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Covering the entire spectrum of the Emergency Services
December 2014
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Volume 15 | 6
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ESTCONTENTS | 1
IN EVERY ISSUE
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COMMENT
3
NEWS
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COMPANY PROFILES
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PEOPLE
52
PROFILE
15
EVENTS
10
PRODUCTS
57
LAST WORDS
60
IN THIS ISSUE
58
COLLABORATION
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As the winners of the Fire Transformation Fund are announced, we take a look at the multi-agency projects that will benefit from the £75m fund and a new report from the Emergency Services Collaboration Working Group gives the most accurate picture yet of the collaborative projects between blue light services in England and Waless
ESS2014 REVIEW
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The Emergency Services Show 2014 welcomed a record
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number of both exhibitors and visitors to Birmingham in September – find out more about the UK’s leading
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multi-agency event and see if you feature in our photo round-up
2014 REVIEW
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From the floods in Eastern Europe to the Commonwealth Games, 2014 has been a busy year for the UK’s emergency services. This year also saw
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the culmination of JESIP, with a large-scale multi-agency exercise in Merseyside, and the Fire Service College welcomed the world’s extrication experts for October’s World Rescue Challengee
COMMUNICATIONS 26
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Progress update on the Emergency Services Network, it’s been a busy year for Airwave, the benefits of unified communications plus the potential for more use of SMS messaging in the drive for responsive emergency communications
CBRN
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Arco chosen by the UK Government to supply PPE in the fight against the spread of Ebola, a new focus on the role of responders as the Home Office reviews the 2006 CBRN Model Response and MAIAT heralds a new era of CBRN response
EMERGENCY LIGHTING 28
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
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A round up of the brightest and best hands free and hands on lighting available to the UK’s first responders
December 2014
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4 | ESTNEWS Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority has joined Dorset Fire and Rescue Authority in agreeing to a merger between the two services. The plan, which has been in development since December 2013, has received funding from the Government’s Fire Transformation Fund to support the work. The intention is that a new Combined Fire Authority would come in to existence on 1 April 2016. www.wiltsfire.gov.uk www.dorsetfire.gov.uk
Civica has secured new contracts for its market-leading fleet management systems with both the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland. Both independently chose Civica’s Tranman software to manage their large national fleets. Both organisations will be using Tranman’s innovative touchscreen technology in their workshops spread across Scotland, allowing data to be easily input by technicians directly into the system, giving the central teams visibility of current availability and costs immediately. www.civica.co.uk
Companies can now hire Cardiac Science’s Powerheart® G5 Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) as part of an extensive range of health and safety equipment from Supply UK. Available now from Supply UK’s Survey & Laser business network, the scheme provides an accessible and affordable way for businesses to access life-saving technology. www.supplyuk.co.uk www.cardiacscience.co.uk
In a major upgrade to its operational, incident analysis and driver training system Dorset Police will be extending the installation of the Airmax Telematics based fleet management system across the majority of its operational fleet. The Airmax system combines CAN bus and ESCAN data with 1m accuracy GPS location data. www.airmaxgroup.com
Scott Safety, a Tyco business, has acquired privately-held ISG Infrasys, a world leader in the design of thermal imaging cameras. The combination of ISG and Scott makes Tyco one of the largest global suppliers of hand-held thermal imaging cameras, and further enhances Scott Safety’s world-class portfolio of high-quality life safety products. www.scottsafety.com www.isgfire.com
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
President steps down as ACPO Hospital says replacement body announced YESSS to ice warning system
The National Police Chiefs’ Council will replace the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in the new year following a Chief Constables’ Council meeting on 17 October, where chief constables took key decisions on the development of a new body that will coordinate operational policing at the national level. ACPO will continue to provide national coordination and leadership until the new body is constituted. The new coordinating body, which will be hosted by the Metropolitan Police, will help police cut crime and keep the public safe, by joining up the operational response to the most serious and strategic threats. Focusing on operational delivery and developing national approaches on issues such as finance, technology and human resources, it will work closely with the College of Policing, which is responsible for developing professional standards. ACPO’s core role of bringing together the expertise of police leadership to coordinate operational policing and agree national approaches in the public interest will be transferred into the body. The aim is to develop a modernised and improved coordinating body that will be sustainable and effective in supporting policing in delivering at the national level for the public. ACPO President Sir Hugh Orde said, “Chief constables have met this week to make key decisions about how a new body coordinating operational policing at the national level will operate. It is right that the leaders of the service take these decisions and this is an exciting new
chapter in police leaders’ work. It is essential that this process takes place seamlessly and with as little disruption to operational policing as possible. “To help create this seamlessness, I have decided to step down as President of ACPO around the end of the year in order to allow chief officers to elect a leader who will lead the new body. I have made this decision after a lot of thought and after five years of having the immense privilege of leading a team of dedicated, talented and tireless chief officers whose passion for protecting their communities has been unabated in the face of changing modes of crime, seismic shifts in the policing landscape and the impact of austerity on the service. “I want to thank my colleagues all for their support and comradeship, along with all those others that I have served with in 37 years as an officer.” www.acpo.police.uk
ACPO President Sir Hugh Orde, who has announced his decision to step down.
