Covering the entire spectrum of the Emergency Services
August 2015
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Volume 16 | 4
ESTCONTENTS | 1
IN EVERY ISSUE
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COMMENT
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NEWS
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EVENTS
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PEOPLE
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PRODUCTS
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LAST WORDS
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IN THIS ISSUE EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY 48
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This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first women in the British Police being given the power to arrest. The British Association of Women in Policing (BAWP) from 23-27 August will host, in partnership with South Wales Police, this year’s training conference for the International Association of Women Police (IAWP), which also celebrates its centenary in 2015.
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COLLABORATION
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A multi-agency approach to improve outcomes for the mentally ill in Dorset, South East Coast Ambulance Service HART undertakes Public Disorder Operations following Public Order training with the Sussex, Surrey and Kent Police, and CFOA President Peter Dartford suggests two ways in which the Government might make our roads safer.
MEDICAL 47
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West Midlands Ambulance Service develops an electronic patient record for UK ambulance services, SP Services sends medical assistance to the earthquake hit regions of Nepal and a clinical trial, which examines the effectiveness of mechanical versus manual chest compression for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, wins a Trial of the Year award.
ESS2015 PREVIEW
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Exhibitors at The Emergency Services Show 2015 (ESS2015) highlight
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what visitors can expect to see when the show returns to the NEC from 23-24 September. The preview is crammed full of new product launches and the latest releases of your favourite kit, split into sections by product type: Medical
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Communications
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IT
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Vehicles
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Vehicle Equipment
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Lighting
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Operational
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Protective Clothing
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Training
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More…
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Emergency Response Zone 78
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Registration is open for The Emergency Services Show 2015 – visit www.emergencyuk.com and click on Register to sign up for free admission to the UK’s leading multi-agency emergency services event.
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
August2015
14 | ESTEQUALITY & DIVERSITY
Looking back on 100 years of women in policing This year marks 100 years of female police officers in the UK. To commemorate this centenary, Louise Jackson and Victoria Anker look back at the history of women in the police force, from their early days as enforcers of morality to today’s chief constables and senior leaders. Words: Dr Louise Jackson (Reader in Modern Social History at the University of Edinburgh) and Victoria Anker (IAWP Research Assistant at the University of Edinburgh). Women’s lives were transformed in the First World War as they took on jobs previously reserved for men. Across the UK around 6000 women became involved in policing roles, mostly in a voluntary capacity. Women Patrols, organised by the National Union of Women Workers (NUWW), aimed to protect young women – as they flocked to places full of soldiers – from the dangers of ‘khaki fever’ (including unwanted pregnancy and venereal disease). Women were also employed to supervise female workers in the munitions factories at Woolwich, Pembrey, and Gretna. They were trained by a separate organisation that called itself the Women Police Service (WPS), led by Margaret Damer Dawson and former suffragette Mary Allen. In 1915 Edith Smith was the first woman to be sworn in as a police officer with official powers of arrest in Grantham, Lincolnshire. The Home Office voiced its disapproval, advising that women were not ‘proper persons’ in the eyes of the law. Yet she continued in this role until the end of the war, undertaking duties focused on the prevention of prostitution, the surveillance of women, and the protection of children.
Edith Smith’s warrant card. Photo: Grantham Museum.
The war was crucial in giving formal recognition to a policing role for women. In fact women had undertaken ‘hidden’ work for many years. The wives of policemen had assisted with female prisoners and provided a vital supporting role in village police stations. In Scotland ‘Big’ Rachel Hamilton (who was 6ft 4in tall and weighed 17 stone) had been sworn in as a Special Constable during the Partick Riots of 1875.
The 1920s and 1930s: forging a specialist role At the end of the war women who were over 30 (and were householders or the wives of householders) were given the vote. The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919 was equally important since it finally recognised that women were ‘proper persons’ and could not be barred from public office. It led to the appointment of the first women MPs, magistrates, and jurors. In 1920 the Baird Committee agreed that women could be appointed as police officers, although it stated that their
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By 1940 there were 282 women officers in the UK, most employed in urban areas with the largest concentration in the Met.
The Second World War: expansion In the 1930s women had to leave the job when they married. In 1939 this ‘marriage bar’ was temporarily lifted and women were recruited as part of the Women’s Auxiliary Police Corps for the duration of the war only. Many worked as drivers, or undertook vehicle maintenance, telephone and clerical work to replace the men who had been conscripted. Women officers acted as escorts for evacuated children or those who were to be interned as ‘aliens’ in camps such as those on the Isle of Man. A specialist Women Police Branch was established in the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in 1943 under the leadership of Marion Macmillan. Trained in the Met she brought her specialist knowledge of child protection to Northern Ireland.
