October 2013
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Volume 14 | 5
ESTCONTENTS | 1
IN EVERY ISSUE
19
Comment
3
News
4
Events
14
Profile
22,73
Company Profile 17, 18, 20 22
45
Products
91
Last Words
96
IN THIS ISSUE The Emergency Services Show 2013 24 24
The Emergency Services Show 2013 (ESS2013) takes place from 25-26 September at its new home, the NEC in Birmingham. This feature highlights to readers and visitors to the event what to expect from the show’s 400+ exhibitors. It includes a focus on those exhibitors in the Emergency Response Zone (ERZ), the frontline responders and partner agencies who will be highlighting their work at the show.
Resilience
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A look at how fire and rescue service USAR teams are working and training with UK Disaster Victim Identification Teams to improve the response to major USAR incidents; an update from JESIP; plus a look at a Home Office-led review into the initial response to a CBRN incident.
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Training
The Future
11
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Students from Derbyshire launch two new training aids to assist extrication training; Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service’s hazmat team launches a new training package for all emergency services; plus multi-agency training in Hertfordshire.
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The results of a ‘people-centred’ approach to the re-design of the emergency ambulance; the future plans of the Home Office Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme; and details of the pan-European Smart@fire project.
Register FREE to attend
www.emergencyuk.com/est4 w w w. e m e r g e n c y s e r v i c e s t i m e s . c o m
Emergency Services Times October 2013
2 | ESTA-Z
Companies
Company Name
Page No
Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund ..................48 Antares.......................................................................54 Association of Air Ambulances...........................7, 48 Association of Ambulance Chief Executives...26, 37 Association of Chief Police Officers.....26, 37, 41, 68 Atkins.........................................................................91 Balcan Engineering..................................................58 Ballyclare Ltd ...........................................................20 BASICS......................................................................28 Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service ...............7, 19 British Cave Rescue Council...................................42 British Red Cross......................................7, 13, 24, 26 Browns Coachworks Ltd ...........................................7 BSI................................................................................7 The Business Continuity Institute.........................14 Cabinet Office.................................................3, 14, 70 Casualties Union.......................................................38 CFOA National Resilience Ltd ........................37, 68 Chief Fire Officers’ Association........................11, 26, 33, 37, 48, 68, 72 Civil Air Patrol..........................................................35 Cleveland Fire Brigade ..............................................4 Coastguard Rescue Service......................................33 College of Policing....................................................68 Community Safe A Life Scheme ..............................4 Coventry and Warwickshire Community First Responders.............................45 CPDme ......................................................................37 Department for Communities and Local Government..............3, 7, 14, 26, 70, 72 Department for Transport .......................................26 Department of Health..........................................3, 70 Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service ......................75 Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service........7
Company Name
Page No
DMS technologies ....................................................54 Doublet UK ..............................................................91 Draeger Safety UK .....................................................8 Driver First Assist....................................................37 East Midlands Ambulance Service...........................4 East of England Ambulance Service ........................8 Emergency Planning College..................................14 Emergency Planning Society ..................................14 The Environment Agency...........................11, 30, 45 Excelerate Technology Group.............................7, 18 Ferno (UK) Limited ............................................4, 91 Fire Brigade of Ghent ..............................................50 Fire Industry Association........................................41 Fire Ladders Ltd ......................................................54 The Fire Service College .........................................24 Fire Services Youth Training Association ...............4 FIRESA .....................................................................41 FlamePro (UK) Ltd .................................................61 Flood Protection Solutions Ltd..............................93 Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.....7, 24, 72 Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service........78 Hammond Drysuits ...................................................7 Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service ......................68 Health and Safety Executive ...................................70 Health and Safety Lawyers Association.................96 Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design...........................81 Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service ..4 Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service..................77 Hertfordshire Police.................................................77 HIAL ...........................................................................4 Highways Agency.....................................................26 HM Coastguard ..................................................33, 45 Home Office..................................3, 26, 33, 53, 70, 87
Company Name
Page No
Husqvarna Construction Products.........................58 ICT Workshop Solutions Ltd .................................85 The Independent Ambulance Association............38 International Emergency & Catastrophe Management Conference & Exhibition.............16 International Rescue Corps.....................................28 ISG Infrasys ........................................................17, 57 Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme .........3, 38, 70, 71, 77 Land Rover ...............................................................13 LESLP...............................................................S1-S16 Less CO2 Ltd............................................................50 Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.................................30 Local Government Association ..............................72 London Ambulance Service....................................45 London Fire Brigade ...........................................7, 50 Maritime Volunteer Service ....................................45 MedTrade...................................................................93 Motion Computing...................................................58 National AIDS Trust..................................................8 National Ambulance Service First Aid Training..45 National Association of Police Fleet Managers ....41 National Coastwatch Institution.............................35 National First Responder Forum ...........................48 Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes.................41 Nightsearcher Ltd....................................................61 Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service............73 Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service ..8, 35, 77 NSPCC.........................................................................4 Olympus ....................................................................61 Osborn Abas Hunt Solicitors..................................96 Packexe ......................................................................61 The Photon Shop .....................................................63 The Police Foundation ............................................91
Company Name
Page No
Police Service of Northern Ireland.........................73 Premier Communication Electronics Ltd.............53 The Prince's Trust ....................................................26 Project CATO ...........................................................67 Public Health England ......................................28, 70 RAF Mountain Rescue Service...............................22 Rescue 3 Europe .......................................................50 RNLI..........................................................................33 Royal Voluntary Service...........................................41 SaBRE West Midlands.............................................33 SARbot UK Underwater Rescue ............................42 Scott Safety..................................................................4 Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.........................7 SP Services ................................................................63 Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service .....................7 The Stationery Office...............................................91 TenCate Protective Fabrics......................................53 Tracerco .....................................................................77 Tracerlite....................................................................63 United Kingdom Rescue Organisation..................30 University of Hertfordshire.....................................70 University of Wolverhampton ............................4, 53 VectorCommand.................................................67, 91 Vimpex Limited .......................................................17 Voluntary Sector Civil Protection Forum..............26 WASP Barcode Technologies..................................57 Webasto Thermo & Comfort UK Ltd....................57 Welsh Ambulance Service .........................................4 West Midlands Ambulance Service..................11, 45 West Midlands Fire Service ....................................42
Advertisers Company Name
Page No
5.11 Tactical Solutions .............................................56 The AA ......................................................................31 AccuLux / Witte + Sutor GmbH ...........................10 ACPO.........................................................................88 Aireshelta...................................................................80 Alexandra ..................................................................86 Amputees in Action .................................................80 APB Mobile Installations Ltd.................................36 AW Hainsworth........................................................76 Babcock International ...........................................S13 Ballyclare Limited....................................................40 Bauer Kompressoren................................................83 BBB Investments......................................................94 Bluecher UK Ltd .....................................................S9 BOC Healthcare........................................................83 Bott Ltd .....................................................................84 Braemar Howells Limited.......................................66 Bristol Uniforms.......................................................55 British APCO.........................................................IBC British Red Cross .....................................................S2 Brother UK Ltd........................................................93 Bullard GmbH....................................................60, 69 Cardiac Services........................................................92 Casualties Union.......................................................44 CBRN First Response..............................................89 Chartered Institute for Environmental Health.....84 Concept Smoke Systems..........................................36
Company Name
Page No
County Durham Emergency Medical Services Ltd............................................95 Crofton Engineering Limited.................................49 DMS Technologies ...................................................60 DOK-ING .................................................................89 Draeger Safety...........................................................51 Emergency Response Driver Training Ltd ...........31 EP Barrus ..................................................................34 EST Directory...........................................................88 Excelerate Technology Ltd ......................OFC, 19,79 Fire Ladders Limited ..............................................84 Firemain Engineering Ltd......................................44 The Fire Service College.......................................IFC FlamePro (UK) Ltd .................................................62 FLIR Commercial Systems.....................................92 Garmin.......................................................................71 Genquip.....................................................................S2 Getac UK...................................................................55 GMK Ltd ..................................................................10 Godiva............................................................27, 29, 59 Goliath Footwear................................................85, 87 HAAGEN Fire Training Products .........................40 HAIX Schuhe Produktions-und Vertriebs GmbH ...................................................23 Hunter Apparel Solutions .......................................47 Husqvarna Construction Products.........................86 Interspiro...................................................................62
Emergency Services Times October 2013
Company Name
Page No
IP Performance ...........................................................6 ISG Infrasys...............................................................90 John Jordan Limited................................................80 Laerdal Medical Ltd ..................................................9 Land Rover ...................................................27, 29, 31 LED Lenser - Ledco Limited.................................74 Less CO2 Ltd............................................................90 Lintran Total Transport Systems............................80 Lyon Equipment Limited .......................................39 MAGNUM ................................................................15 MC Products .............................................................89 Medical Services NE ................................................95 Mercedes-Benz............................................................5 Mines Rescue Service Ltd .......................................32 Nightsearcher ...........................................................S4 Nike Hydraulics .......................................................60 North Fire plc ...........................................................52 OAH Law ..................................................................66 Openhouse Products................................................S6 Orange Grove Fostercare.........................................83 Packexe ......................................................................13 PageOne Communications Ltd ............................S16 Paul Clark Services...................................................56 Peli Products (UK) Ltd ...........................................36 The Photon Shop .....................................................84 Premier Hazard.........................................................16 Primetech (UK) Ltd ...........................................SIFC
Company Name
Page No
Red Box Recorders ...................................................21 Respirex .....................................................................12 Rewards for Rescue ..................................................76 RSG Engineering Limited ......................................10 RUD Chains Ltd ......................................................12 Sea & Sea Ltd............................................................69 Serco ..........................................................................S6 SHB Hire...................................................................69 Skoda..........................................................................25 SP Services (UK) Ltd..........................................OBC Strongs Plastic Products Ltd ..................................34 Stryker GmbH & Co KG.........................................72 Survitec Group..........................................................32 Tactical Ventilation Systems....................................90 TASER Tactical Safety.............................................66 Tencate Protective Fabrics.......................................94 TEXPORT ................................................................46 University of Wolverhampton ................................32 Vimpex Limited.................................................SOBC Volvo Car UK............................................................43 WASP Barcode Technologies..................................86 WH Bence Coachworks......................................SIBC Wm Sugden & Sons Ltd..........................................34 YKK...........................................................................44 YPO............................................................................32 Zodiac MILPRO ....................................................S11
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ESTCOMMENT | 3
ISSN 1472-1090 Date:
October 2013
Editor: David J. Holden MEng(Hons) Twitter: @999editor davidholden@brodenmedia.com Advertisement Manager: David Brown davidbrown@brodenmedia.com Advertisement Sales: Carol Fox carolfox@brodenmedia.com Office & Events Manager: Lesley Stevenson lesleystevenson@brodenmedia.com Marketing Manager: Emma Nicholls emmanicholls@brodenmedia.com Circulation: Christine Knoll
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True interoperability requires buy-in at all levels of command Words: James Brokenshire, Security Minister Our emergency services are among the best in the world. But many of the major incidents we have faced – such as the 7/7 London bombings, the Derrick Bird shootings in Cumbria and extreme flooding in many parts of the UK – have shown how vital it is for the police, fire and rescue, and ambulance services to work together. The 7/7 Coroner, Lady Justice Hallett, was clear that no lives were lost that day which could have been saved by our emergency responders. She did however make several recommendations where she saw that the emergency services could work better together – for example in sharing information as the attack unfolded.
“It is essential that the need to work jointly between the police, fire and ambulance services becomes an engrained culture in the mindset of responders.” We need plans, skills and ways of working that are as flexible as possible to respond to the range of threats and hazards set out in the National Risk Register. Our work on the Olympics showed the value of joint planning and exercising by police, fire and ambulance teams across the UK. When the emergency services work together, they save lives. Interoperability is important
This is why interoperability is important to my Ministerial colleagues and me. It is an issue, which is personally important to the Home Secretary. She is clear that the Government has a duty to the families of the victims of the 7/7 bombings, as well as a duty to the wider public, to ensure that we learn from the lessons identified in the Coroner’s Inquest into the London bombings and from previous incidents. And this is why the Home Secretary asked the emergency services to set up a programme of work, the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme (JESIP), which is designed to make further
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improvements to the joint response to major incidents. Although funded by Government, the programme is run by the emergency services themselves with a dedicated multi-agency programme team. It is essential that the need to work jointly between the police, fire and ambulance services becomes an engrained culture in the mindset of responders. Interoperability training with colleagues responsible for assuming command at the scene of an incident from the other services should be used as an opportunity to strengthen relationships. Those working at a more strategic level, should be considering how to promote interoperability within their organisations. A change in culture, as well as continual improvement and ensuring lessons from major incidents are learnt and successfully embedded, will only succeed with buy-in at all levels of command. United support for JESIP
JESIP has clear and united support from across Government: the Home Office, Cabinet Office, Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department of Health. Ministers from each of these departments take part in a regular Ministerial Oversight Board focused solely on this issue. The programme aims to ensure that the emergency services have clear guidance and are jointly trained and exercised so they are in the best possible position to respond to complex or fast-moving situations. Not an easy task. This is why support from the emergency services community at the local level will be fundamental to the programme’s success. The programme has now produced joint doctrine for use across the three emergency services; consultation took place throughout August. A national programme of training, to be delivered jointly at the local level, will be rolled out this autumn. The on-going support from across the emergency services is critical. Ministers are very clear about the importance of this work and our support for this programme is unequivocal. There has never been a better time to make it happen. www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Emergency Services Times October 2013
4 | ESTNEWS A new training partnership has been formed between regional airport operator HIAL and Orkney College UHI Maritime Studies department to provide lifesaving fire fighting training to people working in fishing, marine renewables and Orkney’s ferries. A purpose built training rig at Kirkwall Airport will offer realistic maritime search and rescue scenarios based on the internal layout of a ship, and use full personal and respiratory protection equipment. The first course should be available towards the end of this year and it is hoped the training programme could be extended to other industry sectors, over time. www.hial.co.uk
Scott Safety has secured contracts to supply its Eagle Attack thermal imaging cameras (TICs) to Cleveland Fire Brigade and Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service. In total, Scott Safety has supplied 250 thermal imaging cameras to eight fire and rescue services across the UK in the last 18 months, confirming the company’s reputation for manufacturing high specification, quality products. www.scottsafety.com
Students will learn how to examine the aftermath of a fire scene on a new course being run at the University of Wolverhampton. The course – an MSc in Fire Investigation – is being run for the first time at the University in October, in collaboration with West Midlands Fire Service. Over the course of the programme, students will learn how to gather evidence at fire scenes, how to determine what caused a blaze and how to write up insurance and coroners reports. Entrants will be able to get hands-on, investigating simulated fire scenes at the Oldbury facility of the West Midlands Fire Service. The course, which is either 12 months full-time or two years part-time, is open to anyone but entrants will be expected to hold at least an upper second-class honours degree in a subject appropriate to the course. www.wlv.ac.uk
A new cycle response unit has been launched in Skegness to help East Midlands Ambulance Service to provide fast, emergency treatment and care to people in an emergency. The paramedics on bikes will respond to 999 calls received within a 1.5 mile radius of the busy resort. The bicycles will carry the same essential lifesaving equipment as an emergency ambulance fast response car (just less quantity), and can reach patients even faster in congested areas. www.emas.nhs.uk
Ferno vacuum mattress offers improved patient handling for Welsh Ambulance Service Ferno, the patient handling equipment specialist, has launched a revolutionary new vacuum mattress for the emergency services and mountain search and rescue sector. EasyFix is ideal for immobilising patients who have suffered trauma to the spine, pelvis or limbs, and uses a new V-shaped body design to optimise the vacuum mattress capabilities while a ground breaking X-shape restraint system immobilises the upper body and/or hips and pelvis, creating a versatile solution for transporting patients. The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust is one of the first in the country to take delivery of the new mattresses after Ferno secured an order for 250. Richard Lee, Head of Clinical Services for the trust, said, “We have added a vacuum mattress to the standard equipment list on all 250 of our emergency ambulances across Wales. This additional equipment will allow us to improve our management of spinal injuries both at the incident scene and during longer transfers to specialist trauma facilities.” Jon Ellis, Managing Director of Ferno (UK), said, “We are very pleased that the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust has chosen the EasyFix mattress.
Charity aims for ‘a lifesaver on the corner of every street’
It is particularly well suited for the environment they operate within and underscores our ability to develop products which are in demand.” Benefits of the EasyFix vacuum mattress include: 10 ergonomically designed handles to give smooth handling; folds up easily, taking up 20 percent less space than other vacuum mattress designs; double layered material helps maintain vacuum longer, creating a highly durable and effective product; high carrying capacity, with a load limit of 250kg; X-ray and MRI translucent meaning there is no need to move the patient to another device for diagnosis; and it is manufactured from polyester fibre and PVC coated vinyl, which means it is easy to clean and maintain.
The aim of the Community Save A Life Scheme is to try and get a lifesaver on the corner of every street; someone who has the knowledge and who has been given the confidence to help someone when they are most in need. The charity offers free first aid courses to anyone who wants to learn. It is part of the British Heart Foundation, is supported by SP Services and East Midlands Ambulance Service, and has been in existence for just over two years. In that time it has proven that it has made a difference and is helping to save lives. Such as when a young boy, who had taken part in one of these courses in his school, went on to save his own father’s life after he had collapsed and nearly died. If it was not for his knowledge and his early intervention his father may not still be with us today. The Community Save A Life scheme originally started in Derbyshire, but is now growing countrywide. For more information Tel: 01246 460434 or e-mail: info@communitysavealife.co.uk or alternatively visit the website.
www.ferno.co.uk
www.communitysavealife.co.uk
NSPCC launches first child safeguarding training resource for paramedics and firefighters The NSPCC recognises that emergency services professionals have a unique opportunity to spot signs of child abuse and neglect, as during home visits and contact with families they are well placed to gain an insight into children’s everyday lives. With this in mind, the charity has launched the resource ‘Safeguarding children: key skills for ambulance, fire and rescue services’, which has been developed in close consultation with firefighters and paramedics. It includes interviews with frontline professionals, along with dramatised scenarios showing situations they come across in their day-to-day work where safeguarding concerns may arise. NSPCC Training and Development Consultant Ann Norburn says, “Firefighters and paramedics serve a vital role in protecting our community; this includes helping to safeguard children. Our expert trainers and consultants have worked closely with ambulance, fire and rescue services
Emergency Services Times October 2013
for many years. They, along with colleagues in these services responsible for delivering training internally, identified a real need for a training resource focusing on situations that firefighters and paramedics deal with every day. We believe our new resource will be valuable in helping firefighters and paramedics to recognise and respond effectively to signs of child abuse and neglect.” John Cartwright, Chair of the Fire Services Youth Training Association, who assisted in development of the product, said, “The situations in which firefighters come across children with safeguarding needs were not covered in existing training resources. The new NSPCC
resource, which provides advice on how to respond to scenarios such as seeing a young child out late on their own, or to a neglected child when making home safety checks, will really help to bring to life the message that safeguarding children is a crucial part of a firefighter’s role.” David Blain, Chair of the National Ambulance Safeguarding Group (NASG), with whom the NSPCC consulted on the product, said, “Ambulance staff need to have highquality training around recognising and responding to signs of child abuse, particularly as often they may be the only professionals who see or hear what is happening. “This new NSPCC resource, focusing on situations such as what do in domestic violence incidents where a child is present, or what to do if you see a child being bullied by their peers, will be an invaluable support when delivering training.” www.nspcc.org.uk/emergencyservices
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ESTNEWS | 7
Comms contracts Partnership approach offers put Excelerate in support in Staffordshire command Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) have both chosen Excelerate Technology Group to supply communications solutions for new mobile command vehicles. Bedfordshire FRS has chosen Excelerate Technology Group to supply, integrate and support advanced communications solutions and services for its new incident command vehicle, which will be based on a Mercedes long wheelbase, high roof chassis. The vehicle specialist selected for the project is Bott Ltd. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has bought three new command vehicles with Excelerate Technology communications solutions. The tender for the three vehicles, intended to help support improved operational response for a wide variety of different types of incident, was awarded to Browns Coachworks Ltd of Northern Ireland. Both services’ vehicles will benefit from the full range of communications solutions provided by Excelerate Technology Group, including: mobile satellite broadband based on the highly robust Enhanced Resilience Satellite Network, designed specifically for the emergency services and available exclusively from Excelerate; wireless dual thermal rapid response and body-worn cameras (using the COFDM standard) for use providing real-time video and situational awareness from around incident grounds and aerial platforms; the Digital Dashboard Management Interface (DDMI), which enables emergency responders to concentrate on their primary roles by simplifying their use of technology and systems for optimising command and communications efficiency across the incident ground and between multiple agencies. Bedfordshire’s vehicle will also benefit from the inclusion of MESH communications capability, extending and enhancing wireless coverage across incident grounds, and the addition of GPS positioning for improved monitoring and management of personnel and fire fighting assets. After acceptance testing and training Bedfordshire’s new mobile command vehicle is due to be delivered to the service in September 2013, while Devon and Somerset’s new vehicles are expected to go on the run by the end of the year. www.excelerate-group.com
As part of the continuous drive to further improve standards in the operation of air ambulances, the majority of air ambulance charities and ambulance services in the UK have signed up to a new Code of Conduct, backed by the Association of Air Ambulances. The code, which harnesses already established standards not consistently used across the sector, now makes them mandatory, ensuring a consistent and focused level of activity. These rules govern standards of medical care, civil aviation practices and fundraising activity, requiring air ambulances to meet the standards set by UK regulators, the Care Quality Commission, Civil Aviation Authority and Fundraising Standards Board. www.associationofairambulances.co.uk
Red Cross volunteers pictured with outgoing Chief Fire Officer Paul Raymond and Red Cross Operations Director Andrew Strong and (far right) Station Manager Neil Griffiths.
A unique service to offer practical and emotional support to people affected by house fires and other emergencies has been launched by the British Red Cross in conjunction with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service. Called out by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, Red Cross volunteers will arrive at the scene of a fire in their adapted vehicle to offer help to people who may have suffered damage to or lost their home after a major fire, flood or serious incident. Volunteers provide practical help, advice and comfort and a place of refuge as part of the Red Cross fire and emergency support (FES) service. Trained to help in a crisis, volunteers will be ready for emergency call outs from 6pm to 6am weekdays and 24 hours over the weekends covering
the Shropshire area. Based at Shrewsbury Fire Station, the vehicle will be ‘a safe haven’ for those affected by an emergency – as firefighters make the area safe. The Red Cross vehicle is equipped with items people may need in the immediate aftermath of an emergency, including clothing, hygiene items, baby food, children’s toys and even pet treats. As well as providing immediate support, the Red Cross will give people information on insurance, help with temporary accommodation for them and their pets and signpost them to other organisations that can help after the initial crisis has passed. The new vehicle was paid for by Red Cross funds and a donation of £19,000 from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service. www.redcross.org.uk/fess
Control room upgrade gives Gloucestershire new Vision Gloucestershire can expect faster emergency response times and greater capacity to deal with largescale incidents following the launch of Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service’s new control room. The new set-up, at the county’s fire headquarters in Waterwells Business Park, Gloucester, includes a mobilising system, called Vision 4, which is designed to reduce the time it takes operators to handle calls and for crews to respond. Gloucestershire’s is only the second fire and rescue service in the country to install the
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equipment, which uses up-to-theminute mapping and identification software to pinpoint emergencies. The new control room is just one way the service has benefited from £1.8m of funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The cash has also been spent on replacing the mobilising system at every fire station in the county and reconfiguring the mobilising computer network for increased security www.glosfire.gov.uk
‘BS 8599-2 First aid kits for motor vehicles’ is in development by the BSI and will mean that vehicles in the UK can be equipped with a standardised first aid kit. While many new vehicles are equipped with a kit, the majority in the UK are not and there is a real need to offer casualties necessary lifesaving treatment before the emergency services arrive. BS 8599-2 will be available for public comment in the coming months and will be ready for publication by mid-2014. www.bsigroup.com
Eleven new community fire stations for Staffordshire have been given the official go-ahead. Funding of £45m has been made available from the Government’s Private Finance Initiative (PFI) scheme for the project, which is the second phase of an innovative programme to provide fire stations across Staffordshire that are also community-focused with facilities to benefit local people. Under the same scheme, London Fire Brigade received £51.5m to design build, finance and maintain nine fire stations in the capital. www.london-fire.gov.uk www.staffordshirefire.gov.uk
British drysuit manufacturer Hammond Drysuits has undertaken an expansion to its Kent-based manufacturing facility and increased its workforce by 10 percent to accommodate a significant rise in demand for both new products and repair work. And in celebration of its expansion, the company has revealed a new-look logo and branding, which will feature across all new products. www.hammond-drysuits.co.uk
Emergency Services Times October 2013
8 | ESTNEWS
Dates for your diary 23-29 September 2013 National Air Ambulance Week 25-26 September 2013 The Emergency Services Show 2013 The NEC, Birmingham www.emergencyuk.com
9-10 October 2013 CATO Conference Bonn, Germany www.cato-project.eu
5-8 November 2013 A+A Düsseldorf, Germany www.aplusa-online.com
19 November 2013 Blue Light Innovation Conference and Exhibition QEII Conference Centre, London http://bluelightinnovation.co.uk
20-23 November 2013 Medica 2013 Dusseldorf, Germany www.medica-tradefair.com
26 November 2013 Lone Worker Safety 2013 London Olympia www.loneworkersafetyexpo.com
15-16 January 2014 Trauma Innovation Olympia Conference Centre, London www.traumainnovation.com
12-13 February 2014 Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience Europe London www.cipre-expo.com
11-13 March 2014 Security and Policing FIVE Farnborough Hampshire www.securityandpolicing.co.uk
1-2 April 2014 British APCO Manchester Central www.bapco.co.uk
1-2 April 2014 Professional Clothing Show and Awards The NEC, Birmingham www.workwearshow.com
29-30 April 2014 Counter Terror Expo Olympia, London www.counterterrorexpo.com
16 May 2014 Spirit of Fire Awards Westminster Park Plaza, London www.spiritoffireawards.co.uk
Ambulance service trials ‘Twin Bin’ kit ordering system the units is empty, the door is slid across to reveal a second bin. This then activates radio-frequency identification, which sends a message to suppliers that new stock is needed. EEAST Duty Manager Martin Lockhart, who led the scheme, said, The ‘Twin Bin’ system is a storage unit holding 89 medical products in “It’s a fantastic product, a set of twin containers. which allows managers A project that uses the latest technol- like myself to focus on their role ogy to ensure ambulance crews have without having to check that our staequipment when they needed it has tion has enough equipment every been trialled by the East of England day. Ambulance Service NHS Trust “Any issues were always resolved (EEAST). quickly and efficiently, and it would The ‘Twin Bin’ system is a storage be great to secure future funding for unit holding 89 medical products in a the product.” set of twin containers. Once one of www.eastamb.nhs.uk
Draeger Safety UK supports Northumberland’s young firefighters Sponsorship money provided by Blyth-based Draeger Safety UK, is being used to help support an exciting scheme with Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service’s Young Firefighters’ Association. The initiative, which is open to 13 – 17 year olds, gives the young firefighters the opportunity to work towards a Level 2 BTEC qualification in Fire and Rescue Services in the Community. As part of the initiative, a group of over 80 dedicated young people have this summer taken part in a unique team building camp, designed to bring together members from across the 10 different branches in Northumberland. After an intense year of training and working hard toward their qualifications, the weekend at Whithaugh Park in the Scottish Borders, gave young firefighters the opportunity to enjoy some welldeserved time away, taking part in team building activities, outdoor pursuits and games. Alan Middleton, from Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service’s Community Safety Academy and who was himself once part of the Young Firefighters’ Association, said, “Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service is delighted to be working with Draeger Safety UK to support the Young Firefighters’ initiative. “Across the year, Draeger sponsorship money has been used to support a number of different activities for the youngsters involved in the scheme,
Emergency Services Times October 2013
including this year’s summer camp and the recent Drill competition. It is only through support and financial backing from companies such as Draeger that we are able to continually offer these young people the opportunities to take part in such a wide range of different things.”