A new temperature-sensitive alerting system, available exclusively from Wakefield-based wholesaler, YESSS Electrical, has been installed by Northern General Hospital as part of a winter weather warning pilot.
Roger Bowen, Senior Estates Manager, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, holding the PATeye.
The PATeye ice detection system uses solar powered cats’ eyes-style road stud lighting to detect icy road temperatures. Once the road temperature drops to 0°C or below the blue LEDs in the stud start to flash – alerting drivers of the possibility of ice formation. YESSS has supplied the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with a total of 10 temperature sensitive solar-powered studs, which have been installed at the Northern General Hospital’s main Barnsley Road site entrance, in a trial that is due to last until 31 March. The system will be used by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in conjunction with the Met Office Open Road weather forecast information systems to make an informed decision regarding the amount of salt to be spread on the road. www.yesss.co.uk
Dorset Police unveils new marine boat Dorset Police has a new boat, which will be used by officers from the Marine Section. It is staffed by two police constables, assisted by specially trained officers from across the force, and can seat up to four people, with the capability to carry a total of eight. Humber RIBS has sponsored the craft, which replaces the force’s existing marine boat, and provided it to Dorset Police at a significantly reduced rate. The company is one of the market leaders in the production of high-quality and highly capable RIBS that meet the demand of Dorset’s challenging waters. The craft is a Humber Ocean Pro 7.5m ACPO-coded RIB and is powered by twin counter rotating 140 Suzuki engines that encompasses Lean Burn Fuel Control, which will reduce the
force’s fuel usage and carbon footprint. Dorset Police engaged with a number of other specialist suppliers who have provided equipment at a discounted rate as part of their commitment to support policing in the county: Raymarine supplied the advanced navigation and electronic systems; and Scot Seats provided the shock mitigation seating, which can be adjusted to suit individual officers. The Marine Section is based at Poole Quay and is responsible for policing the 89-miles of coastline in Dorset out to the territorial limit of 12 miles. This includes the busy and popular Weymouth and Christchurch harbours, the smaller fishing ports of West Bay, Lyme Regis and Swanage and the world’s second largest natural harbour at Poole.
The craft is a Humber Ocean Pro 7.5m ACPOcoded RIB.
Paul Chick MBE, Head of Transport Services for Dorset Police, said, “Without the collaborative working between all parties we would not have had the budget to procure this fabulous craft that fully meets the needs of our marine section and ultimately the public we serve.” www.dorset.police.uk December 2014
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ESTNEWS | 5
Report highlights progress made by fire and rescue services in control room collaboration
Peter Dartford, President of CFOA.
A recently published report describes how an increasing number of fire and rescue services in England are making use of modern technology to improve
the way they handle and respond to 999 calls. The improvements are being made as part of the ‘Future Control Room Services Scheme’. Under the scheme, which is a collaboration between the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG), the Local Government Association, and the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA), fire authorities were invited to bid for funding to upgrade or replace their control rooms, mobilising and communications equipment. CLG has recently published its latest update, which details the progress that the services are making. The scheme has led to many fire authorities adopting innovative approaches, which include: joint control rooms where one ‘regional’ control
room handles the calls for several fire authorities; control room collaborations, where authorities have linked their systems to enable them to support each other during large scale events such as widespread flooding; and multi-agency arrangements, where the police and fire services share control room buildings and other facilities. Peter Dartford, President of CFOA, said, “I welcome the continuation of this excellent work, which will ultimately enable all fire authorities in England to deliver improvements to their mobilising arrangements, which are aimed at enhancing the safety of the public, firefighters and other emergency responders alike.” www.cfoa.org.uk
Encryption solution aids sensitive data sharing North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (NWFRS) has adopted the use of Egress Switch by Egress Software Technologies, a leading provider of encryption solutions to blue light organisations. Employing approximately 1000 staff members, NWFRS attends over 3200 fires, 500 road traffic collisions and 500 other emergency incidents every year, in addition to delivering initiatives to schools, businesses and local communities to promote fire safety and prevention. Carrying out this crucial work involves collaborating with a network of external third parties and NWFRS consequently adopted Egress Switch to meet the increasing need for staff to ex-
change electronic information securely with other emergency services, local authorities and agency partners. Sarah Roberts, Head of ICT at NWFRS, said, “We have seen real benefits throughout the organisation as a result of our usage of Switch. NWFRS Control Room staff also use Egress Switch Secure File Transfer to exchange voice recordings and information about incidents securely with law enforcement agencies. “Moreover, as the only CESG CPAcertified product for sharing Foundation Level data over the internet, Switch Secure Email enables NWFRS staff to share OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE emergency planning information as part of the North Wales Local Resilience Fo-
