FIRE Conference 2024 to drive collaboration and address key fire safety issues

by Associations and OrganisationsEventsFeatured News

Key issues to be addressed at the FIRE Conference 2024

The annual FIRE Conference will return on 24 October 2024, as reported by The Institution of Fire Engineers.

Developed and hosted by the Fire Protection Association, Institution of Fire Engineers, National Fire Chiefs Council, and the Fire Sector Federation, the one-day event will feature a comprehensive programme tackling critical topics within the fire safety sector.

Key subjects for this year’s conference include the reasons behind deregulation and its management, updates on enforcement, emergency tactical response, future-proofing fire risk assessors, and an analysis of the Luton car park fire.

The British Standards Institution and the Royal Institute of British Architects will also host plenary sessions during the day.

Insight from Dr Gavin Dunn on the conference’s significance

Dr Gavin Dunn, Managing Director of the FPA, highlighted the importance of collaboration in advancing fire safety.

He said: “With the introduction of the Building Safety Act and the changing nature of risk, it is more important now than ever that we work collaboratively across sectors, as only together can we successfully move fire safety forwards in an integrated way.”

Reflecting on his new role, Dr Dunn added: “Having assumed leadership of the FPA earlier this year, I am very much looking forward to my first FIRE Conference and building on the progress that has been made in recent years.

“The Conference provides a much-needed touchpoint for those who can influence change to consider approaches and solutions to the challenges we face as fire safety professionals so we can continue to improve the built environment through the convergence of life safety and property protection.”

Continuation of the hybrid format and sponsorship announcements

Following a successful event in 2023 that saw over 500 delegates, the FIRE Conference will maintain its hybrid format.

It will be hosted both in-person at the IET, Savoy Place in London, and online.

The event organisers have announced Redplug Group as the headline sponsor, with additional sponsors and exhibitors including Sentura Group (Firechief), Coopers Fire, Firefly, Adexon, and Distinction Door.

The Worshipful Company of Firefighters will host their annual fundraising dinner at the IET immediately after the conference.

Conference tickets are now on sale, and sponsorship packages are in high demand, with workshop partner opportunities and exhibition stands still available.

Further event details and participation opportunities

Detailed information about the event, including the programme and sponsorship costs, will be available on the organisers’ websites.

The FIRE Conference aims to provide a crucial platform for discussing, debating, sharing knowledge, and driving progress in an era of significant change and reform in fire safety.

Fire Sector Federation introduces comprehensive model for fire safety

by Associations and OrganisationsFeatured News

The Fire Sector Federation has recently published a blog post entitled “Defining the Fire Safety Landscape,” which introduces a novel ‘Fire Chain’ model.

This model is a significant step in the sector’s effort to comprehensively address fire safety in the UK, especially in light of the impending recommendations from the Grenfell Inquiry.

Exploring the ‘Fire Chain’ model

The ‘Fire Chain’ model conceptualised by the Fire Sector Federation represents a significant shift in addressing fire safety.

This model comprises eight interconnected links, each representing a critical aspect of fire safety.

The first link, Policy, emphasises the government’s role in setting a policy direction to ensure societal safety.

The second link, Design, focuses on embedding fire safety in the design process, moving away from treating it as an afterthought or a hindrance to good design.

The third link, Approvals, reflects the need to ensure safety standards in products and competencies in personnel.

Construction, the fourth link, is one of the most complex, demanding adherence to the aspirations of the Hackitt report and a collective approach towards a fire-safe built environment.

The fifth link deals with the occupation of buildings, acknowledging the dynamic nature of building use and occupant behaviour.

The sixth link recognises the need for a well-trained and equipped fire and rescue service, while the seventh, Investigation, focuses on learning from fire incidents.

The final link, Recovery and Rebuild, goes beyond rebuilding structures to restoring community fabric post-major fire events.

National strategy for fire safety

Earlier, the Fire Sector Federation launched an initiative advocating for a National Strategy for Fire Safety, as reported on October 25, 2022.

This strategy aims to go beyond current legislative measures, focusing on raising competency, mitigating risks in specific building types, and raising awareness about potential risks from new products and methodologies​​​​.

Involvement of industry leaders and strategy board

The initiative involves collaboration with industry leaders and the establishment of the Fire Safety Strategy Board, chaired by Jonathan O’Neill.

The board includes experts from diverse sectors, including fire safety, construction, and building control.

It aims to create a unified voice in managing fire risk and defining a pathway to improved fire safety.

IFSJ Comment

The Fire Sector Federation’s ‘Fire Chain’ model and the initiative for a National Strategy for Fire Safety represent a paradigm shift in the approach to fire safety in the UK.

This holistic strategy, necessitating collaboration across various sectors, is pivotal in proactively addressing fire risks rather than reacting post-tragedy.

The ‘Fire Chain’ model, in particular, provides a structured framework that touches upon every aspect of fire safety, from policy and design to investigation and recovery.

Such an approach is crucial for an integrated and effective fire safety strategy, ensuring a resilient, fire-safe society.

The involvement of a diverse group of experts and industry leaders underlines the commitment to a collaborative approach, essential for addressing the dynamic challenges in fire safety.

FSF publishes benchmark standard for fire risk assessors

by Featured NewsSafety

The Fire Sector Federation (FSF) has published a new Industry Benchmark Standard for Fire Risk Assessors to provide practical guidance for assessors who want to understand the application of fire risk assessment across a range of buildings.

The aim is to support the delivery of comparable standards across the sector. The standard has been developed by the Federation’s Fire Risk Assessors Working Group and identifies criteria reflecting individual competency at three distinct core levels, Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced.

The standard offers increasing levels of skill, knowledge, experience and behaviour to form a competency-based progression route for fire risk assessors, spanning a clear career pathway for individuals from entry through continuing personal development to the highest levels of competency achievable.

It is unique in that it also seeks to match the three core levels of competency to the fire risk presented in three general types of buildings.

Dennis Davis, Executive Officer at the Fire Sector Federation, who leads the working group said: “This Benchmark Standard has been developed by the Federation’s Fire Risk Assessors Working Group to expand and complement our previous work on competency. It supports the need for a systematic assessment of fire risk followed by the implementation of recommended appropriate controls, mitigation and continuous management of fire safety.  

“Our aim is to raise the professional status of the important work undertaken by fire risk assessors. We also wish to engage with all those proficient assessors, operating without formal or recognised competency assurances, to help them seek appropriate independent accreditation.”

The document is available to download in the fire risk assessment section of the Federation’s website here.

The work undertaken by the Federation’s working group will shortly move on into a new phase of development through BSI’s new Competence in the Built Environment Committee CPB/1 to create a British Standard Code of Practice.