EST June 2015 by Broden Media Limited

Covering the entire spectrum of the Emergency Services

June 2015

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

Volume 16 | 3

ESTCONTENTS | 1

IN EVERY ISSUE

COMMENT

NEWS

EVENTS

PEOPLE

PROFILES

36 | 45

COMPANY PROFILES

32 | 35

PRODUCTS

LAST WORDS

IN THIS ISSUE

PREVENTION 26

CFOA President Peter Dartford says the fire and rescue service can assist in other areas of public need, such as supporting health services. Humberside Police is using Manx Telecom’s Chameleon Direct Strongest Signal SIM to help safeguard potentially vulnerable people and buildings, and the HSL highlights ways organisations can take steps to avoid slips and trips in the workplace

INDUSTRIAL

CFB Risk Management looks at how the new Seveso III Directive will affect UK COMAH Regulations and the impact on the companies affected

VEHICLES

Pan-European project looks to build a ‘Smart ambulance’ to better

reflect the evolving role of frontline medics, the Scottish Ambulance Service installs 1200 rugged tablets in its emergency fleet, OnStar telematics is set to launch in Europe and Surrey Search & Rescue replaces its Land Rover Defender with a VW Amarok, funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey

COLLABORATION

Kent Fire and Rescue Service is leading on a collaborative PPE framework, the current picture from the Emergency Services Collaboration Working Group, how blue light services in Norfolk are exploring collaborative opportunities to bridge funding gaps and a look at the role of the National Inter agency Liaison Officer

TRAINING

Paramedic degrees could become three-year courses under proposals put forward by the Health and Care Professions Council and the College of Paramedics, learn about Joint Organisation Learning – the final piece of the JESIP puzzle, new standards developed for training vets for animal rescue and Lowland Rescue take a team from O2 on a Missing

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

Person rescue exercise

June 2015

2 | ESTA-Z

Companies Company Name

Page No

Company Name

Page No

Company Name

Page No

Company Name

Page No

ACR Electronics Inc.....................................................................................60

Emergency Planning Society .......................................................................6

Mind.................................................................................................................5

Scottish Ambulance Service ......................................................................23

Age UK..........................................................................................................13

The Emergency Services Show 2015.........................................6, 8, 30, 39

Minerva Simulator Facilities Limited..........................................................54

Siemens ..........................................................................................................4

Airbox ..............................................................................................................4

Excelerate Technology ..................................................................................6

National Ambulance Resilience Unit ...........................................................3

Siemens Healthcare....................................................................................33

Airwave Solutions.......................................................................................5, 6

Falck Safety Services...................................................................................50

National Police Chiefs' Council ..............................................................4, 43

South East Coast Ambulance Service ......................................5, 19, 22, 47

Association of Ambulance Chief Executives ..................................4, 43, 47

The Fire Service College...............................................................................3

National Search and Rescue Dog Association.........................................36

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service ................................................18, 53

Association of Police and Crime Commissioners ....................................41

FireBlitz ...........................................................................................................6

Neill & Brown Global Logistics ...................................................................62

South Wales Police..................................................................................4, 18

Atkins ............................................................................................................64

FireWare .......................................................................................................54

Network Rail.................................................................................................26

Avon and Somerset Constabulary.......................................................18, 19

FLIR Systems Inc.........................................................................................61

Newcastle City Council..................................................................................4

Avon Fire and Rescue Service ...................................................................18

Getac UK................................................................................................23, 60

Newcastle University .....................................................................................4

Babcock International.....................................................................31, 52, 53

Gloucestershire County Council ..................................................................3

NHS England.........................................................................................11, 13

BAUS-AT ......................................................................................................32

Gloucestershire Local Resilience Forum ....................................................3

NHS Leadership Academy .........................................................................49

Bay Search & Rescue..................................................................................24

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service...................................11, 41

Norfolk Constabulary............................................................................18, 42

Bedfordshire Police...............................................................................48, 58

Health & Safety Laboratory.........................................................................14

Norfolk County Council...............................................................................42

Bristol Uniforms ...........................................................................................60

Health and Care Professions Council........................................................47

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service ...............................................................42

Bristow Helicopters Limited .........................................................................4

Health and Safety Executive.......................................................................14

North East Ambulance Service..............................................................4, 49

South Western Ambulance Service ..............................................29, 45, 47 South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue ....................................................4, 19, 52 South Yorkshire Police...................................................................................4 Sprue Safety Products...................................................................................6 St John Ambulance........................................................................................8 Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service......................................................11 Staffordshire Police .......................................................................................4 Suffolk Constabulary.............................................................................19, 42 Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.............................................................5, 26

British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association..............................51

Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design...............................................................21

North West Ambulance Service.............................................................4, 49

British Equine Veterinary Association........................................................51

Hertfordshire Constabulary....................................................................5, 30

North Yorkshire Police ................................................................................18

BRP...............................................................................................................28

Hertfordshire County Council ....................................................................28

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service ........................................5, 41

Surrey Search & Rescue.............................................................................26

Cabinet Office ......................................................................................3, 6, 48

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.....................................................28

Northamptonshire Police .................................................................5, 18, 41

Terrafix ..........................................................................................................23

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service ................................................53

Highways England .........................................................................................5

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service................................................19

Thames Valley Police...................................................................................18

Capita............................................................................................................62

Home Office.................................................................................................18

Nottinghamshire Police ..............................................................................19

The Ambulance Services Charity .................................................................4

Capita Secure Digital Solutions....................................................................4

Honeywell.....................................................................................................61

O2 (Telefonica)......................................................................................36, 56

The Fire Training Group ..............................................................................50

Carnation Designs .......................................................................................24

Humberside Police......................................................................................12

OnStar...........................................................................................................31

TomTom........................................................................................................26

Central Motorway Police Group...................................................................4

Interschutz 2015 ...................................................................................31, 50

Ortus Technology Ltd ..................................................................................29

Toshiba..........................................................................................................33

CFB Risk Management...............................................................................16

Irish Fire Investigation Association.............................................................19

Orvec International ......................................................................................62

Truckman......................................................................................................26

Charities Aid Foundation.............................................................................24

ISG Infrasys.....................................................................................................5

Panasonic ProServices ...............................................................................30

University of Bedfordshire ..........................................................................58

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.............................................................13

Jaama............................................................................................................28

ParAid Medical.............................................................................................22

VCS ...............................................................................................................24

Chief Fire Officers' Association.....................................6, 11, 13, 19, 48, 51

JESIP.............................................................................................................48

Peli Products ................................................................................................60

VectorCommand .........................................................................................32

Civil Contingencies Secretariat ..............................................................6, 48

Kahootz.........................................................................................................44

Plas Menai ....................................................................................................59

Class Professional Publishing ....................................................................59

Kent Fire and Rescue Service....................................................................39

Premier Hazard............................................................................................35

CM Specialist Vehicles ................................................................................26

KIM Software ...............................................................................................55

Premier IT.....................................................................................................55

College of Paramedics................................................................................47

Land Rover ...................................................................................................26

Primetech.....................................................................................................61

College of Policing...................................................................................3, 58

The Larrey Society.......................................................................................19

Public Health England.................................................................................11

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service.......................................................19, 45

Leicestershire Police...................................................................................18

Public Transformation Network..................................................................41

Crown Commercial Services......................................................................29

Leicestershire Search & Rescue ..................................................................6

Quiss Technology ........................................................................................62

DEFRA..........................................................................................................26

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Commercial...............................................57

Red One Limited..........................................................................................50

Department for Communities and Local Government ....................5, 6, 39

London Emergency Services Liaison Panel.............................................43

Resilience Direct..........................................................................................48

DeSigns Signage.........................................................................................26

London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.....................................18

RNLI........................................................................................................19, 56

Deutsche Messe..........................................................................................31

London Fire Brigade.................................................................18, 19, 43, 52

Rotherham Council........................................................................................4

Devon and Cornwall Police ..................................................................45, 53

Lowland Rescue ..........................................................................................56

Royal College of Art.....................................................................................21

WH Bence ....................................................................................................32

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.......................6, 19, 53, 55

MacNeillie.....................................................................................................31

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents ........................................4, 6

Whitby & Co..................................................................................................61

DPG plc.........................................................................................................58

Manx Telecom..............................................................................................12

Ruth Lee Limited .........................................................................................54

Wiltshire Police.............................................................................................19

Dyfed-Powys Police ................................................................................6, 18

Medical Services Ltd ...................................................................................29

SafeGuard Armour ......................................................................................60

XL Vets Group..............................................................................................51

East Midlands Ambulance Service ........................................................4, 18

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service ....................................................6, 48

SATcaseâ&#x201E;˘ .....................................................................................................61

Yorkshire Ambulance Service ....................................................................19

East of England Ambulance Service .........................................................29

Metropolitan Police .................................................................................4, 55

School of Resilience and Emergency Response........................................3

YPO.....................................................................................................6, 29, 30

Company Name

Surrey Police ..................................................................................................5

Vimpex Limited ............................................................................................61 Volkswagen ..................................................................................................26 Voluntary Sector Civil Protection Forum .....................................................8 Warwickshire Police ....................................................................................18 Welsh Ambulance Service..........................................................................29 West Mercia Police ..................................................................................4, 18 West Midlands Ambulance Service ...................................................4, 6, 24 West Midlands Fire Service...........................................................................6 West Midlands Police.................................................................................4, 6 Westbase Technology .................................................................................30

Advertisers Company Name

Page No

Ballyclare Limited ........................................................................................38

Excelerate Technology................................................................................37

ParAid Medical.............................................................................................34

Bristol Uniforms ...........................................................................................40

FireBlitz ...........................................................................................................7

Plas Menai ......................................................................................................7

British Red Cross .........................................................................................37

Goliath Footwear (YDS Boots) ..................................................................15

Premier Hazard..................................................................................OFC, 25

Carnation Designs .......................................................................................34

Life Connections 2015..............................................................................IBC

Primetech.....................................................................................................10

Class Professional Publishing.......................................................................7

Lyon Equipment Limited ...............................................................................9

Quiss Technology...........................................................................................7

Cleve Care Group ........................................................................................15

Minerva Simulator Facilities Limited..........................................................46

Ruth Lee Limited .........................................................................................46

The Emergency Services Show 2015...................................................OBC

Outreach Rescue.........................................................................................15

Strongs Plastic Products Ltd ......................................................................27

Page No

Supacat.........................................................................................................27

Vimpex Limited ............................................................................................40

WH Bence (Coachworks) Ltd ....................................................................20

Xtreme Sales...............................................................................................IFC

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

YPO...............................................................................................................38

June 2015

ESTCOMMENT | 3

ISSN 1472-1090 Date: June 2015 Editor: David J. Holden MEng(Hons) Twitter: @999editor davidholden@brodenmedia.com Advertisement Manager: David Brown davidbrown@brodenmedia.com Advertisement Sales: Carol Fox carolfox@brodenmedia.com Office & Events Manager: Lesley Stevenson lesleystevenson@brodenmedia.com Marketing Manager: Emma Nicholls emmanicholls@brodenmedia.com Circulation: Christine Knoll admin@hpcpublishing.com Joint Managing Directors: David Brown David Holden Published by

Robert Denholm House, Bletchingley Road Nutfield, Surrey RH1 4HW Tel: 01737 824010 Fax: 01737 824011 e-mail: davidbrown@brodenmedia.com www: brodenmedia.com Distribution: EMERGENCY SERVICES TIMES is free of charge to officers and managers who are buyers or specifiers actively involved in the procurement of equipment or services within the emergency response industry and based in the UK and Irish Republic. All other categories of reader are invited to subscribe at £130.00 to UK addresses and £165.00 overseas. Single copy price £25.00 including post and packing. The articles within Emergency Services Times are copyright and are the property of the publisher Broden Media Limited and cannot be reproduced in any media form without permission of the publisher. Application should be made in writing. Reprints of articles and advertisements are available, allow 28 days for delivery. PDF pages are available by email at £20.00 (+VAT) per page (€32.50, $33). Prices on application to the publisher. Printed by Manor Creative Tel: 01323 514400 Studio work by Friskywhiska Design Tel: 01947 811333 Mobile: 07976 917411 charlotte@friskywhiska.co.uk

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Assurance – who do you trust to assure your training? Jon Hall is the Director of Training at the Fire Service College, and leads its School of Resilience and Emergency Response. He was awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal in 2014, having served as the Director of Community Safety for Gloucestershire County Council as well as being their Chief Fire Officer and chairing the Gloucestershire Local Resilience Forum. In this article he explains what professional assurance means to him – and how he would wish to demonstrate that his team were trained effectively should an operation not go as planned.

Words: Jon Hall, Director of Training, The Fire Service College. Should you be called to account for the training you or your organisation deploys, how will you answer? How credible will that answer sound when tested against a judgement of ‘reasonable practicality’? When an operation does not go to plan, anyone from a responder or Incident Commander to the Chief Executive or Chief Officer can be challenged to prove that they have provided the most effective training for their teams. Internal validation of training choices will simply not be enough. Accreditation of courses is a good starting point but only addresses the course and the quality of its delivery – it stops short of assuring competence of the individual. Occupational standards used to measure ongoing competence is a well-founded ideal but standards can be open to interpretation – and that can make it problematic to apply them to actual incidents. Response phase Concentrating on the response phase of any emergency for a moment, here is what constitutes an appropriate degree of assurance: • An approach that recognises that any one person, organisation or team is just one component of incident resolution: all training should include an awareness of how others will behave – and repeated exposure to them in a training, exercising and real-life environment is vital. The Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme (JESIP) is designed to facilitate understanding of this among blue light responders and, through its newly-formed Joint Organisational Learning (JOL) initiative, will make sure that this is extended beyond

traditional responders to include wider Category 1 and 2 responders and military agencies • A strong focus placed upon the holistic design of training, with integrated assessment of programmes undertaken by the appropriate body: programmes should be delivered in various ways, including self-study as well as regional and national resources. They should also include the best and most current content from each relevant agency – making the best use of legacy and emerging material. • A structured approach to assessment will enable learners to build and maintain their competencies consistently over time: taking a formal approach to continuous improvement is crucial, as is the ongoing review and constant training of best practice. This can be delivered through a system strengthened through relationships with professional bodies like the Cabinet Office, College of Policing and National Ambulance Resilience Unit. • Training providers which can effectively document and demonstrate all of these elements: any firefighter or other emergency responder that attends a course provided by the Fire Service College, for example, is able to demonstrate that they have been trained as effectively as possible – and this should be the case for all emergency response training providers. Evolving training programmes Who would I want standing by me when called to account? It’s quite simple; I would want my peers stood right by me defending my training record. We’ll never stop evolving our training programmes – what matters is that the training is the best that could possibly have been provided at the time, and that your professional peers support that judgement. www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk June 2015

4 | ESTNEWS North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust driving instructors have become the only driver education team within UK NHS ambulance trusts to qualify as Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) fleet trainers, having gained the ADI qualifications and Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) National Diploma in Advanced Instruction.

Ambulance charity launched to Motorway provide advice and support police to carry defibs in the West Midlands

www.nwas.nhs.uk

Capita Secure Digital Solutions has been approved by the East Midlands Strategic Commercial Unit to join the UK’s first national Body Worn Video (BWV) framework. The framework provides police forces across the country with a range of pre-approved BWV suppliers to allow faster, more cost effective and efficient procurement of solutions. www.capitasecuredigital solutions.co.uk

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue have submitted a planning application to enable firefighters to share Maltby Police Station with South Yorkshire Police. The move would save both services money by sharing building running costs, enabling funding to be targeted at frontline services. If Rotherham Council approves the plans it is hoped to begin work in early 2016 converting the police station to be suitable for fire service use, with the move to take place in the summer of 2016. www.syfire.gov.uk

North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust has been working with Newcastle University, Newcastle City Council and Siemens to trial a system, which helps drivers adjust their speed so they can pass through a series of traffic lights on green. In the first pilot of its kind in the UK, the Compass 4D system has been fitted to 14 Patient Transport Service (PTS) vehicles and 21 traffic signals have been equipped with the technology on key junctions around the city. The system also gives the PTS vehicles priority at lights where it is appropriate to do so. www.neas.nhs.uk

A new six-month pilot scheme will see East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) and all six East Midlands based fire and rescue services (Derbyshire, Humberside, Leicestershire & Rutland, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire) work together to save more lives. The scheme, in which an Emergency First Responder (EFR) will be dispatched at the same time as an ambulance, will see on-call firefighters at some stations responding to medical emergencies in their own communities. www.emas.nhs.uk

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

(from L to R) Lorna Birse-Stewart, Chief Executive of The Ambulance Services Community, with Dr Anthony Marsh, Chairman of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives.

TASC, The Ambulance Services Charity, has been established as the leading UK charity to provide vital advice and support services to both serving and retired ambulance personnel and their families and dependents in times of difficulty and urgent need. The charity has already received backing from leading figures in the industry, including Dr Anthony Marsh, Chairman

of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE). He was one of 40 guests to join Chairman Cliff Randall and TASC Trustees and staff at the official launch event held at the charity’s new UK Head Office in Coventry. Other attendees from the sector included Chief Executives and representatives of ambulance trusts from across the UK, including Yorkshire, Wales, the South West, Scotland and the independent ambulance service, as well as paramedics from the West Midlands. TASC has been formed through the merger of a number of funds including The Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund (ASBF), Amcare and The Beds and Herts Ambulance Benevolent Fund and will take forward the valuable work undertaken by ASBF since it was formed in 1986.

www.theasc.org.uk

A pioneering project between West Midlands Ambulance Service and Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) means millions of drivers passing through the region are a little bit safer. As part of a project to install 500 automatic external defibrillators (AED) across the West Midlands, the WMAS has installed one of the lifesaving machines in each of the 27 police vehicles that the police unit operates across the motorway network. CMPG is made up of staff from West Midlands, West Mercia and Staffordshire Police forces. The area covered stretches from the Welsh borders to the northern border with Cheshire. This patch covers approximately 400 miles of motorway including eight motorway service areas.

National Police Chiefs’ Council open for business The new body to coordinate operational policing and collaboration among police forces at the national level was officially established on 1 April. National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) will bring together operationally independent and locally accountable chief constables and their chief officer teams to join up the operational response to the most serious and strategic threats. It will work closely with the College of Policing, which is responsible for developing professional standards, to develop national approaches on issues such as finance, technology and human resources. Chief Constable Sara Thornton will chair the NPCC, supported by two vicechairs (Chief Constable Peter Vaughan of South Wales Police and Martin Hewitt,

Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police) in addition to their day jobs as chief officers within forces. Sara said, “I am delighted to lead the NPCC as we meet the challenges facing the police service. Some of the biggest threats we face in the UK, like terrorism and organised crime, are national and international; so there has never been a greater need for forces to work together. I look forward to working with my chief constable colleagues to ensure we have the best coordinated response to protect the public.” In the coming months, the NPCC will develop an annual delivery plan to determine where it will focus efforts for the first year.

WMAS Community Response Manager, Matt Heward, said, “Tens of thousands of motorists use our motorways every single day. Some parts of the motorway network are very remote, so by having more defibs out there, we are increasing the chances of saving a life if a very serious accident happens. We installed the first three machines a couple of years ago, but the current project has allowed us to finish off the programme. This move now means that every fire engine, ambulance and police car that attends an incident on the motorway will carry a defib.”

www.npcc.police.uk

www.wmas.nhs.uk

Bristow Helicopters enhances SAR effectiveness with Airbox PANDA Airbox, the specialist navigation and mission system developer, has confirmed that Bristow Helicopters Limited is to use Airbox PANDA to support its UK SAR operations and Gap SAR bases in Sumburgh and Stornoway. The company will provide its mission visualisation platform to all of Bristow Helicopter’s SAR aircraft and bases enabling efficient and safe flight and

route planning and execution. The PANDA software has been designed to improve a pilot’s knowledge of their environment whether at the planning, operational or debrief phase of a mission. Among the innovations available within the PANDA package are power line and obstacle avoidance, advanced fuel planning and calculations to display areas of operation.

www.bristowsar.com http://airboxpanda.com

June 2015

ESTNEWS | 5

Firefighters in Surrey step in to help paramedics gain access to properties in medical emergencies

Surrey firefighters are stepping in to help ambulance crews gain quick access to the homes of patients who are critically ill and unable to open their doors to paramedics. They have taken on a new role gaining entry to locked properties in medical emergencies to help the ambulance service save even more lives. Police have traditionally been called on to force entry to homes on behalf of paramedics who lack the equipment and expertise to carry out the task themselves. But now Surrey Fire and Rescue Service has become mainly responsible for gaining entry as part of a new initiative aimed at making the best possible use of available emergency service resources.

Working closely together The project involves fire, police and ambulance services in Surrey working more closely together in the best interests of the communities they serve. Firefighters are already well trained in gaining access to properties in an emergency and carry equipment on their vehicles to enable them to do so. They also carry defibrillators and have received enhanced first aid training to help ensure that casualties at the scene

of fires or road accidents are treated as quickly as possible. It means that in some medical emergencies where they have been called on to gain entry, they may be able to begin administering care even before ambulance crews arrive, further improving service to the public. If a patient needs to go to hospital, firefighters will stay at their home until it is secure.

Less damage to property But fire crews’ expertise in gaining entry and the equipment they carry mean they often cause less damage to property than previously. The initiative is allowing the police to focus on other priorities, while arrangements are in place to ensure that fire and rescue service cover is maintained across the county. Lynne Owens, the Chief Constable of Surrey Police, said, “Last year, I was on response duty and attended a ‘concern for an individual’s safety’ call following a request from the South East Coast Ambulance Service. “The intention was for police officers to assist with gaining entry to the home of the person needing medical assistance. I immediately thought that this type of call could be dealt with by other blue light partners who are better placed to respond. Surrey Fire and Rescue Service has the legal ability to force an entry to a premises and their staff are well-trained in doing so. “Many of the calls that need responding to involve life-threatening incidents and time saved by this initiative could

make a huge difference to patients. “An additional benefit for the public is that fewer properties have had to be boarded up as a result of the forced entry, which saves the taxpayer money.” Since Surrey Fire and Rescue Service took on prime responsibility for forcing entry on behalf of the South East Coast Ambulance Service, it has responded to two calls a day, on average. Russell Pearson, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer, said, “We have always been able to undertake this role but are delighted to do so on a more regular basis. It allows us to provide timely assistance to those in need within the community and support our blue light colleagues, which is beneficial to all. Furthermore, arrangements are in place to ensure that we continue to respond effectively to other incidents affecting life or property when they arise.”

Focus on the patient Mark Bailey, Senior Operations Manager for the South East Coast Ambulance Service, said, “We are delighted to be working even more closely with our blue light colleagues. This initiative means ambulance crews will often receive much quicker access to patients due to the speed that fire service resources arrive at the scene. Our crew can focus on the patient while fire crews arrange the security of the property, which reassures patients that their property is being looked after if they are taken to hospital.” http://news.surreycc.gov.uk

Driving forward a new era for England’s roads Highways England, which replaced the Highways Agency on 1 April, will invest £11bn in delivering a raft of improvements on England’s motorways and major A roads making roads even safer, improving traffic flow and reducing congestion. The Delivery Plan, a detailed response to the Government’s Road Investment Strategy, is a long-term approach to improving England’s major roads. It shows how success will be measured against the performance specification set by government and how the organisation will be transformed to perform more efficiently and deliver five strategic outcomes: supporting economic growth; a safe and serviceable network; a more free-flowing network; an

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service has purchased 40 ISG advanced thermal imaging cameras (TICs). This major investment for the service will see the X-Series thermal imagers add a further TIC to all operational appliances as part of a standard vehicle specification. The service will also provide a number of X-Series thermal imagers to Northamptonshire Police as part of its Joint Operations Team and Specialist Operations Group. This means advanced thermal image cameras will be available in the county’s armed response vehicles to support police operations. www.isgfire.com www.scottsafety.com

Joint Protective Services (JPS) units across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire have made savings totalling almost £2.5m in the past 12 months. The three forces have a number of collaborated functions under JPS, including Roads Policing, Major Crime Unit, Dog Unit, Scientific Services and Armed Policing. The collaborative approach saved the three forces a total of £440,000 in 2013/14 and £2.49m in the 12 months to April this year. Projected savings for the next 12 months are £2.24m – a total predicted £5.17m in savings over three years. The JPS function comprises 620 officers and 458 staff from across the three forces. www.herts.police.uk

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has approved an extension of the Firelink Project Agreement for a further 36 months, which means all fire and rescue services in England, Wales and Scotland will continue to use Airwave’s secure and resilient service until at least December 2019. Originally signed in 2006, the Firelink contract has been extended until end-December 2019, when DCLG has a further option to extend for an additional 12 months until end-December 2020. www.airwavesolutions.co.uk

improved environment; and a more accessible and integrated network. Among the objectives outlined, the plan describes how Highways England will: work with industry on emerging vehicle technology and cultivate a new and more mature safety culture that encourages good driver behaviour resulting in safer roads, vehicles and people; take a comprehensive approach to the environment: investing £225m on flood resilience schemes, encouraging bio-

diversity around our roads by protecting and restoring nature areas and resurfacing that tackles noise pollution using low-noise surfacing at 1150 locations; and trial innovative technology on the network, such as wireless power transfer to electric/hybrid vehicles, wireless internet on roads in the south east and acoustic incident detection systems to improve tunnel safety even further. www.highways.gov.uk

Mental health charity Mind has opened a confidential help and support service for emergency services staff, volunteers; and their friends and family. The Blue Light Infoline (0300 303 5999) forms part of a year-long programme being delivered by Mind to support personnel across police, ambulance, fire and search and rescue teams in England. Calls are charged at the local rate. Infoline advisers can also be contacted by email: bluelightinfo@mind.org.uk or by sending a text message to 84999. www.mind.org.uk/BlueLightCourse

June 2015

6 | ESTNEWS Cardiff based Excelerate Technology has been selected as the provider of satellite communications solutions and IT integration on board four new mobile police stations now in development for Dyfed-Powys Police. The mobile stations are being designed and equipped to replicate actual police stations. They are bespoke, purpose-built vehicles capable of providing a professional, practical and long lasting service that supports the Neighbourhood Policing Teams in their work to further engage with their communities. Operating in a predominantly rural policing area, the requirement for satellite communications had been identified to support effective deployment across the entire force area, including full access to police systems and telephony.