rum – a multi-agency partnership made up of representatives from local public services, including emergency services, local authorities, NHS, Environment Agency (part of Natural Resources Wales) and other Category 1 responders,” continues Sarah Roberts. “NWFRS also uses Switch to secure confidential employee data. The HR department, for instance, secures the sensitive information shared with our Occupational Health Service provider, while our Finance department is able to securely exchange payroll information relating to NWFRS employees with Conwy County Council.” www.egress.com www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk
West Yorkshire Police buys 4000 Samsung mobile devices for frontline officers Samsung Electronics has partnered with West Yorkshire Police to help the force lead the way in one of the biggest technological advancements in modern policing. Four thousand Samsung Galaxy Note 3 devices are being issued to frontline officers and staff, replacing traditional pocket notebooks. The mobile devices contain oline ‘apps’, which allow officers torecord a crimewithout having to return to a station, www.emergencyservicestimes.com
reducing admin and spending more time on the front line. West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Andy Battle said, “This initiative will exploit technology to maximise
the capability and effectiveness of policing at the frontline. It will potentially lead to 7000 frontline officers and staff using the devices. As a result of this project, there will be an increase in the amount of time they are able to spend on the streets, dealing with crime and public safety. “We continue to look for ways to revolutionise the way we do business, creating efficiency savings that will ultimately benefit the communities we serve long into the future.” www.westyorkshire.police.uk
Arqiva has won a contract to install and de-install communications equipment for vehicles belonging to the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service. Under the terms of the contract, which will be carried out by Arqiva’s Secure Solutions business, the company will install and de-install radios, MDT and pump bay voice terminals from different types of vehicles such as officers’ cars, 4x4s, vans and fire appliances. www.arqiva.com/secure-solutions www.mawwfire.gov.uk
An agreement signed between RBS and the City of London Police will see financial experts from the bank provide specialist advice and guidance to tackle the most complex and challenging financial crimes facing the UK under the force’s new Corporate Volunteer Consultancy Scheme. www.cityoflondon.police.uk
Benbecula and Stornoway airports have each received two new fire tenders in the first phase of a £7m roll out of 20 new high tech fire appliances by airport operator HIAL. ITURRI Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of rescue and fire fighting vehicles, was commissioned to build the new appliances, which will include a mix of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles. www.hial.co.uk
Police officers in Jersey are benefiting from 30 new Body Worn Video (BWV) cameras thanks to cash confiscated from criminals. The cameras, and the infrastructure that is needed to run them, which cost almost £33,000, have been bought with money from the Criminal Confiscation Fund. www.jersey.police.uk
The Ambulance Services Charity (TASC), formerly the ASBF, has announced the acquisition of its first national headquarters in Coventry, West Midlands. The new headquarters will enable TASC to expand the range of support and other services it offers, through the recruitment of a small team led by Charity Director Lorna Birse-Stewart. http://asbf.co.uk
Airwave has secured a contract with the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust to provide TETRA Messenger to their community responder groups. The trust has purchased 850 devices and is in the process of rolling them out to responder groups across the South West. A total of 455 devices are currently in use, with the remaining units to be issued before the end of the year. www.airwavesolutions.co.uk
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12 | ESTCOLLABORATION
Multi-agency projects backed by Fire Transformation Fund Fire Minister Penny Mordaunt announced on 17 October the winners of a £75m fund, which will improve frontline services and save taxpayers over £300m. The Fire Transformation Fund, announced last March, is giving the funds to fire and rescue authorities to help ensure better and more efficient frontline services for the public. In total, 37 projects from across the country will get funding. Further collaboration
Fire Minister Penny Mordaunt MP.
Announcing the winning bids, Fire Minster Penny Mordaunt said, “Fire services have done an amazing job over the last few years in reducing demand on their emergency services; there are fewer fires and deaths. But this means the service needs to adapt – to meet new demands and to ensure it is working in the most efficient way. That’s why we’ve set up the Fire Transformation Fund. “One of the things that I found encouraging was the high number of bids looking to promote greater collaboration with other emergency services through sharing stations and services, sharing of back office functions, and joining up on service delivery. This is exactly the sort of innovation that is needed across the public sector and I look forward to seeing how these projects progress.” A selection of the winning bids is highlighted below.
