Posts in category: People

Since the beginning of the corona pandemic, Dräger’s Technology for Life’ has been needed more than ever. The company’s focus has always been to fulfil its social responsibility to provide for society in the best possible way and to help its global customers protect, support and save lives.

This extraordinary year 2020 is coming to an end. The employees were particularly challenged. “Our employees have all given their best in recent months. Many of them have even put private matters aside.

They do it with heartfelt dedication,” says Stefan Dräger, CEO of Drägerwerk Verwaltungs AG. “The Executive Board has therefore decided to pay the employees a one-time “thank you bonus” before the end of the year.”

Dräger staff to be made shareholders

In Germany the thank you bonus consists of two parts: The first part consists of five Dräger preferred shares, which the employees were able to order in November.

Almost 7,000 employees participated and are now shareholders. “They now own a part of the company they work for every day. This opens up a new, holistic view of the company. I am very pleased about this,” continues Stefan Dräger.

As a second part of the thank you bonus, the employees will receive an additional cash amount at the end of December together with their salary. The bonus amount ranges between a minimum of EUR 300 and a maximum of EUR 1,000 depending individually on the weekly working hours and attendance in 2020.

As Dräger is using this thank you bonus to help mitigate the additional and extraordinary burdens on its employees caused by the Corona crisis, the payment is mostly tax-free due to the special regulation of the German government within the meaning of Sec. 3 No. 11a EStG.

“All other Dräger employees worldwide will also receive a thank you bonus for their extraordinary commitment. The specific amount will be aligned with the respective salary structure in the countries”, says Reiner Piske, Chief Human Resources and Sales Officer of Dräger.

In addition to the thank you shares, employees in Germany again had the opportunity in November to participate in the annual employee stock option program.

This allows employees at the German locations to participate in the company and thus directly in the company’s success. Employees could purchase up to 60 preferred shares. Dräger contributed one bonus share for every three preferred shares purchased.

In 2020, a total of more than 2,000 employees participated in the program, investing an average of 33 shares in Dräger. This means that the number of participants doubled year-on-year.

NEBOSH, a global provider of health, safety and environmental qualifications, has welcomed two new Non Executive Directors (NEDs)/Trustees and three independent advisors as it continues a significant transformation programme.

Maggie Galliers CBE and Julie Nerney have joined the Board, whilst Steve McLaughlin, Mark Bradley and Jim Andrews have volunteered as independent advisors.

Maggie, current Chair of the National Learning and Work Institute, is widely recognised for her services education and has extensive experience from educational, charitable and regulatory sectors.

Complementing Maggie’s educational background, Julie has previous experience within the health and safety sector and together they will bring valuable skills that supports NEBOSH in its mission to be recognised as the global leading provider of high-quality qualifications and training in occupational health, safety, environmental, well-being, risk and related subjects.

Steve, Mark and Jim have extensive senior management experience for international organisations in sectors ranging from education, safety and technology to aviation, logistics and oil and gas.

Their combined expertise will be hugely beneficial as they have been invited to join NEBOSH’s newly formed Transformation Committee. The Committee – which brings together Board members, employees and voluntary advisors – will oversee the planning of the transformation programme.

CHEMTREC®, in partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), has awarded two volunteer fire departments with $10,000 each to enhance their hazmat incident preparedness and response capabilities.

The recipients of the 2020 CHEMTREC® Hazmat Emergencies Local Preparedness (HELP) Award are the New Johnsonville (TN) Fire Department and the Water Witch Hose Company #2 (New Milford, CT).

The New Johnsonville Fire Department will be utilizing the CHEMTREC® HELP Award to set up an operations level response trailer, which will include resources such as personal protective equipment that will keep their firefighters safe while mitigating hazmat incidents and protecting their community.

Water Witch Hose Company #2 will use the CHEMTREC® HELP Award to update their personal protective equipment and the hazmat supplies on their response trailer. This award will not only benefit the department but fulfill their mission of protecting lives and property throughout the region and state.

CHEMTREC® is the world’s leading source of 24/7 call center support and information during hazardous materials incidents. To further assist fire and emergency service departments responding to hazmat emergencies,

The partnership with the NVFC started in 2019 and launched the HELP Awards. Each year, two eligible volunteer fire departments that are also NVFC members receive the award to enhance their response capabilities and increase local preparedness to respond to and prepare for hazardous materials incidents.