£3.2m national procurement makes private rented sector safer In a welcome boost for safety in the private rented sector, the Government has backed recent proposed changes to legislation by providing funding for an extra 500,000 smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors worth £3.2m. These alarms will be distributed into the private rented sector by fire and rescue services following a collaborative procurement initiative between the CFOA (Chief Fire Officers’ Association) National Procurement Group and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

www.excelerate-group.com

Airwave has won two gold awards in the prestigious health and safety awards scheme run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA): a‘Gold Award for Managing Occupational Road Risk’ and a ‘Gold Award for their achievements in Managing Occupational Health and Safety’. The awards will be presented during a ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, at the National Exhibition Centre, on 15 July 2015. www.airwavesolutions.co.uk

New figures show that West Midlands Ambulance Service is the highest performing ambulance trust in the country. Provisional figures show that WMAS came top, out of the 10 Trusts, in two of the four target categories, was second in a third category and narrowly came third in the fourth. WMAS had the highest performance in the country for the most serious calls, Red 1, which includes cases such as cardiac arrests where it achieved over 77 percent against a target of 75 percent. www.wmas.nhs.uk

Over 50 emergency planning practitioners attended a national workshop at the Alexandra Palace in London recently to explore the challenges in dealing compassionately and effectively with people in the aftermath of disasters. During the discussions, the role of the voluntary sector was particularly highlighted. The Civil Contingencies Secretariat in the Cabinet Office is currently revising national guidance on humanitarian assistance, and the findings of the workshop will be fed into the consultation, with the revised guidance expected by the summer. www.the-eps.org

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

DCLG provided a one-off resource grant of £3.2m to fire authorities in 2015 to purchase the alarms, which will be provided at nil cost to private landlords, on request. The grant funding was provided in anticipation of a one-off spike in demand for these products from landlords seeking to comply with the proposed new Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations, which are currently awaiting Parliamentary approval and expected to come into force on 1 October 2015. The Government’s impact assessment estimates that over 200 lives will be saved over the next 10 years through

the distribution of alarms and the proposed new legislation. The CFOA National Procurement Group was approached at the end of February by central government to establish what scale of procurement might be achieved in an incredibly tight timescale before the financial year-end on 31 March. In a nationally coordinated approach using professional expertise within the sector: • Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service was able to place an order for 45,000 smoke alarms with FireBlitz via a contract that was already in place • West Midlands Fire Service was able to conduct mini-competition process through a framework agreement let by YPO (the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation) and awarded a contract for 400,000 smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to Sprue Safety Products. The ability of the CFOA National Procurement Group to respond quickly to this opportunity and coordinate the procurement work on behalf of the fire sector was fundamental to this important safety initiative being possible. In addition, as part of the procurement process, agreement was reached with the suppliers to fund and support a joint, concerted national publicity campaign that is being coordinated by CFOA. This campaign aims to raise awareness of the availability of the free alarms in the run up to 1 October 2015, when the regulations are intended to take effect.

Kieran Timmins, Deputy Chief Executive at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and CFOA Director responsible for procurement, said, “I am extremely proud of the work done by colleagues across the country to make this procurement happen. It’s a great example of the strides we have made in developing a joined up national approach to a whole host of functions within fire. A big thank you to the suppliers for their work on this as well.”

Best practice hub The next steps for CFOA National Procurement are to implement fully the national procurement programme of work and develop a hub of best practice. This work is being funded by a successful collaborative Transformation Fund Bid of £374,000. There will be an opportunity to hear more about this important programme of collaborative procurement work at a Fire Procurement Network event on 24 September at The Emergency Services Show. There will also be a Collaborative Procurement stand at the show where there will be an opportunity over both days to talk to members of the CFOA National Procurement Group about this important programme. www.cfoa.org.uk For more information contact Melanie Walsh, Head of Procurement at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service – e-mail: mwalsh@dsfire.gov.uk

Force strikes deal with SAR specialists West Midlands Police has teamed up with some of the region’s most experienced search and rescue (SAR) specialists to bolster its missing people investigations. The force has struck an agreement with four specialist volunteer groups − Search & Rescue Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Severn and Central − to offer expert support when officers are called to search open land. The deal gives police teams access to around 150 highly-trained individuals − seasoned in scouring large expanses of countryside, hills and water − who can be scrambled to scenes within an hour. Chief Inspector Nick Rowe from West Midlands Police’s Operations Support Unit (OSU) said the agreement is a major boost to the force’s search capability. He said, “These groups are highly skilled in looking for lost walkers or moun-

taineers; we don’t have too many mountains in the West Midlands but we still have large swathes of open land in Solihull, north Birmingham and border areas like the Clent Hills. “They are trained to search confined spaces like quarries or caves, which feature heavily across the old mining regions on the Western side of the force. “The volunteers bring with them assets like search dogs, 4x4 vehicles and boats. They are better placed to search open land and water than our frontline officers… this deal gives us more resilience to keep officers out on the streets and policing our communities." West Midlands Police has been working towards a formal arrangement with the volunteer groups having seen the vital support role SAR played in the hunt for missing girl April Jones in Wales in October 2012.

Andy Spry, from Leicestershire Search & Rescue, said, “We’re very pleased to have been invited to take part in this collaboration…it’s a great opportunity to all work together and showcase the fantastic work we do. “The formal agreement means we can provide a more coordinated response…we will focus on search requests in Solihull, Coventry and east Birmingham and we would aim to have teams on the ground within 90 minutes after the callout.” www.west-midlands.police.uk

June 2015

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

June 2015

8 | ESTEVENTS

Voluntary sector’s vital role highlighted at The Emergency Services Show Emergency Services Times (EST): How would you summarise the role of St John Ambulance?

The voluntary sector is emerging as a key partner in emergency response in the light of austerity cuts, a trend we can expect to continue with the election of the new government. The emergency response voluntary sector has a substantial resource of trained and skilled people, vehicles, equipment and premises that provide practical and emotional support before, during and after an emergency. This allows the emergency services to concentrate on the immediate needs of a crisis, freeing up vital resource. The Voluntary Sector Civil Protection Forum (VSCP) confirms that the voluntary sector employs over 15,000 and has around 260,000 volunteers it can call upon in the event of an emergency. It operates more than 2000 vehicles, including ambulances, 4x4s, lifeboats and aircraft. Never has there been more reason to increase the dialogue and cooperation between the emergency services and the voluntary sector. Something that The Emergency Response Zone (ERZ) at The Emergency Services Show is specifically designed to facilitate. Emergency Services Times spoke to Peter Huckle, National Events and Emergency Operations Manager at St John Ambulance, one of almost 80 ERZ exhibitors raising their profile with a stand at the show.

Peter Huckle (PH): St John Ambulance is the nation’s leading first aid charity. Every year, more than 800,000 people learn how to save a life through our training programmes, including hundreds of thousands of young people. Our volunteers provide first aid in their communities, keeping people safe at events, and working alongside the NHS in response to 999 calls. We’re also always campaigning to raise awareness of first aid and directly educate the public. First aid is such a simple skill, but it has an incredible impact. We want everyone to learn it, so that they can be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.

EST: What is your main reason for exhibiting at The Emergency Services Show? PH: To raise awareness of the charity and demonstrate how we are developing into more diverse areas to deliver on our mission.

Peter Huckle, National Events & Emergency Operations Manager, St John Ambulance.

EST: If money was no object, and you could buy any one piece of emergency response equipment or technology, what would it be? PH: Enough defibrillators to ensure easy access and an opportunity to make the difference between a life lost and a life saved.

Register and start networking today! EST: Whom are you hoping to meet? PH: As many attendees as possible, to share and inform on our charitable objectives.

EST: What often surprises people about your organisation and the services you offer? PH: The general public are not always aware that St John Ambulance is a charity and do not always understand the breadth of work undertaken by us. Many are aware of the first aid our volunteers provide in their communities and at events, like football matches, marathons and music festivals, but they don't always know about the work we do in schools training hundreds of thousands of young people or our campaigning work or the free direct education we provide.

More than 2200 people have already registered to attend The Emergency Services Show 2015. Thanks to a new social registration tool, powered by GleanIn, many are using their LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook profiles when they register so they can see which people and companies from their networks will be also attending the event. Visitors registering in advance can also see, search and connect with other visitors to ensure maximum value from their visit. Register today using your social media accounts via the show website.

www.emergencyuk.com St John Ambulance will be on Stand Z240 in the Emergency Response Zone at The Emergency Services Show 2015, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from 23-24 September.

Diary dates in 2015 8-13 June Interschutz 2015 Hannover, Germany

15-18 September DSEI 2015 Excel, London

1-22 October Life Connections 2015 Kettering Conference Centre

www.interschutz.de

www.dsei.co.uk

www.lifeconnections.uk.com

9-10 June NAPFM The Emergency Fleet Exhibition The International Centre, Telford

23-24 September The Emergency Services Show 2015 The NEC, Birmingham

27-30 October A+A 2015 Düsselfdorf, Germany

www.napfmevent.org.uk

www.emergencyuk.com

www.aplusa.de

23-27 August International Association of Women Police 53rd Annual Training Conference Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

16 November The Air Ambulance Conference Millennium Gloucester Hotel, london www.associationofairambulances.co.uk/event/21

www.iawp2015.org

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

June 2015

ESTPREVENTION | 11

Prevention: the next chapter I would hope by now that the prevention and protection role performed by fire and rescue services across the UK was well recognised by the public and many of our stakeholders. Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSCs) have been commonplace for over a decade and millions of UK homes have been made safer thanks to visits from local firefighters and fire and rescue service volunteers. A generation of children will have received quality fire and road safety education in their schools, and some will have had the chance to visit world-class safety centres. Words: Peter Dartford, President, Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) & Chief Fire Officer, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. In more recent months and years we’ve built on our early successes and taken a more sophisticated approach by targeting the broader causal factors of fire deaths and injuries. Smoking, alcohol and other substance misuse, poor mental and physical health, isolation and frailty are all major contributors to risk from fire and so tackling them is the best way of stopping a fire fatality from happening. Fire and rescue services also take a smarter, more targeted approach to what they do, using data to ensure the 670,000 interactions we have with the public in their homes each year through HFSCs are targeted towards the most vulnerable and at risk.

Greater Manchester FRS has implemented Community Risk Intervention Teams.

We know this has worked; fires, fire deaths and fire injuries are all down markedly in the past decade, which is a huge success story and fairly unique in the public sector. We’ve also been very successful in cutting arson, malicious false alarms and unwanted fire signals from automatic fire alarm systems, reducing time wasted and freeing up capacity for more proactive community safety work.

Risks remain However, I don’t believe we can or should rest on our laurels, for two key reasons. Firstly, the risks facing the UK population from fire and other emergencies remain and factors such as our rapidly ageing population will mean that more people will be at risk. We already know that over 50 percent of fire deaths are among those over 65, which is the fastest growing part of the population. More people are living alone in old age and dementia and other debilitating mental health problems are on the rise. We will therefore need to keep up our active approach to prevention if we are to keep people safe in their homes. Secondly, we should not be satisfied with doing what we are doing now, even if it is extremely successful. While efficiencies are being made, there will always need to be a robust and capable fire and rescue service in the UK, even as fires and other emergencies continue their welcome decline. This means that we have a highly trained group of problem solvers available to assist in other areas of public need and improve wider social outcomes.

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

Fire and health One area where I believe there is considerable scope for further fire and rescue service involvement is within the health economy. The pressures on the health service are enormous at the moment, and are only going to grow unless we work differently. There are also numerous synergies between our priorities; many of the critical issues increasing vulnerability to fire mentioned above – loneliness, frailty, mental health, smoking etc – are also major issues for the NHS and Public Health England. Those 670,000 HFSCs mentioned earlier are a perfect case in point. If we are already in peoples’ homes, why shouldn’t we be considering the health issues and hazards at the same time? Rather than just fitting a smoke alarm and providing safety advice, firefighters can undertake health assessments such as sight screening and the gate test for frailty, signpost people to health support services or refer them directly. Going further, why couldn’t fire and rescue service personnel administer flu vaccines or, as is already taking place in Greater Manchester, fit handrails and other equipment to prevent slips, trips and falls? I should be clear that this is not about ‘taking over’ from the health or indeed ambulance services. They are the experts and the FRS is in no position to replace the work they do, and have no desire to do so either! Instead, our services should be supporting the health services to alleviate some of the huge pressures they are under, in a constructive and collaborative way.

“Our services should be supporting the health services to alleviate some of the huge pressures they are under, in a constructive and collaborative way.” Overcoming challenges So how are CFOA and fire and rescue services going to make this a reality? There are always numerous challenges when instigating any radical changes and bringing together different organisations, but we believe all of these can be overcome. We are already working closely with colleagues in NHS England and Public Health England to explore what we can do and what the health professionals want from us. Simon Stevens, the NHS England Chief Executive, has already set us the ambitious target of helping health colleagues to reduce

pressure on acute health services and bring down the number of excess winter deaths next year. CFOA has also appointed its first lead for health, Greater Manchester Chief Fire Officer Peter O’Reilly, who is enormously passionate about this Peter Dartford, President, CFOA. idea and is leading by example in his own brigade, with the implementation of Community Risk Intervention Teams. In fact we are already seeing many innovative services organising this sort of work at a local level, but we can do more to expand the best practice and add in further interventions with the help of health colleagues. That said, not all fire and rescue services are going to be able to undertake this sort of work to the same level – different budgets, staffing and local risks would make a prescriptive national approach both unlikely and unhelpful. Very rarely will two areas have the same needs, and therefore our offer should reflect that.

Other areas of prevention Health is certainly one of the biggest areas where I think fire and rescue services can apply our experience of prevention, but I don’t think it’s the only contribution we can make. One of the fire and rescue services’ strongest attributes is our positive public image, which gives firefighters and other fire and rescue service staff the ability to engage with vulnerable and hard to reach communities in ways other public bodies often struggle to do. Our work with children on issues such as anti-social behaviour – linked to fire setting – is a great example. Fire cadet schemes and other programmes give children confidence and positive role models, while also improving their discipline and fitness. We also work with communities to improve cohesion, working with faith groups and ethnic minorities on programmes to improve safety and integration at the same time. There is clearly more we could do in this area, and it will be through positive working relationships with partners, just like with the NHS, that we will achieve it. While the fire and rescue service will not be able to contribute to resolving all of the UK’s problems, there is no doubt that we have the skills, desire and capacity to make an even bigger impact than we already do. We are in the business of saving and improving lives, so it would be against our fundamental purpose not to actively seek the chance to do more.

www.cfoa.org.uk

June 2015

12 | ESTPREVENTION

Protecting people and property in Humberside Humberside Police is using Manx Telecom’s Chameleon Direct Strongest Signal SIM to help safeguard potentially vulnerable victims, protect buildings and assets at risk from theft or arson, and to maximise their operational effectiveness. Humberside Police faces all the challenges of serving a diverse population in both built-up areas and countryside. One challenge – protecting potentially vulnerable victims – has led Humberside Police to deploy Chameleon Direct Strongest Signal SIMs to provide a fast and effective response in what can, at times, be life and death situations. Individuals or groups can become vulnerable because of characteristics such as religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, relationships with partners, or ethnicity. Whatever the reason, a vulnerable person can be the subject of a range of offences such as harassment, physical assault, or sexual attack.

Chameleon Direct SIMs can be used with any dual band (900/1800) handset, and provide access to all UK GSM networks. The service also gives 3G, packet, and circuit switched data coverage across all UK networks. Chameleon Direct can be programmed with the appropriate class of service so that the SIM will work under MTPAS conditions, for organisations entitled to MTPAS status.

Flexible approach The police have a responsibility to protect vulnerable people, and Humberside Police’s use of alarms using Chameleon Direct’s Strongest Signal SIM enables them to do just that, quickly and effectively. Often, alarms need to be deployed at very short notice, or in locations where landlines are not appropriate, and an alarm with an embedded SIM can be the best solution. The type of alarm can vary, from a panic button activated by a victim, to a passive or silent alarm, which alerts the police without an intruder knowing.

“No single network can guarantee to provide 100 percent coverage in every location,” says Gary. “We wanted something, which would give us the most resilient connectivity, and Chameleon Direct gives us just that.” Typically, Humberside Police has a number of Chameleon-powered alarms in service at any given time, and in the four years they have been used by the force they have proved their worth. “There’s no question that the alarms, have saved lives, caught burglars, prevented arson attacks, and saved individuals from constant harassment,” says Gary.

Maximum mobile connectivity

“It can be a very flexible way of protecting people,” says, Gary Woolston, Technical Support Manager. “The vulnerable person gets the reassurance that help is just a call away, but they can live their lives without an intrusive police presence. For the police, it means we can provide effective protection only when needed, freeing us to deal with day-to-day police work.”

Protecting buildings It’s not only people who are at risk; Humberside also uses Chameleon Direct’s Strongest Signal SIMs in alarms in a variety of domestic and industrial buildings. Alarms are placed in locations where there is a particular risk of thefts or arson, and at sites where high value capital equipment is at risk of theft or criminal damage. Alarms are also used to protect unmanned crime scenes, to ensure that no one tampers with evidence, which could be vital to the successful prosecution of a case. The stakes are high in every sense of the word, and it’s vital that an alarm gets its message through, unhindered by any variation in network coverage.

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

“For the police and others charged with protecting people, buildings, and assets, it makes sense to take advantage of the best mobile technology can offer to ensure maximum operational capability,” says Sarah Creighton, Chameleon Product Manager. When it really matters, Chameleon Direct can provide the solution – offering users the ability to roam across UK networks via a single SIM. Chameleon Direct automatically selects the strongest signal in any given location, to offer the best possible level of coverage at all times.

“There's no question that the alarms, have saved lives, caught burglars, prevented arson attacks and saved individuals from constant harassment.” Everything about Chameleon Direct is simple to set up, easy to operate, and scalable. Ordering new, replacement, or additional SIMs is easy, and billing is straightforward. No bundles, no subsidised or special handsets – just the best possible mobile coverage, regardless of location. Chameleon Direct is available from Manx Telecom, a market leader in providing strongest signal mobile connectivity for the UK market.

www.strongestsignalmobile.com

Chameleon Direct – when it really matters: • Maximum mobile connectivity

• Can be used with virtually any handset, or device which uses a SIM card

• Can roam across UK networks via a single SIM • Selects the strongest mobile signal in any given location

• Gives 3G, Packet, and Circuit Switched data coverage across all UK networks • Compatible with MTPAS

• Provides the best possible mobile coverage at all times

• Simple to set up, easy to operate, and scalable.

June 2015

ESTPREVENTION | 13

Using data to keep the most vulnerable safer Age UK and the fire rescue service (FRS) in England’s innovative approach is encouraging local partners to work together to reduce preventable hospital admissions and excess winter deaths, by using data to target preventative services at the most vulnerable older people. Building on the best practice already taking place in parts of the UK, the approach utilises the FRS’s intelligence-led prevention and intervention offering, coupled with the experience and capacity of Age UK to develop smart practices in engaging with those most at risk. Frail older people are at risk from fire, much as they are at risk from a range of other factors such as slips, trips and falls, loneliness, fuel and financial poverty. The joint aim of Age UK and the FRS in England is to improve the quality of life of our communities, by using GP registration data to target resources and engagement more effectively.

Early intervention and prevention The FRS has been very successful in developing strategies around intelligence-led early intervention and prevention, which has seen fire deaths and injuries reduced by half. By working together, the FRS and Age UK can add value and scale-up efforts to engage with older people. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) has been working with NHS England to give English FRS (in the first instance) access to GP registration data known as Exeter Health data, from July 2015. This critical data enables the identification of over 65s and the targeting of vulnerable households to deliver vital home safety assessments. The data sharing project is being led by Evan Morris, Ageing Safely Lead at CFOA and sponsored by the Fire Service Research and Training Trust.

“Together we can improve the lives, health, safety and welfare of older people around the UK.” This unique way of working with data has received recognition and praise from the Cabinet Office, the Information Commissioners Office and NHS England. Simon Stevens, Head of NHS England, is particularly encouraged by the broader opportunities this way of working presents for person-centred approaches and preventative interventions as described in his NHS Five Year Forward Vision. Combining and targeting collective resources in such a way has potential benefits for local commissioners too, by delivering greater scale and impact. One area of the UK has been in receipt of Exeter Health data since 2008. Analysis has shown that fire deaths and injuries have been reduced to half the national average, and joint working has seen benefits rising among over 65s by over £8m.

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

Photo: Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Data opportunities CFOA and Age UK are encouraging all their partners to talk about the opportunities the data and capacity will create, and to work together at a local level to achieve greater outcomes for older people. Experience has shown that when FRSs have started targeting with data, they come across complex issues such as severe loneliness, fuel deprivation, etc. In such circumstances, local Age UKs play an essential role in supporting FRSs to ensure a successful solution is found. As a local Age UK Chief Executive, Ken Clemens, from Age UK Cheshire, has many years of experience of working with the local fire and rescue service developing intelligence-led services and interventions. Ken said, “Who would have dreamed that fire service personnel would make such a logical fit or partner for local Age UK Brand Partners? Working with FRS is both motivational and can be highly effective. Over a number of years our work has grown in respect amongst commissioners and health and social care practitioners. Our collaboration has seen the development and joint employment of dementia outreach services, deafness support workers and an increase in uptake in assistive technology. “The results have been academically tested and published in the Journal of Public Health1 and fire deaths and injuries have been acknowledged as being significantly below the national average.”

Early intervention saves lives Peter Dartford, President of the Chief Fire Officers’ Association, said, “Evidence strongly suggests that

greater collaboration and partnership working between FRSs and local Age UKs will deliver more effective interventions to some of the most vulnerable people in society. “Together we can improve the lives, health, safety and welfare of older people around the UK. Closer working and early intervention at the local level can help reduce pressure on GPs’ surgeries and hospitals. This is something that all FRSs and local Age UKs should aspire to.” Commenting on behalf of Age UK, Pam Creaven, Director of Services, said, “The pace of change and challenges facing our health and care economy are staggering. We know that many older people and their families are concerned and worried about what these changes mean for them. “Local people trust and value organisations that are a part of their community, such as their fire service and Age UK. But we know that there are many isolated older people that are unable to get out and access the help and support they need. Local Age UKs and local fire services working together could therefore really make a difference. Our collective experience and expertise could enable us to support older people better.”

www.cfoa.org.uk Reference 1 Journal of Public Health Advance Access published September 2012 – An assessment of the impact of home safety assessments on fires and fire-related injuries.

June 2015

14 | ESTPREVENTION

Taking steps against slips and trips in the work environment Slips, trips and falls are the leading cause of major injuries in the workplace. The Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL), a leading provider of health and safety solutions to the emergency services, offers practical advice on how to protect staff and other personnel. Recent statistics for Great Britain show that 56 percent of all major injuries and almost three out of 10 (29 percent) of over seven-day injuries resulted from a slip, trip or fall (Health and Safety Executive (HSE) 2013/14). It is estimated that two million working days are lost from such accidents, with numerous major injuries to employees and significant costs to employers. But almost all slips and trips can be prevented, often with simple inexpensive interventions.

Preventing slips Slips happen when a pedestrian needs more friction than is offered by the combination of their footwear, the flooring they are walking on and any contaminant between the two. This is most common during the heel strike phase of gait and often results in a backward fall. The biggest challenges when trying to prevent slips in the workplace are knowing where to get reliable information on flooring, understanding the ins and outs of cleaning, and knowing how to select footwear.

Specifying flooring Not all flooring is slippery when wet. There are many different ways to test how slippery a floor is but only a small number of tests are actually relevant to pedestrian slips. The HSE recommends the use of the pendulum test, a friction test, which recreates the important aspects of pedestrian gait. The pendulum is a portable test allowing it to be used when specifying flooring and on site to monitor the slip resistance of installed floors. Excellent slip resistant flooring is available, which prevents slips in the workplace, but floors are often poorly specified using inappropriate tests.

Managing cleaning Cleaning is often overlooked as the least important aspect of a job. In reality, cleaning is an important task in any work environment. Well planned floor cleaning removes contamination and reduces the risk of slips. Poorly planned cleaning can increase the risk of slipping and tripping by leaving smooth floors wet after cleaning and introducing trailing cables and other obstacles to the work environment. Emergency services organisations should consider how well planned and managed their cleaning is, and whether it is effective and minimises risk.

Selecting footwear

Preventing trips

The slip resistance offered by footwear is wildly variable. Effective slip resistant footwear is available, which has been proven to prevent slips. The Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL) has developed the GRIP rating scheme for the slip resistance of footwear. The European PPE Directive recognises the need for slip resistance as a protective property of workplace footwear. Current standards provide a minimum level of compliance. GRIP goes beyond this to provide valid data for selecting appropriate, slip resistant footwear.

Trip hazards are simple to identify, but are not always dealt with. Trips occur when a pedestrian catches their foot on an object, which interrupts their gait and usually leads to a forward fall. Obstacles as little as 10mm high can cause someone to trip. They are often the result of poor housekeeping or poor maintenance; an obstacle left in a walkway or a damaged surface standing proud of its surroundings. Trips can also occur over temporary hazards like curled up matting or trailing cables. Where possible, trip hazards should be removed or repaired. Where this is not possible, clearly identifying the hazard with a highlight, which contrasts with its surroundings can help people see the hazard and avoid a trip.

www.hsl.gov.uk

“The GRIP scheme can help purchasers to find appropriate footwear, using a five star rating system.” www.emergencyservicestimes.com

Footwear selection should be informed by a risk assessment. The GRIP scheme can help services’ purchasers to find appropriate footwear, using a five star rating system. For low hazard environments one star or two star footwear is a sensible way to protect staff from slips. Where slips are known to occur, three star or four star footwear will reduce the occurrence of slipping. In the most challenging working environments, five star footwear may be necessary to adequately control slip risk. More detail on GRIP can be found at: www.hsl.gov.uk/products/grip

June 2015

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www.emergencyservicestimes.com

June 2015

16 | ESTINDUSTRIAL

What the Seveso III Directive means for UK COMAH sites The Seveso III Directive will be implemented by EU member states by 1 June 2015, which means further revision to the UK COMAH Regulations. The major change to the Directive concerns the re-classification of substances and mixtures to align them with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonised System (GHS) for the classification, labelling and packaging of chemical substances and mixtures. The first Seveso Directive was adopted in 1982. It was developed following a serious accident in 1976 in Seveso, Italy, where the release of lethal dioxin into the atmosphere resulted in up to 2000 people being treated for dioxin poisoning and 10 square miles of land and vegetation being contaminated. While there were no fatalities, it was agreed that there should be legislation to help prevent accidents of this nature from occurring again. The original Seveso Directive has been amended twice to broaden its scope. Firstly in 1987 in response to the infamous Bhopal disaster; and again in 1988 following the massive pollution of the Rhine River by organophosphate pesticides, mercury and other chemicals from the Sandoz warehouse in Basel, Switzerland. Over half a million fish were killed by the polluted water.