Police and fire HQ Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS) has been awarded £1.5m to support the proposed joint police and fire and rescue service headquarters for the county. DFRS and Derbyshire Police are looking to co-locate in a purpose built building on the Butterley Hall site at Ripley. The new joint headquarters, which is expected to be complete by late 2016, will aid better collaboration and deliver more effective and efficient ways of working. This funding, along with the sale of the fire and rescue service’s existing HQ, at Burton Road, Littleover, Derby, will go a long way towards meeting the service’s share of the capital cost of the project. Derbyshire Police is submitting a similar bid to the Home Office.
‘Quad service’ station Funding of £3.78m has been awarded to emergency services in Durham to build a unique station, which is set to be the first of its kind in the country. County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service will use this award to build a joint emergency services station to house fire and rescue, police and ambulance services as well as the region’s mountain rescue team. This ‘quad service’ station, as it has been dubbed, would be the first to be built in the country.
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) has secured £4m in funding for two projects: £2.6m will be used to provide a new joint fire and police service headquarters, as well as co-location of both services at some fire stations and progression of fleet maintenance partnerships with other public services; a further £1.39m will be used to explore how HFRS can transform its on-call services, using early-intervention vehicles to deal with smaller incidents. There will also be further collaboration with South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) to attend more medical emergencies, building on the success of the co-responder scheme where retained firefighters support SCAS in providing a first response.
Financial efficiencies Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority has been successful in attracting £4.2m of funding for two projects, which seek to improve services and create future financial efficiencies. The first project, which has been awarded £1.89m, is to move the fire and rescue service headquarters from its present location on the outskirts of Worcester to join West Mercia Police at its headquarters at Hindlip, near Worcester. This move should foster a closer working relationship between the two blue light services as well as producing on going savings from the co-location of HQs.
“This is exactly the sort of innovation that is needed across the public sector and I look forward to seeing how these projects progress.” The second project, which has attracted £2.38m of funding, is to create a new Wyre Forest blue light hub, which would relocate the existing three fire stations in the Wyre Forest area into a new purpose-built centrally located station. It is also anticipated that this new facility would have space for police and ambulance colleagues as well as providing a new location for Severn Area Rescue Association. It is anticipated that this initiative will provide custombuilt facilities for all partners to better coordinate and deliver essential safety services as well as changing the way in which fire cover is provided in the area.
Tri-service centre Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service will use part of its £5.14m grant to create a tri-service neighbourhood centre in Biddulph for blue light organisations.
Each partner will have a specific area to work in and there will also be a shared space to allow the different organisations to liaise with each other and provide a strong multi-agency approach, which will benefit the local community. The rest of the funding will build a new facility at the fire station in Stafford. It will include a life-skills centre, which will be predominantly used by school children, and will also act as a hub where various partners can work closely together on prevention and protection programmes.
Cross-emergency service collaboration Hertfordshire’s PCC David Lloyd, who represents the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners on the Emergency Services Collaboration Working Group, said, “I welcome this support for cross-emergency service collaboration from the Fire Transformation Fund. Finding new and innovative ways of working together is the best way we can deliver more effective and more efficient emergency services for the public in the long term. “There is a great deal of successful cross-service collaboration projects throughout the UK, some of which have already been supported by the Police Innovation Fund. It is excellent to see more Government support, which will help drive further progress in new and exciting areas.” Chief Fire Officers’ Association President, Peter Dartford, said, “The funding awards recognise the collaborative transformational approach that fire and rescue services are taking, both internally and in association with other emergency services and local authorities, to mitigate the effects of increasing financial pressures.” Martin Flaherty OBE, Managing Director of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, said, “The ambulance service remains keen to examine all areas of potential blue light collaboration that will genuinely deliver benefits to patients and the public. Therefore the announcement of the Fire Transformation Fund projects can only be a positive step towards that aim. “We will be carefully monitoring the progress of the initiatives that involve the ambulance service and hope they are proved successful, so that they may become a standard-bearer for future positive collaborations.” Chief Constable Lynne Owens, who is the Association of Chief Police Officers’ (ACPO) lead for collaboration, said, “The police are working closely with our emergency service colleagues to identify opportunities to collaborate. This is an important agenda and ensures that we serve the public in the most efficient and effective way.”
www.gov.uk
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ESTCOLLABORATION | 13
Collaboration projects highlighted in Government report The Emergency Services Collaboration Working Group has published an overview report that gives the most accurate picture yet of the current collaborative projects between blue light services in England and Wales. The working group, which includes senior leaders from all the emergency services, has published the report compiled and produced by central Government, which provides a detailed overview of the most significant collaboration projects between emergency services in 2014. The working group was formed in September this year with funding from three Government departments in order to support and drive closer working between the emergency services and as a means to share best practice among services and their governing authorities. This overview report, called ‘Emergency Services Collaboration – The Current Picture’, will provide a baseline for the working group to commission research into those areas of collaboration that appear to provide the potential for improving services. The research will provide a firm evidence base for those services wishing to pursue their own transformational projects and for future policy development.
