EST May 2011

MAY 2011

VOLUME 12 | 2

ᔡ News: Essex Fire and Rescue Service donates a vehicle to East of England Ambulance Service and Suffolk fire and police services open a shared base ᔡ PPE focus – from helmets to boots – a round up of the latest personal protective kit to keep you safe while you protect the public ᔡ A preview of Emergency Scotland – the organisations attending and the exhibitors showcasing their latest kit ᔡ Bariatrics – a multi agency approach to this specialist rescue ᔡ Profile: How TRL, the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory, works with the emergency services ᔡ Comms – incident management software from Primetech and ACPO develops the One Box concept ᔡ Collaboration: the benefits of further collaboration between emergency services and private companies

www.whbence.co.uk WH Bence Coachworks Ltd Great Western Business Park, Yate, Bristol BS37 5NG Tel: 01454 310909 Email: sales@whbence.co.uk www.emergencyservicestimes.com

ᔡ Free entrance to Emergency Scotland – register online at www.emergencyscotland.com ISSN 1472-1090

CONTENTS | 1

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Regular features First Words Emergency Scotland 2011 Event Director David Brown talks about the up and coming show

3

News Essex Fire and Rescue Service donates a vehicle to East of England Ambulance Service to help with training and Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service and Suffolk Constabulary launch a shared base

4

Events

Page 13 – Thousands take part in Exercise Watermark.

Up and coming events, including: Ambition 2011, Ambulex and The Emergency Services Show 2011

Inside this issue

11

Contracts & People Cleveland and Durham police set up a joint Specialist Operations Unit and West Mercia announces a new Chief Constable

56

Technology Frequentis showcases its control room solution at BAPCO and more organisations see the benefits of cloud computing

58

Company Profiles How TRL, the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory, works with the emergency services

59 73 74

Photo: Rob Munro/stuartcomms.com

Exercise Watermark

Communications

Rod Stafford, a member of the Exercise Watermark management team, explains the exercise’s achievements, and the future plans

61

13

Collaboration

ACPO develops ITS One Box concept and Primetech looks at its incident management software that is used in multiagency scenarios

19

The recent closure of the M1 motorway brought up many questions on the resilience of the UK’s roads, and how further collaboration between emergency services and private companies can benefit everyone

Bariatric

Emergency Scotland 2011

PPE – Head to Toe Protection

We profile some of the organisations attending and also preview some of the exhibitors showcasing the latest money-saving kit

74

23

ALSAR teams are constantly at work helping to find missing persons.

WH Bence has recently converted Avon and Somerset Constabulary’s Dive Team command unit and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Technical Rescue Vehicle

Product Information New products include a personal safety device, high definition evidence recorder, an in-vehicle storage system and CBRN attack scanning software

92

Last Words Doug Thornton, Chief Executive of the British Compressed Gases Association, explains about the BCGA’s work with the fire and rescue sector with regard to fires involving acetylene cylinders

96

Page 86 – Gore tests all its PPE fabrics in realistic conditions.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

East of England Ambulance Service is looking at a multi-agency approach to treat bariatric patients, plus the latest bariatric equipment for ambulance services

69

From helmets to boots – we round up the latest personal protective kit to keep you safe while you protect the public

2 | A-Z

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Companies Company Name

Page No

A S Training ......................................................................................42 AA Specialist Operations.................................................................54 Abtech Safety ....................................................................................70 Air Liquide Medical ........................................................................39 Airwave..........................................................................................7, 56 ALSAR...............................................................................................73 Ambition 2011 ..................................................................................11 Ambulex 2011 ...................................................................................11 APT Fabrics ......................................................................................89 Armadillo Merino.............................................................................36 Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) ................................61 Auxquimia .........................................................................................57 Avon and Somerset Constabulary.............................................56, 71 Avon Inflatables................................................................................40 Babcock International Group............................................................4 Baltic ..................................................................................................89 BASICS Education .............................................................................4 Bates Footwear..................................................................................89 Bennett Safetywear ...........................................................................84 Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue (SEBEV Search and Rescue)..........................................................8 Blüecher.............................................................................................79 Bob Wade Media Ltd .......................................................................16 Bonningtons Aerial Surveys............................................................94 bott ....................................................................................................93 Bristol Uniforms.........................................................................47, 75 British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA) ...........................96 British Equine Vetinary Association ................................................7 British Red Cross..........................................................................8, 54 British Transport Police.....................................................................7 BSI Group..........................................................................................90 Cadcorp..............................................................................................57 Capita Symonds ................................................................................13 Carbon Monoxide Awareness............................................................7 Casualties Union...............................................................................54 CFM Services ....................................................................................46 Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) ........................................7 City of London Police........................................................................7 Civil Contingencies Secretariat.......................................................13 Cleveland Police................................................................................56 Community HeartBeat Trust.............................................................8 Cornwall Air Ambulance.............................................................8, 57 Cosalt..................................................................................................90 CPDme...............................................................................................47 Defra ............................................................................................13, 58 Draeger ..............................................................................................26 DuPont...............................................................................................84 Durham Constabulary......................................................................56 East Midlands Ambulance Service ...................................................8 East of England Ambulance Service ....................................7, 57, 69 Eberspacher UK ...............................................................................94 Edinburgh Airport Fire Training Centre.......................................52 Emergency Medical Retrieval Service............................................51 Emergency Planning College ..........................................................19 Emergency Planning Society ....................................................23, 24 Emergency Scotland 2011..........................................................23, 24 Emergency Services Show 2011 ......................................................11 Environment Agency .......................................................................13 EP Barrus Ltd...................................................................................35 Essex Fire and Rescue Service .........................................................7