In 1915 Edith Smith was the first woman to be sworn in as a police officer with official powers of arrest in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Photo: Grantham Museum.
duties should be restricted to work with women and children and that it was up to local police authorities to decide whether they were needed in their area. London’s Metropolitan Police Force (the Met) was the largest employer of women officers in the inter-war years. Wary of the ‘militant’ suffragette links of the WPS, Commissioner Sir Neville Macready decided to employ members of the NUWW patrols, under the leadership of Mrs Sophia Stanley, in 1919. Austerity cuts led to a reduction in their numbers in 1922 from 112 to 20. Yet they were given full powers of arrest and status as ‘Women Police’ officers in 1924. In the early 1920s they were used for important undercover operations to detect cocaine trafficking. Women, it was suggested, could more easily conceal their appearance than men. In the 1930s pioneering women police officers such as Dorothy Peto (Head of the Women Police Branch of the Met Police) carved out a key role for women as experts in child protection. In large city forces women worked in Criminal Investigations Departments (CIDs) to take statements from female victims of rape and sexual assault. Glasgow’s women police officers investigated the Moorov case of 1930, which led to an important ruling that single witnesses for individual sexual assault cases could be used as mutual corroboration. In 1935 policewomen were permitted to police a ceremonial occasion, the Silver Jubilee parade. This paved the way for their participation in the funeral of King George V (1936) and the coronation of King George VI (1937).
“The British Association of Women in Policing continues to campaign for women to achieve their full potential in policing and to ensure a balance in gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation across all ranks and roles.” The 1950s: consolidation The county of Cornwall was the last English constabulary to appoint its first policewoman in 1947 as it gave in to lobbying from local women’s groups and pressure from the Home Office. The acceptance of the need for women officers by all police authorities was largely a result of the appointment of the first female member of HM’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Barbara Mary Denis de Vitré, in 1945. She used her skills of persuasion to make the case for women’s contribution to policing and the ‘marriage bar’ was fully lifted in England and Wales in 1946. Many duties were still seen as female specialisms and the size of ‘Women Police Branches’ and Policewomen’s Departments’ – as a ‘force within a force’— expanded significantly. Yet
August2015
ESTEQUALITY & DIVERSITY | 15 women were increasingly gaining broader roles that accorded with modern ideas of career development and professional fulfilment. By 1960 there were over 2500 women officers in the UK.
The 1960s and 1970s: social change By the 1960s across the UK women officers were posted out to divisional stations and the ‘marriage bar’ was finally removed in Scotland in 1968. The work of the Met’s Women Police Branch was absorbed into the force in 1969, with women now undertaking the same tasks as men, and the branch was officially disbanded in 1973.
Female police officers, 1987. Photo: Thames Valley Police Museum.
Equality achieved?
Police officer at Harlow, 1968. Photo: Essex Police Museum.
The move was led by Chief Superintendent Shirley Becke, who had come to see the separate structure as a ‘straitjacket’. The Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 made formal ‘equality’ a legal requirement, and Policewomen’s Departments in most British forces were dissolved overnight when the act came into operation in December. In Northern Ireland the RUC sought exemption from equality legislation on the grounds of security, given the context of the Troubles. This was refused but a more gradual process was agreed through which a ‘modified role’ was developed for women officers until 1982. After a complaint from a female member of the Reserve force was upheld through the European court of appeal, full firearms training was finally made available for women in Northern Ireland in 1987.
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Women were finally integrated with men by 1975 in the majority of British forces, on the same pay and conditions, and within the same promotions and linemanagement structures. Yet new problems emerged for the women themselves as well as for police work. Women were less likely to be promoted than male colleagues across all ranks in the 1970s and 1980s. Senior women struggled to break the glass ceiling, and it was not until 1996 that the first woman (Pauline Clare) became Chief Constable of a UK police force. In 1977 the Edmund Davies report found that integration had led to ‘a serious loss of expertise’ in dealing with rape and cases involving women and children. The expertise of the old Policewomen’s Departments had to be rebuilt through new specialist mixed teams.
MacAskill told the British Association of Women in Policing, ‘A better gender balance within the Scottish Police Service will enhance service delivery. It is not just the right and moral thing to do, it is essential if we are to deliver the benefits of reform. A diverse police service will give us access to a broad range of skills, experience, education and culture.’
www.bawp.org
The Gender Agenda: women in UK policing today The British Association of Women in Policing continues to campaign for women to achieve their full potential in policing and to ensure a balance in gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation across all ranks and roles. While women make up 51 percent of the population, only 27.9 percent of today’s police officers are female (as of 31 March 2014). In 2006 British Association of Women in Policing launched ‘Gender Agenda 2’ to transform cultures and perceptions and to encourage flexible working practices to attract more women into the service. The campaign has been noted by key decision makers, including the former Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the Scottish Government, Kenny MacAskill MSP. In 2010,
Police officer at the House of Commons, 2014. Photo: Adrian Peacock.