Draeger Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service young firefighters in action at recent community event.
Phil Saxton, Sales and Marketing Director from Draeger Safety UK, said, “At Draeger Safety UK, it is important to us to help support community initiatives such as the Young Firefighters’ Association and we are very proud to be involved in this scheme with Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service. “The scheme teaches young people invaluable life lessons whilst at the same time, provides a stepping stone to their future careers and it is very rewarding to feel that we have made a contribution towards this. It’s vital that we equip our next generation with the skills they need to go out into the community and help make Northumberland a safer place.” www.northumberland.gov.uk www.draeger.com
National AIDS Trust calls on police to update their guidance on HIV NAT (National AIDS Trust) is calling on all UK police forces to ensure their guidance and policies on HIV are upto-date – and to use NAT’s new resource ‘HIV: A guide for Police Forces’ for this purpose.
‘HIV: A guide for police forces’ is endorsed by BHIVA (the British HIV Association) and includes information about how HIV is and isn’t transmitted, what to do if you are exposed to HIV, how to respond to someone with HIV, and information about criminal prosecution for HIV transmission. It also includes an easy-to-use checklist to ensure blood borne virus training and occupational health policies are fit for purpose and up-to-date. The guidance was produced in response to a review by NAT of a sample of policies and guidelines from 15 police constabularies in the UK. NAT found some forces wrongly cited spitting, scratching, urine, sharing toothbrushes and handling or lifting of people as routes to transmission. NAT also found policies recommending the use of ‘spit hoods’ to protect police from HIV transmission though spitting cannot transmit HIV, and other policies stating people living with HIV and in custody should be held separately and that interviews should be conducted through cell doors or cell door hatches. NAT is writing to all police forces in Britain to ask them to use this new guide, and ensure that training around HIV is correct and up-to-date. Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT, said, “By producing this guidance we have given police forces the information and evidence they need to ensure their policies and procedures on dealing with HIV are up-to-date and non-stigmatising and to help reduce unnecessary worry about HIV transmission amongst police officers. We are now calling on them to make sure it is put into practice.” NAT (National AIDS Trust) is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to transforming society’s response to HIV. It provides fresh thinking, expertise and practical resources, and champions the rights of people living with HIV. www.nat.org.uk
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Major fires lead to calls for change to recycling risk management National regulations and guidance on the safe storage and processing of recycling materials should be reviewed and updated, according to one of the country’s leading fire officers. It follows what was one of the largest ever fires dealt with by West Midlands Fire Service, when a single flame-powered sky lantern set fire late at night to around 10,000 tonnes of plastic and paper bales stacked at the Jayplas Ltd site in Smethwick. At its height, the resulting blaze involved 35 fire appliances and 200 firefighters from the West Midlands and neighbouring brigades. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Phil Hales, who commanded the initial Assistant Chief Fire Officer hours of the operation, Phil Hales, West Midlands Fire Service. declared the fire a major incident, which went on to last four days. “This was an extremely intense and hot-burning fire, which spread rapidly in very strong winds. We implemented an assertive fire fighting plan, with a key priority of protecting neighbouring businesses, which we achieved,” said ACFO Hales. “The blaze created its own challenging thermal currents, and a dense black smoke plume of around 6000ft, which could be seen 40 miles away. It demanded extensive fire fighting resources, a water management plan, the support of several specialists, and a significant multi-agency response.
“A review and changes are needed, to help stop massive fires like the ones in Smethwick and Nechells happening again.”
recycling industry, fire and rescue services, the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) and the Government to review and update recycling legislation and guidance. He added, “Some of the guidance dates back decades, to when recycling simply wasn’t as important to people and wasn’t the multi-million pound business that it is today. “There are nearly 60 recycling plants in the West Midlands alone, and we are responding to increasing numbers of incidents at them. We are not talking about restrictions so stringent that they would force some operators out of business, and we do recognise the commercial sensitivities involved. A review and changes are needed, to help stop massive fires like the ones in Smethwick and Nechells happening again.” Another serious fire Speaking following yet another serious fire at a UK waste recycling site, this time in Stockport, Greater Manchester, Roy Wilsher, Operations Director for CFOA, said, “The recent fires in the West Midlands and Greater Manchester serve as a stark reminder to us all of the fire risk associated with waste and recycling sites. In 2012 there were over 300 fires at such sites, many of which required a huge effort from the local fire and rescue service to contain the fire, which can burn for days or even weeks.” In an effort to reduce the potential for such fires to occur and mitigate the impacts of those that do, the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) is working in partnership with organisations such as the Environment Agency and the Wood & Tyre Recycling Association to examine incident statistics and review existing guidance. It will also look to work with site operators to improve safety and
lobby the government for decisive action, including legislative change where necessary. Lanterns Immediately following the outbreak of the Smethwick recycling plant fire, West Midlands Fire Service called for people to stop using sky lanterns, and for shops to stop selling them. MPs discussed the devices in Parliament and retailer Poundland withdrew them from sale within days. Vij Randeniya, Chief Fire Officer for WMFS and President of CFOA, said, “We asked for a sensible conversation about sky lanterns with sensible people, and we were really pleased that Poundland stepped up to the plate. “This will make a direct contribution to public safety. We welcome it, and call on other responsible retailers to follow suit as soon as possible. Our firefighters showed great skill and courage in controlling this enormous fire. We were at the scene for days. Poundland’s decision means their efforts were not in vain.” Social media The recycling fire attracted international news media interest, prompted by updates and dramatic photos issued by the WMFS control room via the brigade’s Twitter account. Fire Minister Brandon Lewis tweeted his praise of the ‘excellent job’ done in getting the fire under control. Live video feeds from the scene, broadcast over the brigade’s online Bambuser channel, were watched tens of thousands of times. A three-minute video, summarising the events in facts and statistics, can be seen at www.vimeo.com/70647016. www.wmfs.net www.cfoa.org.uk
“What’s clear is that, as more and more materials are recycled, fire and rescue services need to find ways to support the industry in proactively managing the risks presented by their recycling sites. This is all the more critical as fire services’ resources shrink, and we face even more reductions in our funding.” Review legislation and guidance The Smethwick fire, which caused some £6m worth of damage, came two months after another significant West Midlands blaze, at the Smurfit Kappa paper recycling complex in Nechells, Birmingham. It involved 9000-tonnes of cardboard bales, covering seven acres of a 22-acre site. More than 100 firefighters and 28 fire appliances responded. ACFO Hales said it was now the time for the
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This photograph, taken by a volunteer photographer with West Midlands Fire Service, became synonymous with the Smethwick fire and the international media coverage it received. The Wall Street Journal declared it ‘photo of the day’.
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ESTNEWS | 13
Land Rover Defender ambulances help Red Cross deliver first aid in tough conditions The British Red Cross is reaching more people in need of first aid and other emergency medical support thanks to especially converted Land Rover Defender ambulances.
Fully trained Red Cross ambulance crews, first aid volunteers and staff in areas of the UK frequently use Land Rover Defenders to provide ambulance support to their NHS colleagues or to attend events taking place in environments that require off-road driving in all weather. Specially designed to withstand rough ground while providing the required capacity to deliver essential emergency medical support, the highly capable and durable Land Rover Defender 130 is converted for the Red Cross by specialists in a sixweek process. Beginning with the Defender’s base vehicle with a strengthened chassis, suspension and brakes, experts install essential storage, the sub-
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frame and three miles of electrical wiring before fitting the body and interior. Complete with emergency lights and a full paint job, the ambulance is ready for the Red Cross to drive away to carry out what can be life-saving work. Urgent medical assistance Having recently invested in its first converted Land Rover ambulance, the Red Cross in Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire can now provide urgent medical assistance at events where the environment was previously inaccessible for local volunteers and staff. These vehicles also allow ambulance support to be carried out in adverse weather, such as snow and ice. Paul Bodman, Event First Aid Coordinator for the area, said, “Since buying a converted Land
Rover ambulance in January it has proven to be a vital resource for our event first aid and emergency response work. The patient’s compartment is designed to have adequate headroom and space for movement, as well as quick access to ‘grab bags’ containing first aid equipment and oxygen when we need to get to an incident quickly.” He added, “We don’t just use the ambulance at events. Because it’s a 4x4 we can reach people living in remote areas who need the Red Cross’s support during periods of severe winter weather that causes problems such as flooding and transport accidents.” www.redcross.org.uk/landrover www.ifrc.org www.landrover.co.uk
Emergency Services Times October 2013
14 | ESTEVENTS
Past, present and future of resilience on the EPS conference agenda The emergency planning and resilience profession has seen a number of changes over the past 10 years, but the Emergency Planning Society (EPS) – the UK’s leading professional body for the field – has remained a constant source of support to its members and the wider resilience community. Words: Samantha Mendez, Communications and General Manager, The Emergency Planning Society The Emergency Planning Society was formed in 1993 through the merger of the Emergency Planning Association and the County Emergency Planning Officers’ Society; the origins of these bodies lay in the wartime civil defence organisations that were set up to protect the civil population during World War Two, particularly in the areas of air raid warnings. The post-war period brought the Cold War and fears of nuclear destruction; these organisations therefore developed to prepare and protect the civil population from such an eventuality. The major change in East-West relationships introduced another element to emergency planning and resilience – the nature of the profession changed with the introduction of Peacetime or the All Hazards Planning. The reduction of nuclear threat, together with the realisation of the potential for major disasters, helped to broaden the EPS from its public sector origins into the wider areas encompassing the private and voluntary sector.
A voice for members Since 1993 the EPS has been the driving force in the world of resilience – in 1998 it published Responding to Disaster: The Human Aspects. The EPS has also helped write and publish the recent Business Continuity for Dummies guide (with the Cabinet Office and BCI) and the peer-reviewed Emergency Management Review in February 2012 (published in association with the Emergency Planning College). The EPS became a company in 2003, the same year it established a Republic of Ireland branch. The society is made up of 14 branches and eight professional working groups, and through regular consultation with the Government it provides a voice for its members to influence change at the highest level. This was brought to the fore in the early 2000s when the national review of emergency planning resulted in the first piece of new UK legislation for over 50 years – the Civil Contingencies Act. The society was involved in working with Skills for Justice and the Cabinet Office in the development of the National Occupational Standards for Civil Contingencies, which led the EPS to developing its online CPD scheme in 2010.
Mayor of Christchurch Bob Parker was the keynote speaker at the EPS Conference in 2011.
There exists, today, an understandable employer, Government, stakeholder and public interest in resilience specialists of all disciplines being able to clearly evidence they have maintained their skills through relevant development and training. Effective CPD is one of the means by which the emergency planning and resilience professions not only show their enthusiasm, pride and determination to maintain their professional standards but also enhances the public’s confidence in their roles.
Professionalism, imagination and ingenuity The events that will be discussed, and the emergencies and disasters that are witnessed every week on the television, are all too commonplace. But behind the scenes and on the frontline, resilience, emergency planning professionals and the emergency services strive to overcome the challenges these events throw at them.
“Since 1993 the EPS has been the driving force in the world of resilience.” Annual conference With the role of emergency planning and resilience ever-changing, the EPS thought it appropriate to concentrate this year’s conference on the theme of Resilience: Past, Present and Future. The conference, which takes place on 26 September at the NEC, alongside The Emergency Services Show 2013, will be looking at: the changing nature of resilience theory; how the Civil Contingencies Act has influenced the resilience agenda; a UK case-study on deep impact events that leave everybody vulnerable; and a keynote presentation from the Assistant Chief of Operations at the NYC Fire Department, James J Manahan Jr, who will be discussing Hurricane Sandy. James’s presentation will then lead on to the afternoon’s Big Debate – does the UK need to be prepared for risks like Hurricane Sandy? Then, Neil O’Connor, of DCLG, will close the afternoon by looking at the ‘future of resilience’.
Emergency Services Times October 2013
NYC Fire Chief Joe Callan (right) with former EPS Chair Brian Ward at the EPS Conference in Bournemouth 2002. Joe led the rescue operation at the Twin Towers after the 9/11 terrorist attack and he was guest of honour at the EPS conference.
They have helped shape the professions and continue to do so. Often resilience professionals are accused of getting wrapped up in the process and technicalities, which are important, but it is the people and their professionalism, imagination and ingenuity that make it work. Without it we wouldn’t have realistic training and exercising, we wouldn’t have the workshops and discussions that we have or the networks developed to support us in the work we do. For more information on the EPS’ Resilience Conference, and the society as a whole visit the website below. www.the-eps.org
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16 | ESTEVENTS
Dubai event focuses on humanitarian response to emergencies medicine, emergency management, trauma activation, trauma management, pre-hospital care, neurological emergencies, psychological emergency, disaster activation, disaster resources, disaster logistics and the risks that media crew are exposed to during disasters.
In recent years, the world has witnessed a number of natural disasters due to environmental or geological changes. The growing pockets of political instability within many countries have added to the list of man made disasters, in addition to the incidents that occur within communities that call on the attention of the emergency services sector. Due to its strategic location, Dubai has launched various initiatives to support and assist the humanitarian and relief agencies and authorities that operate in response to such emergencies. Different topics Taking place from 25-27 March 2014, the International Emergency & Catastrophe Management Conference & Exhibition (IECM) will be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice
President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and supported by the Dubai Health Authority and Dubai Police. IECM will be held under the theme: Emergency and Catastrophe in Human Resources and will discuss different topics, including: emergency
Emergency Services Times October 2013
Meeting point The IECM will be a meeting point for local, regional and international professionals from emergency services and first responders, civil defence organisations, disaster planning and managing authorities, NGOs, health sector and government agencies. The aim of the event is to identify and discuss chronic issues through case studies, new methodologies, trending topics within the emergency management sector extending across the community. http://emergency.ae
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ESTCOMPANY PROFILE | 17
Vimpex and ISG team up for focus on thermal imaging The Emergency Services Show (ESS2013) is of major importance for Vimpex Ltd this year – the company will be teaming up with ISG for the official launch of the new X-380 thermal imager to the UK market. A significant portion of Vimpex’s stand will be given over to the ISG product range allowing visitors to experience, first hand, the class-leading features that the X-Series camera range offers. The partnership between Vimpex and ISG, established earlier in the year, which combines the advanced thermal imaging technology incorporated into ISG cameras with the well-established fieldbased support from Vimpex, is delivering unparalleled levels of customer support and satisfaction.
“The partnership is delivering unparalleled levels of customer support and satisfaction.” Since the two companies are located just 10 miles apart, coordination of stock, spare parts and handling of service and repairs is both quicker and more efficient. Vimpex’s mobile repair service provides support on the ground and ISG is able to conduct servicing and repairs down to component level. This guarantees a quick and efficient service and helps reduce the cost to the user. This has led to the creation of the 48-hour Service Charter – providing fire and rescue services with the highest level of operational availability for thermal imaging (TI) cameras.
world-leading imaging performance in a rugged, small and lightweight design. The unit incorporates innovative features such as Cold Spot Tracker. This fantastic feature allows first responders to locate and pinpoint thread or valve gas leaks, as gas in general will be colder in temperature than the environment surrounding it. Once the feature is selected, a special crosshair will identify the coldest object in the scene, track it, and display its relative temperature.
Complete solution The all-new X-Series thermal imager is the first complete solution for fire fighting, combining
The show sees the official launch of the new X-380 thermal imager to the UK market.
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Vimpex – advancing rescue technology Established for 19 years, Vimpex is a specialist supplier of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety equipment, technical rescue products and lighting and power solutions to the paramedic, rescue, police, military and associated markets. Vimpex staff are trained in the demonstration, service and repair of all tools and equipment sold by the company, which is the official service and warranty repair agent for all petrol and electric Makita products, as well as TNT hydraulics and Ogura rescue and industrial tools. Visitors to the Vimpex stand at ESS2013 will be able to see, for the first time, a truly unique product available exclusively from Vimpex – the 110V Silent Inverter Generator. Several years of discussions with generator manufacturers has culminated in Vimpex being the only UK business
The 110V AC portable silent inverter generator.
supplying such a product. This 110V AC portable silent inverter generator weighs only 22kg. Easily carried by one person, it can provide ample power whenever lighting, power tools etc require 110V supply. Interest will not be limited to those in the fire and rescue services. Police visitors will be very interested to see the Paratech range of tactical forcible entry equipment, while ambulance services and paramedics will recognise the popular A7A UK ambulance helmets from Pacific. Rescue professionals from all branches of the emergency services are using Ogura’s portable battery-powered tools. With Vimpex now firmly established as a major player in the fire fighting, rescue and EMS sector, the company is delighted to be supported by ISG, which enhances its position as a supplier of these and other class-leading products. www.rescue-tools.co.uk
The A7A UK ambulance helmets from Pacific.
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18 | ESTCOMPANY PROFILE
Game changing communications technology for the emergency services If your organisation uses satellite systems to transmit and receive data, video and voice with colleagues and multiagency partners (or uses internet or cloud-based applications) during its response to emergency incidents, starting a dialogue with Excelerate Technology is the first step towards ensuring you have the right products and services in place to meet your specific requirements.
Trusted by Government The Excelerate Group is now trusted by the following Government agencies to deliver their mission critical communications solutions:
Excelerate Technology is the clear UK market leader in the provision of data, video, voice and internet via satellite and wireless solutions to the emergency services and is now trusted by over 50 Government agencies to deliver world class, mission-critical communications solutions worldwide. As a strong, independent, established and financially secure company with a permanent focus on research, development and innovation, Excelerate’s ethos is centred on the delivery of excellent technical solutions and a support service that is second to none.
“Visit Excelerate Technology on Stand G28 in Hall 17.” Tailored solutions Nicola Savage, Sales and Marketing Director for Excelerate Technology, says, “Our client base is growing consistently and people come back to us regularly because they know we have the resources and commitment to deliver tailored solutions that specifically meet their needs. We do not supply a ‘one size fits all’ solution and leave them to get on with it. “Some of our new products are literally game changing in that they will completely improve the way our clients approach their satellite and wireless communications provision. We are proud to be playing a key role in emergency response worldwide and look forward to seeing our established customers at this year’s Emergency Services Show whilst meeting potential new clients too.” Visitors to the Excelerate Technology stand (G28, Hall 17) will see:
• The launch of SUPERSAT – Excelerate’s new KA satellite service being offered in partnership with Eutelsat to provide its customers with the most cost effective, high speed coverage in the market today • A reminder of the benefits of the our KU satellite solution – our Enhanced Resilience Satellite Network – a fully managed service that delivers the most robust, resilient satellite service available today, especially important in remote or particularly challenging environments • The Excelerate Ideas Lab, where visitors can meet Excelerate staff and discuss and test their own theories on communications technology • Excelerate’s unique Sherpa pole climbing camera and communications deployment system • The company’s diverse range of vehicle-based, incident ground and personal rapid deployment data, video and voice applications • The latest wireless mesh and LTE technology, showing how robust, seamless communications networks can be established in minutes using Excelerate’s innovative solutions. • Excelerate’s marine satellite technology offerings, in conjunction with Sunseeker Yachts and the UK trawler industry
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Avon Fire and Rescue Service Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service British Red Cross Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service Cleveland Fire and Rescue Service Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service Derbyshire Police Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service Dorset Fire and Rescue Service Dumfries and Galloway Fire and Rescue Service Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service East Midlands Ambulance Service East of England Ambulance Service Fife Fire and Rescue Service Garda Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Gwent Police Home Office Humberside Fire and Rescue Service Kent Fire and Rescue Service Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Leicestershire Police London Ambulance Service Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service Metropolitan Police Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service North East Ambulance Service North West Ambulance Service Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service Scottish Ambulance Service South Central Ambulance Service South East Coast Ambulance Service South Wales Fire and Rescue Service South Western Ambulance Service South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service Surrey Police Sussex Police Tayside Fire and Rescue Service Thames Valley Police Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service Welsh Ambulance Service West Midlands Ambulance Service West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service Yorkshire Ambulance Service And more…
• The new Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service incident command vehicle. www.excelerate-group.com
Emergency Services Times October 2013
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20 | ESTCOMPANY PROFILE
David Ross re-launches Ballyclare Cosalt’s protective clothing business has been acquired and re-launched by David Ross – a well-known entrepreneur who established his reputation as one of the founding partners of Carphone Warehouse. Introducing the new identity of Ballyclare, Mr Ross said, “Cosalt Workwear built a strong position in the UK fire service, but was held back by problems elsewhere in Cosalt. I am delighted we are now able to re-launch the business as Ballyclare with a clean balance sheet and a new identity, which will allow it to build on its undoubted strengths.” The new company name emphasises Mr Ross’ determination that the business should build on its heritage. Founded in Ballyclare in Northern Ireland, the business traded under the Ballyclare name until it was acquired by Cosalt in 2001. By re-adopting its historic identity Mr Ross believes that the business is demonstrating that it values the decades of experience and commitment, which have been shown to the business by both its staff and customers. Commitment and expertise “It’s a great mistake to imagine that a business is a set of numbers,” said Mr Ross. “Businesses are built by people and the commitment and expertise of the staff at Ballyclare has earned the respect and loyalty of their customers. My role is to provide the business with the support it needs to take full advantage of those relationships.” Although its head office is now in Stockport, and distribution is handled from its own warehouse near Barnsley, the business will trade once again as Ballyclare Ltd – a name that is still recognised both by firefighters and by many other wearers of protective clothing.
“Our new name signals our determination to build on the expertise and relationships, which have been built up over 30 years.” Commenting on the re-launch, the Managing Director Carlton Greener said, “Our new name signals our determination to build on the expertise and relationships, which have been built up over 30 years. At Ballyclare we have important points of difference with most of our competitors. We design the products ourselves; we test the materials and ensure that our manufacturers work to specifications drawn up by us. We are proud to stand behind our products because we know how they are made and how they perform. “We work that way because we want to – but also because we have to. We manufacture some of the most technically advanced clothing products in the world. We produce protective clothing for firefighters, flying suits for RAF pilots and riot control clothing for policemen and women; they have to perform to specification and we are proud of the fact that they do.”
Cosalt’s protective clothing business has been acquired and re-launched by David Ross as Ballyclare.
New markets In its new form Ballyclare plans to take its expertise into new markets. According to Mr Greener, “It isn’t only emergency services staff who need high levels of protection. We are long standing suppliers to the rail industry as well as to the oil and gas sector and we are developing new products and services, which will use our experience in these demanding sectors to improve employee protection in other areas.” In addition to its new name and re-launch, Ballyclare has also announced that it has won and delivered a major new contract with the Malaysian Fire Service. Worth over £1m the Malaysian contract has demonstrated that there is a market for Ballyclare’s expertise well beyond the UK. Mr Greener said, “Employee protection is a global theme and Ballyclare is ideally placed to take its technological expertise to ‘parts of the world that others don’t reach. We are actively developing our contacts outside the UK in order to grow our business and create job opportunities in the North of England.” Behind the scenes Ballyclare is quite unlike most clothing businesses. Indeed it doesn’t really think of
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itself as a clothing business at all. “We don’t simply sell garments, we sell solutions,” said Mr Greener. “Many of our customers lease the clothing from us; that means we accept the responsibility for cleaning and maintaining the garments, and it gives us a powerful incentive to ensure that the product performs well over its whole life. It also means we have a different relationship with our customers; for us it is a long term relationship in which we need to understand our customers’ requirements and design solutions which work for them. That is why we have invested heavily in IT systems, which enable us to manage both a complex global supply chain and our local relationships with individual firefighters and police officers.” Strong financial footing Summing it up, Mr Ross said, “Ballyclare is different. The heritage is unique; the knowhow is unique and now it has been placed on a strong financial footing. It’s a great business and I look forward to working with Carlton and his team to realise its potential.” www.ballyclarelimited.com
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22 | ESTPROFILE
RAF Mountain Rescue Service celebrates 70 years of service Scotland, 1938, and an overdue Hawker Audax belonging to Number 8 Flying Training School at RAF Montrose crashed on Cairn o’ Mount. Ordinary airmen, with no prior training or specialist equipment, were awakened in the early hours of morning by the duty NCO and tasked to locate the missing aircraft. They piled into the back of an old three-tonne truck, wearing their boots, Wellingtons, Hairy Mary uniforms and Greatcoats – a far cry from the mountaineering equipment available today. From its infancy to the present day, the RAF Mountain Rescue Service has undergone many changes to its structure, organisation and, most significantly, to the equipment and clothing supplied to team members. RAF Montrose was but one of a number of RAF stations that in the late 1930s mounted similar operations to search for downed aircraft and rescue its crew. There was no coordination and it was up to the nearest individual station to launch the task. In 1941, Flying Officer George Graham, a young, ambitious officer with mountaineering experience, was posted to RAF Llandwrog in Wales as the Station Medical Officer. He was involved with several callouts similar to that at RAF Montrose. Between 1941 and 1943 he began to informally train airmen in mountaineering skills and rescue techniques. After 33 crew members had been rescued from 22 crashes Graham realised that there was a need for more formalised training and better equipment. Never a man to follow protocol, he went straight to the top and wrote many letters to the Air Ministry, pointing out the deficiencies in his team’s training and equipment and the need for official support. Approval and backing On 6 July 1943 the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) achieved approval and backing from the Air Ministry and Mountain Rescue Teams (MRTs) were established at RAF stations Llandwrog, Harpur Hill, Millom and Montrose. In 1947, the role of the MRS was reviewed and extended to include the search for and rescue of civilian aircrew and passengers, in addition to its primary role of providing aid to downed servicemen. As service commitments abroad increased, additional MRTs were established in Cyprus, Hong Kong and Desert Rescue Teams in Aden, Sharjah and Masirah in the Middle East. Voluntary service One thing that has remained unchanged since its formation is the entirely voluntary nature of the service. Team members receive no additional pay, nor time off in lieu for undertaking their mountain rescue duties. MRTs deploy on three out of four weekends each month and again during public holidays throughout the year (including Christmas and New Year). All part-time MRS personnel must attend a minimum of two weekend exercises a month. Personnel posted and assigned permanently onto MRS duties must attend three weekend exercises a month. Their commitment (and that of their loved ones) is rewarded by the excellent team spirit and family atmosphere that exists within the teams, in addition to being part of a highly motivated, trained and dedicated group. By their nature, MRS
With the ‘MR 70’ flag in position, Flight Sergeant Paul Millen and Corporal Andy Woolston take a well-earned breather as the Lossiemouth Sea King passes close by the Old Man of Hoy. Photo: SAC Faye Storer, RAF SAR Force Image Exploitation Section © MOD 2013
Emergency Services Times October 2013
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ESTPROFILE | 23 duties allow RAF personnel to experience some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Integral role As part of its duties the RAF MRS liaises with civilian emergency services and provides Military Aid to the Civilian Authorities (MACA) in natural disasters and wide scale search operations. During the Cockermouth floods in 2009 RAF MRS set up its specialist communications vehicle, which took on the role of the communications’ relay between air units and civilian flood rescue teams – a vital part of the rescue effort. However, the main daily role of the RAF MRS is Aircraft Post Crash Management (APCM). RAF MRTs can be and are tasked directly from the UK Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) at Kinloss Barracks in Moray, Scotland. They have to respond within one hour of receipt of such a tasking. This is extended to five hours at weekends due to training commitments. This level of response is maintained all year round; ready to assist at any aircraft crash, military or civilian, anywhere in the UK.
