Posts in category: IFSJ Influencers

By Hayley Burgess, Managing Director of HBSC Ltd

The ongoing issues in the sector, highlighted predominantly by the Grenfell Inquiry, offer a chance for positive change.

However, for this to be lasting, two key areas need attention: collaboration between fire sector leaders and action from government to ensure changes are operationally feasible.

The Phase 2 report has uncovered various pitfalls – especially in fire risk management and accountability, and it’s clear that many issues could have been avoided through better planning and communication between RPs and fire safety experts.

Fire risk assessment is a fundamental practice in building and facility management, and responsible Persons (RPs) must be equipped with benchmark skills.

A gap in basic fire safety training programmes remains.

Legal complexities and guidance

Recent cases have highlighted ongoing confusion over the Building Safety Act 2022.

Recently, a building owner argued that their property shouldn’t be considered a higher-risk building under the Act because a rooftop garden shouldn’t count as a storey.

The owner referred to government guidance from June 2023, which stated that open rooftops like gardens shouldn’t be considered when determining the number of storeys.

However, secondary legislation published in 2023 states that while a floor used for rooftop plants or machinery does not count as a storey, a usable roof garden does.

This inconsistency was criticised by a judge, who noted that the “evolution, amendment, addition to and, in some cases, withdrawal” of guidance had resulted in “a continuously changing resource.” It’s issues like these that make it more difficult for RPs and building owners to stay compliant, underlining the need for clear, consistent regulations and thorough training.

Working together for change

To ignite true progress, fire sector leaders need to have input to shape government policies.

As leaders, we have full visibility of the risks and have insights that can prevent future disasters.

Expertise can ensure that new regulations are practical and can be effectively implemented on the ground.

If government and the sector work together, we can shift from being reactive to proactive when it comes to fire safety.

One of the most important recommendations from the Grenfell Phase 2 report is improving the training for RPs.

These individuals are responsible for ensuring fire safety in buildings, yet many feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the role.

The industry needs to step up by offering targeted training programmes.

These should help RPs not just understand regulations but also give them practical tools to conduct thorough fire risk assessments and manage safety measures.

With the right support, RPs will be better equipped to protect both lives and property.

The fire safety sector is heading in the right direction, and I truly believe this.

However, to ensure lasting progress, we must focus on collaboration between industry leaders and government, and empowering RPs with the training they need.

About the IFSJ Influencer

Hayley Burgess, Managing Director of HBSC Ltd., is a trailblazing fire safety expert and the first female International President of the Institution of Fire Engineers.

A Chartered Health & Safety Practitioner and Chartered Building Engineer, she brings over 12 years of consultancy experience, specialising in fire safety for the social care sector, and chairs the Northern Ireland IOSH Branch.

IFSJ Influencers Edition 2024

The 2024 Influencers Special Edition of International Fire and Safety Journal is a collection of some of the most influential voices across the fire and safety industry, representing a collective following of 4.2 million.

Together, they provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments, challenges, and forward-looking insights shaping the global fire and safety sector.

Read all 30 influencer articles in the digital magazine now.

This article was originally published in the December 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

By Mark Reilly, Crisis and Consequence Expert

The next 12 months will bring new challenges for designers, engineers and first responders regarding fire and emergency response across our modern communities, let alone the existing issues in developing communities.

The design and construction of low, medium, and tall buildings from new building materials and construction techniques is already a problem when the designers, architects and developers are driven to reduce costs to increase profits.

Currently a risk management approach is used to reduce risk and deal with new and evolving technologies, whether they be in transport, building or power storage.

That is, industry and the community assess the potential threats to adopt ways to avoid the threat posed by the risk.

This ‘risk management’ reactionary approach assumes the threat will occur and it will be dealt with when it occurs.

But what if that risk is catastrophic in nature if the risk is realised, and will lead to loss of life, significant disruption to communities and other public safety impacts?

A crisis management approach is proactive and involves managing threats ‘before’ an issue develops by identifying potential approaches to dealing with the myriad of factors that come together that develop into a crisis.

The preplanning process minimises the impact of the evolving crisis by implementing pre-identified skills and techniques to reduce the seriousness of the incident, reducing its impact on the organisation, the facility and the community.

For example, a crisis management approach to lithium-ion battery powered transportation would remove them from internal storage in residential structures, particularly in high rise residential accommodation or areas with restricted access and egress like underground car parks, therefore eliminating the risk.

