Meet the installer

Name: Daniel Burnstein Job title: Business Development Director Time in security/fire: 13 years Company: : Chubb Fire and Security Location: London Areas of expertise: Fire and security integration

Do you have any ‘go to’ technology and manufacturers? We are a Value Added Reseller for a number of the leading technology groups and manufacturers. At the end of the day, we are product agnostic and are driven by which product will best suit our clients’ needs and objectives. What is the best thing about working in this industry? The best thing about this industry is the constant evolution. Security and fire growth has roots in sociological behaviour. Changes in the economy and global events such as the pandemic all have impacts on the development and evolution within the industry. Fantastic technological developments stem from these changes. It is our goal to stay abreast of these developing and emerging technologies so that we can offer the very best service to our clients. Is third party certifi cation benefi cial? Third party certification is very beneficial for us within the fire and security industries - it goes a long way. Our accreditations and certifications from regulatory bodies such as NSI and BSIA, demonstrate our adherence to standards and requirements for the industry as well as provide our clients with the assurance that we are capable and audited accordingly. Do you think there is an engineer skills shortage? Any trouble recruiting? At the moment, for sure. It’s not because the work isn’t there. There are plenty of opportunities around, but there seems to be a shortage in the number of newly qualified engineers entering the field. However, working with Zitko Training, Chubb has created and

accelerated development programme, providing opportunities for people with transferable skills to come and join the fire and security industry. It is an 18-week programme that provides technical knowledge and skills needed to enjoy a long and successful career with Chubb.

Chubb also has a very successful apprenticeship programme that nurtures the next wave of fire and security engineers. It has been running since 1995 and offers individuals the opportunity to grow and progress into full time roles with the organisation. One of the most notable graduates from the Chubb apprenticeship programme is our now Managing Director, David Dunnagan. Are there any common requests from customers that give you problems? One thing that immediately springs to mind, and given the economic situation, price fixing on contracts is a standard request we get from customers - which is virtually impossible to provide. What is the industry’s biggest myth? There isn’t a ‘one size’ fits all in fire and security. Just because your previous approach was successful in a project, it doesn’t mean you will be able to copy that to the next project. A “cookie cutter” approach just does not work. What impact has smart/home automation had on your business? “Smart” buildings is the biggest buzz word in the industry. We see it as a connected environment. All the technologies need to communicate to offer the end-user a valuable experience. Smart automation is leading this charge and aiding in sustainability as well. What would make your job easier? I suppose a greater openness to new technology and a shift in attitude away from “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”. Other than that, the challenge is what makes the job fun. Proving to the client a concept and then seeing their reaction with tangible successes is well worth it.

What is your ultimate/fantasy electronic security/fi re product? The exciting thing for me is a lot of what I hoped to see a couple of years back is already happening. Things like advanced camera analytics, mobile card credentials, more sophisticated VMS systems and fire moving towards IoT.

What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself? This industry is built on relationships, so enjoy each moment meeting with people and spend the extra time solidifying those meets. Will England ever win the World Cup again? As a South African, I am not as invested in seeing the trophy “brought home” but as a fan of the game, I believe that if there was a time and a team to do it, it would be now. If you won £25,000 what would you do with the money? Without doubt, take the family on a beach holiday to the Maldives or Bahamas and enjoy some time in the sun.