Seveso II/COMAH The Seveso II Directive was adopted in 1996 and repealed the previous one. Introduced in the UK as The Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 1999, its scope was yet broader and aimed to prevent and mitigate the effects of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances, which can cause serious damage or harm to people or the environment. Seveso II brought in new requirements relating to safety management systems, emergency planning and land-use planning. The COMAH Regulations were amended in 2005 to include the addition of new named substances; changes to some existing substances and generic categories of substance. This included revising the qualifying quantities and changes to the aggregation rule – used to determine if COMAH applies where single substances are present in quantities less than the qualifying quantities.

“The new Regulations make explicit that Lower Tier sites are required to have appropriate internal emergency planning arrangements in place. ” While COMAH Regulations generally apply to the Oil & Gas and Chemical industries, they are also applicable to certain storage facilities, pyrotechnic and explosive substances, mining and the storage of ammonium nitrate and ammonium nitrate-based fertilisers.

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

The Seveso III Directive was adopted on 4 July 2012 and will be implemented by EU member states by 1 June 2015, which means further revision to the UK COMAH Regulations.

Why Seveso III? Under Seveso II/COMAH substances and mixtures were classified under CHIP Regulations. The reclassification of substances and mixtures under Seveso III means these will now be replaced by the EU’s CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) legislation, which also became fully effective on 1 June 2015. The new alignment method will inevitably lead to changes in the scope of Seveso.

How will Seveso III affect UK companies? Since substances and mixtures are to be re-classified there is the potential for companies that are currently categorised as COMAH lower-tier to become upper-tier and vice versa. The prognosis is that the majority of high hazard sites will remain the same, particularly if they are already top-tier. However, a minority of companies that are currently non-COMAH may now become lower-tier as a result of the changes. Those who find themselves reassigned to a higher category will need to prepare data and documentation, which may not have been necessary before. For example, at present lower-tier operators need to prepare a MAPP (Major Accident Prevention Policy), which should be provided to the Regulator on request in order to comply with COMAH. If they are categorised as upper-tier as a result of Seveso III, they will have to prepare a Safety Report at least every five years, but

more frequently in the event of any major changes that might compromise the safety of people and the environment. SMEs upgraded by the new Directive are likely to feel the financial burden of legislation more than larger companies, since proportionately the effect will be far greater. Changes in the quantities of substances/combinations of substances might also mean that companies further down the supply chain become caught up in COMAH legislation, for example storage and distribution companies, if the quantities fall below those they currently handle.

New Classification Categories New categories under Seveso III/ CLP include Category 1 Pyrophoric Liquids and Solids and Flammable Aerosols. The qualifying quantity is 50tonnes of pyrophoric liquids or solids for lower-tier establishments and 200-tonnes for upper-tier establishments. For Flammable Aerosols Category 1 or 2 containing flammable gases Category 1 or 2 or flammable liquids Category 1, the upper-tier threshold is 500-tonnes (net) and for lower-tier it is 150-tonnes (net). Again, since this is a new category, companies, particularly warehousing/distribution companies, might find that they suddenly fall under COMAH legislation. Examples of other substances, which will come within scope under Seveso III include Ethylenediamene, Benzaldehyde, Cyclohexanone, Maleic Anhydride, Methacrylic Acid and Morpholine.

June 2015

ESTINDUSTRIAL | 17

Emergency planning The fundamentals of the emergency planning system remain the same. However, the new Regulations make explicit that Lower Tier sites are required to have appropriate internal emergency planning arrangements in place. Establishments brought into Upper Tier as a result of scope changes will have two years to provide their external emergency plan information rather than one. Category 1 Responders (as per CCA 2004) could be compelled to take part in the testing of external emergency plans if their presence is considered necessary. Sites brought into scope of COMAH through CLP changes will have longer to provide the relevant information for their external emergency plan. Category 1 responders may be compelled to participate in testing.

Domino Effects •

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Domino sites will be required to cooperate, as far as possible, with neighbouring sites – including nonCOMAH – to share relevant information The Competent Authority will be required to, as far as possible, provide domino sites with any other relevant information it may hold Domino groups will need to take steps to seek cooperation with all neighbouring sites that could be relevant to a major accident hazard scenario Domino groups will, where available, receive additional information from the Competent Authority to aid the consideration of major accident hazard scenarios

Public Information Public Information is the key difference between Seveso II and Seveso III. The Commission chose to align the Directive with the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (known as Aarhus Convention) of which the UK is a signatory. Aarhus is globally regarded as the benchmark for access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters. Aarhus Convention is structured around three ‘pillars’: 1. Access to environmental information 2. Public participation in environmental decision-making 3. Access to justice in environmental matters. All sites will have to make basic information about their sites permanently and electronically available. Upper Tier sites will have to make additional information on top of the basic requirements permanently and electronically available and will still be required to produce PIZ information and distribute it to persons likely to be affected by a major accident. Further information including Safety Reports and inspection plans will have to be made available on request. Processes will be in place to allow for information to be redacted as required on the grounds of commercial confidentiality and national security. All sites will have to make essential information permanently and electronically available. All sites should be aware that information can be requested by the public and there will be a presumption that it should be provided.

What else is new? In addition to the new substance classifications and quantities, there is a much greater focus on land-use planning and the rights of the public to become involved in projects related to COMAH plants. COMAH sites must

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also provide better access for citizens to information about risks resulting from their activities and issue information on how to behave should an accident occur. Public information about potential risks must be made available electronically from now on. There will also be the introduction of appropriate ‘safety distances’ in plans for new establishments and infrastructure near existing establishments, although the distances themselves have not been specified. When authorities and establishments assess major accident potential and put in place measures to address this, they will need to take into consideration the potential for increased risks on account of the proximity to other industrial sites and any possible repercussions on nearby installations. Citizens who have not been granted appropriate access to information or participation will have access to justice. Consequently it is in the interests of all companies to provide information, without being asked for it, on the nature and risks pertaining to their business, safeguards they have in place to prevent an accident and emergency response procedures. Indeed, the sharing of and access to information is a common theme throughout the new Directive. The Member States are to adopt, by 1 January 2015, implementing acts to establish formats for communicating information on major accidents occurring within their territory. These will take the form of databases and include an analysis of the causes of the accidents, lessons learned, and preventative measures required to prevent a recurrence. This information will be made publicly available, with the exception of those aspects deemed confidential. The reality is that Safety Reports are currently excluded from the Public register on security grounds, and this situation is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.

“Since substances and mixtures are to be re-classified there is the potential for companies that are currently categorised as COMAH lower-tier to become upper-tier and vice versa.” Should you be concerned? There will be stricter standards for site inspections to ensure more effective enforcement of safety rules, but essentially if you are already a top-tier COMAH establishment you should have little to worry about, provided that you are confident that you have the appropriate safety procedures in place, including internal and external emergency response procedures, and are doing all you can to ensure that risk potential is as low as is reasonably practicable (ALARP). You should already be producing a safety report, but remember that it is a working document and needs to be referred to at all times. Bear in mind also that any changes to plant, procedures, personnel or process require new risk assessments and the appropriate

Process Safety Management (PSM) plan. Once the PSM system has been developed it is essential that it is deployed correctly and regularly monitored. Remember also that you need to be able to demonstrate competence across the organisation – from the board room to the factory floor. If as a result of the re-categorisation of substances your company is upgraded from a lower to upper-tier COMAH site, then you will need to prepare a safety report. This can be time-consuming, especially if you don’t have dedicated full-time safety personnel, so it is often worthwhile employing an experienced consultancy who will be able to perform an audit and gap analysis to identify areas where you need to up-theante and recommend appropriate safety strategies proportionate to the risk involved. A good consultancy will be up-to-speed with all safety regulations and will have a close relationship with the Competent Authority. They will also take a holistic approach to safety and avoid kneejerk reactions to hot topics by suggesting you divert budget to those areas where the overall safety of the plant will be reduced. New safety regulations can sometimes seem a bit of a minefield, but their purpose is ultimately to provide the most effective protection possible against a major accident. With the appropriate support and a positive and proactive attitude companies should have nothing to fear.

Who are CFB Risk Management? CFB Risk Management is the trading arm of Cleveland Fire Brigade (CFB), one of the highest performing fire and rescue services in the United Kingdom (UK), and offers world-class asset protection services to high hazard industry throughout Europe and the Middle East. For more than 40 years the organisation has protected one of Europe’s largest clusters of high hazard industry and is recognised as being a highly professional, reputable and dependable organisation with a proven track record of safety through understanding and managing high hazard risks and is a trusted service provider to some of the largest organisations in the world within the Oil and Gas, Petrochemical and Nuclear sectors. All services are tailored to site specific risks and are aimed at making organisations a safer place to work. CFB Risk Management works with and assist organisations to: prevent accidents and emergency situations; rescue and assist people in emergencies quickly, effectively and competently; and mitigate the after effects of emergencies through effective preplanning and identification of effective business continuity arrangements.

www.clevelandfire.gov.uk For more information about CFB Risk Management please contact Richard Davis by e-mail: rdavis@clevelandfire.gov.uk or call Tel: 01429 874088

June 2015

18 | ESTPEOPLE Avon and Somerset Constabulary has appointed two new Assistant Chief Constables. Nikki Watson and Sarah Crew were the two successful candidates following a recent recruitment process. Nikki will be responsible for the Prevention, Protection and Prosecutions portfolio and Sarah will take the lead for the Local Policing portfolio. www.avonandsomerset.police.uk

The Chair of Avon Fire Authority, Councillor Terry Walker, has stepped down after 34 years in the role bringing to a close his time as the longest serving fire authority chair in the country. Mr Walker’s final public engagements for Avon Fire and Rescue Service were to re-open the recently extended Kingswood Fire Station and cut the turf to mark the start of the building of a new fire station at Hicks Gate near Keynsham. www.avonfire.gov.uk

Chief Constable Simon Prince has appointed Liane James as the Assistant Chief Constable for Dyfed Powys Police. Liane, who joins from South Wales Police, will take up her new role in June 2015. www.dyfed-powys.police.uk

London Assembly Member Gareth Bacon has been appointed as the new Chairman of London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), the body that runs London Fire Brigade. Mr Bacon replaces James Cleverly who stood down as Chairman following his selection as a parliamentary candidate in the General Election. www.london-fire.gov.uk

Chief Constable Adrian Lee has appointed Rachel Swann as a new Assistant Chief Constable for Northamptonshire Police. Rachel joins the force from Leicestershire Police where she was a Chief Superintendent. www.northants.police.uk

South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority has appointed Richard Prendergast as the new Assistant Chief Fire Officer and Director of Technical Services for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service. In his new role he will be responsible for operational risk management, health and safety, fleet and ICT. www.southwales-fire.gov.uk

Warwickshire North Yorkshire Police appoints first volunteer Chief Officer Police welcomes two to the top team Following the retirement of Chief Constable Andy Parker, Warwickshire Police has welcomed both a new Chief Constable and Temporary Deputy Chief Constable to the force. New Chief Martin Jelley has worked as a police officer for 26 years. He started his career in Norfolk Constabulary where he spent 16 years, followed by five years in Suffolk Police and just over five years in Northamptonshire Police, most recently as Deputy Chief Constable. As Deputy Chief Constable in Northamptonshire Martin led the Force Transformation Programme ‘Aspire’, which has ensured that Northamptonshire Police is match fit for the future. Mr Jelley said, “Tackling criminality head on has always been my approach and the focus on this through day to day policing and operations will remain. “I will be committed to making sure the alliance with West Mercia Police develops and strengthens. I will seek to ensure Warwickshire Police has a strong voice within what I know will continue to be a flourishing alliance.” Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Karen Manners was formerly the Assistant Chief Constable for Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police, responsible for the Protective Services Directorate. Current Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Lewis Benjamin has left his role to take up a 12-month secondment within the Home Office, where he will become the National Senior Police Lead for the Communications Capability Directorate. Chief Constable Martin Jelley said, “On behalf of the force, I would like to congratulate both Karen Manners and Lewis Benjamin on their roles. Lewis has served with Warwickshire Police since 2006 and we wish him all the best during his secondment. Karen has acted as Temporary Chief Constable in the past and brings a wealth of experience to the new role. We are pleased to welcome her and are confident that she will continue to play an integral role in protecting people from harm.” www.warwickshire.police.uk

Francis Habgood is the new Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police (TVP). Mr Habgood is the former Deputy Chief Constable of TVP, a position he had held since 2008. www.thamesvalley.police.uk

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Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Karen Manners and Chief Constable Martin Jelley.

Mike Maiden, Chief Officer for Citizens in Policing.

North Yorkshire Police has appointed the first voluntary Chief Officer for Citizens in Policing, CO CiP Mike Maiden. Former Ministry of Justice Director and Probation Trust chief, Mike Maiden, has been appointed as overall strategic lead for North Yorkshire Police's Citizens in Policing programme, which includes Police Support Volunteers, the Special Constabulary, the force’s Chaplaincy and its partnership work with volunteer organisations such as search and rescue teams, Neighbourhood Watch, Victim Support and Community Speed Watch. This is the first voluntary position of its kind for North Yorkshire Police and is believed to be the first in the country. Mr Maiden will be a member of the Chief Officer team at North Yorkshire Police, which includes the Chief Constable, Deputy Chief Constable and Assistant Chief Constables. He joins the force with an extensive background in the criminal justice service, being a former Chief Executive of Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust –

the second largest in the country – and Deputy Director at the Ministry of Justice, leading the recent Transforming Rehabilitation programme. He became a selfemployed, organisational change management consultant in December 2013. He said, “As a probation employee I worked closely with the police for many years. This voluntary position fascinated me and I thought it would give me a huge opportunity to contribute to the communities of North Yorkshire, using my knowledge, skills and experience to the best advantage.” Chief Constable Dave Jones said, “North Yorkshire Police has a strong history of volunteering. It plays a vital role in policing, whether it's directly for the police or for one of the many organisations who work in partnership with us. People come from a wide variety of backgrounds and life experiences to give their own time freely, and for this we are extremely grateful.” www.northyorkshire.police.uk

New Chief Executive for EMAS

Sue Noyes, EMAS Chief Executive.

East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) Chairman, Pauline Tagg, has appointed Sue Noyes as Chief Executive. Sue joined EMAS as Interim Chief Executive in October 2013, and has more than 20 years’ experience in the NHS. Chairman, Pauline Tagg said, “We had strong candidates from an international field apply for the Chief Executive role. Sue has a proven track record of working with staff to help them achieve their

full potential and improve services for patients and communities. “As with most public services there are still big challenges to face and we have strong plans in place to address them. Together with the continued backing of our Commissioners and stakeholders, and the support and tremendous hard work of all our colleagues, I am confident that Sue will continue to move EMAS in the right direction.” Sue Noyes, EMAS Chief Executive, said, “I am delighted. We have started a journey here at EMAS, and I’d like to thank all our staff, volunteers, stakeholders and our patients for their support to the organisation, and to me personally over the last 18 months. I very much look forward to working with them in the future.” www.emas.nhs.uk

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Cornwall appoints new Chief Fire Officer

CFO Paul Walker.

Paul Walker has been appointed as the new Chief Fire Officer (CFO) for the Cornwall Fire, Rescue and Community Safety Service.

Paul joined Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service in September 2009 as Deputy Chief Fire Officer. This appointment followed 20 years operational and managerial experience in Somerset County Fire Brigade, London Fire Brigade and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. Paul took up the CFO role from 1 January 2015 on an interim basis while the service undertook a national selection process for a substantive appointment. CFO Walker said, “I am delighted and very proud to be appointed as the Chief Fire Officer and Head of the Community Safety Service. I look forward to leading this fantastic service over the coming

years to ensure we continue to maintain and develop our wide reaching community safety prevention and intervention services for residents, businesses and visitors across Cornwall.” Over the past five years Paul has led many change and improvement projects supporting the service in gaining sector and partner recognition as a high performing service that embraces and delivers wide reaching and varied community safety prevention and response services across Cornwall. CFO Walker officially commenced his role on 2 June 2015. www.cornwall.gov.uk

YAS says YES to new Chief Executive and Director of Operations Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (YAS) has appointed Rod Barnes as its Chief Executive. Rod has held the post on an interim basis since November 2014 and prior to that he was Director of Finance and Performance at the trust as well as Deputy Chief Executive. Chairman of the Trust Ms Della M Cannings QPM said, “With this appointment Rod will continue to deliver the progress he has started with immediate effect. Rod is very experienced and well respected within the NHS, particularly in the finance sector, in both acute hospitals as well as within ambulance trusts. His experience is crucial to YAS going forward and delivering modern services and improved facilities for patients as well as securing Foundation Trust status.” Rod Barnes said, “I am delighted to be offered and accept the role of Chief Executive. We have started a journey

over the last six months to deliver our vision to provide world class services for the people of Yorkshire and to provide rewarding careers and a working environment that supports all staff to fulfil their potential.” In addition to appointing Rod as Chief Executive, YAS has also selected Dr David Macklin as its permanent Director of Operations. David is an experienced clinician and has been Interim Director of Operations since November 2014. He said, “I am very pleased to have been given the opportunity to take on the substantive post of Executive Director of Operations. I have really enjoyed carrying out the role on an interim basis over the last six months and believe that I have started to make improvements for both patients and staff. “I have been Associate Medical Director at the trust for the last six years and

Chairman Della M Cannings QPM with Dr David Macklin (left) and Rod Barnes (right).

this, together with my experience as an A&E and pre-hospital care doctor, will provide a good grounding to help to take forward clinical and operational developments. “This is a really exciting time for Yorkshire Ambulance Service and I am looking forward to leading the Emergency Operations Team and supporting staff through the future challenges and opportunities we face.” www.yas.nhs.uk

Interim CFO takes charge in Northern Ireland Following the retirement of Chief Fire Officer Chris Kerr from his position after 30 years of operational service across Northern Ireland, former Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dale Ashford QFSM has commenced his new role as Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service’s Interim Chief Fire Officer (CFO). Dale has 28 years’ service protecting the community, joining the then Northern Ireland Fire Brigade as a Firefighter in 1987. Dale has held a number of operational posts across the organisation, serving in many of the fire stations in Northern Ireland. He has also served as head of health and safety within the organisation and in 2009; he took up the role as Area Commander

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for Training and Development at NIFRS Training Centre. Dale was promoted to the role as Assistant Chief Fire Officer in February 2012, where he was responsible for Road Safety, Emergency

New NIFRS Interim Chief Fire Officer Dale Ashford.

Response and Health and Safety. Dale is an active member of the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) and a member of the Irish Fire Investigation Association. He said, “I look forward to working alongside our Senior Management Team, the NIFRS Board and every single member of our dedicated staff who share the privilege of being part of a frontline service that saves lives every day. Undoubtedly there are many challenges ahead but I am confident that we will face them together to ensure the people of Northern Ireland remain safe and proud of their fire and rescue service.” www.nifrs.org

Rachel Kearton will join Suffolk Constabulary this summer as Assistant Chief Constable (ACC), leading local policing. The news follows the recent appointment of ACC Steve Jupp from Nottinghamshire Police who joins the command team as Temporary DCC. Temporary ACC David Skevington, who has supported the Chief Officer Team since the retirement of Tim Newcomb in 2013, will remain in post pending ACC Kearton’s arrival. www.suffolk.police.uk

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue (SYFR) has recently made two top-level appointments. Former Assistant Chief Fire Officer John Roberts becomes the SYFR’s new Deputy Chief Fire Officer following the retirement of the former Deputy, Mark Shaw. Martin Blunden joins as the new Assistant Chief Fire Officer following an extensive recruitment process. www.syfire.gov.uk

Mike Veale took up the role as the next Chief Constable of Wiltshire on 1 June, succeeding Pat Geenty who retired on 31 May. Mr Veale had previously been the Deputy Chief Constable at Wiltshire Police, a role he had held since March 2013, having joined the force in January 2005 as a Detective Superintendent from Avon and Somerset Constabulary. www.wiltshire.police.uk

Steve Davies, a volunteer with the Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station for almost 25 years, has received an MBE. In 1991, Steve joined the station as a crew member and became the station mechanic after retiring from the crew. He also been the station training coordinator and, since 1992, has been the Education and Visits Officer for the station. Since 2000 Steve has also been a member of the shore crew. He continues to be a very active volunteer member of the station. www.rnli.org

Professor Andy Newton, Consultant Paramedic and Director of Clinical Operations at South East Coast Ambulance Service is the inaugural Honorary President of The Larrey Society, the first cross sector ‘think tank’ established to help shape ambulance policies for the 21st Century. The current Chairman of The College of Paramedics, he has played a leading role in establishing the practice in its pre-hospital role, including the development of the Paramedic Practitioner and the Critical Care Paramedic and he continues to practice clinically in these roles. The nation’s first Consultant Paramedic, Professor Newton was awarded in 2014 the prestigious Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal for Distinguished Service (QAM). www.thelarreysociety.org

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A new Smart ambulance fit for 21st century practice The Smart Ambulance European Procurers Platform (SAEPP) stems from the mobile emergency healthcare work developed by the Royal College of Art (RCA), particularly the Smart Pods project. Results from this work indicated a need for an innovative system of mobile healthcare, which would be capable of evolving alongside the ever-growing roles and responsibilities of frontline medics and treating patients within the community when possible, thereby cutting down on unnecessary A&E admissions, an increasing problem in today’s emergency care system. Integrating existing technologies

SAEPP members are comprised of a mix of dedicated ambulance services, healthcare organisations and various academic institutions from across Europe, focusing on creating a new Smart ambulance fit for 21st century practice, which answers to patient, clinician and overall system needs alike on a Pan-European basis. While ambitious, this is something that may be achieved through standardisation and innovation, providing patients and staff alike with a vehicle that matches the true potential of modern clinical practice. The project’s specific objectives fall under three broad categories: to improve the overall experience and safety for patients and staff; to improve clinical outcomes; and to generate system efficiency savings.

Most of the proposed innovations could be achieved by integrating existing technologies, and the rapid advancement of 3/4G networks represent an avenue ripe to exploit. Integrating these technologies (and new ones that still need a manageable degree of development) will create a single platform that is able to process, analyse and communicate with multiple sources of data. Bringing together the power supply and its management for these new technologies is already a major challenge that contributes to vehicle and equipment malfunction, therefore considerable improvements in power generation and storage will be essential.

Innovation and design The SAEPP project is, in actuality, the baby of the Design Research arm of the Royal College of Art, the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design (HHCD). Philanthropist Lady Hamlyn, created and funds this organisation in order to undertake innovative projects and design research with industry that improve people’s lives. Ambulance provision, with the vital daily contributions that it makes towards society, is simply one of their many logical targets.

“…up to 40 percent of hospital admissions could be avoided if paramedics were enabled with fit-for purpose vehicles and equipment, allowing for more on-scene treatment.”

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As population trends and healthcare demands change, future ambulance provision will require more definitive treatment to be delivered in the community. Avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions can significantly reduce overall service costs by improving efficiency and sustainability. UK studies have identified that up to 40 percent of hospital admissions could be avoided if paramedics were enabled with fit-for purpose vehicles and equipment, allowing for more on-scene treatment. Integral to achieving this is standardising a functional specification based upon actual user requirements from across the EU.

It is the goal of SAEPP members to co-develop a vehicle with European ambulance services, which will allow them to fulfil their greatest potential. Therefore, all feedback from those with an experienced background and understanding in pre-hospital emergency care is necessary.

Better ICT solutions

www.smartambulanceproject.eu

Along with the standardisation of a properly researched and designed physical layout, there is an opportunity to bring together different aspects of ICT, which will enable better communication between clinicians; improved patient monitoring, treatment and management; smarter route planning and navigation; and better management of vehicle resources. ICT solutions will be a keystone of Smart ambulances and the overall integration of emergency medical services. Based upon the current design these ICT functions will be located in one multi-purpose module, rather than needing multiple devices fulfilling shared/independent tasks. The potential for innovation is rated via a consultation process led by clinical and technology experts across the EU in two domains: the potential to improve clinical outcomes, patient and staff experience, overall safety, and system efficiency; and the feasibility of achieving these innovations in terms of technical barriers, staff and patient acceptance, and overall system readiness by the year 2020.

Contacts More information on the Smart ambulance demonstration unit can be requested via the contact details below: HHCD E-mail: hhcd@rca.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 7590 4242

Communications E-mail: editor@ambulancetoday.co.uk Tel: 0151 703 0598

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 644329

June 2015

22 | ESTVEHICLES

Make Ready meets the needs of a modern ambulance service The beginning of construction of South East Coast Ambulance Service’s (SECAmb’s) new Make Ready and Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) development in Crawley has been marked with a reception on site. The new development, which SECAmb hopes will be in operation in early 2016, will not only be a centre where ambulances are ‘made ready’ for crews before every shift, but will provide the regional home for SECAmb’s west HART team, which is currently based in temporary premises near Gatwick. The site will also provide modern training and meeting facilities. Chief Executive Paul Sutton said, “It’s great news that construction on our latest Make Ready Centre has begun and that we are also providing a permanent base for our west HART. Make Ready is a real benefit to our patients and our staff. It’s important that we continue to develop and refresh our estate to ensure it meets the needs of a modern ambulance service.” It is expected that crews currently reporting to Crawley, East Grinstead, Horley and Horsham ambulance stations, as well as the temporary Gatwick HART base, will relocate to the new centre.

What is Make Ready? The Make Ready initiative will significantly enhance and improve the service SECAmb provides to the community. It minimises the risk of cross-infection; frees

Representatives from Sunninghill Construction joined SECAmb managers, SECAmb governors, HART members as well as SECAmb Chief Executive Paul Sutton and Chair Tony Thorne to mark the commencement of construction of SECAmb’s new ambulance centre in Crawley.

up frontline staff, who currently clean and re-stock ambulances, to spend more time treating patients; and keeps vehicles on the road for longer. The initiative ensures that specially trained operatives regularly deep clean, restock and check vehicles for mechanical faults. The Make Ready Centre will be supported by a network of ambulance community responses posts (ACRPs) across the area and will see staff begin and end their shifts at the new centre. However, during their shifts, staff will respond from the ACRPs, which will provide facilities for staff. These will be located based on patient demand. Work is under way to have the new ACRPs in place for when the new centre becomes operational – thus protecting and improving the delivery of services to local communities.

