Tech-News & Views

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015
 

CITY OF VANCOUVER ADOPTS 2012 BC FIRE CODE (WITH AMENDMENTS)!

Vancouver, British Columbia - July 8, 2015 - Vancouver City Council passed into law the new Vancouver Fire By-Law today.  There are some changes, key amoungst them is the fee and fine schedule (increased), and a new definition - Service Agent.  Details are available on the City’s website at http://former.vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20150707/documents/rr3.pdf .

CONDOMS, PICKLES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS!

Vancouver, British Columbia - People send us all kinds of interesting links in emails.  The subject line of one particular mail item really caught our attention (after all, who doesn’t love pickles and circuit breakers?).  Here’s the video featuring Lorne Lipkus of the law firm Kestenberg, Siegal and Lipkus LLP originally posted on Electrical Business’s online magazine.

ULC has issued several bulletins in response to their ongoing investigation into counterfeit sprinkler heads and fire alarm equipment.  The label on a product you’re installing or using may appear legitimate, but if you aren’t familiar with or have confidence in where it was sourced, then you should definitely take another look!

ANDROID SMARTPHONE USERS SHOULD BEWARE OF NEWLY DISCOVERED VULNERABILITIES AND EXPLOITS.

Vancouver, British Columbia - A number of fire protection professionals across North America (if not the world) are likely reading this story on a smart phone.  It’s fair to say that a percentage of your devices are using an Android based operating system.  In a recent article published to Trendmicro’s website, details of a number of disturbing hacks which employ exploits in the software are emerging.  Please take some time to read these articles.  We’re not suggesting you employ a particular providers security software, but we are recommending read up on the subject to ensure you won’t be the next victim. 

http://blog.trendmicro.com/epic-android-vulnerability-what-does-it-mean-for-you

OUR LATEST EDITORIAL:
CASE #13-36 - Public Safety in British Columbia (and Canada)

Vancouver, British Columbia - In recent months we have all been front row spectators to shocking revelations concerning the very public failure of key aspects of ASTTBC’s Fire Protection Certification Program.  Our June EXTRA! and an equally damning Editorial opened the eyes of the public and several local Authorities to the widespread failure of ASTTBC to not only provide the proper oversight for their registered technician members, but also spot-lighted a policy of hypocrisy which accepted technician malpractice and corporate malfeasance on an unprecedented scale as long as it didn’t impact the fiscal “bottom line”.

Witness the outcome of Case #13-36.

(From ASTTBC’s Fire Protection Case Summaries 2014)

“STATEMENT OF COMPLAINT:
 

That the respondent, a Registered Fire Protection Technician (RFPT), as Branch Manager of a Fire Protection Services business, provided an “authorised (sic) signature” on a Certificate of Verification, sanctioned a substandard Verification performed by an employee and approved the issue of Appendix “C” documentation on a non-compliant fire alarm installation.

...” (read more?)

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