inc. in Dallas, Texas.

Since 1982, Kimbrough has been a leading fire protection company in Texas and has served Dallas/Ft. Worth and the surrounding communities with fire and life safety services. The Kimbrough team brings a wealth of knowledge and experience including expertise in fire extinguishers and suppression systems. As Summit Fire & Security strives to provide excellent customer service, expanding their presence into Dallas/Ft. Worth allows the ability to enhance capabilities and resources to be relied upon as the one solution for fire protection throughout Texas and Oklahoma. With the nearest branch offices located in Houston, Lufkin, Amarillo and Oklahoma City, the Dallas/Ft. Worth office will be a critical addition to Summit Fire & Security's existing capabilities.

Continue reading this story here.
 
atlantic_finleyAtlantic Emergency Solutions Acquires Finley Fire Equipment
Image copyright: Atlantic Emergency Solutions
1/18/21

By Derek Smith
International Fire Fighter

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced that Atlantic Emergency Solutions, Inc. has acquired Finley Fire Equipment Co. Inc., serving Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. The acquisition includes Finley Fire Equipment's existing four service locations with plans to add five more in the next 12 to 24 months. Atlantic has over 300 employees across 18 locations and supports seven states and the District of Columbia.

To read the rest of this story, click here.
 
halma_staticFireTrace Parent Halma Acquires Static Systems Group
Bill Stoval (right), the new chair for the Static Systems Group
1/26/21

Fire Safety Matters

Headquartered in the UK, Halma is driven by a clear purpose to grow a safer, cleaner and healthier future for everyone, every day. That core mission is closely aligned with Static Systems' own values, strategy and culture.

The move sees Static Systems joining Halma's medical and infrastructure safety divisions. The company will benefit from the expertise and international reach of the global Halma, while at the same time maintaining autonomous day-to-day operations of its business and the strong connections it has forged with employees, customers and suppliers alike.

Read the full article here.

linearLinear Group Acquires Stake in Kyle Management Solutions (UK)
(From left) Alan Macmillan, Andrew McClure, Stephen Holmes
1/14/21

Scottish Construction Now

Contracting and fit-out specialist Linear Group has acquired a stake in Kyle Management Solutions, a fire safety solutions consultancy, to create Linear Fire Safety (LFS).

Based in the group's Glasgow HQ, LFS becomes the fifth division of Linear Group. The move will see three new senior fire specialists join the group, bringing over 100 years of hands-on fire experience to the business and providing essential insight for clients across the UK.

Click here to see the rest of this story.
 
Most Popular Stories from 2020
There were so many great stories that we highlighted in 2020 that it was hard to just pick a few. So here are the top 20 most read stories in the Halon Herald in 2020:

If you have any questions, comments, would like to be featured in a future Halon Herald, or would like to be added to our mailing list for this newsletter, please contact Kari Buser at
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