Make Ready Centre in Chichester SECAmb’s plans to develop a new ambulance centre at a site in Tangmere, near Chichester, West Sussex, have recently been formally approved by the trust’s board. It is expected that crews currently reporting to Chichester, Midhurst, Bognor Regis and Pulborough will relocate to the new centre. The new centre is one of four purpose-built Make Ready Centres in the pipeline with plans in place for centres in Brighton and Polegate and with construction work recently beginning on a Crawley site. The trust has already developed two purpose-built centres in Ashford and Paddock Wood, Kent.

www.secamb.nhs.uk

Patient safety solutions Birmingham-based ParAid Medical specialises in providing a variety of safety solutions for the road and air ambulance industry and pre-hospital care sectors. Over two decades, the company has developed innovative, lightweight emergency mobility and patient safety solutions for hospitals, patient transportation by road and air ambulances, including neonatal and paediatric sectors.

Ambulance child restraint The ACR-4 (ambulance child restraint) is the latest version of the original ACR, which was available in three sizes: small (5-12kg), medium (10-25kg) and large (2045kg). The ACR-4 is available in four sizes and is supplied with an extra small harness (2-5kg) allowing for the safe restraint of all children from 2kg - 45kg during transport. The ACR-4 is an innovative, flexible and fully

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adjustable harnessing system designed for the safe and effective transport of infants and children in an ambulance. It is colour coded for easy selection and includes universal stretcher straps to connect with the ACR harness, holding the patient in place to prevent potentially dangerous movement during transportation. Some of the key features include an open channel design from the airway to the waist and the ability to perform procedures while the child is harnessed. The ACR-4 tightens into the mattress of the stretcher, not the patient, and fits on any stretcher without a bracket

adapter, it can also be used in sitting or supine position. The ACR-4 has been fully crash tested under the strictest instructions and is machine washable.

www.paraid.co.uk

June 2015

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Scottish Ambulance Service installs rugged tablets in emergency fleet The Scottish Ambulance Service has signed a deal with leading ICT supplier Terrafix to use Getac’s T800 fully rugged Windows 8.1 tablets within its fleet of emergency vehicles. Under the framework contract, Terrafix will supply 1200 of the 8.1in Windows tablets from Getac, a global designer and manufacturer of rugged mobile technology. Each ambulance will be equipped with two tablets, one for use in the front of the vehicle for mobilisation and routing, and the other positioned in the rear of the vehicle, but remaining portable to be used as a method of recording Electronic Patient Report Forms. Paramedics benefit from high-speed processing power and an 8.1in display for accessing critical patient information, while also providing full ruggedisation designed for critical field performance, ensuring focus on patient care. The device complements the Terrafix Aggregator (T.AGG), a vehicle-based communications management hub with integrated GPS that streams data to the T800 tablets.

Data streaming Designed, developed and manufactured by Terrafix, the T.AGG can access up to four cellular networks for broadband data communications plus an option to interface to any other communications system such as satellite or point-to-point radio, supplying optimal data aggregation, coverage and bandwidth in the most challenging environments. Coupled with built-in dual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth the T.AGG will provide a powerful facility to stream high data dependant applications to and from any mobile device.

“The Scottish Ambulance Service’s vision of mobile consultation, coupled with reducing the need to travel to receive healthcare, can now start to become a reality.” The complete system is the first step in Scottish Ambulance Service’s Telehealth programme and its strategic framework, Towards 2020: Taking Care to the Patient, which seeks to improve care for patients by bringing appropriate aspects of urgent or unscheduled care closer to them in their home or local community. This programme will enable access to the healthcare services within the community; this will be achieved by providing the capability to turn the ambulance into a communication hub for real-time data sharing and live patient consultation with access to remote healthcare professionals. Liam Coughlan, Programme Manager, Scottish Ambulance Service, said, “The investment in new technology for emergency ambulances will ultimately widen the range of diagnostics that can be performed out of hospital and connect patients to clinical

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consultations. This will allow the patient to be treated safely in the community, where appropriate, reducing unnecessary admissions and the need for long journeys to hospital. “We needed a device that could survive every environmental condition, because device failure can be the difference between life and death. With the Getac T800, we have a device that can handle drops, shocks and performs in all weathers, while still being extremely portable and easy to use. It gives us reliability and therefore, peace of mind.” The T800’s 8.1in screen allows patient data to be read even in direct sunlight and new information to be entered easily thanks to Getac’s proprietary Lumibond® screen technology. With ruggedisation to military standards (MIL-STD-810G) the T800 can survive a drop of 6ft and with an ingress protection rating of IP65 and operating temperatures between -21°C to 50°C, the T800 is designed for all weather. Running Windows 8.1, the T800 incorporates BitLocker disk encryption, which provides governmentlevel data security.

Unparalleled connectivity The T800 incorporates the latest communication interface technology for unparalleled connectivity. The unit plugged into the docking station makes use of the ambulance’s in-built connectivity, while the mobile fielduse terminal can connect to data networks via 4G, Bluetooth and 802.11ac WiFi. Weighing just 880g, the T800 is one of the thinnest and lightest devices of its class, making it perfect for both portable and fixed use. Chris Green, Terrafix Managing Director, said, “Utilising the Getac T800 alongside the Terrafix T.AGG provided us with the opportunity to put forward a bidwinning system. The Scottish Ambulance Service’s vision of mobile consultation, coupled with reducing the need to travel to receive healthcare, can now start to become a reality. The Getac T800’s reliability and extended support proved the best choice for this mission-critical system.”

Complete technology solution Peter Molyneux, President, Getac UK, said, “The T800, with its unparalleled connectivity, ruggedisation and portability, fits perfectly into the Terrafix solution. We are very pleased our hardware can perform a critical role in the complete technology solution, which is helping Scottish Ambulance Service to protect life and health for people across Scotland.” The Terrafix solution will be running on over 500 ambulances and emergency vehicles across Scotland and associated islands. The first tablets will be rolled out to the ambulance fleet this summer with completion expected in early 2016.

www.terrafix.co.uk www.getac.co.uk

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24 | ESTVEHICLES

Next generation vehicle control systems

Carnation Designs has been manufacturing industry leading power management and control systems for emergency vehicles since 1995. The brand’s ‘genisys’ product is the system of choice for managing auxiliary electronics on board frontline ambulances and was fitted to approximately 80 percent of those built for the British Isles in 2014-2015. Carnation has long been at the forefront of accident and emergency ambulance technology, offering costeffective, highly flexible programmable logic controllers, proven to be robust in the most demanding user environments. Entering its 20th year serving the emergency services, few companies have an equal understanding of the niche requirements of blue light applications and the importance of keeping life supporting vehicles on the road.

Carnation, a brand of Elektron Technology PLC, benefits from the considerable design, production and quality resources available to it via Elektron’s Group infrastructure. genisys systems are manufactured and dispatched from the group’s sizable Torquay factory, with R&D support offered by its Cambridge headquarters. During November 2014 Carnation’s dedicated Technical-Sales function moved from Heckmondwike into modern new premises in Morley, Leeds. During late 2014 the Carnation team was strengthened with the addition of two new key members of staff. Piotr Bogucki, a highly qualified electronics engineer with substantial experience of emergency warning equipment, became the team’s Senior Design Engineer. Reinforcing the brand’s vehicle applications and aftersales functions, with extensive knowledge of vehicle electrics and conversion installations, Andrew Nicholson is Carnation’s new Technical Sales and Field Service Engineer.

Next generation Carnation is launching new products and integrations, and commencing an exciting phase of development of next generation vehicle control systems. First to arrive is the new ‘genisys Compact’ single box solution. Offering 28 outputs in a space efficient package designed for RRV and PTS applications, the new system makes established genisys technology more affordable than ever before. At this year’s NAPFM event Carnation will be displaying one of West Midlands Ambulance Service’s latest rapid response vehicles on its stand (123). Converted by VCS, the vehicle is an all-new Range Rover Sport equipped with a genisys xvi controller, CAN interface module and 16-way keypad.

Comprehensive service Designed and manufactured in Britain, Carnation’s highly experienced team works closely with converters and end-users to produce systems configured to an infinite variety of vehicle applications. Much more than providing ‘just a box’, the company prides itself on delivering a comprehensive service, working with its customers from the point of vehicle conception through to bespoke configuration, installation support, first vehicle sign-off, and field backup thereafter.

Carnation’s ‘genisys Compact’ single box solution.

www.carnationdesigns.com

Bay SAR uses Government fund to improve off-road driving skills Flookburgh-based rescue team Bay Search & Rescue has been awarded £5100 from a Government fund to equip its volunteers with recognised off-road driving skills. The money, awarded by the UK Search & Rescue Volunteer Training Fund and administered by the Charities Aid Foundation, is part of a £4m investment by the Government to subsidise training for rescue

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volunteers in recognition of the contribution they make to the community. Bay SAR Training Officer Mike Davis explains, “As an all-terrain search and rescue team we specialise in using our fleet of vehicles to search for missing people on behalf of the police, access casualties for the ambulance service and respond to people in distress on the coast when called by the Coastguard. “Being able to respond quickly and safely is crucial to our role and this money from the UK SAR Volunteer Training Fund will help our volunteers to access quality off-road 4x4 driver training resulting in nationally-accredited qualifications, which is important when we're operating alongside the emergency services but also provides our volunteers with skills, which are transferable into their ‘day jobs’ too – meaning not only do the team, emergency services and community get a benefit from this money but it also

serves as a ‘thank you’ to the volunteers and their employers for the time they invest in search and rescue.” Bay Search & Rescue operates two 4x4 vehicles – a Land Rover Discovery and Land Rover 130 – alongside its distinct orange tracked Hagglund vehicles. Mike continues, “Our two 4x4s sometimes get overlooked by people as we’re famous for our Hagglunds, but really the Land Rovers, which are stationed with one on either side of Morecambe Bay, are the workhorses of the team, providing a rapid first response of personnel and equipment to incidents ahead of the Hagglunds. “Both vehicles carry quicksand rescue pumps and hoses, inflatable pathways, medic kits and scene lighting, as well as towing strops and shackles for stranded vehicle recovery.”

www.baysearchandrescue.org.uk

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Surrey Search & Rescue replaces Defender with VW Amarok When Land Rover announced the formal end of the Defender late last year, it started many people thinking about their next vehicle. It’s been the 4x4 of choice for the RNLI Flood Team, Police, Fire and Mountain Rescue for years, so when Surrey Search & Rescue was looking for a replacement for its ageing Defender 110, it prompted a fresh look. Words: Séamus Kearns, Head of Operations, Surrey Search & Rescue. Despite its proximity to London, Surrey is England’s most wooded county, providing challenging terrain in places, so a 4x4 capability is essential. However, most of the mileage of such a vehicle would be on tarmac roads, which prompted discussions among the team about a ‘selectable’ four-wheel drive system. Surrey Search & Rescue’s replacement vehicle needed to fulfil the tasks undertaken by the Defender: transporting personnel to and from search areas and then getting specialist medical kit as close to the casualty as possible once found.

“The new vehicle was bought, fitted and operational within a month.” Next came the question of storage. Our new vehicle would need a large capacity boot to carry the stretchers, oxygen, Entonox and further medical kit carried in the back of the 110. With a budget in mind, we started to look at pickup trucks. We then discovered an article about the Dutch military ordering over 1500 VW Amaroks to replace its Defenders.

Best in class Numerous test drives and homemade ‘Top Gear style’ SAR challenges later, we found the Amarok to be the best in class. It had the every day refinement to get down the A3 to a training session without needing earplugs, and the space for my right elbow that had been missing on the 110 since it was first made! The realities of being a donation-funded charity meant that fuel economy was a consideration – the Amarok didn’t disappoint there either. With the severe flooding in 2014 and the team currently applying to be on the DEFRA flood asset list, the wading depth of the Amarok was checked and found to match the 500mm of the Land Rover without snorkel. The boot area is considerably larger than the Defender, and the flip down tailgate provides a useful platform on which to check kit.

The Police & Crime Commissioner for Surrey funded Surrey Search & Rescue’s new Amarok.

An extra expense would be a hardtop cover to protect the kit from the elements and render the vehicle secure. The hardtops under consideration appeared to range from £1000 to £2500 and the brand we kept seeing was Truckman. From Network Rail to the Forestry Commission, we were seeing Truckman’s products on our travels and numerous online reviews backed up their popularity. Avoiding side windows due to security concerns, we settled on a model and placed the order.

A fold down screen in the load bay, connected to an Apple TV, allows Surrey Search & Rescue to screen wireless mirroring from an iPhone/iPad.

CM Specialist Vehicles, DeSigns Signage and even a top of the range TomTom 5000 was donated free of charge. We tweaked the conversion to include an emergency start battery, inverter to provide mains power for laptops, and a fold down screen in the load bay, connected to an Apple TV to allow wireless mirroring from an iPhone/iPad. This affords us the capability to display mapping and briefings and has the potential to relay UAV/drone real-time downlink footage in the future. With numerous height barriers across Surrey we avoided a traditional lightbar and opted instead for full 360° fitted LEDs. In order to comply with the new national vehicle marking guidance issued by Lowland Rescue, our National Body, we went for full 3M Diamond grade reflective livery across the vehicle. The Police & Crime Commissioner for Surrey funded Surrey Search & Rescue’s new Amarok, which cost £32,459.08. It was bought, fitted and operational within a month and had its first callout the evening after its press launch.

www.SurSAR.org.uk

@SurreySAR

Conversion and kit

All photos by Kerry Jordan

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Any vehicle we’d considered would need conversion to fit emergency lighting, digital VHF radio, and GPS tracking equipment. We found out that CM Specialist Vehicles had recently won a contract from Surrey Fire and Rescue Service to fit out its new senior officer cars, so we asked for a quote. Negotiations then got under way to make our budget go as far as possible and we managed to get considerable discounts from Volkswagen, Truckman,

The Amarok features full 3M Diamond grade reflective across the vehicle.

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www.emergencyservicestimes.com

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Fleet software delivers savings and efficiencies Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is anticipating cost savings and administration efficiencies as it becomes the latest blue light fleet to turn to Jaama’s multi award-winning Key2 Vehicle Management system. Hertfordshire County Council has used the technology for more than seven years to manage its fleet, which currently numbers 600 cars and 500 commercial vehicles, and now the county’s fire and rescue service wants to reap the benefits.

Reaping the benefits Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service operates a fleet of 180 vehicles, including 48 fire appliances, as well as a wide range of specialist and support vehicles. Steve Holton was appointed as Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Group Commander for Technical Services 10 months ago, with a broad remit that included overseeing the fleet operation. He said, “I undertook a review of the fleet operation and it was clear that we needed to introduce a management software system and move away from a manual regime based on spreadsheets. The county council has successfully been using Key2 for many years so it made sense as a service within the authority to also utilise the technology.”

While Hertfordshire County Council is the custodian of the system, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is becoming a user. Mr Holton explained, “It will give myself and our fleet team a cradle to grave comprehensive account of the status of our vehicles in terms of service, maintenance and repair, fuel usage, accidents record and a raft of other in-life information.” What’s more, it will provide Mr Holton, Fleet Manager Brian Middleton and Assistant Fleet Manager Jane Warren with a stream of financial information relating to whole life costs that will deliver budget forecasting improvements.

Staff training Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service anticipates to be fully using Key2 by the end of 2015 and is currently working with Jaama and council colleagues to implement the system and train its own staff to use the technology. Mr Holton concluded, “We now have an implementation plan in place and once Key2 is being used day-to-day we will reduce the fleet administration burden, operating efficiencies will increase and our ability to deliver budget forecasting improvements will save money.”

Martin Evans, Managing Director, Jaama.

Hertfordshire County Council was Jaama’s first local authority client and Martin Evans, the leading software provider’s Managing Director, said, “The council has reaped the benefits of introducing a state-of-the-art fleet management software system and now its fire and rescue service is embracing those same best practice procedures. “Over the coming months we will continue to work closely with the service to ensure, following implementation, it derives a wide range of efficiencies and financial savings in a multitude of administration and operational areas.”

www.jaama.com

Search and rescue watercraft wins product design award The Sea-Doo Search and Rescue (SAR) watercraft from BRP, a world leader in the design, development, manufacture, distribution and marketing of motorised recreational, professional, powersport vehicles and propulsion systems, has been awarded the Product Design prize at the recent prestigious 60th anniversary Red Dot Awards. The judges were particularly impressed with the SeaDoo SAR’s groundbreaking design, which includes the Rotax® 4-TEC® naturally aspirated engine, SeaDoo’s Closed-Loop Cooling System (CLCS) and its Intelligent Brake and Reverse (iBR®) system. As a result, its robust

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design has been constructed to perform successfully in extreme conditions.

rescue missions but is also ideal for evacuation, surveillance and interception.

Stability and agility

World class technology

The Sea-Doo SAR seamlessly combines key safety, stability, agility and performance features to enable emergency services to respond effectively in rescue and life threatening situations. The watercraft is built with dual sponsons and running boards that provide stability and buoyancy required in surf and whitewater, during a flood or along a rocky coastline. Its shallow water features include a shock protective elastomer coating, anti-debris water intake grate, a stainless steel wear ring, internal heat exchanger and a shock-protected cooling system that enables the watercraft to respond quickly in emergency operations. The Sea-Doo SAR excels in

Tim Gys, Regional BRP Commercial Manager UK, Ireland, said, “This is BRP’s first response vehicle solely dedicated to professionals involved in emergency operations. Our engineers collaborated closely with search and rescue services to ensure there was minimum risk to injury on the water while improving the watercraft’s performance. It’s a real achievement to be awarded this well esteemed prize and recognises the international team’s hard work in delivering world class technology and pioneering designs.” Since 1955, Red Dot accolade has recognised companies and individuals who are demonstrating trendsetting designs through their products. This year, 4928 projects from 56 countries were submitted to the jury. Only 81 entries received the top award, the ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best’, while 122 won an ‘Honourable Mention’ for a well-executed aspect of design work. All products were evaluated on their functionality; degree of innovation; formal quality; ergonomics; durability; symbolic and emotional contact; self-explanatory quality; product periphery and ecological compatibility.

www.brp.com

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ORTUS TECHNOLOGY at the forefront of modern technology Ortus Technology Ltd is a relatively new company in the world of medical technology having only been established since August 2011. During its short history, however, it has achieved phenomenal success, picking up three new awards for best sales performance worldwide. Ortus has recently been awarded a place on the NHS Supply Chain frameworks for the supply of defibrillators and, likewise, its DataPoint Division has also been awarded a place on the Crown Commercial Services Framework (CCS) as well as the YPO framework. “Having an amazing product portfolio makes it easy,” said Craig Hall, Managing Director of Ortus Technology Ltd. “The Corpuls3 Defibrillator is second to none and our DataPoint Telemetrics System is the most advanced product of its kind, on the market today.”

“The Corpuls3 Defibrillator is second to none and our DataPoint Telemetrics System is the most advanced product of its kind, on the market today.” Enviable track record Ortus Technology is located in South Yorkshire. The company is a supplier of leading edge technology services and products to the emergency services sector and, since its formation in 2011, has achieved an enviable track record. The company has two major arms to its business: Medical Technology, which provides the supply and support of defibrillators and ventilation systems to critical mission vehicles, hospitals and military; and a Telemetrics division, which is specifically for the specialist vehicle market through DataPoint.

Contract wins Ortus Technology has been awarded the prestigious contract for a national roll out of both arms of its business for the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust (WAST), which includes DataPoint and Corpuls3 Defibrillators. Craig Hall said, “We are delighted to be working with WAST and we look forward to working with them now and long into the future. To have both arms of the business separately selected by a National Trust says a great deal, and it’s a real testament to the commitment and effort of all our team here at Ortus.” Other recent contract wins include the trust-wide roll out of both the Corpuls3 defibrillators and DataPoint in the East of England Service NHS Trust (EEAST). DataPoint is also rolled out across the North East and South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trusts respectively.

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

The Medical arm of Ortus also supplies and supports the company’s ventilation and defibrillators into Medical Services Ltd, the largest UK private ambulance service, and also Bond Aviation with Corpuls3 for their North Sea SAR operation. Additionally, Ortus Technology has recently been selected by the MOD to provide Corpuls3 to the RAF Medical Emergency Rescue Team (MERT) and these specialist defibrillators will be utilised in various locations throughout the world.

The benefits are many, including optimising of fuel usage increasing MPG, improving on maintenance costs and being able to deliver live and historic views of your specialist fleet. It is also compatible with all blue light control systems and with per second updates, linked through Google Maps, is able to provide clean and accurate information in the event of an accident. DataPoint makes your expectations a reality.

About Corpuls3

“The benefits are many, including optimising of fuel usage increasing MPG, improving on maintenance costs and being able to deliver live and historic views of your specialist fleet.”

Corpuls3 is a unique product; it offers a revolutionary design concept compared with traditional defibrillators on the market today and has won the acclaim of ambulance services throughout the UK. This modular, lightweight design breaks down into three separate components (the actual weight per section being only 2.8kg) and so being the ultimate in portability, delivering unrivalled functionality and flexibility.

About DataPoint DataPoint is an all encompassing and highly accurate telemetric system, designed specifically for the emergency services market. DataPoint manages by exception and provides you with highly accurate data, which is converted into usable information resulting in actual cost savings. In the marketplace today, products have to perform and offer a return on investment if they are to prove successful and DataPoint is no exception. However, due to the product’s per-second algorithm and connecting truly to the vehicle CANBus and auxiliary equipment fitted to the vehicle, DataPoint is able to deliver an outstanding service where all reports and interactive performance dashboards are of the highest quality.

Appointments With the recent appointment of industry CAD software specialist, Andy Robinson, Ortus is building a very specialist and highly respected team. Ortus will be making additional high profile appointments in the coming months, which will back up its position as one of the most pioneering companies within the emergency service sector.

www.ortus.co.uk

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YPO Specialist Vehicles framework due in October 2015 YPO has provided the public sector with agreements to deliver the procurement and hire of vehicles for nearly 10 years. Moreover, YPO, as a public sector organisation owned and supported by 13 local authorities, understands the pressures and regulative environment under which public sector buyers and fleet managers operate. Its fleet team has over 45 years of experience dealing with larger commercial vehicles and has the knowledge to support buyers in delivering their fleet requirements.

Framework detail Building on the hugely successful 000324 Specialist Vehicle framework, YPO is rationalising the lot structure and dovetailing it with the Car & Light Commercial Vehicle Purchase framework to ensure that whether it be a car derived van, a refuse collection vehicle, a mobile

library, a fire fighting tender or an access platform, it can help you source your exact needs through compliant routes to market.

YPO provides professional support offerings whatever your need – from free post box service (top and tailing your specification and award criteria) to paid for full tendering services.

Assist buyers and fleet managers The aim of the Specialist Vehicles framework is to provide a complaint route to market, and assist buyers and fleet managers to procure: light commercial vehicles; refuse collection vehicles; winter maintenance vehicles; highways maintenance vehicles; tippers; chassis and cabs; trailers; sweepers; gulley emptiers; modified vehicles; bespoke vehicles; refurbishment of existing fleet; mini buses, midi buses, coach and buses; fire appliances; access ladders and platforms; control and command vehicles; and emergency response vehicles.

Launch of the framework The framework will be launched during October 2015 with a series of ‘Supplier Event Roadshows’ to ensure maximum exposure and customer engagement. This will be a great opportunity to talk with YPO suppliers, staff and colleagues. You’ll also be able to view vehicle information. Delegates will also better understand the route to market via mini-competition, how this will operate and the support YPO can offer. All pricing is established via a mini-competition and the organisation also offers support in getting your enquiry to market in the first instance.

Benefits for customers include: •

•

Easy to use: YPO does the procurement work, so you won’t need to run a full EU tender. This framework will be EU/UK Compliant The providers that are appointed onto this framework will be ‘pre-qualified’ as to their general suitability. This means when buying services from them, customers are assured that they can meet specified requirements Customers will receive the benefits of an aggregated volume spend, and the benefits associated with an increased leverage on the market.

Who can use the framework? This framework can be accessed by all public sector bodies, which include: blue light services, local authorities, NHS, Housing Associations and education establishments.

www.ypo.co.uk For more information on the framework, please contact the team on – Tel: 01924 834814 or e-mail: fleet@ypo.co.uk

Connected cars create ‘mobile police stations’ Westbase Technology, partnered with Panasonic ProServices, has been working to deliver on-the-road connectivity that enables the creation of ‘mobile police stations’ for UK forces. In a bid to spend more time in the community and to better inform officers on the road, police forces have been investing in mobile technology that allows them to securely access command and control systems, carry out database checks and access their desktop applications for e-mail, web and the intranet – all from

their vehicles. The solution comprises the Panasonic Toughpad tablet, and Westbase’s Cradlepoint COR IBR600 and IBR1100 router products to provide reliable and secure on-the-road connectivity. The Cradlepoint device creates a WiFi hotspot both in and around the vehicle – allowing officers to access real-time information using the Toughpads on the ground as well as in the car. The technology has also enabled the deployment of automatic numberplate and facial recognition technology, helping forces to identify vehicles and suspects of interest with greater accuracy and speed. The solution has been rolled out across multiple constabularies including traffic and community police, and specialist teams such as armed response.

Business and community benefits “There is no doubt that we are seeing the business and community benefits of these devices. They improve our access to information, which improves our crime intelligence and arrest rates. They also make our officers more visible by enabling them to be in the community for more of the time,” said Detective Chief Inspector Damien Kennedy, the project manager for mobile data

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in Hertfordshire Constabulary (quote from the Panasonic Toughpad Case Study). Westbase is actively working with Panasonic ProServices to help deliver this solution to police forces across the UK, Ireland and Europe. Westbase will be exhibiting on Stand E73 at The Emergency Services Show 2015.

www.westbaseuk.com

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MacNeillie acquisition ‘market changing’ for Babcock Babcock is showcasing its unique whole life asset capability for the first time at Interschutz 2015, which takes place from 8-13 June, at Deutche Messe in Hannover, Germany. Visitors will see first-hand how the acquisition of MacNeillie, one of the market leaders in specialist vehicle conversions, not only complements Babcock’s asset management capability but delivers a market changing proposition in how governments and organisations develop and support a fleet of specialist high performing vehicles that meet their future requirements.

MacNeillie’s EMC test chamber enables it to provide testing to AES Automotive Conformance Specification 6 and AES Automotive EMC Assessment & Installation Evaluation Specification 13 without the downtime caused by transferring vehicles to a separate facility.