Company Name

Page No

Company Name

Page No

Essex Police .......................................................................................56 Excelerate Technology ...............................................................42, 64 Fenland Laundries Ltd....................................................................45 Fern Communications .....................................................................93 Fire and Rescue Scotland ................................................................31 Fire Officers’ Association ................................................................54 Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service....................................4 Frequentis..........................................................................................58 Geargrid.............................................................................................36 GEM Motoring Assist........................................................................8 General Dynamics Itronix...............................................................58 Geonovo.............................................................................................93 Great Western Ambulance Service .................................................56 HAIX .................................................................................................83 Halcrow..............................................................................................13 Halfords .............................................................................................41 Hampshire Police .............................................................................56 Health Protection 2011 ....................................................................11 Health Protection Agency .....................................................7, 11, 51 Heathrow Air Ambulance Service ..................................................57 HeliMedia..........................................................................................56 Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service .........................................76 HJ Hall...............................................................................................80 Huddle ...............................................................................................58 Hunter Apparel Solutions................................................................91 Hygie-Tech.........................................................................................94 Ilasco with Keela...............................................................................39 Imtradex ......................................................................................58, 94 In Technology ...................................................................................57 Innogistic...........................................................................................39 Intellitec MV Ltd .............................................................................36 Interspiro...........................................................................................82 iOptec.................................................................................................93 Jackson Technical Solutions............................................................74 Jones & Bartlett Learning ...............................................................41 JustTextGiving by Vodafone..............................................................4 Kelvin Connect .................................................................................56 Kent Police ........................................................................................56 Kermel ..............................................................................................83 Kussmaul Electronics.......................................................................94 Laerdal Medical Ltd ........................................................................94 Lancashire Constabulary .................................................................57 Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service ..............................................56 Land Rover........................................................................................41 learnPro .............................................................................................47 LINK Associates International.......................................................45 Lion Apparel.........................................................................39, 80, 82 London Ambulance Service ..............................................................7 London Fire Brigade....................................................................7, 57 London Trauma Conference 2011...................................................11 Magnum Boots..................................................................................75 Masimo ..............................................................................................42 MEL Secure Systems .......................................................................93 Mercato Solutions.............................................................................58 Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service .............................................66 Metropolitan Police........................................................................4, 7 Mitre Blue Light...............................................................................86 Monitor................................................................................................4 Montane.............................................................................................80 Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland ...............................28, 53

Namron Ltd ......................................................................................75 Nextorch ............................................................................................94 NHS Ambulance Chief Executives Group.....................................29 Nightsearcher....................................................................................92 North Fire .........................................................................................76 Orex....................................................................................................76 Pacific Helmets...........................................................................74, 79 Panasonic ..........................................................................................56 Paramo Directional Clothing Systems ...........................................76 PBI Performance Products ..............................................................35 Peli Products .....................................................................................56 PPSS Group.......................................................................................79 Primetech ..........................................................................................63 Proact Medical ..................................................................................93 Promove.............................................................................................69 RNLI................................................................................................4, 8 Roke Manor Research ......................................................................63 Rosenbauer ........................................................................................76 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.........................................4 Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).........................................19 RSG Engineering..............................................................................93 RSPCA .................................................................................................7 Rural Development Initiatives........................................................53 Ruth Lee Ltd ..............................................................................35, 70 Scott Safety..................................................................................46, 74 Scottish Ambulance Service ............................................................26 Scottish Resilience Development Service......................................51 Semmco..............................................................................................86 Serco...................................................................................................19 Skyguard............................................................................................93 South East Coast Ambulance Service...............................................4 South Western Ambulance Servoce..................................................4 South Yorkshire Police ......................................................................7 SP Services ........................................................................................45 St Andrew’s First Aid ......................................................................52 St John Ambulance...........................................................................57 Suffolk Constabulary..........................................................................4 Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service ......................................................4 Sunlight .............................................................................................89 Surrey Fire and Rescue Service ........................................................8 Tempus Developments Ltd .............................................................40 tms support solutions ltd .................................................................40 Top Trock...........................................................................................84 TRL....................................................................................................59 UK ISAR Team.................................................................................64 UniTech .............................................................................................82 VectorCommand ...............................................................................13 Vimpex...............................................................................................79 Welsh Assembly Government .........................................................13 West Mercia Police ...........................................................................57 West Midlands Fire Service.............................................................64 West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service .......................................72 West Yorkshire Police.........................................................................8 WH Bence ...................................................................................71, 72 Whaly Boats ......................................................................................16 Wiltshire Police.................................................................................57 WL Gore & Associates.................................................................4, 86 WRVS.................................................................................................52 YDS Boots ........................................................................................46