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22 | ESTMEDICAL
West Midlands Ambulance Service develops electronic patient record There have been several attempts to develop and implement an electronic patient record for UK ambulance services over the last decade. These have met with variable success but there have been universal problems with compliance by front line staff, as well as difficulties with interconnectivity with other parts of the NHS. West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (WMAS) has been considering its options to achieve a full end-to-end electronic solution. Words: Dr Andy Carson, Medical Director, West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. The NHS is aiming to become paperless by 2018 and so there was a clear need to make progress in this area in order to achieve the goal in a timely fashion. The options were either to continue with the system being used across part of the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (WMAS) at the time and work with the suppliers on future developments, to find a new pre-hospital system ‘off the shelf’ or to develop an entirely new, bespoke system with an alternative supplier.
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Engagement with other relevant initiatives, such as personal care plans developed by patients themselves for sharing with health, social care and other relevant organisations In the event of WMAS crews having been called to the same patient on previous occasions, access to the last three consultations so that past medical history, allergies, current medication and other information can be used to pre-populate the current record Achieve all of the above without increasing on-scene time or job cycle time Staff involvement was key and was achieved through visits to our 16 Ambulance Hubs
Next steps
Initial development The starting point was to develop the vision of what a pre-hospital, emergency medicine, electronic patient record would look like. The fundamental principles were: • Clinically focused, enabling front line staff to deliver the best care to patients • Local connectivity with existing cardiac monitors (Zoll X Series) to allow ecg, oximetry, BP, heart rate and capnography to be imported directly into the patient record – this issue has required WMAS to procure new monitors for the entire fleet • NHS number to be used as the primary identifier • Access to supporting systems such as AACE Clinical Guidelines, BNF, Toxbase, Directory of Services, Summary Care Record etc • Interconnectivity with GPs, Acute Trusts, Community Trusts etc • A sophisticated reporting system to allow live reporting of clinical metrics, which can then be triangulated with operational, HR and finance metrics, as well as allowing WMAS Paramedics to produce a report of procedures carried out to submit to HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) • A report to be generated for the GP following every patient contact • Pre-alerting of patents into, for example, PPCI centres with electronic transfer of the ecg in STEMI cases, or stroke patients into HASUs • Engagement with local initiatives across the region exploring the sharing of health and social care information, including care plans, key worker contact details, DNACPR or Advanced Directive details and other relevant information such as the patient’s wishes
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The decision was made to develop an entirely new, bespoke system and go out to procurement through a full OJEU process. Following board approval of the business case, a full technical and clinical specification was developed, taking into account all of the relevant guidelines already produced, addressing issues such as minimum data sets for electronic patient records.
“The decision was made to develop an entirely new, bespoke system and go out to procurement through a full OJEU process.” Five companies came through the procurement process, meeting most or all of the system specifications and they were invited to present their systems and vision to a panel comprising representatives from all trust directorates, including Clinical, Operational, Organisational Development, Finance, IT and Education and Training. There was also involvement of staff side union representatives, as well as front line clinicians, all the way to board members. There were also observers from other ambulance trusts, although they did not take part in the scoring process. Following the presentation, a successful bidder was identified, Safe Triage Systems, and it was awarded the contract following the normal processes of due diligence, with an Escrow Agreement allowing a copy of the software code to be lodged with a third party in the unlikely event of the company becoming non-viable in the future.
Partnership working to develop the system Following award of the contract, the decision was made to work in close partnership with Safe Triage Systems, with senior clinicians being allocated desks to enable working in the same office as the software development team. Other WMAS staff, such as the Audit Team, Information Governance Lead and others also worked in the same office as and when their input was required. As the system was developed, it was tested by WMAS clinicians, who took information from Patient Report Forms and tested adding the information onto the new Electronic Patient Record (EPR). The system is now ready for piloting to achieve removing any final glitches prior to roll-out in August. While some of the bullet points listed here have yet to be fully achieved, the system is now a full end-to-end electronic solution. Staff that have seen it so far have been very enthusiastic and front line staff seem very keen to start using it to deliver high quality, modern patient care. Development will continue under the guidance of the programme board but it is now fully usable and seems to flow well. Safeguarding referrals, which used to take around 30 minutes via a telephone call, can now be sent electronically with the documentation pre-populating information such as name, address, date of birth and NHS number, reducing the time to around five minutes to complete. With WMAS handling some 13,000 such referrals each year, this may have some effect on reducing on-scene and job cycle times.
www.wmas.nhs.uk
August2015
ESTESS2015 PREVIEW - MEDICAL | 23
Innovation meets collaboration at The Emergency Services Show Taking place from 23-24 September at the NEC in Birmingham, The Emergency Services Show 2015 (ESS2015) is a must-attend event for all emergency services personnel and those people who work in partnership with the blue light services to improve public safety. The event showcases the latest kit available to frontline emergency services and offers so much more – engage with the industry’s thought-leaders at the numerous sessions taking place at the free seminar theatres, meet the collaborators in the unique Emergency Response Zone and get hands-on with the innovators behind the wealth of new launches taking place at the show. Words: David Brown, Event Director, The Emergency Services Show 2015. Whether you’re a Procurement Officer from Preston, a Fleet Manager from Fife, a NILO from Norwich, a Chief from Cheshire or a Deputy from Dudley, The Emergency Services Show 2015 is a fantastic opportunity to broaden your knowledge of emergency planning, response and recovery. Visit the NEC on 23 and 24 September and surround yourself with like-minded professionals and voluntary sector partners, ignite your passions and leave enriched with the knowledge to improve your service, make it more efficient and drive further innovation.
