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Figure 2: Pyrocumulonimbus from the Sir Ivan fire (12 February 2017). The smoke plume is located between the dashed lines. The Briggs smoke-plume equations describe how the smoke-plume structure changes for various combinations of firepower, fp, and wind speed U, and also how the temperature in the plume decreases with height. Using the temperature and humidity data collected from a weather balloon or forecast model data, the height at the top of the stable barrier, Z, is determined, and the minimum warm humid “boost” θ+, necessary for fire thunderstorms to form, is calculated. This allows the plume temperature at Z to be calculated from θ+, and the corresponding firepower is found by inverting the plume temperature equation. This gives the minimum firepower required for fire thunderstorms to form in this atmospheric environment, a.k.a. the Pyrocumulonimbus Firepower Threshold (PFT). Photo: Sam Crothers NSW RFS.
Predicting fire thunderstorms

Fire thunderstorms are thunderstorms that develop in bushfire plumes. Their formation has much in common…

Humanihut recently conducted a Train the Trainer and Team Leader Course for SASES, where team members can be trained in two days. Standing behind the course members are Brad Erickson (Humanihut Chief Instructor) and Neale Sutton.
Humanihut delivers an innovative emergency accommodation solution

When there is a requirement for a rapidly deployable accommodation solution that provides comfort, scalability…

Townsville homes suffered significant flood damage.
To build or not to build? That is the question after a flood

Many will remember the computer game SimCity, an opportunity to build fictitious cities, with the…

///tonic.general.pitcher is a 3m x 3m square in Tumut, NSW Australia.
The new addressing system helping UK emergency services

Emergencies can happen anywhere, from a wildfire in a park to an incident outside one…

GEMCO’s exercise ‘Operation Over-Run’ participants.
Airport emergency exercises – lessons learnt

Conducting an ineffective airport emergency exercise constitutes a lost opportunity and entails extensive cost, in…

A tool to understand large buildings in an emergency

For years, we’ve worked one-on-one with clients to help them gain building compliance and ensure…

Wildfire scene field demonstration by Investigator Don Kelley.
Tracking the wildfire arsonist…bloodhounds hot on the trail

Travelling to the state of West Virginia in May 2019, Richard Woods conducted a one-week…

A lightweight particulate barrier hood that offers breathability, protection and comfort.
Cancer – The current epidemic in the fire service

More firefighters have been diagnosed with cancer in the last two years, then in the…

Monitor in recycling plant.
Remote-controlled fire monitors for fixed firefighting systems

The requirement for automated firefighting is continuously increasing. Remote-controlled monitors, especially in combination with automated…

Fire-alarm investigation.
Live investigations of false fire alarms

Fire detection and fire alarm systems (FDFAS) are used to provide early warning of fire…

Standards Australia Techstreet webstore.
Continued commitment to the fire protection industry

The fire sector remains a key area of operation for Standards Australia, with the publications…

Provide safety and emergency management training.
A tool to understand large buildings in an emergency

Locatrix (previously Concept Safety Systems) is a technology inventor, partnering with first responders and emergency…

TFT works with firefighters around the globe to understand the essentials of water flow and how to select the best tools for their needs.
Hard hitting nozzle types – Fact from fiction

Task Force Tips has engineered a test method to accurately measure the impact of a…

In demanding environments with high ceilings, VFD solutions can detect a starting fire within seconds.
Video-based fire detection

Most of today’s fire alarm systems use a variety of smoke detection technologies to detect…

Scoresby Hose Layer hose retrieval.
Relay pumping – Large diameter hose, the only way forward

The art of moving any volume of water over a long distance in firefighting operations…

Engaged team members are crucial to fire services’ ability to protect the public.
Automation: saving money, staff and lives

When repetitive, time-consuming tasks are automated, Australia’s vital fire and rescue staff are free to…

Figure 1. Cost of Data Center Outages [Ponemon Institute, 2016].
Data center fire protection: ensuring business continuity

The occurrence of a fire in a data center can lead to business interruption (“downtime”)…

The entire island of Ambae was covered in volcanic ash up to 30 cm deep.
Australian emergency management skills adapted to the Pacific environment

Officers in the Australian Emergency Services have an incident management skill set that makes them…

Solar image showing loop-like magnetic field structure erupting from the sun carrying ionised gas.
Space weather: The modern natural hazard

Since the dawn of the ‘Space Age’ in the late 1950s, we have become increasingly…

Although the frequency of cyclones may decrease, east coast cyclones could become more severe.
Planning for catastrophe: an all-hazards nationwide approach

Most emergency management effort is focused on preparation for routine emergencies. But Bushfire and Natural…

Cave rescuers communicating to the surface via the “Michie phone” earth return communication system, minus 250m below ground.
SAR in action: Deep cave rescue

A caver, who has suffered multiple injuries after a fall, is trapped approximately 300 metres…

Putting an end to bullying and harassment in the fire service

Bullying and harassment. These two words have become quite the buzzwords in recent years. Back…

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