“By reporting on and sharing the details of these projects, we can learn how similar schemes can benefit similar organisations in different parts of the UK.”
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
PCC for Hertfordshire David Lloyd.
Home Secretary Theresa May.
National overview
Force for change
David Lloyd, who represents the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) on the group and whose office oversees the working group, said, “This excellent report gives a thorough national picture of the collaboration projects that exist between the emergency services today. “There are many innovative schemes included in the report which show how the blue light services can work successfully together in order to improve the services they provide to the public while ensuring value for the taxpayers’ pound. “I am particularly pleased to see the myriad different ways police forces up and down the country are working closely with their partner organisations to meet the challenging financial environment they find themselves in. “By reporting on and sharing the details of these projects, we can learn how similar schemes can benefit similar organisations in different parts of the UK.” Peter Dartford, President of the Chief Fire Officers’ Association and a member of the group, added, “Emergency services have a very strong track record of collaboration and innovative partnership working and this report highlights just some of that. “The Emergency Services Collaboration Working Group will now look at how we can facilitate further transformation, and build on our existing success to meet the further challenges that await us.” The working group itself was established with support from the Department of Health, the DCLG and the Home Office to provide strategic leadership, coordination and overview on a national level to improve emergency service collaboration. It comprises senior leaders from across the emergency services and will act as a national driver for innovation and best practice.
The Home Secretary praised David Lloyd on 18 November as an example of a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) who is leading change in the police service. Speaking at the annual general meeting of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCCs) in Harrogate, Home Secretary Theresa May said that PCCs were providing accountable local leadership, engaging with communities, driving forward change and contributing positively to debate on national policy. On the subject of collaboration, she recognised Commissioner Lloyd’s work in setting up a national group that seeks to support blue light services in this area. Addressing the conference, which included PCCs from across the country, she said, “Many of you are also pursuing collaboration between forces and with other emergency services to deliver more effective services and better value for money for the taxpayer. “I am grateful to David Lloyd the Commissioner in Hertfordshire for leading the cross Emergency Services Collaboration Working Group – which has been jointly funded by all three emergency services departments – for taking this agenda forward.” Commissioner Lloyd said, “I’m glad that the Home Secretary highlighted the work of this group as collaboration between the emergency services is a means by which we can improve the service delivered to the public while also meeting the financial challenges that we face. “The working group has been set up to provide the necessary leadership and support to help collaboration projects happen more efficiently and with fewer obstacles in their way. The funding from three government departments and the recognition today from the Home Secretary shows how important the work of this group is.”
http://apccs.police.uk December 2014
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18 | ESTESS2014 REVIEW
The Emergency Services Show – where collaboration meets innovation The Emergency Services Show 2014, held at the NEC in Birmingham from 24-25 September, attracted a record 5680 visitors. This represents the eighth consecutive year-on-year increase in visitor growth and a six percent increase since the event relocated to the NEC last year. Aimed at all emergency services and their partner agencies involved in emergency response, planning and recovery, The Emergency Services Show 2014 (ESS) offered visitors more opportunities than ever before to learn new skills and broaden their knowledge, with the introduction of two free seminar programmes and a series of co-located meetings and seminars hosted by key industry bodies.
Workshops and demos The show also offered live demonstrations of rescue techniques, equipment and vehicles and free training opportunities. Networking was cited by both visitors and exhibitors alike as a key benefit of attending. John Halfpenny, Policing Skills Trainer, Learning and Development, West Mercia and Warwickshire Police, described the show as, “an invaluable and enjoyable chance to network and appreciate the challenges, strengths and capabilities of partner agencies in the emergency services and support organisations and responders.” This view was echoed by Tim Lewis, Capability Officer, CFOA National Resilience, exhibiting in the Emergency Response Zone. He said, “We are here to get our name out there and catch up with partner agencies. It’s also useful for us to be here to network and see new equipment ourselves.” Physio Control also hosted workshops and found that every session was sold out, despite having added extra
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
seating. Sam Amena, Marketing Product Specialist, Physio Control, said, “We were very impressed with the size of the show… We are here to educate people and that has been very well received.”