New product launches The following pages are crammed full of new product launches and the latest releases of your favourite kit. Our 60 page preview of ESS2015 is broken down into sections, including Medical, Training, Vehicles, Vehicle Equipment, Ops, Lighting, Comms, IT and more, so that you can quickly and easily find the equipment launches that are of most interest to you. There is also information from over 50 of our Emergency Response Zone exhibitors, detailing the expertise and assistance these organisations are able to bring to an incident when you need it most. There is so much information from exhibitors that we haven’t even been able to include details of our free seminar theatres, which this year cover Innovation, Collaboration and Training. Details and programmes
from these theatres will be available on our show website and include sessions on drone technology, body worn video, emergency alert apps, the humanitarian response to the Tunisian terrorist attacks and a multi-agency R&D panel session on interoperability. This is our tenth Emergency Services Show and I truly believe we’ve delivered on our objective to continually improve the event for the industry, year on year. If you haven’t yet registered to attend, it’s quick and easy to do so on our website (www.emergencyuk). The show is free to attend and parking is free too – I hope to see you there.
www.emergencyuk.com
FERNO’s ‘2020 Vision’ ambulance This year at The Emergency Services Show, FERNO’s 2020 Vision ‘Proof of Concept’ Integrated Patient Transport System™ (IPTS) vehicle will be on display, plus all day demonstrations of the company’s iN∫X™ and iN∫Traxx™ innovations. The iN∫Traxx system has been designed to secure loose equipment inside the ambulance and to allow paramedics to deliver patient care from a seated, restrained position. This reduces the risk of injury and possible fatalities during crashes, sudden stops and hard manoeuvres. This modular system features wall-mounted tracks
that secure a series of FERNO SafeMount brackets, SafeCab Storage Cabinets, and SafePak supply bags. iN∫Traxx can be configured for an individual person or specific mission and its modularity supports better workflows, including Make Ready management, which lowers operating costs. The iN∫X Integrated Patient Transport & Loading System™ can overcome obstacles at the touch of a button not using your back the future of patient transfer
safety and comfort is here. Not only will it change the way you work for the better, you will also stand less chance of an injury. All this, plus FERNO’s ACETECH vehicle intelligence system provides the ultimate ambulance of the future today. Visitors who catch three of FERNO’s demos at the show and then ‘Like’ Ferno UK on Facebook will receive a FREE T-shirt. Ferno (UK) Ltd: Stands R9 & OS41
www.ferno.co.uk
Lightweight patient handling solutions ParAid Medical specialises in providing a variety of safety solutions for the road and air ambulance industry
The ACR-4 (ambulance child restraint).
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
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. This year ParAid Medical will be exhibiting its range of patient handling equipment, on display will be the ACR-4 (ambulance child restraint); the latest version of the original ACR is available in three sizes: small (512kg), medium (10-25kg) and large (20-45kg). 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.
Alongside the ACR-4 will be the Neo-Restraint, a fully adjustable close proximity harnessing system to reduce the harmful effects of excessive movement during neonatal transfer, colour coded and designed to secure infants ranging in weight from 500g to 6kg. ParAid Medical prides itself on its cutting edge bespoke design service setting the company apart from its competitors. All ParAid patient transportation products are made to order to the client’s exact specifications, which are determined through a design consultancy process. ParAid Medical: Stand R10
www.evacchair.co.uk August2015
38 | ESTESS2015 PREVIEW - IT
Reliable mobile technology For emergency services, working more efficiently is not about cutting costs. It’s about protecting communities and saving lives. Finding technology that is reliable and powerful enough to support the critical processes performed every day is a challenge in itself. Add in the often extreme environments faced and reliability becomes a mission critical need. Xplore Technologies develops rugged tablet PCs combined with workflow specific peripherals upon which police, fire and rescue and ambulance staff on the front lines can depend. Designed to stand up to wear, tear, inclement weather and more, Xplore provides the integrated features that enable the constant
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Inspections – save time, improve accuracy and keep communities safe by automating task intensive inspection workflows. On Stand P11 at The Emergency Services Show 2015, Xplore will be showcasing the broadest range of rugged Windows and Android tablets available in the market and introducing its newest fully rugged tablet PC, which will be launched at the event. Xplore Technologies: Stand P11
www.xploretech.com communication and access to information needed to keep emergency services responsive and safe at the point of incident: • Emergency response – gets crews on-site faster with better information. Improves communication and documentation for better incident outcomes • Incident management – empowers emergency services personnel to capture and manage missioncritical information with secure, reliable and easy to use mobile technology
Engaging digital display vehicles Media Displays is revolutionising how both private and public sector organisations interact and communicate
with their target audiences. The company’s eye-catching and engaging digital display vehicles never fail to catch people's attention; having the ability to show graphics, messages in multiple languages, video and live feeds, all with audio. The company is busy supporting policing initiatives across the UK, for example, resulting in arrests and convictions in three homicide cases, tracking down bail absconders and also arresting shoplifters, after their faces have been displayed on its screens. The company’s screens are also used to increase public confidence when forces use them to show the public the criminals who have been recently convicted in their