Future determination This year the RAF Mountain Rescue Service celebrates its 70th anniversary, which team members marked in style by displaying an ‘MR 70’ commemorative flag from the Old Man of Hoy. This natural sandstone stack is an iconic landmark, standing 449ft above sea level on the island of Hoy, just south of Orkney’s mainland. Members of RAF Leuchars’ Mountain Rescue Team unveiled the flag after completing a challenging technical climb as part of a routine rock-climbing exercise. The lead climbers were Flight Sergeant Paul Millen, who has since moved to take over as the Team Leader of RAF Leeming’s Mountain Rescue Team, and Corporal Andy Woolston, a part-time team member of RAF Leuchars’ MRT.
“They look to the future with a determination to carry on saving lives for another 70 years to come.” As the troops look back on the last 70 years of service they commemorate those team members that gave the ultimate sacrifice in the name of duty and for the preservation of life. Not only do they look back with a fondness but to the future with a determination to carry on saving lives for another 70 years to come. www.raf.mod.uk
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Immersive, interactive and involving – that’s the Fire Service College Transformation IGLOO The Fire Service College is showcasing a new incident command training experience at this year’s Emergency Services Show. Visitors to the college’s Transformation IGLOO on Stand L60 can experience the pressures faced by a frontline emergency services incident commander at the centre of a major road traffic accident. Come and see a realistic simulation of what happens when you’re first on the scene moments after an incident. One of the Fire Service College’s experienced trainers will be on hand to talk you through what’s happening. At various points, the film will ‘freeze’ and participants debate what should happen next and agree the ‘right’ decisions. The action will then continue and participants can see if they are right (or wrong). It’s an immersive, interactive and wholly involving experience.
Book your place in the Transformation IGLOO today by emailing: ess@fireservicecollege.ac.uk The Fire Service College worked with leading technology company G2G3 to film a major accident on its very own motorway at the college. The action was carefully storyboarded to ensure that nothing could go wrong. As well as cars, lorries, vans and a double decker bus, teams from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, The Red Cross and the Fire Service Cadets also took part.
The Fire Service College worked with leading technology company G2G3 to film a major accident on its very own motorway at the college.
will save both time and money. The IGLOO also provides the college with an opportunity to give many more emergency services professionals the chance to benefit from its world-class training, and experience an incident that’s as close to reality as possible. This is why the Fire Service College is going to be creating up to 16 virtual scenarios to develop command skills. The college will be showcasing a trailer within the IGLOO involving a fire in a terraced house. Initially looking to deliver just Level 1 incident command training in this way, it is
now planning to scale up to Levels 2 and 3 across all blue light services. At The Emergency Services Show, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from 25-26 September, the IGLOO will also be used to outline the transformation currently taking place at the Fire Service College. Visitors to the show will be able to see the new facilities, hear how the college is strengthening its focus on practical learning, watch training on the incident ground and discover more about its plans for the future. www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk
Saving time and money The ability to train in a real life environment is critical for the emergency services, but it’s complex, expensive and time-consuming. The fact that the college is able to recreate a range of highly realistic emergency scenarios in a simulated environment
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Discover the capacity and capabilities of the British Red Cross At The Emergency Services Show this year the British Red Cross will be providing an overview of its UK emergency response offering, highlighting the capacity and capabilities of the organisation. Did you know that the Red Cross has responded, with statuary partners, to major incidents in the UK including the London Bombings, wide scale flooding, flu pandemic, severe weather and fires? The Red Cross also has excellent relationships and partnerships with the Civil Contingencies Secretariat and devolved administrations, DCLG RED and other voluntary sector partners. The organisation is also Chair of the Voluntary Sector Civil Protection Forum.
The British Red Cross can establish a support line in just four hours. Photo: Layton Thompson/British Red Cross
An example of one of the charity’s key capabilities is its ability to establish a support line in just four hours. Using a robust virtual telephony system, BRC personnel can provide psychosocial support to people in need, 24 hours a day, seven days a week with no interruption to the service. Using an extensive network of trained and skilled volunteers, a support line allows Category 1 Responders to focus on tackling the immediate incident at hand.
Supporting the BRC exhibition stand this year there will also be an opportunity to see the Red Cross emergency communications vehicle.
Communications vehicle Supporting the BRC exhibition stand this year there will also be an opportunity to see the Red Cross emergency communications vehicle. The Red Cross manage a fleet of six communications vehicles located across the UK to interoperate with Category 1 and 2 partners in both pre-planned and immediately arising incidents. Equipment includes: multiple VHF and UHF radios managed via computer software capable of displaying the location of users; Airwave capability, with the ability to integrate an ambulance service radio operator in the second workstation; and internet telephony via a satellite dish. Information can be shared remotely with partner agencies via the proprietary Bridgit conferencing software. With standalone capability due to an on board generator these vehicles provide a comprehensive resilient communications platform for deployment in both response and recovery phases of an incident. www.redcross.org.uk
Visit the British Red Cross on Stand Z204.
Community focus for Prince’s Trust Youth charity The Prince’s Trust helps disadvantaged young people to get their lives on track. It supports 13 to 30 year-olds who are unemployed, and those struggling at school and at risk of exclusion. Many of the young people helped by the trust are in or leaving care, facing issues such as homelessness or mental health problems, or they have been in trouble with the law.
Trust programmes give vulnerable young people the practical and financial support needed to stabilise their lives, helping develop self-esteem and skills for work. Three in four young people supported by The Prince’s Trust move into work,
education or training. The Prince of Wales’s charity has helped 750,000 young people since 1976 and supports over 100 more each day. The Prince’s Trust and the emergency services have a long and proud history of working in partnership and, together, they have helped thousands of young people to change their lives. The trust and the services share many common objectives, which impact on the communities they serve. Their work together is guided by the values of social responsibility and inclusiveness – which the trust imparts to the young people that come through its programmes. The emergency services play a crucial role in helping, not just to deliver The Prince’s Trust’s programmes, but also to forge closer links with young people and their community. By offering support to young people at a critical stage in their lives, the trust can help them address and tackle their problems before they become too acute. The dedication and tireless enthusiasm of the emergency services make a real and lasting contribution to many individuals and communities across the UK.
Partnership, collaboration and innovation: the benefits are CLEAR Nearly 75,000 incidents led to lane closures and delays on England’s motorways in 2012. There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck in a traffic jam for hours on end. But even worse than that is the shocking cost of those lost hours for the economy. The Highways Agency is committed to reducing the duration times of motorway incident closures and is leading on the CLEAR (Collision, Lead, Evaluate, Act, Reopen) initiative in partnership with other incident responders, including the Department for Alternating flashing headlamps Transport, Association and bullhorns enable traffic officers to get through slow and of Chief Police standing traffic quickly and safely. Officers, Chief Fire Officers’ Association, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives and the Home Office. The CLEAR initiative looks to identify issues that need to be addressed by all organisations involved in incident management, based on a committed approach to partnership, collaboration and innovation. It sets out how different incident responders will work together to reduce the impact of incidents. 3D laser scanners Since the launch of CLEAR the Department for Transport has already provided £2.7m for 38 3D laser scanners to 27 different police forces to aid their incident investigation by capturing details more quickly and to significantly shorten motorway closure times. Trials suggest that the scanners reduce clear up times by an average of 39 minutes. From February 2013 Highways Agency Traffic Officer vehicles are equipped with alternating flashing headlamps and bullhorns enabling traffic officers to get through slow and standing traffic quickly and safely. Investment in technology has enhanced capability enabling larger broken down vehicles to be moved from live carriageways to a place of safety by traffic officer vehicles. Further improvements to help clear minor spills more quickly and the use of incident screens at major motorway incidents are in the pipeline to be delivered this year.
www.princes-trust.org.uk
www.highways.gov.uk
Visit The Prince’s Trust on Stand Z116.
Visit Highways Agency on Stands OS9 & Z218.
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BASICS: increased clinical expertise on a voluntary basis The British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS) was formed in 1977 by a small number of GPs who were concerned about the immediate care that car crash victims were receiving. Their goal was to bring increased clinical expertise to the scene on a voluntary basis. BASICS has grown into a registered national charity, which aims to encourage and aid the formation of Immediate Care Schemes and develop cooperation between Immediate Care Schemes and the statutory emergency services. The organisation relies on volunteer medical professionals and allied health professionals to provide immediate healthcare assistance in support of the emergency services. BASICS is: a professional body to represent members interests; an operational body to facilitate the individual schemes; a training body to further knowledge among its members; and an advisory body for its members and other stakeholders, including government. Many BASICS Schemes also include nurses who specialise in pre-hospital care – some nurses working in this field are able to work at Advanced Nurse Practitioner level with a high degree of clinical autonomy and decision-making. Additional training Paramedics are also a valued part of many BASICS schemes. Many have undertaken additional training and education to become Critical Care Paramedics with an extended range of pharmacology and potentially life-saving interventions to complement those of their colleagues. BASICS is acknowledged as a global authority when it comes to providing training and education. Whether you want a course for making you better able to cope with emergencies in your community practice, or whether you are looking to embark on a role in BASICS, or are a helicopter medic or a military medic about to be deployed, BASICS has a course for you. www.basics.org.uk
Visit BASICS on Stand Z106.
IRC: the original USAR team
The International Rescue Corps (IRC) is a specialist volunteer urban search and rescue team responding to natural and man made disasters all over the world using its specialist skills and equipment to rescue people. As a UK based charity supported entirely by donations, IRC offers its services completely free of charge, whether in the UK or overseas. IRC was formed having watched the scenes of chaos and devastation portrayed in the media following the 1981 Italian earthquake. The charity has now operated for over 30 years with an outstanding track record of saving lives and is one of the world’s most respected search and rescue teams. IRC members Often, the first introduction that people have to the International Rescue Corps is when they see the distinctive royal blue overalls in television news footage of a disaster, whether at home or abroad.
You may have seen or read about IRC’s involvement in missing person searches, or helping rescue the victims of train crashes; floods; earthquakes and factory explosions. All IRC members are volunteers and come from all different walks of life. The transformation of a new member to a fully trained operational member is a process that can take up to three years to complete but some members can specialise in specific modules only, such as boat rescue or rope rescue work. Certified college course The International Rescue Corps is the only UK search and rescue team to be classed as an educational institution via the National Open College Network. This means that it is robustly audited and its teaching methods and assessments are verified at several points throughout the year. www.intrescue.org
Visit International Rescue Corps on Stand Z215.
Health protection science, innovation, advice and services The emergency preparedness and response capabilities of the former Health Protection Agency were transferred to Public Health England (PHE) in April 2013. PHE works with national and local government, the emergency services, industry and the voluntary and community sectors to protect and improve the nation’s health. The agency provides integrated services and expertise, information and intelligence across the spectrum of stakeholders. PHE’s CBRN pedigree includes cutting-edge research into toxicology, radiation, infectious pathogens and operational responses, particularly in decontamination and emergency health care for the public and at mass gatherings. Its expertise in the field is second to none: advice, services, products and training are sought after by governments, research
institutions and commercial organisations alike. PHE provides world-leading health protection science, innovation, advice and services. Emergency response PHE operates a cohesive and well-coordinated emergency response system for the spectrum of emergencies affecting public health. Potential health threats might involve industrial fires, chemical contamination of the environment, the spread of infectious diseases or the deliberate release of chemicals and poisons. A specific function of PHE is to advance knowledge about protection from the risks of radiation and chemicals from its Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (CRCE) at Chilton,
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Oxfordshire, with teams in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Chilton, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Newcastle. CRCE provides a complete range of safety services, including internationally respected laboratory and technical services; training courses; expert information; and fulfils an important advisory role to regulators, government, the public and others. In addition, PHE’s Radiation Metrology Group provides a professional calibration, maintenance and repair service for all radiation monitoring instruments (dose/dose-rate monitors, contamination monitors, spectrometry) already used by many emergency services colleagues. www.phe.gov.uk | business@phe.gov.uk
Visit Public Health England on Stand Z216.
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The Environment Agency: responding to the environmental aspects of incidents and emergencies The Environment Agency will be attending this year’s Emergency Services Show to demonstrate some of its incident response capabilities, and to provide up to date information to emergency professionals on: environmental considerations during the response phase, joint working and asset sharing, the environmental impacts of fire fighting foam, air quality monitoring in major incidents, flood incident management and many other topics. The agency will also be demonstrating some pollution protection equipment. The environmental impacts of incidents and emergencies should not be underestimated. In 1986 a fire broke out at the Sandoz warehouse in Basel, Switzerland. The facility was full to capacity with 245-tonnes of various toxic chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides and fungicides containing organophosphorous and mercury compounds. The fire was fought aggressively and over 200 firefighters attended the site. The site was located within a few hundred metres of the River Rhine and the firewater runoff, contaminated with the chemicals, flowed freely in to it. The result was that over 400km of the Rhine was rendered lifeless, public water abstraction points in several countries were forced to close and the water could not be used to irrigate crops. This is a high profile example, but the point is
Environment Agency has a range of equipment, technical expertise and legislative powers to enable it to tackle these issues and minimise environmental damage in an emergency. The agency is a Category 1 Responder under the Civil Contingencies Act and has staff on standby 24/7 across England.
clear, the consequences of an environmental incident can be significant, not only to the ecosystem and biodiversity but also to human health. People are inextricably linked to the environment for food, water and the air we breathe; if the environment isn’t healthy, the people who live in it won’t be either. In England, the Environment Agency is charged with responding to the environmental aspects of incidents and emergencies. This is just one the many roles the agency fulfils around protecting the environment. The sources of these environmental threats are numerous: from industrial accidents and fires, to Road Traffic Collisions and chemical spills. The
‘First aid’ environmental protection measures The Environment Agency is not a ‘blue light’ service but through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with all the English fire and rescue services, the agency is able to ensure that vital pollution protection equipment is available on scene as quickly as possible. The MOU provides each fire and rescue service (FRS) with a fully equipped Environmental Protection Unit funded by the Environment Agency while the FRS crews and deploys it. In this way, the ‘first aid’ environmental protection measures are deployed allowing time for the Environment Agency staff to arrive and take over the environmental aspects of the response. Some of the Environment Agency’s capabilities will be present at The Emergency Services Show 2013, so visit the stands to see how the agency is working to reduce the environmental damage from incidents and emergencies. www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Visit Environment Agency on Stands Z245 & OS81.
Advancing technical rescue while improving outcomes for casualties at RTCs The United Kingdom Rescue Organisation (UKRO) was formed in 2002 to address the growing diversity of complex technical rescues that emergency services in the UK are required to undertake. Its mission is advancing professional rescue and its vision is that UKRO sets the standards for complex technical rescue through regional and national challenges, which then supports services in delivering to that standard through educational and development opportunities, which ultimately improves outcomes for casualties.
UKRO also recognises the benefits of extending its knowledge in this area to support education and development in other countries through its International Development Programme. Four strategic objectives In order to achieve this vision UKRO has established four strategic objectives, which will be managed and delivered by the UKRO Management Committee. The first strategic objective is to ensure national fire and rescue participation in, and support for, regional and national challenges, while the second focuses on education and development, to set the standard and advance knowledge of complex technical rescue. Cascading the skills This is evidenced in Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, who hosted the UKRO National challenge in 2012, and who are still seeing benefits by cascading the skills and experience gained and practised there to all operational staff throughout the county. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue’s RTC extrication team was founded in 2008 and has attended both regional and national UKRO challenges for the last five years – and now the team has been included within service delivery in order to
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cascade their additional skills and knowledge gained through UKRO to operational crews. The two-day extrication training courses will now be enhanced with the latest knowledge and skills brought back from UKRO challenges and workshops – such as new vehicle techniques, overcoming high-strength steels and reforming – which is then cascaded to wholetime and retained junior officers and followed up with refresher training. Future growth The third and fourth strategic objectives of UKRO are the provision of independent expertise, guidance and support for national and international rescue services, and the future development and growth of UKRO. With the continued commitment and support of UKRO volunteers, fire and rescue services, CFOA and sponsors, who provide challenge equipment and funds, the future is exciting for UKRO, and the team looks forward to meeting as many people as possible at The Emergency Services Show 2013 to discuss how UKRO can continue making a difference to the public and improving outcomes for casualties. www.ukro.org
Visit UKRO on Stand Z242.
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Could you be a Reservist?
The 2013 White Paper on the future of the Reserve Forces was released in July. Over the coming years, the number of Reservists will rise and they will play an increasingly important role in the armed forces. This means they are more likely to be used for military operations. To ensure they are fully prepared for this, there will be some changes to their training commitments. As part of this process, employers with Reservists can expect to receive more support from the MOD, including: clearer communication; greater predictability around training and mobilisation commitments; and, for employers of mobilised Reservists, improvements to financial assistance and the introduction of a financial award for small and medium-sized enterprises. SaBRE is a Ministry of Defence campaign aimed at improving and extending the links between the Reservist, their units and their civilian employers. Many reservists work for the emergency services, with transferrable skills benefiting both aspects of their lives. www.sabre.mod.uk
CFOA to share its wealth of knowledge and experience with visitors to the show The Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) is a professional membership association and a registered charity. CFOA members are drawn from all UK fire and rescue services (FRS) representing the senior executives and managers of the service. Through the work of its members, the association supports the fire and rescue services of the UK in its aspiration to protect the communities they serve and to continue to improve the overall performance of the fire sector. CFOA provides professional and technical advice to inform national fire policy and is the driving force in managing change and implementing reforms in the service. CFOA’s work is carried out by a range of dedicated lead officers, supported by national boards, strategic committees and working groups.
Efficiency is a key area for CFOA and, in bringing together both strategic and technical subject matter experts, the association is driving cost-saving initiatives for the UK FRS by ensuring that the wealth of knowledge and experience in the sector is shared across the country and the duplication of effort is significantly reduced. www.cfoaservices.co.uk
Visit the Chief Fire Officers’ Association on Stand Z249.
The future of mobile communications The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) is a pan-government programme hosted by the Home Office, which aims to deliver the future mobile communications solution for the three emergency services and other public safety users. ESMCP is keen to exploit the potential of the next generation mobile technology (4G LTE) and is seeking to deliver the replacement solution when the existing contracts with Airwave Services Ltd begin to expire in late 2016. The replacement service, to be called the Emergency Services Network (ESN), will deliver critical voice and broadband data services by enhancing the commercial networks to provide public safety functionality and additional coverage, resilience and security.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ the-emergency-services-mobile-communicationsprogramme
Visit Home Office-ESMCP on Stand Z119.
Visit SaBRE West Midlands on Stand Z208.
Coastguard operations networked to meet national challenge The UK, as an Island nation, relies on shipping for about 95 percent of its imports and exports, with UK sea ports handling half a billion tonnes of goods and over 21 million passengers passing through our ports annually. Even with the UK’s variable weather, visiting our beaches and coastal environments remains a popular pastime. The provision of maritime search and rescue is a national function covering both the 20,000 miles of mainland and island coastline and sea cliffs of the UK and up to 1.25 million square miles of sea. With this level of activity and responsibilities the importance of the UK’s maritime search and rescue, security, and vessel traffic surveillance functions has never been higher. With this rapid development of both industry and leisure activities in the maritime domain, there is a need to modernise HM Coastguard and its capacity and capability to fulfil its current and future responsibilities, in particular as an emergency service provider within a wider range of missions. In order to ensure it has the right resources in the right place at the right time, this involves changing to a nationally networked organisation where it can match professional
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officers in the right numbers to the work in hand. The HM Coastguard service will have at its heart a National Maritime Operations Centre to manage the network, maintaining a UK-wide view of the civil maritime domain utilising terrestrial marine band radio, satellite technology, modern telecommunications systems, and upgraded incident management software. Future Coastguard Rescue response is delivered by the Coastguard Rescue Service, the RNLI, independent lifeboats, dedicated search and rescue helicopters, along with other rescue assets and emergency services. The future Coastguard will not impact on these services except that the MCA will be increasing the numbers of professional coastguards working in coastal communities and providing operational leadership and support to its 3500 Coastguard Rescue Officers. The Coastguard Rescue Service (CRS) carries out search and rescue on the coastline of the UK and is trained and equipped by HM Coastguard (HMCG). The Coastguard Rescue Teams (CRTs) are situated at strategic locations and are equipped
to deal with incidents appropriate to the risks associated with local coastal terrain and local shoreline activities and conditions. The CRS has 3500 members organised into 352 teams based all around the UK coastline and are trained and equipped for search, water rescue, rope rescue, mud rescue, supporting helicopters and lifeboats, dealing with ordnance and pollution. Each main team has a fully equipped 4x4 response vehicle. www.dft.gov.uk/mca
Visit HM Coastguard on Stand Z129.
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CAP has air patrol Hazmat incident training courses available to all responders in hand
When you hear the words ‘Civil Air Patrol’ most people who have an interest in aviation will think of the United States Civil Air Patrol (USCAP) or, more correctly, the United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol, which was formed during WW2 and recently celebrated its 70th Anniversary. However, there is also a Civil Air Patrol in the UK, which can trace its beginnings back to the year 2000 when it was titled the Sky Watch Community Air Service.
Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) has developed a range of hazardous material (hazmat) incident training courses designed to meet the needs of emergency first responders from fire and rescue, police, and ambulance services. Any of the emergency services have potential to be first on the scene of a hazmat incident and there have been many incidents where first responders have become casualties themselves having not reacted to incident indicators appropriately. These incidents highlight the need for specific hazmat response training and the deployment of correct control measures to ensure safe systems of work, so that incidents are mitigated effectively and safely by all attending agencies. NFRS offers hazard recognition and incident management courses to all agencies enabling successful and safe resolution of hazmat incidents in effective partnership. For example, a contract to train North East Ambulance Service Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) has been secured and will be delivered late 2013. Dealing with radiation incidents The NFRS hazmat team has developed a new methodology for dealing with radiation incidents, entitled ‘The Strands of Safety’. Often first responders are daunted at the mere mention of radiation and with this in mind the team makes every effort to simplify the science of radiation and focus on the practicalities of dealing with an incident in a pragmatic and practitioner-
It was not until 2009 that the current Chairman, Tony Cowan, a former RAF Nimrod pilot who also flew with the police service and the Scottish Air Ambulance Service, was sponsored by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to spend a month with the USCAP so that all the good ideas could be brought back to the UK without having to reinvent the wheel – better to ‘steal’ someone else’s wheel and paint it in your own colours! Today, the Sky Watch Civil Air Patrol, a charity registered in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, has around 200 members with a similar number of aircraft. Seventy of these aircraft belong to members who are also members of operational units with unit chief pilot in charge. In some respects the UK’s CAP is a bit like the RNLI lifeboat service, where the majority of members are supporters and a smaller number actually man the lifeboats. Unlike the USCAP, which receives Federal funding and has a fleet of 550 ‘corporate’ aircraft (mostly Cessna 172s and 182s), the aircraft in the UK’s CAP are all in private ownership. Most of the CAP aircraft in the UK are in the light aircraft class. There are also some flex-wing microlights and autogyros and a small number of light helicopters. At this time the CAP in the UK relies on charitable donations and members subscriptions to meet its running costs. www.ukcivilairpatrol.co.uk
Visit Civil Air Patrol on Stand Z132.
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based manner. This gives the knowledge, skills and confidence to develop action plans, which will protect those involved in the incident response and mitigation, especially where there is a life risk or potential for escalation.
Radioactive source information can now be processed quickly to provide accurate and reliable data. Appropriate control measures can then be developed and applied, either on the incident ground or in pre-planning for events when conducting site-specific risk assessments. A recent radiation workshop was delivered to North East Region Hazmat Identification Detection and Monitoring (HDIM) officers and the feedback was excellent. www.northumberland.gov.uk
Visit Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service on Stand Z236.