“We are grateful for CHEMTREC’s support of our volunteer fire departments through the HELP Award,” said NVFC chair Steve Hirsch. “This award provides much-needed assistance to help fire departments prepare and train for hazmat emergencies to keep our front-line responders and their communities safe.”

“At CHEMTREC® we recognize that the first responder community is critical to hazmat response and we remain dedicated to working closely and effectively with responders when an incident occurs, as we have proudly supported the industry over the past 50 years.

“We are delighted to offer the HELP awards for a second year and pleased to continue our partnership with the NVFC. These awards represent our appreciation of the volunteer fire service and will continue to be an ongoing reminder of our commitment to emergency responders for many years to come,” said CHEMTREC’s chief executive John Modine.

Learn more about the CHEMTREC HELP Award.

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) are continuing to work with the Government to ensure UK exporters continue to be supported. Here is what the key people involved in this great partnership have to say.

Ian Moore, CEO, FIA 

“Working with Government for our members and the wider industry is, and has always been, a key priority. We are proud our relationship with Government has improved over the last few years which has allowed us to better address the three key issues of Brexit, COVID-19 and Grenfell.

“It has taken incredible effort from both sides to get this great working relationship to where it is today. From weekly meetings with UK Defence and Security Exports on the transition period to sharing live updates on Brexit and how to best support our members export.

“A clear indication of both our improved relationship with Government and the incredible effort of individuals is the secondment of two specialists from FIA members to the Department of International Trade – UK Defence and Security Exports.

“Sarah and Michelle’s work is key to ensuring that the fire industry is able to continue exporting our world-leading products and services. I am immensely grateful and proud of the individuals and their companies allowing them to give up their time. Doing so will help everyone out in in this crucial area at this vital time in our history.”

Sarah Adamson, Sector Specialist – First Responder Capability

“I’m thrilled to have been appointed as a sector specialist for the first responder capability campaign for the UK Defence and Security Export team. For Angloco this is a chance to support the development of the UK export market for Fire and Rescue products, and to help the UK bounce back.

“During the secondments of the sector specialists, our ambition is to pull together and showcase the very best of the UK Defence and Security sector to be shared with the world. 

“The purpose is to grow the knowledge of our customers and DIT colleagues alike, to enable more British Products and Services to flow around the world. 

“I strongly believe that working together with the Government, as UK businesses, is our best way to work together. It’s fantastic for our industry to be engaged directly and we should all be sharing the experiences that we have gained for the benefit of the whole sector.”

Michelle Agius, Sector Specialist –  Infrastructure

“I am delighted to be a part of this initiative from the DIT, as a UK based SME myself I totally understand the difficulties of SMEs’ exporting.  I think it is a great initiative of the DIT to mix trade and Civil Servants together to obtain mixed views. 

“Any initiative to push and assist the visibility of UK SMEs is a positive move forward and one I am proud to be associated with.  Like most things in the business world, this is a complicated subject but our aim is to make it as simple as possible for the overseas posts to understand the great benefits of working with UK companies to obtain the best knowledge, experience, training and products.”

Tracy Buckingham, Deputy Director, Security & Cyber Exports in UK Defence & Security Exports

“While recognising the many challenges businesses are facing as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, UK Defence and Security Exports is here to help. As we start the economic recovery, we’re thinking about what happens next and how you can stay one step ahead of your competitors.

“As part of our implementation of the Security Exports Strategy, we are drawing together a series of UK Security Offers for our international partners. These offers will demonstrate to overseas buyers the fantastic capabilities that UK companies have across a range of sectors.

“This initiative is one way in which we are providing strategic leadership that contributes towards the key Government policy of encouraging more companies to trade internationally and to increase the value of UK goods and services that are exported.

“We are currently looking for companies who provide products and services in the first responder or infrastructure buyer categories to join the UK Security Offer and help us to showcase your capabilities to overseas buyers.

“This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the UK’s national security and prosperity. If you would like your company to be involved in this capability campaign, please get in touch with our sector specialists.

“We hope this represents a valuable opportunity for individuals from industry to engage directly with UK Defence and Security Exports to shape the way in which we support UK exporters and to create a legacy that can be built on to ensure that Government and industry work effectively together into the future.”

To find out more information, visit the FIA website: https://www.fia.uk.com/

The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) have announced the appointment of Dr Peter Wilkinson CEng FIFireE CSci MIScT, as the new Technical Director.