community, thanking them for their support in catching them. In 2014, Media Displays was featured on the Channel 5 programme ‘It Takes A Thief To Catch A Thief’ where Richard Taylor, a famous reformed shoplifter, and Will Davis, a policeman, demonstrated how the company’s digital display vehicles are a powerful new weapon to name and shame offenders, suggesting that police forces across the country should use its services. Media Displays: Stand OS409
www.mediadisplays.tv
New 4G/LTE rugged tablet launch Handheld is a leading manufacturer of rugged mobile computers and the fastest growing company in this sector. The company’s products are used in a wide spectrum of field applications, often in the most demanding and harsh environments. With over 25 years of experience in the rugged industry, Handheld has successfully implemented mobile solutions for almost every type of businesses. All Handheld products have memory, storage capacity and processing power to handle the most demanding
applications and include integrated GPS, WAN, Wi-Fi and BT. Every product carries IP65 or above IP-ratings and meets stringent MIL-STD-810G military standards for water and dust ingress, drops, vibration and extreme temperatures.
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
With a strong network of dealers in multiple vertical markets throughout the world Handheld’s business partners supply complete mobility solutions to businesses such as public transportation, logistics, geotech, construction, service and maintenance, forestry, military and public safety. Handheld will be announcing a new, small form factor 4G/LTE rugged tablet at the show and showcasing the updated Algiz 10X Windows 4G/LTE full size rugged tablet along with the new Nautiz X8 rugged PDA and the ground breaking Nautiz X1 Rugged IP67 smart phone. The Handheld headquarters are based in Lidköping, Sweden. The company has local offices in the UK, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and the USA. Handheld UK Ltd: Stand K34
www.handheldgroup.com August2015
ESTESS2015 PREVIEW - VEHICLES | 39
Improved patient journeys Specialist and medical care vehicles put to the test Eagle International Ltd is a leading UK supplier of bespoke ambulance and specialist vehicles to private medical and healthcare markets worldwide, supplying a range of conversions throughout the UK, Europe, Middle East and Asia. The company understands that quality and ergonomic design is paramount in creating a bespoke ambulance conversion. That’s why its conversions feature the latest designs, technology and materials resulting in a flawless conversion, manufactured to your specifications. Eagle International’s dedicated design team ensures your needs are met in every aspect providing the perfect working environment. Irrespective of size, all ambulance operators need to sustain high levels of fleet availability and patient care. Ambulance vehicles must provide highly efficient, functional and safe environments for the delivery of care and treatment to ensure the wellbeing of crew.
Eagle International delivers ambulance conversions that improve the patient journey and the medical care they receive. The company’s bespoke conversions include A&E, HDU, PTS, specialist vehicles, bariatric capable ambulances, armoured vehicles, mobile clinics, command and control vehicles, 4x4 extraction vehicles, military ambulances and rapid response vehicles. Eagle International Ltd: Stand OS77
www.eagle999.co.uk
Surf rescue boat makes waves in flood rescue Arancia Inshore Rescue Boats have been helping to keep beaches safe around the world for the last 37 years. Made in New Zealand and used by the RNLI, Surf Life Saving GB and numerous international lifesaving organisations, it has a proven track record saving thousands of lives worldwide in often extreme conditions. This pedigree borne from its exceptional handling in white water has made the transition from the surf to flood rescue a simple one. Arancias are hand built for quality, performance and safety, meeting ISO 6185 Inflatable Boat Standards, ISO 9002 Quality Assurance & EU Recreational Craft Directive (CE Mark). The A380s come with adjustable foot-straps, tow rope, anchor, tool bag, two stowage bags and a padded carry bag as standard with optional extra carrying handles, SOLAS tape, rubbing strakes and towing bridle. The unique shape creates a highly manoeuvrable craft, while the removable GRP floor and inflatable keel allows the boat to be rolled up and easily stored or transported in a vehicle. The A380 is best powered by a 25 or 30hp engine with specifically designed stainless steel propeller and prop deflector for flood and river rescue work, which complements the shallow ‘V’ keel with V-strip creating the superior handling capabilities. Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service purchased an Arancia in 2009 and has been enthusing about it ever since. Recently Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) also acquired its first Arancia. Paul Godwin, DSFRS’s Specialist Rescue Manager, said, “The Arancia is proving to be a very versatile and stable craft, which is deemed to be able to meet the demanding conditions faced by crews when undertaking flood and river rescues. The craft supplied by Rescue Marine Services is especially suited for training inexperienced
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
It is over 50 years now since Volvo started supplying vehicles to the emergency services in the UK. The company is one of the few car manufacturers to offer factory modified vehicles, for use in this sector. All vehicles supplied have been tested in emergency driving scenarios by Volvo’s engineers to ensure that they perform in some of the harshest situations. Volvo is able to provide fully equipped police, ambulance and fire vehicles as a turnkey solution through its UK based approved converters, working with its customers from quote to delivery. In addition, the company offers a dedicated blue light aftersales back-up service to ensure your vehicles remain mobile. If you require model information, a quote or would like to try one of Volvo’s blue light equipped demonstrators, please don’t hesitate to call 01628 422214 or e-mail: vcuksv@volvocars.com The Volvo Emergency Services Team will once again be attending the Emergency Services Show this year. Volvo Special Vehicles: Stand H60
www.volvocars.com/uk
Photo: Chris Walker.
