EST June 2012

JUNE 2012

VOLUME 13 | 3

Medical Services Ltd is the UK’s largest independent Patient Transport Service provider, providing dependable, caring journeys for patients and cost effective, reliable transport solutions for commissioners

ᔡ News: joint working initiatives between emergency services – shared control rooms and joint Information Service functions ᔡ Olympics: security of the Olympic Torch Relay plus preparations in place by the public and voluntary sectors ᔡ The Emergency Services Show 2012 opens registration at www.emergencyuk.com ᔡ Interoperability: the Government’s support for the Joint Emergency Service Interoperability Programme ᔡ Specialist vehicle expert WH Bence showcases command and control units ᔡ PPE: a round up of products, from boots and helmets to outerwear and PFDs ᔡ Training: multiagency focus at The Fire Service College ᔡ A guide to some of the latest products and services available

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ISSN 1472-1090

CONTENTS | 1

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Regular features First Words The Independent Ambulance Associate joins the calls for a change to ‘blue light’ driving law

3

News Joint working initiatives highlighted, the HELP Appeal looks for helipad sites, the latest plans for emergency controls, the growth of SP Services means expansion for the Telford-based medical supplier, plus a student invention that could prove to be a lifesaver

4

Company Profile WH Bence, a front-runner in the design and build of specialist vehicles for the sector, showcases its latest command and control units

9

Events Registration opens for The Emergency Services Show 2012, AMBITION heads for Silverstone in September, details of the Lyon Technical Symposium 2012, plus a round up of forthcoming events

10

Contracts & People Shared HR system for three police forces, the Scottish Ambulance Service receives £34m for new vehicles and newly enhanced fire appliances in Oxford are set to carry defibrillators

28

Page 14 –The RNLI assist the Olympic Torch Relay.

Inside this issue Olympics The preparations of the emergency services for the Olympic Torch Relay, how the police and ambulances are taking a national approach, plus details from the RNLI and Dorset Fire and Rescue Service

16

Interoperability The Government’s support for the Joint Emergency Service Interoperability Programme, Operation Shannon tests the multiagency response to a refinery incident and Superintendent Paul Kinsella looks at interoperability opportunities in times of austerity

30

Wind Turbine Emergencies

34

Considerations for emergency responders to wind turbine emergencies

Independent Ambulance Services A focus on those independent ambulance services that have been registered by the CQC as part of a new system of regulation for the health and social care sector.

37

PPE A focus on Armadillo Merino®, which specialises in next-to-skin protective clothing using merino wool, plus a round-up of PPE products from boots and helmets to outerwear and personal flotation devices

47

Training The multi-agency focus of The Fire Service College, preparing for flood events and training for CBRN response

55

Product Information A mobile printer, a mobile ID checking system, personnel name badges, a powered-ascender, hardback cases, a lifting sling, a needle destruction device and a handheld heat-scanning device

70

Last Words Lynn Griffiths outlines the work her charity, CO-Awareness, is doing with Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service to create a National CO Awareness Register

72

NOT YOUR COPY? Register online today at

www.emergencyservicestimes.com Page 21 – Exercise Amber, hosted by the London Ambulance Service in May, tested Olympic preparations.

Emergency Services Times June 2012

2 | A-Z

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Companies Company Name

Page No

10,000 Volts..........................................................................................69 Active Informatics ................................................................................5 Airwave....................................................................................19, 31, 32 AMBITION 2012 ...............................................................................10 Armadillo Merino® ...........................................................................47 Arqiva...................................................................................................29 Association of Ambulance Chief Executives...................................69 Association of Chief Police Officers.......................................3, 31, 32 Avon and Somerset Constabulary.....................................................69 Badgemaster ........................................................................................70 BMW....................................................................................................28 Boot Repair Company........................................................................50 Bristol Uniforms.................................................................................53 British Red Cross..........................................................................21, 22 British Transport Police.....................................................................19 Cabinet Office .....................................................................................31 Capita ...................................................................................................29 Care Quality Commission .......................................................3, 29, 37 Chief Fire Officers' Association........................................................12 Civil Contingencies Secretariat.........................................................31 Class Professional Publishing ...........................................................69 CO-Awareness.....................................................................................72 Consortium Fire and Rescue...............................................................9 Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service....................................................72 Cosalt....................................................................................................49 County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service...5, 9, 50 Cumbria Constabulary .......................................................................69 Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service ....................................................69 Department for Communities and Local Government .............5, 31 Department of Health .....................................................29, 31, 53, 58 Derbyshire Constabulary...................................................................29 Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service ..................................................5 Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service................................66 Dorset and Poole Local Resilience Forum......................................24 Dorset County Council ......................................................................24 Dorset Fire and Rescue Service........................................................24 Dorset Police .......................................................................................24 Durham Constabulary........................................................................28 East of England Ambulance Service..........................................26, 29 East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service..................................................5 Emergency Response Driver Training.............................................60 The Emergency Services Show 2012................................................12 Environment Agency .........................................................................24 Essex Emergency Services 2000 Ltd................................................28

Company Name

Page No

Company Name

Page No

Essex Police .........................................................................................28 Ferno ......................................................................................................4 Fire Service College......................................................................31, 55 FlamePro (UK) Ltd ...........................................................................50 Fortek Computers Ltd .......................................................................29 Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS) .................4 HAAGEN Fire Training Products Ltd............................................61 HAIX ...................................................................................................48 Hampshire Constabulary.............................................................29, 30 Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service ................................................30 Harken .................................................................................................70 The heightec Group ...........................................................................35 HELP Appeal........................................................................................6 Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service..........................55 Herts Air Ambulance.........................................................................28 Home Office ........................................................................................31 Humberside Police ...............................................................................6 IC International Ltd.............................................................................6 Independent Ambulance Association..........................................3, 38 Leicestershire Police ..........................................................................29 Lion Apparel.......................................................................................50 London Ambulance Service ...........................................16, 21, 29, 28 London Fire Brigade ...................................................................21, 55 LUCAS...................................................................................................4 Lyon Equipment Ltd...................................................................10, 65 Maritime and Coastguard Agency....................................................24 Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service ..................................................4 Merseyside Police ...........................................................................4, 28 Metropolitan Police Service....................................................6, 14, 21 Mines Rescue Service Limited .........................................................67 Motorola Solutions Inc ......................................................................70 National Cycle Response Group.......................................................29 National Policing Improvement Agency ....................4, 6, 18, 31, 58 NCTech ................................................................................................70 Newcastle University .........................................................................10 Norfolk Constabulary.........................................................................28 Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service......................................................62 North Fire PLC ..................................................................................48 North Wales Fire and Rescue Service................................................6 North West Ambulance Service....................................................5, 16 North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service .......................................49 Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service......................................28 Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service......................................29 Nottinghamshire Police.....................................................................29

Optima .................................................................................................29 Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service...............................................28 PageOne Communications ................................................................26 Palm Equipment Europe ...................................................................53 Panasonic.............................................................................................70 Peli Products .......................................................................................70 Petzl......................................................................................................65 Police Federation..................................................................................3 Police National CBRN Centre ..........................................................58 Promove...............................................................................................71 Public Safety Cycling Association....................................................29 RNLI........................................................................................21, 24, 57 Rosenbauer ..........................................................................................48 Ruth Lee Ltd ......................................................................................66 Scottish Ambulance Service..............................................................29 Sharps Terminator®...........................................................................71 Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service...................................................6 South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust6, 29, 30 South Western Ambulance Service ..................................................24 South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue .......................................................4 South Yorkshire Police.........................................................................6 Spanish Fire Fighters Association (ASELF) ..................................35 St John Ambulance Service ..................................................15, 21, 22 Suffolk Police ......................................................................................28 Teesside University...............................................................................5 TenCate Protective Fabrics................................................................50 Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service........................................5, 9 The Underwater Centre.....................................................................62 University of Derbyshire.....................................................................6 University of Nottingham .................................................................28 Vimpex Limited..................................................................................71 Volvo.....................................................................................................28 WA Products (UK)...............................................................................4 Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service............................................16 Warwickshire Police ...........................................................................29 West Mercia Police .............................................................................29 West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.................................................5 Weymouth and West Dorset and Portland District Council.........24 WH Bence..............................................................................................9 WL Gore & Associates.................................................................49, 53 Wm Sugden & Sons Ltd....................................................................48 Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Search and Rescue...............................6

Company Name

Company Name

Advertisers Company Name

Page No

AgustaWestland.................................................................................25 Aireshelta plc ....................................................................................33 Air Medical Ltd................................................................................41 Armadillo Merino.............................................................................51 Babcock International........................................................................7 Badgemaster Ltd...............................................................................43 The BMH Group ..............................................................................64 The Boot Repair Company..............................................................51 Bristol Uniforms...............................................................................51 British Red Cross........................................................................23, 59 Cosalt..................................................................................................52 Emergency Response Driver Training ...........................................64 FlamePro (UK) Limited..................................................................54 Gecko Head Gear Ltd ......................................................................59 Goliath Footwear ..............................................................................54 HAAGEN Fire Training Products..................................................56

Page No

HAIX .................................................................................................19 The heightec Group Ltd..................................................................33 Interspiro Ltd ...................................................................................63 Jones & Bartlett Learning ...............................................................43 Lyon Equipment Limited................................................................27 Medical Services.....................................................................OFC, 36 Mines Rescue Service.......................................................................64 Niton 999 Equipment.......................................................................20 North Fire PLC ................................................................................52 Nuvia Limited...................................................................................11 Ophthalmic Technologies Ltd......................................................IBC Paramedico Ltd.................................................................................43 Pickup Systems Ltd ...........................................................................8 Premier Hazard Ltd .........................................................................25 Primetech (UK) Ltd.........................................................................67 Promove.............................................................................................43

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Red Box Recorders Limited..............................................................7 RNLI..................................................................................................63 Ruth Lee Limited.............................................................................56 RVG....................................................................................................33 Skoda...............................................................................................IFC SP Services (UK) Ltd ..................................................................OBC Tracker ...............................................................................................17 Strongs Plastic Products ..................................................................59 The Underwater Centre ...................................................................63 Vauxhall .............................................................................................13 Vimpex Limited................................................................................11 W L Gore & Associates....................................................................49 Wm Sugden & Sons Ltd..................................................................54 WILL-BURT ....................................................................................20

Emergency Services Times June 2012

FIRST WORDS | 3

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Date:

June 2012

Editor: David J. Holden MEng(Hons) Twitter: @999editor davidholden@brodenmedia.com Advertisement Manager: David Brown davidbrown@brodenmedia.com Advertisement Sales: Carol Fox carolfox@brodenmedia.com Office & Events Manager: Lesley Stevenson lesleystevenson@brodenmedia.com Marketing Manager: Emma Nicholls emmanicholls@brodenmedia.com Circulation: Christine Knoll

Call for change in ‘blue lights’ driving law The Independent Ambulance Association (IAA) has called for a change in the law relating to dangerous driving to protect drivers against prosecution on ‘blue light’ emergency response journeys.

The letter states, ‘If emergency service drivers cannot rely upon skill and training then what distinguishes them from that of the ‘normal’ and average driver?’

The association’s member services, which are registered by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), are supporting the Police Federation and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in a campaign that follows the prosecution of a driver and radio operator of a police car after a car they were pursuing crashed through a railway crossing. The pair was put on trial but after a year they were acquitted.

Until the recent judgement this anomaly had been masked by police forces effectively dealing with matters internally or by the Crown Prosecution declining to prosecute citing the ‘not in the public interest’ test of their code. They argue that emergency drivers need clarity and certainty as to what is and what is not illegal and the only solution is an amendment to the law.

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According to legal police opinion, the current legislative definition of dangerous driving is so wide that every response driver, including ambulance drivers, is vulnerable to prosecution.

The Crown Prosecution Service, has already responded to the IAA, agreeing to review its prosecution guidance in relation to the emergency services but the law can only be amended by Parliament and the association has now written to the Home Secretary Teresa May, Transport Secretary Justine Greening and Health Secretary Andrew Lansley seeking their support for a change in the law.

In the letter, dated 5 June 2012, the IAA says that emergency services are now facing a dilemma caused by the widening of the ambit of dangerous driving and the absence of any legal exemption for emergency services, which prevents a jury or magistrate from taking into account the specialist skills, training and competencies of drivers when considering the facts.

This would mean that when a vehicle is being used for fire, ambulance, bomb or explosive disposal, national blood and human organ transport service, rescue or police purposes, or for a purpose connected with the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, the driver may depart from the standard of the careful and competent driver in certain circumstances and if they have undergone specialist driving training.

You can read the full text of the IAA letter on the association’s website. www.iaauk.org See also the article Emergency resonse blue light driver training. The law is changing – are you up to speed? on page 60.

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Emergency Services Times June 2012

4 | NEWS

In brief . . .

Ferno, a leading manufacturer of medical equipment to the emergency services and funeral sector, has launched a virtual portal, ‘Stage to the World’, for customers to see products in action. The Ferno Customer Experience Centre gives customers unique access to webcasts and live video streams of equipment and services being demonstrated in different environments and terrains.

Staff at the company’s headquarters in Ohio, United States, are also available to talk to customers via Webex or Skype and answer any questions or queries they may have. All of Ferno’s products are featured at the centre, including those for emergency medical services, search and rescue, mortuary and military.

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New independent lifeboat improves GAFIRS’s capability The Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS) held an official naming and dedication ceremony for its new independent lifeboat at the GAFIRS Lifeboat Station in Stokes Bay, Gosport, on 21 April.

The lifeboat was named Jim & Mollie Newton in memory of a Shropshire couple whose generous legacy financed the purchase of the hull of the Halmatic Pacific 30 rigid inflatable boat (RIB).

The project to complete the fit out of the new lifeboat has taken almost eight years to achieve. During this period fundraising was ongoing to purchase major items such as two Iveco onboard diesel engines, two Castoldi 238 water jet units, a bespoke

www.ferno.co.uk

The Isle of Man’s Department of Health has been able to purchase 13 LUCAS Chest Compression devices for use across the island, thanks to generous donations totalling £120,000 from six local charities: Henry Bloom Noble Healthcare Trust; Isle of Man Branch of the British Heart Foundation; League of Friends of Noble’s Hospital; League of Friends of Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital; Ramsey Cottage Hospital Welfare Trustees; and Microgaming Health and Care Trust.

The 13 devices will be in use across the island throughout the ambulance service, Noble’s Hospital and Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital. www.gov.im/health

WA Products (UK) has become the 100th supplier to provide a catalogue on the National Police Procurement Hub. The NPIA’s ‘Amazon-Style’ online procurement system, which enables police forces in England and Wales to buy specified goods and services online, is an electronic marketplace that provides the police service with the ability to select and purchase a range of approved goods and services online. The hub is projected to save the police service £69m over the next six years by streamlining the procurement process and removing the need for printing and paper. The system enables purchasing without having to use paper orders and invoices to buy approved items such as IT, body armour, vehicles and a whole range of other goods and services. Eleven forces are using the system and a further 32 are working towards being connected by the end of the autumn. All forces are expected to be using the hub by spring 2013. www.npia.police.uk

engine box to meet the requirements of GAFIRS and the console and gantry with an array of electrical equipment. GAFIRS also extended the lifeboat station to accommodate the new lifeboat, along with other operational assets, which also required significant funding.

The unpaid volunteers of GAFIRS completed almost all of the fit out of

Agreement reached on Joint Command Centre in Merseyside Merseyside’s police and fire and rescue authorities have agreed in principle to the development of new joint £6.6m command and control centre in Bootle.

The centre will be based at the fire and rescue authority headquarters in Bridle Road and will be a mixture of refurbishment of existing buildings and a new build. It was one of five options considered by the authorities.

The co-location of the fire and police control room functions will provide an exciting opportunity to deliver a more efficient and effective service to the public. They will share site infrastructure and facilities with the potential for sharing of technology solutions in the longer term.

The Joint Command and Control Centre (JCC) will also house Strategic (Gold) and Tactical (Silver) Commands in purpose designed and built accommodation in a location that is considered at less risk than the current city-centre site.

Councillor Tony Newman, Chair of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority, said, “The centre is a Merseyside solution which will improve our mobilising and command and control functions and provide an opportunity for long-term partnership working and savings. It is an excellent opportunity for both authorities, which also keeps fire and rescue service jobs on Merseyside”

The civil disorder in UK cities last year provided tangible evidence of the benefits of close cooperation across Merseyside’s emergency services and local authority planning teams. It was acknowledged at local and national level that the emergency services on Merseyside managed and responded to the problems very effectively. Much of that success came from the very close working arrangements in Gold and Silver command. It also emerged from the civil disorder that the Gold and Silver command facilities would need to be enhanced if they were to manage a more protracted incident and that a location outside the city centre would be at less risk of being compromised in a large scale incident.

Merseyside Police Authority Chairman, Bill Weightman, said, “The Joint Control and Command Centre in Bootle offers us an improved way of working and is far and away the most cost-effective and practical solution.

The project also demonstrates our continued commitment to collaboration with other public sector organisations.”

The project, which is partly funded by a central government grant of £1.1m, is expected to be complete in Autumn 2013. www.merseyside.police.uk www.merseyfire.gov.uk

Emergency Services Times June 2012

the new lifeboat themselves, working evenings and weekends. Once it becomes operational the craft will be one of the most modern and sophisticated lifeboats of its type in the Solent area, if not the UK, and will greatly increase the capability of GAFIRS. www.gafirs.org.uk

Firefighters offered 29 percent pay increase in bid to save millions A pay rise of 29 percent is on the table for South Yorkshire firefighters who volunteer to switch to a new system of crewing fire stations. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue plans to introduce Close Proximity Crewing (CPC) at up to six stations over the coming years, starting with Lowedges, as part of changes aimed at saving £10m by 2015.

Firefighters who volunteer for CPC, where crew members are ‘on-call’ while living at the station for up to four days a week, will receive a 29 percent enhancement on their salary.

Firefighters at CPC stations are provided with accommodation and recreational facilities, and are allowed visitors during stand-down time. They are also able to self-roster shifts, working an average of 38 hours a week and on close-proximity standby for around 43 hours a week.

The first CPC station will be Lowedges in 2013. A second station will switch to CPC in 2014, and then up to four others could move to the system as well as the new station at Birley. www.syfire.gov.uk

NEWS | 5

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Location for single Sussex Control Centre confirmed East and West Sussex fire and rescue services have announced that Haywards Heath Fire Station has been confirmed as the location for the new Sussex Control Centre. The announcement follows the decision taken last December by both services to merge their existing control rooms into a single Sussex Control Centre (subject to final agreement on apportionment and future funding) that would begin taking 999 calls in September 2013.

The move followed a successful bid by both services for £3.6m funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

East Sussex Fire Authority (ESFA) and West Sussex County Council (WSCC) have also agreed that East Sussex Fire Authority will become the lead employer for the Sussex Control Centre, taking effect from April 2013. A joint officer-led board will be created to manage the centre, reporting directly to both the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service Corporate Management Team and the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service Principal Leadership Team.

It has also been decided that the procurement of the mobilising system needs to be integrated within ESFRS’s and WSFRS’s existing ICT platforms.

This will also help to drive further savings. It has therefore been agreed that the procurement route for this acquisition will be via a restricted procedures route using the Official Journal of European Union.

Christine Field, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said, “The town [Haywards Heath] is geographically central to both East and West Sussex and its location creates equal opportunity for staff in the two existing control rooms to consider relocating to the Sussex Control Centre. This will help to retain the valuable skills and control experience in both services and, in addition, maintain local knowledge from across both counties – something that was important to the public during consultation.

“A single fire control centre in Sussex will have more staff on duty than either of the two current control rooms, as well as save money.

“It will also enhance working with the police and other agencies during an emergency.” www.esfrs.org

Ambulance control centre ready

In brief . . .

Three fire officers from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team – Station Manager Colin Bowman, Watch Manager Barry Holder and Watch Manager Jim Taylor – have been awarded Certificates in Advanced Professional Development in Assessment of Structures for Emergency Service Personnel from Teesside University. Together with academics from Teesside University, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service played a pivotal role in the development of the course, which was designed to improve the level of understanding of buildings and structures. www.twfire.gov.uk

The Duke met and talked to ambulance control staff, who moved to the centre from the old site in Belle Vue.

His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester opened North West Ambulance Service’s new control centre, located at Parkway Business Park in Manchester, on 10 May 2012. The centre, which took 11 months to complete, marks a real

milestone for the ambulance service and brings together the emergency, urgent and patient transport control functions covering the entire Greater Manchester area. www.nwas.nhs.uk

SP Services’ emergency move to meet business growth SP Services (UK) Ltd, based in Telford, has acquired a 32,000 square foot unit as part of a £2m investment, supported by Barclays, which will create 10 additional jobs and accommodate increased stock requirements as the business continues to expand into new markets.

Established in 1989 by Steve Bray, a former St John Ambulance volunteer, SP Services currently employs 33 staff with an annual turnover of £7m.

The business is one of the leading suppliers of medical, first aid, ambulance, paramedic and rescue equipment in the UK and has become one of the first businesses in Shropshire to benefit from the recently launched National Loan Guarantee Scheme.

Steve Bray, Company Director at SP Services (UK) Ltd, said, “The business has grown rapidly in recent years and the new premises will provide five times as much space as our existing unit. We have benefited from a diversified client base and supply medical equipment to everyone from Manchester United to the MoD. We have also recently won a lucrative contract to supply all the emergency medical equipment for this summer’s Olympics, across 89 UK venues. The timing of our investment could not have been better as we are receiving a £12,000 cash back payment from Barclays as our loan is eligible for the recently launched National Loan

Guarantee Scheme. We are planning to use this cash back to contribute to the start up and administration costs to establish a new office in Brisbane, Australia, as we wish to develop our international presence providing the one stop shop medical supply service, which has worked so well in the UK. “After running a competition to name our new building with our 3000 Facebook friends I’m delighted to announce the building will be called ‘Bastion House’ in recognition of our close links to the MoD and the camp Bastion Hospital in Afghanistan.

The chances are that if a soldier is treated for a trauma injury in Afghanistan, the medic’s kit will almost definitely contain supplies from SP Services, which is very rewarding and brings a real sense of purpose to the business.

“Despite the tough external environment in recent years, the needs of the emergency services worldwide and our commitment to satisfy those needs has not diminished in the slightest,” said Steve. “I am totally confident that this major investment will deliver strong revenue growth for the business and look forward to serving all our customers both here and around the world for many years to come.” www.spservices.co.uk www.barclays.com

Emergency Services Times June 2012

Active Solutions, a leading provider of information and mapping solutions to the fire and rescue services, has been rebranded to Active Informatics. The rebrand follows a year of substantial growth for the business, which is on target to achieve an annual growth of 30 percent. The new name pinpoints the company’s success to the business’ continuing ability to provide public sector customers with information solutions that provide long-term value. www.activeinformatics.com

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS) has had its approach to the prevention of accidents and ill health recognised in the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2012. The Commended in the Emergency Services Sector award, was presented to the service at a ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel on 17 May. The RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards scheme recognises commitment to accident and ill health prevention and is open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes from across the UK and overseas.

Helen Crampton, Head of Safety and Risk Management for DFRS, said, “It is an honour that once again we have been recognised for all the hard work that is carried out within Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service.” www.derbys-fire.gov.uk

Following productive negotiations with the Fire Minister and Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), agreement has been reached for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority to take over the lease of the former Regional Control Centre in Belmont, Durham. The conclusion of negotiations will now enable the authority to progress with its plans to implement a new 999 call handling and mobilising system, as well as relocating its headquarters functions to the building. www.ddfire.gov.uk

6 | NEWS

In brief . . .

A review by South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust’s (SCAS) of its three Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) has concluded that Wokingham EOC staff, together with the Scheduling and Information Management and Technology teams that support them, will relocate to the trust’s Bicester headquarters in July 2012. This action should improve resilience and enhance SCAS’s call taking and clinical assessment capability, enabling the trust to provide the best possible care for its patients into the future.

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HELP Appeal on the lookout more helipads at key A&E hospitals

www.southcentralambulance.nhs.uk

South Yorkshire Police Authority has donated a former police personnel carrier vehicle to Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Search and Rescue (YALSAR). The donation will assist YALSAR volunteers and equipment to move around efficiently to provide major incident support to the police and other emergency services. Founded in April 2010, YALSAR is a charitable non-profit organisation, which relies on donations and sponsorship to exist. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is made up entirely of volunteers. www.southyorks.gov.uk

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service has launched a new look website in a bid to encourage people to log on and find out more about fire safety. The new site features a live feed from the official Facebook and Twitter pages, a direct link to North Wales Fire and Rescue's YouTube channel and a section for children and teachers with animated interactive games. Visitors to the site can also register for a free home fire safety check online as well as finding out more information about the 44 fire stations across the region. www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk

New mobile fingerprint scanners, which can check a person's identity in two minutes, are being rolled out across the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

Mobile Identification (MobileID) ‘went live’ across the force on 23 May as part of the MPS Commissioner’s commitment to make better use of technology to fight crime and is part of a nationwide roll out of the device led by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA). The MobileID is about the size of a mobile phone and will be used in instances where an individual is suspected of committing an offence, or wanted for a previous offence. It can also be used to identify people unconscious at scenes of incidents, or the deceased, eg in cases of homicide and fatal collisions. http://content.met.police.uk www.npia.police.uk

After the successful funding and completion of two hospital emergency landing pads – one at Southampton General Hospital and the other at Oswestry Spinal Injuries hospital – the HELP Appeal is now looking for further helipad projects at key A&E hospitals across the country.

The HELP Appeal, established by the County Air Ambulance Trust, provides non-repayable grants to hospitals needing financial support to build life-saving helipads, or to upgrade existing facilities with lighting for night flights.

Robert Bertram, Charity Director at the County Air Ambulance Trust, said, “There’s a major shortage of hospital helipad facilities in this country.

And some of the hospitals that already have helipads in place now need to upgrade them. We would like to hear from hospitals that need helipad facilities or perhaps need some help financing them. Hospitals looking for helipad funding should call us 01922 618058 or contact me at robert.b@helpappeal.org.uk.”

The HELP Appeal does not receive any government or lottery funding, and relies entirely on charitable donations. Donations go into a central funding programme and are used to finance hospital helipad projects like the one at Southampton General Hospital.

A portable rescue stretcher to allow firefighters to more easily haul unconscious or injured people out of danger has been designed by a former Shropshire student from Newport – with input from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The Rapid Evacuation Stretcher (RES) device was created by Craig Ball as a final year project for his BA (Hons) Product Design degree course, and is on display alongside fellow students’ products as part of the University of Derby’s 2012 Degree Shows.

For his work, Craig talked to firefighters at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, where his father Brian has worked for 15 years, before designing his RES. He then returned with the prototype stretcher, which is fitted with carry handles, so its officers could suggest further practical improvements.

www.helpappeal.org.uk Follow @HELPAppeal

Joint Information Service created for police forces Police authorities in South Yorkshire and Humberside have agreed to create a single Information Service (IS) function serving both counties. The collaboration will create a robust and resilient service to support both forces, which has the capacity and capability for both current and future needs.

Paul Thrustle will head up the new service. He was appointed in December 2011 to lead the development of a shared IS function between the two forces. He is supported by a shared single management structure to develop and maintain the new service. As part of his role, Mr Thrustle is tasked with identifying collaborative opportunities to improve services between the two forces' IS functions. This will provide opportunities to share resources, expertise

‘Emergency stretcher’ invention could prove a lifesaver

and systems and streamline the service.

South Yorkshire and Humberside also have a shared human resources and training function.

Nigel Hiller, South Yorkshire Police’s Director of Finance and sponsor for the shared service, said, “The creation of a single IS model will assist in the drive for long-term sustainability. It will deliver savings while enhancing services to both forces – effectively providing more for less.

“The service will provide a platform for future changes and both help in being more efficient and effective while sharing knowledge and resources. It will also reduce duplication, improve ways of working, share expertise and reduce bureaucracy.” www.southyorks.police.uk www.humberside.police.uk

Emergency Services Times June 2012

Craig, originally of Newport, Shropshire, said, “The idea is that the rolled-up RES could be strapped up alongside the firefighter’s breathing apparatus tank. When a two-person team enter a building and find a casualty the RES could be unrolled and secured around the injured person, who would then be dragged to safety by one officer while the other guided them out.”

As well as from his father, Craig received a lot of help from Watch Commander Adam Matthews at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.

He also received manufacturing help and materials for his product from IC International Ltd of Telford.

“I’ve taken the product as far as I can as a degree project, fashioning it in the same heat resistant materials the fire services use. I’m now hoping it will be seen and developed further by a company specialising in this field,” added Craig. www.derby.ac.uk

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Specialist vehicle expert builds on framework successes WH Bence has been a front-runner in the design and build of specialist vehicles for both the emergency services and the NHS for the past 20 years. Having recently designed and developed capabilities for technology integration, the company is now able to offer the latest command and control units.