Peter will assume responsibility for developing the IFE’s position on wider issues within the sector, as well as informing members of the Institution’s involvement in the various working groups and industry forums, and the subsequent knowledge and guidance that will result from these.

His remit will involve working closely with similar organisations and institutions worldwide, whilst also acting as liaison for global professional registration.

Peter will support the existing IFE Technical Strategic Advisory Group (TSAG) and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to develop the Institution’s involvement and views on contemporary issues in the sector, as well as working closely with IFE headquarters staff to ensure the improvement of technical resources for members.

A member of the IFE, Peter has been heavily involved with the Institution over a number of years, and currently sits on the Board of Directors. He is a Chartered Engineer, a Chartered Scientist and a Registered Fire Risk Assessor, bringing with him a wealth of experience to the role of Technical Director.

Peter holds an Engineering Doctorate where he investigated resilient fire engineering building design. He chairs the British Standards Technical Committee FSH/24, developing and codifying fire safety engineering practices.

Roy Bishop, IFE Chief Executive, comments: “We are delighted to welcome Peter to the team. The role of Technical Director is a new way of working for the Institution, which will provide structured international thought leadership as we become more heavily involved in sector-wide projects and move the Institution forward.

“This appointment comes after listening to our members and volunteers who have taken part in the reviews within our strategic plan, entitled the Programme for Change.

“Peter‘s appointment will allow us to more fully represent the members’ views and work towards being able to assist them in understanding the Institution’s policy positions in a range of technical areas.”

Commenting on his new role, Peter added: “I’m looking forward to representing the IFE membership globally and developing the Institution’s position.

“It is a role that is focused very much on external factors within the sector, from which knowledge and guidance can then be shared with our members.

“I will be working closely with individuals who represent the IFE around the world on forums and industry groups, and I look forward to understanding their work in greater detail. Do please feel free to get in touch with me to discuss this in more detail.”

For the second consecutive month, Venari Group have continued growth plans by adding three key new staff and commencing a recruitment process for ten new production personnel; in conjunction with a six-figure investment in machinery to increase manufacturing capability.

Sean Bailey comes in to lead procurement in the ambulance division, whilst Ashleigh Ellis-Hood joins to shore up procurement at headquarters. Steve Hill has also joined the team as homologation engineer to drive efficiency in vehicle standards and approvals.

The latest recruitment comes off the back of further growth and Venari Group now have ambitions to serve the emergency vehicle market to the highest standard possible.

They have also, simultaneously, spent a six-figure sum on new machinery in a bid to reduce production times whilst subsequently increasing product quality. The new machinery will be put to work alongside recent equipment purchased back in the summer, highlighting the rapid intentions for the group.

With sustained and continued growth for both Venari and subsidiary company, O&H Vehicle Technology, the firm look set to drive growth in the emergency vehicle sector throughout 2021, adding to a progressive 2020.

Group CEO, Oliver North, commented: “We warmly welcome the new high-calibre members of the team – Sean, Ashleigh and Steve – which also highlights our continued trajectory of quality and economic benefits to our client base.

“At the start of the year we looked ‘down the barrel’ of the pandemic, but we remained intent on driving forward to prevent moving backwards. The effort throughout the team this year has been nothing less than incredible and at 32 years-old; our Goole division is now truly starting to peak.

“Over the past few months we have grown capability and capacity, but with continued challenges in supply chain we have taken the decision to increase component production at headquarters. In parallel, this will allow us to drive quality whilst reducing lead times and protecting our IP.

“The intention now is to integrate our new team members to ensure we finish 2020 strongly and set up an exciting 2021.”

Like many calendar of events this year, the 2020 The Fire Fighters Charity AGM went online, with company members, trustees and directors meeting via Zoom on Wednesday 18 November. Business on the agenda included appointing three new members to the Board of Trustees.

Graham Floyd joins as the new Lead Trustee (Digital). A Chartered Project professional who specialises in digital transformation and delivery, Graham’s career began in the Royal Air Force, before he joined the NHS and went on to support public and global organisations as a management consultant.

Ruth Powell joins as Lead Trustee (Digital Development and Marketing). Ruth’s career in sales and marketing began at Apple and she continues to work at business development director level in technology and healthcare industries. Her brother is a firefighter in Sydney’s National Forest, so she is passionate about supporting the fire services community.