A lithium-ion EV fire in an underground car park would be catastrophic to the building structure as well as generating huge amounts of toxic smoke that will obscure evacuation routes and make rescue extremely dangerous for first responders and could potentially lead to significant loss of life and casualties for building residents.

Industry and first response agencies need to be proactive at identifying emerging technologies so that management solutions are in place before issues and incidents occur.

A crisis management approach to emerging technologies such as Sodium Storage Batteries will ensure the adoption of this technology is done so with the consideration of the consequences of a catastrophic incident prior to the incident occurring.

This will ensure new technologies can be adopted safely rather than turning up on the evening news channels as “the next 21^st century technology disaster”!

About the IFSJ Influencer

With over 40 years’ experience as a frontline Fire Officer, Incident Commander and Crisis and Consequence Manager in fire and emergency response operations nationally in Australia and across the Pacific and Americas, Mark Reilly has extensive experience training and leading firefighters in emergency and disaster recovery operations.

Mark has been a Member of the Institution of Fire Engineers for over 30 years and has served as the President of the Institution of Fire Engineers Australia.

IFSJ Influencers Edition 2024

The 2024 Influencers Special Edition of International Fire and Safety Journal is a collection of some of the most influential voices across the fire and safety industry, representing a collective following of 4.2 million.

Together, they provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments, challenges, and forward-looking insights shaping the global fire and safety sector.

Read all 30 influencer articles in the digital magazine now.

This article was originally published in the December 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal.

To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

By Stephen Mackenzie, Independent Fire, Security & Resilience Consultant

Recent developments have brought pressing issues in fire safety to the forefront, and I believe it’s time we address them directly.

As professionals in this field, we must reassess our strategies to effectively confront these emerging threats.

By re-evaluating our current practices, we can better prepare for the complexities that lie ahead.

In today’s unstable geopolitical climate, I’ve become increasingly concerned about the rise of arson as a tool for sabotage and terror.

Actors who lack access to advanced weaponry are turning to fire to disrupt infrastructure and spread fear.

Recent incidents in Norway, France and the UK suggest that these acts may be linked to international players or their proxies.

This shift in tactics enables substantial damage with minimal resources, making prevention and response more challenging.

These incidents highlight a need for updated security measures that account for unconventional methods of attack.

If we focus solely on traditional threats, we risk overlooking these evolving dangers.

It’s important that we incorporate these risks into our assessments to safeguard key sites and infrastructure.

The Grenfell Tower fire stands as the epicentre of a global building safety crisis, revealing deep-rooted failures that extend far beyond cladding issues.

This tragedy was not an isolated incident; it was a symptom of widespread problems in safety regulations and oversight.

The unclear division of responsibilities has led to outdated standards and inadequate fire safety measures worldwide.

Without clear accountability, these systemic issues will continue to put lives at risk.

Over the past seven years, inquiries have yet to produce meaningful change, highlighting the urgent need for international cooperation and accountability.

We’ve lost sight of one simple question: is it safe? This question must guide all our considerations in building safety.

Adopting a comprehensive approach to the built environment is necessary to prevent further tragedies and keep safety as the primary focus in construction and renovation.

Finally, new technologies and insufficient infrastructure support are creating hazards that endanger public safety.

I’m particularly concerned about the widespread installation of lithium-ion batteries in high-rises, homes and public transport without adequate safeguards.

One of the worst scenarios could involve an electric scooter or bike igniting on a tube, tram, or bus, leading to disastrous consequences.

For first responders, these situations pose unique challenges that require specialized training and equipment.

Additionally, modern construction materials that prioritize cost over fire resistance increase vulnerability in densely populated urban areas.

Social and economic issues, such as substance abuse and rising homelessness, contribute to a higher incidence of fire-related incidents, both accidental and intentional.

We are introducing new hazards under the banner of green technology and our sector must adapt through rigorous planning and preparedness.

We need to stay alert and take practical steps to address these issues.

By asking ourselves “Is it safe?” and focusing on real solutions, we can better protect our communities and fulfil our responsibilities.

Only through collective effort and a renewed commitment to safety can we hope to mitigate these risks.

About the IFSJ Influencer

Stephen Mackenzie is an independent consultant with over 38 years of experience in fire risk assessment, safety management and complex property portfolios.

The 2024 Influencers Special Edition of International Fire and Safety Journal is a collection of some of the most influential voices across the fire and safety industry, representing a collective following of 4.2 million.