Company Name

Company Name

Advertisers Company Name

Page No

3tc Software .......................................................................................87 Abtech Safety ....................................................................................68 Agusta Westland ...............................................................................10 Air Liquide Medical.........................................................................44 Airwave ...........................................................................................IFC AMBITION 2011...........................................................................IBC Ambulex 2011 ...................................................................................83 Anderco Safety ..................................................................................65 Avon Inflatables/Zodiac...................................................................12 Babcock International......................................................................10 Bauer Kompressoren UK Ltd.........................................................44 Blüecher.............................................................................................22 Bob Wade Media Ltd .......................................................................17 Bristol Uniforms...............................................................................77 British Red Cross..............................................................................38 Cosalt..................................................................................................27 Crompton Mouldings Ltd ...............................................................55 Designs Signage Solutions...............................................................50 Draeger Safety.....................................................................................9 DuPont...............................................................................................85 Emergency Scotland 2011................................................................78

Page No

EP Barrus...........................................................................................17 Excelerate Technology Ltd........................................................48, 49 Fire Brigade Models.........................................................................44 HAIX .................................................................................................91 Interspiro...........................................................................................34 Intramark...........................................................................................81 Kussmaul Electronics Co Inc..........................................................55 Land Rover..........................................................................................5 Link Associates.................................................................................34 Lyon Equipment Limited .........................................................21, 67 Mines Rescue Service.......................................................................50 NAPFM Conference 2011................................................................95 Nightsearcher....................................................................................73 Niton 999 Equipment.......................................................................92 Northern Diver .................................................................................12 PageOne.............................................................................................18 Peli Products (UK) Ltd ...................................................................38 Physio-Control (Medtronic) Ltd ....................................................77 Premier Hazard.................................................................................27 Primetech ..........................................................................................62 Professional Protection Systems .....................................................85

Page No

Promove UK Ltd..............................................................................70 Red Box Recorders Limited............................................................88 RSG Engineering Limited...............................................................88 Ruth Lee Ltd ....................................................................................71 Serco...................................................................................................37 SP Services..............................................................................OBC, 55 Strongs Plastic Products ..................................................................34 Supply 999 .........................................................................................50 Tempus Developments Ltd .............................................................44 Terrafix...............................................................................................50 Thomas Jacks ....................................................................................85 Tracerco..............................................................................................43 TXTTOOLS .....................................................................................37 Ultra Electronics.................................................................................6 University of Leicester.....................................................................87 Vauxhall .............................................................................................60 Vimpex Limited................................................................................81 Volt Master Systems .........................................................................88 W H Bence.................................................................................FC, 30 WILL-BURT ....................................................................................71 Zego Marine (UK) Ltd ....................................................................17

Emergency Services Times May 2011

FIRST WORDS | 3

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Volume No: 12 Date:

Issue No: 02 May 2011

Editor: David J. Holden MEng(Hons) Twitter: @999editor davidholden@mmcpublications.co.uk Editorial Assistant: Alice Burton aliceburton@mmcpublications.co.uk Advertisement Manager: David Brown davidbrown@mmcpublications.co.uk Advertisement Sales: Carol Fox carolfox@mmcpublications.co.uk Circulation & Subscription Manager: Anne Ahier anne@mmcpublications.co.uk

IT/www Contact: Ceinwen Clarke ceinwen@mmcpublications.co.uk

Managing Director: David Brown Directors: John Clarke David Holden Colin Robinson Ceinwen Clarke (Sec.) Published by

Emergency Services (MMC) Ltd a division of Modern Media Communications Ltd Gresham House 54 High Street Shoreham by Sea West Sussex BN43 5DB United Kingdom Tel: +44(0)1273 453033 Fax: +44(0)1273 453085 info@mmcpublications.co.uk e-mail: www: www.emergencyservicestimes.com Distribution: EMERGENCY SERVICES TIMES is free of charge to officers and managers who are buyers or specifiers actively involved in the procurement of equipment or services within the emergency response industry and based in the UK and Irish Republic. All other categories of reader are invited to subscribe at £125.00 to UK addresses and £160.00 overseas. Single copy price £25.00 including post and packing.