From the design and fit out of a 4x4 rapid response vehicle to an 18-tonne articulated command and control suite, the vehicles are designed to be standalone units with both on-board power generation systems and also welfare facilities for operators and firefighters. The vehicles are designed to meet customers’ exacting specifications, and WH Bence is able to meet the requirements for vehicles that are required to operate in many different countries, which challenges the company’s design and engineering capabilities in order to meet the climatic requirements for each vehicle build.

customers for whom WH Bence has constructed vehicles or to whom it provides maintenance contracts. Bence also provides both on-site and remote assistance when required.

Framework successes WH Bence has recently been awarded places on the Consortium Fire and Rescue Framework (formerly Firebuy) for both Special Vehicles and Type B Pumping Appliances. The company has recently also been successful in its application for a place on the Scottish Fire Framework. Bence’s successful history with Special Vehicles has been transferred over to the build of Type B Appliances; with the range of skills available at the company it is able to fabricate, design and construct all of the major components on site to be able to offer a high quality and durable product.

The company also offers a 24-hour service and maintenance depot with a dedicated telephonebased facility providing a support team to all

Heavy Rescue Tender and operational support units Bence provides durable, high quality resilient vehicles for the demanding rigours of modern day fire and rescue services.

The past six months have been a real success for WH Bence, with the successful build of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service’s (TWFRS’s) Heavy Rescue Vehicle, a hazmat vehicle and an operational support vehicle (shown above, right). A working group from TWFRS put together the specification and then the vehicles were designed and built at WH Bence to meet the requirements of the service.

The hazmat vehicle and operational support vehicle have been designed to carry bulk items, with sliding side sheets and a vehicle-based Moffett

Mounty forklift system to be able to unload at any site to which the vehicle is delivered. The Heavy Rescue Vehicle is fitted with the latest rescue equipment, including Holmatro cutting gear and a long-reach Palfinger hydraulic crane. This vehicle has also been designed from a co-polymer body, which offers WH Bence the opportunity to alter the internal layout on request by the customer, highlighting the material’s durability. The company is able to weld additional shelves and partitions in where required, allowing it to fit new shelving layouts for future equipment.

Type B Pumping Appliances Following its acceptance onto the Consortium Fire and Rescue framework, WH Bence has announced that the company has sealed its first order for Type B water tenders, having been given the great pleasure of building the new Volvo fire appliances for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service. The body design and layout is currently in production at WH Bence’s factory in Bristol and the company hopes to have the first vehicles available for brigade inspection by August 2012. www.whbence.co.uk

Emergency Services Times June 2012

10 | EVENTS

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National ambulance event to hit top gear at Silverstone

Forthcoming Events CFOA Transport Officers’ 27-28 June 2012 Group Conference Fire Service College, Gloucestershire www.cfoa.org.uk/11907

AMBITION 2012, a national annual event for NHS ambulance services, their suppliers and partner agencies, will host a one-day conference and exhibition event on 20 September 2012 at Silverstone Racetrack, Northampton – the home of the British Grand Prix.

This is the third year of the innovative AMBITION event, which was established to replace the former AMBEX show, and the first time it has been operated as a one-day format, a decision that was taken to minimise costs for exhibitors and delegates alike.

Event Director Carl Rees says, “In today’s tough financial climate companies need to know that they are getting total value for money and the opportunity to meet as many potential sales leads as possible. Similarly, public sector staff can no longer justify several days away from the office at conferences that last for days on end.

“This is why I believe a one-day conference and exhibition event in an extremely central and unique location like Silverstone, will attract as many ambulance and wider emergency healthcare professionals as possible, while hotel and travel costs can be kept to an absolute minimum.”

This year’s event – which for the third year running welcomes Excelerate Technology as the main sponsor – will see emergency preparedness and resilience professionals attend the first ever National Ambulance Resilience Conference, which takes place in the Media Centre at Silverstone, right next door to the exhibition hall. Meetings of

Lyon Technical 18-19 September 2012.

Symposium 2012 Cumbria www.lyon.co.uk/workandrescue Rescue 2012 – Iceland Grand Hotel, Reykjavík www.icesar.com/rescue

19-21 October 2012

Ambulance Service Institute 13 November 2012 Awards 2012 House of Lords www.asi-international.com Road Safety Week 2012 19-25 November 2012 www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk The Emergency Services Show 2012 Stoneleigh Park www.emergencyuk.com Follow @999editor

21-22 November 2012

National Interoperability 21-22 November 2012 Summit Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire www.cfoa.org.uk/11907 Lone Worker Safety 2012 27 November 2012 Conference & Exhibition Olympia Conference Centre www.loneworkersafetyexpo.com

www.ambition2012.org

Lyon Technical Symposium 2012

Can you help SAVE ME? Newcastle University, coordinating partner of the EU FP7 project SAVE ME, would like to invite EST readers to join them for a free project workshop (with lunch included) on 27 June 2012, at the Baltic Gallery on Gateshead Quayside, Tyne and Wear, UK. The SAVE ME project has developed an intelligent sensor-based system that detects both natural and man-made disaster events in public transport terminals, vehicles and critical infrastructures to support quick and optimal mass evacuation. The ultimate aim of SAVE ME is to provide support in emergency situations to help save the lives of the general public and the rescuers, giving particular emphasis to the most vulnerable travellers (ie children, older people and the mobility impaired).

Anyone who is interested in attending this event is kindly asked to register for a free ticket on the dedicated website (see below), which provides further information about the event, and will allow Newcastle University to contact people with updates in due course.

For more information about the project, please contact Dr Gareth Evans at g.d.evans@ncl.ac.uk. http://saveme2ndworkshop.eventbrite.com

various senior ambulance groups, including the Chairs and Chief Executive’s groups, will also be hosted at the event.

High numbers of free visitors to the show (those who do not want to visit any conferences) have already registered to attend with notable names from a wide variety of healthcare, pre-hospital and emergency preparedness backgrounds – including many from overseas.

Finally, for those interested in motor racing, there will also be exclusive access to a day of practise for the exciting Britcar 24 hour race – with great views from the balconies of the exhibition hall and on the grass outside. This takes place on 20 September during exhibition hours.

The event website can be viewed at www.ambition2012.org and exhibitors, delegates and free visitors are urged to sign up to attend.

Lyon Equipment Ltd is holding its 10th Work at Height Technical Symposium from 18-19 September 2012. The Symposium continues to be one of the biggest UK gatherings of technical experts and professionals directly involved with managing or carrying out work at height.

The title of this year’s event is ‘Accessing the future – developments, innovations and solutions for tomorrow’s work at height’. The two-day event will be packed with lectures and practical presentations from key specialists in their field.

Speakers confirmed for 2012 include: Michel Beal – Beal Ropes – Developments in low stretch rope technology; John Bell – Clan Tools/Vetter GmbH – Airbags for work at height training protection; Gordon Bisset – Web Rigging – loadings in man-safe netting and rescue considerations; Bernard Bressoux – Petzl – Product testing beyond European Standard requirements; Chris Cowell – Treepartner – PPE production and managing quality; Sally-Ann Dod, TRP Safety Ltd – Protection systems for performance work at height; Steve Morris – ZT Safety Systems – Alternative approaches to fall arrest harness design; Daniel Rogers – Latchways Fall Protection – post fall self-rescue systems; Mark Taylor – University of Leeds; Steve Woods – Vertex Training – Recovery system development for ropes courses; and Mark

Wright – Mark Wright Training.

Delegates to the Technical Symposium are provided with a pen drive containing a range of speaker’s notes and technical documents. A Certificate of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) will also be issued to those attending the full event.

Further details and booking information can be found on the Lyon Equipment Ltd website. www.lyon.co.uk/workandrescue

Emergency Services Times June 2012

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12 | EVENTS

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Interoperability focus at The Emergency Services Show 2012 Recent events, such as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the upcoming 2012 Olympics, are opening the discussion once again around the importance of interoperability within the blue light services. Interoperability, although not a new term has become particularly prominent recently following discussions in late 2011 that brought together professionals from the fire and rescue, ambulance and police services. Knowledge and understanding of each other’s systems, including use and procurement of equipment, communications and training exercises paves the way for improved collaboration between the blue light services.

With over 4400 visitors attending last year’s event, The Emergency Services Show 2012 will be the key event for emergency services personnel, indeed anyone involved in planning for, responding to, or recovering from emergency situations, both in the UK and abroad. This year, the event will take place on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 November at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry.

The Emergency Services Show 2012 will be showcasing the latest technology, ideas and initiatives focused on improving public safety and protecting the environment and the Critical National Infrastructure. The show is the ideal place to explore new ideas and initiatives, along with networking with like-minded professionals to discuss cooperation, ideas and initiatives focused on improving public safety and learning from foreign counterparts.

Who can attend?

This unique event brings together emergency and resilience professionals with a role in operations, procurement, training, recruitment, emergency planning and business continuity. The show is relevant to buyers, specifiers and operational personnel, indeed anyone who works with emergency equipment as part of their daily lives.

The exhibition will feature three indoor halls and an outdoor exhibition area giving visitors the chance to meet specialist product and service suppliers. There will also be plenty of product launches at the show and a chance for visitors to look at budget savings. Over 400 exhibitors attended last year’s show and, with five months to go, well over 300 exhibitors have already confirmed to attend this year’s exhibition, offering visitors the chance to view the latest equipment and services from a range of leading companies. For a full list of exhibitors, please visit the show’s website at www.emergencyuk.com.

The Emergency Services Show is organised by Broden Media Limited, publisher of Emergency Services Times magazine. David Brown, Joint Managing Director at Broden Media and the show’s Event Director, said, “The emergency response to the recent flooding in Wales, which involved so many agencies and won so much praise from the communities involved, highlighted how the UK’s emergency services work together so effectively to protect the public. Each year incidents take place, whether man made or natural disasters, which emphasise the importance of joint training, understanding the operational procedures of colleagues in other emergency services and,

probably most important of all, knowledge of the equipment each service uses.

“We all know that budgets are tight and some travel restrictions are in place, so why should you take time out of your busy schedule to visit the UK’s only multi-agency event? Because we have you in mind when we start planning each event.

“Emergency services personnel should never underestimate the importance of meeting likeminded professionals face-to-face – to have the ability of touching products, trying the kit, looking the salesperson in the eye, shaking their hands and telling the manufacturer or supplier what you think about their products and what changes, if any, they should make. In short, forging these relationships at shows like The Emergency Services Show will reap rewards when training for and responding to emergencies.

“The show is also a valuable place to discover what products other emergency services use that you might not have considered before. I was heartened recently to hear that Dorset Police is in the process of taking delivery of six jet skis from Yamaha – to be used off the coast of Weymouth during the Olympics – after this equipment was seen at last year’s show. Networking at the show can unearth recommendations from other users as to how good or bad a product is and discuss all-

important cost saving initiatives, whether with exhibiting companies or fellow visitors.”

Emergency Response Zone The show’s Emergency Response Zone will once again feature over 70 exhibitors from UK police, fire and rescue, ambulance, professional, government and voluntary organisations. This area demonstrates to visitors the capabilities of partnering agencies and the voluntary sector.

Sponsored by Emergency Services Times, this area allows you to visit many organisations, such as NGOs, who you could potentially meet at an incident – why not see what they are able to offer!

Live demonstrations at the show will also provide a unique opportunity to see the latest equipment in action – in 2011 the show featured a public order water cannon from the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Expect more surprises at this year’s show.

Register now To register for your free visitor pass or to learn more about attending The Emergency Services Show 2012, please visit www.emergencyuk.com. Be sure to put Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 November in your diary – this is an event for all emergency professionals not to miss! www.emergencyuk.com

National Interoperability Summit Against a backdrop of a number of national incident inquest recommendations and with current focus being the safety of the UK during the 2012 Olympic Games, the past year has seen a welcome increase in focus from Government in the critically important topic of interoperability.

With a determined approach from all emergency responders to address this, CFOA has taken a leading role, alongside police and ambulance partners, to drive progress in this area. The result is the formation of a Strategic Blue Light Interoperability Board reporting directly to Government through a Ministerial Board chaired by the Home Secretary.

With the increased international attention focused on London and the UK throughout the summer this year, preparations are in place for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games; but what will happen afterwards? What will we learn and how will that shape the future for all the UK emergency responders?

If you are a leader or strategic manager working in any of the Category 1 and Category 2 Responders, join like-minded individuals at the first ever National Interoperability Summit and Dinner to be held in conjunction with The Emergency Services Show, at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, from Wednesday 21 – Thursday 22 November 2012.

More details and booking forms will be available shortly but make sure you note the dates in your diary to ensure you are part of this not-to-be-missed event. www.cfoa.org.uk

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14 | OLYMPICS

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Olympic Torch Relay security is seven years in the making Now that the Olympic Torch Relay is truly underway the response it has been receiving from communities across the country stands as proof that all the time spent planning was worth it! My involvement began on 6 July 2005 on the roof of New Scotland Yard, where along with a small group of others we tried to listen on a small transistor radio to the announcement of the decision of who, between London and Paris had won the bid to host the 2012 Games. We didn’t need it, however, as the roar of success that reached us from Trafalgar Square, just under a mile away, drowned out the radio.

Planning started the next morning as I prepared a draft research paper along with my request to be the principal planner for the event, while continuing with planning Notting Hill Carnival and New Year’s Eve celebrations, the two ‘big’ events my team were already engaged in. That planning lasted just minutes before the 7/7 bombs hit our city, changing planning for events forever.

What we soon discovered though, were agreements made at the turn of the millennium in the early bid and host city contract documents.

These stated the host police force would provide not just safety and security to the Olympic Flame and those carrying it, but also to guarantee its integrity; the agreement to ensure the flame handed to us in Athens would be the same that lights the Olympic Cauldron on 27 July. This role has historically been played by the host city police force elsewhere in the world.

“With government and ACPO support, we encouraged a collaborative approach to planning and policing.”

The Olympic Flame is seen during a hand-over on its journey between Cardigan/Aberteifi and Brynhoffnant on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay.

Photo: LOCOG

Beijing Relay An early success was to obtain agreement that a team should be selected to plan and command the one day Beijing Relay in London and ensure that team stayed available to use any learning for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay. In the main, that remained the case and many of the planning team and Strategic and Tactical lead and deputies are all officers that were involved in that 2008 relay.

The learning gave us real experience to build upon.

With three years to go, I was removed from all other duties to act as Chief of Staff (CoS) to the

Torch Security Team. In this role I have worked directly to the Strategic Lead for the operation, providing important support and coordination between stakeholders.

I acted as the main link between Planning, Command, Escort Runner and Motorcycle teams but with the main focus in the early days of laying the foundations with LOCOG upon which many others would join to build up the event.

The Government scrutiny of the policing operation and associated costs were understandably intense and that has only increased as the months have passed.

Training included specific torch operations.

Training took place regularly for 16 months and included physical fitness, protection, enhanced first aid, flame and torch operations and torch relay history.

Recruit, select and train The success of the business case meant that with two years still to run, we were permitted to recruit, select and train a team of five planners to match the five regions that LOCOG had divided the United Kingdom into for route planning purposes.

What some lacked in planning experience was more than matched by the enthusiasm to learn and meet the challenges of coordinating 55 police forces whose cooperation was needed to make an 8000mile United Kingdom Relay.

That coordination of forces was a significant concern due to the unique nature of this operation

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invaluable in warning of pitfalls and mistakes that had been made by those who had gone before us.

Sydney and Vancouver Police Relay teams were unending in their support and particular thanks need to be extended to RCMP Sgt ‘BJ’ Brown and team runner Dave Noon who were tireless in their desire to help us get it right.

Learning from those previous Relays, especially Atlanta 1996, was that while many other members of Relays move on from one to the next, constantly planning and then delivering Relay after Relay, the police team were the ones ‘left behind’ to return to their work; this just days after returning from such an extraordinary role. Previous teams, away from their own families and support networks, had found some challenges in returning to normal life and we have built the right levels of support and care for them into the selection, training, on the road operation and importantly after we return.

The service owes a duty of care to its officers.

The original desire had been to look at a national team of officers but it soon became apparent that to advertise, recruit, train and then subsequently support a UK-wide team was logistically impossible and financially prohibitive.

Olympian Colin Jackson carries the Olympic Flame through Swansea on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay.

Photo: LOCOG

Support and advice Of course it had been done before and the help, support and advice from previous Relays was

Specialist fitness test The first MPS advert elicited responses from 664 officers. Compulsory attendance to a 90-minute presentation from the command and planning teams reduced these numbers, as did a very highlevel specialist fitness test, established after input from a university to ensure the right type of fitness with endurance being the focus.

Paper applications were followed by a series of one-day leadership, teamwork and communication assessments. Finally, an extended interview to ensure the officers fully understood what they faced was used to select the team for this once in a lifetime opportunity. That process took almost a year because of the numbers involved and the need to minimise abstractions from core policing duties.

It resulted in five teams totalling six Sergeants and 30 constables working a roster that would cover the

Day 19 – Jockey Ruby Walsh carries the Olympic Flame on the Torch Relay leg through Dublin.

Photo: LOCOG

The Beaumaris RNLI lifeboat crew assist Torchbearer Elen Evans as she carries the Olympic Flame across the Menai Strait on Day 11 of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay.

Photo: LOCOG

and so, with government and ACPO support, we encouraged a collaborative approach to planning and policing, asking forces to work on a regional basis rather than county by county. This has worked extremely well, as shown by how successfully all the locally delivered regionally commanded operations have gone so far to date.

Next came the challenge of selecting a team of officers who will run, sometimes 30 miles a day, day after day for 70 days, keep smiling, help the torchbearer, support LOCOG, live away from their families, show UK policing at its very best and do all that in the media spotlight.

Eric’s ‘moment to shine’ St John Ambulance volunteer Eric Robinson has been named as one of the torchbearers for the London Olympics.

He will be carrying the flame through Basingstoke on 11 July 2012.

Eric, who lives in Farnborough, has been a member of St John Ambulance for 50 years, having joined the charity when he as a cadet at the age of 10. His youngest daughter Jill, who is also a St John Ambulance volunteer nominated her Dad for the torch-bearing honour in recognition of his half-century of voluntary service. During his service, Eric has helped provide first aid at events such as various Royal Weddings, the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and the Farnborough International Air Show. He has been an active member of St John Ambulance, just like his father before him, and has been involved in training people in first aid skills and helping them be the difference between a life lost and a life saved. www.sja.org.uk

four main duties of: core running team, support team, recce and driving duties with built-in rest days. It also allowed us to plan for a break of four to five days for each team to return home near the midway point.

Training took place regularly for 16 months and included: physical fitness, protection, enhanced first aid, flame and torch operations and torch relay history. It also included torch operations specific to those with physical, medical or other conditions that might need more support for their ‘moment to shine’ as a torchbearer.

That training finished and the team finally came together, full time, after months of thinking about it. We are now well into our journey and so far each and everyone of us has been overwhelmed by the crowds, enthusiasm and joy that greets the Torchbearer, Olympic Flame, and even us – those charged with keeping it safe.

One thing is certain, while we wait for what the coming days may bring as the Relay continues its 8000-mile journey, we know we have done all we could, within the bounds of practical, financial and time restraints, to prepare this team to the best of their and our ability. The Strategic Command, led

by Ch Supt Claire Johnston, and tactical side, led

by Chief Inspector Graham Dean, have worked tirelessly, along with the planners at every step to build a platform for the remainder to perform their functions.

Whether we achieved that, you will know better than I do at this moment. My hope is that, as the Canadians did two years ago, the UK will come out to support the 8000 torchbearers and this will mark the start of a fantastic summer in London. www.met.police.uk

Jordan Anderton holds the Torch as it is lit at the start of Day 2 of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, at the Life Centre in Plymouth.

Photo: LOCOG

The first Torchbearer, Ben Ainslie, holds the Olympic Torch, which is handed to him by Lieutenant Commander Richard Full before he begins the first leg of the Relay between Land's End and Sennon. Photo: LOCOG

Author: Eric Stuart, Chief of Staff, MPS Torch Security Team.

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Test event prepares for Olympic Torch Relay in Warwickshire Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service has been testing their ability to respond to major incidents in preparedness for the Olympics 2012. The aim of the exercise was to test the communications and coordination for multiple incidents in preparation for the Olympic torch coming through Warwickshire.

Around 30 senior officers took part in Exercise Silver Extremis, which was developed with support from Stratford Town Centre Management, Warwickshire Police, Special Branch and The Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The exercise was run in real-time with live feeds from a variety of The new XVR suite allowed real time images and information to be streamed into each command suite as the incident unfolded. partner agencies.

The scenario for the exercise was based on Tactics and decision making around joint working a large-scale fire at a historic building in Stratford, were tested at all levels, which enhanced the exercise which was brought about as a result of a terrorist and enabled real-time decisions to be made at the incident. During the exercise, communications incident ground. between Gold, Silver and Bronze command were In addition, officers from all levels were pulled regularly tested with key players within each away from their command groups to undertake live partner agency taking on a role. interviews with journalists at the scene of the incident they were managing. This tested their ability to communicate effectively with the public to warn and inform them of the potential dangers the incident may pose.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service Jim Onions said, “The exercise formed part of ongoing preparations for the Olympic Torch Relay through Warwickshire on the first and second of July 2012. As part of the exercise we were able to test our communications, command Tactics and decision making around joint working were tested at all levels.

and control and partnership working through a simulated exercise, which used the very latest in XVR technology, CCTV footage and real time incident data. This ensured that firefighters could see the impact their decisions were making immediately on the ground, which in turn made it feel as real as any exercise of this size can.”

Group Commander Ade Mallaban said, “As a fire and rescue service, we regularly run both live and table top exercises to test our resilience to ensure that we are as prepared as we can be should a major incident arise. However, the benefit of doing an exercise like this is that it allows you to present the incident in real time and see how that unfolds as injects are fed in to each level of command.” www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue

Officers from all levels were pulled away from their command groups to undertake live interviews with journalists at the scene of the incident they were managing.

Partnership working in the North West North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) has developed its Olympic and Paralympic Games planning and preparation phases by working with the police, fire and rescue service and military, to ensure that all events in the North West are covered by the region’s emergency services.

Frank Whiteford, Associate Director NHS Resilience for the North West, said, “Planning for the 2012 Olympic Games has been a high priority for the NHS, and for NWAS in particular. Months of careful planning and hard work mean that there is a high degree of confidence that the service is ready to meet all and any demands placed on it.

Business as usual “NWAS will not only be providing staff and resources to London but will ensure that adequate cover is in place for the Olympic football events at Old Trafford whilst providing cover for the celebrations of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee across the region and still maintaining business as usual.

“A number of NHS providers will be involved in 2012 activities, either as volunteers or providing cover at Olympic events and, of course, dealing with

patients who have need of NWAS services over the period. I would like to thank them all for all their hard work during the planning phase and they should be proud of their contributions to making the Games a success.”

Central hub During the Olympic events, all emergency services in the region will be coordinated from a central hub based at one of the NWAS locations. For the Olympic Torch Relay, two multi-agency response teams have been coordinated to include police, fire and Special Operations HART and Silver Commander team members.

The trust has a long-standing relationship with Manchester United Football Club, which will host some of the Olympic Games football group matches. Old Trafford will host its first game in the tournament on 26 July, which sees United Arab Emirates play Uruguay. The Great Britain Men’s Team will play against Uruguay, Senegal and United Arab Emirates with a confirmed match to be played at Old Trafford against Senegal also on 26 July. The Great Britain Women’s Team will play

against New Zealand, Cameroon and Brazil. A men’s quarterfinal and the men’s and women’s semi-finals will also be played at Old Trafford.

Among the 36 seconded staff, a number of NWAS staff are using their own leave to volunteer at Olympic events nationwide. John Henry, of Salford Ambulance station, will act as a Field of Play Team Leader for the 2012 Games. Being a keen cyclist, John has already attended training and a few test races for road cycling and BMX racing at the London arenas.

Training and e-learning NWAS is the largest contributor of seconded staff outside of the London Ambulance Service to Olympic events in the capital, and throughout April and May, has hosted a number of training courses around the North West to prepare all staff for the ‘main event’.

The training sessions are designed to prepare all clinical staff for the London Ambulance Service’s ‘way of working’. Seconded staff will be provided with accommodation close to the Olympic arenas. www.nwas.nhs.uk

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Preparing UK police for the London 2012 Olympics The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the largest ever pre-planned mobilisation of police, with up to 12,500 police officers from across the UK being deployed as part of the operation. The Games are a once in a lifetime sporting event and are going to be a truly national policing operation.

The extraordinary scale and duration of the Olympic policing operation represents a significant challenge on police resources. While detailed planning and exercising for the biggest ever peacetime policing operation is taking place to ensure the right resources are in place to keep the Games safe and secure, forces facing big budget reductions have also had to ensure they retain enough capacity to deliver core policing services in communities across the country and have resilience to deal with any contingency.

Resource sharing Many forces have maximised their available workforce by placing restrictions on annual leave, changing shift patterns, postponing regular training and using volunteers such as Special Constables.

An unprecedented level of resource sharing is required and every force in the country has risen to this challenge by committing support to the Games by supplying officers and assets to Olympic venue forces. Sharing resources between police forces will help to ensure that the right skilled and trained officers are available in the right place, keeping the Games and wider communities safe.

The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) is also playing its part in supporting the Games by: • Delivering a wide range of Olympic training commissions through the Olympic Training Project • Delivering a safe and secure radio network during the Olympics. The NPIA, working with others, is extending Airwave coverage and capacity into the Olympic Park and other key venues as well as providing more capacity in London • Reducing some training activity throughout the period of the Games • Some NPIA staff are supporting the Olympics by offering their services as volunteers or via operational support attachments to the Olympic Policing Coordination (OPC) Team.

Ultimately the staffing and skills requirement for the Games exceeded what was available locally and within existing national police resources so training officers and staff for the Olympics has been a vital aspect to the preparations for the Games.

Safety and security The Olympic Training Project team, headed by Martin Bagshaw, was established to help meet the national skills shortage by training police officers and police staff within and across the organisations delivering the safety and security effort. The NPIA was commissioned to deliver the training project and has coordinated training development and delivery of over 50,000 training days to enhance

Aerial view of the Olympic Park showing the Olympic Stadium with the Orbit to the left. Picture taken on 16 April 2012.

operational policing capacity and capability in non specialist and specialist skill areas, which will be in high demand for the Games, including search, firearms, protection, intelligence, command and coordination and marine training.

“Sharing resources between police forces will help to ensure that the right skilled and trained officers are available in the right place, keeping the Games and wider communities safe.”

All Olympic venues and vulnerable areas will be searched as part of the operation. A number of police officers have received additional search training, delivered by the NPIA’s Police National Search Centre (PNSC), in order to allow them to perform this role, including specially trained police search dog teams, who will assist in ensuring the safety and security of Olympic venues.

As with any major event, firearms officers will play a role in policing operations across the country during Games time. The NPIA has overseen the training and reaccreditation of firearms officers to ensure sufficient capacity for the largest and most

Photo: LOCOG

complex VIP protection operation ever mounted in the UK. Policing such a huge event requires an effective operational control infrastructure to ensure that there is sufficient staff to answer calls from the public and deploy officers to incidents. Training has been provided to over 100 additional staff to meet the extra demand, including CCTV training to ensure that officers can view and respond to incidents as they occur.

Strategic planning A number of new national structures have been put in place to coordinate across safety and security partners, in particular the Olympic Intelligence Centre (OIC) and the National Olympic Coordination Centre (NOCC). Strategic planning requires well prepared officers who can work within the new national coordination structures and the NPIA’s Olympic Training Project together with members of the NPIA’s Investigative Training, ICT Learning Programme and National Centre for Applied Learning Technology (NCALT) teams have helped to develop and deliver training and immersive learning exercises to prepare these staff right up to the start of the Games.

The Olympic Intelligence Centre is coordinating Olympic Intelligence nationally and complements existing UK intelligence structures, in managing ‘all threats and all hazards’ in relation to the people, places and events connected to the Games. The centre is staffed by a multi-agency team of intelligence professionals trained to utilise a raft of intelligence related IT systems.

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National Olympic Coordination Centre The National Olympic Coordination Centre (NOCC) is a unique coordination centre, which has a national overview of the multi-agency safety and security operation. This supports decisionmaking and contingency planning for all police forces, LOCOG, Government and other Olympic safety and security partners. All NOCC staff have undergone intensive training and exercising in order to provide 24/7 delivery of games-related safety and security coordination.

In addition, the Olympic sailing events are taking place in Weymouth and Portland. The athletes and spectators on and off the water will be policed by a strong contingent of waterborne police officers and military personnel who are being provided with training in police marine tactics and water safety.