Steve Tolan joins as Lead Trustee (Clinical). Steve is the London Regional Chief Allied Health Professional for NHS England and NHS Improvement, with a clinical background in physiotherapy. His general professional interests are rehabilitation and recovery, digital healthcare, system transformation, leadership and diversity, and health inequalities.

The AGM also marked the end of Andrew Lynch’s time as Chair of the Board of Trustees, after four years at the helm. Fire Fighters Charity sat down with him last week to reflect on his time on the Board and hear his aspirations for the future of the charity. You can read our interview with him here.

Paul Fuller, Chief Fire Officer for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was also confirmed as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees, effective from Thursday 19 November.

Jane Nicklin has also stepped down from her role as a member of the Board. Qualified physiotherapist Jane brought extensive experience from her work in healthcare and specialism in neurological conditions.

Finally there was cause for celebration, as Alan Holmes was presented with his Life Patron Award. Alan joined Tyne and Wear Fire Service in 1965, where he served at every operational rank up to and including Deputy Chief Fire Officer until his retirement in 2009.

At this point he wholeheartedly agreed to take up the role of Regional Co-Ordinator within the then-newly-formed Charity structure, where he has remained to date, the longest serving of these voluntary roles. Congratulations, Alan, on your Life Patron Award.

Cold Cut Systems AB have appointed Martin Orman as Managing Director of Cold Cut Systems Ltd.

Martin set up the first overseas division of Cold Cut Systems in January 2019 bringing the company closer to their UK customer base and ensuring Brexit would be managed in a smooth way.

Since then there has been the obvious challenges, however, they are now in a stronger position to tackle them now that the UK company is in place.

Martin Orman said “I am very proud to be part of such a progressive and customer focused company. We have a great team here and can react quickly to our customer needs with local stock, service and best in class training. Our customers have been very supportive and we continue to improve our processes based on their feedback. We hope that everyone stays safe and well in this difficult time.”

“I am very pleased that Martin has accepted the role as Managing Director. Martin has proven great skills and dedication and taken the UK division of the Cold Cut Systems Group to where we are today. I am excited about the plans Martin has for the future which will strengthen the company further”, says Johan Ivarsson, CEO of the Cold Cut Systems Group.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact us at sales@coldcutsystems.com

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is calling for all UK fire services to use body worn cameras, following a spate of mindless attacks on crews.

In a video shared on NFCC’s social media channels, crews reveal shocking first-hand stories and footage of firefighters being pelted with fireworks and verbally abused by members of the public.

Between 2015 and 2020 there were more than 3,800 attacks on firefighters. In 2019/20 alone, around 950 attacks were recorded in England and Scotland, not taking into account this year’s Bonfire period that saw a sharp rise in the volume and severity of attacks, with fireworks, stones and bricks being thrown at crews. Such attacks risk impacting the mental and physical health of firefighters.

In some areas of the country, firefighters can no longer attend some types of fires – unless they have a police escort. NFCC warns these can escalate quickly into large scale fires, putting properties and lives at risk.

Chris Lowther, Chair of NFCC’s Operations Committee and Chief Fire Officer for Tyne and Wear, who opens the video, said: “I am disgusted that firefighters are being attacked when trying to protect the communities they serve; ultimately saving lives.

“We need to see custodial sentences handed out – it is clear we need a deterrent which makes people think twice. These mindless attacks are abhorrent; if one or two members of staff are injured on a shift, this can result in fire appliances having to be taken off the road while other staff are called in. This leaves communities at risk if there is a major incident.”

NFCC Chair Roy Wilsher who also features on the video insisting the attacks must stop, said: “I know that Chief Fire Officers in every UK Fire and Rescue Service care about the health and wellbeing of all firefighters, I know it is something each of them takes very seriously.

“I would urge them to think about body worn camera technology to help to protect their crews. The cameras can be a superb operational aid when it comes to debriefing incidents, but they can also record assaults and bring those attacking firefighters to justice.

“While jail sentences have been increased from 12 to 24 months, we now need to see these imposed to send a clear message. Emergency services staff must be treated with the respect they deserve; blue light services are here to keep people safe.”

Ground-breaking research has revealed the serious health risks to UK firefighters following exposure to toxic fire effluents, the chemicals emitted during a fire, in an independent University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) report commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

The work is a UK first and the latest in a growing body of international evidence suggesting an increased risk of firefighters developing cancer and other diseases. Fires produce a cocktail of toxic, irritant and carcinogenic chemicals in the form of aerosols, dusts, fibres, smoke and fumes or gases and vapours.