The articles within Emergency Services Times are copyright and are the property of the publisher Emergency Services (MMC) Ltd and cannot be reproduced in any media form without permission of the publisher. Application should be made in writing.

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A reader enquiry service is available for readers to indirectly contact companies for further details on products and services advertised in this issue as well as editorial items mentioned.

A postcard is inserted in this issue for returning to us or you may fax your enquiries with the numbers and your full address, telephone, fax on +44(0)1273 453085 Printed by Manor Creative, (01323) 514400 Studio work by Keystrokes, Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex Tel: 01273 453300 keystrokes@btconnect.com

One common goal – public safety The Emergency Services Show, held annually in November at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, has established itself as the leading event for emergency responders and resilience professionals in the UK. As the organisers of the show, we analyse every aspect of the event to improve it year on year and, on inspection of our visitor profile, we realised that our attendee numbers from Scotland and the north of England were low compared to those regions in the south of England and closer to the Midlands. That said, those visitors that did attend from close to and over the border were full of the usual praise. It seemed logical to infer that travel times and costs were restricting more visitors from these regions from attending the UK show, so we set about creating a sister event and Emergency Scotland was born.

“I am particularly proud of our collaboration with the Emergency Planning Society (EPS) in organising the Emergency Scotland 2011 event.”

Taking our cue from industry, I am particularly proud of our collaboration with the Emergency Planning Society (EPS) in organising the Emergency Scotland 2011 event. In combining our exhibition with the society’s annual conference, this year entitled The Emergency Planning Society Resilience Symposium 2011, we have enhanced both events and provided better value for our visitors. To our knowledge, this is the first time two event organisers in the emergency services sector have collaborated in this way and it has been a mutually beneficial partnership on many levels.

As last October’s Spending Review and the resulting budget cuts begin to bite, huge changes, both operationally and organisationally, are taking place in the sector. It has never been more important for each emergency services organisation to look at how it operates, whom it works with and how to maximise its limited budgets – while all the

time focusing on maintaining and improving public safety.

There are many fine examples of both inter- and intra-agency collaboration from which the industry can learn a great deal: shared service bases, such as that in Framlingham in Suffolk (see page 4); shared knowledge, such as the expertise exchange between the RNLI and the Welsh fire and rescue services (also page 4); and shared units, such as the Police Ops Unit collaboration between Cleveland and Durham (see page 56).

All of the above examples of collaboration were initiated with the goals of improved efficiencies, closer working relationships and cost savings in mind. These are goals that we, as organisers of Emergency Scotland and The Emergency Services Show share, as we strive to bring together the latest, cost and efficiency saving equipment with the frontline personnel who use this equipment in their every day operations.

It is also a personal goal of mine to open our visitors’ eyes to the capabilities of the partnering agencies and voluntary sector, which regularly assist the emergency services at incidents. The unique Emergency Response Zone at Emergency Scotland, where some of these organisations are given free stand space, allows them the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals. I urge you all to visit their stands at the SECC, and at Stoneleigh in November, and find out what assistance is available – you really could be missing out.

In these uncertain financial times it is essential that you make every penny count, while ensuring that public safety is not compromised.

Collaborating, sharing knowledge and working with equipment suppliers to make your budgets go further are all ways of fulfilling these ambitions.

A full preview of the Emergency Scotland 2011 event can be found from page 23.

To register for free attendance, visit www.emergencyscotland2011.com.

I look forward to welcoming you to Glasgow from 5-6 July. See you there.

David Brown Event Director, Emergency Scotland 2011

Emergency Services Times May 2011

4 | NEWS

In brief . . .

JustTextGiving by Vodafone, the UK’s first free to use text donation service, has launched in partnership with JustGiving. This will help Britain’s 184,000 charities unlock the power of text message donations at no cost to themselves. Incurring no set up or running costs for charities and no network charges for supporters, JustTextGiving will allow all charities, big and small to benefit from the speed and spontaneity of text donations, with every penny donated, plus Gift Aid, going straight to charity. Twenty-one charities across the country are among the first to sign up to and secure their personalised six-digit text codes.

Relief support charity, Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service, based in Weston-super-Mare, will use the code BIKE24. Registered charities can set up their codes now and individual fundraisers from Monday 20 June.