Olympic e-learning The Olympic Training Project was also commissioned to develop Olympic Awareness Training to help the service to prepare their staff for the Games. The five Olympic e-learning packages, designed by the NPIA’s National Centre for Applied Learning Technologies (NCALT), aim to enhance the understanding of emergency service personnel (police, fire and rescue and ambulance) as to the impact of the Games and to help deliver a consistent and coherent ‘look and feel’ to the safety and security operation. To date over 200,000 police personnel have completed the initial two Olympic e-learning packages already saving the service an estimated £1m over conventional classroom-based training delivery.

Reliable communication will also be imperative to the smooth running of the London 2012 Games, and the safety of staff, competitors, spectators and the public. Airwave is the official Private Mobile Radio (PMR) services provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. One of the Olympic e-learning training packages has been developed to familiarise officers with the Olympic event radio and its configuration.

Warm welcome All police forces, including those with a national remit such as the Ministry of Defence Police, British Transport Police and those forces covering Games venues, are responsible for the protection of life and property, the prevention and detection of crime and maintaining the peace. The Olympic and Paralympic Games present a unique opportunity to showcase not only world-renowned skills and professionalism but also the proud traditions and distinctive British Policing style where unarmed officers extend a warm and friendly Great British welcome to all visitors. www.npia.police.uk

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National ambulance response to the London 2012 Games Ambulance services from across the country will provide a national response to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Around 440 frontline ambulance staff will be working in Games venues – half of these from the London Ambulance Service and half from other English NHS ambulance services. feedback will be used to enhance the training, which will be delivered in July.

All control staff are receiving a two-day training programme to ensure they are aware of the Games-specific requirements and their role during the summer.

Practice Learning Manager Alan Taylor, who has developed and implemented the training plan, said, “The training course has been extremely well received by both London and preplanned aid staff, and provided clarity on their role during the Games. I’m confident it is equipping them with the knowledge and skills they will need for the Games.”

London Ambulance Service’s Gold Commander for the Games, Jason Killens, said, “From an ambulance service perspective, the 2012 Games is very much about providing a national response.

Colleagues from the other services have been joining our staff at Games test events and have been through exactly the same Olympics-specific training programme as our own staff so all trusts can work as one team during Games time.”

Multi-agency training The national response was put to the test when ambulance services from across the country joined forces with other emergency services and partners in the first event of its kind to test and demonstrate their response to incidents.

Exercise Amber was hosted by the London Ambulance Service in May 2012 and held at the service's Olympic Deployment Centre, which was also used for the first time. The scenarios, which were supported by other agencies such as the Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade and the RNLI, included patients on a boat on the River Thames, and others in need of treatment at the top of scaffolding and who needed rescuing from under rubble.

Jason Killens said, “The exercise was very useful in testing the skills of ambulance staff to respond to these types of incidents, and in ensuring national capabilities are interoperable, and the more that we are able to work together like this, the better prepared we will be.

“These extra capabilities that all ambulance services now have significantly add to the quality of care that our staff can provide to millions of patients every year.”

Over 40 test events Staff from London have also been working alongside colleagues from other ambulance services during the final stage of test events. In total, over 40 test events have taken place in the last year in 28 different venues, enabling ambulance staff to familiarise themselves with the venues and test the protocols for medical incidents during Games time.

Emergency Planning Advisor Alan Palmer, who has overseen the ambulance services’ involvement in the test programme, said, “This final stage of testing included covering sports events in the Olympic Park and Stadium and at peak times we had 12 crews and 10 managers taking part. They have been very successful, and while there have been few patients needing to go to hospital, it has been very beneficial to practise our procedures and work alongside the volunteer medics from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, and our colleagues from other ambulance services, who we’ll be working with during the Games.

Exercise Amber was hosted by the London Ambulance Service in May 2012 and held at the service's Olympic Deployment Centre.

“The testing stage is now complete and we’re fully prepared for the real thing, which for us will start when the athletes’ village opens in mid-July.”

“The testing stage is now complete and we’re fully prepared for the real thing, which for us will start when the athletes’ village opens in mid-July.”

Games-specific training is also nearly complete and all frontline clinical staff have been given a tailored four-day programme including 2012 Games awareness, major incident training and treating patients with disabilities.

In addition to this, all pre-planned aid clinical staff will also receive two-days of familiarisation training, focusing on the vehicles and equipment they will use as well as ensuring they are confident with London Ambulance Service and 2012 Games procedures. A pilot course has been carried out and

Support services Aside from Games events, planning is under way to ensure that the service to patients across the rest of London is not impacted by the Games.

London Ambulance Service Deputy Director of Operations Paul Woodrow said, “Ensuring that we continue to deliver the best possible care to patients across London is also very important.

“The scale of the 2012 Games is unprecedented for us and it’s going to be a very busy time. We’re expecting an increase in the number of emergency calls as there are going to be a lot more people in London. In order to manage this, we’re going to have to do some things differently.

We’re looking at how our support services staff can assist operational colleagues during this busy time, as well as redeploying a considerable number of officers so they are out responding to calls and directly treating our patients.”

Paul added, “While a lot of focus will be on the Games, everything else doesn’t stop, and we’re determined that the Olympic and Paralympic Games will not have a detrimental impact on the service we provide to our patients who need us in emergencies.”

Voluntary services While vehicles from voluntary ambulance services such as St John Ambulance and British Red Cross will not be deployed into Games venues, they will play an important role providing treatment at the hundreds of cultural events across the capital (see page 22).

Jason added, “We will be working closely with colleagues from the voluntary sector, as we do now for large scale events such as the London Marathon and New Year’s Eve, where there are large crowds of people. It’s now a case of putting the final touches to our plans as we get closer to the Games, with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration weekend and the Olympic Torch Relay to warm us up for the Games themselves.” www.londonambulance.nhs.uk

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British Red Cross ready to respond The starting pistol is about to fire on London 2012 and the stage is set for one of the most spectacular events Britain has ever seen. But as two million visitors converge on London and Dorset over the next three months, there are a whole host of other players in the picture striving to ensure the momentous competition goes safely as well as smoothly.

The British Red Cross is working with London 2012 organisers and statutory authorities to provide support in places that need it most.

Simon Lewis, Head of Emergency Planning and Response, British Red Cross, said, “The Olympic Games pose an unprecedented challenge to the UK, its emergency services and statutory responders. The size and impact of the Games is the equivalent of the Wimbledon final, London Marathon, FA cup final and Notting Hill carnival all taking place at the same time.

“The large number of people the Games will attract will mean an increased risk of emergencies.

As our organisation holds a unique role in support of statutory services such as the police, fire and ambulance services, we are working hard, with our partners, to put robust plans in place to support a safe event.”

First aid cover While the London Olympics and Paralympics are concentrated in the capital, the Games will impact on many other UK sites at event venues, training camps and accommodation campuses. British Red Cross teams are providing first aid cover, along with St John Ambulance, at the Olympic Torch Relay as it winds its way through the Thames Valley, Essex and Sussex in July ahead of the competition’s official kick-off on 27 July.

“We are working hard, with our partners, to put robust plans in place to support a safe event.”

Volunteers will also be on duty at the sprawling CampLondon site in Fairlop, which is expected to reach its 4000-tent capacity during the Olympics.

The site boasts a big screen and bars and its proximity to a Central Line tube station are set to make it an attractive option for those who missed out in the race for event tickets.

And as watersports fans head to Weymouth and Portland in Dorset, the site of Olympic sailing events, British Red Cross teams will be on the shoreline ready to offer first aid cover and humanitarian assistance. In partnership with St John Ambulance, teams will be stationed on the beach, where 22,000 people are expected to catch the action, as well as in Weymouth’s Festival Village and at various points along the walk from transport hubs to the events.

Cycle response teams Some first aid responders will be hopping in the saddle to lead cycle response teams, which enable volunteers to weave in and out of crowds quickly to deal with emergencies. “Although most of the action will be in London, a huge amount of

Landrover bikes in action with Event First Aid team at Great North Run 2011.

pressure is going to be on emergency services in Dorset, which is why it is vital we are involved and able to work with other agencies,” explains Emma Marshall, the British Red Cross’s Olympic Programme Manager. “More than 60,000 people are expected to travel to Weymouth for the sailing so we will have first aid cover, emergency response support and humanitarian assistance available.”

Although anticipation of the Games is almost reaching fever pitch, such a large-scale event brings with it challenges. Pressure on the transport system is among the biggest concerns for organisers, as the sheer volume of visitors will see stations across the country swell. Currently, there are 3.5 million journeys a day on London’s rail network. Spectators alone will make another 20 million within London during the 2012 Games – including three million on the busiest day.

The British Red Cross in London has joined forces with Network Rail in a bid to help make travellers’ journeys through busy train stations a little easier. Volunteers from the organisation will be based at five major stations: King’s Cross, Paddington, London Bridge, Victoria and Liverpool Street. There, they will be on hand to help people should they need first aid support.

And while the British Red Cross will be providing support at events across the country, its Olympic involvement is two-pronged – with first aid training also taking a place on the podium.

Organisations across London have been signing up their staff for training ahead of the Games. Alison Roche, community-based first aid service manager, said, “In a lot of cases, organisations are aware there

Photo: Bob Collier

is going to be a huge influx of people into London and often into the areas where they work. Some places are anticipating big crowds and so want to make sure they’re ready in case anyone is taken ill or needs help. It is sensible to make sure your staff have first aid training in case it’s needed while the city is so busy.”

British Red Cross Presence at T in the Park, Scotland.

Photo: Derek Gordon (BRC)

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neglected in the wake of a frenetic few Country on high alert months.

The Government has made no secret of The organisation will be liaising with the risk of a terror attack on UK soil hospitals and utility companies to ensure during the Games and the country existing services to the vulnerable and remains on high alert. As a result, elderly are maintained during the Games. employers, staff and members of the British Red Cross volunteers will be public have used the security warnings as a continuing to run health and social care catalyst to sign up to develop their first aid programmes, which offer help to those and emergency response skills. recently discharged from hospital and are The British Red Cross has also teamed often unable to cope alone. Its emergency up with the Metropolitan Police to deliver response teams will also respond to power first aid training for shopkeepers, traders outages in the capital to support vulnerable and office workers in some parts of the city individuals affected by a blackout. to equip them with the skills to step in “It is going to be a busy and exciting time during an emergency – with a focus on British Red cross Tracing and Message Service offer a service whereby they ensure that people for everyone, the likes of which many how to deal with shrapnel wounds, flash involved in an emergency get in contact with their relatives.

Photo: Teri Pengilley (BRC) people will have never seen before,” said burns and other injuries commonly Simon Lewis. “We are really looking forward to As two million extra people are expected to flood associated with terror attacks. being a part of London 2012 and helping to make their neighbourhoods throughout July and August, “We have been working with the Metropolitan sure visitors stay safe and get the support they need, residents in the Olympic boroughs are being given Police to provide Emergency Life Support if and when they need it.” the chance to access first aid education materials. awareness sessions for local businesses in Islington The British Red Cross is running a ‘Be ready to and Camden so that they have the skills to respond www.redcross.org.uk respond in 2012 with simple first aid tips’ project should there be a major incident,” said Alison. for members of the public who can subsequently sign up to attend a first aid course.

David Gilbert provides British Red Cross First Aid Cover at Europride, London.

Photo: Layton Thompson (BRC)

Business as usual The British Red Cross emergency response units will be poised to support Category One and Two Responders in the event of a major incident – this is business as usual for the organisation’s operations teams in the capital.

And while life in London and other UK cities adapts to accommodate one of the world’s biggest events, the British Red Cross will also be on hand to make sure the needs of vulnerable people are not

Emergency Response Exercise at Luton Airport. Photo: John Cobb (BRCS)

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Dorset prepares for Olympic sailing Dorset is hosting the second largest site outside of London for the sailing events at this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. The waters of Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour will play host to 10 exhilarating sailing events during the Games, with 380 global athletes competing for the coveted medals. These events (six for men, four for women) will feature a variety of craft. The overall timescale is the 45-day period beginning on 27 July (Olympic Games opening ceremony) until the Paralympic Games closing ceremony on 9 September 2012.

During the Olympic sailing competition between 60,000 and 100,000 visitors are expected in Weymouth each day. That means much more work outside of ‘business as usual’ for lots of public agencies. To that end, Dorset Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS) was successful in two rounds of bidding for Olympics project funding from central Government. This has meant that a very small Olympics planning team has been in place since 2009 dealing with the preparation, testing, exercise and delivery phases.

Working in partnership Preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games requires the coordination of work within a very wide range of agencies and organisations such as the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), Olympic Security Directorate (OSD), the Government Olympic Executive (GOE), and DFRS’s local partners, including the Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Local Resilience Forum (LRF), Dorset Police, Weymouth and West Dorset and Portland District Council, Dorset County Council (DCC), South Western Ambulance Service Trust (SWAST), Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA), Environment Agency (EA), NHS (Dorset), Portland Port Ltd, RNLI, the Royal Navy and Team Dorset – clearly a lot of work is underway to ensure a safe and enjoyable Games in Dorset.

Protection and prevention Dorset Fire and Rescue Service is working hard to ensure that fire safety provisions at the Olympic Venue, Village and at Olympic events (eg temporary venues, the Nothe Gardens and Weymouth beach ‘Live Site’, for example) are in place. It is also really important that the service fulfils its statutory duties applicable to hotels, guest houses, B&Bs etc – and to make sure that landlords are aware of their responsibilities and where to find information about making their sleeping accommodation fire safe. DFRS’s prevention planning is focused on home safety to its visitors during the Games, campsite safety and, of course, marine, water and boat safety.

It is very important that DFRS maintains its ‘business as usual’ response capabilities during the Olympic and Paralympic games in 2012. However, the service will also provide the following additional resources, crewed by paid volunteers: • Fire Boat – provided and commanded by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service but supported by two DFRS firefighters • Rapid Response Unit (RRU) within the Olympic Venue – a new small fire appliance being provided free of charge by John Dennis Coachbuilders

• Rapid Response Unit (RRU) within the Olympic Village – relocated at night to the Olympic Village • An additional Olympics Response Pump (ORP) – located according to risk within the Weymouth and Portland area • Olympic Support Unit (OSU) – a new response vehicle being provided free of charge, providing a specialist response within the Weymouth and Portland area • Special appliances to deal with emergencies other than fires.

Safe and secure The aim is to ensure that those leaving Dorset, following their safe and secure visit, are enthusiastic

about the area, and are keen to return and to tell a positive story to others about their experience. The hosting of the Games is a catalyst for helping to reprofile the area as a result of the large number of visitors and as a result of being viewed by a global television audience. All of this has the potential to encourage additional investment interest in the area and for the Games to act as a catalyst for future inward investment and economic growth and enhanced prosperity for the local community.

As you can see, there is full commitment from DFRS’s local and national partners to ensuring that the sailing events in Weymouth, Portland and Dorset are, simply, ‘the best ever’. www.dorsetfire.co.uk

RNLI safety cover for sailing events

RNLI Lifeboats carry the Olympic Torch on the Menai Strait.

During the Olympics, the RNLI has been asked by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to provide some additional services outside of the charity’s normal operational remit.

RNLI lifeboat crew will be providing safety and medical cover for the competitive sailing events in Weymouth. Crew from around the UK and Ireland have volunteered to be part of the safety cover for the sailing events. They will be operating three Atlantic 75 inshore lifeboats. Each boat will carry three crew members.

Elsewhere, RNLI lifeguards will be providing safety cover for the triathlon and marathon swim events, both of which are taking place in Hyde Park, London.

Enhanced search and rescue In addition to this direct involvement in the Olympic Games, which is being funded by LOCOG, the RNLI will also be providing an enhanced search and rescue service in the Weymouth area and on the Thames in London in response to the expected increase in visitor numbers.

Photo: Nigel Millard.

Both of Weymouth lifeboat station’s lifeboats, will be manned 24 hours a day by crew working shifts for the duration of the Olympics due to the expected rise in visitor numbers to the area, to ensure that there is no delay in response time.

Additionally, the station’s all-weather lifeboat will be operating proactively within the Weymouth Bay area to ensure there is no delay in responding to any potential search and rescue incidents.

Lifeboat cover Meanwhile, plans are being made to identify peak periods of activity on the Thames during July and August to ensure that the RNLI has the appropriate level of lifeboat cover available during these periods, particularly for Tower and Chiswick lifeboat stations, whose crews provide a search and rescue service right in the heart of the capital.

The RNLI is also involved in the Olympic Torch Relay. Lifeboats are carrying the torch at Beaumaris, Douglas and Dover while individuals connected to the RNLI are carrying the Torch at various locations. www.rnli.org.uk

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Ambulance crews get to grips with Olympic sites

Increased demand for paging ahead of the Games PageOne Communications has seen an increase in demand for paging and messaging services among key organisations involved in the Games, including The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), who have selected PageOne and its two-way Responder pagers to help diversify their communications offering for added resilience and security.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games will present huge operational and logistical challenges for the emergency services, transport operators and businesses operating in the affected areas. Forward planning, resilient communications systems and the efficient coordination of people and resources will be crucial to successfully managing these additional pressures.

Ambulance staff at the mountain bike event venue in Hadleigh Farm, Essex.

total who have volunteered to cover the Games from the pre-planned aid and regional event point of view, and their role is to provide clinical support to the LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) medics outside of the venues. From our perspective, the training has been extremely successful, and it’s been good for the staff to really get a feel for the scale of the event.

With just over one month to the start of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Torch relay making its journey around the UK, the focus for the East of England Ambulance Service is firmly on final preparations, testing of plans, and briefing staff and managers.

Recently, the service has been testing its preplanned aid systems and familiarising staff, including at the mountain bike event venue in Hadleigh Farm, south Essex, where the teams learnt more about the area and some of the scenarios that might happen, and ensured they were briefed on the specific medical and Olympic security process.

Supporting LAS Associate Director of Special Operations Oskan Edwardson is leading the trust's planning for the Games regionally. He said, “We have some key targets to ensure patient and staff safety, to ensure we are prepared for the potential of high-risk major incidents, and to support our London Ambulance Service colleagues with pre-planned mutual aid.

“We have about 50 members of clinical staff in

Olypic exercises “There are a considerable amount of Olympic exercises underway at the moment for staff and managers. The lessons to be learnt from previous Games are that it has to be ‘business as usual’ and about maintaining our core work, whilst also fulfilling our Games commitment and making sure everyone visiting Essex can enjoy their experience safely.”

As well as supporting the Torch Relay in the eastern region by providing a resilience team element, other events to be covered by EEAST will include the canoe slalom event at Lea Valley in Hertfordshire. www.eastamb.nhs.uk

Greater resilience The speed, vast coverage and convenience of paging as a channel to broadcast updates and instructions to key staff are just some of the technology’s most alluring benefits. PageOne’s Responder pager combines these strengths with two-way messaging capability and further enhancements, such as GPS location tracking and an SOS alert button, provides organisations with the tools to better manage and coordinate field-resource, while improving staff safety. With PageOne’s network being wholly independent of the mobile networks, paging adds diversity and an even greater level of resilience into the communications mix of any organisation.

“We’ve seen a number of organisations express concerns over the availability of the mobile networks in the event of a major incident during the Olympics,” says Chris Jones, CEO of PageOne. “Wholly independent, the paging network is not at risk from incident-driven traffic overload that typically affects mobile networks, as was proven during the 7/7 terrorist incidents. Therefore, paging gives our customers the confidence and peace of mind, that they can maintain communications, without risk, throughout the Olympic Games.”

Preparedness statement In preparation for the London 2012 Olympics, PageOne has undertaken a review of its operations and support requirements and issued an Olympics Preparedness Statement to confirm that the business foresees no operational impact or extraneous challenges associated with the Games.

“Security, resilience and preparedness for planned and unplanned events, are key criteria in being selected as an approved provider,” says Nigel Gray, Sales Director of PageOne. “Our messaging services have played an important and integral role in helping clients manage their own operations and resource effectively, and will continue to do so during London 2012 Olympics and beyond.” www.pageone.co.uk/olympic-games

About 50 members of clinical staff from East of England Ambulance Service have volunteered to cover the Games, providing clinical support to the LOCOG medics outside of the venues.

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Three chief officers have recently announced their intentions to leave their respective positions. Chief Executive of London Ambulance Service (LAS), Peter Bradley, will be leaving LAS later this year to take up the post of Chief Executive of St John for New Zealand, a role that will include running the ambulance service.

Chief Constable Jon Stoddart will leave Durham Constabulary in October on his retirement from the service. Mr Stoddart led the independent review of Operation Weeting, the Metropolitan Police investigation into the illegal interception of telephones by the media and other suspected criminal activity.

Chief Fire Officer for Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Peter Craig, is to retire after over 35 years of distinguished service. www.londonambulance.nhs.uk www.durham.police.uk www.nifrs.org

Suffolk Police Authority has appointed a new Temporary Assistant Chief Constable to join the Constabulary’s chief officer team.

Tim Newcomb joins Suffolk on a temporary basis from Essex Police, where he is serving as a Chief Superintendent. He will replace Paul Marshall, who is being promoted to temporary Deputy Chief Constable when Gary Kitching retires. Another Superintendent on the move from Essex is Gareth Wilson, who has been appointed as Norfolk Constabulary’s new Assistant Chief Constable for Local Policing. Joining Chief Constable Phil Gormley and the rest of the management team, Gareth replaces ACC Kevin Wilkins who steps down after 36 years of police service in Norfolk.

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Response vehicle donation to Herts Air Ambulance Herts Air Ambulance is being backed up with a new response vehicle thanks to Romford-based emergency vehicle services and repair specialist Essex Emergency Services 2000 Ltd. Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust Clinical Manager Stuart Elms took delivery of the Volvo 4x4 on 4 May at North Weald Airfield, home of the Herts Air Ambulance.

Stuart said, “This vehicle will allow the doctor and critical care paramedic HEMS team to continue to attend the same types of serious incidents and deliver the same high level of critical care using the full range of lifesaving medical equipment and drugs if the helicopter is grounded due to weather conditions. Essex Emergency Services 2000 have delivered us the ability to keep saving lives.”

Bill McKenna, Essex Emergency Services 2000, said, “We have already worked with Essex Air Ambulance to modify and undertake the livery for their BMW X3 response car,

(From L to R): Air Crew Doctor Raj Majoju, Chief Pilot David-Kerr Sheppard and Critical Care Paramedic John McCusker.

which was handed over to them in 2007. We are very pleased to once again be helping our local Essex & Herts Air Ambulance service by sponsoring them with one of our own cars and hope to be able to give

them the support for many years to come.”

The response car carries full lifesaving equipment exactly like the helicopter. www.hertsairambulance.uk.com

New DCFO for Specialist fire appliances in Oxfordshire will carry defibrillators Nottinghamshire

www.suffolk.police.uk www.norfolk.police.uk

Andy Cooke has returned to Merseyside Police as Assistant Chief Constable for Operations. Andy, who left Merseyside Police in 2008 to join Lancashire Constabulary after being promoted to Assistant Chief Constable, had previously served with Merseyside Police for 24 years. Andy joined Merseyside Police in 1985 having obtained an Honours Degree in Politics from Nottingham University and he has served as an investigator at every rank during his career. Andy is the national lead for witness protection and is leading a programme to implement witness protection on a national basis under the new National Crime Agency. www.merseyside.police.uk

A newly enhanced fire appliance, the first of its kind in Oxfordshire, will carry a defibrillator. As well as an AED (Automatic Electronic Defibrillator), the hybrid vehicle will be equipped with heavy rescue equipment used to deal with incidents involving road and rail, such as airbags for lifting and hydraulic tools with bespoke metal cutting ability, to enable a wide variety of rescues to take place. It will also carry the latest thermal imaging camera to assist crews performing rescues at fires.

Watch Manager Jon Walker, from Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire

and Rescue Service, said, “We have teamed up with South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) to ensure all our crews are fully trained. By having more tools, equipment and personnel trained to a higher level, it will enable us to continue providing a far better service to the public and to deliver the targets of the 365 alive campaign.”

Over the coming year, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service will gradually fit all of its 34 strong fleet with defibrillators. www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/ public-site/fire-and-rescue-service

Emergency Services Times June 2012

Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire Authority has appointed John Buckley as the new Deputy Chief Fire Officer of Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service. His appointment follows the retirement of former DCFO Andy Beale.

Prior to his appointment as DCFO, John was Assistant Chief Fire Officer and strategic director for Community Risk Response, which includes the management of all operational resources across the county, fire control and resilience. He was also responsible for the management of risk reduction, which encompasses community safety, fire protection and fire prevention. www.notts-fire.gov.uk

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New ACC joins Warwickshire and West Mercia Police Alliance A new Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) has joined the Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police Alliance.

Karen Manners, the new Assistant Chief Constable with responsibility for Protective Services for the Warwickshire and West Mercia Police Alliance, took up her post on 6 June.

ACC Manners joins the Warwickshire and West Mercia Police Alliance from Hampshire Constabulary where she has worked since 1989. Prior to that she served three years with the Metropolitan Police.

Oliver Winters, Chief Executive of Warwickshire Police Authority, said, “We are delighted to welcome Karen to Warwickshire Police. She is joining an excellent Alliance chief officer team who will ensure both forces deliver high quality, value for money policing services to local communities with reduced resources in the years ahead. Karen is joining the force at a very exciting time as we progress with our Alliance with West Mercia and we continue to tackle priority crimes across both force areas. She brings a great deal of experience and expertise to the chief officer team.” www.warwickshire.police.uk

£34m for new ambulances The Scottish Ambulance Service will receive £34.3m over the next four years to replace more than 570 vehicles. This will be made up of 326 new accident and emergency vehicles – comprising of traditional ambulances and paramedic response units – 98 patient transport vehicles and 151 support vehicles. This includes 65 paramedic response units – these are cars or motorbikes that are used to get a paramedic to a patient as quickly as possible, often backed up by a traditional ambulance. www.scottishambulance.com

Three UK ambulance services choose Optima software solutions

In brief . . .

Scottish Ambulance, South Central Ambulance and East of England ambulance services have all taken the decision to deploy Optima Predict™, Optima’s leading-edge simulation-based planning solution.

Optima Predict analyses and processes data from the vast range of data that ambulance services have access to, including CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) and AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location), to enable operations and planning personnel to accurately model endless ‘what if?’ scenarios. The model is tuned so that it accurately mimics the complexities of a dynamic ambulance service operation and simulates the likely effects of those scenarios, ultimately

www.arqiva.com

leading to more informed decisionmaking and greater operational efficiencies.

The Scottish Ambulance Service has also purchased Optima Live™, an intuitive deployment solution for the control room. Optima Live provides dynamic, real-time decision support to assist dispatchers with emerging coverage challenges, offering optimised recommendations for resource deployment and providing effective management of meal breaks.

The Optima Corporation works with emergency services across the globe and has recently established its UK headquarters in Reading, Berkshire. www.theoptimacorporation.com

Shared HR systems for three police forces in the Midlands Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire will become the first three police forces in the UK to share a ‘back office’ under a collaborative agreement. The secure, shared system, Origin, will be delivered by Capita’s secure resource solutions business, under a contract worth £2.3m over five years.

The system will streamline three force HR systems into one, taking the ‘best practice’ elements of each but with significantly reduced system ownership costs for each force.

Origin was developed in partnership with the police and in conjunction with the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA). It conforms to all current police regulations and is enterprise resource planning (ERP) ready, which will enable police forces to add and integrate other functions such as payroll and financial accounting in the future.

The system will manage all three forces’ data for HR, training, duty

management, and health and safety.

It will deliver significant economies of scale and underpins the longer-term transformation of the back office. It will also provide the capability for other forces in the country to share the system.

Deputy Chief Constable Peter Goodman, who oversees collaboration between police forces in the East Midlands, said, “Aligning our HR functions provides an opportunity to enhance service delivery and resilience and, significantly, drive down costs.

Sharing a single platform across a range of HR functions is a key part of that. For the police, a shared system means reduced costs, enhanced processes and effective business transformation.”

The system will be phased in from October this year and will mean that an HR employee will be able to deal with a request originating from any of the three forces. www.capita.co.uk

Emergency Services Times June 2012

Scottish Ambulance has awarded Arqiva, the communications infrastructure and media services company, a five-year, estimated £450,000 preferred supplier agreement for the installation of in-vehicle TETRA radios, mobile telephones and ancillaries for the emergency service’s fleet of 1400 vehicles. The agreement with Arqiva will ensure that every Scottish Ambulance vehicle will continue to have its communications equipment installed reliably and professionally. As well as installing new vehicles with radios, Arqiva will be de-installing radios from decommissioned vehicles and re-fitting them in other vehicles, providing flexibility and cost-effective savings.

David Behan CBE, Director General of Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships at the Department of Health (DH), has announced his departure to take up the role of Chief Executive at the Care Quality Commission. For the last six years, David has made a major contribution to the work of the DH as a member of the Departmental Board and the NHS Management Board. He led on work to reform adult social care, and has worked closely with local government to deliver the system reforms set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2011.