Together, they provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments, challenges, and forward-looking insights shaping the global fire and safety sector.

Read all 30 influencer articles in the digital magazine now.

This article was originally published in the December 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

By Eric Yap, Commissioner, Singapore Civil Defence Force

Over the past nine years, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) embarked on a number of transformation initiatives – from external facing ones like establishing a strong and wide network of community first responders to those that are organisation centric such as leveraging technology, in particular robots, data analytics and AI, to augment operations and regulatory processes.

 As expected, implementation had its challenges, but the outcomes achieved outweighed the efforts.

One of the stand-out transformation initiatives is applying the science of human factors to firefighters’ training.

 It is a vision turned reality for the SCDF and I believe, this is a promising future direction for many services seeking to reduce fatigue, injury and optimise performance of their personnel, which must be our greatest asset.

Within the SCDF’s academy is a purpose-built centre called Emergency Responders Fitness Conditioning & Enhancement Lab or EXCEL with five labs – (1) Strength, Conditioning, and Rehabilitation in a Virtual Environment (STRiVE); (2) Heat Acclimatisation & Thermoregulation Lab; (3) Fitness Evaluation Lab; (4) Cognitive Lab; and (5) Digital Learning Lab.

Conventional firefighting training is based largely on the progressive development of skillsets and strength.

While important, we may not however be optimising human performance which is an aspect that only science will reveal the datapoints to focus training on.

To illustrate, in the Cognitive Lab, firefighters undergo a virtual fire and rescue scenario where the person’s visual scan patterns are evaluated.

When an untrained person sees a fire, he/she tends to focus on it.

With training, the convergence of skillsets and abilities like situational awareness becomes apparent.

A firefighter will assess a fire for surrounding risks, and what it might pose to their team and those requiring rescue assistance.

From the eye tracker and cognitive evaluation, we can assess the mental workload of individuals through a functional near-infra spectroscopy system.

Coupled with psychomotor vigilance assessment, we can identify attention and fatigue-related changes throughout different task types or training.

Establishing such data enables training type and intensity to be calibrated.

In operations, we can strike at an optimal work-rest cycle for responders.

Ultimately, firefighters’ agility, gait, strength, endurance, and alertness in full personal protective gear are correlated and the better we understand human factors, the more effective our operations will be.

EXCEL commenced operations in mid-2022 and has since received considerable international interest, leading us to start a fellowship programme in which we welcome interested partners to jointly conduct R&D projects at the centre.

SCDF will be showcasing this and other innovations at the Singapore-International Disaster & Emergency Management Expo 2025 (SIDEX 2025) in November 2025.

Details are available from www.sidex.sg

About the IFSJ Influencer

Eric Yap has served in the SCDF for over 30 years and of which, 12 years as the Commissioner.

 He has successfully led SCDF towards its 10-year Transformation 2025 vision of building A Nation of Lifesavers.

Recently, in July 2024, SCDF unveiled its Transformation 2030 plan aimed at developing future-ready capabilities.

IFSJ Influencers Edition 2024

The 2024 Influencers Special Edition of International Fire and Safety Journal is a collection of some of the most influential voices across the fire and safety industry, representing a collective following of 4.2 million.

Together, they provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments, challenges, and forward-looking insights shaping the global fire and safety sector.

Read all 30 influencer articles in the digital magazine now.

This article was originally published in the December 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

By Sawsan Dahham, CEO of SIENA

If we investigate the history of the modern world construction industry, we can clearly identify two important engineering specialties that preceded the list of building priorities in many countries, Fire safety and sustainability.

The growing interest in Building Green has increased significantly with environmental initiatives aiming to reduce the carbon footprint and reach a Net-Zero economy.

This concern has led to the wide adoption of eco-friendly materials, systems, and equipment not only in the built environment but also in our daily routines.

Despite the undeniable benefits of those products in preserving the environment, they may have irrefutable fire risk implications, by being the source of fire ignition or by contributing to the rapid fire spread and smoke propagation and might even trigger an explosion.

Not to forget the possibility of hindering firefighting operations due to the great hazard created or simply by obstructing site access.

Additionally, a green building destroyed or damaged by fire will have a heavy impact on the environment.

While Sustainability focuses on designing buildings that protect the environmentthroughout their lifespan, Fire Safety emphasises on designing buildings that ensure people’s safetyand preserve properties in case of fire and similar dangers.

Instead of choosing between them, why not try to find the balance that guarantees the safety of the environment and the people?