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RNLI and Welsh fire and rescue services Joint working exchange flood rescue expertise in Suffolk

www.justtextgiving.co.uk

Monitor, the independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts, confirmed in March that South Western Ambulance Service and South East Coast Ambulance Service have been approved to operate as NHS Foundation Trusts, a new type of NHS trust. They are still part of the NHS but are run locally and are accountable to patients, local people and staff rather than the Department of Health. www.swast.nhs.uk www.secamb.nhs.uk

Babcock International Group has won the Emergency Services Supplier of the Year award at the inaugural Emergency Services awards, held recently at the Emirates Stadium. The award, for the company’s outstanding work with the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) fleet, recognised that Babcock’s approach of continual innovation and improvement had resulted in both efficiencies and improved operational capability. www.babcock.co.uk

Livingston-based WL Gore & Associates (UK) Ltd, manufacturer of the world famous GORE-TEX® fabric, has been named the best company to work for in Scotland for the eighth year in a row. With a record 912 companies competing this year, Gore also achieved number 13 in the whole of the UK on the Top 100 list published by The Sunday Times on 6 March. The Sunday Times list is based on a wide range of factors from employee satisfaction and wellbeing to company policy on a wide range of benefits. www.gore.com

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has teamed up with Welsh fire and rescue services to share skills, cut costs and develop joint training courses to comply with new Government guidelines for flood rescue.

This initiative has culminated with the Welsh Fire and Rescue Services (WFRS) delivering Water Rescue Technician Training to the RNLI flood rescue volunteers. In exchange the RNLI will deliver its new Water Rescue Boat Operators course to the WFRS. RNLI Chief Executive Paul Boissier

said, “The RNLI continually seeks to provide the best and most cost effective training for its dedicated volunteers. We welcome the opportunity to work with other rescue organisations to share expertise, reduce costs and gain an enhanced understanding of flooding situations, which can often be difficult and hazardous environments.”

Members of the RNLI and the Welsh fire and rescue flood rescue teams will now be completing the training in order to make sure they are ready for any future flooding.

BASICS launches online prehospital emergency care course BASICS Education, in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, recently launched an e-learning training course for prehospital emergency care. The 16module course, designed to prepare the immediate care practitioner to work safely and effectively in the prehospital environment, was officially launched on 8 April at the Kettering Life Connections Conference.

The British Association For Immediate Care (BASICS) has held threeday training courses for years in order to provide the PhEC (Pre-hospital Emergency Care) Qualification, and is taking the course online to allow students the opportunity to study at their own pace, on their own time. The 16 modules include a myriad of texts, video clips, web resources and reading materials, in addition to an exam for each module,

and a certificate for passing. After all 16 modules have been successfully completed, students will be able to arrange going for a full, practical exam at a regional centre, and upon passing that, will then garner the PhEC Qualification.

Richard Steyn, Chairman of BASICS, said, “With the recognition of Prehospital Care as a sub-speciality it is even more important that this type of course is available to all those who undertake the role. The online character of the course means we can now offer the training worldwide.”

With this new online resource, BASICS Education aims to provide the opportunity to teach a structured and standardised approach to patient management on a global basis, targeting GPs, nurses, ambulance technicians and emergency medics the world over.

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service and Suffolk Constabulary have launched a pioneering shared base in Framlingham. In a first for Suffolk, police and fire and rescue teams are working from a single site in a move that will increase partnership working between the two emergency services while saving money.

The newly extended building is home to new office and storage space for police with other facilities – interview and community rooms and shower/toilet/ kitchen areas – shared by officers from both services. The new development will create savings for Suffolk Police as it means disposing of the old police station and redundant police houses, which will release additional funds. The move will also reduce day-to-day running costs for both services through the sharing of premises.

Simon Ash, Chief Constable, Suffolk Constabulary, said, “I am delighted that we have opened our first shared facility with the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service. At a time when our budgets are being cut we are looking to reduce the costs of our premises in order to preserve police officer numbers where possible and maintain frontline service delivery.

“The people of Framlingham will continue to have the comfort of local officers located in the heart of their community whilst the Constabulary reduces its costs. I hope this is the first of many similar ventures that helps deliver a more cost effective service.”

Andy Fry, Chief Fire Officer, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, said, “I see this as a very exciting development.

Fire stations are public buildings and we need to think as creatively as we can about how they can be used to support communities. We have a very long and productive track record of working alongside colleagues in the police service and this is another example of what can be achieved through such positive relationships.”

As part of the official launch celebrations local residents were invited to come along to view the new facility and meet local fire and police officers. www.suffolk.gov.uk www.suffolk.police.uk

Emergency Services Times May 2011

NEWS | 7

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FRS-modified vehicle aids ambulance training East of England Ambulance Service clinical ambulance teams in north Essex can now introduce a new element to training thanks to the donation of a modified car from Essex Fire and Rescue Service. Staff from Weeley station were presented with the vehicle by urban search and rescue (USAR) Station Commander Terry Jewell, and shown what changes have been made to it to enable the work of ambulance staff when faced with patient entrapments.

The roof and doors have been modified so they can be taken off at an appropriate time, replicating the work of fire and rescue crews, but can then be replaced to allow for an infinite amount of times the vehicle can be used. The engine has been removed to make the vehicle lighter for moving around, and to allow space for a smoke generator to add to creating a realistic scenario for when a vehicle is on fire.