The report includes a summary of UCLan’s testing on-site at 18 fire stations as well as over 10,000 responses to a national firefighter survey run jointly between the FBU and UCLan.

Firefighters exposed to dangerous chemicals

Indoor air testing at a number of fire stations and training centres highlighted that UK firefighters are still being exposed to the high levels of toxic contaminants during and after a fire, as cancer-causing chemicals remain on PPE clothing, equipment, and elsewhere at the fire ground.

Test samples revealed carcinogens inside firefighters’ helmets, on PPE, and even on breathing apparatus mask filters.

More than 10,000 currently-serving firefighters were surveyed in order to better understand UK decontamination practices and the prevalence of illness, revealing:

• 4.1% of survey respondents had already been diagnosed with cancer, compared with less than 1% of the general population. Three quarters have served for at least 10 years before receiving their diagnosis. More than half were under the age of 50 and a fifth were under 40.
• Of those diagnosed, 26% have skin cancer, the most common, followed by testicular cancer (10%), head and neck cancer (4%) and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (3%).
• Half of the survey respondents don’t think their fire service takes decontamination practices, including cleaning PPE and equipment, seriously.
• 1 in 5 of the survey respondents store their fire gloves in their boots, 1 in 5 store in their pockets, and 1 in 10 store in their helmet, risking the transfer of toxic contaminants directly to skin.
• Nearly half of the survey respondents felt there was a “badge of honour” attitude in the service, particularly when emerging from fires with contaminants on their PPE or face as a sign of hard work.

Scientists have created a best practice guide for fire and rescue services, putting forward a number of urgent recommendations to minimise firefighters’ exposure to toxic fire effluents. This includes:

• Every fire and rescue service must implement fully risk-assessed decontamination procedures en-route to, during and after fire incidents, and ensure all relevant staff are trained in implementing these procedures.
• Fire and rescue personnel should receive regular and up-to-date training on the harmful health effects of exposure to toxic fire effluents, and how these exposures can be reduced, minimised or eliminated.
• Firefighters should wear respiratory protective equipment at all times while firefighting, including after a fire has been extinguished, but is still ‘gassing off’.
• PPE should be clean and should be thoroughly decontaminated after every incident to avoid a build-up of toxic contaminants.
• Firefighters should shower within an hour of returning from incidents.
• Regular health screening and recording attendance at fire incidents over the course of a firefighter’s career is strongly advised and will be key to the longer-term monitoring and management of their health.

In most states in Canada and the United States, presumptive legislation recognises certain cancers as occupational diseases amongst firefighters.

In the UK, it has so far been concluded that there is not considered to be enough evidence to link occupational exposure to carcinogenic fire effluents and the higher risk of cancers. This means that, if a firefighter believes their illness is work-related, they are required to prove it – an almost impossible retroactive task.

Ahead of the report’s publication, the Environmental Audit Committee recommended that the Health and Safety Executive implement its report’s recommendations on improving firefighters’ work environments.

In response the government confirmed that it would instruct HSE to monitor the research and to ensure fire and rescue services identify risks to firefighters .

UK law requires firefighters’ personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet heat-resistance, heat transfer, and water resistance requirements, but it is not required to protect wearers from toxic gases and particulates.

This best-practice report is the first stage of ongoing research examining the link between firefighters’ exposure to toxic fire effluents and the risk of cancer and other diseases.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said:

“Firefighters risk their lives every day to keep their communities safe. But it’s clear that the risk to their health doesn’t stop when the fire has been extinguished.

“Sadly we often see serving and former firefighters suffer from cancer and other illnesses. Every firefighter knows the fear that, someday, they and their family could receive the devastating news – but we’re determined to do all we can to reduce the risk of firefighters developing these terrible diseases as a result of their job.

“There are some hard truths for fire and rescue services in this report – and far more needs to be done to protect firefighters from cancer and other illnesses. And among firefighters, there are still some myths to dispel, which is why regular and up to date training on the risk to their health is so essential.

“This research is a crucial first step to definitively proving the link between firefighting, toxic contaminants, and cancer in the UK. The Health and Safety Executive must urgently implement the recommendations to bring life-saving measures into place as soon as possible.”