Leading UK fire extinguisher manufacturer, Britannia Fire, is expanding its industry education programme with a new series of FIA-certified continuing professional development (CPD) sessions, alongside immersive virtual reality (VR) fire safety training with FLAIM Systems technology.
The new CPD programme, certified by the Fire Industry Association (FIA), has been developed around three increasingly important areas of fire safety: the changing regulatory landscape surrounding PFAS in firefighting foams, the issue of solar panel safety, and the growing risks associated with lithium-ion batteries.
The PFAS course provides fire safety professionals with an overview of what PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ are, why they are under increasing scrutiny, and the regulatory developments taking place in the UK and Europe. It also looks at the practical implications for organisations, including reviewing existing firefighting assets, planning for the transition to PFAS-free solutions, and managing disposal and environmental compliance.
The solar panel fire safety course addresses the emerging risks associated with the rapid expansion of solar installations across both domestic and commercial sectors.
Two further courses focus on lithium-ion battery fire risks. The first covers battery technology, how batteries can fail, the causes and development of thermal runaway, and the challenges associated with incidents involving battery-powered products. An additional, advanced lithium-ion battery CPD course is also available, exploring battery chemistry and behaviour in greater depth. With lithium-ion batteries now widely used in everything from mobile devices and e-bikes to electric vehicles and energy storage systems, understanding the associated fire risks is becoming increasingly important for those responsible for fire safety and risk management.
Initially, these courses will be delivered in person to local organisations at Britannia Fire’s headquarters in Norfolk, with plans to offer live, interactive online workshops from the new year, making them accessible to organisations further afield and overseas.
For visitors attending in person, the CPD sessions can also be combined with a guided tour of Britannia Fire’s Norwich facility, offering an opportunity to see how its P50 composite fire extinguishers are manufactured. All Britannia Fire’s P50s are now PFAS-free, including the P50 AVD, specifically designed to tackle lithium-ion battery fires, and its innovative PVSTOP solar panel block out solution, delivered in P50 composite cylinders.
Alongside its CPD programme, Britannia Fire has become a UK distributor for FLAIM Systems, supplying immersive training technology to larger organisations looking to provide staff with a safe and repeatable way to practise responding to realistic fire scenarios.
Developed in Australia, FLAIM uses virtual reality and multisensory technology to recreate fire scenarios in the workplace, reducing the need for dedicated training grounds and live-fire exercises for certain applications.
FLAIM FEX is designed for fire extinguisher and fire warden training, allowing users to assess a virtual fire scenario, select the appropriate extinguisher and practise their response in an immersive environment.
For more advanced applications, FLAIM FTS combines virtual fire environments with industry-standard equipment and multisensory elements to support individual, team and incident-command training. It is designed to complement live-fire training by providing additional opportunities to practise skills, decision-making and situational awareness in a controlled environment.
Matt Humby, Head of Client Support and Development at Britannia Fire, comments:
“The fire sector is changing rapidly, and we believe education needs to change with it. There is a growing need for people responsible for fire safety to understand emerging risks, new technologies and an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.
“Our new education programme brings together independently certified CPD, practical learning and immersive technology, while giving customers the opportunity to see UK manufacturing first-hand.
“Our investment in Norwich has created a facility where we can bring customers into our operation, demonstrate what we do and provide meaningful education alongside it. We’re excited about developing the programme further and making it accessible to a wider audience.”
For further information on Britannia Fire, please visit www.britannia-fire.co.uk.
About the Author
Britannia Fire
Britannia Fire Ltd are a UK Manufacturer of fire extinguishers, and with 55 years of experience, we are dedicated to designing and manufacturing the highest quality and standard of fire extinguishers to make fire safety simple, easy and affordable.
