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The Pyrene Company Limited from their beginning in 1914, until 1971 when they became Chubb Fire Security Limited, were among the world's leaders in the manufacture of fire fighting equipment. The name Pyrene was epitomised by their famous 'pump' extinguisher which was installed on public transport, commercial and private vehicles throughout the western world.
In 1907, a Scottish engineer, unable to get financial backing in the UK, took his idea for a fire extinguisher to the US. He established what became known as the Pyrene Company of Delaware in 1909. [1]
A British offshoot, The Pyrene Company Limited was founded in 1914 when Wallace B. Phillips, an American businessman, set up in Great Queen Street, London, selling 'pump' extinguishers. The company moved to Grosvenor Gardens, London in 1918, and then to Stoke Newington in 1920, where a factory to manufacture soda-acid and foam fire extinguishers was established.
The London General Omnibus Company awarded Pyrene the contract for its fire extinguishers in 1924.
In 1927, a metal-finishing division was established, which developed the Parkerizing process for metal rust-proofing. Its Pyrene Company Limited sold part of the chemical division to the Brent International Chemical Company which was a stand-alone specialty chemical company who manufactured a variety of industrial cleaning compounds. Pyrene only retained rights to manufacture the off patent firefighting chemicals. Brent continued to manufacture the firefighting chemicals globally for Pyrene for several years until Pyrene redeveloped the chemistry side of their business. Brent America was sold to Oakite and was later acquired by Chemetall GMBH.
Pyrene moved to a new Art Deco style factory in 1930, located on the Great West Road, Brentford and established the concept of major fire demonstrations with the construction of a large demonstration ground alongside the Brentford factory, to simulate an oil storage depot. The factory, now known as Westlink House, is a Grade II listed building. [2]
Pyrene Phomene installations were fitted to many ships during the 1930s, and the 'car bumper' division became well established and by 1960 was producing approximately one third of the car bumpers used in the UK motor industry.
1931 saw the company's equipment providing protection for such events as Brooklands, the RAF Pageant Hendon, and the Tidworth and Aldershot Tattoos.
The liner Queen Mary was protected by the installation of a Pyrene foam fire-fighting system in 1933.
During World War II, Pyrene designed and manufactured ARP equipment for ordnance factories, industry and power stations. Expansion was rapid with the wartime demand for fire-fighting equipment, and production of projectiles. A major contract was one from the Air Ministry to supply airfield crash tenders.
In 1950, a new factory was opened in Ferndale, South Wales for the manufacture of fire extinguishers.
The Pyrene Manufacturing Company of Canada, the CO2 Equipment Company of Canada and the American Pyrene Company were all acquired during 1953–54. Also in these years the company received commissions from the UK Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell to develop mediums for extinguishing sodium and lithium fires, which they produced under the Pyromet brand-name. The fire extinguisher manufacturer Minimax Limited, was purchased by Pyrene in 1955.
During 1955 the FB5X foam making branch pipe was introduced and the Pyrene ED-HOL system in ships, which recycled the ship's own inert exhaust gases to fight fires in the hold, was developed. Over the years Pyrene fire fighting systems were installed in a number of the world's largest passenger liners including the Queen Elizabeth, Oriana and Empress of Britain. Other important contracts undertaken by the company during the late 1950s included a smoke detection system at the BBC TV Lime Grove Studios in London, smoke detectors for the Bristol Britannia aircraft, CO2 fire-fighting systems for a number of British Rail diesel locomotives, and supplying fire detection and CO2 systems for Lloyd's of London.
Pyrene Panorama Ltd was established in 1959 when Pyrene purchased the business of Panorama Equipment Ltd, which itself dated from 1941. This company was originally formed to manufacture an industrial wide-field vision safety goggle which gave rise to the name-"Panorama". Also in 1959, Pyrene acquired Roberts McClean, who in 1931, introduced self-contained compressed air breathing apparatus to the UK and these two companies merged under the Pyrene Panorama brand.
Pyrene was taken over by Chubb and Sons in 1967 and continued to operate under the name Pyrene Panorama. In 1971 Chubb Fire Security Ltd was formed. In that same year a Bristol Britannia aircraft, flown by test pilot Donald Chubb, landed on a carpet of Pyrene foam at Manston.
In 1976 Fireward Ltd, manufacturers since 1964 of plastic-bodied portable dry-powder fire extinguishers, also merged with Pyrene Panorama, to form the new company, Chubb Panorama. A further addition to the group in 1976 was the acquisition of Submarine and Safety Engineering Ltd, specialists in self-contained under-water breathing apparatus and diving equipment. Their "Dominair" range added considerably to the company's comprehensive coverage of safety equipment.