crews in boat handling as it is a safe and forgiving platform in the delivery of swift water rescue boat training.” Paul O’Sullivan, from R3 SAR, which had an Arancia on loan for 18 months, said, “Having used the Arancia as part of our Swift water and Flood Rescue boat training fleet it has certainly shown itself to have a key role in inland swift water/flood rescue boat operations. Its size and manoeuvrability are ideal when operating in limited space/high energy water and the large sponsons provide better stability and support than would be expected in a boat this size. Additionally, its light weight makes launch/recovery much easier and is particularly useful if the boat needs to be carried a short distance from one area of flooding to another.” You can see the Arancia as well as the specialist flood rescue propellers, prop deflectors, fuel tanks and engines at the show and, through a partnership with Surf Life Saving GB, a flood rescue Arancia is available to borrow should you want to trial it. Rescue Marine Services Ltd: Stand OS78
www.rescuemarine.eu August2015
74 | ESTESS2015 PREVIEW - TRAINING
What happens if... That’s the question Training 4 Resilience (T4R) asks as it designs and develops the table top and command centre exercises that validate plans; develop staff competences; and test established procedures for its clients. Having an independent assessment of arrangements is one of the major benefits of using T4R to design and deliver your exercise; and detailed post exercise reports provide documented evidence and recommendations for teams to consider following the event.
T4R has designed and delivered over 100 exercises for both the public sector (single-agency and multiagency groups including LRFs) and the private sector, including major events and venues such as Glastonbury Festival (2013, 2014 and 2015), Wembley Stadium, Chelsea Football Club, and the Tour de France 2014 Stage 3. The company also provides a selection of training courses that cover a range of resilience topics. As well as face-to-face training, its Virtual T4R Classroom has been used extensively this year and provides the perfect solution for teams who are spread across the globe. The training can be delivered at any time of the day (or night!) and is instructor led, which ensures a dynamic delivery environment as well as the opportunity for plenty of interaction among the participants.
Future™ Awards and Qualifications is a forward thinking awarding organisation that offers a diverse range of apprenticeships, qualifications, benefits and support services for its customers, which include public and commercial ambulance services, training providers and employers.
Partnerships with stakeholders
Concept’s Fire Training range includes everything from hand-held smoke generators for confined spaces, portable battery and gas powered smoke machines for remote locations, water-based smoke for general breathing apparatus training, oil based smoke for live fire behaviour training, or highly persistent smoke for PPV training. Concept’s design, manufacture, support and research and development offices are all based in the UK and have operated under ISO 9001 since 1991. Additional services include: consultancy advice on special projects and emergency exercises; design and manufacture of special builds; hire of experienced operators for exercises/installations; UK based servicing, repairs and maintenance; maintenance courses; and technical after sales assistance.
The company has developed a deep understanding and insight into the needs of its customers. Future’s in-house expertise, experience, knowledge and partnership with key stakeholders has enabled it to provide a comprehensive range of employment related ambulance service, commercial, licence to practice and support qualifications, with others in development, including: • Level 4 Diploma in Associate Ambulance Practitioners (QCF) • Level 2 & 3 Diploma in Clinical Healthcare Support (QCF) • Level 3 Certificate in Emergency Ambulance Driving (QCF) • Level 2 Award in Ambulance Driving (QCF) • Level 3 Certificate in Ambulance Service Community First Responding (QCF) • Level 3 Certificate in Immediate Emergency Care (QCF) • Level 3 Certificate in Immediate Emergency Care for Fire and Rescue (QCF) …and many more. In addition, the company offers complementary qualifications for the sector, including: education, training, assessing and internal quality assurance, cleaning and facilities management, contact centre, customer service, administration and management, plus many more.
Concept Smoke Systems: Stand R16
Future (Awards & Qualifications) Ltd: Stand Q21
www.conceptsmoke.com
www.futurequals.com
Training 4 Resilience: Stand P24
www.training4resilience.co.uk
Add significant realism to your training exercises Concept Smoke Systems has been a leader in the design and manufacture of high quality smoke generators for almost 50 years, supplying over 80 percent of the UK fire and rescue services, as well as major training centres throughout the world, with a cost effective, safe simulant smoke to add significant realism to training exercises.