So, what are the challenges of the Safety/Sustainability equation in the built environment?

In comparison with traditional construction, trendy mixed-use buildings and mega structures decrease the safety standard due to the multitude of objectives that they are expected to achieve throughout their life span, and the only possible way to overcome this risk is by introducing additional safety measures.

On the other hand, International and Country code prescriptive requirements are mainly written for regular design objectives.

To accommodate for a modern living mindset where green is a must, fire and life safety strategies should be based on a detailed analytical approach and not only on prescriptive requirements.

Another challenge is due to emerging technologies.

With construction growth, the extent of new productsis constantly rising.

The testing standards may not be accurate in defining the fire risk in actual scenarios due to the limitation in the size of materials tested or methods of testing, the lack of performance understanding or the incomplete and proper assessment.

Therefore, it is always essential to be careful when specifying or approving any new technology making sure it properly aligns with the relevant testing standards.

Defined studies reporting on the direct contribution of green building products in real-life fires are still insufficient.

This affects the invested attempts to set some effective mitigation criteria at early design stages.

Fire experts need to relentlessly strive to achieve an adequate balance in the Safety/Sustainability equation, to ensure that the minimum safety-to-life requirements are properly maintained.

Our mission is to keep the environment safe by ensuring fire safety.

After all, a tree is not green anymore if it catches fire.

About the IFSJ Influencer

Sawsan is the CEO of SIENA, a specialist engineering consultancy.

She has 18 years of fire safety expertise in mega projects across the MENA region and Africa.

She is proficient in international and local fire codes and is an NFPA instructor and actively shares her knowledge through articles and public speaking, contributing to advancing fire safety practices.

IFSJ Influencers Edition 2024

The 2024 Influencers Special Edition of International Fire and Safety Journal is a collection of some of the most influential voices across the fire and safety industry, representing a collective following of 4.2 million.

Together, they provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments, challenges, and forward-looking insights shaping the global fire and safety sector.

Read all 30 influencer articles in the digital magazine now.

This article was originally published in the December 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

By Jim Pauley, NFPA President and CEO

As the world grapples with today’s challenges—climate disasters, a housing crisis, and rapid technological advancements—one critical issue demands our immediate attention: safety.

A troubling trend has emerged in legislative arenas where life-saving fire safety codes and standards are being dangerously disregarded.

The Grenfell Tower fire was a horrific reminder of what happens when safety is sidelined.

Seventy-two lives were lost in a fire that was entirely preventable if proper fire safety standards had been followed.

The Phase 2 report released earlier this year condemned organizations for prioritizing speed and profit over lives.

Progress across Europe on eliminating external cladding at the center of the Grenfell tragedy has been too slow, and other parts of the world remain at risk, as seen in recent fires where outdated standards played a role.

Similar negligence was at play in the 2016 Ghost Ship fire in California, where thirty-six people died in a building that failed to meet basic fire safety standards.

In response to these tragedies, NFPA developed the Fire and Life Safety Ecosystem™ in 2018 , a framework of eight components that work together to protect people and property.

However, disasters like Grenfell and the Ghost Ship fire can occur when even one component is compromised.

Yet, despite these lessons, there are active efforts to bypass the consensus-based codes that form the backbone of fire safety.

Across the United States, we’ve seen legislative initiatives seek to replace time-tested codes with rushed alternatives, often led by building industry interests that view safety measures as too costly or slow.

As part of their strategy, these special interests are sidelining fire safety professionals whose expertise is vital for informed decision-making.

These efforts jeopardize lives by weakening fire safety regulations or halting updates to critical provisions.

Recent legislative actions in states have diluted established fire safety standards.

For example, in New Jersey, a recent law allows architects and engineers to self-certify compliance with building safety codes, weakening independent oversight.

By prioritizing expediency and cost-cutting over rigorous, consensus-based standards and procedures, these measures put lives at risk and compromise the integrity of fire safety protections that communities depend on.

Fire safety professionals must be included in these decisions, as sidelining their expertise increases fire risks and endangers lives.

The complexity of modern risks—such as wildfires, lithium-ion batteries, and green energy—demands that we preserve the consensus-driven process for developing fire codes and standards.

Safety often comes at a cost, but it pales in comparison to the costs associated with catastrophic loss.

Historic tragedies like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, the Cocoanut Grove fire, and Grenfell have shown us the devastating consequences of neglecting safety.