With more than a century of business experience, MacNeillie specialises in the design, build and integration of vehicles for the emergency services. As part of this service, the company designs and installs compliant in-vehicle communications and data systems to meet the demanding needs of police vehicles, ambulances, fire tenders and other specialist vehicles. This includes analogue radios, digital radios, mobile data terminals (MDTs), and many other types of equipment. MacNeillie has its own purpose-built EMC test chamber.

Develop capabilities The increasing demand for in-vehicle communications has seen MacNeillie grow the size and capability of its team so that it can both continue to develop capabilities such a communications hub to asset track, log and repair communications equipment while delivering a range of programmes, such as radio replacement programmes for a large UK police force, transferring radios in more than 25,000 vehicles each time. Its communications capability extends to assessment of radio equipment. This is critical to ensuring the conversion of the vehicles does not throw out any anomalies elsewhere in the machine’s performance. To achieve this, semi-anechoic electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) test facilities provide assessments

including antenna performance, and electrical supply disturbance and consumption.

Purpose-built EMC test chamber Most conversion companies need to outsource this, but since 2013 MacNeillie has had its own purpose-built EMC test chamber. This enables it to provide testing to AES Automotive Conformance Specification 6 and AES Automotive EMC Assessment & Installation Evaluation Specification 13 without the downtime caused by transferring vehicles to a separate facility. MacNeillie’s communications team is based at its 9.5-acre dedicated facility in the West Midlands.

www.macneillie.co.uk

OnStar telematics to launch in Europe OnStar has been a trusted partner of emergency services for 18 years. The company’s unique approach to this relationship is to work with emergency services, doing what is best for those in need with open lines of communication. Since OnStar’s inception, in 1996, emergency services have been instrumental in developing the company’s safety and security offerings, such as Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Assistance. This collaboration also resulted in processes to handle and triage emergency calls. This streamlined the interaction between emergency service personnel and the OnStar advisor, which minimises impact on the finite number of emergency responders and resources. With over seven million customers in the United States, Canada, Mexico and China, OnStar Europe, headquartered in the UK, will launch in Europe in 2015 beginning with select Opel vehicles. OnStar is an embedded vehicle telematics system, which combines cellular communications, Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite location and live human interaction to assist people in need. It is simple, easy to use and offers Automatic Crash Notification, a red SOS button for 24-hour emergency call service and a blue OnStar button for non-emergencies. Customers use a number to request vehicle unlocks and Stolen Vehicle Assistance.

How it works When a crash or button press is sent from the vehicle, location, voice and data are sent via the cellular system to a specially trained advisor at an OnStar call centre.

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Advisors triage the call and, if necessary, contact the 999 Call Centre. GPS satellites provide the exact vehicle location.

Services provided • Automatic Crash Response: In the event of a moderate to severe crash, the OnStar system can automatically send a signal and transmit crash information to the advisor who assesses the situation, determines injuries and relays information to the geographically appropriate 999 Call Centre. The local emergency dispatcher sends appropriate help to the scene • In Vehicle Emergencies/Good Samaritan Calls: Vehicle occupants can also request emergency help through the SOS button. The advisor determines the nature of the emergency and contacts the geographically appropriate 999 Call Centre if needed. These types of calls include medical emergencies and reporting incidents on behalf of others (Good Samaritan/Citizen) • Stolen Vehicle Services: The customer or police can request stolen vehicle assistance from OnStar. OnStar coordinates with police to locate and track the vehicle and use services such as remote ignition block (which can prevent the vehicle from being restarted after it is turned off) • Call Triage: Approximately 90 percent of OnStar SOS button calls are vehicle occupants pressing the button by mistake. OnStar advisors triage these calls by speaking to the occupant and do not call the 999 Call Centre.

For SOS button calls, if voice contact cannot be made, procedures include re-contacting the vehicle (including an audible tone) and triaging the call based on location (at owner’s home) and sounds heard (repair shop noises). The advisor can call the location and quickly attempt to verify the need for emergency assistance. If unable to verify help is NOT needed, the advisor will contact the 999 Call Centre and request a welfare check of the occupants. Moving vehicles with no response, unless sounds of distress are heard, do not result in a call to a 999 Call Centre.

Emergency services ongoing outreach OnStar’s partnerships with emergency services require hard work to maintain. Some activities the company proactively takes to nurture these critical relationships include: • Activities supported by dedicated team with emergency services background • Maintain continuous dialogue • Participate in emergency services conferences – stay visible and available for feedback. • Dedicated Emergency Services e-mail box (for US/Canada emergencyservices@onstar.com and specific addresses for other global regions) for non-emergency communications • Dedicated 999 Call Centre call back number (for communications with OnStar call centre about active emergency calls).

www.onstar.com

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Adapt to survive: WH Bence diversifies into new markets The constantly changing economic climate in the UK has affected the budgets and vehicle purchasing of all emergency services. This has hit the marketplace for vehicle conversions considerably but it has also allowed WH Bence to diversify and activate new markets. To expand the emergency services side of its business profile, WH Bence has teamed up with BAUS-AT, with former WAS owner Franz Baus leading the charge, to provide ambulances to the UK marketplace. The quality and cost-effective pricing have really helped BAUS to become a real force in the ambulancebuilding marketplace. Last year, production of ambulances at the BAUS factory in Poland reached over 900 units. It has the capability of converting any vehicle of any size from car and van to box body conversion. BAUS has an in-house design department that is willing to work with customers to meet their exact specifications, while still providing a cost-effective solution for the purchasing of new vehicles.

Command and control crucial With the number of incidents in the UK reducing, but the scale of the incidents when they occur increasing, command and control and incident management are crucial for the emergency services. The provision of good information for commanders to make informed decisions is now paramount and Bence has created a number of vehicle-based command and control facilities specifically for the emergency services. With the experience it has gained working with the fire and rescue services, police and ambulance services, Bence has put together a command and control package, including a multi-platform communications system, so the emergency services can have a ‘one stop shop’ when purchasing any new vehicle. Bence has found that the key requirement for any incident is communication and information transfer. With this in mind the company has developed, with a

Bence has put together a command and control package so the emergency services can have a ‘one stop shop’ when purchasing any new vehicle.

dedicated partner, a fully mobile and demountable 4G LTE network, which is integrated into the command and control unit. This is also a portable solution, which allows both the command support team based in the command hub and affords the officers on the ground the ability to have communications wherever they are.

Fluent transfer of data The LTE network is designed to transfer information on a private network over the public providers’ networks and also the opportunity of a satellite back-haul in an emergency. With the emergence of 3G and 4G network providers over the past 12 months, this has allowed the transfer of data to become more fluent and accessible for tablet-based command and control software, which Bence has teamed up with VectorCommand to provide. The next key area is data security in the digital age. Many of the key issues faced by the emergency services at the moment involve data protection and data retrieval for both training purposes and reviewing incident management. With any service trying to provide a joined up approach to incident management across the police, fire and ambulance services, this is a way to reduce the cost outlay but still providing an advanced solution. In order to achieve this, each sector of the emergency services must have access.

Cloud based server

Bence has teamed up with BAUS-AT to provide ambulances to the UK marketplace.

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

To achieve this, Bence has developed a cloud-based secure server solution to allow incident management software to be shared between the emergency services, and easy access through 3G and 4G data communications. This allows vast amounts of storage for incident information and a secure location away from any services’ dedicated headquarters. This also provides resilience to the emergency services as this data is backed up at a number of sites to provide business continuity.

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Currently Bence has a full demonstration package available for trials with any emergency service and would be happy to organise a date and trial for any service. The company has further diversified its business and is looking at mobile clinics and medical imaging facilities, having recently created the latest MRI demountable solutions for Toshiba and Siemens Healthcare. This has been crucial for the expansion of the business over the last 12 months, providing six MRI facilities across the UK and Europe.

Emergence of UAV technology The key part of the new command and control solution provided by WH Bence is the emergence of UAV technology to reduce the requirement for high reach platforms to be used as camera pedestals. The simple UAV solution provided by WH Bence provides high-definition footage and has the opportunity to have an IR facility to allow the operator to offer the officer in charge a broader spectrum of imagery to work with. The UAV is designed to be stable in high winds and has the ability to be GPS located so has an automated GPS locating system to hold it in situ over particular areas of interest. By providing UAV cover, this has reduced the requirement for high reach platforms to attend incidents to be used for camera support, as the UAV has the ability to provide a complete 360° image of the incident as it occurs. The UAV has intuitive control but has the options to change controls to suit each team member.

The company has created the latest MRI demountable solutions for Toshiba and Siemens Healthcare.

Service and maintenance expansion This year has seen the expansion of the WH Bence service and maintenance provision worldwide. The initial dedicated service department provides support nationwide, with Bence securing support and after-sales contracts for its vehicles throughout the UK and Ireland. This year has seen the stretching of the marketplace to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, providing support on the ground to fire and rescue vehicles provided by WH Bence over the last 12 months. This has allowed Bence to create a service network, and have an on-site service facility in the Middle East to offer any support to any customer, both current and future. Bence’s service and support team is based out of its Bristol service centre, and the company has a range of

Bence has provided six MRI facilities across the UK and Europe.

employees dedicated to providing after-sales support to its customers across the UK. Each service operative is provided with a service van, kitted with all the latest test equipment and a full set of Bence spares. By providing this service as a dedicated after-sales solution the company always has an engineer available to provide warranty support on the ground for its customers.

WH Bence is also delighted to announce a partnership with DAP/Translink, who are based in Denton, Manchester. The partnership is for the supply of specialist aerial access platforms and water tower appliances for the UK emergency services market. Bence has been working with DAP to provide South Wales Fire and Rescue Service a refurbishment service for its existing aerial platform appliance, and hopes to extend this service over the coming months.

Generating business

This year has seen the expansion of the WH Bence service and maintenance provision worldwide.

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The WH Bence service centre is also now a registered re-seller for Cummins Onan generators and generator spare parts, and the company has been accredited by Onan to provide servicing across the UK. This venture is supporting both Bence’s existing customers and a number of other new clients in the UK.

www.whbence.co.uk To keep up to date with Bence news or to view the company’s portfolio of emergency services vehicles please visit the website or contact Oliver Brown, Sales Director on Tel: 01454 310909.

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Premier Hazard: for a complete vehicle conversion service As a leading provider of vehicle hazard warning and camera equipment for emergency service, commercial and industrial use in the UK, Premier Hazard has been serving customers worldwide for over 30 years. In addition to the design, manufacture and supply of high-quality components, the company also offers a complete vehicle conversion service for a full range of both blue and amber light vehicles. Working with a nationwide network of trusted installation partners, the comprehensive, competitively priced service is designed to offer an attractive alternative to customers who currently purchase specialist vehicles directly from major vehicle manufacturers.

Pursuit™ LED light bar The NAPFM Emergency Fleet Exhibition, which takes place from 9-10 June in Telford, will feature the launch of the new Pursuit™ LED light bar. The Pursuit™ bar, available to UK customers exclusively from Premier Hazard Limited, has been designed from the ground up without compromise as a solid state LED light bar uniquely featuring two levels of lighting in a low profile chassis. The upper deck provides full 360° warning lighting while the lower deck offers the opportunity to specify auxiliary lighting such as scene illumination or traffic director functions.

“The Pursuit™ bar provides UK customers with class leading performance and efficiency” The Pursuit™ bar is available in bar lengths from 750mm up to 1800mm and with a wide range of options, including single or dual colour upper light heads, auto dimming and integrated solar panels. Barrie Driscoll, General Manager at Premier Hazard, said, “The Pursuit™ bar uses the latest LED technology and is the first product exclusively available in the UK from Premier Hazard, which is the joint result of an ESG

Premier Hazard continues to develop one of the UK’s most comprehensive ranges of complete vehicle CCTV solutions.

global collaboration involving highly skilled product specialists from UK, USA and Australia coming together to offer UK customers the ultimate LED warning product with class leading performance and efficiency.”

On display at NAPFM will be the latest IP cameras and systems designed to optimise fleet usage while providing evidential quality protection for your workforce and other road users.

Complete vehicle CCTV solutions

Free fleet assessment

Premier Hazard continues to develop one of the UK’s most comprehensive ranges of complete vehicle CCTV solutions, including high definition cameras, versatile mobile DVRs, high resolution single and split screen monitors and safety proximity sensors. Premier Hazard’s range is suitable for all types of emergency vehicle including response cars, prisoner transport vans, frontline ambulances and fire appliances and offers advanced telematics intuitive user-friendly software.

Barrie Driscoll said, “The Premier Hazard team of experienced advisors and installers can provide free fleet assessment to ensure the right equipment is specified for individual needs and budgets. The result is a vehicle that is tailor-made for their purpose with no unnecessary features or wasted options. Only Premier Hazard customers benefit from this personalised reliable service.”

http://premierhazard.co.uk

The Pursuit™ bar is available in bar lengths from 750mm up to 1800mm.

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NSARDA: 50 years of search dogs From the first search dogs to becoming a leading modern organisation that helps bring vulnerable missing persons home, the National Search And Rescue Dog Association (NSARDA) remembers its origins and gives us a glimpse into its future. In the 1960s, inspired by a Red Cross search dog course in Switzerland, famous Scottish mountaineer Hamish MacInnes saw the potential for using properly trained dogs in locating lost and injured climbers. He started training his two German shepherds, Rangi and Tiki, and set up a training course in Glen Coe. From there, the search dog associations of Scotland, Wales and England were born and the first modern air scenting search dogs appeared. NSARDA was formed in 1965 from these associations and the use of search dogs has spread ever since.

Definitive impact In December 1988, the Pan Am flight 103 crashed after a terrorist attack. Known as the Lockerbie incident, this tragedy had a definitive impact on the use of search dogs as it was found that with little extra effort the mountain rescue dogs involved would happily work in the rural and urban setting. Dogs appeared in many other fields of search work thereafter. Today NSARDA consists of 10 member associations in Britain and Ireland, operating both in highland and lowland area.

“NSARDA member associations have many different types of search dogs, allowing them to provide the best possible resources in various scenarios.”

Air scenting search dogs work off lead, analysing airborne scent. They do not need an item from the missing person, but instead will find anyone in their search area. This is a very efficient method for covering large areas quickly – so these dogs are widely used. However, some circumstances require a different approach. To address this, NSARDA now also has training standards for scent discriminating trailing and for Drown Victim Recovery (DVR) dogs. In even more situations, dogs can help bring loved ones back home or bring closure to family in the tragic event of a fatality. Several NSARDA member associations now have many different types of search dogs, allowing them to provide the best possible resources in various scenarios.

Police callouts Callouts typically originate from the police to assist with searches for high risk missing persons. Search dogs operate alongside teams from Mountain Rescue, Lowland Rescue and any other agencies involved in the search. Callouts received by NSARDA member associations have increased over the years, from fewer than 150 in 2001 to well over 350 last year alone. Keen to support and collaborate with all relevant organisations, NSARDA has developed relationships with other search dog associations abroad and take part at home in events such as The Emergency Services Show. This year, NSARDA is organising a very special conference in Lancashire from 19-20 September to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the organisation. Around the theme ‘The life of a trained search dog’, top speakers from the search and rescue and from the canine community will gather. This conference is open to all, as NSARDA is keen to share its knowledge with the wider dog community and to encourage dialogue between experts from various backgrounds.

Thanks to a partnership with O2 Business, NSARDA is currently testing the use of a drone for training purposes and to support the work of the dogs on search and rescue operations.

NSARDA and its member associations are all charities. The economic downturn from recent years combined with the increasing use of search dogs has made an additional fundraising effort necessary. At times the pressure has been felt by some of the organisations and their volunteer dog handlers. But determined nonetheless, NSARDA looks confidently to the future. Whether it is the role of new technology in search and rescue or investigating new ways of deploying search dogs, much is still to come.

“Callouts typically originate from the police to assist with searches for high risk missing persons.” Embracing technology Many search teams already embrace technology, for instance using GPS to keep track of teams and to bring help quicker to casualties. Thanks to a partnership with O2 Business, NSARDA is currently testing the use of a drone for training purposes and to support the work of the dogs on search and rescue operations. Finally, bringing together the strong experience and knowledge of air scenting dogs with what has been learnt recently from scent discriminating trailing dogs, NSARDA is training their first scent discriminating air scenting dog. Man’s best friends when you need them the most… Here is to the next 50 years!

www.nsarda.org.uk.

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Refreshed framework will supply dayto-day PPE to the modern firefighter Thirty-four fire and rescue services (FRSs) have already expressed an interest in joining an innovative collaborative procurement project for personal protection equipment (PPE), which is being offered to all fire and rescue services in the UK. The framework will allow FRSs to establish call off contracts for the supply of PPE and aims to explore innovative design and fabrics to achieve the best possible protection for firefighters while providing a cost effective and efficient management system for FRSs. The collaborative project builds on an existing framework that has successfully provided PPE for 13 South East fire and rescue services since 2010. Having led on the existing framework, which runs to 2017, it was agreed by Kent Fire and Rescue Service Chief Executive, Ann Millington (who was Chair of the National Procurement Group) that Kent should lead on a new collaborative fire fighting PPE framework. This will be accessible to all UK local authority fire and rescue services as well as other government organisations, such as the Ministry of Defence.

Spring 2016 tender Chris Colgan, Assistant Director Response and Training, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, said, “Our existing framework has been very successful so we are now looking to refresh that. We are delighted to have had so much interest from other fire services – from the North East to the South West of England. In order to have a framework available for 2017, it is anticipated that the Invitation to Tender will be issued in spring 2016. “We aim to provide operational firefighters with PPE to cover a complete range of activities, from day to day activity such as RTCs and structural fire fighting to outdoor fire fighting, technical rescue and non-fire related rescues. “The new framework is very much in line with Sir Ken Knights’ report ‘Facing the Future’ and the ‘Fire and Rescue procurement aggregation and collaboration report’ from the DCLG. We believe it will bring real benefits to the services involved that go well beyond the obvious financial savings. This includes provision of fully evaluated PPE kit, tested by firefighters with a robust audit and review system for the whole process.

“In order to have a framework available for 2017, it is anticipated that the Invitation to Tender will be issued in spring 2016.”

Chris Colgan, Assistant Director Response and Training, Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

• Innovative design to cater for modern fire fighting activities • Fully evaluated by wearers • Independent research and development of selection methodology – University of Portsmouth. The existing PPE framework has successfully provided full ensembles of fire fighting PPE and associated managed services for 13 services and over 8500 firefighters since 2010.

Engagement with suppliers “With many FRSs already signed up and expressions of interests received from many more FRSs, this is potentially the largest collaborative procurement projects of its kind in the UK fire and rescue service. We are looking forward to being at this year’s Emergency Services Show at the NEC Birmingham from 23 to 24 September 2015 where we hope to continue our engagement with fire and rescue services and suppliers.”

Benefits of the scheme

Collaborative PPE banner.

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Benefits of the scheme will include: • Financial savings through one robust procurement process • Audit/review by a qualified external company of the process • One comprehensive Risk Assessment • Compliance with H&S requirements (PPE at Work Regs 1992)

A project board for the new collaborative framework was set up in autumn 2014. In March 2015, the Project Board held a market day for suppliers of firefighters’ PPE and managed services for the care and maintenance of this equipment. Engagement will continue with suppliers and it is intended that further market days will be held throughout the process. The Collaborative PPE Project will be represented at this year’s Emergency Services Show at the NEC Birmingham from 23 to 24 September, where presentations and discussions with both fire and rescue services and potential suppliers at separate times will be held.

www.collaborativeppe.co.uk For more information on the project visit the website or email: collaborativeppe@kent.fire-uk.org

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Emergency Services Collaboration Working Group – the current picture The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, on behalf of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioner’s Emergency Services Collaboration Working Group, was successful, in 2014, in submitting a bid to central government to establish a national practitioner’s forum to help build an evidence base, share best practice and act as a driving force for greater collaboration between the emergency services. Words: Jonathan Smith, CFOA Operations Directorate - Policy Support Officer The establishment of the Emergency Services Collaboration Working Group (ESCWG) built on the joint statement of commitment to collaboration made in February 2014 by the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA), Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) and Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The ESCWG received equal funding and ministerial backing from the Home Office, Department of Communities and Local Government and Department of Health respectively. Membership comprises representatives from: CFOA, AACE, the National Policing Lead, College of Policing, Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, Local Government Association and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The working group met for the first time in September 2014, with the remit of providing strategic leadership, an overview of collaborations across England and Wales; as well as building an evidence base and to act as a champion of innovation and best practice.

operational staff, joint training programmes, intra-service rationalisation, alignment of terms and conditions and integrated local and governance structures.

Research findings Following a tendering process, the working group commissioned research into emergency services collaboration from a consortium of universities (Nottingham, Birmingham and West Scotland), in conjunction with the charity Skills for Justice. The study sought to identify the factors that have resulted in positive outcomes, as well as the main barriers to increasing the scope and speed of collaborations between services in England and Wales. The research findings were published on 27 March 2015, after over 50 in-depth interviews with emergency service leaders and front line staff had been conducted. The research focused on six emergency services collaboration projects across England and Wales, covering efficient services, effective services and emerging best practice. Two of the collaboration projects examined were in Northamptonshire and Greater Manchester.

Enablers of collaboration: • A clear and shared vision of the objectives of the collaboration • Trust at all levels of the collaborating agencies • Clear, shared resource plans • Agreed and realistic timeline and delivery pathways • Local cross-party political buy-in and explicit support • Robust governance architecture • Retaining service identity. Barriers to collaboration: • Funding streams and Cycles (require aligning) • Organisational differences • Legislation • Staff engagement • Shared vision between Government departments.

Next steps The original funding arrangement for the working group officially concluded at the end of the financial year 2014/15. However, funding has now been secured to maintain the working group for a further six months pending any future agreement with the new Conservative Government on how to identify ways to deliver greater collaboration among services in England and Wales.

http://ow.ly/HODGG

Shared headquarters

Programmes of work Stemming from the working group’s inaugural meeting, a programme of work was agreed, which included: publication of a national overview of collaboration across England and Wales, establish a network and commission research. It was also agreed to provide ministers with progress updates. In November 2014, the working group, supported by central Government, published an overview report entitled ‘Emergency Services Collaboration – The Current Picture’. The report provided the most accurate picture yet of collaborative projects between blue light services in England and Wales, and provided a baseline for the working group to commission further research into the most innovative projects Information, contact details and publications are hosted on the Public Transformation Network http://ow.ly/HODGG and a peer-to-peer knowledge network has been established using CFOA’s communities’ site.

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In Northamptonshire, collaboration projects between police and fire have been progressing for some time. This has included shared headquarters for fire and police; piloting a joint police and fire Rural Response Vehicle; and a Joint Operations Team. The Community Risk Intervention Team (CRIT) is a project led by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, working in partnership with North West Ambulance Service, Greater Manchester Police and local authorities. The primary role is to visit homes offering fire safety and home security advice, as well as acting to reduce the threat of falls. They also mobilise to ‘low priority’ police and ambulance incidents. The public were also surveyed and the results showed an overwhelming number of respondents felt the emergency services should work more closely together in order to deliver better services. The research recommendations are focused on three key areas: promoting enablers, removing barriers and increasing collaboration. They include (but are not limited to): co-location of control rooms, creation of single back offices, better data sharing, capital resource rationalisation, shared command structures, shared

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Bridging funding gaps and delivering benefits to all Norfolk Constabulary currently has an anticipated funding gap of approximately £10m and continues to actively explore collaborative opportunities aimed at bridging this deficit. After a number of successful years collaborating with its preferred partner Suffolk Constabulary, Norfolk is now looking at other additional opportunities, including working more closely with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service – England’s largest county council fire and rescue service. Led by Assistant Chief Constable Sarah Hamlin and Deputy Chief Fire Officer Roy Harold, Norfolk Constabulary and Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service have begun to develop areas of closer working, ranging from co-location of performance and analysis departments, to full-scale training exercises testing concepts of interoperability. ACC Hamlin said, “The primary focus of this partnership is to provide an effective and efficient service to the people of Norfolk, whilst ensuring the county remains as safe as possible. We recognise the Government’s direction for closer cooperation of public bodies in the delivery of financial savings and operational efficiencies where this is in the public interest, and we have found some real benefit in the progress we have made.”

Efficiency savings Despite only being in the early stages of cooperation both organisations are beginning to find efficiency savings and that a better, more effective, service is being delivered through reduced duplication. Norfolk Constabulary’s Corporate Change and Development Department is overseeing the strategic leadership and a project board, on which representatives from both organisations sit, oversees the collaborative work oversight for the joint partnership. Key to the successful initiation of this work has been the shared vision of each organisation’s Chief Officers. “We identified early on that Chief Officers on both sides of the project needed to be clear on the direction they wanted collaboration to go in,” said ACC Hamlin. “It was also important to reassure staff throughout the organisation as well as our public that cooperation was the right thing to do.” To ease the transitions, in addition to the project board that meets regularly, a Joint Chief Officer Team meeting is held between the two organisations, which provides reassurance to organisational leaders that their statutory obligations continue to be met and that collaboration remains the right thing to do. At the outset of the project, the Chief Officer teams agreed to a number of principles: • Improved reach and impact for a safer Norfolk leading to efficiency savings • A better, more effective service through reduced duplication • Greater operational efficiency through shared knowledge and resource allocation • Greater understanding of how each service works. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding has been developed, which has been endorsed by both the Chief Executive of Norfolk County Council and the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner. Recently, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service’s Integrated Risk Management Team (IRMT) – the

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Assistant Chief Constable Sarah Hamlin, Norfolk Constabulary and Deputy Chief Fire Officer Roy Harold, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service. Photo: Simon Finlay.

department responsible for performance and analysis – was relocated into Norfolk Constabulary’s headquarters in Wymondham. Working next to the Constabulary’s equivalent unit, the IRMT was able to assist the police in analysing a series of arsons, which combined with police intelligence and analysis led to the arrest and prosecution of an offender. Commenting on the case, ACC Hamlin said, “This for me is an example of collaboration working at its best. Simply by relocating the departments to sharing the same space we have created an environment where information can be shared more freely and easily, which on this occasion has led to the identification and prosecution of an offender for offences, which previously looked like they would go undetected. Not only can we now prosecute those offences that have been committed, but we are in a position to prevent further harm coming to our communities.”