Looking after your Future
Drone training academy launched Drones offer incredible benefits to the response, rescue and resilience sector but if not handled in a safe and professional manner, hostile media coverage can put organisations under an intense public spotlight. Sky-Futures, a global leader in drone based oil and gas infrastructure inspections, has announced the launch of its new Sky-Futures Training Academy, which specialises in training the emergency services in the safe and effective use of drones in their operational environment. The company can train your remote pilots to fly safely and procedurally in increasingly demanding, operational training scenarios using best practice from manned aviation and its 8500 hours of operational drone flying experience. Based at the Fire Service College, in Moreton-in-the Marsh, the Sky-Futures Training
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Academy offers unrivalled, controlled training in realistic operational environments.
Understanding the specialist demands of the response, rescue and resilience sector, Sky-Futures has collaborated with the Fire Service College to produce structured, CAA approved courses from Basic through to Intermediate and Advanced level training for the police, fire and rescue service, ambulance service, USAR and other emergency organisations. Student pilots will also benefit from significant recent investment at the Fire Service College in providing first-class accommodation and leisure facilities. Courses are residential over two, three or five days. Visit Stand B22 and talk to training staff about which courses might be the most appropriate for your organisation. Sky-Futures Training Academy: Stand B22
www.sky-futures.com August2015
ESTESS2015 PREVIEW - ERZ | 89
Collaboration is key to arson prevention
Arson accounts for 45 percent of all fires attended in the UK and costs society more than £1bn a year in insurance claim payouts. The Arson Prevention Forum was established in 1991 to spearhead and coordinate a national
campaign to reduce arson, raise awareness of the problem and bring together public and private sector organisations. Lee Howell, Independent Chairman of the Arson Prevention Forum, and colleagues will be present at The Emergency Services Show 2015, to answer questions and provide information. Lee believes that collaboration is the key to success. Working together to improve the effectiveness of prevention, protection, investigation and diversion activities will help reduce the incidence of fires and the associated cost. Understanding where organisations with an interest in arson reduction can work better together, coordination of efforts and promotion of the top 10 tips to reduce arson.
The Maritime Volunteer Service (MVS) trains people in maritime skills and can support Category 1 Responders and communities in and around all UK waters and waterways in times of emergency. MVS units based around the coast and on inland waterways offer water-based assistance to commercial and leisure operators as well as training and education opportunities for members and the public.
Arson Prevention Forum: Stand Z205
www.stoparsonuk.org
Lest we forget! The Police Roll of Honour Trust is proud to be exhibiting at ESS2015. The trust was founded in 2000 when it was discovered that there was no national Roll of Honour to fallen Police Officers. The trust is the only registered charity maintaining the national Police Roll of Honour, paying tribute to the sacrifice of British police officers who have been killed or died, on duty or as the result of police duties.
Safety afloat training saves lives
Severn’ (Tewkesbury) unit members undergoing training.
Since the first recorded death of a Constable in 1680 over 5000 such records are now held. Unfortunately it is a sad fact that the Roll will continue to grow. As well as contemporary deaths, the trust’s ongoing research ensures that all newly discovered deaths are also recorded on the roll. Albeit the trust is used as a point of reference by many official bodies and private individuals it does not receive any central funding but relies on the support of the wider police family and on the generosity of the general public.
Although the MVS is not a rescue organisation per se, it performs coastal, harbour and river safety patrols assisting HM Coastguard, harbour authorities and the Environment Agency using unit boats and are prepared to respond to issues that directly affect local communities. Some units have members on their Local Resilience Forum and train and exercise with members of other voluntary organisations using their communications skills ashore in control rooms as well as being available to go afloat or assist in the event of beach/estuary pollution.
Police Roll of Honour Trust: Stand Z118
Maritime Volunteer Service: Stand Z241
www.rollofhonour.police.uk
www.mvs.org.uk
Health and safety support from HSL The Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) uniquely combines independent scientific and commercial expertise, delivering specialist solutions, products, training and consultancy. Being a directorate within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), HSL works closely with organisations across industry, helping them to improve workplace health and safety, thereby achieving regulatory compliance.