(From L to R) Neil Young, Karl Schroder, Gideon Chilton and Terry Jewell with the modified car at Weeley station.

Gideon Chilton, Clinical Operations Manager for Tendring, said, “Helping casualties trapped in vehicles is a joint effort between emergency services, and one which takes a considerable amount of training to master. Having a modified vehicle means we can teach this element of patient entrapment outside the usual training days

we set up with the fire service, making it more convenient for us all.”

Paramedic Dan Firmin worked with Terry to secure the gift, and colleagues Karl Schroder and Neil Young also accepted the car on his and the training team’s behalf. www.eastamb.nhs.uk

Chemical CO Awareness issues plea to incident reports health professionals available online The registered charity Carbon something to improve the overall Problems that chemical incidents caused for a number of London hospitals are spelled out in the new edition of the Health Protection Agency’s Chemical Hazards and Poisons Report. The report is published several times a year and features submitted articles from health professionals, emergency planners and members of the emergency services on chemical incidents, research and developments in the field.

The chemical contamination in hospitals article in the latest issue focuses on three chemical events in London last year and examines communications between emergency services on the scene and hospital staff and how best to manage self-presenters and the worried well in hospital in the wake of such incidents. The new issue also features pieces on refrigerant leaks in hospitals, the use of computerised decision support systems in the operational application of complex public health guidance, carbon monoxide poisoning from water pipes and exercising the new Air Quality Cell during major fires.

The May issue is available to download online at www.hpa.org.uk/ chemicals/reports. Visitors can also browse back issues, which include more than 600 articles, and subscribe to the report by email.

Monoxide Awareness is looking for volunteers from within the healthcare professions to act as ambassadors who will raise awareness of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning among their professional colleagues.

Lynn Griffiths, President of Carbon Monoxide Awareness, said, “Carbon monoxide poisoning is not necessarily the first thing that a doctor or nurse will think of when presented with a classic case. We know from contact with surviving victims and bereaved relatives of people who have died from CO poisoning that all too often people receive poor advice, investigation and treatment after their encounter with carbon monoxide.

“The scientific community’s understanding of carbon monoxide toxicity has advanced tremendously over the past decade. Doctors and nurses also know about the subject but unfortunately it isn’t always at the forefront of their minds when dealing with early-stage victims. Unless we do

state of awareness, cases of exposure to this common and potentially deadly poison will continue to be poorly managed, particularly in the initial stages, and the tragedy of avoidable illness and deaths will continue.”

It’s not only the public who are at risk. Emergency responders can be exposed to potentially lethal environments when attempting to rescue or resuscitate victims. The first rule of any rescue is that rescuers should not be exposed to unnecessary risk, and CO Awareness believes it is vital that emergency responders are issued with personal carbon monoxide monitors as a matter of routine.

The charity is inviting all healthcare professionals, including GPs, paramedics and A&E staff to join a group that will meet twice yearly to discuss ways of raising awareness of carbon monoxide amongst professional colleagues. www.co-awareness.org www.covictim.org

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Emergency Services Times May 2011

In brief . . .

Airwave, the leading provider of critical voice and data communications to public service organisations in Great Britain, played an integral role in ensuring that vital communications between the emergency services took place without incident during the recent Royal Wedding in London.

David Sangster, UK Services Director at Airwave for London, said, “We worked closely with the Metropolitan Police, City of London Police, London Fire Brigade, British Transport Police and London Ambulance Service, to ensure that there were no disruptions to the Airwave Network.” On the day of the wedding, 6000 users were connected to the network, with some 3800 users situated in or around the vicinity of Westminster Abbey and the Mall – a radius of one mile. The network operated and remained stable throughout the day. The event utilised the retuned network designed to increase the network’s capacity ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. www.airwavesolutions.co.uk

Arson risks in an area of Sheffield can now be reported through a new web page as part of a pilot scheme between the fire and rescue service and police. Residents can log on to a new ‘Arson Alert’ section of the South Yorkshire Police website to flag up potential problems such as fly tipping and bin fire hotspots. The scheme is being trialled by the Woodhouse Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) but could be rolled out to other districts if successful. It’s part of a partnership between South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s (SYFR) arson intervention team and Woodhouse SNT, which sees an arson officer based at Woodhouse police station. http://neighbourhood.southyorkshire.police.uk

The RSPCA has joined forces with the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) to establish and improve the standards of animal rescue operations in the UK. Working together with CFOA and the British Equine Veterinary Association, the RSPCA are pleased to play their part in ensuring animals in high risk situations are dealt with as effectively and efficiently as possible, with the minimum stress to both animal and owner. The agreement clearly outlines the roles the RSPCA, fire and rescue service, and expert vets will play while working together and how they will combine their expertise and resources. www.rspca.org.uk www.cfoa.org.uk

8 | NEWS

In brief . . .