David is expected to take up his new role in July. www.cqc.org.uk

Capita’s secure information solutions business on 22 May announced the acquisition of Gosportbased Fortek Computers Ltd, a provider of command, control and communications systems to the emergency services. www.capita.co.uk

Emergency Medical Technician Tom Lynch, the former international BMX racing champion who pioneered responding to patients in London using pedal power, scooped top prize in the Emergency Services category at the Daily Record Our Heroes Awards. Tom trialled responding to 999 calls on a bicycle in 2000. Since then the London Ambulance Service team has grown to cover the West End, Heathrow Airport, Kingston town centre, the City of London, and King’s Cross, Euston and St Pancras railway stations. Tom also set up the Public Safety Cycling Association to raise the standard of all emergency services and public safety cyclists. He also created the National Cycle Response Group for all ambulance services. www.londonambulance.nhs.uk

30 | INTEROPERABILITY

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Operation Shannon tests multiagency response to refinery incident Almost 150 members of the emergency services descended on Fawley Refinery in Hampshire for a two-day exercise designed to test their response to a major incident. The exercise, which took place from 4-5 May, began with Exxon Fawley declaring a major fire risk at the refinery after a breakdown of the cooling and fire fighting systems within the plant.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service then requested assistance from colleagues from across the region with high volume pumping units deployed along with appliances from Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Dorset and the Isle of Wight.

PC Mike Batten from Hampshire Police, who planned the exercise in conjunction with Watch Manager Chas McGill and Station Manager Mick Thompson from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said, “We marshalled and deployed two convoys of 12 vehicles, consisting of fire appliances and the ambulance Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), which were escorted by HFRS and HART staff at the tanker roll-over scenario. five police VIP escort trained Local officers from Hythe Police station were first motorcycle outriders to the Fawley complex from on the scene, closely followed by officers from the HFRS headquarters at Eastleigh.”

Roads Policing Unit (RPU) and RPU HazMat Advisors.

Three services working together The incident was swiftly contained by all three services working together. Hampshire firefighters advanced with water sprays to reduce the risk from the explosive vapour and members of the SCAS’ HART treated all three casualties before they were taken to hospital.

The vehicle and equipments convoys are escorted to Fawley.

On arrival the convoys were again marshalled at a Strategic Holding Area. All six fire and rescue services then worked together to deploy more than two kilometres of high capacity hose, as well as the huge pumping units, to pump water from a nearby freshwater reservoir into the refinery in order to maintain a continuous supply.

As the cooling operation got underway, two further 999 calls came in simultaneously. In Cadland Road, an 18-tonne road tanker loaded with liquid petroleum gas (LPG) had overturned, trapping the driver who had sustained serious injuries. Two workers who went to his aid from Flogas, a nearby industrial site, then collapsed after being overcome by fumes leaking from the tanker.

Meanwhile, inside the refinery complex, things were going from bad to worse, with a report of a chemical incident unfolding in a storage area housing thousands of drums of liquid.

Police, fire and rescue and ambulance staff responding to the incident at Cadland Road were met with the sight of the tanker laying on its side, shrouded in a cloud of gas and with unconscious casualties laying nearby. The scene was further complicated by the driver – played by a volunteer from Amputees in Action – being found to have suffered a traumatic leg injury in the crash.

channel, greatly improving the ability to manage an incident.”

Back at the refinery complex where the chemical incident was reported, it was established that several substances had come into contact, causing a chemical reaction and fire. Once the cause was established the fire was quickly extinguished and the area declared safe.

The exercise was finally concluded at 1.30pm – 24 hours after the first incident report at the refinery complex.

Superb training environment PC Batten, said, “These exercises give the emergency services the opportunity to work together in realistic incident scenarios. They are only possible with the commitment of all those taking part and the help and assistance of local businesses such as Exxon Fawley and Flogas, who can provide us with a superb training environment and support staff. We are also very grateful to the efforts of the team from Amputees in Action who greatly added to the realism of the exercise.”

“We always hope that the skills we learn, develop and practise will never have to be put to use at a real incident, but if they are, then we are as well prepared as we can be.” www.hampshire.police.uk www.hantsfire.gov.uk

“For the first time in a live exercise, all 999 responders used the Airwave radio network Emergency Services Interoperability Channels.”

Air support in the shape of the Sussex Police helicopter hovered overhead, providing further critical information to teams on the ground. Once it was made safe, officers from the RPU Forensic Collision Investigation Unit then deployed their latest crash investigation equipment to map the scene.

PC Batten said, “For the first time in a live exercise, all 999 responders used the Airwave radio network Emergency Services Interoperability Channels. These enabled all responders to both talk and listen to communications on a common radio

Emergency Services Times June 2012

Representatives from the police, fire and rescue and ambulance services 'in conference' during the exercise.

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Interoperability – the view from the centre Local emergency services work well together every day. Familiarity and frequency lead to good operational outcomes.

Nationally, Ministerial focus is inevitably on ensuring that the approaches developed are able to function in the fast-moving, challenging emergencies that demand the highest levels of close working. These are infrequent: they are inherently complex, but their rarity precludes familiarity. Most responders may be directly involved in such large-scale events once or twice in their careers, and rarely in the same appointment. Familiarity with routine joint operations will only carry us so far, and things do not always go well under the pressure of extreme circumstances. Responders need good multi-agency structures, doctrine and training to support them before they confront the challenges of a complex joint response.

Interoperability is fundamental to operational effectiveness in large, complex multi-agency events.

Without it we get gaps, overlaps and incoherence in activities; errors in the passage of information; delays in decision making; and ultimately unsatisfactory outcomes. If leaders have to devote excessive effort inwards and downwards to making multi-agency operations work, then they cannot lead effectively. Those factors shape the adopted definition of interoperability – ‘the extent to which organisations can work together coherently as a matter of routine’ – which explicitly aspires to coherent action without intensive management intervention.

Photo: Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Shared situational awareness The critical factor is shared situational awareness, not just of what has happened, but also of what other responders are doing now, and of what needs to happen next. That creates understanding and cooperation; accelerates decision-making and operations; and enables initiative and delegated action. It is an essential pre-condition for a shared assessment of dynamic risks. For those reasons, shared situational awareness is a primary benefit of good interoperability and one of the most compelling arguments for its development.

These factors feature in the draft Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) and National Fire Framework (NFF), and the National Security Strategy. Risks and emergencies do not respect boundaries. Good interoperability will facilitate the mobilisation, mutual aid and reinforcement that the draft SPR and NFF envisage. They are the motivation for the current emergency services led interoperability initiative supported by the Cabinet

Office, Home Office, DCLG, and Department of Health. While some risk-specific interoperability solutions have been developed in the CT field, the policy intent is to produce a scalable approach that can be adapted for use in all major incidents.

Driving the process forward Interoperability is something that must be done by and with the emergency services. Working together, police, fire and rescue and ambulance services must both lead their organisations forward, and importantly, bring the other responders and stakeholders with them. To that end the Government will support the Joint Emergency Service Interoperability Programme to drive the process forward.

The Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) will support the programme through the production of the underpinning enablers. The first is joint doctrine, which is founded on the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and its supporting guidance – Emergency Preparedness (EP) and Emergency Response and Recovery (ERR). In particular, Chapter 4 of ERR lays out the basic principles for joint response. It is essential reading for all emergency service officers liable to command at bronze, silver or gold level.

“The emergency services have more than 30 different ways of saying ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’, when only three might be justified, and one might be best.”

The second element is language. Each service needs its own technical terms, but by 2003 the emergency services were using more than 8000 different words and sayings. The scope for confusion is obvious. In 2004 CCS started the development of a plain English lexicon for joint operations; the latest version is an annex to ERR. Following a parallel development, the National Map Symbology set will be available later this year, free to users and compatible with all GIS systems.

Technical solutions The third area is technical solutions. The trial Direct Electronic Incident Transfer (DEIT) project in Gwent is a first step towards a family of simple formatted messages that can be transmitted and shared using voice, writing, SMS, e-mail or data string. The ACPO work on police callsigns reported elsewhere is another welcome initiative that will greatly assist interoperability. But despite having a common radio solution, our joint communications capabilities still fall short of what is technically achievable with Airwave. The emergency services have more than 30 different ways of saying ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’, when only three might be justified, and one might be best.

Joint training is essential Joint training is essential in preparing for infrequent events, but it may be the hardest area to progress. The obstacles are not new: comparing the observations of Desmond Fennell QC in 1989, Lady Justice Hallett in 2011 and a series of lessons identified reports suggests that they are persistent.

Any increase in joint activity would be additional to single service training, much of which is mandatory.

Budgets are scarce for joint training, so the challenge for the emergency services and the Interoperability Programme is to find ways of delivering effect at minimum cost. At the level of awareness raising, online delivery offers a cheap way of reaching large numbers of people, and has been exploited for the pre-Olympic awareness package on interoperability for on-scene commanders.

Simulations offer economic opportunities for training commanders and their teams. But in all cases we need to look beyond the obstacles for advantageous solutions in an operating environment that is becoming increasingly multi-agency.

Enhanced operational effectiveness With the discussion on the futures of the Fire Service College and the NPIA we may have a unique opportunity to do something far better that will directly enhance interoperability and operational effectiveness.

We look forward to a lively debate on these issues in Emergency Services Times. www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/ civil-contingencies-secretariat

Author: Christina Scott, Head of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat

Emergency Services Times June 2012

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Interoperability opportunities in times of austerity There are numerous definitions of interoperability derived from a variety of organisations. The one created by the MultiAgency Interoperability Programme (for Communications) in 2008 was, ‘The capability of organisations or discrete parts of the same organisation to exchange operational information and use it to inform decision making’.

If we consider this definition within the context of the demands of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, we can see that the ability to seamlessly communicate (by whatever means) supports key requirements to: share information with other local responders to enhance coordination; and cooperate with other local responders to enhance coordination and efficiency. Each of the responder agencies performs a distinct role and has its own requirements to deliver its objectives. When working jointly, however, the need for consistency and common ways of working at the point where we interface have been highlighted throughout the Interoperability agenda, not least for the key enabler – communications. This applies not just to radio but also to all communications elements, from the language we use face-to-face to land and mobile telephony, the exchange of data and the mutual use of Automatic Resource Location (GPS information on maps).

Familiar ways of working Competence and confidence in Interoperability is not achieved by having solutions that are rolled out in the response to a large-scale event, but by being familiar with the technologies and ways of working on a day-to-day basis. This is made clear in the CCA Concept of Operations: ‘continuity: The response to emergencies should be grounded within organisations’ existing functions and their familiar ways of working – although inevitably, actions will need to be carried out at greater speed, on a larger scale and in more testing circumstances during the response to an incident.’

In the Police Airwave environment, the capability to interoperate has been hampered by 54 forces making disparate, unilateral, divergent decisions on configuration, working practices, semantics, planning, training and exercising. This has led to evident challenges such as those described in DCC Simon Chesterman’s peer review into Operation Bridge, the search for Derrick Bird, the issues during Operation Kirkin or the outcomes from recent OSCT exercises. In this regard it is likely that Scotland’s move towards single services will provide a model for convergence from which the rest of the UK may benefit and the principles should inform, not just police communications, but those across the responder community.

Greater standardisation It is unlikely that the Government’s localism agenda will support the need to converge capabilities for any of the Category 1 and 2 Responders; indeed there is a danger that Police and Crime Commissioners create a dynamic that militates against single, common standards. The Shadow Strategic Policing Requirement, however,

speaking of ‘aggregate capacity’, ‘police forces...working collaboratively’, ‘consistency’ and ‘connectivity’, may provide a counterpoint to that dynamic, pulling us towards greater standardisation. That standardisation, demanded for police interoperability, will complement our capability to interoperate with partner responders.

There is a danger that, in time of austerity and financial constraint, we focus inwards and try to continue doing what we do, but at lower cost, driving us to maintain the existing paradigm.

To paraphrase a quotation that is itself possibly misattributed to Henry Ford, ‘If I asked people what they want they’d say a cheaper horse’.1

“Standardisation, demanded for police interoperability, will complement our capability to interoperate with partner responders.”

The stringent financial environment for all services obliges us to consider different ways of working and how they may offer opportunity rather than a reduction in capability. Across the country police, fire and rescue and ambulance personnel all use Airwave and each utilise Automatic Resource Location information to a greater or lesser extent.

Little, if any, thought has been given to how this information may be shared to enhance their common operating picture in support of interoperability.

Smartphone technology This lack of capability is particularly evident when considered in the context of existing technology; public access to smartphone technology has created demand for the use of GPS; I can see where my friends are on Google Latitude quickly and easily but that is just the start. The mobile phone application Sukey was used during student demos in London and New York drawing on Latitude, Twitter, text messages and other applications to keep those using it appraised of police locations and tactics. During Operation Bridge the firearms commander could not see the locations of his own resources, let alone those of the forces that were offering mutual aid. Any service commander can see the inherent benefit in seeing real-time displays of the location of their resources and those services with whom they are working.

Beyond the operational benefits, there can be

cashable cost saving; the military found that when they made GPS information available to their troops they saw significant reduction in radio communication, which often consists of ‘Where is?’

‘Where are you?’ ‘How long will it take you to get to...?’. Radio capacity costs money and if this capability can contribute to a reduction in that cost there are both operational and financial advantages.

In a similar way, the capability to exchange information between the services might offer significant benefit to the public sector. West Yorkshire Police looked at the number of telephone calls they made to surrounding forces and their partner agencies. While the former were negligible, they estimated they made 150 calls a day to fire and rescue and ambulance services and had a similar number coming in. This has a significant resource implication and presents challenges around maintaining the integrity of the information.

Sharing information Direct Electronic Incident Transfer (DEIT) offers the opportunity to significantly reduce both the time taken to pass messages and the inaccuracies involved. Enabling control rooms to pass messages from their command and control system to a partner’s in complete or appropriately redacted form, DEIT delivers greater confidence in sharing information which may, in turn, mitigate the silo effect of organisations not considering the need to keep partners informed. This is being trialled between agencies in Wales using the Public Sector Broadband as a carrier, allowing communication between police, fire and rescue and local authority systems. There is a similar system being used between some police services using the CJX network and the Highways Agency. Converging and building on these two programmes could offer a step-change in the capability to exchange log information.

We are faced with changing realities – financial constraints, operational challenges, technological advances and a new governmental focus on interoperability. These present an exciting opportunity to develop a new paradigm to exploit operational communications in a common way to deliver enhanced situational awareness. www.acpo.police.uk 1

Henry Ford is credited as saying of his Model T ‘If I asked people what they want they‘d say a faster horse’.

Emergency Services Times June 2012

Author: Superintendent Paul Kinsella, Interoperability Implementation Coordinator, Communications Strand, ACPO UK Operational Interoperability Programme.

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Emergency Services Times June 2012

34 | WIND TURBINE EMERGENCIES

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Wind energy emergencies – the need for reciprocating relationships Among the variety of alternative energy sources that have come into existence during recent years, one of the most viable ‘clean energy’ options that is growing at an extremely rapid pace is wind, or eolic energy. Emergency situations can affect wind turbines at any location, on or offshore, and are varied in nature, extension and gravity, and may happen during initial site preparation, installations and operation.

Wind energy is produced by the ‘free’ fuel, wind, blowing across the blades of very large wind turbines. These turbines, situated some 300ft above ground level, move electric generators that produce electricity, which in turn is transformed into hightension electric power that is transported to electric power grids that distribute the power to eventual end users.

The United Kingdom is the world’s eighth ranking nation in wind power generation capacity and in fact sixth in actual wind power production, generating approximately three percent of the globe’s total production. This includes power produced by wind generators located on land and offshore installations. The UK is today the world leader in offshore wind power generation. Six of the nine largest offshore wind farms are in British waters, including numbers one, two, five, six and seven.

“More often than not, the wind farms are not easily accessible for the ‘average’ mobile emergency apparatus.”

While emergency response to an onshore installation is relatively ‘easy’, response capability to any kind of emergency in an offshore facility is limited to either boats or helicopters. As the majority of the readers of this publication are personnel of land-based emergency response services, we will deal principally with onshore installations.

The wind turbines are normally installed in what are known as wind farms. These wind farms may be a few thousand square metres in area, with from four to five turbines installed to upwards of several hundred square miles with hundreds of turbines spread across the countryside.

Wind farms are situated at locations where winds are reasonably constant in velocity, consistency and orientation. These factors often determine that the wind farms may be located along the ridge lines of hills, or on extensive flatlands. More often than not, the wind farms are not easily accessible for the ‘average’ mobile emergency apparatus.

As the wind farms are normally, but again not always, situated in rural to remote locations, responders to emergencies will often encounter a number of obstacles in their way which, depending on circumstances and conditions could in fact impede access to certain sites.

A wind turbine exploded in flames in December 2011 after it was struck by hurricane-force winds at Ardrossan Wind Farm, North Ayrshire, Scotland.

Photo: Stuart McMahon

Wind turbine configuration A wind turbine is composed of the following elements: 1. The tower, the basic structural support.

Normally a steel tube of from eight to 10 metres in diameter at the base and about five to six metres at the top 2. The nacelle located atop the tower. The principal mechanical components of the electric power generating system are housed inside the nacelle 3. The hub of the generating assembly is where the three propeller blades are attached 4. In some models, the electrical transformer may also be installed inside the nacelle.

Emergency situations The possible emergency situations that could and do occur in or around wind turbines include: 1. Fire inside the nacelle affecting any of the electrical or mechanical components 2. Fire at any height in the tower, which would normally be an electrical fire 3. Fire in any of the auxiliary buildings and structures within the confines of the wind farm 4. Vegetation fire in the wind farm, usually small scrub bushes, weeds etc 5. Wildfire outside the property, which could be a threat to the wind farm. Quite often wind farms are surrounded by forests 6. Fire in a motor vehicle 7. Motor vehicle collision 8. Structural collapse, which could occur during site construction, turbine assembly and erection or during operation. Among the possible causes are land movement (slides) or seismic activity

9. Hazardous substance incidents including gas escapes or liquid spills 10. Personal injuries or sudden grave illness at any location at ground level 11. Personal injuries, entrapment or sudden illness at any height inside a tower or a nacelle, including falls and suspended victims 12. Any other situation that would require external emergency service assistance.

Emergency plan A wind farm is like any other activity where certain levels of danger or risk are present. These activities require the elaboration and implantation of Emergency Response Plans, the documents that contain the information necessary to resolve emergency incidents. For wind farms, the Emergency Plan is absolutely essential for both the operator personnel and the emergency responders.

More often than not, most wind farms are unattended during normal operations. When inspections, revisions or maintenance actions must be performed, teams of at least two operator technicians go to the site. They are always in communication by radio or similar means.

Here is where the reciprocating relations begin.

Most emergency responders have seen some of the wind turbines in their response areas, but probably not all of them. However, it is quite likely that they are unfamiliar with the components and characteristics of the turbines. At the same time, wind farm operators may be aware of the existence of emergency response services in the environs of the sites, but probably are unaware of the response capabilities of these entities. Ideally, the emergency services should approach the wind farm operator

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when the site is undergoing preparation, well before the erection of the turbines. From this stage on, both entities should work together, each learning from the other and helping one another.

Specific hazards The operator must indicate what means of access are available at any given period. Often normal access routes may be obstructed during inclement weather conditions. The emergency services must know the general and specific hazards existing at the wind farms – hazardous substances such as flammable gases and liquids, the diverse electrical tensions at different locations or where persons may become entrapped. At many wind farms, several distinct suppliers may have generators and other equipment installed. Numerous technologies exist and may coincide in the same wind farm. While the complexities of system engineering are far and above the emergency responders’ ‘needs-to-know’, it is highly recommended that they become familiar with the principles of the different technologies.

Emergency responders must know how and where to enter a turbine and access the nacelle. They need to know where anchoring points are located inside the nacelle. All this and more information must be provided by the operator, and all emergency response personnel, be they fire and rescue or medical, that will be assigned to respond to emergencies at wind farms, must receive this information.

Once the emergency responders are familiar with

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turbines and towers, and know how to get inside and up, simulated emergency exercises should be held with a variety of supposed situations: hydraulic fluid spills; rescue of entrapped persons from a nacelle; structural fires; and so forth. These exercises should be frequent and involve all personnel that would respond.

Emergency actions It is highly recommended that Emergency Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) be created and implemented for incidents at wind farms.

Operator personnel are well trained and experienced in high angle and suspended work, but quite often few fire and rescue personnel have similar training and experience or even adequate equipment. One thing is to rappel down the face of the station drill tower, but lowering an injured person from a nacelle, 300 or so feet above ground is quite another. The SOP will establish among other aspects, what equipment is needed, how many responders should be on the scene, the sequences of actions and many more details.

Firefighters are normally accustomed to arriving at the scene of a fire, sizing up the situation and mobilising the most adequate resources to attack, control and extinguish the fire. However, on arriving at a wind farm and seeing that the fire is burning in the nacelle of a turbine, the universally accepted action is: LET IT BURN ITSELF OUT. The risk:benefit ratio is just too much in favour of the fire and the exposure of firefighters wearing full

protective equipment including breathing apparatus, plus carrying extinguishing equipment, climbing an absolutely vertical and narrow ladder in an attempt to possibly attack a confined space fire atop a 300 foot high tower is simply not worth it.

Many nacelles are equipped with very sensitive automatic fire detection systems, and quite a few even have automatic self-contained extinguishing equipment, all communicated with central supervised alarm centres. Calls for emergency assistance will normally come from these centres.

Here again is another aspect of the reciprocating relations, as the emergency services need as complete information as possible in order to dispatch the most appropriate resources, the control centre operators must know exactly what information the emergency services may require.

Fire and rescue and ambulance service personnel, from leading officers to those on the ground, must get out to wind farms, get to know operator staff, become familiar with the Emergency Response Plan and actively participate in training sessions and simulated drills. Once the reciprocating relations are established and functioning, the probabilities of successfully resolving even extremely complicated emergencies are vastly improved.

Author: George H Potter, a member of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Fire Fighters Association, ASELF, heading the Technical Working Group of Wind Energy Emergency Response.

Wind incident emergency response plans Wherever wind turbines are being erected, used, maintained and inspected the evacuation and rescue of personnel from height, although required infrequently, should be planned for. Health and safety legislation requires that ‘safe systems of work’ are in place for all work activities[1][2][3].

The Health and Safety Executive states[4], ‘Reg. 4(2) [of WAHR] requires duty holders to plan for emergencies and rescue. Effort should be in proportion to the risk and should cover reasonably foreseeable situations … The duty holder needs to have plans in place to deal with such situations.

Workers need to be trained …’. Also, ‘Duty holder’s arrangements for emergency and rescue should not rely on the fire brigade’. Since publication the ability of the emergency services to provide rescue from height has improved considerably. Many are now able to provide advice on evacuation and rescue, when planning rescue from height within wind turbines.

Developing the ERP When developing an Emergency Response Plan (ERP), consideration must be given to the remoteness of the site location, response times and the equipment and training provided, in order to promote self-sufficiency and preservation of life until the emergency services are in attendance.

Guidance on health and safety in the wind energy sector is given by RenewableUK[5]. The benchmark for work at height training and rescue is contained in an approved training standard[6]. The latter has been developed in consultation with key industry representatives with the aim of ensuring that all personnel are able to demonstrate a common level of basic competency[7].

Rescue principles and techniques The two-day course includes both basic and specific rescue principles and techniques, including techniques for the recovery of a casualty from a vertical ladder, nacelle and hub. It includes casualty handling techniques and the selection, inspection and use of equipment. Any work at height training should be conducted in accordance with BS 8454[8].

Every type of turbine, indeed perhaps every individual turbine, is different. An ERP must be practised and reviewed periodically and any risk assessment must take account of the prevailing weather conditions, the nature of any work being undertaken, the handling of loads, radio-frequency isolation, electrical issues, communications, safe access and egress, tools and equipment and the level of competence of workers. heightec® has undertaken a number of exercises with wind turbine clients, and in collaboration with the emergency services, to test the arrangements in place for the deployment of rescue equipment. All have led to recommendations for the improvement

of rescue planning and, in some instances, the installation of new equipment. The exercises have also identified ‘skills gaps’, requiring an assessment of further specialist training or refreshers. Offshore rescues are challenging, particularly those involving rescue from hub to nacelle, nacelle to transition piece, transition piece to vessel, vessel to vessel and, finally, vessel to shore. Depending upon location this can take anything up to two hours.

There is much to be gained from multi-agency exercises. The main benefit is an improved chance of a casualty being recovered safely, in time to administer medical help (and without putting further people at risk). www.heightec.com

Author: David Thomas CEng FICE CFIOSH, Technical Director, The heightec Group Ltd 1 The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) – Sections 2 and 3 2 Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) – Regulation 4(2) 3 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSW) – Regulation 3 4 OC200/31, Work at Height Regulations (Paras. 60 and 61) (HSE, 2006) 5 Guidelines for onshore and offshore wind farms, Health & Safety in the Wind Energy Industry Sector (RUK, 2010).

6 RenewableUK – Working at Height and Rescue Training Standard, Issue 1: 2010 7 This standard applies to large wind turbines, i.e. those with a swept area of >200m2 and where the primary means of access to the nacelle is internal to the tower.

8 BS 8454:2006, Code of practice for the delivery of training and education for work at height and rescue

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INDEPENDENT AMBULANCE | 37

Regulating independent ambulance providers against standards of quality and safety The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has registered 244 independent ambulance providers (at time of going to press) as part of a new system of regulation for the health and social care sector. As directed by the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the regulator has brought the NHS, adult social care, independent ambulances, independent healthcare and dental providers under a single set of standards. CQC is also currently registering out-of-hours GP providers and will be further extending its responsibilities to include GP surgeries in 2013.

Once registered, all these providers will be legally obliged to meet the essential standards of quality and safety, which are designed to create parity across sectors so people can expect consistent standards no matter which health and social care services they use.

The standards are based around outcomes, which are the experiences people can expect when they use services. There are 28 outcomes in total although inspectors focus on a subset of 16 that relate most directly to the quality and safety of care. This includes cleanliness, staffing, training requirements, medicines management and other considerations (full list across).

Unannounced inspection Most independent ambulance providers are now through the registration process, which only happens once, and they now will be subject to ongoing compliance monitoring. In the coming financial year, many of those registered to provide services will be subject to an unannounced inspection and all independent ambulance providers will be inspected within the next two years.

registration. However, it would only seek to take such action if inspectors believed patients were at serious risk of harm.

For more information on compliance monitoring, applying for registration or any other questions please go to www.cqc.org.uk or call the helpline on 03000 616161.

“Independent ambulance providers play an important part in the delivery of patients’ services.”

Where a provider is non-compliant with one or more standards, the action CQC will take will be proportionate to the impact that the breach has on the people who use the service.

If a breach has a minor impact on people or the impact is moderate, but it’s happened for the first time, we ask the provider to report on how they intend to address the problem and the action they’ll take to meet the standard. We will then check they’ve made the improvements.

For more serious cases, CQC can use its powers on a more urgent basis. It can either issue a warning notice, restrict the service the provider can offer or suspend or cancel the provider’s

independent ambulance services there are some basic points for attention when considering ongoing compliance. These include making sure your recruitment procedures are appropriate, that you are maintaining your equipment in line with the manufacturer’s instructions and that you can show evidence of the training and ongoing competence of your staff in how to use specialist equipment. Think also about your record keeping. For example, can you show auditable processes and evidence of full vehicle records, of when you last had a vehicle serviced and when the equipment in the vehicle was last calibrated and tested?

“We believe we will find evidence of good levels of compliance within this sector but it is already clear that there are some providers who need to improve to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients are achieved.

“We look forward to working with providers to help them improve if required.” www.cqc.org.uk

Important part to play David Griffiths, CQC National Professional Advisor for Ambulance and Emergency Services, said, “Independent ambulance providers play an important part in the delivery of patients’ services.

Originally centred on the provision of long-distance transfers and work in the private sector, the independent ambulance providers’ remit has extended significantly since the 1980s with the capacity now to compete with the NHS ambulance services for Patient Transport Service contracts and also to work with NHS ambulance services supporting the services they provide.

“This is an excellent time for this sector to show that its quality and standards of service are appropriate for its developing role.

“These standards apply to all types of independent ambulance providers, whether you’re a small provider with maybe a single vehicle or a large corporate organisation with multiple contracts and many staff.

“My advice to providers to help ensure compliance with the essential standards is to thoroughly read our guidance on our website and contact us if you require clarification on anything.

“Based on our experiences to date with

Emergency Services Times June 2012

What are the standards independent ambulance providers will be assessed against?