“Some of our most successful operational collaboration has come not from Chief Officers, but from staff willing to put forward ideas.” Firearms training Another area of successful collaboration has been between the organisation’s Firearms Training Unit, which it shares with Suffolk Constabulary, and Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service. “The opportunities for working together were identified by two PCs working in Firearms Training, who had recognised a need for new and unfamiliar training venues for firearms officers to utilise. As a result of their work we have reduced travelling time, increased our training estate, and are now provided with premises in which we can use more dynamic and realistic tactics and equipment,” said ACC Hamlin

“I am a big believer that our workforces have a lot of ideas on how we can improve our practices and this is evidenced by the fact that some of our most successful operational collaboration has come not from Chief Officers, but from staff willing to put forward ideas.” In return for the use of these training venues, Norfolk Constabulary has recently included its fire and rescue service colleagues on a large-scale firearms exercise, held inside Chapelfield Shopping Centre in Norwich. The inclusion of Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, as well as the East of England Ambulance Service, in the exercise allowed them to accredit their teams in responding to marauding firearms incidents, as well as improving interoperability concepts further between the two organisations. Set against the background of an increasing need for interoperability, the closer working between Norfolk Constabulary and Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has assisted both organisations in embedding cooperative working practices. As the HMIC-led inspections into the effectiveness of the JESIP principles begin later in the year, Norfolk feels optimistic about the position in which it finds itself. ACC Hamlin said, “We are finding that as operational staff begin to work together more frequently, and become accustomed to seeing one another’s uniforms around shared premises, interoperability comes more naturally which can only be a positive thing. A greater understanding of each other’s methods, terminology and capabilities has led to some useful learning opportunities particularly around firearms and road traffic collisions, where we now have a better understanding of what each organisation can do for the other.”

Future potential collaboration Looking to the future, a number of areas continue to be explored for further collaborative working, one of the key areas being integrated working between control rooms. Options are being considered that will allow for the exchange of incident logs between the two services, as well as better re-direction of incidents to third parties, which should allow calls from the public to be better directed to the most suitable agency sooner. Other opportunities include the joint procurement and maintenance of vehicles and uniform, a joint occupational health service as well as exploring the suitability of the call-out system used by retained firefighters for Special Constables. Although it is still too early to fully identify the savings and efficiencies that have been achieved to date it is clear that this collaboration is delivering benefits to both organisations and assisting them in bridging their respective funding gaps moving forward.

www.norfolk.police.uk www.norfolkfireservice.gov.uk

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The role of the National Inter agency Liaison Officer The UK fire rescue service continues to play an integral role within the emergency response to terrorist incidents, and the successful development of the National Inter agency Liaison Officer (NILO) role over the last decade has contributed to support the planning and response against such threats. Now this role is being developed with all emergency services and the military, with an accredited course at the Fire Service College providing the foundation of the intensive training requirement for the role. In light of the evolving terrorist threat, the development of an integrated response of emergency services will inevitably limit the loss of life and provide resilience across all aspects of the emergency services within the UK. Within London this concept is not new, the London Emergency Services Liaison Panel (LESLP), which was established in 1973, brought together for the first time the police, fire and ambulance services with colleagues from London’s local authorities and the military in order to review major incident procedures and established a foundation for blue light strategic multi-agency coordination for major incidents.

Bridging the knowledge gap In addition to LESLP, testing and exercising of contingency plans have always played a key role in preparations for emergencies. In 2000, Exercise Trump Card, a multi-agency exercise that simulated a terrorist attack on the underground, identified the importance of inter agency cooperation at all levels between responding agencies and organisations. It was highlighted that a specific role was required that could bridge the knowledge gap between responding agencies. What then evolved was the development of a new advisory role, initially within only the London Fire Brigade – the Inter agency Liaison Officer (ILO). The ILO was to become London Fire Brigade’s CBRN trained cadre, with the intention of using these specially trained officers to act as facilitators, helping and advising the commanders of incidents to understand the needs, capabilities and capacity of other agencies involved in the response. Since the development and implementation of ILOs within London Fire Brigade, the role has proved extremely effective not only in response to a CT related incidents; for example NILOs are commonly used as a

commanding officer at MTFA (Marauding Terrorists and Firearms) incidents; but also in a variety of multi-agency responses, including the London Riots in 2011. These specially trained officers are invaluable at the Strategic Coordination Group, ensuring that key information from other emergency services is collated and communicated to relevant operational officers, ensuring better coordination of an emergency response.

“A National Inter-agency Liaison Officer (NILO) is a function recognised within the fire and rescue service Incident Command System (ICS) and fully compliments the National Resilience capability of the UK.” National standard After the initial successful development of the ILO role by London Fire Brigade, a number of other fire and rescue services across England, Wales and Scotland introduced similar concepts. This rapid expansion of the role has ultimately led to the introduction of a national standard of National Inter-agency Liaison Officers (NILOs).

Assistant Commissioner Tim Cutbill, London Fire Brigade.

As part of the development of the NILO role, services across the country introduced ILO schemes and developed those already in existence in order to collate and disseminate best practice and to champion the role and benefits of the ILO concept at all levels of the emergency services. As of 2015, a National Interagency Liaison Officer (NILO) is a function recognised within the fire and rescue service Incident Command System (ICS) and fully compliments the National Resilience capability of the UK. A robust governance structure has now been put in place to further support development of the role nationally. Assistant Commissioner Tim Cutbill, London Fire Brigade, is the NILO Coordinator and has responsibility for the development of the role at a national level in addition to managing the development of NILO guidance and procedures. His role has the support of senior officers within the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Terrorism and Allied Matters). There are a series of national regional meetings chaired by AC Tim Cutbill, which allow the sharing of information and learning across the country, including the devolved administrations of Wales and Scotland. Speaking about the development of the NILO role, Tim said, “Since its inception the NILO role has played a pivotal role at a number of major terrorist incidents and other multi-agency incidents. The NILO provides that communication link for both tactical and strategic commanders of responding agencies enabling a truly multi-agency resolution to an event. I’m proud to continue to lead in the development of such a crucial role, which is complimented and supported by the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP).”

www.london-fire.gov.uk

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Digital marketplace transforms collaboration options The Government’s Digital Marketplace is playing a small but crucial role in transforming the way the public sector acquires commodity ICT services. Easy-to-procure software products are helping blue light teams operating nationally and locally to simplify the teamworking and information sharing procedures upon which their work depends. This article looks at the background to the Digital Marketplace and how procurements being made through it are benefiting frontline response and ICT teams alike. Words: John Glover, Sales & Marketing Director, Kahootz. As potential risk factors facing the UK change, Category 1 teams have to constantly adapt their procedures for emergency preparedness, incident response and recovery planning. Planners must evolve the way they cooperate and share information with colleagues, Category 2 responders and external organisations. The Civil Contingency guidelines accept that cooperation between multiple agencies on emergency planning will strain the resources of partner organisations, while responding to emergencies will stretch those resources to the limit. However, three factors are helping the emergency services to innovate in the way that they cooperate, communicate and manage responses.

“Through these innovations, lead responders can streamline policy-making and scale up their response to incidents at the click of a button.” The rise of Cloud computing First, the rise of Cloud computing and its new collaboration tools is enabling emergency planners to take more effective control of cooperation processes. New Cloud products enable any user with a browser and an internet connection to create secure collaborative workspaces for any chosen individuals, share documents, bring in resources at scale, share sensitive information safely and allow system auditing. Through these innovations, lead responders can streamline policy-making and scale up their response to incidents at the click of a button. While the fundamentals of having people on site haven’t changed, planners can use Cloud platforms to bring in extra resources, such as key stakeholders and subject experts, irrespective of their location. This can transform both emergency response and the longer-term tasks of developing the recovery strategy and lessons learned phases.

Digital Marketplace Second, the UK Government’s Digital Marketplace has simplified the way public buyers procure commodity software and greatly reduced the timeframes involved.

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The original CloudStore, launched in 2012, set up a dedicated ICT marketplace for buyers. Its pre-agreed standards and commercial terms give public bodies access to proven Cloud products to help them drive service innovations or gain better value for money. The marketplace’s open competition and simpler procurement processes have attracted small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) eager to supply Government and broaden buyers’ ICT options. By 2015 the marketplace’s sales had reached £500m with 90 percent from central government. Through the Digital Marketplace, public and blue light buyers can ‘try before they buy’, achieve more predictable innovation costs and drive vital process improvements. In a shared services project that Kahootz supplied, a Department of Health ICT team set up a knowledgesharing network for NHS Trusts and arm’s length bodies in a matter of days, where it had previously taken them months to do so. With so many stakeholders involved, the department wanted to manage costs and track system usage. In order to cater for emergencies and demand spikes, its ICT department worked with us to develop ‘active user’ pricing, so that project teams and stakeholder organisations only paid for licenses they actually used while the ICT team is centrally monitoring usage and costs.

Sharing knowledge The third major change affecting blue light teams is the arrival of new rules giving Government departments much greater freedom to share their knowledge. Public servants have been reluctant to put sensitive data in the Cloud but last year’s reclassification of most Government data as ‘OFFICIAL’ gives users greater scope to share such information. In addition, the Digital Marketplace now requires all suppliers to declare how they will meet buyers’ individual security requirements. CIOs across Government acknowledge that they have the opportunity to change the way they work using Cloud technologies and sharing their knowledge more widely.

John Glover, Sales & Marketing Director, Kahootz.

Innovation on the frontline Some frontline examples show how blue light teams are already benefiting from innovation. During the Ebola outbreak, NHS and international aid agencies used collaboration tools from the Digital Marketplace to coordinate their response. The team was able to quickly bring in a range of policy experts via Cloud collaboration tools to set the ground rules for containing the outbreak. And after the outbreak was contained, the team rapidly scaled back resources and began the clean-up phase. Blue light CIOs are also starting to improve coordination and technical support services. The Firelink wide area radio system set up in 2009 broke new ground because it supported fire and rescue services in England, Wales and Scotland. Firelink’s technical assurance department looking after the management information system then had to collaborate with technical managers, suppliers and stakeholders from across the three countries. The team is successfully getting input from an array of organisations and technical advisers by cooperating on a Cloud platform. Project leads quickly buy additional user licences through the Digital Marketplace so that outside experts can be brought in and out of different collaboration groups as workloads dictate. Our experience suggests that public safety professionals are starting to transform specific aspects of their teamworking and information sharing using Cloud-based technology assets that are simple to procure and operate.

www.kahootz.com

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Tri-service emergency first responder is a UK first Hayle is not only home to Cornwall’s first emergency services hub, but the town can also now boast a new type of emergency first responder. The UK’s first Tri-Service Safety Officer, Andrew Hichens is a qualified on call firefighter with Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS), an emergency first responder for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and has also been trained in specific crime and disorder duties with Devon and Cornwall Police. Andrew Hichens will be based at the new Hayle Tri-Service Centre, working alongside on call firefighters, local police officers and ambulance crews. Emergency responders from the three services began working from the hub in March 2015, giving the town and surrounding community greater protection. In time, the building will also be used to support a range of community activities.

“We will all benefit from his shared expertise from across the three services.” Keeping the community safe An important part of Andrew’s role will be to help members of the community to keep themselves safe by working with local groups to spread safety messages. He will also report to Hayle Town Council keeping local councillors informed on incidents involving the emergency services. Andrew, who has been an on call firefighter at Camborne Community Fire Station for the last eight years, will be based at the station in Hayle. Employed by CFRS, his role has been funded as part of a two-year Government pilot aimed at strengthening collaboration between blue light services. “I was drawn to the job as it provides the community with a unique presence,” said Andrew. “I want to

Andrew Hichens is the UK’s first tri-service safety officer.

become a familiar face in the local community, someone the public are happy to see and who can respond to any incident or enquiry.”

Shared expertise Assistant Chief Fire Officer Phil Martin from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, said, “Andrew will be a familiar

Andrew is joined by Assistant Chief Fire Officer Phil Martin from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service; Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton from Devon and Cornwall Police and Neil Le Chevalier, Director of Operations for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

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face in the community and working together with his colleagues in one building means we will all benefit from his shared expertise from across the three services.” Neil Le Chevalier, Director of Operations for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said, “We are the first in the country to bring all three services into one building and the benefits are immense, particularly for the local community of Hayle where we have a dedicated person able to respond on behalf of the three services.” Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton from Devon and Cornwall Police said, “The tri service officer is a groundbreaking idea being introduced into Cornwall. It brings together the skills and training of the three emergency services into one individual and means that we can provide a really effective first responder to any situation. “This concept is very exciting and we are already thinking how we can expand this beyond Hayle. What it will do, despite the tough austerity times for the emergency services, is provide local communities with a dedicated local officer who can provide that initial support to our local communities. This coupled with the development of the emergency tri service buildings will hopefully safeguard our presence in our communities as well as making us more effective in our response to emergencies and calls for help.”

www.cornwall.gov.uk

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Three-year minimum proposed for paramedic degrees from 2016 With the increasingly complex role of paramedics and a growing number of universities now offering BSc paramedic degree programmes, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the College of Paramedics are considering making it a requirement that from 2019 paramedics pass a three-year Bachelor of Science (BSc Hons) degree, rather than a foundation level two-year degree, which is the current minimum standard in order to be registered. All other Allied Health Professions (AHP) already go through BSc level programmes and the Paramedic Evidence Based Education Project (PEEP) Report recommended a move to BSc level education for paramedics. The change will mean that anyone planning to qualify as a paramedic in 2019 will need to have started his or her BSc degree course in 2016, although anyone who trained under legacy arrangements will not be affected.

Broader upskilling trend Many universities already offer three-year BSc degree courses, but aspiring paramedics currently have the option of completing a two-year foundation level degree instead, saving the time and cost of a further year’s study. Professor Andy Newton, Chairman of the College of Paramedics and Consultant Paramedic/Chief Clinical Officer of South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), is a supporter of the move to BSc degree qualification, which he sees as being in line with the broader upskilling trend among paramedics. “While understandably some will be concerned that a move to increase the training and education of paramedics to BSc level in line with all other Allied Health Professions will lead to a higher pay banding, the move to greater education is inevitable,” he said. “Paramedics are becoming more and more skilled and the move to a three-year BSc qualification is a logical reflection of the ever-changing needs of patients, given the more complex decision making and the greater demands of the paramedic role.”

Increased skill levels Ken Wenman, Chief Executive of South Western Ambulance Service, is also a keen advocate. He said, “It is absolutely right that we increase the educational and skill levels of paramedics. Ambulance staff are doing much more today than they ever did before; the expectations of paramedics are higher than they ever have been, and it is therefore right that we move toward a BSc degree level qualification.” He continued, “We are probably the only registrant body under HCPC that are allowed registration under foundation degree at the moment, so it does bring us into line with all of the other registrant bodies in the healthcare sector. It is long overdue in that respect.”

Higher pay band Today the job description sets the pay band for paramedic staff. The moment a BSc degree is added into the job description Ken Wenman believes the additional points awarded are likely to push people into a higher pay band, which is Band 6. A further impact of the process could then be that existing paramedics with foundation level degree could successfully put forward a case for pay parity with BSc graduates, leaving pay levels elevated without any corresponding uplift in paramedics’ ability to treat a larger range and greater number of people before they ever get to Accident and Emergency.

Professor Andy Newton, Chairman of the College of Paramedics and Consultant Paramedic/Chief Clinical Officer of South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb).

future-proofed almost, to meet the needs of the patients, so that they can be given the right care in the right place and at the right time.” Andy Newton sees the move to a three-year degree as reflecting the increased skills and scope of work undertaken by all paramedics. “The increased skills and abilities displayed by paramedics are adding to the value and breadth of healthcare services available to the public. It seems reasonable and appropriate to recognise this through higher levels of pay, subject to the job evaluation process,” he states. “This offers the potential to improve patient outcomes by means of a faster and higher quality response to emergency medical needs, taking pressure off other parts of the healthcare system.”

Plan now

“Paramedics provide much higher levels of care than ever before and deserve to have their pay banding reviewed.”

Ken Wenman, Chief Executive of South Western Ambulance Service.

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“My strong view is that all existing paramedics have outgrown their job profiles,” adds Mr Wenman. “They provide much higher levels of care than ever before and deserve to have their pay banding reviewed. What is important however is that we must ensure that adding an additional year to the paramedic degree should mean that the paramedics scope of practice is broadened,

“If a job evaluation reveals that a paramedic should be paid more, then they should be,” adds Professor Newton. “At some point in the future, paramedics probably will move up a grade, so it makes sense for us to plan for this now. There is a well-established job evaluation process and we should leave it to the commissioners to make these decisions.” The College of Paramedics, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), Health Education England (HEE) and the universities are looking to resolve this issue ahead of the admissions cycle for 2016, when the first students will begin studying to complete their BSc (Hons) degrees in 2019.

www.swast.nhs.uk www.secamb.nhs.uk www.collegeofparamedics.co.uk

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JESIP Joint Organisational Learning – the final piece of the puzzle Can the emergency services successfully learn the lessons? It is a question that many people will ask, from those relatives who have lost a loved one in a disaster to Ministers who are faced with reports telling them the emergency services could have done more. Words: Joy Flanagan, JESIP Engagement Manager. One of the key observations from the research1 carried out by Dr Kevin Pollock for the Cabinet Office in 2013 stated that: In order to learn lessons from incidents, training, testing and exercising and other external sources, a common recording and reporting procedure should be adopted by all emergency services and other Category 1 and Category 2 responders.2 In response to that and following the publication of the JESIP Joint Doctrine and the largest joint training programme the sector has ever seen, JESIP is launching the final piece of the interoperability puzzle – Joint Organisational Learning (JOL).

JOL cannot solve all issues but aims to address the challenge of learning lessons from multi-agency incidents, training, testing and exercising, which impact on emergency services interoperability. In particular, we are looking to capture learning, which is related to the Joint Doctrine; primarily the five core principles, the use of METHANE and the use of the JDM.

“There is no point in holding inquiries or publishing guidance unless the recommendations are followed diligently. That must be the first lesson. ..lessons identified from the events are not being learned to the extent that there is sufficient change in both policy and practice to prevent their repetition” Lord Taylor following Hillsborough and reflecting on number of other major incident reviews.

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JOL Process & Application Over the past few months, the JEISP team, along with a working group that is reflective of the emergency services and wider resilience community, have been working on JOL. The result is a basic process supported with a simple online application. The aim is to capture two types of input: 1. Lessons Identified: where services have found the JESIP Joint Doctrine to not be working well or have challenges applying it 2. Notable Practice: where services have found something works well with regards to interoperability and wish to share that for others to benefit from We expect issues will be identified through existing de-brief processes that follow incidents, training and exercising. On this basis, inputs are most likely to come from emergency services, but inputs may also be identified by wider responders. Wider responders will be able to input information via their nominated JOL contact within their LRF. The basic JOL process can be summed up in three basic stages: 1. Inputs: identifying what needs to be learnt 2. Monitoring, analysis and development: act on what needs to be learnt 3. Implementation & Assurance: share what needs to be learnt and check change has occurred

The application is hosted on Resilience Direct and it is designed to be easy for services and LRFs to use, ensuring inputs are captured in a consistent way. All of the data entered onto the application is protected and secure. The JESIP team will monitor the inputs and carry out an initial assessment of the issue being reported (the likelihood and impact of the issue happening again or being replicated elsewhere). The details of the input will then be verified with those involved if required. Depending on the results of that analysis we will then decide the next course of action. This may mean working directly with the originator of the input and any other organisations involved to find a potential solution. With higher risk issues, we may consult with national subject matter advisors or national bodies to help develop a solution. Either way the focus will be on finding sensible solutions to issues, which are proven to impede joint working.

Organisational learning Any inputs with national implications will be taken to the Interoperability Board with key recommendations that the board will review and potentially approve or request further work. Once approved, the recommendations will be distributed to the

Strategic Leads in the relevant organisations for implementation. The JESIP team will work with the services and provide assurance monitoring for the Interoperability Board. We anticipate that over time the JOL application will become the go-to place for organisational learning. It will become a central source of reference for all services with a robust mechanism that we can use to ensure lessons identified lead to positive change on the ground and ultimately helping achieve the primary aim for JESIP of ‘working together – saving lives’. JOL is being launched in phases with workshops being held across the country from April through to June. By the end of June all services and LRFs will have access to JOL. To learn more about JOL, please visit our website.

The new JESIP team is in place It was decided in April 2014, that a small central JESIP team would remain in place to support services as they continue to embed JESIP into business as usual activities; to support the Interoperability Board with its new role of continually improving emergency service interoperability; and, to ensure the JESIP Joint Doctrine and training products remain fit for purpose. Therefore we are delighted to introduce EST readers to the new JESIP team in place from April 2015 and working out of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat offices in London. Some of the names will be familiar but there are some new faces too! Firstly, the Deputy Senior Responsible Officer (DSRO) for JESIP is Carl Daniels. Carl reports to DCC Charlie Hall, the Senior Responsible Officer for JESIP, and is responsible for the day to day workings of the team. He is also the Senior User representing the ambulance service on the team and leads on the Doctrine workstream. Brian Welsh remains on the team and is now the Senior User representing the fire and rescue services. Brian is a Group Manager seconded from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service. Brian leads on Joint Organisational Learning as well as testing and exercising. Joy Flanagan also remains on the team, seconded from the Chief Fire Officers’ Association. She holds responsibility for JESIP communications and engagement activity, which supports all of the workstreams.

New members of the team… Julian Frost joins JESIP as the Senior User representing the police services. Julian is a Chief Inspector seconded from Bedfordshire Police where he has served since 1992. Julian has much experience of multi-agency

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ESTTRAINING | 49 working and is a licensed JESIP trainer. His broad experience from leading operational response teams, working as a control room manager to firearms, CBRN and public order command roles means he has a wealth of skills and knowledge to help with his role on the JESIP team. Beth Warburton joins JESIP from the North West Ambulance Service. As the JESIP Project Support Officer, Beth will be instrumental in supporting all members of the JESIP team. Beth will also have some distinct responsibilities, including working with the Cabinet Office on further developing the national testing and exercising calendar

and ensuring learning coming from de-briefs are entered onto JOL. Donna Hay joins JESIP as the National MTFA Programme Coordinator and is on secondment from the North East Ambulance Service. She was previously the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) Educator and Team Leader with a specific interest in MTFA and CBRN Education and Training. The National MTFA Programme Coordinator is a new role working alongside the JESIP team. It is dedicated to working primarily for the emergency services in liaison with the central Government MTFA Team. The role has been established

to help in ensuring the MTFA Programme is successfully integrated across the country and that the joint MTFA capability is maintained and can be continually improved.

www.jesip.org.uk References: 1 Review of Persistent Lessons Identified Relating to Interoperability from Emergencies and Major Incidents since 1986 2 Category 1 and Category 2 responders as defined in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004

Intersect – a cross sector systems leadership programme The environment in which public service leaders operate is changing rapidly; presenting extraordinary and unprecedented challenges and opportunities for leaders. Policies, social demands, pressures and trends, expectations and social media along with the continued presence of health, policing and social issues affecting people and communities – all contribute to volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Collaboration across the public sector is widely recognised as the only possible effective and essential approach to secure better outcomes. Services are increasingly being integrated and transformed with resources being pooled, and staff needing to be deployed more flexibly. Few leaders will have experienced this environment before and the combination of pressures and opportunities that it can bring. The NHS Leadership Academy is part of the NHS and works primarily for those involved in the healthcare system with the aim of developing outstanding leadership, at all levels. Excellent leadership has a direct, positive impact on staff and in turn on the people who require help and treatment every day.

“The NHS Leadership Academy is looking for 36 pioneering systems leaders from the emergency services, health, social care, education, local government and third sector.” Exceptional outcomes The NHS recognises that it can no longer expect to tackle the challenges it faces in isolation. To deliver the exceptional outcomes and outstanding care the

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population needs and expects, the health service understands the need to work in collaboration and close partnership with the emergency services sector. Intersect is a ground breaking, cross sector systems leadership programme. Running for a second year, the programme provides in-depth learning and transformational development that leaders working across all sectors will need. Dr Nicholas Bradbury, Head of Systems Leadership at NHS Leadership Academy, said, “Systems leadership is the leadership we need in these times. In a climate of complexity, it unites individuals, services, sectors, communities and professions through a shared purpose.” Across the nation, the NHS Leadership Academy is looking for 36 pioneering systems leaders from the emergency services, health, social care, education, local government and third sector. Intersect is a year long programme starting in October 2015. It includes five residential modules ranging from four to five days. Participants will enter onto a transformational journey towards greater understanding, self-awareness, the personal authority and relationship skills needed to cocreate the systems leadership networks, which are integral to the future of our public sector. The full cost of the programme is £6000 per participant. This investment goes directly back into the delivery of the programme ensuring that all participants become the best leaders they can possibly be – to ultimately make a real and improved difference to patient care. A limited number of bursaries are available, which will be offered on a case by case basis and may cover the full or part cost of a place. Dr Nicholas Bradbury also points out the many benefits that participants will experience as a result of being on the programme. He said, “We are seeing a deeper understanding of psychodynamics and cross sector dynamics, increased confidence and cross sector engagement to explore behaviours, practices and

processes across the different organisations as well as exposure to better collaboration, increased emotional intelligence and self-awareness.” Systems leadership and the Intersect programme is for anyone involved in public service delivery who has to balance expectations of the service within the resources available. Given the main challenges that the emergency services and providers of services across the public sector are facing, systems leaders will play an essential role in developing the solutions and in delivering the high quality outcomes which the country demands.

How to apply 1. First stage: online written applications through the NHS Leadership Academy website – http://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/programmes /intersect-systems-leadership-programme. Applications close on 29 June 2015 2. Second stage: shortlisted applicants will be asked to attend face to face or virtual interviews in July 2015 3. Final stage: 36 participants will be selected for the programme. If you would like to find out more about the programme and what is required before applying, please contact intersect@leadershipacademy.nhs.uk or Tel: 0113 322 5699.

www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk

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Falck invests for the future Falck Safety Services (Falck), which has 32 training centres across the world, including two UK sites in Aberdeen and Teesside, has recently enhanced its fire training asset, installing a new three-storey fire rig, working in partnership with The Fire Training Group (FTG) located at Aberdeen Airport. The investment will enable Falck to continue to provide offshore workers with relevant, bespoke and OPITO-approved fire training courses and will allow delegates to experience real-life situations with live fire training with increased helicopter and rescue simulations.

Dual purpose The new asset has also been designed with a dual purpose in mind and will meet demand for the new training requirements for the maritime industry. Seafarers are required, every five years, to provide evidence of having maintained the required standards of competence to undertake the tasks, duties and responsibilities regarding emergency, occupational safety and survival functions. As of 1 January 2017 seafarers must have documentary evidence of either completing the training course or updating training within the last five years to meet Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) standards.

Colin Leyden, Managing Director for Falck Safety Services UK.