East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EMAS) has signed an understanding with Community HeartBeat Trust (CHT) to further develop a scheme which will see Community Public Access Defibrillators (cPAD) available across the whole of the east midlands. A spokesperson for EMAS said, “We welcome this initiative and will be working with CHT to identify the locations where defibrillators would be of the greatest benefit. In most cases, this will be in areas where access to emergency medical help is difficult due to travelling distances. Whenever a new defibrillator is installed, free training will be provided in resuscitation to any of the local residents who wish to be involved in the scheme.” The Community HeartBeat Trust is funded by donations from the public and is a registered charity. www.emas.nhs.uk www.communityheartbeat.org.uk

Berkshire Lowland Search & Rescue (SEBEV) is the new name for SEBEV Search and Rescue, the volunteer team that specialises in saving lives by searching for missing persons who are at a high risk of coming to harm.

SEBEV operates from East Hampstead Park, near Bracknell and provides services to Thames Valley Police and civil contingency support to various local authorities in Thames Valley. The team also provides mutual support for search teams based across the UK and in recent months it has deployed to Surrey, Hampshire and Wiltshire to help search for missing persons. All team members are volunteers and give their time free of charge. In the last 12 months SEBEV has deployed for over 1645 hours searching for vulnerable missing persons.

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Air ambulance prepares for a busy summer season

Breakdown organisation and road safety charity GEM Motoring Assist has launched a new five-minute video, Blue Light Aware, which seeks to offer advice to members of the public on how best to help an emergency service driver on a ‘blue light’ run.

The advice has been based on that offered in the Highway Code and addresses specific situations identified as causing confusion for motorists.

RNLI lifeguards patrolling Cornwall’s busiest beaches have been receiving crucial training from Cornwall Air Ambulance paramedics and aircrew.

In preparation for a busy season ahead, the air ambulance and its crew has been taking part in training sessions to ensure any casualties are transferred from shore to helicopter to hospital as swiftly as possible.

The training aims to educate RNLI lifeguards about the equipment on board the craft and how to keep members of the public safe when the helicopter has to land and take off

from a busy stretch of beach.

Paula Martin, Chief Executive of Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, said, “This training is really important to ensure our RNLI partners understand how the helicopter and its equipment works and how to keep everyone safe during take off and landing. It’s also really helpful for the crew and lifeguards to meet each other and build a rapport so that any beach resc u e that requires an airlift can be as slick as possible.” www.helimed181.co.uk

Surrey FRS recognised for business continuity plans

www.sebev.co.uk

The British Red Cross and West Yorkshire Police celebrated a new partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 24 May at the Red Cross office in Leeds. The agreement means that Red Cross staff and volunteers will be on call to provide the West Yorkshire Police with support at major incidents and will provide transport for West Yorkshire Police staff when undertaking duties or when answering ‘cause for concern’ calls. The Red Cross in Yorkshire currently has over 100 staff and volunteers who can help in an emergency, two 4x4 Land Rovers and other vehicles to support to West Yorkshire Police when required. www.redcross.org.uk

Video aims to make public more Blue Light Aware

Bridget MacGuinness from the BSI with Chief Fire Officer Russell Pearson at Surrey Fire and Rescue Service headquarters in Reigate.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service has become one of the first fire and rescue services in the country to be awarded the British Standards Institute’s (BSI) business continuity certificate for its ability to operate effectively under the most extreme disruption such as natural disasters.

In order to achieve the accolade, firefighters and staff had to prove

they have the ability to continue working effectively when their own operations are disrupted through, for example, a fuel shortage or power failures.

The BSI rigorously inspected the fire and rescue service four times over a 13-month period before it was awarded the certification. www.surrey-fire.gov.uk

Emergency Services Times May 2011

The video production follows a three-month consultation period in which emergency service representatives and road safety professionals were invited to provide their expert comment on how each situation should be illustrated and explained.

The finished video now has the support of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA), the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), RoadSafe, the Motor Schools Association and the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

David Williams, Chief Executive of GEM Motoring Assist, said, “The need for a new information video has been raised frequently in recent years. The Blue Light Aware resource, with the video at its core, has been developed to reduce confusion and doubt for motorists. We are pleased to be providing this information that we believe will act as a bridge of understanding between emergency service drivers and other motorists.

“Emergency service drivers make ‘blue light’ journeys because someone needs their urgent help. We in turn can help them by giving them the room they need. In so doing, we may well be helping to save a life.”

Funding for the project was provided

by GEM’s road safety charity, with an additional contribution from Volvo.

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Emergency Services Times May 2011

EVENTS | 11

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New UK ambulance event AMBITION 2011 is a new annual event for UK ambulance services, their partner agencies and suppliers.

Taking place from 22-23 June at The International Centre, Telford, the event brings together the best of prehospital care under one roof.