The Emergency Services Show returns to the NEC in Birmingham from 23-24 September 2015. Best use of limited time With over 400 exhibitors, The Emergency Services Show is a one-stop shop for the latest kit, services and expertise. Des Harker, PPE Manager, Suffolk Fire Service, found, “an abundance of suppliers with new or innovative equipment that we can buy now or think about to meet our future requirements.” Kevan Whitehead, Director of Fire & Rescue, Stirling Group, Dubai, confirmed, “Within two days I met most of my current suppliers and met a few potential future suppliers. From an R&D perspective – absolutely the best use of my limited time.” Exhibitors reported strong interest and quality leads, whether they had a product to sell or a message to
communicate. Anneka Lowe, Marketing Manager, SP Services, said, “Footfall on our stand was fantastic throughout the show and we’ve seen a great mix of people from across all the emergency services: everyone from paramedics and first responders to procurement professionals. Our retail store proved very popular with good sales across both days.” Oliver North, Managing Director of Rosenbauer UK, said, “The Emergency Services Show is the main platform in the UK to establish new innovations and concepts to our excellent fire and rescue services. This year provided that perfect platform as Rosenbauer begins its firm, specific and strategic focus on the British fire market.”
All the right people Luana Avagliano, Head of the Resilience Direct team at the Cabinet Office, said, “The Emergency Services Show proved a great opportunity for us to meet with all our stakeholders and show off our new system. We’ve met all the right people here and had a fantastic response to the service.”
www.emergencyuk.com
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30 | ESTCOMPANY PROFILE
Community safety in the digital world The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP), which was announced in summer 2013, has set telecommunications suppliers a number of unique challenges to bring the latest communication solutions to the emergency services as a whole. Billy D’Arcy, Managing Director, Public Sector Business at O2 Telefonica, discusses the next generation of emergency services (ES) communications and why O2 is so committed to developing a trusted partnership with the UK government. Bill D’Arcy (BD): I passionately believe in our key strategic objective, ‘Community safety in the digital world’. The Emergency Services Network programme (ESN) is an opportunity to upgrade public service delivery; the UK needs a secure and resilient ES network that enables users to work to their full potential, while also providing cost efficiencies for the Government. This task is O2’s mission-critical target. The ES are going through significant transformation with reforms being made in the way they operate and all of this in the shadow of reduced government spending. In addition, the way that the ES must respond to emergencies or crises is changing all the time. Emergency Services Times (EST): Why is the public sector and specifically emergency services so important for O2 in the UK? BD: We’re no stranger to the public sector and have vast experience in the world of critical communications. We’re a massive advocate for digital services and we feel we’re best placed to work with the government on new technologies and infrastructure. We recently won a bid to deliver communications services for the central and south UK regions as part of the Smart Meter Implementation Programme. Additionally we work with the Ministry of Justice as a vital part of the Prisoner Tagging consortium.
The same technology can supply lifesaving informatics to paramedics and ambulance staff and allow fire and rescue service commanders to coordinate responses to major incidents. It is O2’s duty as a communications technology provider to respond to these evolving changes.
Billy D’Arcy, Managing Director, Public Sector Business at O2 Telefonica
For example, by using 4G technology, the police can free up thousands of man-hours by streamlining administration, allowing officers to get out ‘on the beat’ and help and protect the general public. Let’s take one specific example; O2’s advanced 4G technology will allow body worn video to be streamed live to senior police officers and emergency control rooms and will do much to keep ES and the general public safe. This could be an invaluable tool in a large number of emergency or criminal scenarios. And we can roll out O2’s highly effective Bluelight Managed Video, with wearable cameras for monitoring and recording activity while on duty right now.
EST: What do you mean by that statement? BD: Only a couple of summers ago there was social unrest across the country; social networks accessed via mobile devices were used to organise where rioters should assemble and what areas would be looted next. Information was being shared with large groups of individuals so they could avoid concentrations of police officers. Police officers often found their tactical moves were being ‘second-guessed’ by the rioters who had a constant stream of intelligence being supplied to them via smartphones. In addition, ambulance staff and fire brigade personnel found themselves faced with hostile and angry crowds with little backup. The lessons of this unrest have been learnt and O2 is uniquely placed to help all the ES improve their response and keep ES staff and members of public safe from harm. Also, O2 has always been recognised as a company that embraces and invests in the community in the UK. That goes for the emergency services community too. O2 is proud to sponsor a number of voluntary ‘First
“O2 has always been recognised as a company that embraces and invests in the community in the UK. That goes for the emergency services community too.” EST: Why is the change necessary, particularly when other public services are suffering from cutbacks? Was the investment really required? BD: The men and women of all the emergency services protect us and care for us 24/7, 365 days a year and O2 is committed to listening and learning from ES members of every rank and position. These same men and women are currently using a communications system that is nowhere near as powerful as the 4G network that O2’s 24 million customers rely on every day. That has to be addressed so that ES members can keep themselves and the general public safe. The switch to the next generation mobile network will give all the emergency services a powerful increase in the capabilities and capacity of their communications systems and help them to meet and exceed agreed performance targets.