Outcome 1: Respecting and involving people who use services Outcome 2: Consent to care and treatment Outcome 4: Care and welfare of people who use services Outcome 6: Cooperating with other providers Outcome 7: Safeguarding people who use services from abuse Outcome 8: Cleanliness and infection control Outcome 9: Management of medicines Outcome 10: Safety and suitability of premises Outcome 11: Safety, availability and suitability of equipment Outcome 12: Requirements relating to workers Outcome 13: Staffing Outcome 14: Supporting staff Outcome 16: Assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision Outcome 21: Records

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A collective voice for independent ambulance services A year ago a small group of independent ambulance company executives met informally in the Cotswolds to exchange ideas for the future of the business. Realising that the new NHS reforms would present them with new challenges and opportunities, they concluded that they needed a collective voice to put their industry’s case to the healthcare policymakers and regulators. The vision of a trade body emerged and today the Independent Ambulance Association is a reality and flourishing. Here, Rob Ashford, the first Chairman of the IAA, speaks to Emergency Services Times about the role of the organisation today and in the years ahead.

Emergency Services Times (EST): What are the aims and objectives of the association?

Rob Ashford (RA): Over the long-haul our aim is to enhance the industry’s professional reputation for delivering unrivalled care and safe transport services for patients and others; in the short-term we are looking to increase the number of trained and qualified staff employed by the industry and also make both legislators, the public and private healthcare communities aware of its positive social and economic contribution to the nation’s health. It is largely unknown, for example, that independent ambulance services are responsible for an estimated half of the many millions of NHS hospital journeys made each year.

EST: How is the IAA structured and managed?

RA: The association is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. It is a properly constituted trade association with a formal legal structure and governance. Strategy and direction is set by a board of directors from small and large member companies, each with their own specialist skills and services. The board also has three non-executive directors who are independent eminent individuals from within the healthcare community and whose most important role is to oversee IAA governance and confidentiality.

EST: I notice from your website that the IAA has Working Groups – what do they look to achieve?

RA: To give members a voice and an active role we have formed three working groups, which decide, plan and implement association activities on their specialist skills and the services their companies offer – emergency, non-emergency and event support. A framework of national ambulance training standards, which will run across all the groups, is being developed by another set of members.

Coordinated by the Board, each group is led by two Directors and has access to teleconferencing facilities so that they can ‘meet’ regularly, saving money and time on travel and hotels.

EST: What makes the IAA different to other similar organisations for the privately owned ambulance services?

RA: Apart from structure, resources and our focus on very regular communications with members, the IAA is set firmly in favour of Government regulation and we are committed to working with and helping to improve the effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in whatever way we can. We’ve made a positive start in engaging with the CQC and we want to build on this relationship going forward.

EST: In addition to the CQC what other government departments does the association lobby and for what causes?

RA: We have been in active dialogue with the: Director of the Crown Prosecution Service on ‘blue lights’ driving law; Local Government Association on independent ambulances use of bus lanes; NHS Cooperation and Competition contract tendering issues; Monitor, the healthcare regulatory body, about improvement of the NHS tendering protocols; NHS Protect on publishing guidelines for IAA members on counter terrorism security; National Outdoor Event Association about the hiring of unregistered ambulance services; and the Ambulance Service Network and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives collaborating on joint campaigns.

EST: Who are the members of the IAA and how can they join?

RA: Applications for membership are only considered from CQC registered services. The interest has exceeded our most optimistic expectations and nearly 20 percent have already joined in just a few months. They can apply online from our website (www.iaauk.org), which sets out in detail how, why and by whom the association was started, the legal structure, the people who run it and oversee governance and confidentiality, the latest campaigns, subscription rates and disciplinary rules.

EST: What are the benefits of IAA membership?

RA: Apart from the all important professional lobbying, IAA members also benefit from a valuable portfolio of 13 services, such as discounted online shopping, comprehensive insurance arrangements and advice, teleconferencing, training guidance, discounted rates for exhibitions and conferences and exclusive access to an online library of industry research, white papers and PR and marketing advice. The most important benefit is the permission to use the IAA logo on their websites, corporate and marketing materials because it gives them recognition within the healthcare community that they are a genuinely professional ambulance service provider.

EST: How do you see the role of the IAA developing in the coming years as budgets are squeezed and ambulance trusts look to outsource more and more?

RA: The future is never easy to predict but the reforms of the NHS, and its financial constraints, do offer the independent ambulance industry both challenges and opportunities and in this context

the IAA will have a decisive role to play.

The inevitable consequence of the reforms is that the market will be opened wider for independent providers despite the continuation of political and professional resistance, which we have witnessed in both Houses of Parliament and medical profession before they were passed on to the statute books.

The commercial rewards will be meaningful and the annual budget for NHS patient transport services, currently estimated at between £250£350m, will undoubtedly rise. But competition for contracts will be tougher with an increasing number of NHS ambulance trusts joining the fray.

The IAA’s role will be to ensure that the independent services are able to compete on a level playing field and that our role and contribution to the nation’s public and private healthcare needs are fully recognised by the legislators and contract commissioners; the introduction of CQC registration in April 2011 has helped in this cause because it gave independents equal billing with the NHS ambulance service in that both are now regulated under the same terms and conditions.

To grasp fully the opportunities the independent companies will have to continue to invest in training, employ more professionally qualified people, adopt new technologies and, most importantly, learn how to work with the NHS – the customer that will become an even tougher competitor.

Managements will need to be innovative and think laterally as a closer, more amenable working relationship emerges between the NHS and independent ambulance services. In this era of change, there will be frowns of disapproval from some quarters within the NHS but trusts such as South Central Ambulance Service are setting templates, which many might follow in the years ahead. They will hopefully put aside political mistrust and instead argue that the patient comes first.

For independent providers the opportunity is there; and those that demonstrate vision in the way in which they respond will survive and prosper.

Others, who decide otherwise, will probably fall by the wayside, or be acquired by their competitors or even by foreign investors who see the main chance in England. www.iaauk.org

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A-Z of CQC-registered companies 1st 4 Care Limited

AFJ

Tel: 01623 825544

www.first4care.co.uk

1st Aid 999 Tel: 07767 041114

www.1staid999.co.uk

1st Medicare Tel: 01621892111

www.1stmedicare.co.uk

Western Court, 11 Bromley Street, Birmingham B9 4AN Tel: 0121 689 1000 jay@afjltd.com Contact: Shakell www.afjtravel.com

Ailsworth Practice Medical Services Limited Tel: 01733 567222

1st Response Medical Services Limited

www.apmsambulance.com

Alpha Care Ambulance Service Limited 69 Station Road, Cholsey, Wallingford OX10 9QB Tel: 01491 652444 jude@alpha-care.co.uk Contact: Jude Le Motte www.alpha-care.co.uk

Tel: 07557 446748

www.cdambulance.co.uk

Capital Air Charter Hangar 68, Exeter International Airport, Exeter EX5 2BD Tel: 01392 350020 bernie.doyle@capitalaircharter.co.uk Contact: Bernie Doyle www.capitalaircharter.co.uk

www.cfypts.com

CEGA Air Ambulance UK Limited www.alpha-medical.co.uk

AM Medical Services (South) Ltd Ambicorp Limited

Hangar No 5, Aviation Park East, Bournemouth Airport, Hurn, Christchurch BH23 6NE Tel: 01202 592592 jackie.gillard@cegagroup.com Services Manager: Jackie Gillard www.cegaairambulance.com

Unit 4, Church Farm Business Park, Mansfield Road Edwinstowe NG21 9NJ Tel: 01623 825182 kate.ambicorp@btinternet.com Contact: Kate Bailey www.ambicorpltd.com

Brightside Emergency Care

Ambu Kare UK Limited Tel: 01733 560972

www.ambukare.co.uk

www.a4ambulanceservice.com

Ambulance & Medical Support Services – Ambulance Station Sandhurst

www.abacusambulanceservice.co.uk

ABC Medical Services (Reading) Limited Tel: 08452 300999

www.abcmedicalservices.co.uk

Ability Transport Limited Tel: 08454 598490

www.abilitytransport.co.uk

Ace Ambulance Limited www.ace-ambulances.co.uk

Unit 22, Vulcan Way, Sandhurst GU47 9DB Tel: 07767 215186 ops@amsservices.co.uk Contact: Adrian Hirons www.amsservices.co.uk

Ambustar Limited Tel: 01138 155669

www.ambustar.co.uk

Amvale Medical Transport Limited Tel: 01724 864399

Acute Ambulance & Medical Services Tel: 08456 860301

www.aams-amb.co.uk

www.amvale.co.uk

Arriva Transport Solutions Tel: 0191 520 4000

Advanced Ambulance Medical and Events Services Ltd

www.lifesignsgroup.co.uk

Aero Medical Ambulance Service

www.astambulance.com

B N Gibson Limited

Adventure Lifesigns Limited

71 The Crescent, Abbots Langley WD5 0DR Tel: 07717 478646 info@aeromedicalambulance.com Contact: Steven Hurrell www.aeromedicalambulance.com

www.arriva.co.uk

AST Ambulance Service Limited Tel: 0208 329 2999

Tel: 07932 032220

Tel: 01483 810785

Bristol Ambulance EMS Tel: 0117 972 9020

Caring For You PTS – Benfleet Head Office

Tel: 0800 0832035 / 01793 879588 www.ammedicalservices.co.uk

Abacus Ambulance Service

Tel: 01702 543254

www.bondairservices.com

Tel: 01268 569800

Alpha Medical Tel: 01245 345175

A4 Medical Transport Service

Tel: 07973 155259

Bond Air Services Ltd Tel: 01452 856007

C&D Ambulance Service

London Oxford Airport, Langford Lane, Kidlington OX5 1RA Tel: 01865 842887 jane@airmed.co.uk Contact: Jane Topliss www.airmed.co.uk

80 Whitley Wood Road, Reading RG2 8JE Tel: 01183 240228 richard@1stresponsemedical.co.uk Contact: Richard Lush www.1stresponsemedical.co.uk

www.bluestarmedicalservices.co.uk

44 Moorfields, London EC2Y 9AL Tel: 0844 871 11 11 ambulancesupport@redcross.org.uk www.redcross.org.uk

Airmedical Limited

Tel: 01216 046555

Tel: 01622 205101

British Red Cross (UK Office)

Airedale General Hospital Skipton Road, Steeton, Keighley BD20 6TD Tel: 01535 652511 denise.raven@anhst.nhs.uk Contact: Denise Raven

1st Response Medical Services is a growing independent ambulance service based in Berkshire. It provides a full range of services from event medical services to film and television cover, as well as traditional ambulance services for the NHS and private individuals such as 999 cover, HDU transport, international repatriation, both land and air, and emergency patient transport. 1st Response Medical Services’ senior management team is all clinical, which ensures patient care remains its focus.

The service is quickly becoming recognised in the industry as a company that provides professionalism and quality.

Blue Star Medical Services Limited

Tel: 01623 870312

www.ambulance-services.com

Banbury Private Ambulance Service Limited Tel: 07941021612

www.banburyambulance.co.uk

Bears Tel: 02084 572965

Brightside Emergency Care Services is a specialist ambulance and first aid provider with locations in Sheffield and Uttoxeter, covering the north of England, the Midlands and the south. The company has specific aims of providing a broad professional medical service, from event first aid to ambulance services, which includes repatriations, bariatrics, patient transfer and emergency call outs. Brightside also offers specialist training for the public and private sectors. Its core values are quality service, responsive to the individual’s needs, from patient-centred care to the skills and contributions of its staff.

116 Jenkin Avenue, Sheffield South Yorkshire S9 1AP Tel: 0788490312/07973729404 info@brightsideemergencycare.co.uk Clinical Lead/Director: Matthew Rhodes www.brightsideemergencycare.co.uk

www.bears-pts.co.uk

Every effort has been made to ensure this information is correct at the time of publication – the publishers take no responsibility for any inaccuracies and welcome any information that would update the details that appear here.

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Central Ambulance Training Service

County Durham Emergency Medical Services

DGW First Aid

Tel: 0845 1707 999

Tel: 01388 720512

Tel: 01946 822284

www.catsfirstaidtraining.co.uk

www.countydurhamems.co.uk

Central Medical Services

Critical Care Transfers Limited – Dartford

10 Ryecroft St, Brighton, East Sussex BN50 8AS Tel: Office: 0845 388 8485 jonathan.poole@centralmedicalservices.co.uk Director: Jonathan Poole

Tel: 0845 475 0547

www.cctransfers.co.uk

Criticare UK Ambulance Service Limited Tel: 08454 097350

www.criticareuk.net

Chloe Care Limited

Crusader Medical Services Limited

Tel: 07925 190915

Tel: 01752 695678

The Civil Volunteers Organisation

Dartmoor Medical Services Limited

Tel: 01484 301213

Tel: 07830 123973

www.cvo.org.uk

2 The Buildings, Maddington Farm, Chittern Road, Shrewton Salisbury, SP3 4JP Tel: 07851 381779 info@collingwoodmedicalservices.co.uk Contact: Dean Collingwood www.collingwoodmedicalservices.co.uk

105 Greenleaf Gardens, Polegate BN26 6PH Tel: 01273 300883 infodedicare2009@yahoo.co.uk Contact: Sharon Holland www.dedicatedcare.co.uk

Derbyshire Event First Aid

Concordia Ambulatory Care Services Ltd www.concordiahealth.co.uk

Connop & Connop Medical Services Limited Tel: 07970 365379

www.ccmedicalservices.co.uk

Coperforma Limited Eastlands 2, London Road, Basingstoke RG21 4AW Tel: 01256 693108 ella.waring@coperforma.co.uk Contact: Ella Waring www.coperforma.co.uk

www.dartmoormedical.ne

Dedicated Care Ltd Private Ambulance Service

Collingwood Medical Services

Tel: 02031 894604

www.crusaderambulance.co.uk

Hospital Logistics Centre, 3 Premier Park Road, London NW10 7NZ Tel: 02089 633700 david.mason@dhl.com Contact: David Mason www.dhl.com

Docklands Medical Services Tel: 02030 868782

www.docklandsmedicalservices.co.uk

East Anglian Air Ambulance Hangar E, Gambling Close, Norwich NR6 6EG Tel: 08450 669999 diana.jakubowska@eaaa.org.uk Contact: Diana Jakubowska www.eaaa.org.uk

Elite Event Medical Services Ltd Tel: 08454 594861

www.eliteefms.co.uk

Tel: 07999 655815

Elite Medical Services (UK) Limited

Devon & Cornwall Police

Tel: 07833 473747

www.elitemedicalservices.co.uk

Tel: 01392 452392

EMC Medical Services Limited

Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance

Tel: 08450 035663

33 Dakota Road, East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington Derby DE74 2SA Tel: 02276 214569 charlotte.parker@theairambulanceservices.org.uk Press Officer: Charlotte Parker

London’s second ambulance service For over a decade Medical Services has been providing non-emergency patient transport services to the NHS and private healthcare providers in England and Wales.

In 2000, the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust provided almost all the healthcare transport services in London, both emergency and non-urgent; over 10 years on, the independent sector provides nearly all the non-emergency patient transport services in London and, as the largest provider, Medical Services is London’s second ambulance service.

Over the last four years, following the success of competitive tendering in London, contracts and opportunities have been emerging throughout the rest of the country. Medical Services, with ambulance stations across England and Wales, is looking forward to the challenges of expanding across the UK and building on the success of its service to include higher levels of clinical care.

Medical Services provides a trusted, reliable, cost effective and technologically advanced patient transport service to 30 NHS trusts. The company does not provide event support or repatriation services, nor does it support the emergency ambulance services. Instead, Medical Services has built its service and its reputation by specialising in non-emergency patient transport and becoming the industry leader, with 800 frontline staff, more ambulances than some NHS trusts and an annual turnover of £30m that matches the highest NHS PTS services.

Paramedic Transfer Service By serving patients with a range of mobilities – from older people who require assistance for routine medical appointments, to patients with chronic conditions who require frequent journeys, bariatric patients, wheelchair users, stretcher bound patients, discharged patients and inter-hospital transfers – Medical Services has built a solid reputation for delivering excellent, responsive patient care. Now, in response to its clients’ requests and building on the excellent service it has provided for the past decade, the company is offering a Paramedic Transfer Service to support patients with more complex clinical needs. This adds an added level of clinical care to the services on offer and allows Medical Services to take on full-time paramedic staff.

The career opportunities on offer to paramedic staff joining Medical Services are unique. Not only does the company offer Monday to Friday shift patterns and a competitive salary but as the landscape for independent sector provision shifts and more opportunities for delivering higher levels of clinical care arise, team leader and management opportunities will follow. Medical Services requires paramedics to become key partners in helping its service to grow and improving the quality of care.

There is growth and opportunity in the independent patient transport sector and Medical Services is at the forefront, developing its services in response to the NHS’s needs and building on its reputation for excellent, cost-effective patient care. www.medicalservicesuk.com

DHL Suppy Chain – Hospital Transport Services

www.999emc.com

Emergency Medical Transfers Limited Tel: 01708 804825

www.emtltd.net

Emergency Response Services Limited Tel: 08455 202999

www.ersgroup.co.uk

Emergency Response Systems Limited Tel: 01275 333500

www.emergencyresponsesystems.co.uk

Emergency, Medical, Fire and Rescue Solutions Tel: 0161 688 6280

www.ambulance-solutions.com

EMTATS LTD Tel: 441482 218904

ERS Patient Transport Services Limited Tel: 08455 202999

Contact: John Butterfield

ESFAC Limited Tel: 01283 552232

www.esfac.org.uk

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust The Business Centre, Earls Colne Business Park Earls Colne, Colchester CO6 2US Tel: 0845 2417690 contactus@ehaat.uk.com Contact: Hannah Ashby www.ehaat.uk.com

Euromed Ambulance Tel: 01375 840808

www.euromedambulance.com

European Medical Services Limited Woodthorne, The Common, Charter Alley, Tadley RG26 5PY Tel: 01256 889990 bob.nugent@emsmedic.net Contact: Bob Nugent www.emsmedic.net

Event EMS Tel: 07092 044923

www.event-ems.co.uk

Event Fire and Medical Services Tel: 07738 365267

Event Medic Services – Burgess Hil 44 Inholmes Park Road, Burgess Hill RH15 0JE Tel: 01444 230856 mike@eventmedicservices.co.uk Contact: Mike Crockford www.eventmedicservices.co.uk

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The Event Medicine Company Ltd

Event Medical Services

First Care Ambulance

Tel: 01535 670648

www.eventmedic.co.uk

Event Paramedics Limited Pippin Cottage, 2 Cow Lane, Godmanchester, Huntingdon PE29 2EJ Tel: 01480 457404 rick@eventparamedics.co.uk www.eventparamedics.co.uk

Event Paramedic Services

Freshxposure Limited

Events Medical Services Limited

Unit D, Central Estate, Albert Road Aldershot GU11 1SZ Tel: 01252 313005 brian.robertson@theeventmedicinecompany.co.uk Contact: Brian Robertson www.eventmedicinecompany.co.uk

www.firstchoicemedicalservices.org

Tel: 01842 821446

Frontline Partners International LLP

Tel: 08445 866009 www.eventsmedical.co.uk

Tel: 01962 735955

Express Ways Limited Tel: 08456 121212

First Choice Medical Services Tel: 0113 8598 999

Tel: 07758 350064 www.eventparamedicservices.com

The Event Medicine Company provides comprehensive, high quality medical cover to events of all types and sizes around the UK. The company has expertise in a wide range of events, including air shows, equestrian, road running, triathlon, plus other sporting and corporate events. The company’s doctors, nurses, paramedics and ambulance staff have appropriate expertise and it can provide whatever level of cover is required, from a first aid post to a 50-bed field hospital.

The Event Medicine Company can also provide contingency planning services and facilitate multi-agency tabletop and other exercises. The company can also provide first aid and other bespoke medical training.

6 Wellwood Gardens, High Meadows, Exeter EX4 1RH Tel: 01392 438522 peterlord@btconnect.com Contact: Peter Lord www.first-care.org.uk

www.expressways.co.uk

E-Zec Medical Transport HQ Redhill Tel: 01737 822782

www.e-zec.co.uk

www.medrescint.com

G & A Southcoast Ambulance Service Tel: 01737 353333

G4S Integrated Services – Broadway www.g4s.com/uk

F.A.S.T. Ambulance Services Ltd Tel: 01373 831776 Contact: Tony Morrison

Felixstowe Dock & Railway Company Tel: 01394 604500

www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk

Fire and Medical Services Limited Tel: 01489 782447

GB Emergency Medical Services Limited Tel: 07040 900508

www.fireandmedical.co.uk

First Aid Medical Services Ltd 80-88 Eyre Lane, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S1 4RB Tel: 07729 010034 famsltd@aol.com Director: Martin Steer www.firstaidmedicalservices.co.uk

www.gbems.co.uk

Gloucester Event Medics Tel: 01452 721729 or 07773 618869 www.gloucestereventmedics.co.uk

Great North Air Ambulance Service The Imperial Centre, Grange Road Darlington DL1 5NQ Tel: 01325 487263 jim2@greatnorthairambulance.co.uk Contact: Jim Entwistle www.greatnorthairambulance.co.uk

Emergency Services Times June 2012

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Harley Street Ambulance Service Limited

IAS Medical Limited

Tel: 02082 084440 www.harleystreetambulanceservice.co.uk

Tel: 08700 421465

Intrim Medical & Rescue www.iasmedical.com

Ikon Ambulance Service Limited

HART First Response

Tel: 08458 626911

66 Church Road, Fleet GU51 4LY Tel: 01252 629132 admin@hartresponse.org.uk Contact: Graham Brown www.hartfirstresponse.org.uk

www.ikonambulance.co.uk

IMA Lifeline Tel: 01827 261144

www.imalifeline.com

Immediate Care Medical Services

Healthcare and Transport Services

Newhall Court, 47 George Street Birmingham B3 1QA Tel: 0121 200 3086 enquiries@immediatecaremedical.co.uk Director: Julie McKeever www.immediatecaremedical.co.uk

Tel: 02086 054400

Hearts Ambulance Service 207 Trumper Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 5JX Tel: 01438 210773/07505117893 wdwhelan@yahoo.co.uk Operations Director: William Whelan

Tel: 01923 894212

Contact: Bill Hodnett

Heathrow Air Ambulance HQ www.heathrowairambulance.com

Orchard Cottage, Brighton Road, Lewes BN7 3JJ Tel: 01273 479999 sue@ambulanceservice.gb.com Contact: Sue Hilton www.ambulanceservice.gb.com

Inter-County Ambulance Service Limited Tel: 01753 892999

Human Touch Training & Care Limited www.humantouchuk.com

Huxstep Care Services European House Aviation Park West Bournemouth Airport, Christchurch BH23 6EA Tel: 01202 571235 ambulance@huxstepcare.co.uk Contact: Chris Huxstep www.huxstepcare.co.uk

www.intercountyambulance.com

Inter-County Paramedic Limited 35 Crab Tree Hill, Little Eaton, Derby DE21 5DL Tel: 01332 830629 or 07774 904910 enquiries@intercounty-paramedic.co.uk Operations Director: Mark Stevens www.intercounty-paramedic.co.uk

16 Shilling Way, Long Eaton, Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG10 3QN Tel: 07746 586772 intrim-medical@hotmail.co.uk Director / EMT: Mark Burton www.intrim-medical.com

International SOS Assistance UK Limited Tel: 02087 628008

www.internationalsos.com

AirMed Air Ambulance – worldwide aeromedical transfers AirMed is the UK’s leading fixed wing air ambulance company. Based in Oxford with a fleet of six air ambulance aircraft, the company is ideally placed for not only its worldwide operations, but also for all secondary transfers within the UK and Europe.

All transfers carried out by AirMed are consultant-led and all team members are highly trained in aeromedical operations and cover specialties such as obstetrics, paediatrics, neonatalogy and intensive care. During 2011, AirMed transported 600 patients with over 32 percent being critical care. Many of these transfers were on behalf of the NHS and ambulance trusts to transport patients for step up care at the specialist centres and also to transfer them back to their local trust once specialist treatment had been completed. Other missions included emergency medical evacuations and repatriations from places like Uganda, Ascension Island, Kazakhstan, Brunei, the US, Thailand and Goa. AirMed is registered with the Care Quality Commission (England) for all of the regulated activities required to enable it to provide full medical care on board the aircraft for intensive care transfers. In addition, AirMed was awarded ‘Special Care’ Accreditation by EURAMI (European Aeromedical Institute) in 2010. This, combined with being a fully approved provider to the NHS and MoD, assures all clients that the highest possible standards of care are given and attention to detail is second to none.

AirMed's perinatal service was launched in March 2011 and since then has transported over 40 highrisk obstetric and neonatal cases, including two sets of twins. AirMed has three fully integrated incubator systems (two BabyPods and one Draeger), allowing it complete flexibility in the carriage of mother and baby, either in-utero or following birth.

AirMed can also provide all of your aeromedical training needs. www.airmed.co.uk

Intrim Medical & Rescue Services Ltd is based in the heart of the East Midlands on the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire borders. The company is able to provide an efficient and effective service within the pre-hospital setting, yet at a competitive price. Intrim also provides services supplying all grades of staff for anything from small events, to major public gatherings, and repatriations. The company is able to provide NHS support services with a range of rapid response vehicles, ambulances and cycle responders, and industrial rescue teams for both planned and emergency missions.

In-Pulse Medical Services Limited

Hearts First Aid Training Ltd – Base

Tel: 01753 654751

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Ise Valley Ambulance Service 46 Brambleside Court, Kettering NN16 9BY Tel: 07899 951344 isevalleyambu@aol.com Contact: Nigel Labrum www.isevalleyambulance.com

JonAcc Services Tel: 08443 575258

www.JonAccAmbulance.co.uk

Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Trust Headquarters Tel: 01622 833833 www.kentsurreysussexairambulance.co.uk

Lifecare Medics Headquarters Tel: 01483 542360

www.lifecare-medics.co.uk

LIFELINE Medical Transport Service Ltd Barrington Road, Bedlington, Northumberland NE22 7AH Tel: 03335778899 malcolm@lmts.co.uk Contact: Malcolm Peverley www.lmts.co.uk

Lifestar Medical Limited 35 Penair View, Truro TR1 1XR Tel: 01872 264842 or 07747 830724 lifestarmedicalltd@virginmedia.com www.lifestarmedical.co.uk

Lincolnshire Integrated Voluntary Emergency Service The War Memorial Centre, North Street, Horncastle LN9 5DX Tel: 01507 525999 pmartin@lives-responders.co.uk Contact: Paul Martin www.lives-responders.co.uk

Location Medical Services Ltd The Medical Centre, Shepperton Studios, Studio Road, Shepperton, Middlesex TW17 0QD Tel: 08707509898 dan@locationmedical.com Director: Daniel Melhuish www.locationmedical.com

Emergency Services Times June 2012

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Emergency Services Times June 2012

| 43

44 | INDEPENDENT AMBULANCE M & S Ambulance Service Ltd Tel: 01488 638345

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ML Services and Training Limited www.msmedical.co.uk

Tel: 07789 685791

M+M Medical Services

Mobilecare Limited

Manchester Medical Services, nit 3, Greenside business Estate, Greenside Lane, Droylsden, Manchester M43 7AJ Tel: 01612 449994 sales@mmse.co.uk Contact: Phil Warren www.mmse.co.uk

Tel: 07885 557888

Medevent Limited

Tel: 01977 671399

Tel: 01484 510321

Motorsport Vision – Snetterton Circuit Tel: 01953 887303

Multi Health Medical Services UK Limited

www.medevent.com

Network Medical LLP

Medevent Medical Services Ltd

Tel: 01234 840605

Tel: 01622 663247

North Chiltern Ambulance Service

www.medeventmedicalservicesltd.co.uk

www.aeromedical.aero

Tel: 07540 688015

www.medexpress.org.uk

Medical Response Services Tel: 01942 217395

www.emrs.co.uk

Unit 6-8, Twelvetrees Business Park, Twelvetrees Crescent, London E3 3JQ Tel: 020 7014 1050 www.medicalservicesuk.com

Medical Solutions GB Limited

Tel: 01482 881803

Ambulance HQ, Showfield Lane, Malton, Yorkshire YO17 6BT Tel: 0870 855 4472 robert@medical.eu.com www.medical.eu.com

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust

16 Lily Green Lane, Brockhill, Redditch B97 6TZ Tel: 03305 550000 phil@ambulance.co.uk Contact: Phil Watson

Trust Headquarters, Ladybridge Hall, 399 Chorley New Road, Bolton BL1 5DD Tel: 01204 498400 info@nwas.nhs.uk www.nwas.nhs.uk

Medical Transfer Ambulance Service Limited Tel: 01132 501153

North England Medical Hyperbaric Ambulance Service (NEMHS) North of England Ambulance Service

Medical Services Limited

Northampton Emergency Aid Team

Contact: Barry Hamblin

Medicmart999 UK

Tel: 07749 971828 or 0845 052 9446 www.neat-scouts.org.uk

Contact: Valerie Price

Medicar Private Ambulance Service Tel: 01255 860453

www.medicar.org.uk

Medics UK Limited

Longs Business Centre, 232a Fakenham Road Taverham, Norwich NR8 6QW Tel: 01603 869032 john.banbury@norvicgroup.co.uk Contact: John Banbury www.norvicgroup.co.uk

Paramedico Corespondence Event Cover

Tel: 07837 210050

www.medicsuk.net

Medics24 Limited Sussex Suite, House 3, Lynderswood Farm, Lynderswood Lane, Black Notley, Braintree CM77 8JT Tel: 01245 363699 info@medics24.co.uk Contact: tony@medics24.co.uk www.medics24.co.uk

www.medidriveplus.com

Mediforce Ltd Tel: 0845 456 2223

www.mediforce.org

Mediprop EMS Tel: 0161 344 1234

info@mediprop.co.uk

Medisec Ambulance Service www.medisec-ambulance.co.uk

Meditech UK Ambulance Service Limited www.meditech-ambulance.co.uk

Medroc Limited - West Midlands Tel: 0845 370 3570

www.medroc.org

Merlin First Aid Services Ltd 1 Parc Thomas, Carmarthen, Dyfed SA31 1DP Tel: 01267 238088 enquiries@msg-mfas.co.uk Operations Manager / EMT: Robert Umney

On Set Medical Support Services

Paramedico Ltd supplies medical/first aid cover for all types of events from small fetes and festivals, nightclubs, shopping centres and school sports to large concerts. Paramedico has the resources to cover your event with its own ambulances, quad bikes and cycles plus set up fully equipped first aid posts, both small and large. Paramedico is registered with the CQC (Care Quality Commission) as well as being registered to train staff in health and safety first aid at work courses from full three-day courses or one-day emergency first aid at work, including the two-day requalification or the annual fourhour refresher course.