A watchful eye along the coast The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) is an entirely voluntary organisation set up in 1994 to keep a visual safety watch around the UK coastline. Each station assists in the protection and preservation of life at sea and along our shores. Today 49 stations are operational and manned up to 365 days a year by some 2000 volunteers putting in a total of over 220,000 hours of watchkeeping annually at no cost to the public purse. In 2012 alone, NCI volunteers were involved in 286 reported incidents. Detailed information Watchkeepers must be ready for anything, from contacting HM Coastguard in an emergency to informing a local farmer that a sheep is stuck on a ledge. Fishermen and yachtsmen frequently telephone the lookout for local weather conditions before setting out from the safety of the harbour. Keeping watch on potentially vulnerable craft and people such as kayakers, surfboarders, small craft, open boats, divers, swimmers and anglers are all part of a watchkeeper’s responsibility. High technology and sophisticated computer systems have vastly improved safety at sea but there is no substitute for a watchful pair of eyes. Accidents do happen and a computer cannot spot a distress flare, an overturned dinghy or a yachtsman or fishing vessel with engine failure. Stations are equipped with telescopes, radar,
telephone and weather instruments as well as up to date charts. A number of lookouts have their own weather station, which can be accessed by mariners needing detailed information about local weather conditions before they set sail. The NCI website also provides useful information for mariners and walkers regarding lookout stations and the services they can offer. www.nci.org.uk
Visit National Coastwatch Institution on Stand Z120.
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National resilience assets on show
CPD – there’s an App for that
The future of documenting your personal development has been made even easier with the new CPD Portfolio Mobile App from CPDme. Have you ever taken part in learning and development activity but not had any evidence to take home? Read a document that could improve your care? Download CPDme’s Mobile APP then use the camera on your smartphone to take pictures of evidence and attach it to your CPD diary entry – quickly and easily. The UK fire and rescue sector remains at the forefront in terms of emergency planning, response and recovery. National Resilience assets are designed to respond to major emergencies and catastrophic disasters that are beyond the capacity of either an individual fire and rescue service (FRS) or a combined mutual aid response, which includes the use of assets from neighbouring services. The recent use of HVP and USAR assets in flooding and collapsed building incidents are typical examples of the value of a nationally coordinated response. Current challenges CFOA National Resilience Ltd (CNR) provides professional assurance through the National Resilience Assurance Team (NRAT) to government, individual FRSs and the public that the FRSs in England and Wales are equipped and trained to provide a range of specialist capabilities including high volume pumping (HVP), urban
search and rescue (USAR), public mass decontamination and the detection, identification and monitoring of hazardous substances. During the course of The Emergency Services Show, CNR’s experienced NRAT officers will be on hand to discuss all aspects of resilience work undertaken by the UK fire and rescue services, and will demonstrate some of the specialist equipment and vehicles used. They will provide an insight into how current threats and challenges are being addressed and how the work increasingly benefits from improved interoperability between responding agencies, to help ensure that the general public receive the best possible response in times of need. CNR officers will be accompanied by one of the UK FRS search dog teams, which form an integral technical search element of the USAR capability. www.fireresilience.org.uk
Visit CFOA National Resilience Ltd on Stand Z248 & OS408.
Professional drivers encouraged to learn lifesaving skills Driver First Assist (DFA) is an exciting new road safety initiative that will equip professional drivers with skills enabling them to manage the scene at a road traffic collision (RTC), delivering lifesaving first aid prior to the arrival of the emergency services. Early assistance at the scene of an RTC can significantly reduce the number of fatalities and improve the recovery rate of those injured – something that has been known for a long time. What we probably haven’t readily acknowledged is that for many the road network is a place of work but unlike traditional workplaces, we don’t equip people with lifesaving first aid skills. DFA has the active support of the police through the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO),
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the fire and rescue service through the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) and the ambulance service through the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE). DFA has gained this support as it is recognised that creating a cohort of drivers, equipped with scene management and lifesaving first aid skills, can provide the emergency services with an important and at times vital additional resource. Success of DFA depends to a large extent on publicising the aims of the scheme to as many potential DFA members as possible, including operational members of the emergency services.
The Mobile App is packed with CPD features and there are plans for many more in the future. It has been designed for anyone working in the emergency services (police, fire, ambulance, rescue roles) and health and social care and can be an essential development tool to document CPD activity and capture evidence of your learning as you go about your day. Using the APP will give you exclusive access to free and discounted CPD courses, activities and events both online and around the UK. Want a demo? Download the Mobile APP, visit the CPDme stand at The Emergency Services Show, and CPDme will even give you 12 months free membership to build the perfect CPD Portfolio and a free online learning course to get you started. www.cpdme.com
Visit CPDme on Stand Z251.
www.driverfirstassist.org
Visit Driver First Assist on Stand Z139.
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Increase realism and improve your training effectiveness Casualties Union is a registered charity and an independent voluntary organisation, which provides acting and reacting casualties and patients
for the medical profession, the emergency services, and those who teach first aid, nursing and rescue. Its members use make-up techniques and acting skills to make its simulations as realistic as possible, to a standard that is accepted and used by the UK’s top training hospitals, industry and emergency services. In addition, attention is always given to the safety of all participants. Three main training areas Casualties Union members train in three main subjects: acting – the casualty’s response to treatment being administered is the most important part of accurate simulation; make-up – this creates the illusion of tissue damage, deformity and discoloration to present injuries and medical conditions that are convincingly realistic; and staging – incident scenes are designed to be as realistic as possible, using props and appropriate clothing to make it convincing and to create the right atmosphere. The charity has units throughout the UK. Visit the Casualties Union stand to find out how it can increase realism and improve your training effectiveness.
JESIP outlines key areas for improvement JESIP, the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme, has now been running for 10 months and continues to receive significant Ministerial support and interest. The programme was initiated by the three emergency services against a backdrop of a succession of public enquiries that have indicated joint working between the three emergency services needs to be improved to enhance the collective ability to save lives. It aims to improve the ways in which the three blue light emergency services work together at major and complex incidents.
Drivers for change The key areas for improvement include: joint training at operational level; joint working guidance; and understanding of others roles, responsibilities and capabilities. The scope of JESIP is focused on the three emergency services in England and Wales and is supported by Government and Professional Bodies. It is recognised that many other responders will be impacted on by JESIP. The legacy that JESIP leaves behind intends to address this aspect.
www.casualtiesunion.org.uk
Visit Casualties Union on Stand Z206.
Independent ambulances come of age Eighteen months ago the Independent Ambulance Association (IAA) didn’t exist. Today it is the campaigning voice of the regulated private ambulance services in England, recognised by the regulators and policy decision-makers in the healthcare establishment. With a membership nearing 60 companies, representing the smallest to the largest throughout England and supported by a growing network of manufacturers and suppliers to the ambulance industry, the IAA is starting to be heard in Westminster; as well as in Strasbourg, where MEPs are making decisions with serious implications for the private ambulance market in the UK. After ambulance training, the IAA’s main focus is to lead the argument for greater collaboration between the NHS ambulance trusts and the independent services. The association argues that neither party can economically survive without the other and there are some optimists who believe that one day there will be a public-private partnership agreement, which will deliver a working relationship that is even closer than it is at present. A first cautious step has already been taken with the publicly announced agreement earlier this year
that the IAA and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), which sets national policies for the 10 NHS ambulance trusts, have agreed to work together in the best interests of patients. The relationship is still in its infancy but it is setting a tone of cooperation that has hardly been seen in the past. Growing influence The growing IAA influence reflects the rapid changes in the marketplace where consolidation is spawning a surge in mergers and acquisitions and the entry of new companies offering patient transport services, medical event support and ambulance training; additionally the increase in overseas investment, bringing with it more professional management and technological expertise, will inevitably improve the patient experience. The independent ambulance industry has come of age and is set to play an increasingly important role in the nation’s health and social care services. www.iaauk.org
Visit Independent Ambulance Association on Stand Z133.
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The programme is moving apace, with Joint Doctrine being consulted on through August, training products produced and a plan to train trainers from the blue light emergency services during Autumn 2013. JESIP will deliver: • Overarching joint doctrine • Underpinned by joint training and raised awareness • Tested by joint exercising. Good work is occurring already across the country. However, it is recognised that previous interoperability projects haven’t managed to succeed for various reasons. It is the belief of the JESIP stakeholders that there has never been a better time to bring about this step change within the emergency services and show improvement in these key areas to reassure the public that the UK’s emergency services are providing the best possible response to major emergencies, saving as many lives as possible. www.jesip.org.uk
Visit JESIP on Stand Z226.
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One day a blood bike may have the ride of your life The Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes (NABB) is an umbrella charity representing the interests of 23 independently registered Blood Bike charities across the UK and Ireland. The 1500 volunteer motorcyclists, all of whom hold an advanced riding qualification, provide a professional level rapid response courier service to hospitals, free of charge. This service is provided ‘out of hours’ and, during 2012, the groups responded to around 25,000 requests for assistance from 262 hospitals. NABB provides a single point of contact for national bodies such as the NHS, National Blood Service (NBS) and the Government. One example of this would be the recent invitation to take part in
Police fleet show continues to evolve
The National Association of Police Fleet Managers’ Conference and the Blue & Amber Light Fleet Exhibition celebrated its 40th year in 2013 with a move to The International Centre, Telford. The exhibition was renamed this year to reflect the fact that this fleet event now includes both the emergency services and the wider public sector. This unique event is probably the oldest and most respected emergency service fleet event, which attracts high quality visitors, managers and decision makers from the UK, Europe and as far afield as Hong Kong. This year’s event saw in excess of 135 exhibitors with over 200 vehicles on display filling all available exhibition halls in the venue. The majority of the UK’s police and NHS ambulance services were represented at the show, along with a substantial number from the fire and rescue services, increased numbers from local authorities and government agencies, along with a significant number of senior traffic officers from the Highways Agency. Police and Crime Commissioners attended a briefing on the work of the NAPFM, including the ACPO/NAPFM Vehicle Role Standardisation Group and NAPFM Procurement Frameworks, which will hopefully lead to further collaboration at future events. The NAPFM event continues to use its considerable experience of the emergency service fleet market to provide an event that has evolved to meet the needs of the public sector. Even after 40 years the event still looks fresh while providing that warm friendly feel that makes delegates, exhibitors and visitors feel at home. Plans for 2014 are already well advanced; make sure that 3 and 4 June 2014 are in your diary. www.napfmevent.org.uk
Visit NAPFM on Stand Z221.
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early 1960s, with some of the current groups having delivered continuous service for over 30 years.
the section 19 ‘Speed Exemption’ consultation with the DfT in London. The volunteer blood bike service has its earliest documented activities over half a century ago, in the
Cross country relays No two days are alike and blood bike charities can be requested to travel quite long distances, with cross county relays with neighbouring NABB member groups in operation in these cases. This reduces the distance each rider needs to travel and crucially it helps keep riders within their local response bubble to allow them to respond to other local requests for help. www.bloodbikes.org.uk
Visit Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes on Stand Z136.
FIRESA now part of the FIA FIRESA has acted as the UK trade association for suppliers to the fire and rescue sector since 2005. In April this year, FIRESA became part of the Fire Industry Association (FIA), with its members transferring to the FIA and its council now sitting alongside the other FIA councils. The association continues to work on behalf of the fire fighting supply industry as part of a much bigger organisation and with greater resources at its disposal. The FIA’s purpose, in respect of its fire fighting supply members, is to represent collectively the professional supply industry voice on issues of common interest and to promote its members’ interests within the UK fire and rescue sector. The association maintains an efficient and effective organisation that will collect and distribute information by liaising and petitioning with Government officials and crucial sector organisations. Through this, FIA’s members will gain knowledge on current legislation and other changes relevant to their business activities, bringing benefits to their customers and the communities they serve.
This activity contributes positively and proactively to the growth, development and sustainability of the UK fire and rescue market, acting as the concerted industry group, driving improvement in the UK fire fighting sector and thereby playing a vital role in protecting life, property and the environment. www.fia.uk.com
Visit Fire Industry Association on Stand B39.
Support following a crisis Royal Voluntary Service, as a national charity, can utilise its volunteers across Great Britain to help those in need of support following a crisis. Royal Voluntary Service has 67 ‘hubs’ across the country, which means, following an incident, its volunteers will assist older people to return home and feel safe.
Royal Voluntary Service has a long history of supporting people in a crisis. This year sees the service’s 75th anniversary and, since its founding days, the RVS has been supporting those in need. It has evolved to focus on supporting older people, but is still on hand at incidents like floods and fires and provides a 24/7/365 response service across England, Scotland and Wales.
Royal Voluntary Service works with national, regional and local government, the blue light services, utility companies, transport organisations and the Environment Agency to respond to emergencies and incidents such as explosions, floods, fires or major accidents. In emergencies requiring evacuation, such as floods, bomb scares or fires, RVS sets up rest centres, providing shelter, refreshments, registration and information. Care and support after an incident is essential, particularly for older, vulnerable people, and Royal Voluntary Service is extremely well placed to deliver this service; because its core services are all integrated into one local hub, older people have access to all the appropriate services, which will help them get back on their feet. Building up a community’s resilience is also key and Royal Voluntary Service, through its 40,000 volunteers across the country, helps build stronger communities and allows older people to stay happy, healthy and independent in their own homes. www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
Visit Royal Voluntary Service on Stand Z243.
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Going underground The British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) is the national body for the 15 volunteer underground search and rescue teams that operate throughout the British Isles. The first of its member teams was formed in 1935 and many have now been successfully providing their free service for over 50 years. Local cavers originally formed the teams as self help rescue services for their sporting activities. This is still their primary purpose but over the years their activities have extended to include underground search and rescue for all purposes, either operating alone or in conjunction with other emergency services. Most of the teams’ operations and training take place in natural caves and disused metalliferous and stone mines, where common problems include multiple vertical shafts – some of them hundreds of feet deep – climbs and traverses, constricted passages and squeezes, static or running water, completely flooded passages, mud, unstable rocks, difficult three-dimensional route finding and always a cold, damp and totally dark environment.
The expertise and equipment that teams amass for their core work does enable them to safely and usefully extend their service and operations to almost any underground and many other confined space environments. Skilled and experienced All teams are staffed entirely by already skilled and experienced cavers who undertake training in appropriate additional search and rescue skills and the use of specialist equipment. The BCRC and all its teams are charities and all involved in providing the service at either team or national level are unpaid volunteers. www.caverescue.org.uk
Visit the British Cave Rescue Council on Stand Z123.
Underwater search rescue and recovery SARbot UK Underwater Rescue has developed and will be launching several new and exciting technologies at ESS 2013. SARbot UK has teamed up with International Rescue Training Centre Wales (IRTCW) to provide an underwater search dog capability. The dogs are able to detect the scent of human remains beneath the water and will help to reduce the time taken to find and recover a body. The company will also be launching its latest ROV, the SeaBotix vLBV with vectored thrusters, which enables it to operate in strong currents and to depths of 300m. The vLBV is also equipped with super high frequency sonar operating at 2250kHz, which will enable it to detect and identify small items in zero visibility. SARbot UK’s tracking and navigation system (Micron Nav) enables it to import Google maps and overlay the position of its ROVs in real time; it is also able to apply a grid over the map, which enables accurate search patterns. The company’s trusted and proven SARbot is equipped with the Gemini Sonar, which is second
to none at detecting the human body in water. SARbot UK will be demonstrating its full capability during the show so please take the time to visit Stand Z102. www.sarbot.org.uk
Visit SARbot UK Underwater Rescue on Stand Z102.
Technical rescue capabilities and road safety initiatives – take the go-kart challenge West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) strives to be at the forefront of providing an assertive, safe and effective response to the ever-changing challenges that face a modern fire service. Its Technical Rescue Unit (TRU) makes a significant contribution to keeping the West Midlands’ communities safe. Based at Bickenhill Fire Station, the unit was originally formed as an enhancement to an urban search and rescue (USAR) team. The unit’s purpose-built training facilities allow it to hone the team’s skills in a wide range of rescue incident types, and at this year’s show the TRU is demonstrating areas of its work. Large animal rescue Stand Z237 showcases how the team undertakes large animal rescues and bariatric patient recovery, working closely with incident commanders. This includes demonstrations of lifting beams and slings, which enable the user to operate from outside immediate risk areas. The hazards and risks associated with the weight and location of bariatric casualties means that WMFS frequently provides assistance to other agencies, using specialist resources. The brigade also works in partnership with manufacturers in equipment research and development. Road safety Last year, 57 people lost their lives on roads in the West Midlands region and 946 were seriously injured. Road fatalities and injuries are a tragedy for all those affected. As well as a terrible and direct human cost, they can also have a massive impact on local communities and economies. To the left of Hall 18 visitors to the show will be able to see how West Midlands Fire Service is working in partnership with 4ORTY2 Ltd to drive down the numbers of people killed or seriously injured.
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Visitors will be able to experience what it’s like to drive a vehicle while under the effects of alcohol. Drivers will be secured safely in the seat of an electric go-kart whose speed will be controlled remotely, and asked to travel around a course avoiding the pedestrians. They’ll then be asked to do it again – this time wearing a pair of ‘beer goggles’, designed to simulate the effects of alcohol consumption. The go-karts will at all times remain in the overall control of the remote operator who will, if necessary, stop the drive. WMFS believes that such interactive education can make people think twice before drinking and driving, and putting themselves and others at risk. The brigade is also working in partnership with MG Motors Ltd, who will be supplying a car to be used by the WMFS Road Casualty Reduction Team as a tool for discussing road safety issues. Incar DVD players will allow road safety stories and clips to be viewed, and for the RCRT to deliver road safety sessions that are informative and interactive. www.wmsf.net
Visit West Midlands Fire Service on Stands Z237 & OS5.
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London Ambulance Service offers consultancy and training As well as being an emergency ambulance service, the London Ambulance Service (LAS) provides consultancy services and training to companies across the UK and worldwide. Operating in a diverse city of over eight million people, the service has extensive experience of dealing with major incidents and large planned events. LAS played a key role in the medical provision at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and also covers the London Marathon and Notting Hill Carnival every year – events with over one million participants and spectators.
Incident planning and response training The LAS has developed a comprehensive incident planning and response training course that is appropriate for a wide range of organisations. The two-day course in central London covers: legislation and guidance for integrated emergency management; decision-making and communication; current threats; and equipment, as well as practical workshops. Available course dates: 3 and 4 October; and 7 and 8 November. First Aid at Work Training The LAS is also expanding its first aid training portfolio and is in the process of obtaining accreditation to deliver FAW training. The service is working closely with colleagues at National Ambulance Service First Aid Training (NASFAT) to develop nationwide FAW contracts. Consultancy services Using its expertise in emergency pre-hospital healthcare, LAS can help you deliver high-quality
CFR schemes essential to local communities Coventry and Warwickshire Community First Responders number about 250 volunteers and are part of the CFR family of the West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) NHS Foundation Trust. They are trained by WMAS, currently to the First Person on Scene Intermediate and Enhanced level, and they serve and are supported by their local community. All CFRs carry essential equipment, up to their skill level, to carry out patient observations and treatment; the majority of this equipment is purchased by local fundraising. The CFR schemes have to be self-sufficient as very little is provided by the ambulance service. Some volunteers respond in their own vehicles while some schemes have marked scheme cars, again purchase and running costs funded by the scheme’s fundraising. Community First Responder volunteers are part of your local community and in most cases are happy to come and talk to community groups and offer basic life support training. West Midlands Ambulance Service became a Foundation Trust on 1 January 2013 and has a council of governors, some locally elected, some staff and some appointed. If you want to find out more, there will be a Governor(s) on the C&W Community First Responders stand on both days of The Emergency Services Show, including the CFR Appointed Governor. If you live in the WMAS area (Warwickshire, West Midlands, Staffordshire, West Mercia) then come and find out about Foundation Trust membership and how you can influence your local ambulance service.
and cost-effective services that benefit both patients and healthcare providers. The service’s consultancy team takes the time to understand your needs before creating a bespoke package. This is achieved by focusing on: emergency medical service (EMS) design; strategic and capacity planning; major incident management; call handling, triage methodology and systems; clinical quality and governance frameworks; training solutions for all aspects of an EMS; EMS best practice benchmarking; and EMS system quality assurance. www.londonambulanceservice.nhs.uk
Visit London Ambulance Service on Stand Z134.
Maritime resilience on a local level The Maritime Volunteer Service (MVS) has units throughout the UK, mainly, at present, in coastal locations; planned inland waterway units are beginning to form, with existing units available to assist and support Category 1 Responders and local authorities where needed afloat and ashore. The organisation was proud to be awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award 2012. The service’s National Resilience Manager, David Dobson, heads a Resilience Working Group with representation on Local Resilience Forms and Voluntary Sector Working Groups, also on the MCA Local Search and Rescue Committee of the Solent South Coast region and MVS exercises with the MCA, emergency services and other member organisations in the voluntary sector. The MVS performs coastal, harbour and river safety patrols, assisting HM Coastguard, local harbour authorities and the Environment Agency using unit boats. Units are prepared to respond to issues that directly affect their local community.
The Maritime Volunteer Service is a maritime training organisation for adults interested in learning afloat skills or be involved in ashore operations. It offers training in seamanship, engineering and operational support skills and also welcomes anyone willing to pass on their skills to trainees. www.mvs.org.uk
Visit Maritime Volunteer Service on Stand Z110.
www.wmas.nhs.uk
Visit C&W Community First Responders on Stand Z210.
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Strong new partnership for the UK and Irish PPE market Austrian PPE manufacturer TEXPORT and Derry based workwear and clothing producer, Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd have recently joined forces to enhance the UK and Irish PPE market with innovations and internationally established high-quality fire and workwear. After 20 years of successfully equipping fire brigades all over the world, TEXPORT now aims to drive the UK/Irish market as it has already done within Europe. Words: Uwe Heinemann, General Sales Manager, TEXPORT By equipping 100 percent of the professional Austrian fire brigades, almost half of Germany’s professional fire brigades and various numbers of volunteer firefighters, TEXPORT has quickly established itself as a high-quality PPE manufacturer. In recent years, the trend has continued, with significant contracts being awarded in various brigades spanning the globe. For the last 20 years TEXPORT has driven the PPE market with its highly innovative and customised solutions. Experience and quality The company’s headquarters are situated in Salzburg and runs three separate and wholly owned production sites. Supported by a lengthy dealership network, TEXPORT’s registered partners are now able to work with more international customers. Lately, more contracts have been awarded to TEXPORT due to the company’s flexibility to offer customised solutions from customer requests. The prototypes of the clothing are developed in Salzburg by our experienced professional design team. In addition to formal and legal regulations, a big focus the company places on itself is the ability to deliver products that are not only fit for purpose, but also perform under as many eventualities a firefighter may come across, as possible. Each garment is tried by experienced firefighters and put through a series of real life tests to ‘iron out the creases’. Only those products, which pass all tests, are then established within the portfolio and sent to one of our locations to be produced. Thus, customers can be assured they will only receive products that not only meet but exceed all their expectations. No sub-contracting! TEXPORT is able to produce its garments within its wholly owned production sites. The risks associated with sub-contracting to third party producers are therefore totally eliminated. The ISO-certified sites are controlled out of Salzburg and consist of fully trained tailors and machinists who make and check every product produced. For these reasons TEXPORT is able to boast its constant levels of quality and guarantee some of the shortest lead times within the sector. Patents and innovations The company’s continued success is also due to its many innovations and patents: with TEXPORT’s own material structure, named X-TREME®, when used in a fire suit it surpasses the minimum requirements of the EN469 standard by well over 50 percent when concentrating on
From a single source: TEXPORT develops and tests its garments in Salzburg before they are produced and guaranteed some of the shortest lead times within the sector!
HTI, RHTI and RET. To a firefighter, this means more valuable seconds to retreat from a fire or to save a life and a greater amount of comfort from the highly breathable structure. Also available is TEXPORT’s patented X-TREME light® structure. This material structure surpasses the minimum requirements of EN469 and rapidly increases the comfort and breathability due to its light weight. TEXPORT’s innovative TRIPLE FABRIC® reflective stripes are a cost saving and fully functional alternative to the reflective tapes commonly used. Being made from flame retardant textiles, it offers 100 percent breathability and continued visibility over the life of the garment. It has been a combination of all these factors that have persuaded established brigades like Madrid, Rio de Janerio, Berlin and Vienna (to name a few)
to choose TEXPORT as the preferred product for their firefighters. With a wealth of technical knowledge, expertise, innovative patented solutions and a growing global market share combined with the history, experience, reputation and IT infrastructure, both TEXPORT and Hunter Apparel Solutions are now ready to take UK and Irish fire market to the next level. Texport will be showcasing its latest product range with Hunter Apparel at The Emergency Services Show 2013 on Stand L23. www.texport.at
Direct contact for the Irish and UK PPE market: Chirag Chudasama, Export Sales Manager – chirag.chudasama@texport.at
X-TREME® surpasses the requirements of EN469 by well over 50 percent.
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Winning formula
– Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd and TEXPORT Ltd join forces Uniform manufacturer and managed service specialist Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd has signed an exclusive licence with leading fire fighting PPE provider TEXPORT Ltd to offer innovative products to the UK and Irish markets. Established in 1936, Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd is one of the longest established and most experienced uniform/PPE supply businesses in the UK.
Best known for the provision of emergency services uniforms, Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd services a diverse clientele across the police, fire and rescue, and ambulance services. The company is a highly experienced provider of value added services, including a web-based online managed service, which is offered to clients as a speciality.
contract for stationwear and supplies clothing to more firefighters in the UK than any other company. It also operates large national contracts across the UK and Ireland for ‘blue light’, medical, military and other corporate or workwear clients.
Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd started to manufacture uniform garments in 1952. The company has been sourcing garments in the Far East since the 1960s and today its supply chain is truly global, sourcing across the near and far East and Eastern Europe. With its deep tradition of manufacturing, Hunter Apparel has the skills, knowledge and experience of manufacturing and sourcing high quality goods.
UK factory Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd has the largest factory in the UK for servicing its sectors’ needs, for fast response and special requirement production. The flexibility of its factory has been developed over the last decade to allow the company to produce a wide range of garments and accessories. Hunter Apparel uses this factory for the development of new garments, special measures, small production runs and can offer the agility and fast response some clients require.
Market leader Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd has recently been awarded the prestigious London Fire Bridge
HunterCARE Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd can offer specialist PPE clients the full HunterCARE service including:
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• Total laundry solution – which includes special laundry prevision for technical PPE, fit for purpose inspection, collection, delivery, cleaning and repair service • Garment tracking/asset management – full life history of all garments. User-friendly management information, fully auditable system via online secure access. Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd is the exclusive agent for TEXPORT in UK and Ireland and has a wide range of PPE partners. For more information please contact: Simon Hunter C Dir (Managing Director) On Tel: +44 (0) 28 7126 2542 Or visit the Hunter Apparel website: www.hunterapparelsolutions.com
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Forum for first responders
Diversity of service from DFRMO
Representatives from the National First Responder Forum welcome visitors to Stand Z207 to find out more about how the UK ambulance services utilise volunteer Community First Responders (CFRs) and what is happening in the field of community resuscitation and defibrillation. www.responderforum.nhs.uk
Visit the National First Responder Forum on Stand Z207.