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
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ESTCOMPANY PROFILE | 31 Responder’ organisations that support the ES and give vital and lifesaving support on the ES frontline. One example of these partnerships is with the National Search and Rescue Dog Association (NSARDA). NSARDA is voluntary organisation that supports the emergency services in finding and rescuing missing people in all scenarios and all weathers. O2 is proud to support them with equipment and digital expertise so that they in turn help improve community safety. As Harold Burrows MBE, Chairman of NSARDA, said “The simple truth is that there’s a vulnerable person out there and it’s up to us and the dogs to find them. The emergency services rely on us to assist them and we have to be ready, whenever the call comes.” EST: Doesn’t the switch from what is effectively a private ES wireless network on to a ‘consumer network’ have some challenges? BD: The consumer market is just one of our business sectors. We take security very seriously for all of our customer segments and we build in substantial resilience, redundancy and diversity across our network. Every day, more than 24 million O2 customers make over 120 million phone calls on our customers network, while sending over 150 million text messages and transmitting over 240 terabytes of data. Supporting these customers is a massive
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obligation, and we invest over half a billion pounds a year to keep our network evolving at all times. We were the first mobile operator to achieve the CAS(T) accreditation for Public Services Network contracts. That is an endorsement of the secure nature of our network and our responsible approach to business. In times of emergency activity, our network has to support both the ES and the general public. The company sees that as a commitment that we will not shirk from. O2’s expertise in the UK marketplace is well known with the company’s technology and services being used by organisations such as Network Rail and Transport for London. Also numerous central and local Government bodies and some 27 regional police services have chosen O2 technology. O2’s parent company, Telefonica, has a proven heritage with European Emergency Services including running 911 and 999 services. O2 is the number one network in the UK because we have worked harder than anyone else to attain and then expand that position. We have an unsurpassed record of delivering for our customers – we listen to them and respond to their needs and create partnerships. We have done the same in the enterprise as well as in the UK local and central government sector. Remember ES staff are also consumer customers! The UK emergency services deserve to be continuously supported with the very best technology on the strongest and most secure network in the UK. And we know we will deliver.
News.o2.co.uk/O2ESN
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44 | ESTCBRN
Agile, scalable, flexible and proportionate The Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (Explosive) (CBRN(E)) National Capability is being re-shaped, with the Home Office leading a review of the 2006 CBRN Model Response. This article looks at the current response and the new focus on the role of first responders. Words: Glen Gorman, CFOA National Resilience CBRN(E) Capability Officer, NRAT (recently retired). The 2006 CBRN Model Response programme was developed between Government and the police, fire and rescue, and ambulance services, and is designed to ensure the response to a CBRN(E) incident is agile, scalable, flexible and proportionate to the threat. Lessons from recent exercises and small-scale events, as well as scientific research, are being used to underpin the reconfigured CBRN(E) response. The aim is to upskill non-specialist responders to safely undertake initial life-saving activities at scene (Initial Operational Response (IOR)). The IOR will be nationally implemented in April 2015. Alongside this, the Specialist Operational Response (SOR) is being reviewed. The revised response is due to be implemented by end of 2015, early 2016.
The FRS current response CFOA National Resilience provides a 24/7 Capability through fire and rescue service (FRS) across England and Wales (Scotland and Northern Ireland have similar capabilities for dealing with CBRN(E) incidents but are not part of CFOA National Resilience) to be able to respond to a large-scale CBRN(E) deliberate release of hazardous materials, which could affect large numbers of members of the public.
Decontamination of the public is a requirement as an emergency order under Section 9 of the Fire Services Act 2004, and is provided by FRS to the ambulance service under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Department of Health. The capability is multi-layered and includes: • Mass Decontamination (MD) • Detection, Identification and Monitoring (DIM) of hazardous materials • Decontamination of Body Bags (DBB) • Expert advice from a cadre of CBRN(E) Tactical Advisors (TacAds). This capability is also supplemented further by a team of National Interagency Liaison Officers (NILOs).
