Focus
Fire Information Worldwide
May 1998
Sheila Pantry, OBE
In Melbourne, Australia during May 4-8 1998 the International Conference Fire Information for the 21st Century takes place. It is daunting to think how many fires will occur even during the week the Conference takes place, with the subsequent loss of lives and properties.
Training and information about all aspects of fire are essential knowledge for everyone - children, parents, workers, builders, architects, fire brigades, other emergencies services and planners, loss adjusters, insurance companies, legislators, .government departments/agencies, local authorities, including Environmental Health Departments, Trading Standards, Building Controllers and Planners, unions, manufacturers, process industries, fire equipment manufacturers, consultants, editors/journalists, universities, information services and libraries, facilities managers, consumer groups, trade and technical associations, organisations concerned with all sports, physical education and recreation management, hotel groups, education authorities. There may be other groups which can be readily identified, but it is essential that all aspects of fire are readily understood.
Many organisations exist to help this knowledge be known. With the advent of computerised information a number of organisations have taken advantage of the technologies to make information readily accessible. The following sources will help individuals and organisation become more familiar with the information. This web site links to a number of organisations providing fire information and training.
Fire CD-ROMs
FIRE WORLDWIDE
FIRE WORLDWIDE is a newly launched CD-ROM from a partnership of four UK major Fire and Forensic Information Providers:
- Loss Prevention Council/Fire Protection Association
- The Building Research Establishment Ltd
- The Forensic Science Service
- Fire Service College
have joined together with Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd to produce, and update on a quarterly basis, the FIRE WORLDWIDE CD.
- For the first time the essential data has been brought together to keep up-to-date those who are responsible for securing good standards in fire safety.
- If you need access to Fire Prevention and Protection information, the new compact disc read-only-memory (CD-ROM) will give you access to four complementary bibliographic databases containing thousands of references.
- The CD-ROM provides quick and easy access to the increasing amount of data, for all industries and organisations, including those within local authorities, government departments and agencies.
- The user has access, via a personal computer, to a wealth of authoritative information in the databases which have previously not been publicly available.
FIRE WORLDWIDE CD contains four complementary bibliographic databases:
- From Loss Prevention Council/Fire Protection Association (LPC/FPA).
References to UK and worldwide fire protection and loss prevention related
subjects including legislation, codes of practice, circulars, reviews, reports,
journal articles, standards, conference proceedings. References to LPC/FPA own
publications and journals including Fire Prevention.
- From Building Research Establishment Ltd. Flair database contains a wealth
of references from worldwide sources on all aspects of fire including reports,
books, journal articles and standards. In addition, references to all Fire
Research Station documents are included, with the emphasis on research and
related subjects.
- From The Forensic Science Service. The FSS Fire database contains references
from worldwide sources in forensic related subjects and includes reports,
journal articles and papers.
- From The Fire Service College. References to all aspects of training, research and further information from worldwide sources, including the Fire Service College publications.
The information in the databases comes from validated and authoritative sources and would also benefit those in other countries, particularly those wishing to achieve good fire safety standards, but lacking immediate access to such collections of documents.
FIRE-CD
FIRE-CD provides full text coverage of a wide range of authoritative information on fire and fire prevention. Coverage includes all the relevant European Directives; legislation from the UK; guidance and advice from all the contributing bodies - Loss Prevention Council, Fire Protection Association, Fire Research Station, CACFOA, Home Office and Scottish Office, FSAB and Fire Services Examining Board, Department of Health and NHS Estates.
OSH-ROM
OSH-ROM currently brings together four complete bibliographic databases containing a wealth of information on all aspects of fire safety, health and safety information.
These databases are HSELINE from the UK Health and Safety Executive Information Services, NIOSHTICS from the US National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety, MHIDAS from the UK Health and Safety Executive and the UK AEA Ltd and CISDOC from the Geneva based International Labour Office, Health and Safety Centre. The June 1998 update will also contain new information brought in by Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd - a database containing worldwide fire, health, hygiene and safety information from the Ryerson Technical University in Toronto, Canada.
What kind of software is used?
- SilverPlatter Information Ltd's powerful WinSPIRS software gives the user quick and easy access to a wealth of important references.
- It is also possible to network CD-ROMs to enable simultaneous access by multiple users in an organisation.
- The user will be able to retrieve, download data and print out required references. Fire information seekers will be able to use their own personal computers to immediately give authoritative and validated answers to questions on all aspects of fire protection and prevention.
The products mentioned in this article are available for a free trial. Why not try these for yourself and check out the contents of these exciting sources of information against your own workplace needs?