Ambulance service supporters
ASBF Patron Simon Weston OBE.
The Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund (ASBF) has been in existence since 1986. During that time the fund has assisted hundreds of individuals and families of operational and retired members of the ambulance service in dealing with an unforeseen personal crisis and resulting period of hardship. ASBF Chairman Paul Leopold says, “The ASBF is the only countrywide ambulance service charity and with no government support has to rely on income donated through salary schemes like Give as You Earn, specific fund raising events, general donations, legacies and, more recently, JustTextGiving by Vodafone. “There are some amazing people who volunteer their time to the ASBF like the Trustees and our in-service representatives, who champion the work and raise funds for the ASBF. Our volunteers are special and come from all ambulance service roles to promote awareness about the charity to colleagues and encourage them to organise events to raise funds or to make a regular donation by signing up to a donation from salary scheme.” ASBF Patron Simon Weston OBE, said, “We look forward to hearing from anyone in the ambulance services with ideas that will help the ASBF develop its future Care for the Carers programmes, particularly people who would be interested to volunteer some of their time as an ASBF representative.” Further information about the work of the ASBF and fundraising is available on the website. www.asbf.co.uk
Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund on Stand Z234.
Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation (DFRMO) is the fire and rescue service maintained by the Secretary of State for Defence and delivers a cost-effective and sustainable fire and rescue capability, which enables air, sea and land forces to operate safely and effectively. It provides fire safety, fire protection and operational response and delivers fire policy and guidance to organisations to protect strategic assets within defence. DFRMO’s operational response services have a risk profile that is wide and varied, ranging from a multitude of military aircraft; including wide bodied passenger and cargo aircraft, fast jets, light aircrafts, helicopters, flying training units, ammunitions depots, high storage warehouses, fuel storage sites, military shipping ports, mines and unfenestrated risks as well as housing and accommodation for military personnel. In addition to this the organisation has a deployable capability to cover military operations and exercises.
Civil contingency support One of DFRMO’s outputs is to provide support to the civil community under the Military Aid to the Civil Authority (MACA) arrangement where life is at immediate risk. To this end, the organisation is working closely with the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) to improve inter and intraoperability with the fire and rescue services across the UK and has representation on the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme (JESIP) to improve communications with the wider emergency services. DFRMO will be promoting the organisation at this year’s show and aims to demonstrate the diversity of its service and illustrate its distribution and capabilities spread across international boundaries. Visit Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation on Stand Z231.
Integral role of air ambulance services The Association of Air Ambulances (AAA) was established as a membership body for those organisations, which form part of the air ambulance services in the UK. The association’s membership, which represents the majority of the air ambulance network, comprises charities, ambulance services and the supply chain that provides this valuable lifesaving service. Members are governed by a Code of Conduct, which formally recognises the integral part that air ambulances play in the medical service provision. The success of the air ambulance services in providing a rapid response to life-threatening situations has been clearly established. The importance of close cooperation between the different operations is paramount and patient well being is the number one priority when responding to an incident. The association exists to represent those involved not only operationally, ie treating
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patients, but also looks at the bigger picture; representing the charitable trusts who fund the service, the operators, ambulance services and associated trades. The AAA endeavours to build on existing relationships between all parties involved to develop a continually improving emergency response network, as well as working with its members to ensure good practice at all times. The association’s Affiliate membership has recently been launched to allow individuals within the sector to receive industry specific data and also attend its Members Forums meetings throughout the year. It also gives them discounted access to the AAA’s National Conference, which takes place on 18 November 2013. www.associationofairambulances.co.uk
Visit Association of Air Ambulances on Stand Z205.
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Crofton Engineering delivers modern training buildings Crofton Engineering Ltd has been involved in all aspects of structural steelwork and metalwork for over 60 years. The company provides standard and bespoke designs for all aspects of emergency services’ training, including: traditional ladder drills, rope rescue, Safe Working at Height, BA and USAR. Crofton Engineering’s objective is to provide buildings and structures for realistic training scenarios that are both flexible and robust but also durable and adaptable as training across all the emergency services continues to develop. From our own facilities we are able to design, fabricate and deliver a choice of Smoke Houses, Confined Space Training Unit, Pitched Roofs, USAR facility and bespoke Training Towers for multiple Rope Rescue scenarios in addition to our range of standard buildings and towers. You know the old joke about two chaps shifting a piano: “Dad, Do you know the piano’s on my foot? You hum it Son and I’ll play it” – we are a bit like that. You tell us what you need to be able to deliver in terms of training and we will bring your vision to fruition in steel. This was how the design for the combined Smoke & Fire Training House with Rope Rescue Tower for a new site at Milton, Cambridgeshire came about. Sitting around the table with operational crew who could describe what they really needed, we proposed our 10m x 10m two-storey building with roof space for cold smoke training. Internally, using lockable doors, the layout and access routes can be altered through the various rooms and lobbies. Window shutters block light and hold in the cold smoke plus there is a dry riser in the doubleflight stair lobby. The smoke is removed efficiently with an extract system. The roof space, with access via a ladder through a floor hatch, provides the facility for confined space training. The pitched roof provides the opportunity for sloping ladder practice. Fully integrated into the building is a standard tower, customised with a 600mm wide ledge for working at height rescue. Alongside this is a second tower structure with exposed structure and overhead beams to allow for rope rescue scenarios. Flexible design The flexibility of our designs and construction methods means the Smoke House can be supplied as a separate facility or we could create a new combination with the FT96/3 CFH type, originally installed at Hamilton for Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, thus replacing the integrated towers as for the
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builiding at Milton. The FT96/3 CFH is particularly relevant for extensive rope training scenarios, featuring a high level cabin with trap doors, runway beam, hoist and various attachment eyes. The continuous ladder and hatch are useful for simulating turbine rescue with a climbing frame at the rear to emulate an electricity pylon.
We are currently working with HART teams to provide innovative solutions to SWAH inside existing structures for a budget price. All Crofton Engineering’s products conform to the current guidance on safety, including the applicable parts of the Fire Service Manual. They are employed in over 450 fire stations, fire and police training centres throughout the UK and overseas. In constant use over many years, they have proved to be good value for money as steel structures have a long life and need relatively little maintenance. www.crofton-eng.co.uk
If you would like to discuss your requirements please come and talk to us at The Emergency Services Show 2013 or contact us in the office on Tel: 01223 892138 or e-mail: info@crofton-eng.co.uk.
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Wind turbine training opportunity now available Industry specific courses As a Rescue 3 Europe-approved training provider, Less CO2 also offers a full range of industry specific courses suitable for the emergency services and those in the industrial sector: • Safe Working at Height (SWAH) is a one-day course providing the basic requirements for protecting workers at height
A significant new training opportunity is now available to the emergency services responding to rescues from wind turbines. Less CO2 Ltd has developed Wind Turbine Access for Emergency Responders (WTAER), in collaboration with Rescue 3 Europe, bringing together the mutual expertise from the technical rescue and renewable energy sectors. The course presents students with a unique opportunity to learn on operational turbines and, with over 40 installations widespread across the UK, courses can be tailored to the needs of the agency, at a convenient locality. The two-day WTAER course is aimed at existing rope rescue technicians and has been developed in response to the requirements for Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART), the fire and rescue service and other specialist teams.
Safety considerations Wind turbines have particular safety considerations; they are often remotely positioned, have rotating shafts, yaw mechanisms and require isolation from the national grid, and also require incident management and zone control. This course gives emergency responders the techniques to access turbines with pre-installed fall-arrest systems; it includes the practical techniques for rescuing workers who have fall-arrested to the extrication of patients from the Nacelle.
• The Co-Worker at Height (CWRH) course will be of benefit to employers formulating their rescue plans required by the Safe Working at Height Regulations • Rope Access for Emergency Responders (RAFER) has been tailored to the needs of technical rescue teams. It enhances team members’ personal skills, which are required for progression towards team-based technical operations explored in the Rope Rescue Operator and Technician Courses. The two-day WTAER course is aimed at existing rope rescue technicians.
The emphasis of the course is on problem solving during the rescue process and the general principles that may be transferred to other types of installations. It gives agencies an opportunity to test their own casualty care techniques and highlights the specific issues surrounding patient care. As government policy is set to increase the energy derived from sustainable sources, wind turbine installations will become a more common consideration for emergency responders.
The provision of the WTAER course by Less CO2, a company with established installation expertise, represents a significant advantage to customers. The technical and instructor competence relating to the course is independently certified by Rescue 3 Europe, greatly enhancing the course consistency and quality. www.less-co2.co.uk
Visit Less CO2 on Stand P59.
LFB gets FIRED-uP about vehicle technology What will fire and rescue service vehicles look like at the end of this century? Can zero tailpipe emissions be achieved while still delivering the performance needed within tight budgets? What about water use and materials – and the way vehicles communicate with their users, controllers and managers? It is difficult to predict the future, but London Fire Brigade (LFB) is running a three-year project, entitled FIRED-uP, to target innovation in the environmental performance of its frontline fleet. This has been made possible by a European Union grant, financing a partnership with the City and Fire Brigade of Ghent, Belgium. The first step was to look at the whole life-cycle impact of the brigade’s vehicles: from raw material extraction to emissions, fuel and water consumption during use, through to end-of-life disposal and material recovery. The use phase dominates, especially given the relatively long lifespan of pumping appliances of approximately 12 years. The preponderance of urban driving means that technologies, which can improve efficiency by addressing aerodynamics or rolling resistance, are less relevant than for other heavy duty vehicles. Electric or hybrid engines offer greater potential gains – but the technology is not yet mature enough to make this a viable and affordable option for large fire and rescue service vehicles.
Vehicle telematics Following a workshop, which brought together expertise from other brigades and the research sector, LFB launched a market consultation in May 2013. This targeted suppliers of vehicle telematics systems, identified as the most promising area for further research and procurement in the shortterm. A brief questionnaire was published on the Blue Light portal and all interested suppliers were invited to respond with a profile of their systems and the potential environmental and cost benefits. The brigade sought information on how telematics can be applied in a fire and rescue service context and the potential for innovation, for example by collecting data from on-vehicle pumps and RFID tagging of equipment. The market is developing quickly and many fleets have already realised benefits from telematics. LFB has spoken to fleet managers from police and ambulance services, which have achieved fuel savings from 1-20 percent. In an emergency services context, the biggest gains may be from improving driving and reducing wear-and-tear when vehicles are operated off blue lights. Other potential benefits include supporting geographic or dynamic mobilising, reducing accidents, assisting with investigations and a longer life span for components and tyres. Information about pump usage can also contribute to more efficient and effective use of water in fire fighting. The LFB is
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excited about all these applications and the project team is working to develop a system specification. Moving towards procurement The next step for the project is to build a strong business case to move forward to procurement. At the same time, the LFB project team and its partners in Ghent are keeping an eye on other emerging technologies and ideas with the potential to ‘green’ their fleets. The FIRED-uP team from LFB will have a stand at The Emergency Services Show 2013, from 25-26 September, and looks forward to meeting suppliers and other organisations working on similar initiatives. www.fired-up.eu
Visit the FIRED-uP team on Stand P48.
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Show premiere for Premier
Fully qualified engineers from Premier Communication Electronics Ltd (PCE) undertake installation, maintenance and repair projects at its customers’ premises or at its own fully equipped workshops. The core elements supported for the emergency services market are lights and sirens, vital signs/ePRF, incident data recorders (IDR), mobile data terminals (MDT) and satellite navigation with dispatch systems. Radio communications Alongside the company’s vehicle installations, PCE is TEA2 Home Office-approved for installation and maintenance of TETRA/Airwave communication equipment. The company also supplies, installs, and maintains commercial analogue or digital radio systems, including equipment from manufacturers such as Motorola, Kenwood, Tait, Hytera and Vertex.
Bespoke products In July 2013 PCE launched the CBRN Communication Vest, which will be available for viewing and demonstrations at The Emergency Services Show 2013. The vest has been designed for use with CBRNe PPE suits, however it can be considered for any application where the user is wearing heavy duty PPE. The vest allows for a range of communication products, such as two-way radio, external speakers, earpieces and PTT switches, to be worn on the body under protective clothing.
In addition, PCE has developed an electronic control module named ‘Rite-In’, which is currently used in wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) to optimise and automate vehicle entry and exit. This includes remote activation of doors, tail lift and vehicle suspension. www.pce-uk.com
Visit Premier Communication Electronics Ltd on Stand N7.
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Postgraduate emergency response courses Major emergencies in the UK, including natural, man-made, and terrorist incidents, demonstrate the need for resilience in both planning and response to crisis. The MSc Emergency Planning, Resilience and Response course from the University of Wolverhampton is designed to provide students with an advanced level of understanding in the underpinning concepts within and surrounding this important area. With teaching delivered face-to-face through workshops, lecturers and discussions, the course is available full-time or part-time with fortnightly Friday sessions. Career advancement Ideal for those looking for career advancement, seeking to move into an emergency management career, or wishing to pursue an academic or research-oriented position, these courses can enhance your professional credibility and employability; will develop your personal and professional practice; and provide students with knowledge and understanding of essential concepts, up-to-date research and evolving practice in emergency planning, response and resilience within the UK and internationally. The University of Wolverhampton strives to make the time a student spends at university a pleasurable experience. It recognises that on
occasions students may encounter challenges, especially if they are also employed in full or parttime work while studying. Flexibility to assist students in such circumstances is provided wherever possible and Student Advisors are also available to provide advice and guidance. For students returning to study, those with little higher education experience, or those worried about writing/research skills, the University of Wolverhampton has online guidance and support related to developing students’ study abilities. Study skills support is also available during taught sessions and there are Study Skills Advisors based on campus who can provide individual support. www.wlv.ac.uk/emergencymanagement
Visit the University of Wolverhampton on Stand G37.
Innovative fabrics help firefighters to stay cooler Best performing outer shell TenCate Gemini XTL™ protective fabric is made from PBI® fibres and is the best performing PBI®based outer shell on the market. Compared with other currently available fabrics made from PBI® fibres, it has the strongest tear and tensile strength and better resistance to abrasion − earning its top score for garment durability.
At The Emergency Services Show 2013, TenCate Protective Fabrics will be exhibiting new lines in fabrics and systems for firefighter turnout gear that are more durable, lighter and excel in the reduction of heat stress, and help firefighters to stay cooler.
For firefighters, efficient body cooling is extremely important. Improper heat and moisture management can disrupt this process, leading to loss of concentration, fatigue, breathing difficulties and ultimately heat stroke. TenCate Protective Fabrics has addressed these key functionalities. During the show, the company will demonstrate several new and existing protective solutions, such as the TenCate Gemini XTL™ outer shell based on PBI® fibres, and TenCate Millenia™ turnout gear based on PBO fibres.
Turnout gear systems TenCate Millenia™, which is based on PBO fibres, is also offered in a layered system for firefighter turnout gear. Its weight and the highly breathable thermal moisture barrier facilitate efficient sweat evaporation and helps to prevent heat stress. Not only are the moisture management and breathability of the TenCate systems extremely good, these systems also offer excellent protection against water, chemical or blood splashes and blood-transmitted diseases. This TenCate thermal moisture barrier (ePTFE / PU-BI membrane) is based on a patented 3D technology that helps to realise improved insulation and reduced heat stress. www.tencateprotectivefabrics.com
Visit TenCate on Stand H39.
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Bespoke power and control solutions
Antares has been in the auxiliary power and control industry for over 20 years, providing the power to make other people’s equipment work, reliably, faultlessly, and at the lowest cost over the lifetime of the system. Antares’ expertise lies in the design, build and supply of auxiliary electrical power systems, either on-board a vehicle or in remote (off-grid) locations. The company integrates charging systems, batteries, power management and provision of AC mains power for providing a complete solution for the vehicle builder and end user, including all
cabling and batteries. This approach means that should the vehicle have any operational issues related to the electrical system the vehicle builder has the full support of its UK-based team to ensure that the vehicle is returned to active duty as soon as possible. Antares uses its own core engineering skills, working with partners to create bespoke solutions. More recently, the company has been involved in providing innovative solutions to its touchscreen CANbus control system. Use of this system has improved vehicle reliability, reduced the wiring complexity of the vehicle, and integrated many functions currently controlled by many disparate subsystems into one system, and providing IP67 infection control capability. When combined with the daylight readable touchscreen interface, which also has up to 14 hard buttons, the possibilities are phenomenal. Integrating these systems reduces both the cost of components, and the labour required to install them, bringing down the cost of the vehicle. The PC-based diagnostic software also eases and fault finding attempted by the workshops, getting your vehicle back on the road quicker.
Fire Ladders extends its appeal
www.antares.co.uk
Visit Antares on Stand D2.
Power and performance from DMS technologies With a long history of supplying specialist vehicle manufacturers and converters, DMS technologies understands that blue light customers expect a very high level of reliability. Searching for the very best solution for an application, DMS partners with its customers to balance the need for high quality with cost. At The Emergency Services Show, the company will be displaying Lifeline batteries, as used by a number of services, which offer a high quality solution with one of the highest cycle life expectancies on the market. Alongside the Lifeline product, DMS supplies Odyssey batteries as well as a wide range of auxiliary products, including chargers, inverters and battery management systems. This enables the company to provide a full power solution, meeting the needs of the most demanding customers with the highest quality equipment. Among the new products on show will be the Red Flash Lithium deep cycle battery range, providing greater cycle life and lower weight while retaining compatibility with standard industry batteries. The required lithium battery management is integrated within the casing allowing them to be used as a drop in replacement in most circumstances.
Bespoke battery packs In addition to vehicle power solutions, DMS technologies is a market leader in the design and manufacture of bespoke battery packs. Since 1986, the company has been assembling battery packs using VRLA, NiMH and Lithium chemistries at its facility in Romsey, Hampshire. A range of example battery packs will be on display and staff will be on hand to discuss both standard and bespoke battery solutions. DMS technologies is looking forwards to a busy show at its new venue.
Fire Ladders and Equipment invites visitors to Stand 438 at The Emergency Services Show, in the Outside Exhibition Area where they can view and examine some of the company’s products and discuss any on-going requirements with the team. Some of the items and ranges on display will include: EN1147 ladders, rescue platforms; sliding beam gantry systems; equipment ranges – fire fighting, rescue, medical, line, water; PPE – fire kit, helmets, boots, gloves, hoods; uniform – station wear, work wear, safety wear; plus vehicles, trailers and special builds. The company will be using the show to launch its new sliding beam gantry systems. As with the company’s ladder range, the system has been designed to outlast and outperform current items. Also on show will be the latest fire appliance built by HPMP, with many special design features, including Fire Ladders’ new sliding beam gantries and ladders. Fire Ladders and Equipment also offers maintenance, testing, training, care and payment packages for all its ranges, a combination that guarantees best value and best quality for its customers.
www.dmstech.co.uk
www.fire-ladders.com
Visit DMS technologies on Stand A66.
Visit Fire Ladders Ltd on Stand OS438.
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All shapes and sizes Words: Peter Molyneux, President of Getac UK The mobile computing requirements of emergency service personnel vary widely, not just between different services but within individual forces. In the police sector, for example, where CID officers need a device that is fully mobile and can be taken into crime scenes and used to record notes and even take electronic witness statements; but traffic police may need a unit that spends most of its time in a vehicle and so has to be able to access Peter Molyneux is the President of Getac UK, which provides a comprehensive range of rugged remote databases from inside what is computing solutions. essentially a metal box. The one thing they have in common is the need for a high performance, rugged unit, which will keep working even when the going gets tough. At Getac, we not only provide that rugged platform but we make sure it has a specification that is tailor-made to the needs of the individuals who will be using it. That means sitting down with the customer and establishing exactly how the unit is likely to be used and what officers hope to achieve with it. We have worked with a number of police, fire and ambulance services in the UK, and can use that experience to advise our customers and help them develop the best possible solution to meet their needs.
“We have worked with a number of police, fire and ambulance services in the UK, and can use that experience to advise our customers and help them develop the best possible solution to meet their needs.” For in-vehicle data capability, the mount is a critical factor. How often will the unit be removed and docked? How will it be used when the vehicle is in motion? There are many options, including a second touchscreen mounted on the dashboard – as health and safety no longer allows units themselves to be dashboard mounted – and external antennae to boost the signal for better invehicle communications. The type and size of vehicle is another important consideration. The unit must be accessible and yet not restrict other activities, and the fitting will be different in the cramped confines of a small patrol vehicle versus a full-sized fire appliance. Whatever the spec, we work with fitting partners who specialise in emergency service vehicles and can provide the best mounting solution. The software needs of different services are equally diverse and we work with software providers to ensure Getac devices are compatible with the different software packages they use. Once the spec has been agreed we generally run a trial of several months to make sure it meets operational demands, and to iron out any issues that might become apparent once it is in use. Often, we will determine a series of success criteria with our customer as a benchmark for performance. Individual users will also be asked to feedback their experiences during the trial. Once the choice of equipment has been finalised and fully installed, we continue to provide an aftersales support to make sure that everything is working correctly and any emerging issues are addressed quickly and satisfactorily. To that end, we have just opened a new, dedicated service centre in Telford. We understand that services have varying operations and different needs, which is why at Getac, we believe that mobile computing can be both rugged and flexible. www.getac.co.uk
If you would like to discuss any aspect of your rugged computing requirements, call 01952 207 221, e-mail: ruggedsolutions@getac.com or visit www.getac.co.uk
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App allows vehicle climate management Webasto will be launching its new Thermo Call app at The Emergency Services Show and exhibiting its extensive portfolio of heating and cooling products for special vehicles. The app, which is already in use in the passenger car sector, allows blue light vehicle heaters to be operated even more conveniently than before – at any time and from any place. The Webasto Thermo Call operating element is required to control the vehicle heater using a smartphone.
Take the confined space challenge and you could win a Kindle Fire HD At this year’s Emergency Services Show (ESS2013) ISG Infrasys, a world leader in thermal imaging, is offering visitors the opportunity to win a Kindle Fire HD tablet on each day of the show. To win, simply be the fastest person to complete the ISG thermal imaging confined space challenge, which is located on ISG’s outside stand (OS92). ISG will officially launch its new X380 at this year’s show and to celebrate the company has set up, with the help of Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, a confined space simulator designed to test a firefighter’s ability to navigate in dark, tight and difficult spaces.
The confined space simulator is designed to test a firefighter’s ability to navigate in dark, tight and difficult spaces.
Visitors will need to navigate their way through a pitch-black maze made much easier using ISG’s new lightweight X380. The camera will be provided to you, if you dare take up the challenge! ISG will also be demonstrating its New Cold Spot Tracker, Image Freeze Plus, and a host of additional imaging enhancing technologies in a separate smoke filled container, donated by S Jones Containers Ltd; the smoke generator has been donated by Concept Smoke Systems, also exhibiting at ESS2013. www.isgfire.com
Visit ISG on Stand OS92.
With the Thermo Call app, it is now possible to turn the heaters on and off from anywhere.
Convenient operation Blue light vehicles have to operate in all weather conditions, even at extremely low temperatures. Steve Powell, Webasto UK’s Sales and Marketing Director, says, “With the Thermo Call app, it is now possible to turn the heaters on and off from anywhere. The advantage is that operatives are able to monitor their vehicles internal temperature and react remotely minimising distraction from their core duties.” The app was developed in collaboration with iViNi-Apps and is available for Webasto heaters. Features include: programming the heater from anywhere; warning for freezing temperatures; temperature at a glance; reminder function; one app for two heaters – the app can control two heaters simultaneously; and quick and clear information in real time about the status of the programming. Control device The Webasto Thermo Call control is required to operate Thermo Call using a smartphone. This device is installed in the vehicle along with the heater and is available at all Webasto installation partners. Webasto will also be exhibiting its range of heaters, air-conditioning systems and a climate control unit, which ensures the operational readiness of blue light crew. The range is supported by a unique 24/7 nationwide repair and maintenance service. www.webasto.co.uk
Visit Webasto Thermo & Comfort UK Ltd on Stand M22.
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Improve productivity with tried and tested barcode technology Advances in technology and increasing demands on the emergency services have led to new, and often expensive, equipment being introduced. With services operating 24 hours a day vast amounts of equipment are being used, signed in/out of stores at all times of day. From vehicles, firearms, computing equipment and tools, to medical equipment and supplies, tracking of equipment and keeping up with stock levels can be problematic. Successful tracking of all equipment may seem overwhelming, especially using manual sign in/out registers and traditional spreadsheets. Wasp Barcode Technologies has tried and tested solutions that will easily track all assets and inventory efficiently and accurately, saving time and money. Asset management solutions from Wasp Barcode Technologies make it simple to track valuable assets. The Wasp MobileAsset solution allows easy tracking of assets using unique barcode tags, managing not just where equipment is, and who has it, but also the depreciation value, servicing schedules and equipment condition. Through the use of pre-installed, user configurable reports, users are able to manage, track and report on asset locations and value at all times.
Wasp Barcode Technologies can also help organisations to manage stock and track inventory with their InventoryControl solution. This efficient and intuitive system makes it easy to eliminate stock tracking errors and reduce costly inventory errors or missing stock. Wasp’s InventoryControl solution accurately tracks stock levels, saving cost and improving productivity. The automated processes in Wasp’s MobileAsset and InventoryControl solutions reduce the risk of human error, lost equipment and running out of critical stock items, saving time and money for all concerned. www.waspbarcode.co.uk
Visit WASP Barcode Technologies on Stand H35.
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Leading lifesaving equipment showcased The UK’s leading designer and manufacturer of first-line rescue equipment will be exhibiting at this year’s Emergency Services Show. From 25-26 September, Balcan Engineering will be on Stand N60 at Birmingham’s NEC, showcasing its range of emergency lifelines – The BELL. Compact, reliable, accurate and lightweight, the BELL is perfect for rescue scenarios where time is of the essence. Used in a diverse range of situations, it is carried by emergency services teams across the country, who find the device easy to use and quick to deploy.