Falck, working in partnership with The Fire Training Group (FTG), has recently installed a new three-storey fire rig at Aberdeen Airport.

Colin Leyden, Managing Director for Falck Safety Services UK, said, “As a business, we are focused on providing delegates with the most realistic and highest quality of training as possible, and it is vital that we continue to invest and enhance our facilities, despite the challenging times in the industry. “It is crucial that we are ahead of the game for new regulations coming into place. Although the 2017 STCW deadline seems far off, it is important that individuals schedule the training well in advance before the deadline approaches. As a global company we can offer the STWC refresher training both locally and worldwide, providing our customers with suitable availability to meet their specific needs. We will also be able to increase our company specific scenario based

emergency training, giving offshore teams a higher variety of scenarios for real life experience while working together. The objective is clearly not just compliance, but also about competence. At Falck, we aim to prepare and better equip each delegate for the challenging working conditions offshore, especially in emergency situations.” Falck, which delivers over 200 safety and survival training courses to more than 340,000 people each year, is a global leader in health, safety, survival and wind training, providing realistic training in a safe and controlled environment to the global oil and gas, shipping, renewable energy, military and aviation industries.

www.falck.co.uk/safetyservices

Red One looking forward to Interschutz 2015 Red One Limited will be exhibiting at the forthcoming Interschutz 2015 exhibition, which takes place from 8-13 June in Hannover, Germany. This event will mark the company’s first venture into the European fire market and it forms part of Red One’s strategic plan to embrace international clients as a core part of its business. Interschutz is the international trade show for fire fighting, disaster relief and rescue, where companies are presenting the very latest equipment and innovations for emergency service work.

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Industrial fire fighting

Specialist teams

The show will provide Red One with an opportunity to showcase its professionalism in providing complete fire, rescue and safety training and service solutions for customers seeking to either outsource or develop their on-site industrial fire fighting services. Red One has qualified personnel ready and able to meet all industrial fire and rescue requirements, drawing upon their extensive experience of public fire cover provision, mobilisation, resourcing, incident command and accredited training, ensuring the highest professional competency with the most cost effective solutions. Recent assignments for Red One include the provision of Incident Command training to the Fire Service of Mauritius and consultancy in the development of a new Maritime fire training facility in Phuket, Thailand. The company also provides both on-site and off-site training to industrial fire teams in the nuclear energy and chemical manufacturing sectors.

Red One also provides specialist stand-by rescue teams for work at height, confined space rescue and boat rescue for short, medium or long term projects. Working in the energy sector, chemicals manufacturing, maritime, petroleum and the heavy industries with organisations operating on-site fire teams, Red One can help train, resource, operate and manage RFFS teams safely, efficiently and professionally. Held once every five years, Interschutz is attended by more than 1300 companies from 46 countries. The Red One stand will be situated in Hall 24, Stand C30, where the company’s technical staff will be on-hand and pleased to discuss your fire, rescue and safety training and support requirements.

www.dsfire.gov.uk

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New standards developed for training vets for animal rescue Words: Jim Green, Animal Rescue Specialist (HFRS), British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association. The response to incidents involving animals will be enhanced significantly with the launch of new veterinary standards following a pilot course this spring, run by BARTA (British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association) in association with the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) and XL Vets Group. Large animal veterinary levels of training and capability in regard to rescue are aligned to the standards developed for the fire and rescue service by the Chief Fire Officersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association (CFOA) Animal Rescue Practitioners Forum, led by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS). BARTA is the industry voice of best practice representing stakeholders, such as the British Veterinary Association, BEVA and CFOA.

This 16-hour course will be split into two distinct sections. The first will comprise eight hours online precourse learning using the platform MOODLE, hosted by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. Subject areas include: safety and procedures, casualty care (including triage, pre hospital care and transportation), chemical control and euthanasia. A veterinary expert will explore each subject through case studies and narrated Powerpoint presentations. Knowledge and understanding will need to be demonstrated by the delegate before moving to the next stage.

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Improved animal welfare Once this course has been ratified, the intention is that all large animal veterinarians who might be called upon to assist emergency responders will have the opportunity to undertake training. This will prepare them for the challenges encountered in situations involving animals that are often unpredictable and emotionally charged. Furthermore it will enhance the effectiveness of incident management and lead to safer and more efficient outcomes with the added benefit of improved animal welfare.

Awareness training The first level of awareness training (VLAR-1) is aimed at university undergraduates and outlines how to work safely at the scene of an animal related incident with other agencies within the Incident Command System. However, due to specialist knowledge required, particularly at large animal incidents, the future expectation will be that vets called to fully participate in the rescue and contribute to the tactical plan will be trained to VLAR-2 First Responder level.

The second section will be a practical day, which will focus on case-based scenarios where the delegates will roleplay with a fire and rescue service animal rescue specialist to determine the tactical plan and considerations for rescue and immediate care. During the day there will be opportunity to practice animal rescue techniques and develop skills in safely working around large animals in compromised situations.

www.bartacic.org Ten polo horses were trapped following a collision and rollover on the A303 in Hampshire.

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The tangible benefits of training technology As the chosen training partner for the London Fire Brigade (LFB), Babcock is committed to providing a value for money training solution that delivers tangible benefits. One such example has been the introduction of e-learning to the training portfolio, which has seen the delivery of cost savings, increased pass rates and tailored training to the brigade. Over the past two years Babcock has designed, developed and implemented 89 new e-learning packages to the LFB training programme. These new packages provide varying levels of user interactivity ranging from simple information slides up to a virtual reality format. Each package is linked to the Learning Management System (LMS) where students can access the training at any time and learn at their own pace. The LMS is also accessible to trainers so that they can track answers, assessments and time spent on each package. From this information, trainers can tailor their training sessions to the individuals in the group and deliver extra one-to-one help when needed. E-learning is being used by Babcock to complement the overall training capability. As part of a blended learning solution it allows much of the theory behind core fire fighting skills to be obtained before attending a training session. The face-to-face training can then

focus on the practical training elements giving students the opportunity to see, practise and demonstrate their learning. The implementation of e-learning has seen great success with evidence to show an increase in pass rates among delegates. For example, in the Knots and Lines course the average pass rate was three weeks. Since the introduction of e-learning, 80 percent of trainees have reached competence after one day.

The power of tablet technology The use of e-learning has been most prevalent in the new Fire Fighter Development (FFD) course, which has been designed and delivered by Babcock. Each and every trainee on the course is issued with an iPad, which the trainees keep throughout their career. Rather than carrying around piles of training notes, which eventually become obsolete, the FFD iPad is updated whenever there is a change to the course material so trainees have access to the latest information. Some elements of the training packages are also available to students before they even start their FFD course, meaning students can come prepared and ready to start their practical training straight away. The use of e-learning throughout the FFD course has seen a reduction in course time from 17 weeks to 10 weeks. Competent and skilled firefighters are ready for operational duty more quickly than ever before saving the brigade both time and money.

Training facilities for the 21st Century On 6 February 2015, Commissioner Ron Dobson and Kevin Thomas officially opened London Fire Brigade’s new £7m Emergency Services Training Centre in Park Royal (above). The Park Royal site is a further example of training technology in action, which is providing real benefits for the brigade and local emergency services. It

is also home to much of the Fire Fighter Development course. The purpose-built complex will complement the sister site in Beckton, which was opened last year and marks the completion of the biggest modernisation of firefighter training in the capital for over a century. Park Royal covers 4000 square metres and will run around 500 training courses a year. It is a centre of excellence for line rescue, firefighter development and real fire training. This is one of the most environmentally friendly fire training establishments in the country, using the latest technology to deliver on ‘green’ objectives both for Babcock and the LFB. This world class venue also features a unique four storey zero-emission fire house, which is the only facility in the country to provide a real fire experience underground. London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said, “Today’s firefighters don’t just fight fires. They need to be skilled in a wide range of disciplines and this state-of-the-art venue, along with our other centre of excellence in Beckton, will bring our training facilities into the 21st Century and provide us with a first class, realistic, safe training environment that will prepare our staff for any challenge they might face.”

www.babcockinternational.com

Firefighters test response to major chemical spill in Sheffield A team of more than 30 firefighters has tested its response to a major chemical leak in South Yorkshire. The live training exercise, held at an industrial site in Birley, Sheffield saw crews re-enact their response to a dangerous chemical spillage, with a scenario that included public evacuations and multiple public and firefighter casualties. Although incidents like this are extremely rare, officers say live training is the best way of topping up the skills of firefighters, making sure they are fully prepared to respond to any type of incident in the future. Station Manager Mark Wilkinson said, “Our firefighters could be asked to respond to a massive range of incidents at any time of the day or night. It’s not just fires we deal with, so it’s important we look at our response to

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lots of different scenarios. We tested our operational technical abilities with command at all levels. It also gave the chance for us to work in a multi-agency environment

with all emergency services working together using Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP).” “Fortunately, chemical incidents as serious as the one we tested our response to today are very rare. But it’s important we test all of the plans we have in place to deal with something like this in case the worst does happen. “Going through plans on paper is one thing, but often the only way of really testing our decision making ability is to re-enact the incident in a live environment. I’m pleased to say our crews came through this particular training exercise with flying colours.”

www.syfire.gov.uk

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National Resilience exercise is a storming success! Hosted by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service National Resilience team and taking place over a period of three days in March, Exercise Rolling Thunder involved the simulation of Devon experiencing an intense period of unprecedented weather, causing a large number of isolated incidents to occur. The local resources were stretched and a Major Incident was declared. Twenty fire and rescue services National Resilience teams from all over the UK, along with Devon and Cornwall Police Disaster Victim Identification (DVI), HART, the Royal Air Force and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service local crews attended the exercise. Rolling Thunder saw involvement from urban search and rescue (USAR), high volume pump, enhanced logistics support and mass decontamination, detection identification and monitoring teams. A strategic holding area was set up at Exeter Services to manage the resources.

Experience different scenarios Over the three days, five exercises were repeated each day giving the teams the opportunity to rotate and experience different scenarios. The challenge over the three days was to test every agency’s skill in a variety of live scenarios, with the equipment that was provided. Paul Cross, Deputy Group Commander, said, “This is a multi-agency exercise as no major incident would ever occur that wasn’t a multi-agency incident. “It’s about building relationships, as we don’t want to be meeting people for the first time at a major incident. These exercises give us the opportunity to look at each other’s capabilities and limitations, then work together to ensure we achieve the best outcomes for the people who are in trouble on that day. Also how we can create a safer platform for ourselves.” Jon Worsley, National Resilience Manager and organiser of Rolling Thunder, said, “For me Rolling Thunder has gone absolutely brilliantly. All the crews that have attended have achieved their objectives, which were to ensure they rescued the casualties’, save life and reduce suffering.

JESIP principle

A simulated plane crash at Exeter airport involving a contaminant; 40 local students from Bicton College were on board the plane, they were taken to a safe place before going through the Mass Decontamination units. DVI and HART were on site and USAR also dealt with a building collapse as a result of the crash.

“We have run five major exercises simultaneously with 20 fire services that have never met before; for that to work and for everyone to achieve their objectives is outstanding. All of the agencies involved have worked together using the JESIP principle, which is one of the objectives we set ourselves.

The RAF Chivenor helicopter conducted a pick off rescue from the training tower.

“What is invaluable and not quantifiable is turning up at an incident knowing someone’s face, it makes managing such an incident so much easier and that’s really positive. These exercises provide very practical opportunities for everyone to practise their skills and of course we are continually striving to improve.”

www.dsfire.gov.uk

Partnership seals deal to put new recruits on the run An innovative training partnership is putting newly recruited firefighters on the run. The training collaboration between Cambridgeshire and South Wales fire and rescue services along with Babcock International Group has seen its first recruits pass out and has now secured a deal to train more newly recruited firefighters. The first cohort of 19 new recruits – 10 in Cambridge and nine in South Wales – started their operational careers following an intensive 10-week training course delivered by South Wales at Babcock’s Cardiff Gate Training Centre. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) selected South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) and Babcock International Group, to design and deliver the new recruit programme because of the tailored course content, blended learning, training support culture and top of the range facilities provided by the package. The recruit course is designed to meet the National Occupational Standards of a firefighter and tailored to reflect the specific needs of CFRS to ensure their new firefighters are ready to integrate with their

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new crews on successful completion of the course. Callum Faint, Group Commander responsible for training at CFRS, said, “We are thrilled to have agreed with South Wales and Babcock a reviewed and improved training programme for our next batch of recruits later this year and cannot wait to start working with partners again. The most recent recruits were the first wholetime firefighters to be employed by CFRS in eight years and the selection process was tough.” Ian Greenman, Head of Training and Development at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, explained, “The trainees undertook a 10-week course, which included risk critical training that a modern firefighter needs to maintain their own safety and equip them with the necessary skills to meet the challenges they will face serving and protecting their communities. We also trained nine firefighters from our own area as part of the same course, which proved to be a successful joint training initiative and all trainees appeared to benefit from this joint approach.”

www.cambsfire.gov.uk

New recruits from SWFRS and CFRS at Babcock training facility.

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Are live fire training simulators worth the expense? As a respected supplier to the emergency services and military throughout the UK and now progressively internationally, Minerva Simulator Facilities Limited has often heard the question raised about whether the complex training simulators it designs, builds and installs are worth the capital outlay involved. Words: David Jones and Brian Dodson, Directors at Minerva Simulator Facilities Limited. While we cannot argue that, particularly in a time of cutbacks and austerity measures, the expense of many thousands of pounds needs to be justified, we feel that the benefits from the most realistic training provision cannot really be fairly measured against monetary outlay. As all our customers will no doubt agree – one life saved through good training, whether that is a member of the public or a firefighter, is priceless. According to Government statistics, since 2000 the trend in all types of fires is gradually falling, which is good news. We believe to a good extent in the development of more realistic live fire simulations to allow fires to be dealt with in the most effective manner. Sadly this still leaves us with horrendous figures in Great Britain – 1,183,507 building fires, 3,669,290 outdoor fires and 752,197 vehicular fires since 2000, which resulted in 6360 fatalities, including 25 firefighters and 181,685 non-fatal injuries. This does not include any aircraft or rail emergency situations.

started, generated and spread so that we can build these into our simulators in the most realistic way possible. We work with firefighters, instructors, scientists, structural engineers, fire prevention and detection companies and others to make sure our designs and simulators are as near as possible to the real thing. We work across all industries and can provide simulators to mirror domestic, industrial, aircraft, maritime, refinery and offshore, high rise, confined space, road traffic, railway and many more incidents, which can each be easily altered by instructors to provide multiple scenarios.

Best advantage

Safety is paramount

So – although we sympathise with organisations and companies who are trying desperately to balance budgets, we firmly believe that to keep figures falling the best training facilities will offer the best advantage to both the public and those brave enough to fight fires on our behalf. From a simple fire behaviour unit to a complex multi scenario villa or aircraft, simulators can be designed to replicate the real events that fires cause and which will be experienced by firefighters – flashover, heat, flame, gases, smoke, rescue of casualties, use of selfcontained breathing apparatus – all of this and much more can only be experienced in a live fire situation. At Minerva we constantly design and re-design to keep pace with the possible ways in which fire can be

Moving with the times we install the latest temperature monitoring and data logging equipment with a high end PLC made in house by our own engineers to ensure that while our simulators are extremely realistic they are also as safe as possible for trainees and instructors. We also provide wet and dry filtration plants to reduce smoke and emissions significantly. So – back to the original question – are live fire simulators worth the expense? I think you will agree wholeheartedly that they are and are worth every penny in working towards a safer future for us all.

http://minervasimulators.com

New era for Ruth Lee New material

Ruth Lee Limited, of Corwen, North Wales, and FireWare, of Wieringerwerf, Netherlands, are working in partnership to provide an unrivalled range of fire and rescue training products. Ruth Lee, Europe’s leading manufacturer of rescue training manikins, has, after seven years of supplying FireWare with its training manikins, become the exclusive distributor for the UK and Ireland of FireWare’s range of fire training equipment.

Innovative and progressive FireWare is an innovative and progressive company whose range of smoke generators, PPV (Positive Pressure Ventilation) trainers, sound simulation and fire extinguisher trainers are constantly evolving and improving following customer feedback, much in the same way as Ruth Lee constantly strives to improve its range of manikins. To this end, the Ruth Lee range of training manikins is about to undergo a radical transformation with the ever

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popular general purpose range and the more rugged HazMat range both being replaced with a new Duty range of manikins. The HazMat model is manufactured in PVC but, following recent evidence that PVC contains carcinogens, Ruth Lee took the dramatic decision to move away from PVC completely and switch to a Polyester fabric. The Polyester material meets the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 meaning it is safe for use, with no carcinogenic properties.

The new material also has four times the abrasion resistance of both the canvas and PVC and is used in police stab vests, making it a more robust material and ideal for the manufacture of the training manikins. It’s not just the new duty range that will benefit from the new material, but all manikins, as they all, to some degree, use either PVC or canvas. Stuart Cheetham, Sales and Marketing Manager for Ruth Lee Ltd, said, “The new PC350FR polyester that we will be manufacturing the training manikins from heralds a new era for the training manikins as we have used canvas and PVC since we started manufacturing the manikins almost 30 years ago. “We expect the manikins to last a good deal longer as they are more abrasive resistant and the new duty range will also incorporate the features of the HazMat model, meaning that it will be able to be used within CBRN exercises.”

www.ruthlee.co.uk

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Competency management application supports safe working Supporting safe working with a window into individual training and development profiles Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, KIM Software and Premier IT are due to launch an innovative training and competency management application at The Emergency Services Show in September 2015. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has collaborated with KIM Software and Premier IT on the Profile system, which will track competency, highlight training and development needs and recognise key skills demonstrated in real incidents, support greater personal responsibility for competency and improve firefighter safety. At login, every user immediately has their own ‘window’ into their personal requirements. The attractive

and intuitive system enables the recording and management training courses, and where skills are demonstrated at real operational events and incidents for all personnel at every development phase. The system also supports personal responsibility for training and development with colour-coded icons mapped to the ‘operational licence’ – key skills, which enable a level of safe working in line with the fire professional framework. The system also maps equipment and skills to each location to support efficient movement of employees with the right skills for particular incidents.

Self service access Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service worked closely with KIM Software to configure Profile to be

relevant for both employees undergoing training and other activity where core skills can be captured and for managers in planning requirements and reviewing performance. Permission levels are set for managers to approve updates where required and courses can be configured to automatically update competencies. Profile can capture where key skills are demonstrated in real life – the system has been configured to recognise competencies demonstrated in both organised training and real incidents. The system is able to capture evidence in both situations, providing greater organisational assurance of competency and safe working. The system also holds relevant resources and documentation required for each training course. Andy Higgs, KIM Software, said, “We are delighted to have been able to work with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service to implement a system that will support the service in driving safety standards, cutting time and costs in developing an automated central hub of evidence and competence for all users across all locations.”

Come and see what Profile can do for your organisation Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, KIM Software and Premier IT will be providing a talk and demonstration at the Fire Procurement Network event on 24 September at The Emergency Services Show 2015 and will also have a stand at the show over both days.

www.dsfire.gov.uk www.kimsp.com For more information contact: Jan Webster, Project Manager, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service: jwebster@dsfire.gov.uk | 01392 872536 or Andy Higgs, Kim Software: AndyH@kimsp.com | 01279 600171.

Topping out ceremony at new Met Police facility Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard HoganHowe and London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Stephen Greenhalgh celebrated a major milestone on 13 March, as the Peel Centre police training facility in Hendon reached its tallest point of construction. The £70m redevelopment is being financed by the Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) through the sale of under-used and out-dated police buildings. The retained site will see the creation of a new world class training and operational facility, fit for 21st Century policing and flexible to accommodate the changing requirements of the police service in the future. Principal contractor Mace reached the significant construction milestone on schedule as work continues apace for delivery in 2016. The construction programme will provide the fourth generation of facilities for the

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Metropolitan Police, reflecting the ever-changing demands and continued modernisation of the site.

Office and training space The facility, which has been used by the Met Police since the 1930s will, when complete, deliver 21,500sqm of office and training space and enable over 1200 students to be trained at any one time, supporting the growth of the Metropolitan police force. The site will also include the relocation of the Peel statue within a new parade ground and the creation of a new Memorial Garden, which will sit at the heart of the new development. The centre will deliver significant ongoing savings, with annual running costs reduced by over 50 percent from £11m to £5m per annum. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said, “I am delighted that this new training

facility is taking shape and will soon be able to support the continued evolution of the Metropolitan Police. The new Hendon will provide specially designed spaces, using the latest technology, that will give us a world-class working and learning environment which delivers real savings so we can better protect front-line services.” Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Stephen Greenhalgh said, “A growing capital city with new and emerging public safety challenges needs to invest in the future and this new training facility will be key to developing the police officers of tomorrow. The Met Police deserve a world-class training facility and today marks a key milestone in the creation of the new Peel Centre at Hendon.”

www.met.police.uk

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Lowland Rescue, Together with O2 Lowland Rescue teams provide search and rescue support to the emergency services alongside Mountain Rescue, Cave Rescue, RNLI and others. With 1500 members covering over 30 counties of the UK (and all of Northern Ireland), Lowland Rescue has recently undertaken a major rebranding exercise, which caught the attention of O2 (Telefonica). As a keen advocate of voluntary organisations who support the blue light services, O2 has selected Lowland Rescue as one of four groups it will be proactively supporting with their essential technology needs. Words: Neil Balderson, PR Officer, Lowland Rescue. The Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR) is the representative body of Lowland Rescue. In developing its relationship with O2, one of the first questions Lowland Rescue was asked was ‘How can O2 help you?’. The ALSAR Executive Committee met and rapidly decided upon a unique and innovative way of answering this question.

team spotted something in the reeds ahead and, quick as a flash, the Flood team ran down the bank. After contact from the Comms Officer, a 4x4 response vehicle arrived carrying the medical kit and Oxygen, and the foot team appeared with a stretcher; ropes were passed down the bank for the extrication of the casualty – it was a professionally executed and coordinated approach to casualty rescue. The casualty was then rapidly loaded into the waiting 4x4, and taken to hospital.

Hands on approach All too often companies and groups meet in sterile, air-conditioned meeting rooms and discuss the dry facts of the situation. Moreover, all those involved in rescue situations know how rapid and dynamic they really are. With this in mind, Lowland Rescue, decided to give the team at O2 a taster of a real rescue in order that they might better understand the work of the organisation and its technological needs. Through some clever planning, and great support from some ALSAR members ‘inside’ O2, the team from O2 had their morning diaries block-booked, and limited details were given. At 8.15am they each received a text: ***LOWLAND RESCUE CALLOUT*** High Risk Missing Person, RVP at Dorney Lake @ 9.15am. The bait was set… When the 34 O2 staff arrived at the RVP, they found some 60 Lowland Rescue members, fully geared up and ready to go. On site there was four Incident Control Units (ICUs), two bike teams, several 4x4 response units, multiple dog units and untold other resources. Executives were rapidly signed in, issued with PPE, assigned to teams and placed at their ICU for search briefing. This is where the Lowland Rescue Executive Committee pulled out its trump card, the Missing Person the team would be searching for was a colleague at O2. Suddenly the search became very real – the O2 team were now looking for someone they all knew.

Reality of search Lowland Rescue Search Managers promptly dispatched the teams to their search sectors. The O2 employees were walking across fields, woods, and being taught search techniques, all the while, with radio chatter going on, search dogs operating in the distance, bike teams traversing the sectors, and boat and flood teams operating in the lake.

Team medics conduct assessments and stabilise the casualty.

The reality of a search was coming home; it’s an intense, rapidly moving environment, where you need to be thorough, professional, and dedicated. The cold wind blowing in your face, wet grass around your ankles, all the while knowing the missing person out there needs your help. The Missing Person was located. But this didn’t signal the end of the exercise; simply the end of the beginning. All of a sudden the team medics were involved, conducting assessments and stabilising the casualty. The radio burst into life, with grid coordinates, stretcher requests and evacuation details. Yet all of this flowed smoothly, like a well-drilled machine. The bike team appeared, with a stretcher, with the casualty being loaded ready for transport.

“The goal as always remains to find these missing people, most of who don’t want to be found, and bring them home alive.”

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Lifting and carrying a casualty is a physical and demanding aspect of the role.

Everyone headed back to the RVP to talk through the morning, examine the equipment and vehicles, and share their experiences. The overwhelming feedback being that this was not the normal morning meeting everyone expected!

Dedicated volunteers The O2 staff were not off the hook yet and were brought in as part of the stretcher party, for the carry out. Lifting and carrying a casualty back to the RVP is a physical and demanding aspect of the role, and to their credit they all got involved. With the casualty back to the RVP safe and well the teams could relax; but not for long. A second Missing Person had been reported, last seen down by the Lake’s edge…

Water team

Lowland Rescue and O2 are now investigating more ways they can work together.

“Lowland Rescue, decided to give the team at O2 a taster of a real rescue.”

For this search the team from O2 were held back, for safety reasons, and given a talk-through demonstration as the boat team and flood first responders searched for the Missing Person. In full water rescue PPE, the Water team carefully checked the water’s edge, with the safety team in the boat and on the bank, just in case. The Boat

The morning was a big success. The team from O2 was able to experience the dedication of Lowland Rescue’s volunteers and the professionalism they deliver first hand and understand more about the varying types of communications technologies, vehicles and medical equipment used by the organisation. Lowland Rescue and O2 are now investigating more ways they can work together and this brief glimpse of the search teams in action opened up the possibilities to all involved. The goal as always remains to find these missing people, most of who don’t want to be found, and bring them home alive.

www.lowlandrescue.org news.O2.co.uk/O2ESN

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Customisation and adaptability breed excellence Lincolnshire is home to one of the most advanced training centres in the UK, which has been used by emergency services personnel around the world to prepare them for some of the most extreme scenarios imaginable. The Waddington Training Facility covers 17.6 acres and is packed full of resources, which test people to their limits, while offering almost complete customisation to suit the needs of the organisations using the facility. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue (LFR) uses the Waddington site to train its firefighters, from recruit level all the way up to the Chief Fire Officer, including courses for confined space, breathing apparatus, incident command and core progression days. This can include a ‘fire station experience day’ where participants will attend multiple simulated incidents. Outside services are able to bring their own instructors, choose a mixture of scenarios and create their own day. However, the site also provides exciting opportunities in terms of technical rescue and urban search and rescue (USAR) response. In fact, this is how the site originally began its life, back in 2003, when LFR developed it in the years after the tragic 9/11 attacks, as a way of training its new USAR teams. Since then, the site has grown to accommodate the necessary requirements for training in trench rescue, collapsed structures and shoring, animal rescue, rope rescue and much more.