We cannot afford to forget these lessons.

The fight for safety is bigger than any one organization.

It requires the collective effort of fire professionals, lawmakers, and citizens around the world.

If we continue to ignore lessons from the past, we invite the next great tragedy.

But together, advocating for safety, we can prevent it.

About the IFSJ Influencer

Jim Pauley is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

NFPA is a global, non-profit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards.

He also serves as chair of the Board of Trustees of the NFPA-affiliated Fire Protection Research Foundation.

IFSJ Influencers Edition 2024

The 2024 Influencers Special Edition of International Fire and Safety Journal is a collection of some of the most influential voices across the fire and safety industry, representing a collective following of 4.2 million.

Together, they provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments, challenges, and forward-looking insights shaping the global fire and safety sector.

Read all 30 influencer articles in the digital magazine now.

This article was originally published in the December 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

By Frank Leeb, Managing Director of the First Responder Center for Excellence

The fire service is undergoing a transformation, one that better recognises the often-forgotten areas of health and wellness alongside operational effectiveness.

After nearly 32 years with the FDNY, I have taken on a new role, the role of managing director at the First Responder Center for Excellence (FRCE), a nonprofit affiliate of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Our mission is to address firefighters’ and other first responders’ health, wellness, and safety needs through research, education, and training.

This new chapter of my career aligns perfectly with my leadership philosophy, which emphasises the importance of addressing what I call the firefighter’s “blind side.”

When I refer to the “blind side,” I’m talking about issues that have too often remained on the back burner in the fire service, such as occupational cancer, mental health, PTSD, sleep, nutrition, and physical fitness.

 While firefighters excel at caring for others, they often do a poor job of looking after themselves.

However, I am optimistic that the fire service is turning a corner in addressing these critical topics, and several promising developments fuel that optimism.

First, awareness of occupational cancer is driving change.

Policies and procedures are being updated, and research is yielding essential data to inform those policies.

Also, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has reclassified firefighting as a Group 1 carcinogen, underscoring the urgency of these changes.

Additionally, the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer is now in place and in the future will provide a much-needed resource for tracking and addressing cancer risks in our profession.

Another area of progress is in sleep health.

We are seeing new research aimed at evaluating and optimising shift schedules, and some organisations have already adjusted shift start times to allow firefighters to get better rest.

Sleep deprivation has long been a problem in the fire service, but growing awareness and research are beginning to shift attitudes and practices.

Mental health education has also improved, with the stigma surrounding conversations about PTSD and suicide slowly fading.

More firefighters understand that it’s okay to not be okay, and we are beginning to train for resiliency before a critical incident even happens.

Suicide, once a taboo subject, is now more openly discussed, as seen during my time as FDNY’s Chief of Safety when we dedicated our “safety week” to suicide awareness.

The feedback from this training was overwhelmingly positive because it showed our firefighters that we genuinely care about their well-being.

The increasing focus on physical fitness and nutrition is another reason for optimism.

Firefighters are beginning to see the connection between functional fitness, injury prevention, and optimal performance on the fireground.

The combination of flexibility, strength training, and proper nutrition is gaining recognition as critical to maintaining not only operational readiness but also long-term health.

While firefighters must take responsibility for their health, leadership plays a crucial role in creating the right environment.

Leaders must set standards, ensure policies are in place, and make resources available while holding their members accountable.

By leading this charge, we fulfill our responsibilities as leaders and show that we care for our firefighters.

In this new era of fire service research—whether it’s fire behavior, occupational cancer, or the effects of sleep deprivation—we are building a foundation for future generations.

By controlling what we can, we ensure that firefighting remains a profession people want to join and one where they can thrive, both in service and retirement.

We are all in this together.

About the IFSJ Influencer

Frank Leeb is the Managing Director of the First Responder Center for Excellence (FRCE).

He previously served as a Deputy Assistant Chief in the Fire Department of New York, retiring in 2024 with more than 31 years.

During his tenure with the FDNY, he held several senior staff positions, including the Chief of the Fire Academy, Chief of Training, and Chief of Safety.

IFSJ Influencers Edition 2024

The 2024 Influencers Special Edition of International Fire and Safety Journal is a collection of some of the most influential voices across the fire and safety industry, representing a collective following of 4.2 million.

Together, they provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments, challenges, and forward-looking insights shaping the global fire and safety sector.

Read all 30 influencer articles in the digital magazine now.

This article was originally published in the December 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.