On first glance the BELL resembles a coloured grenade or baton, but once the cap is taken off and the grip of the enclosed throw line is removed, it becomes a highly effective lifesaving device. Rescuers simply remove the end cap, hold the rope handle and throw. As the BELL flies through the air the high strength line is deployed. All the victim needs to do is hold onto the rope or capsule as the rescuer pulls them to safety. The BELL range includes: • The BELL Pro: designed for use in harsh environments, this sealed model is perfect for use in ambulances and other vehicles where hygiene is paramount. With a 40m range and 260lbs breaking strain, the BELL Pro is the logical rescue line • The BELL 40RP: used by police forces and emergency services teams across the country, this multi-use device features a 40m buoyant, high quality braided polypropylene line, which can be easily repacked in minutes for storage • The BELL 25RP: the latest addition to the range and specially designed for use where a shorter line is necessary, the BELL 25RP is lightweight, accurate and highly effective. Be prepared John Rinfret, inventor of the BELL and Chairman of Balcan Engineering, said, “From accidents in or around inland waters, to coastal difficulties and even flooding disasters, the danger of drowning is never far away. Currents and fatigue can easily take their toll and people often find themselves in grave danger. In fact, 400 deaths every year occur from unnecessary drowning – a figure that must be reduced. “Emergency services teams therefore need to be prepared for every eventuality and must specify effective lifesaving equipment. By using products like the BELL, crews can be well prepared for every eventuality and capable of performing lifesaving rescues. These devices should be an essential addition to any emergency vehicle – to help save lives and improve first response measures.” www.throwlines.com
Visit Balcan Engineering on Stand N60.
Reliable technology in Motion
Motion will be showcasing its new Dashmount in-vehicle solutions for the emergency services sector.
For emergency services workers, their ambulance, police car, or fire appliance is not just a tool for the frontline. These vehicles also function as a daily office workspace where staff retrieve and dispatch data to work efficiently and effectively. Just like an office or control room back at base, it is critical that staff can rely on technology solutions to ensure that they can provide consistent and responsive service and manage their workflow. An integral component of the mobility solution that enables this to happen, is in-vehicle dashboard mounting or docking equipment, which needs to be both secure and flexible to meet the individual requirements of customers and vehicles. This is not just a matter of sticking a PDA into a cup holder, space-saving, ease of use, compliance with occupational health and safety issues and productivity must all be taken into account. For example, it is vital that the technology does not distract while driving, hence the use of tools such as Blank-IT, an application that blanks the computer screen and prevents use of the computer while the vehicle is in motion. Alternatively there is the need for rotating the mounted computing solution
Rotating the mounted computing solution allows passengers can use the technology while in motion.
between driver and passengers, so that passengers can use the technology while in motion. Docking stations are also important – they must be sleek and simple, lightweight, low profile and rugged with full port replication for the hardware. From a financial perspective, modular construction means that there are more standard parts, which can be transferred from one vehicle type to another, reducing costs for fleet operators with a high vehicle turnover rate, and of course, these mounts must not only accommodate workflows but be rugged enough to tolerate the most demanding of environments. At the show, Motion will showcase its new Dashmount in-vehicle solutions for the emergency services sector, alongside installation partners, systems integrators and software providers. This will deliver a complete mobile solution to the sector, enabling the benefits of mobility throughout ambulance, fire and rescue, police, coastguard and other emergency services. www.motioncomputing.com
Visit Motion Computing on Stand P3.
Rescue range that is a cut above the rest Husqvarna Construction Products, part of Husqvarna Group, is a market leader in machines and diamond tools for the construction and stone industries. The company’s products range from power-cutters, drill motors and stands through to demolition machines.
Part of its power cutter range includes the K760 and K970 Rescue, both of which are specifically designed for rescue and clearing operations, their chromium-plated blade guards enable visibility in smoke and water spray enhancing the control of the cutter. Some of the features on both of these tools include: • Specially designed starter handle, with room for heavy gloves • Adjustable carry strap allowing full freedom of movement
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• The new generation Active Air Filtration™ – one of the most efficient air filtration systems on the market • X-Torq® engine reducing the emissions by 75 percent, as well as fuel consumption by 20 percent • Smart–Carb™ – a built-in automatic filter compensation, which maintains high power and lowers fuel consumption • Efficient vibration dampening, reducing vibrations to less than 5m/s², for a more convenient operation. Versatile blades In rescue situations you not only need a powercutter that is powerful but a blade that can cut through different materials; Husqvarna Construction Products’ range of FR3 blades does just that. These versatile blades can cut through rubber, wood, PVC, metal and concrete with ease and efficiency. With the cutting speed of the K760 and K970 Rescue combined with the versatility of the FR3 blade you can be sure that these tools are a cut above the rest and will not let you down in the most intense situations. www.husqvarnacp.co.uk
Visit Husqvarna Construction Products on Stand P14.
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Nike Hydraulics Nike Hydraulics are proud to represent Champion Rescue Tools in the UK. Our specialist hydraulic rescue tools add extra dimensions to those currently in the market providing both the strongest and the safest available. The most exciting tool to hit the UK market in years is our Guillotine Cutter. For the past 6 months Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue have had one on board their Enhanced Rescue Unit along with a large selection of Champion Tools on loan from ourselves. Their feedback has been fantastic and we cannot see the return of our kit in the foreseeable future.
The Guillotine is unique as it has only one moving part so is unmatched in close quarter usage offering the ultimate in patient safety, it is a perfect tool for cutting B-posts especially when a casualty is close by. The Super Beast multi-tool is a mega powerful rescue cutter designed to handle the ultra high strength metals found in the vehicles of today and tomorrow. It has up to half a million pounds of cutting force (over 220 tons) and a massive 273mm blade opening. We have a complete set of fantastic high quality extrication tools including our light weight, fast and powerful Monster Mini Spreader, a wide range of hydraulic rams and electric or petrol power units. We are based near Manchester and can be found at this years Emergency Services show on M3, the fifth stand on the left after the entrance.
nick@nike-hydraulics.co.uk
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Tel: 0161 343 3020
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Fire fighting PPE from FlamePro FlamePro (UK) Ltd has been established for seven years and in that time the company has gained a substantial foothold in the market for fire fighting PPE. As an ISO9001:2008 approved design, manufacturing and distribution business, FlamePro has: a larger than 50 percent share of the industrial and airport market in the UK; is the market leader in the provision of fire fighting PPE to the Irish fire and rescue services; and exports to countries as far away as Mongolia, Vietnam and Peru. The company broke into the mainstream of UK fire and rescue services (FRSs) in 2012 with the award of the contract to supply Shropshire FRS with new, lightweight structural fire fighting clothing using PBO fabrics in the Millenia 450 system from TenCate. Building on that success, in 2013 the company has been awarded tenders to supply EN469 kit to three more FRSs in Ireland, bringing the number of Irish services being supplied with the FlamePro® brand to 16. In addition to structural kit, FlamePro also offers a range of one and two-piece wildland fire suits, HVP (high volume pump) suits, RTC, rope rescue and USAR suits, with the company’s flash hood completing the fire fighting range. In addition to its FlamePro® branded products, the company also carries a range of high quality fire fighting accessories including helmets, boots and gloves. www.flame-pro.com
Visit FlamePro (UK) Ltd on Stand J14.
See the future of portable LED lighting The Solaris 10K from Nightsearcher Ltd spells an end to a reliance on generator-powered halogen or fluorescent sources. This breakthrough in LED technology is portable, light weight (7.9kg) and will flood huge areas with white, shadow-free light – 10,000 lumens on high, 6000 lumens on medium and 3000 lumens on low, where an extended running time is required. This makes it ideal for a range of applications such as road traffic incidents, scenes of crime etc, as a single head can illuminate a 50m area. Fitted with the latest Li-ion battery technology, the unit is ultra-compact and lightweight for maximum portability yet will operate for three hours on full power, six hours on 6000 and nine hours on 3000, giving an intense white light that generates over 1300 Lux at 5m. Supplied and incorporated in a specialist outdoor case, the Nightsearcher Solaris Lite can be set up in less than 60 seconds. Incredibly robust, the unit is made from tough ABS
plastic and is water and shock resistant to allow operation in all weather conditions. The added benefits are the reliability, as Li-ion can be left for long periods of time without charging, produces no heat, operates silently and offers a huge saving in carbon emissions, being 99 percent more efficient than generatorpowered lighting. www.nightsearcher.co.uk
Visit Nightsearcher on Stand L11.
Emergency glass management and sharps protection Packexe’s unique glass management system, Packexe SMASH, is already standard operational equipment with nine UK fire and rescue services and is under evaluation with 39 others. The product is also a British export success, equipping rescue services as far afield as Australia, Hong Kong and the USA, as well as throughout Europe. Packexe SMASH is a heavy-duty film applied to glass with a specially developed dispenser, which allows RTC rescuers either to remove windows quickly and safely for rapid access to casualties or to use cutting and spreading tools without the need to remove windows first. Glass is held intact by the film, so that casualties are not exposed to the added danger of splinters and dust resulting from the extrication process. Now Packexe has launched a new tool to make the life of technical rescue teams safer and easier. Packexe Sharpswrap allows each member of a rescue team quickly to protect himself and his casualty from hazardous sharp points and edges at the scene. It is a strong, bright yellow adhesive film and lightweight dispenser, which fits neatly into a
belt-pouch for immediate use when needed. Sharps can be made safe and visible in seconds. Packexe Chief Executive Andrew Orchard, said, “We have been impressed with how quickly brigades such as Buckinghamshire and Merseyside saw the value of Packexe SMASH and built it into their procedures. We look forward to demonstrating it to other services at The Emergency Services Show.” www.packexe.co.uk/smash
Visit Packexe on Stand N63.
Clarity of sight and sound from Olympus Olympus imaging and audio products are invaluable professional tools whether you’re documenting the aftermath of an incident, recording training sessions for review or just using in your daily duties. Whatever the situation image quality shouldn’t be compromised. For those whose jobs are more off the beaten track and more physical than most the Olympus TOUGH range is ideal. Waterproof (TG-2 up to 15m), drop-proof, crushproof (TG-2 and TG-830 only) and even freeze-proof they can be used anywhere and everywhere. Don’t just take our word for it; the TOUGH range is the official ‘ruggedised’ digital camera of the MoD’s FIST project and rail crash investigators are using the TOUGH TG-2 to photograph crash sites. If you require an SLR-type camera in your work, eg for forensics work, then the OM-D E-M5 should
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be your first choice. Smaller and lighter than traditional DSLR cameras and with a dust and splash-proof magnesium alloy body; it can be used outside without the worry of inclement weather. An in-built electronic viewfinder helps to frame what you shoot, while the ultra-fast AF means nothing is lost, no matter how quickly a subject is moving. A tilting LCD screen helps to catch those hard to reach subjects and Full HD movie recordings are crisp and clear. Digital audio products Not all situations call for imagery and this is where Olympus digital audio products come into their own and, like the imaging range, there are products suitable for many different scenarios and professions. When recording audio out in the field there are many unwanted sounds. The Olympus
LS-14 Linear PCM Recorder reduces excessive background noise, wherever you’re recording, leaving you with clear sound, all thanks to the two high-sensitivity and low-noise mics built into the pocket-size device. For those who need more professional and secure audio recording the DS-series is highly recommended. The DS-7000 satisfies those with the highest demands for professional dictation requirements. The durable, metal-bodied unit with its large colour LCD screen combines best usability with maximum recording quality. Thanks to PIN protection and 256-bit DSS Pro real time data encryption, even the most sensitive files remain secure at all times. www.olympus.co.uk
Visit Olympus on Stand B35.
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Universal head immobiliser SP Services, the Telford based supplier of medical, first aid, paramedic and emergency rescue equipment is looking forward to The Emergency Services Show. It’s an ideal time to show off some of the company’s exceptional products that perhaps cannot be fully appreciated within the pages of its catalogue or on the computer screen.
Fenix torches set to shine Long established UK Fenix torch distributor The Photon Shop is exhibiting the complete range of high quality Fenix searchlights, torches, head torches and accessories at The Emergency Services Show 2013.
The versatile RC40 rechargeable hand held searchlight.
The SP Services stand will feature a full retail area.
Handheld searchlight Highlights on the stand include the versatile new RC40 rechargeable hand held searchlight with its 3500 lumen ‘Rapid Scan Beam’, which is capable of lighting a huge area at both short distance and
ranges out to 700m. Five selectable levels of light deliver the ideal balance between run time and output, while the easily replaceable Lithium Ion battery allows for quick battery changes in the field. Mains and vehicle chargers are included in the package. Compact and lightweight Shattering the boundaries of output in a truly compact and lightweight duty torch, the Fenix PD35 delivers an outstanding 850 lumens into a working beam capable of lighting a wide area. With a choice of five light levels, from 10 to 850 lumens, the PD35 is perfect for a host of duties from close in reading at low output to longer distance search. Waterproofing to 2m depth and tough build quality come as standard with all Fenix torches, giving you a strong investment in a reliable, long lasting product. www.myfenix.co.uk
Visit The Photon Shop on Stand A62.
One area that is particularly difficult to appreciate without seeing it ‘live’ is cervical immobilisation and this year, among other top products, SP will be demonstrating the Multi-Grip Head Immobiliser and all its advantages. It is widely accepted that cervical immobilisation on an orthopaedic stretcher (scoop) is problematic. Most available devices are designed for use on a spinal board and these are retrofitted for use on a scoop. The most common practice seems to be inverting a standard set of head blocks, though often it is the case that the head blocks are not a pair or placing them causes significant head/neck movement. Complete system The Multi-Grip Head Immobiliser is a complete system for your head immobilisation needs. Its design makes it a universal head immobiliser. Each unit includes head and chin straps and is individually packaged in thermo-sealed film.
Benefits and features of the system include: straps, unit and patient stay where you put them; compatible with all C-collars and backboards; radiolucent; easy access to the ears; head strap sticks to board, not to skin/hair (foam covers forehead area); non-claustrophobic design; buoyant for water rescue; head and chin straps come with each unit; can be used with motorcycle/sports helmets; and closed-cell foam. For more information on the Multi-Grip Head Immobiliser or any of SP Services immobilisation and transportation products, you can talk to the team from SP at The Emergency Services Show on Stand J11. www.spservices.co.uk
Visit SP Services on Stand J11.
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The Fenix PD35.
Duty boot launch for Tracerlite Tracerlite has, in just a few years, become the leading provider of duty footwear in Australia and New Zealand for police, prisons, emergency medical services and structural fire fighting. Built for climatic environments in the Southern Hemisphere that encompasses the Alpine climates in South Island New Zealand through the European, Desert and Sub Tropical climates of Australia, Tracerlite Boots will not fail to satisfy. Tracerlite will be launching its Duty boots at The Emergency Services Show 2013 for the European market and will be announcing its first of many European distributors. The company has a mission to build environmentally sustainable, lightweight performance footwear that combines function and fit. Its footwear is not only certified to EN norms but has been specifically tested by the Shoe & Allied Trades Research Association (SATRA) to ensure that it is environmentally sustainable and does not contain any harmful chemicals. Alongside Tracerlite’s safety and nonsafety toe Duty boots, the company will also be displaying its Type 2 Class 1 Structural Fire Boot, possibly one of the lightest in its class, and its BS Standard Police Public Order Boot.
Rigorous control of supply channels, manufacturing and Quality Assurance ensures that Tracerlite is entering the European market with quality footwear that is being used daily in harsh conditions with many thousands of satisfied users. Distribution opportunities are available in the UK and across Europe and anyone interested in distribution should e-mail: ian@tracerlite.eu. www.tracerlite.eu
Visit Tracerlite on Stand N3.
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Emergency services first responders’ survey highlights interoperability issues and technological advances A recent survey of emergency services first responders* undertaken on behalf of The Emergency Services Show 2013 highlights the improvements and challenges which interoperability is bringing to everyone involved in the emergency services, while also identifying the positive impact that advances in products and new technology are having in the emergency services. 54% of first responders agreed or strongly agreed that the roles and responsibilities of each service attending emergency incidents are fully understood, while 31% disagreed or strongly disagreed that this was the case. But almost without exception these professionals felt that further multiagency training would improve cooperation between teams attending incidents (97% agreed or strongly agreed).
“Miscommunication emerged as by far the commonest problem first responders experience when cooperating with other emergency services at incidents.” Over 80% also agreed or strongly agreed that a lack of multi-agency training can endanger lives. While a third of first responders said they agreed or strongly agreed that they regularly train alongside other agencies to prepare for emergencies, closer to a half of respondents said they did not. Despite financial pressures relatively few also said that less priority had been given to training within their organisation during the last six months – with 43% agreeing it was less of a priority but 33% saying it was not. Interoperability issues Miscommunication emerged as by far the commonest problem first responders experience when cooperating with other emergency services at incidents, with some three-quarters saying this was an issue. Under resourcing of staff was also identified as a problem by 45%, but just under a third also said over-resourcing was equally an issue. Incompatible equipment was also identified as a
source of problems by just fewer than 30%, while 17% felt that equipment was duplicated by different services. Sharing resources More than two-thirds (68.9%) of respondents said that their service did not currently share any resources with other emergency services, but 21.2% said they did share station facilities. Around one in 20 also identified management staff, workshops and fleet as shared resources. Asked if other resources could be shared that are not already, respondents most commonly identified stations, training facilities, control rooms and comms equipment.
Impact of private sector Three quarters of emergency services first responders thought that private sector companies like Babcock, Serco, Capita, Steria and Falck would have a greater role in the emergency services in the future, but 58% thought that greater use of private sector companies would have a negative effect on interoperability among emergency services.
Benefits of new technologies Looking at how new products and technologies have helped to transform operations in the emergency services, just fewer than three-quarters said advances in mobile communications had had a positive or very positive effect. Around 60% also said that advances in vehicles and vehicle technology had made a positive of very positive difference. Nearly two-thirds (64%) said advances in personal protective equipment (PPE) had also made a positive or very positive impact with lighter weight and superior protection both identified as positive benefits. Consolidation among emergency services Uncertainty continues to surround the possible restructuring of the emergency services into regional, national or combined services, but over three-quarters of first responders thought it was likely or highly likely that fire and rescue services would amalgamate to become regional within the next three to five years. This compares to a figure of 64% who expected the same to happen in the police service. Around 60% thought it was unlikely or highly unlikely that the fire and rescue service would become one national service in the same time frame and close to 70% thought it unlikely or highly unlikely the police service would do the same.
The Emergency Services Show The growing Emergency Services Show, organised by Broden Media Limited, publisher of Emergency Services Times magazine, has moved to a larger venue at The NEC, Birmingham from 25-26 September 2013. The show is focused on promoting interoperability and provides visitors with valuable opportunities to learn, network and progress their career development. Visitors can access the latest emergency services products and services from over 400 exhibiting companies and organisations, as well as workshops, seminars and live rescue demonstrations. www.emergencyuk.com
*The Emergency Services First Responders Survey was completed by first responders working across all emergency services in the week commencing 17 August 2013. The full report can be accessed on the show website.
Emergency Services Times October 2013
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A case study based course drawing lessons across the Emergency Services Sector and more broadly ensuring delegates fully understand today’s application of health and safety law. Feedback from Senior Officers at West Midlands Fire & Rescue Service “Excellent and essential training” “Highly valuable to all Emergency Response Managers” “I will ensure all teams attend this course and be extra diligent in all my actions”
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CBRN toolbox project on track Project CATO (CBRN, Architecture, Technologies & Operations) is a European Union FP7 integration project, which is developing and bringing together a coherent toolbox of systems to allow better life cycle management of incidents, specifically CBRN incidents. CATO is now at its halfway point and many milestones are soon to be delivered. VectorCommand is a major contributor to Project CATO and offered its Command Support System (CSS) operational support tool to the project as a core starting component for the user interface elements. This ensured the project had the very best head start and opportunity to deliver a real world practical and useful deliverable at the project conclusion. The Command Support System developed for CATO involves extending the capability of the system to satisfy fully the information needs of a CBRN incident response management team, and extends the warning, informing and data gathering into the general public sphere to the vast potential of crowd sourcing information and the technologies available in today’s smart device world. The Command Support System developed up to this point includes: 1. Real time connection to a sophisticated and renowned CBRN plume prediction system (ARGOS) to produce on demand plume modelling within the Command Support System 2. Further GIS LiveMap Module enhancements to import and export GIS Layers for interoperability work 3. Import of images into the LiveMap Module layers 4. Implementation of a GIS database search facility (Gazetteer) 5. GIS LiveMap cordon model optimisation using algorithms to suggest the optimal size and shape and roadblocks, for an affected area 6. A new Incident Advice Module providing advice to the incident management team created by analysis of the incident data and sophisticated algorithms 7. A strategic management reporting module – in UK terms, a live Common Recognised Information Picture builder 8. A General Public App – a smart device web app to warn and inform the user of an event, and provide the opportunity to share incident information and images not only with their friends via social media channels, but with the incident management team as well 9. A First Responder App – a smart device incident management tool, to inform and integrate first responders, pass information two ways and track the user for enhanced incident ground accountability 10. A Knowledge Base module providing access to the online database of all things CBRN, securely hosted and access controlled. Prepare, train and respond In the coming months and as part of the CATO project, VectorCommand will be enhancing and integrating its training tools into the CATO toolbox to provide not only the excellent operational support capability, but also a training, exercising
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and to support live exercising where real world physical devices are vital to immerse participants in the exercise and identify real world issues.
Command Support System screenshot showing ARGOS plume prediction modelling.
and assessment capability, which will allow organisations to prepare, train and respond – the full lifecycle of emergency management. VectorCommand is not alone in this project, as many other respected institutions are involved in both academic research and toolbox component generation. Some of the organisations include: • Prolog Development Centre (PDC) – the developers of the ARGOS plume modelling and prediction software. Well respected and used in high profile incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima, PDC has enhanced the ARGOS system to talk to the Command Support System
Dissemination conference The first major end user dissemination conference for Project CATO will be held from 9-10 October at the Collegium Leoninum in Bonn, Germany. The CATO Conference will certainly appeal to all European stakeholders concerned by CBRN crises, including policy makers, incident commanders, health responders and CBRN experts, who will discuss the emerging doctrines and procedures for CBRN preparedness, detection, response and recovery and will engage with the latest research development in CBRN decision support. Up to 100 delegates will be attending for keynote speakers, presentations, workshops, discussions and networking between international partners and responder agencies. A limited number of ‘free to attend’ places are still available for this conference, so in the first instance please register via the CATO website for full details.
• Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) – analysis of different types of terrorist explosions and devices, different common accidents and events, the common types of substances, will result in a rationalised set of templates for the ARGOS plume modelling system to utilise • Fraunhofer Institute (FKIE and IVI) – the two well-respected Fraunhofer institutes are providing sophisticated algorithms for incident data analysis and advice, and for GIS analysis for cordon, route and path planning optimisations.
“The ARGOS plume modelling and prediction software was proven during the Chernobyl and Fukushima incidents.” Test, trail and exercise As CATO begins to draw all the different strands together into a coherent toolbox of systems, the CATO Laboratory provides a place to load, test, trial and exercise the toolbox. The lab exists in two states, a virtual and a physical facility. Online and available to try out to CATO Community members (www.cato-project.eu) is the facility to run the CATO toolbox in your web browser, with no other requirements other than internet access. The physical lab exists to service those organisations for whom even basic internet access is denied, perhaps those more heavily involved in CBRN research,
Photo: UK PNCBRNC.
Enhanced managed response The CATO project was designated as an integration project. When the project concludes in December 2014, it will provide an off-the-shelf and ready to procure, coherent toolbox of systems, designed and proven to provide an enhanced managed response to a wide range and scale of incidents. Included in this will be a pan-European wide cadre of CBRN CATO experts, available to guide and advise organisations across Europe in how technologies, such as those found in the toolbox, can be applied to real world emergency response agencies allowing them to deal more efficiently and knowledgeably with the complexity of multi-risk, multi-agency and even multi-national CBRN events. So CATO is coming together with systems, software, hardware and intellect, however the project needs discussion and feedback. Several emergency service organisations have agreed to become real world end users, and more are needed. If you are interested, please e-mail: cato-po@eurtd.com. www.cato-project.eu
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USAR support to UK DVI From the early development stages of the urban search and rescue (USAR) capability within the New Dimension Project, it became apparent that any large scale USAR incident would have the potential to result in a large amount of fatalities and therefore the involvement of Police Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Teams. With this in mind, fire and rescue service (FRS) USAR teams began to undertake work locally with their respective police colleagues. Words: Alec Martin, Station Manager, Urban Search and Rescue, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service In many areas of the country a joint team approach was very quickly developed and led to the successful resolution of a number of incidents including recoveries from light aircraft crashes, victim recoveries below the high tide point, crime scene safety and preservation of scenes for a full forensic scene investigation. In Hampshire, for example, a Police Collapsed Structures Team was developed and equipped with PPE identified by the USAR team to enable them to operate safely in a USAR environment.
“Show me the manner in which a nation cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness, the tender mercies of its people, their respect for the law of the land and their loyalty to high ideals.� William Gladstone 1871 Cohesive approach At a national level CFOA and ACPO identified that a cohesive approach was required to ensure uniformity for a national response. This resulted in the lead Officers for CFOA (USAR) and ACPO (DVI) agreeing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to progress the development of this work.
It was emphasised by the CFOA and ACPO lead officers that a consistent approach was a requirement to aid national interoperability between fire and police. To achieve this, the Fire and Rescue Service National Resilience USAR capability formed a project team to develop a Concept of Operations (ConOps) to deliver USAR
support to Police DVI operations, based on the MoU between ACPO and CFOA. A joint team was established, made up of USAR team members and police officers from those fire and rescue services and police forces with experience in DVI training and operations. Coordination and management of the team was carried out by the National Resilience USAR team, which collated the various work streams and produced the final agreed document. In addition to the ConOps, a hazard analysis and risk assessment document and a FRS standard operating procedure (SOP) were also produced. Operational testing It was agreed to test the ConOps and the SOP on a small scale to begin with, at Exercise Petworth, based at Fort Widley in Hampshire, in December 2012. The location was chosen because of the facilities available and the close relationship developed between the Hampshire USAR team and Hampshire Police during joint training and working. However, to fully test the SOP, another USAR team less familiar with Hampshire Police and DVI operations became involved. The SOP was further tested as part of the three simultaneous national exercises undertaken in April 2013, particularly Exercise Endeavour held in Tyne and Wear. Both exercises were supported by the College of Policing (Previously NPIA) and CFOA National Resilience, with a successful full operational test being completed. Forensic awareness and DVI protocols are now recognised as core business as well as the levels of victim recovery that do not always require the full DVI process to be invoked. The SOP details three levels of recovery that could be implemented at a USAR incident. These levels would be determined following a risk assessment carried out jointly by police and fire
Emergency Services Times October 2013
and rescue service commanders, taking into account levels of PPE and training available to the police: Level 1 involves the risk level being assessed as low, with police recovery teams being expected to safely undertake recovery with their own resources; Level 2 involves the deployment of a joint police and fire and rescue service team where potential risk and access issues would require FRS assistance within the recovery team; and Level 3 involves the deployment of a FRS recovery team where a recovery is required in a time frame where the removal of risks is not practicable.
