Paul Dennett, Owner and Managing Director of 1st Attendance, examines workplace fire training, compliance gaps, and how organisations prepare staff for real incident
Fire safety training is mandatory in UK workplaces, yet many sessions are designed mainly to demonstrate compliance.
Staff can still feel uncertain about spotting early warning signs, making decisions under pressure or using equipment in complex buildings such as universities, retail estates and large commercial sites.
This creates a gap between legal compliance and real preparedness when a fire develops.
1st Attendance delivers practical, instructor-led training in real working environments, using demonstrations and scenario-based discussion to improve risk recognition, evacuation behaviour and confidence.
The company works primarily with public-facing and multi-occupancy organisations across higher education, retail, care and commercial sectors.
Paul Dennett, Owner and Managing Director of 1st Attendance, started as a fire extinguisher engineer and now leads business focused on realism and decision-making.
IFSJ Editor Iain Hoey sat down with Paul Dennett to discuss how effective fire safety education should work today for staff in complex sites across sectors.
How would you describe 1st Attendance’s work and the organisations you mainly support today?
At its core, 1st Attendance delivers practical, face-to-face fire safety training that’s designed to work in the real world, not just on paper.
That includes fire warden training, fire extinguisher training, evacuation training and we also give wider compliance support.
We mainly work with commercial and public-facing organisations — higher education, retail, care environments, offices, and large multi-occupancy sites.
Many of our clients manage complex buildings or have large numbers of staff.
Where do you see the biggest gaps between compliance driven training and real preparedness?
The biggest gap is that compliance doesn’t automatically equal competence.
A lot of training meets the legal requirement but doesn’t change behaviour.
People sit through a presentation, tick the box, and then often forget about it because it isn’t relatable or delivered in an engaging way.
In a real incident, if the training is not practical or relatable, it simply won’t surface when it’s needed.
Real preparedness comes from: Understanding why risks exist, recognising early warning signs, and knowing how to make decisions, not just follow instructions
How does your training help staff recognise early fire risks and make better decisions?
We focus heavily on risk awareness and decision-making, not just fire theory.
Our training uses real workplace examples, visual demonstrations and scenario-based discussion.
We encourage people to think about what fire risk actually looks like in their environment — poor housekeeping, misuse of equipment etc.
When staff understand risk in context, they’re far more likely to spot problems early and act appropriately.
We also talk openly about human behaviour under stress, so people aren’t surprised by how they and other people might react in a real situation.
Do fire risks and training needs differ across higher education retail and large commercial sites?
Yes — significantly.
While the core principles of fire safety stay the same, the risks, layouts, occupancy types, and behaviours vary a lot between sectors.
A university, for example, has very different challenges to a retail store or a standard office.
That’s why we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.
Training needs to reflect: the type of building, the people using it and how it operates day to day
When training feels relevant, engagement and retention improve dramatically.
Do employers face challenges keeping staff engaged with fire safety training and its lasting value?
Yes, engagement is one of the biggest challenges employers face.
A big part of the problem is perception.
Many people don’t feel that fire is something that will affect them personally — it’s always going to be someone else, somewhere down the road.
Because of that, fire safety can feel theoretical rather than real.
Modern life adds another layer.
My own social media feeds show me fires almost every day because of how algorithms work and the sector I’m in.
Most people’s feeds are very different, so they simply don’t realise how frequently fires actually occur in the UK.
If people don’t believe the risk is real or relevant, it’s difficult to keep them engaged.
That’s why training has to close that gap by showing how often incidents happen, how quickly situations develop, and how easily everyday risks can escalate.
Lasting value comes from: keeping sessions interactive, making the content relatable and linking training to real responsibilities
We also encourage employers to see fire safety training as part of a wider safety culture, not a once-a-year exercise.
When it’s treated that way, the learning sticks and people are far more likely to act appropriately when it matters.
Are there any areas of the training offer you are looking to develop or refine?
Yes — we’re actively developing our blended learning approach, combining high-quality face-to-face training with digital support tools.
The aim isn’t to replace practical training, but to reinforce it — refresher content, reminders, and ongoing awareness so learning doesn’t fade after the session ends.
We’re also refining how we support organisations with repeat training cycles, so knowledge stays current as staff change and sites evolve.
What should organisations prioritise so fire safety training improves outcomes in real incidents meaningfully?
The biggest priority is quality over convenience.
Organisations should ask: Does this training actually prepare people for real situations? Would staff know what to do under pressure? Is the training specific to our environment?
Fire safety training should build confidence, awareness, and decision-making ability — not just satisfy a requirement.
When organisations get that right, compliance takes care of itself, and outcomes improve when it matters most.