Executive Directors Message

Scott Lanauze, Executive Director, Institution of Fire Engineers NZ Branch provides an update of IFE NZ’s activities, including hosting a range of educational initiatives and representing the sector both locally and internationally.

It is my pleasure on behalf of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) NZ branch to welcome you to FireNZ 2024. This conference, as has been the case for many years, offers us a great opportunity to collaborate with our fire industry partners and participate in discussion across the full spectrum of views within our operating landscape.

The recently released Grenfell Tower Phase Two report highlights the ever increasing need to review and improve how we operate as fire safety professionals today. Through all this, we as an industry need to carefully assess how we can implement the report recommendations to drive meaningful improvements and advancements in fire safety practices and professional standards worldwide, this then assisting our members within the fire safety industry.

In many cases, the recommendations of this report make for sobering reading and we as an industry need to ensure we uphold our commitment to competence and adeptness within our society as industry professionals.

Our thoughts remain with all those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire and those who lost their lives in the tragedy. Professionalism is not just about qualifications or registrations; it is about displaying meaningful steps towards an ever changing need to adapt, grow, and monitor how well we perform within a challenging area of the building industry. The IFE in NZ remain committed to this mantra.

The IFE is a global professional membership body for those in the fire sector that seek to increase their knowledge, professional recognition and understanding of fire through a global discourse.

Founded in 1918, the IFE has been instrumental in shaping a future world that is safer from fire. Our membership provides for over 11,000 fire sector professionals of which continues to be supported by regular continued professional development activities, conferences and events. Our examination programme continues to build momentum locally, with a focus on building examination candidates in earnest within our various sector organisations.

IFE in New Zealand continues to partner with our associated agencies in aid of educational opportunities. Our initial round of webinars, having been developed in support of previous in-person presentations has proven successful, and plans are afoot to increase the offering of these webinars in additional areas of special interest. Our previous webinars are available for viewing on the IFE NZ website https://ife.org.nz/ife-webinarseries/ for those that haven’t been able to view them in a live setting.

Our regular one-day Firefighting operations for Fire Engineers workshop continues to prove popular, this allowing fire engineers and people who work in fire related industries the opportunity to gain a better understanding of fire and smoke behaviour and firefighting techniques by involvement in a series of real fire simulations, gaining firsthand experience of real fires in building enclosures (including fire initiation and development), fire and smoke spread, flashover, the use of firefighting equipment, and search and rescue techniques. Further information on our next workshops are available on the NZ IFE website.

Our collaboration with the Fire Protection Association of New Zealand and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers has also provided an opportunity to provide a common message in many areas of the industry.

Our ability to collaborate and lead discussions within the industry to better inform reviews of designs, standards and codes has ensured the voice of the industry has been incorporated where possible. This collaboration has also extended to providing a common voice around media communications during events of interest.

Globally, the IFE in New Zealand is well represented. Our current president Jason Hill is unable to join us at FireNZ this year as he takes his seat as the Leader of the International General Assembly at the IFE Global Annual General Meeting in London. Jason’s presence in this forum will ensure the New Zealand voice is continuously provided to the IFE Board of Directors. Similarly, our Branch Council continue to support our cause in NZ through supporting initiatives and activities to local benefit; thank you to those on the Branch Council for your energy and commitment to delivering these outcomes in a voluntary sense.