16 Croydon Road, West Wickham, Kent BR4 9HT Tel: 0208 6565956 amedcraft@paramedico.info Director: Allan Medcraft www.paramedico-events.co.uk

MITIE Security Limited www.mitie.com

NSL Ltd 7 Park Plaza, Battlefield Enterprise Park, Shrewsbury Shropshire SY3 9DF Tel: 01743 465565 kate.lawson@nslcareservices.co.uk Business Manager: Kate Lawson www.nslcareservices.co.uk

Pinewood Studios, Pinewood Road, Iver Heath SL0 0NH Tel: 01753 630388 info@onsetmedical.co.uk Contact: Paul Cook www.onsetmedical.co.uk

Medidriveplus Ltd Tel: 07929 843178

Tel: 01332 246692

Sunny Court, Sawbridge Road, Grandborough, Rugby CV23 8DJ Tel: 01788 816192 info@phoenix-ambulance.co.uk Contact: Jo Bates www.phoenix-ambulance.co.uk

Norvic Ambulance Services Limited

24 Curlew Grove, Stanground Peterborough PE2 8SP Tel: 01733 347771 medicmart999@btinternet.com

Tel: 01732 887430

Phoenix Ambulance is a privately owned, Warwickshire-based company providing a uniformed, caring and professional service.

The company is able to transfer stretcher and wheelchair passengers and can provide services, including: transfers to and from hospital outpatient appointments; transfers to, or discharges from, hospitals; and local and long distance disabled and patient transport nationwide.

Phoenix Ambulance’s aim is to treat each passenger as an individual. The company’s priority at all times is its passengers’ comfort and peace of mind and it aims to give a service that exceeds its clients’ expectations. The company’s crews have first aid training and are trained to administer oxygen if necessary.

Tel: 01296 422873

Medexpress Limited

Tel: 07846 856850

Phoenix Private Ambulance Service Limited

www.mlservices.org.uk

Patient Transport, Colindale 15 Capitol Way Industrial Estate Colindale NW9 0EQ Tel: 020 8441 8122 m.barnes@patient-transport.co.uk Contact: Malcolm Barnes www.patient-transport.co.uk

Peak Medicare Ltd Tel: 07979 640198

www.peakmedicare.co.uk

Phoenix Medical South West Tel: 07811 266862

www.phoenixmedicalsw.org

Plymouth Central Ambulance Service Limited Tel: 01752 695400 www.plymouthcentralambulance.co.uk

Portsmouth Medical Services Limited Unit 12, 6- 8 Rodney Road, Southsea, Portsmouth PO6 8BF Tel: 07040 901470 gary.oakley@portsmouthmedicalservices.co.uk Managing Director: Gary Oakley www.portsmouth-medical.co.uk

Emergency Services Times June 2012

INDEPENDENT AMBULANCE | 45

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PP Transport Services

Savoy Ambulance Service

Tel: 0121 457 6751

www.pptransport.co.uk

Tel: 01322 389 393

www.savoyventures.com

Pre Med Health Care Limited

Selkent Ambulance Service

Tel: 01344 751699

Tel: 01634 373060

www.premedhealthcare.ltd.uk

Severn Ambulance

Jupiter Business Park, Units 17 & 18, 353 Bentley Road Bentley DN5 9TL Tel: 01302 787499 pcd-dncs@premiercaredirect.com Contact: David Osborne www.premiercaredirect.com

Tel: 01454 880840

Primary Ambulance Services Limited

Unit 4 Canal Bridge Ind Est, Byfleet Road New Haw, Surrey KT15 3JE Tel: 01483 801270 roger.fuller@surreyambulance.co.uk Chief Ambulance Officer: Roger Fuller www.surreyambulanceservice.co.uk

www.severnambulance.org.uk

www.simcas.org.uk

Surrey Ambulance Service

www.primecareambulanceservice.co.uk

Sloane Helicopters Limited

Want Medical Services

Tel: 01604 790595

Tel: 08443 578214

www.sloanehelicopters.com

Southern Medical Services [2008] Limited

Pro Medicus Ltd

Tel: 0207 3777150

Unit 2, Thrales End Business Centre, Thrales End Lane, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 3NS Tel: 01582 969313 pro.medicus@ntlworld.com www.promedicus-harpenden.co.uk

Special Ambulance Transfer Service Limited

SRCL Limited St James Ambulance Service

www.quadmedical.co.uk

www.rapidandsecure.co.uk

Reliance Secure Task Management Limited Tel: 01179 336600

www.showmed.com

www.wolverest-group.com

X9 Services Limited Unit 4, The Orbital Centre, Southend Road Woodford Green, Essex IG8 8HH Tel: 07807 702171 paul.wilks@x9services.com Sales Director: Paul Wilks www.x9services.com

Tel: 01202 821999

27 St Johns Lane, London EC1 4BU Tel: 0207 324 4000 E-mail: ambulance-services@sja.org.uk Contact: Rachel Smith www.sja.org.uk

Tel: 0207 272 7878

Zone 2 Zone Transport Ltd YorMed – York Office

Star Care Services Superior Ambulance Services

15 Ingram Road, Melksham SN12 7JH Tel: 07515 665352 kevin@tapmedical.com www.tapmedical.com

Taurean Medical Services Tel: 01684 275437

www.taurean.org.uk

www.rowanmedical.co.uk

SPTS Salisbury Patient Transport Services

www.wingsmedical.com

Wolverest Medical Services Tel: 07725 978677

www.rivieraambulance.co.uk

Rowan Medical Services

29 Ancient Way, Salisbury SP2 8TE Tel: 01722 502987 iainwright@salisburypts.co.uk Contact: Iain Wright www.salisburypts.co.uk

Wings Ambulance Service – Bristol Tel: 0117 9720999

T A P Medical Limited

Riviera Ambulance Service – Control Office

Tel: 01242 232724

Western Medical (UK) Limited Tel: 01535 633125

PO Box 5299, Brighton BN50 8AS Tel: 08453 888485 info@sussexmedicalservices.co.uk Director: Jon Garner www.sussexmedicalservices.co.uk

The Risk Practice Ltd

Tel: 01803 323618

Fire & Rescue Building, Coventry Airport, Baginton Coventry CV8 3AZ Tel: 84554 130999 charlotte.parker@theairambulanceservice.org.uk Press officer: Charlotte Parker www.wnaa.co.uk

Sussex Medical Service Limited

Remote Medical Services Limited 51 Freshfields, Spindletree Avenue Manchester M9 7HQ Tel: 08455 190799 info@remotemedicalservices.co.uk www.remotemedicalservices.co.uk

www.wantmedical.co.uk

Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance

St John Ambulance

Tel: 0115 938 2391

www.londonsairambulance.com

XL Ambulance Service

www.qdespatch.com

Rapid & Secure Limited

Tel: 01604 781722

www.srcl.com

Tel: 07890 261172

Quad Medical Limited

Tel: 01454 281141

Specialist Aviation Services Limited and its Subsidiary

Tel: 01270 539860

Q Despatch (West) Limited

Tel: 07904 706660

Sovereign Hospital Services Limited

Tel: 01452 857999

PO Box 684, East Ardsley, Wakefield WF3 2WG Tel: 07955 538999 Enquiries@procare999.co.uk Contact: Gavin Mountain www.procare999.co.uk

Tel: 0207 4249559

www.southernmedicalservices.co.uk

152-154 Coles Green Road, Staples Corner, London NW2 7HD Tel: 0208 438 6365 or 07917 773076 info@sats.uk.com Contact: Andrew Minnis www.sats.uk.com

Procare Ambulance Service

www.ml-ambulance.co.uk

Virgin HEMS (London) Limited Tel: 0207 377 7256

Tel: 01444 244614

www.esfac.org.uk

UK Specialist Ambulance Services Limited UK Event Medical Services Ltd

Unit 1, Goings Wharf, Colchester Road, Heybridge, Maldon CM9 4UT Tel: 01621 856731 info@1stmedicare.co.uk Director: Jeanette Stilts

Tel: 01283 552232

www.trust-medical.co.uk

Tel: 07989 507622

Tel: 01962 774999

Pro-Medical 2002 Limited

Trust Medical Emergency Services Limited

Tel: 0333 240 7411

Southern Country Ambulance Service

Private Ambulance Service Hainault Limited

www.trans-medical.co.uk

Tel: 08700 418141

Tel: 01323 848494

Prime Care Ambulance Service

Trans-Medical Ambulance Service Tel: 02380 559992

SIMCAS

10 Western Road, Romford, Essex RM1 3JT Tel: 020 8592 1746 david@primaryambulanceservices.co.uk Director: David Root www.primaryambulanceservices.co.uk

Tel: 07702 107018

Tel: 01908 642900 www.thamesvalleyambulance.co.uk

www.selkentambulance.co.uk

Premier Care Direct

Thames Valley Ambulance & Paramedic Service Limited

Thames Ambulance Service Limited Thames House, Charfleets Service Road Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0PA Tel: 01268 512005 / 07944 211450 rob.ashford@thamesgroupuk.com CEO: Rob Ashford www.thamesgroupuk.com

Emergency Services Times June 2012

YorMed is an independent ambulance service, based in the City of York. Over the past five years the service has organically expanded to meet the needs of its NHS and private clients. YorMed’s capabilities include the provision of emergency ambulances for frontline and urgent contracts, as well as non-emergency transport.

A dedicated cycle response unit assists in the provision of emergency care in city centres and at large mass gatherings, while an established team of paramedic instructors is able to facilitate all types of ambulance and CPD training.

Other services on offer include event cover and organ transport.

Unit 16, York Eco Business Centre, Amy Johnson Way, Clifton Moor, York YO30 4AG Tel: 01904 819018 info@yormed.co.uk Contact: Ashley Mason www.yormed.co.uk

46 | INDEPENDENT AMBULANCE Organisation 1st Response Medical Services Limited Aero Medical Ambulance Service AFJ Airedale General Hospital Airmedical Limited Alpha Care Ambulance Service Limited Ambicorp Limited Ambulance & Medical Support Services - Ambulance Station Sandhurst Ambulance UK t/a St Bridget's Ambulance Service Blue Star Medical Services Limited Brightside Emergency Care British Red Cross UK Office Capital Air Charter CEGA Air Ambulance UK Limited Central Medical Services Collingwood Medical Services Coperforma Limited Dedicated Care Ltd Private Ambulance Service Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance DHL Suppy Chain - Hospital Transport Services East Anglian Air Ambulance Essex And Herts Air Ambulance Trust European Medical Services Limited Event Medic Services - Burgess Hil Event Paramedic Services Event Paramedics Limited First Aid Medical Services Ltd First Care Ambulance Great North Air Ambulance Service HART First Response Hearts Ambulance Service Huxstep Care Services Immediate Care Medical Services In-Pulse Medical Services Limited Inter-County Paramedic Limited Intrim Medical & Rescue Services Limited Ise Valley Ambulance Service LIFELINE Medical Transport Service Ltd Lifestar Medical Limited Lincolnshire Integrated Voluntary Emergency Service Location Medical Services Ltd Manchester Medical Services MBS Medical Limited Medical Aviation Services Ltd Medical Services Limited Medical Solutions GB Limited Medicmart999 UK Medics24 Limited Merlin First Aid Services Ltd North of England Ambulance Service North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust Norvic Ambulance Services Limited NSL Ltd On Set Medical Support Services Paramedico Corespondence Event Cover Patient Transport, Colindale Phoenix Private Ambulance Service Limited Portsmouth Medical Services Limited Premier Care Direct Primary Ambulance Services Limited Private Ambulance Service Hainault Limited Pro Medicus Ltd Procare Ambulance Service Remote Medical Services Limited S.E.S Ambulance Service S.P.T.S. Salisbury Patient Transport Services Special Ambulance Transfer Service Limited St John Ambulance Service Sussex Medical Service Limited T A P Medical Limited The Event Medicine Company Ltd Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance X9 Services Limited YorMed

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Every effort has been made to ensure this information is correct at the time of publication – the publishers take no responsibility for any inaccuracies and welcome any information that would update the details that appear here.

Emergency Services Times June 2012

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PPE | 47

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Armadillo Merino® – working with nature’s performance fibre We live in a synthetic dominated world where we have been led to believe that man-made is superior to natural products. We have forgotten the complexity and versatility of nature in providing the essentials we need for survival.

Armadillo Merino® specialises in next-to-skin protective clothing using the natural protective and performance properties of merino wool.

Armadillo Merino® is bringing nature’s technology back to the forefront by combining innovation with an increased knowledge of natural fibres and modern manufacturing techniques to produce a new category of performance clothing.

Wool is nature’s performance fibre and has been protecting man against the extremes of climate for centuries but lost favour during the last 40 years as synthetics captured our interest. But, the wool industry has been revolutionised over recent years with the wools and fabrics of today being significantly different from yesteryear. It’s no longer itchy, scratchy and hard to care for – selective breeding of fine wool merino sheep has led to the production of superfine fabrics with softness, strength and easy care properties in functional multi-purpose garments.

“A layer of merino knit next to the skin will improve the feeling of comfort for users and helps towards maintaining a more stable core body temperature in demanding environments.”

pushed to the limits during the UK riots in August 2011 where operational effectiveness was compromised by their layering system. Wicking fabrics have limitations as wicking only works if layered properly and moisture and heat can be released into the environment.

Did you know merino wool is able to thermoregulate and absorb up to 35 percent of its weight as moisture without feeling wet. A layer of merino knit next to the skin will improve the feeling of comfort for users and helps towards maintaining a more stable core body temperature in demanding environments.

Military – sweat and ease of care Soldiers on weekly patrols take multiple shirts, which are changed to overcome odour issues. But sweat doesn’t stink? Our bodies stink because micro-bacteria feed on the salt and moisture we perspire. Did you know you could wear a merino garment 24/7 and not produce odour, naturally?

Armadillo Merino® garments are also easy care and can be washed normally.

Armadillo Merino® is a specialist clothing brand offering merino wool base layer and first layer garments to professional risk takers. The garments combine technical merino knit fabrics with comfortable styling and strong construction for superior protection, performance and comfort.

The fire and rescue service – heat and flames Have you seen skin injuries from synthetic garments melting onto the skin? The hi-tech synthetic t-shirts with wicking properties popularised by sportswear brands are life threatening for anyone in emergency services. A small flame or a burst of heat is all it takes to create molten plastic that burns into the skin – so why wear them?

Did you know merino wool has natural FR properties up to 600°C and it doesn’t melt, drip or stick to the skin? Wearing a merino wool layer will give you increased confidence in your protection against heat and flames.

The police – heat and moisture All emergency responders experience heat exhaustion and excess moisture. UK police were

Search and rescue service – cold and wet The sweat/chill cycle has to be managed when working for extended hours in a cold or wet environment. Your skin is your thermometer and influences your effectiveness and ability to perform.

Most people know cotton kills in the cold by drawing heat from the body. People also understand merino can keep you warm but merino also works effectively when wet by removing moisture towards maintaining the skin’s temperature, greatly reducing the impact of the sweat/stand situation.

www.armadillomerino.com

Author: Andy Caughey, Armadillo Merino® Merino wool has natural FR properties up to 600°C and it doesn’t melt.

Emergency Services Times June 2012

48 | PPE

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Rosenbauer HEROS Range fast becoming the UK standard

Innovation through knowhow and practical knowledge

During the past five years Rosenbauer has rolled out 28,000 HEROS-xtreme helmets into the UK fire and rescue service as the UK continues to put its faith in the superb comfort, protection and efficiency of the Rosenbauer products.

The HEROS-xtreme is now operational throughout the UK, from the most northern brigade in Scotland down to the most southern tip of England and most in between, which symbolises the efficient supply, wherever the brigade is situated.

Positive recognition Rosenbauer Vice President Hans Detzlhofer said, “Worldwide, the HEROS-xtreme is performing over and above our competitors in the same field, but such acknowledgement and positive recognition from the UK, where we have such high quality, professional fire and rescue services, is a great honour and it’s great to know we’re protecting the firefighters over and above the levels of protection which they’ve seen before.”

The new Airpower® G3 from HAIX® is a great example of customised shoe development. It showcases a re-interpretation of the classic Velcro fastening system, bringing innovation to the market – no more tying shoe laces, no zipping up of zip fasteners, just secure the Velcro fasteners and forget it. This re-developed system combines perfect hold with the ability to put the shoe on extremely quickly.

HAIX® Airpower G3 MID, secure and comfortable with innovative Velcro® closure system.

Protection against heat, bacteria The integrated CROSSTECH® membrane technology from Gore® is breathable and watertight, like the well-known GoreTex® membrane, but with a significant safety advantage with regards to other liquids, including blood, and even protects against bacteria and viruses. This chemical resistant membrane is incorporated precisely between the upper leather and the lining in the shoe, with a special welding process ensuring an absolutely secure ‘seam’. The three-layer membrane (four-layer for fire fighting applications) covers a minimum of 75 percent of the boot’s inner height and is also integrated into a shoe version (the G3 Low).

The toecap of the Airpower G3 MID is also equipped with a ribbed rubber top cap. This makes this area extremely wear-resistant and also offers additional protection.

Stability is one of the most important points with

regards to safety and the shoe itself. HAIX® is one of the few shoe manufacturers that develops its own soles. The company can draw upon a wealth of experience with regards to firefighter boots where the sole is one of the most important safety factors.

Before a sole model goes into use, it is put through its paces in the Haix® testing lab, where the sliding coefficient is determined on different floor coverings (dry and wet) along with the flexibility and durability in week-long endurance testing. The Airpower G3 MID provides a firm footing using a sole derived from the firefighter premium segment with two rubber hardenings and a special tread.

Musculoskeletal support The Arch Support System is integrated into the shoe construction. It uses an anatomical shape to optimise support for the joints while at the same time providing excellent cushioning for each step.

Naturally, other, well-known HAIX® features are also used from the Airpower® series, including the washable inlay soles, an anatomical insole, the extrawide toecap (S3) and the optimal fit.

The SUN REFLECT system, which is integrated into the leather, helps ensure climate comfort in the shoe along with the KLIMATIC system – a major advantage when constantly switching between indoor and outdoor areas.

“Viewed overall, it is not about the individual systems, but rather how they work together, the harmony of the whole which together make up a well-made and safe shoe,” says Andreas Himmelreich, Head Developer at HAIX. “In this regard HAIX is the specialist. Because safety is not just a function of optimal protection, but also a question of comfort and the feeling of well-being in the shoe and with the shoe.” www.haix.com

Sugdens launches careerwear directory At the forefront of the helmet’s rise to market leader status has been North Fire PLC, with the Yorkshire company providing an unrivalled service and back-up to the world class product. “The helmet has proved to be a good shop window into how we conduct our business throughout our range,” said North Fire MD Oliver North. “The Rosenbauer HEROS-xtreme is undoubtedly the best fire helmet on the market in terms of optimum protection, comfort, durability and overall quality. Brigades need a certain reassurance in terms of whole-life cost, efficient spares supply, serviceability and quality of service. For any fire or ambulance service looking to procure fire helmets, we’re confident that any of the brigades using our helmets operationally would recommend us over and above anyone else.”

In addition to the HEROS-xtreme, the smaller, lighter HEROS-smart has been adopted by numerous specialist rescue and ambulance services since its launch just over 12 months ago. www.north-fire.com

Paul Gibbons, National Sales & Marketing Manager for Sugdens, said, “It was time our threepiece career workwear and uniform brochures had a complete revamp and so we have been looking at several agencies to put together a new ‘Working Wardrobe Catalogue’ to fit alongside our current footwear brochure thus making it a ‘One Stop Shop’ for our customers to work with.”

Sugdens is one of the UK’s largest suppliers of careerwear and uniforms, providing clothing to private and public sector organisations, including the police force and fire and rescue service.

The company has recently launched its new clothing catalogue, which showcases a range of tailoring, casual work wear and uniforms with a new website to follow shortly. As well as stocking a large range of workwear, Sugdens’ in-house design team can create a bespoke uniform, working closely with manufacturers to deliver a completely personalised product.

Pleasure and privilege The decision was made to give local company Our Agency the task of designing and producing the catalogue, in addition to managing all the photography and print. Owner Ian Winterbottom said, “Sugdens are a very respected business in Wakefield and we are proud to be chosen to work with them on their new catalogue.” Paul added, “It has been a pleasure and privilege working with such a professional agency and the Sugden's new careerwear directory meets over and above all our expectations.” www.wm-sugden.co.uk

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Intensive testing regime means safer hands

North Yorkshire FRS joins Cosalt managed service Cosalt’s Workwear Division has recently won a contract to supply a fully managed service to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

As part of the South East Framework agreement secured by Cosalt in 2011, this is an eight-year contract for the supply, repair and cleaning of fire tunics and over-trousers in PBI Gold, fire hoods, boots and gloves to 770 firefighters and is worth around £2.5m.

Emergency responders’ hands are exposed to the widest range of potential injuries. They must wear a glove that protects from heat and flame, abrasion, blood and body fluids, as well as piercing from sharp objects.

Gore approaches the development of its specialist CROSSTECH® glove inserts with rigorous attention to detail and a complete understanding of

the needs of emergency responders. The inserts are made using Gore’s proprietary X-TRAFIT™ Product Technology and conform to relevant NFPA, EN and ISO standards. They significantly improve tactility and grip, while at the same time protecting the wearer from water, chemicals and contaminated liquids.

The testing regime is exhaustive and the specialist team responsible for the integrity of Gore glove products undertakes four key tests to ensure compliance with the company’s high performance standards.

Breathability is essential Breathability is a key product feature and is essential to prevent discomfort for the wearer if hands get hot and sweaty. The Whole Glove Breathability Test measures how breathable the entire glove is and is done by measuring mass of water in the glove before and after the test and calculating the amount of lost moisture vapour.

Durable waterproofness is a fundamental requirement for any glove and finished gloves are tested in Gore laboratories after assembly.

The Whole Glove Leak Test is a non-destructive test with pressurised air to check the finished glove under 2psi for five seconds. The glove is submerged in water and any air bubbles indicate a leak.

Anyone who has worn gloves has at some time or other experienced the frustration of taking off their glove and the entire lining is pulled out with their hand. Gore tests how well the lining and the insert in each finger is fixed to the shell of the glove. The minimum retention force used in the test is 5lbs.

Quick drying As well as being completely waterproof, the shell of the CROSSTECH® glove needs to dry quickly. If the shell is wet it reduces evaporation and makes the glove less breathable. To test this, Gore technicians spray the fabric with water to ensure that it does not ‘stick’.

Gore’s robust system of audit and testing ensures gloves that incorporate a Gore membrane consistently deliver a combination of comfort, protection and dexterity beyond the levels achieved by most products. The durability of the gloves means they will also last much longer in everyday use, delivering a real cost benefit over the lifetime of the product. www.gore.com

Emergency Services Times June 2012

Largest UK framework The South East Framework agreement is the largest PPE framework agreement in the UK, with a value around £30m. At the heart of this agreement is the option to choose Cosalt’s fully managed service, which is helping brigades to cut costs and improve efficiencies by taking advantage of a complete support package that covers testing, sizing, fitting, supply and personnel management.

Trevor Sands, CEO of Cosalt, said, “We are delighted to be awarded this prestigious contract and it shows the strength of the South East Framework offering, which is open to all fire and rescue services, fire training schools, airport services and other emergency services within the United Kingdom. We look forward to continuing to provide the critical safety equipment and clothing as part of our high quality of service.”

Cosalt is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers and providers of protective clothing and equipment to the emergency services, military, transport and construction industries and has been supplying structural fire fighting and rescue kit to the majority of UK fire and rescue services for many years.

Office move Cosalt’s Workwear Division recently relocated to new premises in Stockport, Cheshire. The move to the new offices enables Cosalt to consolidate its business departments and to build on recent successes. The move brings sales and marketing, accounts, design, development and supply chain staff together in one self-contained building. The National Distribution Centre in Barnsley, South Yorkshire is unaffected by the move and continues to provide comprehensive secure warehouse, stockholding, distribution and manufacturing facilities for all Cosalt Workwear’s customers. www.cosalt.com

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Boot repair service ready for business

The temperature of the fire in the old filing cabinet was recorded at over 400°C.

At The Emergency Services Show in 2011 many visitors from the fire and rescue services were giving the Boot Repair Company the same message – ‘We want to repair worn out boots not throw them away’. Since then the company has been working tirelessly to deliver a complete boot repair service.

The biggest challenge was to ensure that the repaired boots met all the EN Standards of the original boots, to ensure the safety of our firefighters.

The Boot Repair Company’s craftsmen worked on a variety of fire boots to perfect the sole unit replacement technique. The newly developed flame and heat resistant Vibram unit was sourced from Italy along with a new two-part anti-static, flame and heat resistant adhesive from Germany.

Testing An old filing cabinet was cleared out, laid on its back and then filled with coal. This was set alight and the temperature recorded at over 400°C. Company Director Chris Wilson then put on one repaired Haix boot and one repaired Jolly boot and walked on to the flaming coals in the cabinet. He stayed in there constantly for 40 minutes.

The results showed that: 1. Vibram units showed no signs of breaking down 2. The adhesive showed no signs of breaking down 3. Heat insulation was preserved, the soles of the feet never overheated 4. The repaired units remained intact.

Content that the boot repairs were fit for purpose, The Boot Repair Company joined SATRA and had its fire boot repair – new unit replacement with heat and flame proof Vibram unit – tested by the SATRA experts in line with EN ISO 20345. The boots have passed and The Boot Repair Company is now ready for business. www.bootrepaircompany.co.uk.

Maximum protection for Durham and Darlington firefighters

Lion Apparel, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of specialist personal protective equipment (PPE) for fire, military and law enforcement officers, has been awarded a contract to supply structural fire suits to County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service.

All 600 of the service’s firefighters, who operate from 15 stations across Durham and Darlington, will be issued with Lion’s Pro-Tek Max fire suit, which combines the highest standards of protection with the latest innovations in comfort and design.

The repaired units remained intact.

FlamePro’s heat stress buster FlamePro (UK) Ltd is an innovative company and in pursuing this objective has launched a new lightweight set of firefighter turnout gear weighing a mere 2.75kg. This has been made possible by the introduction into the market of Tecasystem™ Millenia 450 from TenCate Protective Fabrics.

By using the Millenia 450 system, FlamePro, working in partnership with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, has produced a suit, which achieves a 25 percent lowering of energy expenditure and a 10 percent reduction in heart rate over competitors’ products1, thereby reducing the overall effect of heat stress on firefighters.

You may ask, ‘does this matter?’ Well yes, it does when one looks at fire statistics, particularly those from the USA, where 56 percent of firefighter deaths in action were caused by cardiac arrest or stroke. There were none in the UK. The position in the UK, however, may change as firefighters are now working longer hours on shift and the retirement age has been increased.