The HSL expertise embraces the following: Incident materials analysis – engineering, pressure fittings, fire, explosion and chemical • Assessment of noise, audibility, communications, breathing apparatus and PPE • Ergonomic risk assessment and behaviour change • Products assisting your safety culture, risk management and knowledge transfer • Training delivered by scientific experts within their field. HSL’s objective is to support industry on aspects of health and safety where independent evaluation and scientific-based research are required. •
Practical solutions By working with HSL, industry will benefit from independent and collaborative research from which specific areas of improvement can be identified. Through better understanding of industry needs, HSL,
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through partnership, can develop practical solutions through scientific-based projects. It can provide support from specific work undertaken for an individual organisation to more extensive research on an issue that impacts the whole sector. Health & Safety Laboratory: Stand N7
www.hsl.gov.uk August2015
94 | ESTPRODUCTS
Next-to-skin clothing – Armadillo Merino®
www.armadillomerino.com It has been proven that the chemicals associated with synthetic clothing are readily absorbed through the skin, avoiding the liver before entering the bloodstream. When you are hot and sweating your pores open up making the skin even more receptive to chemical absorption. The build up of chemicals in the body, especially the combination with other toxic chemicals can lead to minor and major health ailments. Your first line of defence is your choice of next-to-skin clothing. With better protection from the ‘inside-out’ you can start to defend yourself from developing short and long-term health issues. Armadillo Merino® specialises in next-to-skin protective clothing. Its range of head to toe clothing creates a natural buffer zone around your body allowing the skin to function naturally, keeping you cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
FLIR K65 – FLIR Systems Inc
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www.flir.com/fire FLIR has added the FLIR K65 to its industry-leading line-up of K-Series thermal imaging cameras (TICs). The FLIR K65 has been fully certified to the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 1801-2013 standard for usability, image quality, and durability for fire fighting thermal imagers. It offers superior 320 x 240 thermal resolution and features FLIR’s revolutionary Flexible Scene Enhancement™ (FSX) technology for ultra-crisp thermal imagery and visibility in total darkness and smokefilled rooms. FSX heightens thermal image detail through real-time, onboard digital processing, producing an image that shows extraordinary structural, edge, and other instantly recognisable features. The K65 also includes onboard video recording and playback, which is useful for debriefing and training. The K65 will be available for purchase globally through established distribution networks immediately.
Mobile power source – SATcase™ & SunnyBAG
www.satcase.com www.sunnybag.com SATcase™, a device that adds satellite connectivity and search and rescue (SAR) capability to the common smartphone (as featured in the June issue of EST), has teamed up with award-winning manufacturer SunnyBAG to add solar power to the offering. This means that users will now benefit from increased battery life, and longer lasting satellite connectivity, when other power sources are out of range. SunnyBAG produces a range of bags that include integrated flexible solar panels. These panels enable each bag to convert sunlight into electrical power, creating personal power stations for charging mobile devices. As part of a strategic partnership, SunnyBAG is set to create a purpose-designed durable, yet lightweight bag to hold the SATcase™ when not in use. This will ensure the unit remains charged from a never-ending source of energy – the sun.
GORE® PARALLON™ System – WL Gore & Associates
Miller H-Design™ confined space harness – Honeywell
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www.honeywellsafety.com Honeywell has launched the Miller H-Design™ confined space harness, which features a soft and flexible padded belt that holds a respiratory mask, providing workers with a comfortable, flexible and easily accessible self-rescue solution. The EN361:2002 compliant harness is available on its own or as a complete unit with belt and harness. The belt is offered in two sizes (S/M, L/XL) to fit any body shape. Fitted with DuraFlex® stretch webbing at the shoulders for additional comfort, the Miller H-Design has special features that make it up to three times faster to put on than traditional harnesses. These features include easy to access buckles that offer the ability to make intuitive adjustments by pulling from the top down (vs traditional harness buckles that require pulling from the bottom up); as well as a chest strap that can be adjusted for a more comfortable fit.
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X380N thermal imager – Scott Safety
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www.scottsafety.com Powered by ISG technology, the X380N thermal imager from Scott Safety provides the perfect combination of technology, lightweight design, and robust features to enhance situational awareness. In addition to achieving NFPA compliance, the X380N features exclusive hot and cold spot tracker technology, which immediately identifies the hottest or coldest area of a scene for better informed decisions. All thermal imagers in the X-Series offer high resolution detection, superior image quality, Intelligent Focus™ to clearly see at temperatures above 1000°C and transparent colourisation. The X380N camera is available through Scott Safety’s network of global distribution partners.
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www.gore.com After several years of research, bringing together its technical expertise from around the world, Gore has developed a solution that removes the need to compromise comfort for thermal protection. The GORE® PARALLON™ System is lightweight, breathable and waterproof delivering high levels of thermal protection in firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE). It reduces the risk of burn injuries and heat stress in wet and dry conditions, creating consistent protection without compromising comfort. The system has been developed to specifically combat the risks associated with moisture and heat stress by introducing a unique new solution that incorporates a highly breathable Gore thermal barrier combined with a GORE-TEX® or CROSSTECH® Moisture barrier. This is a unique use of two membranes encapsulating a layer of thermal protection that maintains breathability while wicking moisture away from the skin and out through the suit, simultaneously preventing liquid penetration from the outside. Internal moisture is efficiently moved through the layers, keeping the thermal protective fabric dry and reducing the risk of steam or wet compression burns. Comfort and breathability is high, reducing the risk of heat stress and keeping the wearer cooler for longer.
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
August2015