Further scope While a great deal of emphasis within this subject area is focused on DVI operations, it has been the intention of the project to ensure that the principles in the ConOps can be applied to other incidents where the police service requires assistance to recover the deceased from a difficult access situation or indeed where forensic recovery techniques are required. This will ensure that best practice is maintained, demonstrating a professional approach and ensuring that the deceased are treated with dignity and respect. www.fireresilience.org.uk
Visit NRAT on Stands Z248 and OS408
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Government reviews initial response to a CBRN incident The Home Office, in collaboration with the Department of Health, Public Health England, University of Hertfordshire, Department for Communities and Local Government, Cabinet Office, Health and Safety Executive, and UK fire and rescue, ambulance and police services, has carried out a major review of the initial response to a CBRN incident (which could also have utility in other incidents involving hazardous materials). The focus has been on the initial life saving actions carried out by the emergency services. This has led to the production of the Initial Operation Response (IOR) policy and a suite of products to support its delivery and implementation. Words: Tim Hemsley MBE – IOR Project Manager, CBRNE team, OSCT Home Office The current guidelines instruct initial police and ambulance responders at a CBRN incident to await the arrival of trained specialists with appropriate protective equipment. However, there are some actions that might be possible for these initial operation responders to undertake before the specialists arrive, without increasing their risk. The changes Public Health England, working with the University of Hertfordshire under the ORCHIDS project (Optimisation through Research of Chemical Incident Decontamination Systems1, see www.orchidsproject.eu), has carried out extensive research on the most appropriate methods of decontamination and how this can be achieved.
“The focus of the IOR is to save as many lives as possible by making the emergency services aware of what they can do to save life and the most effective time in which this action needs to be achieved.” The findings show that by evacuating a contaminated casualty from the scene to a safe environment, disrobing and carrying out improvised decontamination, the majority of skin surface contamination will have been effectively removed, greatly improving the casualty’s survival rate. Maximum benefit of this will be achieved within 15 minutes of exposure, ie in the period before any hazardous materials specialists are likely to have arrived on scene. The findings also show that dry decontamination – the blotting and rubbing of exposed skin surfaces with dry absorbent material – is the most effective means for non-caustic agents and should be considered the default process for an incident involving chemicals unless the use of water is justified following medical advice.
The project Over the past 18 months, a multi-agency project board has developed policy and procedure for first responders at a CBRN incident that will focus on saving life actions, while ensuring personal safety. The project board has liaised with the Health and Safety Executive, police federations, unions, legal departments and other key stakeholders as the products have been developed.
What are the products? The policy and procedure has been incorporated into an IOR Guide and an aide memoir. The project has also produced a short (15min) film. It is intended that every first responder from police, fire and rescue and ambulance services (including acute trusts) will receive an aide memoir and undergo a short (20mins) e-learning-training package.
The policy The focus of the IOR is to save as many lives as possible by making the emergency services aware of what they can do to save life and the most effective time in which this action needs to be achieved. The IOR starts from the very first call to the emergency services, or a self-presenter at a healthcare premise. The key messages are: evacuation; communicate and advise the people contaminated; disrobe; and decontamination – dry being the default but wet remaining an option in certain circumstances. The first responders must work together quickly and efficiently to save life, including conducting a joint dynamic hazard assessment to inform multiagency decision making, achieve a safe multiagency response, and deliver a safe resolution to the incident for the public and emergency responders alike.
When will it be launched? The IOR will be launched at the beginning of September 2013 and the products will be distributed to pre-identified single points of contact in each agency within each county/area shortly after, for all first responders. We hope to have the products distributed by September 2013 and the training completed by the end of 2014.
Emergency Services Times October 2013
www.jesip.org.uk
To learn more about what we are doing come and see us on the JESIP stand Z226. . Chilcott R. (2009) An overview of the Health Protection Agency’s research and development programme on decontamination. Chemical Hazards and Poisons Report 15, p26-28 1
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Busy Summer of engagement for JESIP
Figure 1: The multi-agency training courses are built around the principles contained within the Joint Doctrine together with the Joint Decision Making model.
Summer 2013 has been a busy period for the JESIP team. During June and July, the team held multi-agency Engagement Events in England, Wales and Scotland, which were used to: introduce the JESIP Joint Doctrine document incorporating the Joint Decision Making model together with the Training Strategy; the approach to delivery of the Train the Trainer courses; and highlight the impact of the training on organisations. The JESIP team also used these events to establish a JESIP Champion and these champions have been established in almost every police force, fire and rescue service and ambulance service trust. They are being used as a single point of contact for anything JESIP related, will be requested to help promote JESIP and to generate ideas locally to help to underpin JESIP. During July and August, the Joint Doctrine has
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been subject to formal consultation with the 105 blue light agencies and wider Category 1 Responders. The Joint Doctrine provides the key principles (Communication, Co-location and Coordination, Joint Understanding of Risk, Shared Situational Awareness and the Joint Decision Making model) that on-scene and tactical commanders must adopt to deliver the framework for successful joint working. During September, a multi-agency independent panel will review the consultation responses and a final version of the Joint Doctrine recommended to the JESIP Programme and Strategic Boards. The JESIP team will be undertaking further consultation focus groups at the end of September on the final version of the Joint Doctrine, which will be adopted by ACPO, CFOA and AACE.
Multi-agency training The multi-agency training courses are built around the principles contained within the Joint Doctrine together with the Joint Decision Making model (see Fig 1) and the on-scene, tactical and strategic commander key roles and responsibilities. The training courses have been developed by the College of Policing, the Fire Service College and the National Ambulance Resilience Unit and are
designed to be delivered in a multi-agency setting. The training courses are part of the suite of multiagency training that incorporates the successful and popular Multi-Agency Gold Incident Command (MAGIC) course. In October and November, organisations can expect to receive the Train the Trainer courses in preparation for the on-scene and tactical command training, which they will be undertaking during the 2014-15 training year. The JESIP team will be available to assist with local delivery plans, if required, as well as undertaking further engagement events across the UK. Spring summit Following on from the extremely successful JESIP Summit that took place in November 2012, a further summit is being planned for Spring 2014. As well as nationally acclaimed keynote speakers, this summit will review the progress made by JESIP and consider the legacy arrangements required to sustain embed the changes made. A significant number of organisations have continued to support JESIP by willingly releasing subject matter expertise to contribute to the working groups, premises for meetings to be held or have volunteered staff to take part in the pilot courses. JESIP is extremely grateful for this support as, without it, the programme would not have been able to make the progress that it has currently made. www.jesip.org.uk
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National success built on partnership approach In recent years, the world has witnessed increasingly the consequences of international terrorism, severe weather, natural hazards, the spread of disease, and major industrial and transport accidents. In 2001, following the outbreak
of foot-and-mouth disease, the fuel crisis and serious flooding, the UK Government strengthened the arrangements for civil contingencies. The coordinated terrorist attacks in the USA later that year led to further measures to transform the way UK emergency services and agencies respond to large-scale emergencies. The New Dimension Programme was created to strengthen fire and rescue services (FRSs) response to major incidents. This has now transitioned into National Resilience. National Resilience assets are designed to respond to major emergencies and catastrophic disasters that are beyond the capacity of either an individual fire and rescue service (FRS) or a combined mutual aid response, which includes the use of assets from neighbouring services. The use of high volume pumps and urban search and rescue assets in flooding and collapsed building incidents are typical examples of the value of a nationally coordinated response. An essential element in the delivery of National Resilience is the provision of
well equipped, trained and motivated fire and rescue serices, which engage effectively with other agencies across the country. Strategic direction, long-term management and support to the FRS in delivering these day-to-day business improvements at both local and national level is provided by a partnership between the Government’s Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA). The National Resilience Board, Chaired by Jon Hall, Chief Fire Officer for Gloucestershire FRS, oversees the work of National Resilience coordinated by the National Resilience Assurance Team (NRAT).
A National Coordination and Advisory Framework (NCAF) provides a framework for FRSs to improve their capability to deal more effectively with wider challenges and responsibilities, and promotes a coordinated response from fire and rescue authorities in the event of a major emergency.
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Supporting operations The National Resilience Capabilities provide fire and rescue services with the necessary equipment, training, advice and support to carry out effective operations in the following specialised areas: CBRN(E)/mass decontamination (MD); CBRN(E)/detection, identification and monitoring (DIM); urban search and rescue (USAR), including UK FRS search dog capability; high volume pumping (HVP); command and control (C&C); and training. The National Resilience Assurance Team (NRAT) comprises a National Resilience Officer and National Resilience Advisors and Officers working in England and Wales. The team is based at a central office at the Fire Service College in Gloucestershire. The team provides operational assurance, advice and support to DCLG and the FRSs in their delivery of National Resilience and ensures that the capabilities remain fit for purpose. The role of the team includes: Assurance – vehicles, modules and equipment; training; exercising and evaluation; capability guidance; and asset refresh; Resilience – National Coordination and Advisory Framework; fire and rescue response; and contract support; and Stakeholder Engagement – government departments; Local Government Association; fire and rescue services; Fire Service College; prime contractor; and suppliers. www.fireresilience.org.uk
Visit NRAT on Stands Z248 and OS408.
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Flooding incidents lead to first Regional Resilience Group for Northern Ireland A Regional Resilience Group for Northern Ireland has been developed by two police officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), encompassing multi partner agencies in response to flooding incidents throughout Northern Ireland. This originated from the officers developing community resilience stemming from flooding of local communities in the Tyrone and Fermanagh areas. The inter-agency plan pinpoints what a community needs to do in response to a flooding incident, including who is responsible and what the emergency responses should be. Each household is provided with an individual flood pack, detailing step-by-step guidance to flooding, prior to, during and after a flood.
Emergency Planning Officers, Constable Darryl Johnston and Inspector David Nixon from the PSNI’s F District, which covers Cookstown, Dungannon, Omagh and Fermanagh, were instrumental in the formation of the first Regional Resilience Group for Northern Ireland. Flood preparation Inspector Nixon explains, “Flooding in Fermanagh during 2009, which led to the formation of Fermanagh Task Group and a similar incident in Beragh, County Tyrone, in 2011, highlighted the need to build community resilience to flood risk areas. The aim of this would also be to promote the role of the PSNI, partner agencies, as well as encourage community cohesion and resilience. Preparedness and emergency planning are essential to flood risk management. Inspector Nixon continued, “The years 2000, 2002, 2008 and 2012 were the wettest on record, which helped identify significant flood risk areas. We identified a number of gaps in planning and tried to address these with partner agencies to secure a ‘joined up’ approach to the potential problems, which could arise out of flooding. “We can’t prevent flooding but we can help reduce the impact. We also realised there was a need to develop and support communities at risk to help themselves before, during and after a flood.”
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Community resilience At a local level, Inspector Nixon and Constable Johnston looked at the issues around community resilience, the development of an area flood in consultation with the Beragh community. The Omagh-based officers delivered a presentation on community resilience to elected representatives, and British Red Cross. A research report, entitled ‘Cut off by the Floods’, was launched in December 2012, in conjunction with the British Red Cross, at the Killyhelvin Hotel, Enniskillen. The report focused on the impact of flooding in Fermanagh and Beragh and will be of interest to all who are working with communities to improve preparedness for severe weather events. Minister Mrs Arlene Foster, of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment, endorsed the report.
“The next stage is to integrate best practise from the Environment Agency in England and the Flood Forum in Scotland.” In January 2013, Inspector Nixon and Constable Johnston were invited to Parliament Buildings for the launch of a new policy document: ‘Resilient Northern Ireland – A call to action’ by Fiona MacLeod, British Red Cross, Public Affairs Officer, Scotland. Regional approach Constable Johnston said, “We have identified the need for a regional approach to support community groups formed as a result of flooding. In consultation with Rivers Agency, Red Cross, Belfast City Council and the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, our aim was to develop an effective community resilience plan. This has led to the formation of a Regional Community Resilience Group to develop a standardised approach across Northern Ireland. Officers from F District currently represent the PSNI on the group. “The community resilience plan can be used in each identified community to develop a
Group Membership Membership of Regional Community Resilience Group includes: the Rivers Agency, Northern Group Systems, Belfast City Council, the Western Responders Group, Eastern Group, Southern Group, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), The British Red Cross, Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE), Department of Regional Development Roads (DRD), Northern Ireland Water (NIW), Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and the Met Office. community resilience ‘toolkit’. Part of the toolkit will be preparation of a pack delivered to each household in an identified area at risk. “To bring together partner organisations to develop and establish a Community Resilience Programme across Northern Ireland would involve the creation of a planned partnership for severe weather workshop/roadshow to launch the community emergency plan for those communities at risk. Development of an App that can be downloaded by communities at risk informing them of their emergency plan, advice on before, during and after a flood. There is a realisation that resources are not finite and that community resilience is essential.” Next stages Currently in development are the Beragh and Coalisland household flood resilience packs and hotspot database for flooding. Inspector Nixon said, “We are planning to pilot the initiative in the Coalisland area and this will be the first in the PSNI’s F District and, indeed, Northern Ireland. It is envisaged this will be rolled out across the Province. A Terms of Reference for the Regional Community Resilience Group has since been developed and agreed. The next stage is to integrate best practice from the Environment Agency in England and the Flood Forum in Scotland.” Inspector Nixon concluded, “I am delighted to be working with communities and other agencies to integrate this major incident plan in Tyrone and Fermanagh initially. We hope this will help to deliver an effective planning which will ultimately benefit everyone.” www.psni.police.uk
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University students build the next generation ‘Transformer’ vehicles Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS) launched its pioneering ‘Transformer’ vehicle back in June 2011. Using a Toyota Avensis, very generously donated by Toyota UK Ltd, students from Derby University were able to build a vehicle, which is today considered a valuable addition not only to our own training resources, but is also key in road safety initiatives. For DFRS, as a fire and rescue service that strives ‘to be the best fire and rescue learning and development provider’, the Transformer was always going to be ‘only the beginning’. Enter the Ex-Tractor and the SES Simulator. Words: Mark Burnham, Watch Manager, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service. The Transformer has enabled DFRS to educate other emergency services in the many options available to them when faced with casualty extrication and to educate young drivers – raising their awareness of the dangers of the road as part of our Road Traffic Collision Reduction Initiative. It also, of course, allowed us to educate our own firefighters to ensure casualty entrapment times are kept to an absolute minimum.
“It is essential that all of the emergency services are prepared and professionally trained to deal with these incidents.” Such is the success of this vehicle DFRS has received enquiries from as far afield as South Africa, where authorities want to create something similar to educate their own medics. The Transformer also reached the final six in the Innovation category of the Lord Stafford Awards 2012. In June 2012, DFRS pitched two new projects to students entering into their 3rd year BEng Motor Sport and Engineering Honours courses. The two projects were so appealing that both projects were undertaken and are currently underway.
The Ex-Tractor is an HGV with removable parts built into the existing vehicle and sleeper cab, while retaining all of the original cab furniture and maintaining driveability.
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The Ex-Tractor The Transformer has given DFRS the scope to train for all manner of RTCs involving cars, but as we are all too aware, our roads have a much bigger headache in the form of HGVs. Thousands of HGVs take to the roads each year and inevitably a percentage of those are involved in RTCs. It is therefore essential that all of the emergency services are prepared and professionally trained to deal with these incidents, giving casualties the best possible chance of recovery by limiting any risks they may be exposed to during the extrication process. Although quite a challenge from the outset, the Ex-Tractor is on course to being an invaluable, albeit very large, piece of training equipment. The brief was to design a HGV with removable parts built into the existing vehicle and sleeper cab, while retaining all of the original cab furniture and maintaining driveability; a challenge to which Lee, Hayley, Rob, Marcus, Callum and Ryan, all studying 2nd Year Motor Sport Engineering, are rising. Using specially designed fixings and hinges generously donated by Albert Jagger Ltd, the students have been able to design and commence the build of the Ex-Tractor, producing a vehicle that demonstrates: removal of the windscreen, door removal, dashboard roll, quarter cab removal, front roof flap and full stabilisation of the vehicle – all contributing to the six key phased approach, which is adopted nationally. The SES Simulator The SES (Safety Engineering Simulator) Simulator is being designed to demonstrate the many safety systems that are integral to today’s modern vehicle. The advent of driver safety has unfortunately created an RTC environment littered with hidden dangers for firefighters using cutting equipment and all other emergency services attending these incidents. Airbags, side impact protection systems, seat belt pre-tensioners, adaptive headrests and pyrotechnics, which are integral to all of these systems, are just some of the safety features needing consideration when looking at the best possible way to extricate a casualty safely, effectively and as quickly as possible. The brief students Tom, Das, Ajay, Johnson and Rizwan were given was to design a car that would demonstrate the real life actuation and deployment times of vehicle safety systems, each and every time the vehicle is used. The brief also requested that each element could be re-charged/re-instated without any ongoing costs to the service.
The SES (Safety Engineering Simulator) Simulator is being designed to demonstrate the many safety systems that are integral to today’s modern vehicle.
It is anticipated that the SES Simulator and the Ex-Tractor, like the Transformer, will be used not only to train firefighters, but will visit schools as part of our Road Traffic Collision Reduction Initiative and used to train other emergency services. It was therefore imperative that both vehicles remained drivable in order for them to be driven on to the low loaders that will transport them to various venues throughout Derbyshire. Excellent partnerships Both projects, along with the Transformer, would not have been possible without the excellent partnerships that exist between DFRS, Derby University and Toyota UK Ltd, all partnerships which we hope will continue to develop and thrive for the foreseeable future. Steve Hill, Programme leader for Motorsport at Derby University, said, “The enthusiasm and commitment that each student has demonstrated is commendable and testament to the fantastic relationship with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service. We will continue to work together and push the boundaries of RTC simulation techniques and applications, and are already looking forward to the next challenge.” It is fantastic to see both projects finally coming to fruition and to have witnessed the fantastic teamwork the students have demonstrated. Both the Ex-Tractor and the SES Simulator took pride of place at the student’s end of year degree show in June and are then expected be in full use as a valuable training resource, based at Derbyshire’s Kingsway Training Centre. www.derbys-fire.gov.uk
See the Ex-Tractor on display at The Emergency Services Show 2013.
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Training for the safe resolution of hazmat incidents Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) has developed a new methodology for dealing with radiation incidents, entitled ‘The Strands of Safety’. The NFRS Hazmat team has worked closely with industry experts to incorporate industry best practice and software tools into Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in order to provide incident commanders and support officers with accurate and useable information when dealing with incidents involving radioactive materials. Consultation and guidance Tracerco, a world leading radiological technology company, has provided consultation and guidance in making the information required at these incidents more accessible, understandable and useable by responders at all levels. Radioactive source information can now be processed to provide accurate dose rates, safe working distances and safe working durations, in order that feasible incident plans and appropriate control measures can be developed and applied, either in preplanning for events or on the incident ground. The NFRS Hazmat team has developed a
comprehensive training package covering: radiation basics, properties and measurement, radiation monitoring, application of the inverse square law and ‘The Strands of Safety’. This training is aimed at practitioner/responder level, however a recent workshop was delivered to HDIM officers and the feedback was excellent. The team has incorporated the framework of the recently published operational guidance from the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser (CFRA) as well as many current industry best practices into its training package. Successful and safe resolution Any of the emergency services have potential to be first on the scene of a hazmat incident. Therefore NFRS is offering incident management and practitioner training courses to all agencies to enable successful and safe resolution of hazmat incidents in effective partnership. Courses can cover: chemicals; agro-chemicals; biohazards; asbestos; explosives; and gases. This, together with a comprehensive set of hazmat specific aide memoires, give first responders and
incident commanders/managers the skills, knowledge and competence to deal with hazmat incidents of all types. The NFRS Hazmat team has many years of experience in preparing for and dealing with hazmat incidents, gained both within the fire and rescue service and the specialist chemical industry. This allows a focus on the practitioner skills required to ensure safe systems of work are employed to achieve satisfactory resolution of incidents. www.northumberland.gov.uk
Meet the NFRS Hazmat team at ESS2013 on Stand Z236.
Teamwork approach in Hertfordshire Towering above the Longfield Fire and Rescue Training Centre in Stevenage, two Hertfordshire police officers are being trained by a Hertfordshire firefighter to work safely at height. Using one of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s aerial ladder platforms, the police officers are receiving the specialist training required, so they can safely remove protesters who lodge themselves in high places. This open-air classroom, 30m up, is just one example of how Hertfordshire’s fire and rescue service and police share their skills and expertise. Beginning with the establishment of its Multi-agency Initial Assessment Team (MIAT) – an initial response unit for any chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incident in the county – more than 10 years ago, Hertfordshire has blazed a trail in this joint working approach. The establishment of the county’s Chemical Incident Response Team (CIRT), saw firefighters train police to use breathing apparatus and the two emergency services carried out practice decontamination scenarios, alongside one another. In other exchanges of skills, police officers have shared their expertise with their colleagues in the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in techniques for forcing entry into locked buildings. Partnership working John Print, Station Commander at Longfield Training Centre, said, “We do lots of training
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considerable expertise in water rescue and first responder techniques and we shared this with police to increase our capacity during the Olympics,” said John Print. “Part of the legacy of the Olympic facility in Hertfordshire is that it is used to train emergency services in and around fast moving water and we now have authorities from all over the country using the White Water Centre as a training venue.”
within Hertfordshire to share expertise between the police and fire services. Where other authorities may rely on external companies to come in and provide specialist training, we are working with our partners to make use of the expertise we have in-house.” Similar training has taken place with the ambulance service. This partnership between Hertfordshire’s emergency services came to the fore during London 2012, when the county hosted events at the Lee Valley White Water Centre. With several access points used by as many as 12,000 spectators close to canals, firefighters trained police officers to ensure the county had sufficient capacity to ensure the safety of visitors to the Olympic venue. “Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service have
Shared resources Hertfordshire’s drive to share training resources, where possible, has clear financial advantages during a period of public sector austerity. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Hertfordshire Police have saved thousands of pounds by making use of knowledge and skills already available in the county, paying solely for official examiners rather than external trainers. Apart from the obvious bottom-line savings, the arrangement has fostered closer working relationships between police officers and firefighters that have had wider benefits. This partnership approach echoes the ethos of the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme (JESIP). Hertfordshire’s current joint training is a step towards the national approach and will facilitate this work as it evolves over the coming months. www.hertsdirect.org
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Smarter fire fighting systems by 2015 Every year, more than 100 firefighters across Europe die in action. Losing their way in smoke, getting cut off by rising waters, being engulfed by flames and responding to horrific accidents: firefighters put their own lives on the line daily to rescue others. To make their profession less perilous, the Smart@fire project was launched, bringing together partners from six different countries to develop the next generation Smart Personal Protective Systems aimed to reduce casualties among firefighters. To achieve this goal, a large-scale needs assessment was carried out with fire and rescue services from all over Europe. This showed a great need for innovative technology, which must be integrated into the Smart Personal Protective System. This technology focuses mainly on localisation systems, sensors, data transfer and visualisation systems. Pre-Commercial Procurement The Smart@fire project is unique, not only because it brings together entrepreneurs and researchers from all over Europe, but also because of the Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) trajectory used. Project Director Christophe Veys said, “The different backgrounds of the participants should ensure a cross-fertilisation and allow the development of the next generation systems to better protect and reduce the risks of fire fighting. Besides that, we are also aiming to develop a commonly agreed Pre-Commercial Procurement approach that can be deployed across Europe.” The SDIS13 brigade from Marseille, France.
Ghent Fire Brigade in Belgium has been keeping a watchful eye on the project.
In the first stage, market consultations will be held in three different countries: Belgium, France and Germany. Targeted technology suppliers and experts are invited to participate, share insights, co-define and develop innovative prototypes. Each market consultation will deal with a different topic: localisation systems, sensors, data transfer and visualisation systems, and their integration into personal protective equipment (PPE). After the market consultations, a final wrap-up event will be held. Participating companies will have the opportunity to meet each other with a possibility to form consortia or business partnerships. In the second stage, the so-called Pre-Commercial Procurement, the development of working prototypes and a test range of Personal Protective Systems is procured. The most qualified enterprises/research centres will be selected based on the proposed solution. The development will be financially supported by the European Commission and the procurers involved. Finally in the third stage, based upon positive test results, EU fire and rescue services will be able to purchase the systems.
Firefighter input Of course, this project would not be possible without the input of the firefighters themselves. Three of the partners in the project are fire and rescue services: the SDIS13 brigade from Marseille, France; the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority; and the fire brigade from Dortmund, Germany. These three partners have been invaluable for their provided input. Additionally, the Belgian Ministry of Internal Affairs is an important partner. It purchases PPE for all of the Belgian fire and rescue services.
“The new technology could mean a great breakthrough in the way firefighters work.” For Captain Gilles Agopian from the French SDIS13 fire brigade, the new technology could be very important for firefighters to have a better view of the environment. He said, “The fire fighting equipment has been getting better, but it creates a false feeling of safety. The new technology could be very helpful in analysing the environment, so the firefighters can operate in a safer manner. In my opinion, especially the sensors are vital to inform our firefighters of potential risks.” Breakthrough in fire fighting Other fire and rescue services have been keeping a watchful eye on the project as well. Lieutenant Colonel Christian Van de Voorde is in charge of the
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Ghent Fire Brigade in Belgium. Speaking about burns, one of the most common injuries sustained by firefighters, he said, “Once the firefighters notice the temperature is too high and dangerous, it is often already too late, and they get injured.” Lieutenant Colonel Van de Voorde commented that the development and integration of innovative sensors in the protective gear is one way to prevent these injuries. He said, “Integrating sensors in the protective equipment of the firefighter should give them an early warning about potential danger in their environment, and give them a chance to bring themselves to safety. I am looking forward to seeing how these sensors will be integrated in a robust and maintenance-friendly manner. Quite the challenge, if you ask me.”
Three of the partners in the project are fire and rescue services, including the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority.