The role of NRAT www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Mass Decontamination (MD) A wide range of equipment is carried on the 72 Incident Response Units (IRUs) across England and Wales, which enables specialist firefighters on each unit to decontaminate up to 300 people per hour in the event of a CBRN(E) release. This includes the facility for members of the public to disrobe, undergo warm water decontamination showering, and to be able to re-robe with dignity at the end of the process. In the event of large numbers of people being involved (300+), this capability is backed by dedicated mass disrobe and re-robe facilities to supplement resources already at the scene. Firefighters carrying out the decontamination process are protected from becoming contaminated themselves through the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as self-contained Powered Respirator Protective Suits (PRPS) and a rigorous decontamination process with a safe undressing procedure.
Detection, Identification and Monitoring (DIM) To enhance the safe working procedures of emergency service staff, there are 19 highly trained DIM teams across England and Wales equipped with specialist equipment to detect the presence of a wide range of hazardous substances, identify the
substance(s) that are responsible for the hazard, and to monitor the atmosphere for a safe working environment.
Safe handling of contaminated fatalities and Decontamination of Body Bags (DBB) Currently four FRSs (London, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Wales) provide support to the national CBRN(E) Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) process and can provide specialist decontamination of body bags (DBB) to enable the safe and speedy identification of those who have lost their lives in a suspected deliberate release.
Tactical Advisors (TacAds) To supplement the safe systems of work employed by the firefighters on scene at a CBRN(E) event, there is a cadre of specialist Tactical Advisors available 24/7 who are highly trained and experienced officers, available to attend anywhere in England and Wales. These officers are experts in the processes of MD, DIM and DBB, with a wealth of experience in all of these areas. They are available to provide support and guidance to emergency service responders on good practice and they have access to continual scientific advice through a reachback arrangement to a team of scientific advisors from a range of specialist providers.
CFOA National Resilience Ltd (CNR) enables the fire and rescue service to respond to ‘serious’, ‘significant’ or ‘catastrophic’ national incidents. It does this by providing strategic advice and assurance to Government that the National Resilience Capabilities are able to deal with these threats to the safety and security of England and Wales, as well as to assist with incidents overseas when requested. Each of the Capabilities consists of specialised vehicles, equipment and personnel, and through a managed programme of training and exercising, the National Resilience Assurance Team (NRAT) ensures that the Capabilities are in a state of operational readiness when required to deploy.
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The first officer at a scene of a major/multi-agency incident has to pass information on, and does so using the METHANE system of assessment:
M E T H A N E
Major incident declared? Exact location Type of incident (explosion, building collapse, etc) Hazards – present, potential or suspected Access – routes that are still safe to use Number – type and severity of casualties Emergency – services now present, and those required.
National Inter-Agency Liaison Officers (NILOs)
they are able to undertake more effective life-saving activities in the early stages of an incident. This programme is now rolling out to all first responders across the UK and includes: • Emphasis on the importance of multi-agency working and joint assessment of hazard and risks that the first responders will make (using METHANE methodology), to ensure a clear situation analysis is established (adhering to the principles of JESIP) • Better guidance on the rescue and decontamination of casualties and people suffering the effects of contamination. This guidance is based on the very latest medical advice and introduces the concept of dry decontamination for certain types of contaminant • More emphasis on the early stages of decontamination: − Moving people away from the area of contamination − Getting them to remove outer layers of clothing − Undertaking improvised or interim decontamination using immediately available resources • More emphasis on clear communication with the public to explain what they are being asked to do and why. Work has also commenced on re-shaping the Specialist Operational Response to CBRN(E) incidents, the overall aim of which is to develop a response that is:
• • •
Robust – based on clear planning assumptions Proportionate – informed by risk Flexible – will work (or can be easily adapted to work) in a wide range of circumstances • Scalable – can be flexed to manage small, medium and large incidents • Interoperable – response organisations working effectively together • Timely – the right activities, when needed • Realistic – that it can be achieved. This work will review the specialist CBRN(E) capabilities of all the emergency services with a view to making these more streamlined as well as removing any duplication of capability where appropriate. The CBRN(E) Capability within the National Resilience Assurance Team (NRAT) is playing a crucial role in this work alongside emergency service colleagues and Government departments.
www.fireresilience.org.uk
A specially trained team of security-vetted officers exists across England and Wales who provide a communication link between the FRS and a wide range of partner agencies other than emergency services. These officers are experienced Incident Command practitioners and are available through an on-call rota that provides a national response capability.
The future response As can be seen from the above, the fire and rescue service CBRN(E) response has placed a significant reliance on specialist capability in terms of equipment and knowledge. However, it is the first responders (nonCBRN(E) specialists) to an incident who are most likely to be carrying out the all-important activities in support of saving lives before the specialist responders arrive on the scene. It is for this reason that the Home Office has developed the Initial Operational Response (IOR) Programme, the aim of which is to improve the knowledge and awareness of all first responders so that
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