FlamePro’s new ensembles will allow firefighters to work more effectively when dealing with incidents without putting undue physical pressure

From L to R: Shropshire’s Chief Fire Officer Paul Raymond, Dr Pavla Krizman-Lavric, Philip Johnson and Wim Arendsen.

on their hearts and other vital organs. By continually seeking out new materials and systems FlamePro can design new garments to improve firefighter safety and efficiency thus continuing to innovate for the future. www.flame-pro.com 1

Independently tested under controlled conditions

Unique new lining The Pro-Tek Max suit incorporates a PBI® 220g worsted gold outer fabric, and a waterproof, breathable CROSSTECH® Fireblocker® moisture barrier. The garments also utilise a unique new proprietary lining system, developed by Lion, which uses a special wicking technology to remove moisture and heat from the body.

The specialist clothing is designed to protect firefighters from heat and flame in the most extreme situations and incorporates fabric technology that allows freedom of movement and keeps the wearer dry inside.

The contract was awarded as part of an agreement negotiated by the fire and rescue services in the North East to ensure value for money in the purchase of equipment for firefighters.

Absolute confidence Tim Ottridge, UK Managing Director, Lion Apparel Systems, said, “We are delighted that our specialist garments will be protecting firefighters in County Durham and Darlington. They can have absolute confidence when they turn out to a fire that they are equipped with one of the most advanced structural fire suits available in the world today, offering exceptional protection and comfort.” www.lionprotects.com

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Advanced PPE design underpins new range of protective garments Bristol’s latest ergonomically advanced PPE, XFlex™, originally conceived to provide a range of more flexible and comfortable structural fire fighting garments, has become the design platform for a number of new emergency services protective garments.

Each is designed to deliver Bristol’s ‘PACT’ with its users – Protection, Agility, Comfort and Trust.

The XFlex™ structural range introduced, for the first time, the concept of using different combinations of outer shell and thermal barrier to add greater choice of structure Bristol’s latest USAR PPE affords while continuing to even greater mobility provide fire coats and incorporating ergonomic features trousers meeting and specially sculpted styling.

EN469: 2005 Level 2.

Alternative combinations use either a heavier outer layer with a lighter weight thermal barrier or lighter outer layers with heavier thermal barriers.

ECO-dry Active™ and ECO-dry Cool™ are thermal barriers developed specially for Bristol by Hainsworth®. The lightest combination incorporates a Hainsworth® Atlas outer layer with

The second-generation incident ground kit, designed specifically for the UK’s ambulance service HART teams.

the ECO-dry Cool™ thermal barrier at just 545g/m2. Other combinations include a PBI Matrix™ and Hainsworth® Titan, both with ECOdry Active™, with total weights of 565g/m2 and 580g/m2 respectively. Used in combination with a Gore Crosstech Fireblocker moisture barrier, with added blood borne pathogen protection, all three core combinations deliver class leading RET figures ranging from 16.1 down to as little as 14.2.

Technical rescue PPE Early success for the XFlex™ structural range in the UK, The XFlex™ structural kit comes in a Scandinavia and choice of three different outer layers Gulf States has been and four colour options. followed by the introduction of new technical rescue PPE based on XFlex™ design principles.

Bristol’s latest USAR PPE affords even greater mobility incorporating ergonomic features and specially sculpted styling. Jackets feature shoulder shape and under arm gussets allowing for full rotational arm movement and three-dimensional articulated elbows within a tapered body shape and share a number of visual characteristics with the XFlex™ structural kit. This two-layer garment incorporates a flame retardant outer layer and a Gore Crosstech Fireblocker moisture barrier, with the coat and trouser zipping together to form a one-piece garment when required.

A choice of three different outer layers and four colour options is accompanied by fully compatible head-to-toe protection including helmet, boot and gloves. Factoring in the usual wide range of male and female sizes, this is the most extensive range of USAR garments assembled under one design.

Next generation rescue PFDs Developed by experts for deployment in the toughest conditions, Palm’s Rescue 850 is based on the industry leading Rescue 800, with improved fit and features refined for today’s rescue professionals. Failsafe shoulder straps run through to the waist belt for security under load.

Further safety features include: the high-back encased chest harness with welded O-ring clip in point; Solas® reflective panels for visibility and detachable leg loops to prevent the PFD from riding up; and large internal, rear and front cargo pockets, which offer ample storage possibilities ready to hand (ideal for knives, whistles and the secure storage of ancillary items).

Second generation Technical rescue is now part of all emergency services’ activities. The second-generation incident ground kit, designed specifically for the UK’s ambulance service HART teams, shares the unique sport styling with its structural and USAR stable mates. The distinctive green coat and trouser combination incorporates a flame retardant outer layer in combination with a Gore Crosstech SR waterproof membrane with in-built pathogen protection. This new Department of Health approved design is now being introduced and will steadily replace Bristol’s original 2008 design throughout the UK’s HART organisations.

Constructed from exceptionally durable Cordura® 500D fabric and equipped with foampadded grip panels at the shoulders, the Rescue 850 offers high resistance to tears and abrasion and is tested up to 500kg. Needless to say that it is tested and approved to ISO 12402-5/6 standards as water equipment for special purposes.

www.bristoluniforms.com

www.palmequipmenteurope.com

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Where else could you create a learning experience as authentic as this?

Multi-agency interoperability between blue light emergency responders is vital to enable fire and rescue crews and urban search and rescue (USAR) teams to expand their skill base and ensure local and national resilience. The Fire Service College (FSC), with its unique incident ground and extensive range of realistic facilities, is one of the few training organisations worldwide that can effectively replicate real life situations faced by emergency responders.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) has, for the past six years used the Fire Service College as the venue for its USAR training. The 36-hour exercises, designed to challenge its USAR technicians and command teams with a ‘rolling shift changeover’, ensure continuity of the rescue task. The college’s USAR rigs, recognised as among the best in the world, test their skill sets under extremely realistic and challenging conditions.

The ambulance services Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART) have supported these exercises, promoting good liaison when responding to operational incidents with a multi-agency dimension. LFB has also invited other neighbouring fire and rescue USAR teams to enhance and ensure intraoperability. Incident Commanders, USAR Advisors and USAR Technicians, value the realism of the college’s training scenarios.

HART Paramedics and USAR technicians, training on FSC’s major USAR structural collapsed building.

relationship with the FSC and its instructional staff, facilitating the transfer of knowledge from one discipline to the other. In a time of global uncertainty and unpredictability, the ability to combine ambulance and fire and rescue service personnel, at a facility that is able to replicate real life incidents, prepares HART staff to provide high standards of clinical care during challenging operations.

Multi-agency training exercises Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service The college’s facilities have also helped contribute (HWFRS) recently held a major training exercise to the success of the national HART programme. at the college, which was considered a huge success.

The programme, designed to test clinical skills and Exercise Olympus achieved all its objectives and develop situation awareness of the USAR provided an invaluable learning experience for the environment has provided countless opportunities participating fire crews and other agencies who for inter-agency working. The national HART worked together as they would in the event of a faculty has cemented an excellent working major search and rescue incident.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Richard Lawrence from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, said, “We regularly hold training exercises that involve our fire crews or our USAR teams but this is the first time we have involved both, on such a major scale, and invited other fire and rescue services to take part as well. The key to the exercise was to make it as realistic as possible and this was achieved by using the excellent facilities at the Fire Service College, which allowed us to create a building The FSC’s collapsed building rig, used for Exercise Orpheus, run by the Health Protection Agency to exercise FRSs, the Ambulance Services HART team and the police in two collapse and a series of fires and other simultaneous scenarios. incidents as the exercise progressed.”

“The key to the exercise was to make it as realistic as possible and this was achieved by using the excellent facilities at the Fire Service College.”

Partnership working tested Partnership working was tested at many levels and the interoperability radio system, allowing the individual agencies to communicate with each other more effectively, was also tested during the exercise. DCFO Lawrence added, “We had our own team of observers monitoring and evaluating the exercise, while observers from the Chief Fire Officers’ Association National Resilience Assurance Team also attended. Several of our fire authority members also came along and were able to get a better insight into the work we do and a unique opportunity to experience first-hand the multiagency response to a large-scale emergency incident.

“There’s no doubt at all that this exercise will help us be better prepared if we are faced with an emergency on this scale in the future.” www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk

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Ensuring preparedness for the next national flooding event Over the last decade, there have been a number of serious flooding situations in the UK. These floods prompted the Government to ask Sir Michael Pitt to carry out a review of the current flood provision. This review was published in December 2007 and contained recommendations to prepare Britain to cope better with future flooding. Sir Michael said at the time, ‘Flood risk and events of this sort are here to stay’.

Following the review, The Department of Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) drew up guidelines for operational structures, training requirements and equipment for those attending flood situations.

The RNLI’s Flood Rescue Team, which is supported by Toolstation, was among those who attended the UK floods. The RNLI has since developed training programmes that adhere to the new Defra guidelines.

Robin Goodlad, RNLI Flood Response Manager, says, “With the introduction of the DEFRA Flood Rescue Concept of Operations and its recommendations for training modules, we now have some more defined standards to work towards.

“As an organisation which provides type B boat teams, the challenge has been to design and deliver a new course which fulfils the guidelines set under module 4, for a Water Rescue boat operator, and that can be validated as a recognised qualification.”

helps develop a deep respect for the water in a safe and predictable training environment, which is critical for operational safety.”

“Training is essential, as is establishing good working relationships and sharing best practice among responding organisations.”

Two approaches Robin explained that there were two approaches to this: firstly, following the standards set in the FRCO to develop existing techniques and to develop training in tandem boat operations, and secondly, also to draw upon the RNLI’s experiences in previous flooding situations to fully understand the situations a rescue boat team might find themselves in, and then developing the most appropriate and safe techniques to deal with these scenarios.

Robin, who is also an RNLI crew member at Aberdovey, explained, “One of the biggest challenges has been locating the most appropriate venues with class 2 water or above, allowing progression from basic to more advanced techniques. Class 2 water itself is great for an introduction to boat handling techniques, but perhaps doesn’t provide enough flow to provide the resistance needed to practice tandem boat techniques effectively, for example.

“Therefore we have chosen venues which have a greater flow as in reality we encountered very similar flows in the Cockermouth floods. This allows the candidates to experience operating in the flow, whilst developing better understanding of the limitations and the capabilities of the boats. This

Replicate conditions When training the members of their Flood Rescue Team, the RNLI has found that large tidal venues such as the Falls of Lora in Scotland provide the required water characteristics with defined features, while man-made water courses such as Tees Valley and Cardiff provide confined spaces for precise boat handling, which does in some way replicate the conditions experienced in the narrow streets of Cockermouth. Many crew taking part have been astounded by the capability of the boats in these environments, which has served to boost confidence in equipment, but more importantly in their own boat handling. While it is debatable whether a boat would be committed operationally in such conditions (where the effects of the hydrology and hazards may be less apparent), giving the crews experience of them allows them to be able to make sound judgement of theirs and the boat’s ability.

Robin said, “As an organisation we are fortunate that all of our crews have established substantial boat experience, gained from years of training on a weekly basis in seas where white water is normally encountered. Of course, the swift water environment is very different, requiring a different approach, though this awareness of water and its hydrology is valuable.”

Tandem boat techniques Robin believes that the biggest challenge has been developing tandem boat techniques for weir rescues.

This is very important, as it is a high-risk environment, with one shot at success. The difficulty lies in connecting a line between two boats which must remain above the surface to avoid entanglement, but without having tension in the line which would prevent the rescue boat

manoeuvring and achieving its task of getting close enough to affect a throwline rescue.

He explains, “Developing this technique has been a steep learning curve, both in principle of operational technique, and also the method of teaching, which allows all involved to operate safely.

With such rescue methods to be employed in high risk areas, it is imperative that all crew are fully conversant with the technique and have a clear plan, including emergency action; though of course, lower risk rescue options will always be considered first if available.

“Another area we have explored is the rescue of persons in vehicles by boat, which highlights just how dynamic and unpredictable such rescues can be, with such dynamic hydrological factors.”

Sharing best practice There are of course many other challenges ahead.

In the interim, without large-scale operational incidents occurring, there is limited opportunity to put these skills into practice, therefore training is essential, as is establishing good working relationships and sharing best practice among responding organisations. The RNLI has established a collaborative training programme with the Welsh fire and rescue services developing and sharing training.

Robin concludes, “As the spotlight on flooding as a national priority tends to be diminished through lack of large-scale incidents, it is crucial that we continue to train to the highest level, and use the time wisely so that we are fully prepared for the next event as a cohesive national response, to put the learning from 2007 and the Pitt review to best effect.” www.rnli.org.uk

More information aboout RNLI training, please call 01202 662261 or email: commercial_training @rnli.org.uk

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National training for CBRN response The Police National CBRN Centre (PN CBRN C) has been in existence since 2001, originally sited on a military establishment and now established at the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), Ryton-on-Dunsmore. Its development was borne out of the emerging threat from Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) terrorism, which first became evident at the time of the first Gulf War, but was then seen as a reality following the Sarin attacks in Tokyo in the late 1990s.

Following the anthrax incidents in the United States in 2001, a National Centre was rapidly developed in the United Kingdom. The Home Office Model Response to CBRN Events document, 2006, identified an aspirational response to incidents involving the release of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear material. This document highlighted a capability gap within the police response, resulting in the implementation of the Police Operational Response Programme (PORP). The Home Office funded full-time and seconded staff to carry out this programme of work, which took place across three sites, in Winterbourne Gunner, Edinburgh and Ryton-onDunsmore. In 2009 the centres were amalgamated to a common single site at Ryton-on-Dunsmore, which now has over 40 full time and seconded staff, including an embedded 24/7 Operations Centre.

Doctrine and tactics The PN CBRN C has successfully developed doctrine and tactics for CBRN responders and commanders for responding to a CBRN incident.

The Guidance on the Police Strategic Management of CBRN Events was published in 2008, the Guidance on the Police Tactical Management of CBRN Events was published in 2010 and the CBRN Bronze Commanders and CBRN Supervisors Operational Handbook was published in 2011.

“The centre offers a multitude of training courses, which cover the whole remit of CBRN response.”

While there is a strong relationship with ACPO (TAM) CBRN, the centre is a business unit of the Home Office, Office for Security and Counter Terrorism CBRN unit (OSCT) from where it is funded and draws its current governance and direction. Its mandate was established as ‘becoming a centre of excellence in the development and delivery of a consistent UK-wide Police Service CBRN capability’.

PN CBRN C training The centre offers a multitude of training courses, which cover the whole remit of CBRN response, from frontline responder training to Multi-Agency Gold (Strategic) Command. Staff at the centre design and deliver bespoke CBRN training packages to meet customers’ specific needs, either in a multi or single agency context.

The Police National CBRN Centre site at Ryton-on-Dunsmore has over 40 full-time and seconded staff, including an embedded 24/7 Operations Centre.

The reputation of the centre and the expertise of the staff that it employs have contributed to the increasing demand for the design and delivery of training, workshops and exercises, both nationally and, increasingly, internationally. While the focus is around CBRN, the centre has the capability and experience to work with partner agencies to develop and deliver courses and workshops in the wider counter terrorism field of operations.

Close links with the Department of Health, fire and rescue services, military and other specialist CBRN service providers ensure that students are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to respond to and resolve a CBRN terrorist event, whatever their level of responsibility. In order to give students the highest standard of training, all the staff employed at the centre are either experienced emergency responders, or recruited from other agencies as experts in their field. Many of the courses delivered by the centre utilise guest speakers, who are international experts in their field, be that operational, scientific or academic.

Courses reviewed, validated and updated All of the courses that are designed by the centre are regularly reviewed, validated and updated by the PN CBRN C Quality Assurance department, and externally by other organisations, including the Open College Network. All course material, scenarios and lessons are all designed with the benefit of the current threat picture to ensure they remain relevant and operationally credible in line with the mission statement of ‘Intelligent preparation for CBRN terrorism’.

Between April 2011 and March 2012 the centre delivered around 80 courses, training approximately 960 officers from blue light agencies.

The main focus over the last 12 months has been on the development of the Tactical Advisor course, which comprises pass/fail knowledge checks and pass/fail role play assessments. The course has been designed to equip suitably qualified officers to

provide accurate, factual and timely CBRN Tactical advice to CBRN Commanders, primarily at the Tactical (Silver) and Operational (Bronze) Command levels.

Olympic support Preparation for the Olympics is currently underway and places additional responsibility on the staff at the PN CBRN C, who are supporting the National Olympic Coordination Centre on a 24/7 basis. Due to the nature of the shift patterns required during the Olympic period the centre will take a break from delivering courses from July through to September, after which the centre will embark on a busy training schedule with another 37 courses set to be delivered before the end of the training year in March 2013.

If you have any queries for the Police National CBRN Centre, or would like to discuss training requirements, please contact the Administration Office at cbrnadmin@npia.pnn.police.uk

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Emergency response blue light driver training: The Law is changing – are you up to speed?

Historically there has been no legal requirement for any UK emergency services response drivers to receive specific high speed/emergency response driver training. Consequently, across the statutory emergency services there have been no compulsory national standards or quality assurance processes relating to driver competencies, instructor competencies, assessor competencies or training establishments/bodies. As a result the standard and type of training delivered to emergency response drivers has varied between each emergency service.

The Road Safety Act 2006 introduced significant changes to the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984.

These changes mean that only drivers who have satisfactorily completed a course of training in driving vehicles at ‘high speed’ will legally be permitted to utilise exemptions when the vehicle is being used for fire and rescue authority, ambulance, police and serious organised crime purposes. In addition, only those driver trainers who have achieved the necessary standards will be able to deliver driver training at this level.

The introduction of this legislation will have a significant impact on all emergency services with the need for all personnel who are required to drive under emergency response conditions to have received high speed driver training (HSDT). codes of practice (CoP) for the following: High Speed Driver Training; High Speed Driver Competency; High Speed Instructor Competency; High Speed Training Quality Assurance; and High Speed Assessor Competency.

These documents were submitted to the DfT as a suggested way forward for the introduction of the High Speed Driver Training aspect of the legislative changes. When the DfT approve these draft documents the Government will introduce regulations to support the documents as Codes of Practice and national standards for high speed driver training.

Driver competency profile When the Government introduced the Road Safety Act 2006, each emergency service, the MoD, RoSPA, IAM and the DSA all nominated representatives to ensure the Joint Emergency Service High Speed Driver Training Advisory Group (JESHSDWG) could be formed. The sole objective of the group was to review basic emergency service driver training, and to pull together one course/programme, removing all training requirements that were role or vehicle specific and develop a High Speed only, driver competency profile.

“The introduction of this legislation will have a significant impact on all emergency services.”

This means that each service will need to embrace this High Speed competency and add role specific aspects when providing emergency response driver training; High Speed driver competencies being the very basic level required to safely exceed speed limits when required for emergency purposes.

The work undertaken by the group was specifically aimed at the outcome desired by the Department for Transport (DfT), which was that ‘only safe and well trained drivers’ use the exemption. To this end the working group provided

emergency services increases, there may be a requirement to increase instructor training and qualifications.

Driving instructors that wish to deliver training in driving a motor car, under the provisions of the Road Traffic Act 1988, must legally hold a Driving Standards Agency (DSA) Approved (ADI) qualification. The only emergency service that has an exemption to this legislation are the police service.

Training manual All emergency services and private training companies that wish to deliver Emergency Response Driver Training (high speed driver training, blue lights), after section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006 is implemented, will be required to produce a training manual that meets the needs of the High Speed Driver Training (HSDT) codes of practice.

The training and the manual must provide evidence of: driver competence, instructor competence, assessor competence and quality assurance. If it meets the criteria it can then be submitted to the DfT for approval or, if the organisation is a private training company, it will be submitted to the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) Cars and rapid response vehicle (RRV) instructor requirements As the number of cars and vehicles up to 3500 tonnes used as rapid response vehicles within the

Emergency Services Times June 2012

Profile: Emergency Response Driving Instructor Training Emergency Response Driver Training’s mission is to provide competency-based emergency response blue light driver training at your location to meet your needs and the needs of Section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006. The company has designed a comprehensive range of training courses, based on individual competencies in accordance with the draft High Speed Driver Training Codes of Practice, which are conducted by a team of highly qualified ex emergency services personnel with many years’ experience delivering emergency response blue light driver training to the emergency services. Emergency Response Driver Training courses are accredited by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Driver and Fleet Solutions.

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Large Goods Vehicles (LGV) instructor requirements Currently there is no legally required driving instructor qualification to deliver driver training in LGV vehicle Category C (Fire Appliance).

instructor must achieve competence in order to train a driver to the appropriate standard to be authorised to drive under emergency response conditions and claim exemptions as determined by the Road Safety Act 2006.

High Speed Instructor Competency (HSDT) Codes of Practice High Speed Instructor Competency involves making sure those assessing competency, setting training needs and providing such training are competent and to a consistent level.

It will be necessary to complete an Emergency Response Driving Course that meets the needs of the High Speed Driver Training codes of practice before attending an Instructors course. The course must be based on individual competencies as per the (HSDT) instructor codes of practice, the

A summary of the Road Ahead for Emergency Response Driver Training Section 19 of the UK Road Safety Act 2006 will regulate the use of exemptions from speed limits.

This section of the Road Safety Act is due to go out for public consultation in June 2012 and is expected to be presented to the Government for approval and be implemented in early 2013.

The High Speed Driver Training (HSDT) Codes of Practice will be implemented when section 19 becomes legislation; the codes will set the UK National Occupational Standards (NOS).

Emergency services must produce a document and evidence that their training will comply with the (HSDT) Codes of Practice and the training body must hold accreditation by the Department for Transport (DfT) to provide High Speed Driver Training (HSDT).

Private training providers must produce a document and evidence that their training will comply with the (HSDT) Codes of Practice and the training body must hold accreditation by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) to provide High Speed Driver Training (HSDT).

Organisational Requirements Upon the implementation of Section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006 and the High Speed Driver Training Codes of Practice an organisation with be required to: • Train all new Emergency Response Driving Instructors to a competent standard as per the (HSDT) NOS • Train all new Emergency Response Drivers to a competent standard as per the (HSDT) (NOS) • Reassess all current Emergency Response Driving Instructors to a competent standard as per the (HSDT) (NOS) prior to the implementation of Section 19, which will produce evidence that the instructor is competent to deliver (HSDT) training • Reassess all current Emergency Response Drivers to a competent standard as per the (HSDT) (NOS) within a five-year period.

It should be indisputable that the exemptions afforded to the emergency services to drive under emergency response conditions, should be carried out only by drivers that are trained to a high standard and the High Speed Driver Training National Occupational Standards are a drive in the right direction. www.emergencyresponsedrivertraining.co.uk

Author: Stephen Milton, Training Director, Emergency Response Driver Training

Realistic training: the critical factor in firefighter safety Fire is often unpredictable. Where it burns, how fast it travels, how much heat it releases and how much fuel it consumes all determine the fire’s behaviour. It’s the volatility of a fire’s behaviour that makes predicting a fire difficult and fighting the fire dangerous. Understanding the behaviour of fire has therefore become an integral part of today’s fire and rescue service training. However, by providing training tools that provide real fire fighting experiences, HAAGEN helps firefighters to be ready for action under all situations. Realistic training undoubtedly provides the key to safer operational fire fighting.

HAAGEN’s origins

HAAGEN has its roots in the world of fire fighting and understands the practical aspects of fire training and company emergency response team training like no other. The company knows that a realistic training exercise is the best preparation for a cool-headed and effective performance during a real operational emergency.

Firefighters must experience for themselves what is required of them in the event of a fire or an accident.

The HAAGEN training materials have been designed with this in mind and are developed,

training complexes, HAAGEN is a world leader in custom fire training projects.

HAAGEN’s recently delivered and current projects in the UK include: for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, a three-floor training building, completed in March 2010; and the most advanced fire training facility in the UK at the new Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Training Centre at Clydesmill Industrial Estate, in Cambuslang, near Glasgow. www.haagen.co.uk By providing training tools that provide real fire fighting experiences, HAAGEN helps firefighters to be ready for action under all situations.

produced and maintained in house. HAAGEN can thus guarantee customised work and constant attention to quality.

Fire training products and projects Examples of well-known HAAGEN products in demand include: the Etna and Vesuvius smoke generators, M-Fire, the FS-Box, the training dummy Jeff and his family, the Jumbo Fire Trainer and the Desktop Flashover.

Besides being a leading manufacturer of fire and safety training tools, HAAGEN's Custom Build Division provides fire and safety training systems that are designed to address the specific training requirements of each customer. Every training unit is a unique project developed in line with the client’s own learning objectives. From specialised portable fire props to large-scale multi-disciplinary

Emergency Services Times June 2012

Training with the Haagen dummy, Jeff.

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Norfolk’s underwater search and recovery capabilities available nationally Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has become the only fire and rescue service in the UK to operate a dive team after securing Government funding. The service has received £27,000 in grant funding from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to extend the capability of its urban search and rescue team (USAR). This will allow the Dereham-based team to undertake underwater search and recovery.

Three members of the USAR team, who already have extensive military and commercial diving experience, backed up by support provided by six other USAR personnel, will be able to deploy when USAR responds to a search and recovery incident regionally, nationally and, if necessary, internationally. They will operate to the Police and Commercial diving regulations, which are strictly controlled, and use Interspiro surface supply dive equipment.

National strategic reserve Roy Harold, Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Norfolk, said, “It is important to stress that there are currently no means by which this team can be deployed for immediate use in live rescues, and the grant is not intended to provide this, only search and recovery. Instead, USAR will be able to provide a second search and recovery team nationally, alongside the Nottinghamshire Police Dive Unit.

“The team could be mobilised in advance of a major flood event, such as a 1953 style East Coast tidal surge, to provide a national strategic reserve, which could be deployed to protect or reinstate critical national infrastructure, or to undertake underwater search.”

The team’s role will be to provide a national strategic reserve, which could be deployed to protect or reinstate critical national infrastructure, or to undertake underwater search, such has been seen recently off the Italian coast.

Team Leader Alan Nicholls said, “Three of the team are ex-military divers so are already trained and we have six team members who are non-diving dive attendants. They had no experience but following a 24-hour in-house assessment attended a five-day training course at the Defence Military School in Portsmouth.

“The unit will be the first of its kind and requires strong personnel to ensure a high quality service, especially when we are potentially dealing with serious, even life-threatening situations.

Alan continued, “The funding was granted to Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, where the unit

will be based, due to it being an area of high risk for flood and water rescue events. The unit, however, will be listed on a national register for flood and water rescue events and the team has the capacity and mobilisation ability to deploy anywhere nationally.

“This unit will bring significant added value to the existing fire and rescue service capability to deal with disasters. If successful with future funding bids then we would look to expand our pool of divers to increase resilience and hopefully evolve into a rescue unit as well as recovery.”

“The unit will be listed on a national register for flood and water rescue events and the team has the capacity and mobilisation ability to deploy anywhere nationally.”

Training Norfolk FRS selected leading subsea training centre, The Underwater Centre in Fort William, to provide training for the unit. The first divers from the unit, Alan Nicholls and Luke Hancock, recently completed the Air Supervisors Course at the centre, which was tailored to include specific diving experience and procedures relevant to the tasks that the unit will be performing, such as search and recovery and decompression procedures.

Alan Nicholls said, “I approached the centre for training for the unit as we wanted information and experience in best practices running a dive site from an accredited civilian diving school, to get a non-military point of view, compliant with HSE and IMCA regulations.

“The unit will be the first of its kind and requires strong personnel to ensure a high quality service, especially when we are potentially dealing with serious, even life-threatening situations. We were confident that The Underwater Centre could assist in this, which was confirmed throughout the training with an incredible level of expertise available to us.”

The Underwater Centre is a purpose-built training facility, which incorporates an extensive pier complex including four dive stations, classrooms, workshops and decompression

chambers. In addition, there are three fully equipped barges set up to support a variety of diving disciplines including closed bell, wet bell and surface supplied diving. With accommodation and additional classrooms based at the landward end of the pier, The Underwater Centre is set up to provide its students with the skills and experience to succeed in their new careers.

Great working relationship General Manager, Steve Ham said, “This has been a very exciting project and one which The Underwater Centre was thrilled to be part of. We have a great reputation and client history in the energy and also military industries, and now we are beginning to see more and more cross-over as demand and opportunities arise for divers in other industries.

“While providing comprehensive, industryapproved courses, a unique feature which we also provide is bespoke training, with the aim of ensuring companies and their employees achieve their exact aims, in the time they are with us. This proved to be extremely beneficial to the fire and rescue service on this occasion. We hope this is the beginning of a great working relationship where we will deliver more training as their team expands.” www.norfolkfireservice.gov.uk/nfrs www.theunderwatercentre.co.uk

Emergency Services Times June 2012

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RESPIRATORY PROTECTION WITHOUT COMPROMISE

Contact: Wayne Shillam, UK Sales Manager Tel: 01952 200190 Email: infouk@interspiro.com

INTERSPIRO is a premium innovator and manufacturer of respiratory protection and auxiliary equipment for firefighting, diving and work in hazardous environments.