Christophe Veys said, “We really believe that the innovative systems to be developed in the framework of Smart@Fire can save lives. The new technology could mean a great breakthrough in the way firefighters work. The safer their profession gets, the more efficient fire fighting gets as well.” www.smartatfire.eu
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21st Century Thinking
For 21st Century Applications
www.aireshelta.co.uk LINTRAN TOTAL TRANSPORT SYSTEMS No. 1 Consult, Design & Build Service. 25 years working with Police, Fire, Rescue, MOD & RSPCA K9 Alarm, Harnesses & First Aid
www.lintran.co.uk 01673-885959 Brentwood House, Faldingworth, Market Rasen, Lincs LN8 3SF Emergency Services Times October 2013
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People-centred design
– a philosophy for developing better emergency services In every profession, there are aspects of systems and equipment that really don’t work very well. In the emergency services, one of the admirable qualities of the people drawn to the work is that they are ‘can-do’ and positive, and they develop not only great expertise but also practical work-around fixes to underlying obstacles – but this doesn’t make the underlying obstacles go away. Our aim in writing this article is to show that with the right approach, designers, researchers and frontline staff can collaborate to make solutions that work much better and can even save money. Words: Gianpaolo Fusari and Ed Matthews, Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design The case study concerns work with ambulance services. The question for people reading this article is whether there are parallels in the fire and rescue and police services. Do current systems and equipment support current best practice? Do frontline staff, procurement, fleet management, maintenance people, service managers and government leaders speak the same language and understand each other’s viewpoints? Our approach is unusual. We believe that designers can’t hope to produce solutions that work for their intended users unless: the design brief is developed with the users; the solutions are conceived and developed with the users; and prototypes are evaluated, refined and tested with the users. This ‘Inclusive Design’ (or People-centred) approach creates a team collaboration combining the extensive knowledge and creativity of all the stakeholders with the skill of designers in a process that is evidence-based rather than ego-driven, and creates the buy-in necessary to achieve change in very complex systems. Introduction The ‘Ambulance Redesign’ project developed at the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design (HHCD, at the Royal College of Art) shows how user research and co-design methodologies can bring substantial process improvements to blue light services. The most important aspect of our approach is strong collaboration between frontline user groups, designers and engineers to understand the real issues, working together to create better solutions. It’s all done through an iterative process of user research, co-design and evaluations. The methodology has been developed for over 20 years at the HHCD – we call it ‘Inclusive’ (or Peoplecentred) Design. The HHCD is a world leader in this and applies the philosophy to a range of projects, allocated to three distinct yet related research ‘Labs’: • Age & Ability – understanding the needs of people of all ages and all abilities • Work & City – studying different workplaces and the urban landscape • Healthcare & Patient Safety – inclusive design addressing healthcare services and medical products. In this article, we will show how the research and design methods employed by our Healthcare & Patient Safety Lab have created a safer, more efficient ambulance treatment space. Through our collaboration with frontline staff we have developed
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The design is being commercialised, the next stage of development being to build prototypes, and carry out service testing.
an ergonomic workplace for clinicians that supports them with relevant kit and technology, aligns with industry best practice, and saves money. Project background Why do ambulance crews need a new ambulance? In developing an understanding of the service it became clear that today’s equipment does not match the capabilities of ambulance crews. The vehicles are essentially the same as 30 years ago when the service’s main role was to take patients to hospital. But clinical practice has progressed enormously in terms of underlying science and available technologies. Advanced Paramedics are able to diagnose, treat in the community, and discharge people with minor complaints, considerably reducing the need to take patients to hospital. Demands on the service have increased greatly, and in order to gain the benefit of these capabilities and anticipate future service demands, the vehicles, equipment and system must change to keep pace. In 2005 we researched, for the National Patient Safety Agency, existing problems with equipment and vehicles. The work highlighted nine problematic areas that could be addressed and improved through better design, leading to a Research Council (EPSRC) funded, two-year, whole-system study (‘Smart Pods’) addressing the overall challenges of urgent and emergency healthcare delivery. A major factor influencing this work was the recent creation of the Emergency Care Practitioner (ECP) role – a highly trained Paramedic with enhanced skills in medical assessment and greater clinical capabilities. The research also identified that about 60 percent of 999
calls in the UK do not need the patient to be treated at hospital and could perhaps be better managed in the community, thus relieving overloaded A&E departments and hospital wards of unnecessary admissions. The concurrence of these factors aligned to form the basis of an integrated pre-hospital healthcare system: a combination of standardised kit packs, different vehicle types, diagnostics and communication equipment, and new staff roles to bring healthcare into the community. After 2009, the Smart Pods system was divided into discrete, manageable and cost-effective phases of development, as resources did not exist to tackle the whole system at once. A key element that could be progressed with relatively limited funding was the design of the ambulance treatment space.
More defined physical models gradually replaced the crude cardboard boxes (shown here) in the co-design process.
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82 | ESTFUTURE How we did it The treatment space is simply an environment and set of equipment within which professionals, in this case skilled clinicians, carry out their work within a broader system. How can designers and engineers hope to design something better for them without developing a close working relationship with these key people and getting access to their expert knowledge? One of the most important
The team quickly found that almost all the equipment and supplies could be placed on one wall, leaving the other side of the ambulance clear.
aspects of people-centred design is to work with the experts: the clinicians, patients, maintenance crews, fleet managers, procurement teams, health service officials – in fact all the people in contact with the ambulance throughout its service life. Our role as designers is to engage with and encourage as many different points of view as possible and work in a true co-design process. As a starting point our team worked 12-hour shifts with Paramedic crews to experience real situations first-hand, and observe daily activities. Working with different crew compositions – ECPs, Paramedics, and Technicians – at different times of day allowed the team to acquire a wide range of perspectives. In the Lab, a simple cardboard full-scale mock-up of the existing ambulance was constructed to invite Paramedics to demonstrate specific clinical procedures. The simple approach allowed us to try out ideas quickly as the conversations and scenarios developed. This ‘fast and dirty’ simulation is extremely cost-effective and gives huge insight, and enabled us to map the different modes of use within and outside the ambulance space. This work, and our previous research, allowed us to work with our frontline experts to analyse root causes to the problems observed, and to identify eight broad areas for improvement: 1. Hygiene and cleaning 2. Patient experience 3. Layout and arrangement 4. Accessibility to patient 5. Equipment integration 6. Stock control 7. Communication 8. Sustainability. The currently used equipment and consumables were analysed to determine the minimum stock requirements and storage space. There was a lot of duplication of equipment and clinicians were routinely taking things they did not need, ‘just in case’ – an understandable and perhaps a common behaviour across blue light services. We held real-time sketching sessions to explore alternative ergonomic layouts with the crews. They were asked to use simple picture cards to map their ideal layouts on scale drawings, as they described
routine clinical scenarios. We quickly found that we could place almost all the equipment and supplies on one wall, leaving the other side of the ambulance clear. This gave us room to locate the stretcher in the centre of the space, giving the clinician all-round access to the patient.
“The ‘Ambulance Redesign’ project shows how user research and co-design methodologies can bring substantial process improvements to blue light services.” Eventually the 2D layouts and sketches were built into a 3D computer (CAD) model. In turn, more defined physical models gradually replaced the crude cardboard boxes in the co-design process, and as an agreed layout definition emerged, a simple full-size test rig was constructed. Formal evaluations We now needed representative, measureable and repeatable scenarios for formal evaluations, to compare the performance our new test rig relative with an existing ambulance. Together, we designed and agreed two simulated scenarios: 1. The management of a cardiac arrest, using a high-fidelity patient simulator (rated on technical skills using UK Resuscitation Council guidelines) 2. An infection-control challenge, using a trained patient/actor with a simulated bleeding MRSAinfected leg ulcer (measured using an invisible marker, only detectable under ultraviolet light, to show actual and potential spread of contamination during treatment). The design was improved to address the initial findings, and two further ‘evaluate, redesign, build’ iterations were carried out resulting in a working Demonstrator Unit to showcase and test the final design. The Demonstrator Unit has the following features: • A central stretcher giving clinicians 360° access to the patient for safer, more efficient treatment • A ‘working wall’, placing all equipment and supplies ergonomically on one side of the vehicle • Activity-specific modular treatment packs, eg dressings, cannulas, airways and oxygen kit, burns and maternity packs, loaded before each shift
The stretcher is located in the centre of the space, giving the clinician all-round access to the patient.
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Industry feedback is very positive, echoing excellent clinical evaluation results.
• A Digital Diagnostics and Communications system to monitor and log real-time patient vital signs, provide remote access to patient records, video link to hospital specialists, transmit vital signs and handover information directly to the hospital while en route, and enhance navigation. It provides three screens: one in the driver’s cab; a mobile monitor for positioning conveniently where the paramedic is working on the patient; and a detachable screen for administrative work on and off the ambulance • An easy-clean interior, avoiding dirt-attracting corners and crevices, that has better lighting and ambience and is less intimidating for patients and relatives • Hand-cleaning facilities, storage for personal belongings and a coolbox to keep staff sandwiches etc fresh. Positive impact Industry feedback is very positive, echoing excellent clinical evaluation results. Significant improvements have been observed in treatment efficiency and infection control. Moreover, basic financial modelling shows that making a two percent dent in the 60 percent of 999 calls that don’t need hospitalisation could conservatively save £38m annually across the UK. The design is being commercialised, the next stage of development being to build prototypes, and carry out service testing. You can see that the process has worked for the ambulance services. It has also brought positive impact to other areas in healthcare, such as reducing medical errors in in-patient hospital wards, improving surgical instruments, providing better information to reduce violence and aggression in A&E, better patient neck braces and many more. From our point of view, as designers and researchers, there seem to be more similarities than differences between the ambulance services, the police or fire and rescue services. Does the People-centred, or Inclusive Design, approach make sense to you, and could it have a positive impact within your industry? www.hhcd.rca.ac.uk
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Shock value: training for RTCs involving hybrid and electric vehicles Do you currently drive a hybrid or full electric car? Ok, so probably not yet. Do you know anyone who owns one? Still no? How about an easier one – have you ever seen a hybrid or full-electric car driving on the road? Yes, they are getting a more common sight on the UK’s roads. I spotted five hybrid cars within a mile of my house last week (and I live in quite a rural area of Yorkshire). Words: Miles Roberts, ICT Workshop Solutions Ltd. Current numbers from the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) indicates that only 1.5 percent of new vehicles registered in 2013 are hybrid or full electric powered. This doesn’t sound like a lot (around 16,000 cars for the first half of the year), but it does represent an increasing number of these vehicles on the road. In fact, the number of hybrid or electric vehicles registered has increased by 85 percent over 2012, so there is definitely some momentum gathering.
“It is imperative that emergency services training staff keep themselves fully up to date with the latest developments within the automotive industry.” Risks to first responders The UK Government has pledged £400m to support the installation of public charging infrastructure, advance ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) technology and encourage people to buy and drive ULEVs. The target is that around 15 percent of all cars will be hybrid or electric by 2020. Hybrid and full electric vehicles can pose several unique risks to first responders, and it is imperative that emergency services training staff keep themselves fully up to date with the latest developments within the automotive industry. Changes to battery technology The battery technology is changing – the Toyota Prius uses NiMH (Nickel Metal-Hydride) batteries, which have caustic electrolyte, whereas the Nissan Leaf has Li-Ion (Lithium Ion) batteries, which are pH neutral. The battery voltages are also changing – typically the voltage increases to give greater power to the
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motors, so we can now find batteries with in excess of 400V. The power boosters fitted to the drivetrain can increase this to over 650V, and changed to three-phase AC, which can cause death within fractions of a second. Naturally, the vehicle manufacturers design their vehicles in order to be as safe as possible, but sometimes a collision or fire can cause unexpected faults. The method of disconnecting the high voltage systems varies from car to car, and the location of the disconnection plug varies too. Therefore we would recommend that all emergency services personnel be given a good grounding (no pun intended) in the various different methods of disconnection, as well as knowledge regarding the other risks associated with these high voltage vehicles.
Courses available ICT Workshop Solutions has already trained a number of first responders from various UK police forces and fire and rescue services, as well fleet maintenance technicians and collision investigation teams. The company offers a hassle-free one-day Electric Vehicle Hazard Management Course, accredited by IMI Awards, which enables emergency services personnel to gain a meaningful qualification on this subject. Service and repair ICT also provides more intensive courses, up to three-days in duration, which gives the depth of training required for those who service and repair hybrid and electric vehicles. www.ictworkshopsolutions.com
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Home Office communications programme outlines future plans Following the introduction to the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme in April’s edition of Emergency Services Times, this article looks at the changes to the pace and direction of the programme as well as an introduction to the senior team. The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP), a cross-government, multiagency programme led by the Home Office, intends to: replace the three Emergency Services (3ES) mobile communications using the next generation commercial network (4G LTE) with Public Safety features and on-demand data services (the Emergency Services Network (ESN)); deliver ESN two years earlier than previously planned, as Airwave contracts begin to expire in September 2016; and work on the basis that interoperability throughout the four-year transition can be managed by integrating Airwave and ESN at control rooms, supported by contingency processes (as happened when Airwave was introduced). What is the intended outcome? It is intended that ESN will provide users with a more cost-effective (cheaper), operationally efficient (better) and demand-led (smarter) service. • Cheaper: to ensure ESN is delivered costeffectively and able to take advantage of future technological developments • Better: users are increasing relying on commercial providers to provide broadband data services. ESN intends to provide this as a core service with appropriate security and availability • Smarter: different users will use ESN in different ways so the service will be flexible to allow users to choose only the services relevant to them.
Stephen Webb
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“ESMCP will replace the three emergency services mobile communications using the next generation commercial network.”
Key dates Outline Business Case (OBC) Phase – September 2013 to March 2014: • Expand user requirements: internally with users and externally with the market • Evaluate candidate designs and work with standards bodies for the development of public safety features on LTE • Develop the OBC approval in Q1 2014 • Develop the Invitation to Tender (ITT) and tender pack and populate the data room • Invite potential bidders to provide technical/proof of concept demonstrators. Full Business Case (FBC) Phase – April 2014 to March 2015: • Issue OJEU, PQQ and ITT • Evaluate tenders and bidder demonstrations
Meet the Senior Team Stephen Webb, ESMCP Senior Responsible Owner, has recently joined the National Crime Agency as Director of Corporate Services after 11 years in the Home Office, most recently leading on finance and strategy for the Crime and Policing Group. He is also Senior Responsible Officer for the Emergency Services Mobile Communication Programme (a role he has transferred with him to the NCA from the Home Office). Stephen also worked in the Treasury on banking supervision and privatisation; and in the Northern
Gordon Shipley
• Develop the FBC approval in Q1 2015. Mobilisation Phase – April 2015 to September 2016: • Appoint preferred bidder • Award contract • Mobilise • Service commencement. Ireland Office on political development and security policy. Gordon Shipley, ESMCP Programme Director, joined the programme in March 2013. His previous post was the Olympic Delivery Authority’s Head of Systems and Technology. Gordon was responsible for security capital projects, systems integration, records management and information technology. On commissioning from the Royal Military Academy Gordon joined the Royal Signals. His military experience is broadly based, having served in a variety of signal units, airborne forces, and in the infantry. He attended the Army staff course and served in a variety of staff and command appointments in the UK and Northern Ireland, including the Ministry of Defence and the Procurement Executive. www.homeoffice.gov.uk
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Visit us for a friendly chat on stand J20 at the Emergency Services Show
Emergency Services Times October 2013
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Paravue® – Doublet UK http://paravue.info
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One in every two serious road accidents leads to a further incident. As the result of research led by Doublet, the Paravue® is an adjustable safety screen that can be easily adapted to conceal any operational area to minimise the risk of further accidents, increase the safety of those involved ensuring discretion and marking out the operational area. It ensures that the traffic continues to flow, as well as allowing the emergency services to work in absolute safety. It is a modular structure that can be assembled in less than five minutes by just two people and can be used for accidents, criminology, events/demonstrations, security, construction, fire fighting and police interventions. The Paravue® can be customised to your requirements and can be stored in the boot of any vehicle.
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SPED – Ferno (UK) Limited www.ferno.co.uk
Ferno has been working closely with one of sports leading chief doctors to develop a new extrication and spinal immobilisation solution for motorsports. The Spinal Protection Extraction Device (SPED) has been designed with Dr Hajinder Chaggar, a Formula 1 and closed car extrication trainer and accredited FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) chief doctor. Specially designed to access restricted areas, like the cockpit of a racing car, the SPED has been developed to quickly and safely rescue a driver from a vehicle after an accident. Low friction material has been used to assist doctors when manoeuvring between driver and seat and innovative vacuum splint technology enables the device to become rigid and mould to the patient’s contours within seconds. Integral spinal stiffening ribs and integrated head immobilisation offer maximum support and reduce the risk of further injury during extrication and transportation.
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LOCARD® software – Atkins www.atkinsglobal.com
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An Atkins-designed software system, LOCARD®, is helping UK police forces better manage the way forensic investigators, or Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs), attend crime scenes and recover and submit evidence for forensic analysis using ‘cloud’ computing. LOCARD® is a comprehensive tool that enables police forces to do everything from request a CSI’s attendance at a crime scene, keep a record of the evidence collected, and submit it to the lab for analysis. It can be accessed via the web or a mobile app, so CSIs can record and submit evidence while they are still at the crime scene. This means a CSI can photograph evidence on his or her mobile device, and send it to the lab immediately.
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Police handbooks – The Police Foundation & TSO (The Stationery Office) www.tsoshop.co.uk
Updated editions of Motorcycle Roadcraft: The Police Rider’s Handbook and Roadcraft: The Police Driver’s Handbook were both published in August by TSO. Prepared through close consultation with the police, other emergency services, driving instructors and motorcycle trainers, the A5-sized handbooks have been fully revised, updated and redesigned to provide the best evidence-based and authoritative guidance on advanced driving and riding skills. Both handbooks are also available as eBooks.
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Command Hub – VectorCommand www.emergencycommandsystem.com
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VectorCommand’s Command Hub service allows different organisations utilising the company’s Command Support System (CSS), which have different infrastructure and security arrangements, to elect to collaborate on specific incidents. Services and other agencies will be able to share dynamically critical command information, resources and operational decisions with each other, as well as pooling information gathered from each of their respective mobilisation systems – essentially allowing other CSS users outside their service or agency to ‘join the incident’. The CSS is now running across 13 major incident rooms, over 30 command vehicles and on hundreds of mobile devices on a daily basis. w w w. e m e r g e n c y s e r v i c e s t i m e s . c o m
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Celox™ Rapid – MedTrade www.medtrade.co.uk
MedTrade Products Ltd, the developer of a range of advanced wound care products, has announced the European launch of Celox™ Rapid. This haemostat has been developed with patented technology, in response to the real needs of battlefield medics and, says MedTrade, can control the most serious, lifethreatening bleeding with just 60 seconds compression. Easily carried in a slim-line pack, Celox™ Rapid comes in a strip of Zfold gauze onto which Celox™ granules and Chito-R are bonded. The Chito-R, one of the distinguishing features of Celox™ Rapid, creates a unique adhesion (wet stick) to the source of the bleeding and works with the Chitosan already in the Celox™ to create a gel-like plug that stops the bleeding fast. Working independently from the body’s normal clotting processes, Celox™ generates no heat and does not burn the casualty or care giver.
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Water-Gate™ – Flood Protection Solutions Ltd www.floodprotectionsolutions.co.uk
The Water-Gate™ flood barrier is suitable for use by councils, water companies, agencies, businesses and homeowners alike. Before the flood arrives, or when it subsides, the barrier lies flat to the ground and can be driven over, giving vehicular and pedestrian access to the area or property concerned. The barrier self-deploys, using the weight of the water to secure it in place and form a seal on the ground, buoyancy then lifts the top – this reduces the time, effort and number of people needed for deployment, making it a truly rapid flood or water diversion barrier. The barriers can be connected together allowing the deployment of hundreds of metres in minutes and after a flood has receded, they are simply hosed down and rolled up to be used again. They have a lifespan in excess of 10 years.
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ESTCLASSIFIEDS | 95 VEHICLE MOUNTED BOILING WATER SYSTEM
Cold, wet and dehydration can reduce performance and impair safety. By fitting a ‘TeaMate’ water boiler, crews can make themselves a cup of tea, coffee or other hot beverage to keep warm and hydrated, therefore maximising concentration and keeping fatigue to a minimum.
KNEE & ELBOW Protection
Comprehensive range to suit every application Ergonomic design ! Comfortable and secure fit ! Reliable protection ! Tough and hard wearing ! Manufactured to the highest standards from selected quality materials ! CE marking throughout ! NATO Stock No: 22c 8415-99-8873869 ! !
Gotec Trading Limited Boulton Road Pin Green Stevenage Herts SG1 4QL Telephone 01438 740400 Fax 01438 740005
• Compact commercial grade throughout. • Self contained fully automatic. • 24v and 12v models available. • Makes up to 9 mugs per filling. WHISPAIRE LTD Email: info@whispaire.co.uk Web: www.whispaire.co.uk T: + 44 (0)1794 523999 F: + 44 (0)1794 519151
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WE NEED STATE REGISTERED PARAMEDICS & IHCD TECHNICANS Medical Services (North East) Limited require HPC registered Paramedics and IHCD Technicians to join our ever growing team. Type of work to be carried out: Urgent Care and A&E Ambulance duties. Applicants must be HPC registered and also have a satisfactory enhanced Criminal Record Bureau disclosure (Disclosure & Barring Service check). Applicants also need to have a current UK driving license with C1 & D1 entitlement and an IHCD driving qualification would be beneficial. We also need: Ambulance ECSW’s and ECA (same terms reference CRB disclosures apply) Applicants are to send an up-to-date CV to: Rdoak@msne.co.uk
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MAKE IT EASY WITH
HOT PACK™
Self-Heating Nutritious Meals In 12 minutes, you can create a delicious hot meal, with Hot Pack Self Heating Meals, anywhere you need it. Everything is in the pack to produce a satisfying hot meal without using any other equipment. Even cutlery and a dish are included! Choose from seven great tasting, ready to eat recipes: Chicken Casserole, Lancashire Hot Pot, Chicken Dopiaza Curry, Sausages and Beans, Spicy Vegetable Rigatoni, Meatballs & Pasta and Vegetable Curry. Make it easy. Enjoy a HOT PACK™ meal – anywhere! Contact Canland UK Ltd, Wellington House, Lower Icknield Way Longwick, Bucks HP27 9RZ Tel/Fax: 01844 344474 E.mail: info@hotpackmeals.co.uk Web site: www.hotpackmeals.co.uk
HCPC Registered Paramedics County Durham Emergency Medical Services Ltd (EMS) is looking to extend its current bank of HPC registered paramedics to fulfil its current and future urgent care/front-line commitments. All applicants “must” be currently registered with the HPC and not have any current, pending or on-going investigations. All applicants must hold a current UK driving licence, have CI/DI entitlement, must have no more than 3 penalty points and hold an IHCD driving qualification. We are also looking for IHCD Technicians, ECSW & ECA’s All enquiries along with current CV are to be sent initially to mark.scott@countydurhamems.co.uk
we urgently need to recruit for 999 work Emergency Services Times October 2013
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Heroes to criminals: the prosecution of emergency responders The tabloid media have entertained us with silly stories of children being required to wear PPE for playing conkers, hanging baskets being banned and beach donkey rides being restricted, all in the name of health and safety. A more fierce attack has come from David Cameron, who described our health and safety culture as ‘toxic’. Words: Madeleine Abas, Senior Partner, Osborn Abas Hunt Solicitors and Past Chair, Health and Safety Lawyers Association Further, we’ve recently seen alleged breaches of health and safety used as the basis of prosecutions in our Crown Courts against three incident commanders from Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service and the fire authority, and against firearms training officers from Greater Manchester Police and the police force. You might think the world has gone mad, and that health and safety law simply doesn’t comfortably apply to emergency services. But, by looking carefully at what the law actually entails, and seeing how regulators such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) apply the law to the emergency services today, you’re likely to reach a more measured view that the law is sufficiently flexible to apply sensibly to the emergency services, and, if well informed, you can meet today’s expectation. Health, safety and welfare For example, the key duty owed by employers towards employees is to ensure ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’ their health, safety and welfare. What is reasonably practicable in relation to the provision of a safe working environment for firefighters tackling a blazing tower block is totally different from what a factory owner is expected to provide for his staff. However, good operational procedures for all foreseeable hazards and competent staff are vital.
“It is essential that those leading teams of emergency responders understand exactly when and how the law applies to them.” Also, in the current climate of swingeing financial cuts ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’ stops you, by law, from having to take measures the costs of which are grossly disproportionate to the benefits. For fire fighting and policing, for example, the HSE have gone to lengths to highlight that prosecutions will occur only in rare circumstances. While obviously very stressful for those involved, there have only been very few in number. Also, guidance has helpfully been produced highlighting areas for special attention. For example, the Department for Communities and Local Government recently published guidance for
Madeleine Abas, Senior Partner, Osborn Abas Hunt Solicitors.
fire authorities, which provides a health, safety and welfare framework for the operational environment. Being familiar with such material is, obviously, essential, as is deploying effort to ensure your approach is adequate. Corporate manslaughter At the extreme end, for an organisation, is the offence of corporate manslaughter. This involves proof of a gross breach of duty in the way senior managers have organised/managed activities; it’s punishable with crippling fines and damaging publicity orders, which would destroy a cashstrapped service. However, for the emergency services, there are significant exclusions, preventing a prosecution in many cases. Importantly, deaths of the public arising from the manner of responding to emergencies are excluded, although the death of, for example, a firefighter at an incident could, for example, form the factual basis of a prosecution of the fire authority. Turning to individuals, all employees owe a legal duty to take ‘reasonable care’ of themselves and others, and to cooperate in relation to health and safety. It’s not an unduly high standard, but requires decisions and actions to include a consideration of safety. Again, what is ‘reasonable’ varies across professions and circumstances. For those whose actions are thought to have fallen far beneath what could reasonably have been expected, prosecution for the very serious gross negligence manslaughter is also a possibility.
Emergency Services Times October 2013
Plainly, an article of this length cannot cover all duties and potential liabilities, but the truth is that emergency responders very rarely go from hero to criminal.
“For fire fighting and policing, for example, the HSE have gone to lengths to highlight that prosecutions will occur only in rare circumstances.” It is essential that those leading teams of emergency responders understand exactly when and how the law applies to them, and cascade appropriate messages that compliance can, and will, be achieved if: (a) proper foresight is applied to identify and reduce the dangers arising in their activities; (b) all individuals understand the nature of their responsibilities; (c) everybody diligently does what they’ve been asked to do; and (d) robust systems ensure this is happening. A protocol for dealing with a regulator’s investigation is also a wise precaution. www.oahlaw.co.uk
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