Carbon tetrachloride, also known by many other names (such as carbon tet for short and tetrachloromethane, also recognised by the IUPAC) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula CCl4. It is a non-flammable, colourless liquid with a "sweet" chloroform-like smell that can be detected at low levels. It was formerly widely used in fire extinguishers, as a precursor to refrigerants and as a cleaning agent, but has since been phased out because of environmental and safety concerns. Exposure to high concentrations of carbon tetrachloride can affect the central nervous system and degenerate the liver and kidneys. Prolonged exposure can be fatal.
Bromotrifluoromethane, commonly known as Halon 1301, R13B1, Halon 13B1 or BTM, is an organic halide with the chemical formula CBrF3. It is used for gaseous fire suppression as a far less toxic alternative to bromochloromethane.
Firefighting is a profession aimed at controlling and extinguishing fire. A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter or fireman. Firefighters typically undergo a high degree of technical training. This involves structural firefighting and wildland firefighting. Specialized training includes aircraft firefighting, shipboard firefighting, aerial firefighting, maritime firefighting, and proximity firefighting.
The Golden Mile is a stretch of the Great West Road north of Brentford running west from the western boundary of Chiswick in London, United Kingdom.
A water tender, sometimes known as a water tanker, is a type of firefighting apparatus that specializes in the transport of water from a water source to a fire scene. Water tenders are capable of drafting water from a stream, lake or hydrant.
Fire control is the practice of reducing the heat output of a fire, reducing the area over which the fire exists, or suppressing or extinguishing the fire by depriving it of fuel, oxygen, or heat. Fire prevention and control is the prevention, detection, and extinguishment of fires, including such secondary activities as research into the causes of fire, education of the public about fire hazards, and the maintenance and improvement of fire-fighting equipment.
This is a glossary of firefighting equipment.
Pyrene may refer to:
Firefighting foam is a foam used for fire suppression. Its role is to cool the fire and to coat the fuel, preventing its contact with oxygen, thus achieving suppression of the combustion. Firefighting foam was invented by the Russian engineer and chemist Aleksandr Loran in 1902.
Fire suppression systems are used to extinguish, control, or in some cases, entirely prevent fires from spreading or occurring. Fire suppression systems have an incredibly large variety of applications, and as such, there are many different types of suppression systems for different applications being used today. Of these, there are some that are still in use but are no longer legal to manufacture and produce.
Kidde is a brand and division of Carrier Global that manufactures and distributes fire detection and suppression equipment, as well as smoke and CO alarm units. Kidde is one of America's largest manufacturer of smoke alarms and fire safety products. Kidde is headquartered in Mebane, NC.
Chubb Fire & Security is a global organization specialised in fire protection and security systems, and is a subsidiary of APi Group Corporation.
A fire class is a system of categorizing fire with regard to the type of material and fuel for combustion. Class letters are often assigned to the different types of fire, but these differ between territories; there are separate standards for the United States, Europe, and Australia. The fire class is used to determine the types of extinguishing agents that can be used for that category.
A compressed air foam system is used in firefighting to deliver fire retardant foam for the purpose of extinguishing a fire or protecting unburned areas.
The Israel Fire and Rescue Services is the national Israeli fire and rescue organization. The organisation also provides rescue services from terror attacks, car accident and dangerous substance spillages, along with Magen David Adom, the National EMS. They are also involved in public education and awareness campaigns. The service is accessed by calling 102 from any phone. As of 2022, the commissioner of the services is Eyal Casspi.
A fire extinguisher is a handheld active fire protection device usually filled with a dry or wet chemical used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergencies. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which has reached the ceiling, endangers the user, or otherwise requires the equipment, personnel, resources or expertise of a fire brigade. Typically, a fire extinguisher consists of a hand-held cylindrical pressure vessel containing an agent that can be discharged to extinguish a fire. Fire extinguishers manufactured with non-cylindrical pressure vessels also exist but are less common.
Read and Campbell Limited was a British manufacturer of firefighting equipment founded in 1878. The company was an early pioneer in the design and manufacture of portable fire extinguishers.
Minimax Limited was a British manufacturer of fire extinguishers founded in England in 1903. Their unique conical fire extinguisher was known as 'The Minimax'. The company was purchased by The Pyrene Company Limited in 1955.
The Rampart Engineering Company was a British manufacturer of fire extinguishers founded in 1910.
The Oshkosh MB-5 is a specialized aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle built by Oshkosh Corporation for putting out fires on-board aircraft carriers. It was designed for rapid deployment of multiple firefighting media by a crew of 4, with a relatively compact design. However, What set this truck apart from other ARFF vehicles of the time was its ability to pump water while moving. This feature, along with its powerful 10.7 L Caterpillar diesel engine and four-wheel drive, made the MB-5 a staple of US military firefighting. It could be seen on US aircraft carriers and airbases both during and after the Vietnam War, continuing service for almost a decade after production of the truck stopped in late 1971 (unconfirmed).