Emergency Services Times June 2012

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The BMH Group Outsourced Emergency Planning Support

Emergency Services Times June 2012

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Solutions for work at height and rescue for the emergency services As the UK’s Petzl Technical Institute, Lyon Equipment is the source of definitive training and technical support for Petzl work and rescue equipment and the provision of safe systems for work at height and rescue. Working in conjunction with emergency service colleagues, the Lyon Training Team has developed a suite of courses designed specifically to meet the needs of the emergency services. These courses provide instruction and certification for all aspects of working at height and rescue from basic harness and lanyard use to advanced rope access and rope rescue systems.

Lyon’s purpose-built Training Centre in Tebay continues to evolve with the introduction of a number of new structures and facilities, including a multi-level wind turbine training tower and additional restricted access challenges. These allweather facilities are complemented perfectly by excellent ‘natural’ venues situated just a short distance from the centre.

Bespoke training packages The company’s three-tier Rope Rescue programme, delivering Operator, Supervisor and Instructor training and certification, attracts delegates from the fire and rescue services, police forces, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Hazardous Area Response Teams and mountain rescue teams. For organisations that do not require full rope rescue capability, or with specific operational needs, Lyon provides a range of other courses, including bespoke training packages.

The Emergency Casualty Care for Work at Height and Rescue course is also popular as it

combines the challenges and skills for safe access and egress while dealing with an injured casualty in the ‘at height’ environment.

Lyon’s RoSPA-approved PPE Inspection Competent Person courses provide delegates with a certificate authorising them to carry out thorough examinations on a wide range of personal fall protection equipment used for work and rescue at height.

As you would expect, Lyon’s trainers are experts in the application of the full range of Petzl work and rescue equipment; many are also highly experienced members of local cave, mine and mountain rescue teams.

Emergency services personnel attending Lyon’s courses find that the blend of class-leading equipment, superb ‘natural’ and ‘built’ training facilities together with expert tuition and support materials provides a training experience that is truly second to none. www.lyon.co.uk www.facebook.com/LyonWorkAndRescue

The Pixa 3R head torch

Petzl Newton SAP harness

Petzl has launched a rechargeable version of its Pixa head torch, the Pixa 3R. So what do you get that’s different to the normal Pixa 3?

Firstly, a Lithium Ion polymer battery that is good for 500 recharges (making a huge saving on conventional batteries alone) and still keeps the ATEX ratings intact. Secondly, a neat docking station for charging that includes a UK plug to USB connection and leads. Thirdly, a smart chip that allows you to configure the torch’s performance in three different ways. Rather than just deciding which LED beam combination you want and accepting how long the battery will last, you can now ask the torch to balance a steady light output with the time you need to use it for.

How? By a twist of the on-off knob, the chip can be switched between three pre-programmed settings: setting one acts like a normal regulated light, giving a steady, balanced power output for every individual LED setting until the battery drops to reserve mode. The duration of this light output depends on the LED setting being used; setting two assumes the user needs light for the duration of a full working day (plus travel!). Now the battery changes output so that on each LED setting you will get 12 hours of regulated light before reserve kicks in. The light output might be less, but it will stay the same all the time you are working; setting three is for those who need maximum light output now. Brightness now goes up to the LED’s limit for three hours before switching to reserve mode.

Tactical operations in hostile environments require maximum efficiency in any conditions, so it is essential to be able to count on the quality and performance of your equipment. The Petzl Newton SAP harness is one of a specialist product range originally developed for the military market where rapid deployment and extraction by helicopter is required. It significantly develops the original highly successful Newton harness, adding specially shaped super wide foam on the leg loops to reduce pressure on the inner thigh and pelvic areas when in suspension. Stitched between these loops is a load-bearing webbing strap that allows equipment weighing up to 60kg to be hung underneath the wearer during operations, keeping it clear of the body and reducing overall profile.

For those wearing additional equipment on their torso, such as body armour or flak jackets, a range of webbing extension lanyards are available to move connected equipment clear and ease its operation. These can be packed on discrete, pre-fitted storage loops on the shoulders.

Because of the specialist nature of this product it is not in the general Petzl Professional catalogue, nor is it listed on the general Petzl website. Please contact Lyon Equipment Ltd directly for more detailed information.

www.petzl.com

www.lyon.co.uk

Emergency Services Times June 2012

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Cutting edge rescue training equipment Ruth Lee Ltd, Europe’s leading manufacturer of rescue training dummies, was established over 30 years ago by Ruth Lee and has been manufacturing equipment for the emergency services ever since. Based in Corwen, Denbighshire, the company is a progressive, dynamic company at the cutting edge of rescue training equipment. The directors, Lawrence Lee and Susan Edwards, play a key role in moving the company forward and are always seeking new opportunities and gaps in the market.

Obesity is a very real problem in the UK and across the world and judging by government figures the problem is getting worse. Rescue teams will need to consider how they will deal with casualties of this size. One of Ruth Lee’s biggest successes has been the Bariatric training dummy, which will enable realistic training to take place and requires a team of four to six people to recover.

Realistic training tool Lawrence Lee, Director of Ruth Lee, states, “It isn't possible to simply add dead weight to one of our existing dummies, as that does not accurately represent the weight distribution in a larger person.

Our aim was to achieve a ‘fluidity of movement’ and our designer has created a dummy that replicates, as closely as possible, the body mass of a large person, creating a realistic training tool.

“Rescuers need specific training in lifting a person of this size safely, both in terms of avoiding further damage to the casualty, and in preventing injury to the rescuers,” he added.

Fluidity of movement The company has worked very hard to achieve a ‘fluidity of movement’ with the weight rather than just producing a heavy ‘lump’, so it is very realistic to work with; this is created by distributing the weight in 1/2kg weights in pockets across the surface of the dummy. The Bariatric dummy is based around a 100kg general purpose dummy with a further five layers over the top, these being a mixture of the weighted layers and foam cushioning that enables the weight to slide from side to side; the effect being very realistic.

Research and Development is a big part of Ruth Lee’s work and the company constantly looks at ways to improve its models and take on board comments from customers. Leading on from this Ruth Lee has recently developed a new Body Recovery manikin, shown above (right), which has been designed with Underwater Search and Rescue Units in mind.

The new model will weigh 50kg out of the water and 10kg in the water, which should give a realistic representation of a body underwater and help aid search and rescue teams to successfully train for a body recovery situation. www.ruthlee.co.uk

DSFRS Training Academy: for all your training needs The Training Academy at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) is a leading UK fire and rescue training provider. It offers the highest standard of instruction to internal staff, commercial organisations, individuals, other fire and rescue services and emergency services personnel.

The Access & Rescue School covers confined space, including the full suite of City & Guilds 6150 courses, working at height, rope rescue, water rescue (In partnership with Rescue 3 UK) and large animal rescue for vets (BEVA accredited) and AR2 Responder for fire and rescue services.

Anthony Shergold from Devon and Cornwall Police attended the 6150-02 two-day Medium Risk Confined Space course. He said, “Having attended other venues, this course was far and away superior in all aspects. Excellent instruction and balance of theory and practical content.”

Bespoke courses The Firefighter Training School offers firefighter introduction or refresher and initial firefighter training as well as bespoke courses. A series of tailored BA courses were devised for the newly set up South West Ambulance Hazardous Area Response Team (HART). Mike Porter, who headed up the training team, said, “All of the HART courses have been a total success due to the team of

instructors who taught them and the professional attitude of the paramedics themselves.”

The Fire Behaviour School, based at Exeter Airport, is an accredited live fire training centre that specialises in delivering breathing apparatus, compartment fire fighting and positive pressure ventilation training to DSFRS staff and all other sectors. Kevin Ruane, from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, attended a CFBTI Refresher.

He said, “Good course, well put together with a very professional attitude from staff.”

The Maritime School, based at Camels Head in Plymouth, offers a range of ship fire fighting courses, including boatmaster’s licence basic fire fighting and prevention and the suite of STCW95 courses, including: advanced fire fighting, personal

survival, first aid and personal safety and social responsibility. The Academy has also added the BTEC Level 3 Advanced Award in Maritime Firefighting for firefighters and junior officers and BTEC Level 4 Professional Award in Maritime Fire Fighting Incident Command for flexi and senior officers to the range of courses.

The Fire Safety School offers courses in fire awareness, fire warden, fire safety and risk assessment, fire risk management and protection foundation. The programmes are aimed at meeting the varied training needs of organisations, fire and rescue services and internal staff. In addition the Fire Safety School offers bespoke courses, which can be delivered at one of the academy’s well-equipped training centres or at the client’s work place. www.dsfire.gov.uk/trainingacademy

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Mines rescue takes hands-on approach to training

As one of the world’s most experienced mines rescue services, Mines Rescue Service Ltd (MRSL) provides vitally important training and rescue cover for mines throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

This expertise is also available to any UK industry, offering health and safety advice, training in confined space entry and rescue, first aid, fire fighting, risk assessments, breathing apparatus instruction and maintenance, emergency preparedness and response, and more.

Confined spaces can be deadly People are still being killed or seriously injured in confined spaces in a wide range of industries, from those with an obvious risk to apparently very simple entries where the risk is not fully understood. Casualties include not only those working in the confined space and but also those who try to rescue them without proper training.

MRSL has developed specialist skills from many years of working in difficult and potentially dangerous environments. The combination of knowledge of risk assessment, development of safe working systems and experience gained from

working underground and in confined spaces results in highly qualified instructors and assessors who you know are able to ‘practice what they preach’.

MRSL offers a comprehensive range of training and services throughout the UK. Its training centres are approved to award the full suite of City & Guilds 6150 confined space qualifications from entry, supervision, management and rescue.

The company has accreditation to ISO 9001: 2008, ISO 14001: 2004 and Achilles Verify. www.minesrescue.com

The Mines Rescue Service has been involved in some 35 major incidents in the past 15 years. These have included fires, gas outbursts, falls of ground, explosions, trapped personnel, flooding and oxygendeficient atmospheres. The service utilises this experience to create a definitively ‘hands on’ approach to training and this is one of the key reasons for its success.

MRSL also provides rescue cover for work in order to ensure there is compliance with the requirements of the Confined Space Regulations 1997.

The organisation has also assisted industry and awarding bodies to create the National Occupational Standard for entry into and rescue from confined spaces – the City & Guilds 6150 Confined Space qualifications. The National Occupational Standard and vocationally recognised qualifications were developed to improve the standard of training and assessment to reduce the number of fatalities and accidents.

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IT training on the move In an effort to make IT training within Avon and Somerset Constabulary more efficient and cost effective, it was decided in 2001 to lease a coach from a commercial company to roll out a new IT project. This proved very successful and, in 2003, the force decided to buy its own bus, which was converted and fitted out to meet its own specifications for training delivery and comfort.

Dual-purpose training facility opens in Cumbria A new training facility, which has been jointly funded by Cumbria Constabulary and Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, has opened at Penrith police headquarters. The facility has a dual purpose in providing public order training for police officers and fire behaviour training for fire officers.

The facility cost £200,000, with £50,000 being funded by the fire and rescue service and £150,00 being funded by the police authority. It will see a reduction in training costs for both organisations, with savings in expenditure for travel and accommodation.

Reduced costs The facility is made from recycled material hardcore and has been designed to reduce energy costs in a way that during daylight hours there is no requirement for electrical lighting. It consists of mock up walls and cells, which will be able to be used to training for public order incidents and searching techniques. The fire and rescue service has a fire behaviour unit, which allows them to train in extinguishing fires in a purpose built livefire training facility.

sThe purchase and conversion of the bus took approximately 18 months and since becoming operational the use of the bus has increased year on year. The force area stretches from Yeovil in Somerset, in the south, to Yate in South Gloucestershire, in the north, covering an area of approximately 1855 square miles with a population of 1.6 million.

The bus can be sited at various locations throughout the force and therefore is a very cost effective way of delivering training, especially in an organisation that operates 24/7 as it negates the need for students to travel to police headquarters at Portishead, on the outskirts of Bristol, and also offers a very flexible approach to training.

User-friendly environment The bus caters for eight students (including disabled access) plus one workstation for the trainer, in a user-friendly environment. Each workstation comprises a computer with an adjustable chair and footrest. A 40in LCD screen with two complementary screens has been installed to enable all students to view demonstrations from any position within the bus.

The bus has air conditioning and heating systems to ensure a comfortable environment. Although designed primarily for IT training, the bus could be used to provide a venue for delivering presentations using a computer at locations where no suitable room is available. It is powered by two 240V, 50mm diameter plugs, similar to those used by caravans, and when located at stations throughout the force area it can access the force network.

Avon and Somerset also has a Simulated Training Suite (Hydra) located at police headquarters, Portishead, which is a training simulator designed to provide an immersive and, most importantly, realistic learning scenario. The suite can simulate virtually any incident or scenario using video, audio, photographs or printed material.

There is also a Hydra Mobile suite, which enables immersive learning to take place anywhere within the force or to any force in the country. The technician has facilitated sessions using this mobile suite for staff at Bristol International Airport as well as Roads Policing training for Hampshire Constabulary at their training school in Fareham.

www.cumbria.police.uk www.cumbriafire.gov.uk

Ambulance driver training manual

Debriefing data 10,000 Volts is a technology-assisted debriefing tool designed for analysing critical incident decision-making. Debriefing data from an incident or a Hydra session is captured using software that enables all those present to record their views anonymously onto a laptop. Participants’ input is then displayed on screen for everyone to view. Any number of networked laptops can be used in a session and can be set up at any location. The 10,000 Volts software ensures that all comments entered into the system are non-attributable.

Emergency ambulance driving is a high-pressure task. With ever-increasing operational demands on ambulance services, increasing traffic volumes and new legislation, the skills of the ambulance service emergency response driver have never been so important.

Ambulance service drivers not only have to deal with negotiating ambulances safely to the emergency call but also ensure they arrive in a clear state of mind to deal with the sometimes stressful nature of the call. Uniquely, the driver then has to be able to maintain focus and concentration, while providing a stable platform for a clinician to maintain care of the patient en route to a hospital or treatment centre.

AACE (Association of Ambulance Chief Executives) and Class Professional Publishing will soon release a new manual, which addresses this complex subject in a concise and informative manner. This handbook ‘The UK Ambulance Services Emergency Response Driver’s Handbook’ has been written by the NHS Ambulance Driver Training Advisory Group (DTAG) whose members are the NHS ambulance services driver training leads and who have years of experience in the design and delivery of ambulance driver training.

The new book can be purchased directly from Class Professional Publishing on Tel: 01278 427843 or from ambulance equipment suppliers.

www.avonandsomerset.police.uk

www.jblearning.com

Emergency Services Times June 2012

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Powered ascender

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computer to complete post-production processing or stitching. This rapid reconnaissance camera can be used by anyone and does not require special training or photography skills. iSTAR® has been designed to capture high resolution panoramic photographs of road traffic accidents and crime scenes, freezing the actual scene and preserving a permanent record, which can be used later as evidence. It can also be used for surveillance, general evidence gathering and pre-planning operations for counter terrorism purposes and at public order events. The iSTAR® can also be linked live to a TV monitor or over the internet enabling offsite control and interactivity. www.nctech.co.uk

The Harken PowerSeat™ is a sit-on powered ascender with an in-built manual friction-brake descender. It is the first of its kind, extending working hours and capability, and providing the quality and comfort that people working in hazardous environments deserve. Designed to be used anywhere that rope access is possible, the Harken Power Seat is ideal for use in search and rescue situations.

The device is simple to operate and has a full 360-degree working area that allows unobstructed work, even in confined areas. The portable unit weighs just 14kg and is strong, durable and corrosion resistant. It works with standard approved personal fall arrest systems, and does not replace them.

The brake system helps protects from a free fall. In an emergency, the PowerSeat can be evacuated safely and left behind as the operator is already clipped to conventional harness equipment. The device load rating allows for a maximum working load of 273kg, allowing it to handle a two-person load in rescue situations.

Mobile ID checks

Designed for border control and immigration, federal and military police patrols and security teams, the latest Person Identification Mini Dock (PIMD) from Panasonic Toughbook includes a new Smartcard reader for user authentication, as well as an OCR and RFID reader and fingerprint scanner. Compact, rugged and lightweight, the PIMD connects to the Toughbook CF-U1 ultra mobile PC device. It has been designed for use in mobile ID security checks or for security access checks at events such as the Olympics or football matches.

www.power-seat.com

http://panasonic.net

360° camera

Hardback cases

Based in Scotland, camera design and manufacturing company, NCTech, has launched the world’s first fully automatic instant 360° panoramic camera. The iSTAR® is the first 360° camera with the power to process its images internally, with no need for a

Protect your netbook, tablet, laptop or e-reader from drops, knocks, scratches and mishaps with new Peli

HardBack™ cases. The cases are manufactured in tough ABS, offering robust and durable protection, even in extreme conditions. Designed as waterproof/crush-resistant armour for laptops and netbooks, Peli Hardback cases combine durability, security and style. These cases were developed in a unique partnership between Pelican Products Inc and BMW Designworks (a division of BMW). Featuring an easy-snap polymer latch that remains shut under pressure or after impact, the Hardback range also has an integral automatic purge valve to keep water and dust out while balancing air pressure. The tongue-andgroove lid construction and polymer o-ring creates a watertight seal. A range of five sizes is available – the 1055, 1065, 1075, 1085 and 1095 – to fit various devices from 8-15in.

The Sharps Terminator® then cuts the plastic ‘hub’ above the needle so that no metal is left on the syringe.

Finally, the debris from the needle falls into a clean-out tube at the base of the device where it is exposed to UV light to eliminate contaminants.

The remaining plastic syringe is no longer a sharp and can be disposed of in a regular medical waste container. www.sharpsterminator.eu

Lifting sling

www.peliproducts.co.uk

Needle destruction device

The Sharps Terminator®, which destroys the needle shaft in a singlehanded action leaving the user with only the plastic syringe, has the potential to significantly reduce the number of needlestick injuries reported by healthcare workers every year in the UK. The lightweight, portable, battery-powered Sharps Terminator® operates via a single-step process that is extremely simple to use and works with a wide range of needles, including regular intravenous and butterfly needles. Once the needle is withdrawn from the patient, the healthcare worker simply inserts the needle into the device and holds it for three seconds. As the needle body completes a circuit between two angled copper electrodes, resistance from the needle creates sufficient heat to destroy the metal portion of the needle from the tip to the hub.

Emergency Services Times June 2012

Transferring a patient to a carrying chair or stretcher can be difficult and potentially hazardous to both patient and operatives. The top and tail lift is still frequently used, despite being considered controversial, or even condemned by most manual handling specialists (see The Guide to the Handling of People). Physically lifting someone can cause discomfort or injury and cannot be justified on the basis that it is an emergency and there is no alternative – because there is an alternative. The Promove sling is easily placed under an individual and provides handles for a team of operatives to lift that person with a greater degree of safety and dignity.

With good handholds the risk of musculoskeletal injury to staff is substantially reduced while the patient is fully supported without pressure points. The Emergency Services Kit is ideal for moving patients on a day-today basis. For larger bariatric patients the Bari-Kit is intended for specialist teams. It has slings and accessories to accommodate patients up to 63 stone (400kg). Robert Bugg of West Midlands Fire Service, said, “The days of rescuers using ad-hoc equipment such as tarpaulins to lift and move heavier casualties should be a thing of the past when dedicated equipment such as the Promove is available.” www.promove.uk.com

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PRODUCT INFORMATION | 71

KNEE & ELBOW Protection

VEHICLE MOUNTED BOILING WATER SYSTEM

Comprehensive range to suit every application Ergonomic design G Comfortable and secure fit Reliable protection Tough and hard wearing Manufactured to the highest standards from selected quality materials CE marking throughout NATO Stock No: 22c 8415-99-8873869

Gotec Trading Limited Boulton Road Pin Green Stevenage Herts SG1 4QL Telephone 01438 740400 Fax 01438 740005

Cold, wet and dehydration can reduce performance and impair safety.

By fitting a ‘TeaMate’ water boiler, crews can make themselves a cup of tea, coffee or other hot beverage to keep warm and hydrated, therefore maximising concentration and keeping fatigue to a minimum.

• Compact commercial grade throughout.

• Self contained fully automatic.

• 24v and 12v models available.

• Makes up to 9 mugs per filling.

WHISPAIRE LTD Email: info@whispaire.co.uk Web: www.whispaire.co.uk T: + 44 (0)1794 523999 F: + 44 (0)1794 519151

Ultimate public safety vehicle

ber Plate Recognition (ANPR) and real-time video streaming over LTE and TEDS to empower and protect officers to a level that has never been seen before. www.motorolasolutions.com

Handheld heat scanning device Motorola Solutions Inc recently highlighted its latest innovations at the TETRA World Congress 2012 in Dubai. In addition, Motorola unveiled the ultimate patrol vehicle, a fully operational police car that demonstrated the possibilities of the latest innovations in TETRA, TETRA Enhanced Data Services (TEDS) and LTE communications technology. The vehicle is the result of years of simulation, usability studies and field research and incorporates the latest technologies and integrated controls to enable streamlined decision-making and actions by officers on the street.

The car has easy-to-reach controls with key functions tied to singlebutton presses or simple voice commands. Its workstation runs applications such as Automatic Num-

MAKE IT EASY WITH

HOT PACK™ Self-Heating Nutritious Meals In 12 minutes, you can create a delicious hot meal, with Hot Pack Self Heating Meals, anywhere you need it. Everything is in the pack to produce a satisfying hot meal without using any other equipment. Even cutlery and a dish are included!

Choose from seven great tasting, ready to eat recipes: Chicken Casserole, Lancashire Hot Pot, Chicken Dopiaza Curry, Sausages and Beans, Spicy Vegetable Rigatoni, Meatballs & Pasta and Vegetable Curry.

Make it easy. Enjoy a HOT PACK™ meal – anywhere!

Contact Canland UK Ltd, Wellington House, Lower Icknield Way Longwick, Bucks HP27 9RZ Tel/Fax: 01844 344474 E.mail: info@hotpackmeals.co.uk Web site: www.hotpackmeals.co.uk

roundings – both in a building and outside. It senses the infrared radiation being emitted by a local hotspot. By scanning a wide area it allows the user to quickly detect and locate a region for further investigation. The HotSpotter™ is very robust, waterproof and is easy and intuitive to use.

It costs a fraction of the price of a thermal imaging camera. Vimpex has sample units available for trial and would be very happy to visit customers for the purposes of demonstrating the device. The Hotspotter™ is one of several specialist products supplied

by Vimpex and designed specifically with the fire and rescue services in mind. Other products include the Ogura range of portable batterypowered rescue tools, the extremely powerful family of Cutters Edge Saws, the revolutionary Canguro Scene Star scene lighting system and Endress generators. www.rescue-tools.co.uk

Vimpex, the specialist supplier of PPE, technical rescue products and telescopic masts, has launched the HotSpotter™ heat-scanning device.

Developed by Product Innovation Ltd, it is a simple hand tool for firefighters and others involved in fire prevention and post fire investigation.

The device detects and locates small areas that are hotter than the sur-

Name badges Nottinghamshire-based Badgemaster designs and manufactures ready-towear employee name badges for thousands of hospitals, surgeries and care homes and understands the needs of healthcare professionals.

Since 2010 healthcare practices reg-

Emergency Services Times June 2012

ulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) must meet service delivery criteria, including the clear identification of individual staff members.

The guidance publication ‘Essential standards of quality and safety’ specifies that, for providers to achieve the required standard of care and welfare of people who use their healthcare services, their users ‘can be confident that, wherever possible, they will know the names and job titles of the people who provide their care, treatment and support’ (part of Outcome 4C). Badgemaster has built excellent customer loyalty by providing a wide choice of name badge styles with clothes-friendly and patient-safe fasteners and high quality logo reproduction, together with a very fast and easy ordering and delivery process, all at competitive prices with no minimum order. www.badgemaster.co.uk

72 | LAST WORDS

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Raising awareness of the dangers of Carbon Monoxide CO-Awareness Charity (Reg No. 1125755) was set up to support victims, their families and friends poisoned by Carbon Monoxide (CO) and strives to raise awareness among health professionals, local government and the general public of the dangers of CO. Dubbed the silent killer, on average 50 people every year are killed by CO in England and Wales and around 4000 are diagnosed at A&E departments with CO poisoning, as indicated by the most recent APPGSG inquiry.

Lynn Griffiths, President of the CO-Awareness Charity, has been raising awareness of the dangers around CO for a number of years, specifically while on your summer holidays. Last year there were a number of CO incidents in Cornwall leading CO-Awareness to join forces with Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service to raise awareness about this danger.

The campaign received an encouraging response in the build up to the 2012 holiday season with a register set up to give campsites the opportunity to enhance their safe reputation.

Each site receives a Carbon Monoxide awareness pack, which is made up of posters, stickers and flyers to hand out to holidaymakers on their arrival on site. It provides awareness and education information on the dangers of this silent killer when taking/using portable/disposable BBQs in enclosed tented areas or caravans.

Sadly since the start of the 2012 holiday season there have been a number of camping fatalities due to Carbon Monoxide poisoning across the UK. Following the death of Chris Bainbridge earlier this year, after taking a barbecue into a wooden cabin, Lynn decided the work she had been doing with Mark Prattern of Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service should be expanded to a national campaign. Therefore, after an initial meeting between Lynn Griffiths from CO-Awareness, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, some of the largest holiday organisations and clubs in the country and other fire and rescue services, it was decided to roll out a National CO Awareness Register.

CO-Awareness groups The CO-Awareness Community Group is aimed at everyone who is sent into someone else's home via his or her employer. The group launch will take place at the House of Lords on 3 July 2012.

The National Camping and Caravanning Carbon Monoxide Awareness Register launch event will take place on Tuesday 10 July from Portcullis House, House of Commons.

The CO-Awareness Healthcare Group was launched last year and now has over 40 members.

The CO- Awareness Victims Group and COAwareness Industry Group will launch early next year.

Anyone interested in joining one of the charity’s groups should contact Lynn via the charity’s website.

CO is a highly poisonous gas that can kill in minutes and ANY fuel that burns or smoulders can cause CO poisoning.

The ‘Cosy but Deadly’ campaign highlights the dangers of camping and caravanning.

Educational packs The aim is to provide educational and awareness information packs to the UK holiday industry aimed at holiday makers, campsite owners and their staff, on how to recognise the dangers of Carbon Monoxide within enclosed, tented areas or caravans and how and where it can be produced so that these tragic accidents can be prevented from happening again.

Public awareness initiative There have already been four further CO incidents due to barbecues this year, the latest being the recent death of 14 year old Hannah ThomasJones at a Shropshire campsite. Shropshire are now using the charity’s ‘Cosy but Deadly’ poster in a new public awareness initiative to help reduce risk in this area.

Too many people are dying or falling unconscious from this colourless and odourless gas. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) is fully supportive of this initiative and has created a network to disseminate the message across the UK. The ‘Cosy but Deadly’ campaign highlights the dangers of camping and caravanning. The charity, working together with Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, will list every camp and caravan site that joins the register on a new website: www.CampingCaravanningCarbonMonoxideRegister.co.uk

Signs and symptoms Low levels of exposure can cause dizziness, headaches and flu-like symptoms ‘without’ a temperature. It can quickly knock someone out by depriving them of oxygen and at high levels can kill in minutes.

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group Inquiry Chair, is backing more research to shed light on the extent of this threat to life; she was the keynote speaker at the CO Awareness Conference on 24 May in Liverpool, which saw Merseyside and West Midlands fire and rescue services raise the profile of this subject area as an extension to their Home Fire Safety Check strategies.

Dr Andrew Shaw, lead academic on the study in Merseyside, said, "This study shows that with the lack of ownership of CO alarms in the Coventry and Liverpool areas there is a significant risk of an increase in CO-related incidents occurring within homes. The study shows that although there is a difference between highly deprived and non-deprived areas, the risk to society as a whole is significant. The findings were carried out through the fire and rescue service’s Home Fire Safety Check Campaign. The CO-Awareness Charity has been involved in the Merseyside study since the beginning and is involved in many more Carbon Monoxide awareness campaigns.”

Support and recognition The charity’s main aim is to see those poisoned

by Carbon Monoxide being able to access the support and recognition, health-wise, of a poison that those dealing in healthcare seem to know so little about. A clinic that will have healthcare staff in place to listen and will help them to deal with the long-term health problems with which those poisoned by this silent killer can be left. Followed by a high profile campaign in the media, eg primetime television, newspapers, cinemas; leaflets in all doctors’ surgeries and in all gas bills, highlighting the CO dangers; caravanning and campsites highlighting the dangers of CO; and to see every building in the UK, including new builds, fitted with a CO alarm.

CO-Awareness starts its national Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week the third Monday in November every year. Please add this to your diary. www.COvictim.org

If you need any other information on the National register please contact mpratten@fire.cornwall.gov.uk or www.covictim.org

Emergency Services Times June 2012