USAR facility With such beginnings, Waddington really excels when it comes to the resources available for USAR training. The prominent feature of the site is the collapsed shopping centre and multi-story car park. This apparently chaotic pile of rubble is actually a carefully orchestrated training environment. With tunnels running through the collapsed structure, it is possible to insert obstructions at different locations, adding a further element of difficulty to anyone taking part in an exercise. In addition, there are various entry points, which allow for live ‘casualties’ to enter the structure and become part of an exercise at relevant times, which is particularly important in protracted scenarios over several days. A collapsed three-storey dwelling has been created and housed inside a structure, this environment provides a setting to test working in confined space to its extreme. With narrow tunnels and disorientating features, this structure really puts responders through their paces.

The resources at Waddington, like the train carriages, have been used by a wide range of agencies.

Rescue capabilities are further tested at the collapsed school; this building is constructed to provide the responders with the challenge of completing the rescue but with the addition of the emotive context. This structure is again completely customisable, with moveable walls, floors and ceilings and it has been used by emergency services across the board to help prepare for such a tragedy.

“Waddington really excels when it comes to the resources available for USAR training.” Rail scenarios

This apparent scene of destruction is actually an intricately designed training environment

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The Waddington Training Facility is also very unusual as it has three rail carriages and a level crossing, allowing for multiple scenarios. One carriage is moveable and the other two are derailed; one on its side and the other positioned at an angle up an embankment. These are used to give rescue teams the chance to experience how disorientating being in such an environment is, along

with the difficulties faced with activities such as casualty extraction.

Collapsed crane Across the site, whatever training is being carried out, people are met with the dramatic backdrop of a collapsed crane. The crane feature offers a fantastic opportunity to train in a ‘real world’ setting while working at height for technical response activities, such as rope rescue. Over recent years, a number of multi-agency exercises have been completed. These have included the participation of both Category 1 and 2 Responders to national, regional and local exercises where they have tested all phases of an incident. The facility has also hosted three international exercises within the last five years The police, ambulance service, armed forces, the British Transport Police and many more agencies have used the Waddington Training Facility. This is because every aspect of the search and rescue element of the site is completely customisable to suit the needs of the agency using it, resulting in a truly immersive training environment. Emergency services can access these facilities through Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Commercial, who trade on a ‘not-for-profit’ basis.

www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/lfr

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Measuring ROI in management and leadership training DPG plc provides management assessment and management and leadership development to a wide range of public and private sector clients throughout the UK, including a number of fire and rescue services and police forces. MAP 2.0 is used by these organisations to identify learning and development needs, and to measure the effectiveness of any development solutions, which have subsequently been undertaken. Words: Sarah Aubrey, Managing Director, DPG plc.

Sarah Aubrey, Managing Director, DPG plc.

With people development budgets being under intense scrutiny, Learning & Development departments need to demonstrate a strong return on investment. Many of the organisations we work with use our online MAP 2.0 assessment tool as the basis for their learning needs analysis, because it accurately and objectively assesses managers’ strengths and development needs, and benchmarks their competencies against tens of thousands of managers both within the UK and globally.

The tool is popular with emergency services as it focuses on a range of core competencies, including team building, thinking clearly, relating to others, and managing the job, as well as identifying an individual’s communication and management styles.

Our facilitators worked with their team to structure a programme that would address strategic organisational priorities, and the blended learning approach we offer worked effectively around participants’ different shift patterns.

Online assessment

Impact measured

It’s all done online, through observing the week of a typical management team in a variety of scenarios. Participants then report on how they would deal with the scenarios themselves. This is considerably more objective than traditional and subjective ways of management assessment, such as 360o feedback and one-to-ones, and more cost effective than assessment centres. The assessment clearly shows what managers are excelling at and where to focus L&D interventions. Outputs can be provided for individuals or teams, and results are benchmarked against a global population of thousands of managers, or it can be tailored to specific populations such as level, role, sector, qualifications or location. In one fire and rescue service, we worked with 38 new, middle and senior managers, focusing on their effectiveness as a team. The MAP 2.0 assessment identified several clear areas that required development interventions, and we worked with them to tailor and run a number of ILM Level 3 and Level 5 leadership and management programmes, which were delivered over a 10-month period.

Post development we followed up with a second MAP 2.0 assessment to measure the impact. The improvement in scores was significant. Highlights included: • Setting goals and standards increased from 31% to 60% • Giving clear information increased from 60% to 70% • Disciplining and counselling increased from 48% to 73% • Making decisions and weighing risk increased from 66% to 91% • Overall management and leadership style moved from a parent/child instructive style to an adult-adult consultative style of management Organisations can also use MAP 2.0 as the basis of their internal development. MAP 2.0 gives you the flexibility to tailor your own internal development based upon the assessment results or to use the online development materials aligned to the 12 core MAP 2.0 core competencies.

www.dpgplc.co.uk

Bedfordshire Police invests in cybercrime response Bedfordshire Police has sourced training for five of its officers to become nationally accredited Digital Media Investigators (DMIs). The move comes in response to ever-changing technology allowing an increasing number of crimes to become ‘cyber-enabled’ taking place through, or facilitated by, the online space. The digital media training, delivered by the College of Policing, helps to provide additional support for tackling cybercrime in Bedfordshire, and the force is looking at ways to further expand its cybercrime capabilities. The force already has more than 80 officers and staff trained in mainstream cybercrime techniques, and now the newly trained DMIs can offer more advanced advice to investigators in digitally-enabled

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

or cyber-dependent crimes. Bedfordshire’s lead for cybercrime, Detective Superintendent Jon Gilbert, said, “The investment in cyber training for our officers demonstrates our commitment to tackling this growing threat and shows that the force is expanding its capabilities to manage changing crime profiles. “Cybercrime is a wide-ranging issue and can be used to refer to everything from bullying or stalking via social media, to committing online fraud and theft, and even to child grooming and sexual offences. “If you commit a crime in the virtual world, you are still a criminal in the real world and will be dealt with as such. In Bedfordshire we do not tolerate crime of any kind,

whether it takes place on the street or in the cyber arena.” As well as investing in training, the force is also boosting its response to cybercrime by working in partnership with academia, including the National Centre for Cybercrime Research at the University of Bedfordshire, as well as delivering educational sessions in schools around the county. The force also has partnerships with the British Computing Society and is seeking out business links in order to reach small and medium-sized enterprises in the county and help protect themselves from threats posed online.

www.safer-beds.org

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Right on the right, wrong on the left Words: Richard Berry, Registered Paramedic/Emergency Care Practitioner & CPG:CPD Author and Concept Design. Some readers will remember days sat around on ambulance stations waiting for the next call. Those times are gone for most of us now due to an increasing demand, and a commitment to roadside standby to reach response targets. However, it was during those shifts that the foundations for the exciting new web and app based product from Class Professional Publishing, CPG:CPD, were built. A study method I found particularly helpful then was index cards with the question on the front and answer on the back. I would answer the question in my head and if I got it correct I would place the card on the right and if wrong on the left. I would keep going until all were on the right. This attracted some attention around the crew room and some good-humoured sport prevailed. An increasingly large box of cards developed. This became a reliable study method for new information and for the sustaining of knowledge around training previously received. I developed this idea a little further, validating each question by writing the reference on the back of the card so I always knew where to go to for context. Many successful years passed using this method keeping me as safe and as credible a paramedic as possible while the information recall demand became greater and my memory became shorter. I continued studying and processing the various ambulance publications that surfaced over the years in this way right up to the JRCALC and then, more recently, the AACE guidelines.

However, during this period a couple of significant things started to happen: firstly, roadside standby was introduced; and, secondly, the digital age arrived.

Arrival of the digital age Ambulance stations were no longer a hub of activity for debrief and support, but became deserted places only visited for a meal break. Strategically placed laybys became populated with men and women in green rarely looking up but swiping, expanding and scrolling on their mobile devices. An opportunity presented to move my proven study method from a very large box of questions, which, quite rightly, no Health and Safety Representative would allow in an ambulance cab, to a screen that for most was indispensable! A few months of kicking design ideas around at home followed, then an approach to AACE, which prompted contact with the 2013 UK Ambulance Service Guidelines publishers, Class Professional Publishing, then the few ups and downs associated with any commercial enterprise and finally CPGCPD.com was born.

Technical and simple I am delighted with the product, which captures my original idea with technical brilliance but retains the simplicity of the initial concept. It features one-touch contextualisation with the guidelines, sits in a device that is in our pockets most of the time and facilitates grab’n’go CPD that is not connectivity dependent.

I wanted the product to facilitate a ‘pick-up/put-down’, ‘easy-in/easy-out’ log in element essential for the prompt response demanded of us and not found in some desktop e-learning platforms, plus it needed to be authenticated by our core clinical document, the AACE UK Ambulance Service Guidelines 2013. Class Professional Publishing has listened carefully to ideas and observations and gone on to develop a platform that demonstrates evidence of achievement, unlimited retakes, a progress bar, at least four layers of proofreading and authentication, and hosting questions relevant to the diverse situations to which our profession takes us.

http://classprofessional.co.uk

Water rescue training at the National Outdoor Centre Based on the banks of the Menai Strait, Plas Menai National Outdoor Centre provides Rescue 3-approved training to fire and rescue services and other organisations whose employees may be required to work in or around the water. The centre offers direct access on to the Menai Strait, widely regarded as one of the best training venues in the UK for Swiftwater Rescue Training. The majority of the training takes place in The Swellies, a body of fastmoving tidal water, between the two bridges that connect the Isle of Anglesey with mainland Wales, as well as specific river locations in North Wales.

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

The training is designed to equip professionals with the skills and knowledge to safeguard themselves and their team members while dealing with flood related incidents, which are becoming increasingly common. The training packages offered by the centre include tuition by fully qualified instructors, accommodation and all meals. Accommodation is provided on site in twin-bedded ensuite rooms and all dietary requirements are catered for. Plas Menai supplies high quality clothing, including thermals, drysuits, rescue specific buoyancy aids and helmets to students for the duration of the course and the kit and equipment used is specific to this type of training.

For any organisation looking to train its employees, Plas Menai offers a very professional one-stop shop in the delivery of Swiftwater Rescue Training.

www.plasmenai.co.uk

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Automatic Survivor Locator Light – ACR Electronics Inc www.acrartex.com ACR Electronics Inc, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has released the next generation of its leading survivor locator life jacket lights. The new ACR HemiLight 3 is more affordable, compact and features an LED light, which illuminates brighter than its predecessors. The HemiLight 3 is automatically activated when it comes into contact with water. The high-intensity flashing LED light exceeds the IMO SOLAS battery life regulations by providing 10+ hours of functionality upon activation. Installation is quick and easy and the light can be retrofitted to almost any style life jacket in a matter of seconds. This robust and dependable life jacket locator light, which features a five-year battery, is now available internationally.

Marine firefighter PPE – Bristol Uniforms

www.bristoluniforms.co.uk As part of a wider programme to introduce a range of products incorporating the very latest fabrics and PPE materials, Bristol has completely upgraded its protective clothing range for marine firefighters. The new head-to-toe range includes fire coat and trousers, helmet, boots and gloves, which are all certified to MarED standards. Marine firefighter clothing comes in the form of Bristol’s Fleet Suits, which meet both EN469:2005 Levels 1 and 2. Both include a yellow lightweight flame retardant outer layer. With a fleece-lined high collar, plain cuffs and combination zip and Velcro front fastenings, the coat is lightweight and ergonomically efficient, allowing ease of movement in frequently difficult operating environments. With an upgraded range of compatible garments, all MarED approved, now part of the head-to-toe ensemble, the complete kit includes a helmet, rubber fire boots and new structural gloves.

Rugged tablet and convertible notebook – Getac

www.getac.co.uk Getac has released next generation versions of its successful F110 tablet and V110 convertible notebook. The fully rugged F110-G2 and V110G2 are the first Getac devices to be fitted with Intel’s® fifth-generation Broadwell technology. This new processing power, allied with Getac’s trademark rugged build, will enable the units to deliver exceptional computing performance in the harshest of working environments. The new processor also provides more efficient use of power, extending battery life in the field. Both devices feature 11.6in high-definition screens with Lumibond® 2.0, the latest version of Getac’s proprietary technology for visibility in bright sunlight with a unique screen-bonding process. This allows touchscreen usage in the rain, or with gloves, or with a stylus – making the devices perfect for outdoor operations.

GHOST Bulletproof vest – SafeGuard Armour

www.safeguardarmor.com/ghost The SafeGuard Armour GHOST bulletproof vest is a lightweight extra-small model made with 100% Coolmax® Cooling Material. With cutting-edge breathable fabrics, this vest can be worn comfortably for long periods, keeping workers cool in all climates and high-pressure situations. This is available with either NIJ level 2 or 3A ballistic protection (both able to stop handgun bullets), and features additional defence against blades and spiked-weapons. Weighing less than 2.5kg, the GHOST vest includes adjustable Velcro shoulder and waist straps, allowing the wearer to tighten or loosen the vest as needed.

The Peli 9490 LED – Peli Products

www.peliproducts.co.uk The Peli 9490 LED, designed as portable scene lighting, offers rechargeable LED light with no trailing cables. It features a 10 LED head that extends above 1.8m to allow a wide area light. The mast can be rotated and the head angled to position the light where required. The unit has three pre-set light levels: high, medium and low or the user can select their preferred run time, up to 24 hours, with the intelligent control mode. This self-contained system is easy and quick to set up and uses a rechargeable and interchangeable battery. With an extra battery, available as an accessory, the user can double run time. There is also a Bluetooth® App to enable remote operation.

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

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BioLite NanoGrid – Whitby&Co

www.whitbyandco.co.uk A complete charging and lighting system, the new BioLite NanoGrid, available from Whitby&Co, combines the PowerLight, a three-in-one lantern, torch and power bank, with two SiteLights, soft multi-point lights that can be positioned up to 20ft from the PowerLight. A lighting and energy hub that fits in the palm of your hand, the system can be used as a 200 lumen lantern or 250 lumen torch while the two SiteLights, powered by the PowerLight, provide 150 lumen each with an effective range of 10ft. The PowerLight’s 4 x 400mAh Li-Ion batteries can be recharged from any USB source and can then be used to recharge any USB chargeable gear, such as a smartphone up to three times.

MultiNet Comms – Primetech

www.primetech.co.uk Primetech has launched its innovative MultiNet Comms range of portable, self-supporting incident ground communications solutions. This new range answers a real need among emergency services for more flexible, high capacity incident ground communications. The new units, which are powered by light, powerful batteries, are housed in a series of Peli cases, delivering video, voice and internet access over 2.4 and 5.8 MHz WiFi via a mesh network and 3G/4G, plus private cellular networks. The units within the MultiNet Comms range include: Incident Ground Extender nodes, Command Master/Primary nodes, Private Cellular Network nodes and satellite units.

Emergency Escape Breathing Device – Honeywell

www.honeywellsafety.com Honeywell has improved its highly successful Emergency Escape Breathing Device (EEBD), Bio-S-Cape, to meet two of the most important international marine safety regulations: ISO23269-1:2008 on EEBD for shipboard use and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). The improvements make Bio-S-Cape a robust and high performance breathing solution for workers at risk of toxic gas exposures in extremely hazardous and challenging environments. Designed to be quick and easy to put on and safe, easy and comfortable to use, Bio-S-Cape features a hood large and flexible enough to cater for all head shapes including those with beards or wearing glasses, with the regulator ensuring overpressure maintained inside the hood eliminates any risk of inhaling toxic gas.

MAXIFORCE® air lifting bag – Vimpex Limited

FLIR K45 thermal imaging camera – FLIR Systems Inc

www.flir.com/fire The new FLIR K45 thermal imaging fire fighting camera from FLIR Systems Inc offers 240x180 IR resolution and incorporates FLIR’s revolutionary Flexible Scene Enhancement™ (FSX) technology to produce ultra-crisp thermal imagery. The newest member of FLIR’s K-Series family will allow firefighters to see even better in total darkness or in smoke-filled rooms. The K45 with FSX presents accurate thermal images on a bright 4in LCD display, allowing firefighters to navigate safely and make accurate decisions when attacking fires and searching for victims. The K45’s intuitive and simple three-button user interface allows the firefighter to access all of the camera’s controls, even while wearing heavy gloves. The K45 is available for purchase globally through established distribution networks and comes with FLIR’s exclusive warranty covering the full camera for two years and the detector for 10 years.

www.rescuetools.co.uk The MAXIFORCE® G2 is the latest air lifting bag from Paratech, which is now available in the UK exclusively from Vimpex. The air lifting bag is a thin, strong, moulded envelope made from three layers of Neoprene covered Aramid fibre reinforcement. It has the power to lift, move or shift weights up to 80.9 tonnes per bag – an increase of 20 percent lifting capacity compared to the original MAXIFORCE® for the same size bag. Vimpex offers MAXIFORCE® G2 in sets of various sizes and the airbags are fully compatible with all previous MAXIFORCE® equipment.

Smartphone to satellite phone – SATcase™

www.satcase.com SATcase™ transforms a common smartphone into a sophisticated, satellite phone. The transformation is seamless: after placing a smartphone inside a durable, ruggedised case, users simply install the SATcase™ application. The resulting device runs on a familiar operating system that is now loaded with cutting-edge technology able to assist those in extreme emergency conditions. The SATcase™ is equipped with a smart mix of emergency features that can reduce the time it takes search and rescue (SAR) teams to locate people accurately. This includes an SOS button, two way rescue communications, online track and trace for live monitoring, silent alarms and infrared strobes for victims of kidnapping. The device uses technology that can be utilised by SAR teams searching by land, air and sea.

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

June 2015

62 | ESTPRODUCTS

Emergency thermal blanket has global applications for road safety The Orve+Wrap thermal blanket functions by capturing a person’s heat and using thermal pockets to create convection heat to raise, then maintain, core temperature.

Beneficial in acute emergencies

Neill & Brown driver Glenn Cartwright with the new Orve+Wrap blanket.

A new healthcare product developed and manufactured in Hull by Orvec International could soon be saving lives on the roads around the UK and Europe. Orvecare, a division of Orvec International, has supplied its unique emergency thermal blankets to Neill & Brown Global Logistics to equip its trucks.

A specially designed laminate, the blanket has twice the thermal TOG rating of a typical summer duvet that will alleviate hypothermia and maintain normothermia. It is beneficial in acute emergencies or elective surgery and has been trialled at the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. It is also exclusively used for proactive patient warming at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. Kevin Stamp, Managing Director at Orvec International, a specialist converter of woven and nonwoven textiles, said, “The suggestion of Neill & Brown Global Logistics vehicles carrying Orve+Wrap came about following discussions between us, St John Ambulance and the Highways Agency on how to improve road safety. “Orve+Wrap can be used in any situation where a person is required to be warmed or kept warm and it is ideal for life-threatening situations such as a road traffic accident. “It has been designed and developed in Hull by our research and development team of textile specialists and project engineers. And working from the initial product concept our project engineers also designed and developed the machinery to manufacture the product here in East Yorkshire.”

Ideal for life-threatening situations Colin Moody, Managing Director of Neill & Brown Global Logistics, said, “These unique blankets can be used to keep the drivers warm and dry in any breakdown situation. And as professional drivers are often first on

Orvecare’s Jake Phipps, centre, with Neill & Brown driver Glenn Cartwright and, right, Managing Director Colin Moody.

the scene at an incident they could offer support until medical help arrives.” The two companies have worked together for more than 10 years with Neill & Brown Global Logistics providing about 90 percent of Orvec International’s logistics and transport needs around the UK, Europe and the Far East. With a £14m annual turnover, Orvec International has more than 35 years’ experience in manufacturing passenger comfort products for airlines and transport companies. The company employs 46 staff in Hull and 84 in China in its wholly owned subsidiary. Orvec International is part of the Phipps and Co Group of Companies.

www.orvecare.com

Helping you avoid your own emergency When your world contains enough things for you to worry about, the resilience and integrity of your IT systems and network should not add to them, let alone the essential frontline applications you run. As a leading managed IT services provider and system integrator, with extensive experience of the emergency services sector, Quiss Technology delivers a range of support services that allow you to concentrate on your core operational activities. The company provides 24/7 network support that covers your entire network, everything attached to it and the frontline applications running on it. Before you are aware of any issues, Quiss is already finding and implementing a solution, with any necessary changes, to ensure a seamless service that delivers results, not just reports.

Peace of mind And because it’s running on the network monitored by Quiss Technology, the company is also ensuring Capita’s

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Network (PSN) compliance and has both the experience and expertise to help you progress along that journey successfully, shaping information technology to help you achieve more.

Deliver optimal performance

command and control services integrate perfectly with everything else on your network, for added peace of mind. The company’s 24/7 proactive monitoring of your network also includes connected stations and appliances for a fully integrated service that never switches off or leaves you exposed to risk. Quiss Technology understands the importance of Code of Connection (CoCo) and Public Services

The company’s experience ensures your frontline applications, not only integrate as they should, but work together to deliver their optimal performance – and if they don’t, Quiss will help you find a solution. If you need advice on command and control centre audio visual solutions, Quiss offers pragmatic advice, shaped by experience, not a sales pitch shaped by profitability. It’s not just about support and monitoring, Quiss Technology’s practical solutions help you increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your call centre and your wide area network.

www.quiss.co.uk

June 2015

ESTCLASSIFIED | 63

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www.emergencyservicestimes.com

June 2015

64 | ESTLAST WORDS

Mobile working–saving time, improving accuracy, increasing productivity At a time when all three emergency services face reduced budgets, resources and headcount, a greater emphasis is being placed on the flexibility and mobility of personnel. I believe that technology has a key part to play in helping the emergency services achieve this. In our social lives we use mobile technology whenever we want and wherever we are. So why not apply this same principle to meet the demands of the emergency services? Words: Colin Heyes, Atkins Emergency Services Client Manager. The benefits of remote data collection are numerous. Updating in the field allows emergency services personnel to get more work done, resulting in higher productivity. It also helps to improve the accuracy of information as it avoids multiple stage data entry, eg making notes then entering the data back at the office or sending notes to an admin colleague to undertake the data entry. Updating in the field also allows users to create a record in the moment, whether they are a police officer on the beat, a fire inspector inspecting a building or a CSI collecting evidence at the crime scene. Doing this may capture additional relevant thoughts or details that might otherwise not have been recorded or remembered at a later date. Ultimately mobility improves accuracy, timeliness and productivity. However, it would be naïve to assume that web-enabled devices are a panacea as they all rely on mobile coverage. In the demanding and often remote jobs undertaken by emergency services personnel, this is clearly a challenge. It is for this reason that I propose a two-way approach. When users are online and have a signal, they can record data and upload it immediately and directly to a central database. When not online and without a signal, they may simply record the data locally on their device and then wait for it synchronise with the central database as soon as that device has mobile coverage again.

The right tools for the job Although laptops are the most obvious means to capture this data, they are not without their drawbacks. They take time to boot up, further time to acquire a network/signal, and they also create health and safety concerns due to their bulk and weight. Furthermore, they can also be seen as putting up a barrier between the user and the person they are talking too, for example when police personnel are talking to the victims of crime. As a result we advise our clients to look at tablets instead. Tablets are always ‘on’, have no reboot time and present a better, more professional/up-to-date image to the public that compares favourably with their experience of using mobile devices. Where possible, we recommend tablets that have the ability to be docked (with a keyboard and mouse), providing further flexibility back at the office.

Data sensitivity and security Understandably, many of our emergency services clients have security concerns regarding the use of mobile data. Whether cataloguing forensic evidence, collating potentially sensitive fire risk data or collecting personal details, the user (and the public) must be confident that this data is held and transmitted securely.

www.emergencyservicestimes.com

Importantly, those same clients will already have an established policy in place regarding hard disk encryption and secure transmission of data to/from a mobile device. We always recommend the use of mobile working solutions that comply with these established protocols.

We’ve got an app for that Increasingly our clients are asking for the same kinds of solutions they use in their social lives to be available in a professional context. Typically this revolves around an app-based approach to software and, where appropriate, employing even smaller devices such as smartphones. One key benefit to this approach is that the user would only ever need to download apps relevant to their duties from a centrally controlled App Store, rather than having a device full of irrelevant software. Apps could also be downloaded on demand in the field as specific needs arise. Furthermore, these apps could be updated seamlessly via that App Store and the updates cascaded to all users. Seamless updates in this fashion require considerably fewer resources (IT and mobile worker downtime) than those needed to maintain existing, legacy laptop applications, which could involve recalling devices to a central point.

“It will be interesting to see how the growth of the smart watch market helps shape the services available to emergency services personnel.” We are developing apps that can be downloaded by emergency services personnel to help them in their daily jobs. The build up of the App Store also identifies where complementary technologies, commonly found on mobile devices, can be used to improve the mobile working experience: • Mapping – to identify the locations of the inspections • Cameras – to capture photographs/videos and specific items of data, e.g. fingerprints at the crime scene • Scanning – of barcodes used to uniquely identify data records • Smaller devices – smartphones or phablets may be suitable for certain mobile tasks that do not collect a great deal of data.

Colin Heyes, Atkins Emergency Services Client Manager.

The right information, at the right time Mobile working is not just about collecting data. Emergency services personnel are constantly required to make critical decisions out in the field and this process is greatly enhanced by having access to the right data at the right time. Use of the correct mobile device and the availability of the relevant data in the appropriate format is an essential element of this. The App Store idea extends to the provision of ‘readonly’ apps, which deliver critical data to the mobile worker at the point of decision. These apps will be consumed on a variety of devices that are targeted at individual groups of mobile workers, eg smartphone for police officers, tablet for victim support, etc. These apps will be designed to provide the right data to meet the demands of the particular situation.

Looking to the future I believe that new functions and apps on devices for social networking use will ultimately drive business use. It will be interesting to see how the growth of the smart watch market helps shape the services available to emergency services personnel. They could certainly be employed to help track personnel when they are in the field, especially police or fire personnel in a high-risk environment like a building fire or a riot. If you know exactly where your people are, you can advise them of any imminent risks based upon their current location. These watches might also be used to monitor the wearer’s vital signs, rather like certain sports apps do. The technological solutions required to realise mobility ultimately play into a whole new world of smart city applications and services. By taking concepts already in every day social use and bringing them to bear on the challenges faced by emergency services professionals, we can find effective and intuitive solutions.

www.atkinsglobal.com/angles

June 2015