AMBITION is the only event with the full support of all NHS ambulance service trusts, and over 2000 visitors, delegates and suppliers are expected to attend, making it the biggest show of its kind in the UK. The event incorporates a large exhibition alongside two important conference streams – the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) Conference 2011 and the Ambulance Leadership Forum (ALF) Conference 2011 – making it the ideal forum for those working in, or with, the ambulance services – especially fire and rescue, police and other specialist rescue partners, and manufacturers and suppliers to these organisations.

A demonstration zone will also be available over the two days.

Russ Mansford, Strategic Ambulance Adviser to the Department of Health and Chair of the Ambition 2011 event, says, “This innovative new event follows on from the highly successful HART Inner Cordon conference and exhibition held in Liverpool last year. Ambition 2011 is bigger and better and will help equip delegates and visitors to deal with the major challenges ambulance services and their partner agencies face in the coming years.”

While the Ambulance Leadership Forum Conference is an invitation-only event, delegates are able to register for the HART Conference while visitors wishing to attend the exhibition hall can do so absolutely free of charge. They just need to register beforehand on the website.

The Emergency Services Show 2011 With over 380 exhibitors and some 4000 visitors attending the successful show last year, the Emergency Services Show and Conference is one of the key events for emergency services personnel in the UK and abroad. From buyers and specifiers, operational planners to emergency responders, indeed anyone involved in emergency planning, response or recovery, this exclusive event brings together colleagues, contemporaries and suppliers.

At a time when budgets are being squeezed, this FREE to attend exhibition, which runs from Wednesday 23 to Thursday 24 November 2011 at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, provides the perfect opportunity to explore how you can make vital cost saving efficiencies with equipment and service suppliers. It also gives you the chance to view the latest equipment and services, network with likeminded people, share best practice, plus it offers a platform to consider innovative and creative ways of multi-agency collaboration.

There will also be approximately 100 end users

London Trauma Conference 2011, which takes place at the prestigious London’s Royal Geographic Centre from 22-24 June 2011, is three days of inspiration, insight, ideas and education, featuring the profession’s most celebrated trauma leaders.

The programme will cover a broad range of trauma, prehospital care and major incident issues

relevant to many specialities and all professional groups, doctors, nurses and ambulance teams.

Breakaway sessions, masterclasses and dedicated sessions for medical students and junior doctors make this one of the most comprehensive educational and research events of the year. www.londontraumaconference.com

Health Protection 2011 Events in 2011

Ambulex® 2011, which takes place from 6-7 July 2011 at the Fire Service College, Moreton-in-Marsh, is an exciting opportunity to view a large selection of ambulance and rescue service vehicles and equipment in a superb location.

Exclusively targeting ambulances, support vehicles and rescue vehicles, the exhibition has attracted the leading UK and European builders displaying a diverse and interesting range new vehicles and technology. Specialist equipment and service suppliers associated with the ambulance and rescue services will also be exhibiting. These ‘blue light’ suppliers will be showing the very latest technology available in this sector. Ambulex provides a great opportunity to network with the principle suppliers in the industry.

Ambulex 2011 will also be hosting a range of workshops at this year’s event – see the website for further details. www.ambulex.com

www.healthprotectionconference.org.uk

Ambulance vehicle exhibition

www.emergencyuk.com

Trauma Conference gathers momentum

The Health Protection Agency will showcase another selection of the latest scientific research in health protection in a diverse and wide-ranging programme of presentations, seminars and lectures at its annual conference, Health Protection 2011, which is being held at Warwick University from 1314 September.

The conference offers a variety of innovative presentations which will demonstrate the latest scientific research and its practical application in three key areas – preventing and reducing infectious diseases, minimising the impact of radiation, chemical and environmental hazards and preparing for potential or emerging threats to health. There will also be a session on developments in vaccines and therapeutics.

Justin McCracken, HPA’s Chief Executive, said, “The annual health protection conference is the premier event for scientists and healthcare professionals involved in the field of health protection. Last year’s was very well attended with 1100 participants and we hope this year with be an equal success.

“Every HPA conference offers a wide range of presentations which highlight good practice and new research, look at innovative approaches for the future and provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by health protection workers. The conference also provides an important opportunity for delegates to broaden their knowledge of issues that are at the forefront of health protection.”

www.ambition2011.org

exhibiting within the Emergency Response Zone.

This Zone – essential for operational staff and emergency planning officers – is made up of other Category 1 and 2 Responders, professional, government and voluntary organisations, offering perfect networking opportunities to affiliated organisations.

The high profile conference is delivered in tandem with the exhibition and this year will facilitate professionals to discuss the latest industry news, developments and strategic advances, as well as hearing about lessons learnt and new initiatives affecting them.

The organiser of the show and conference is Emergency Services (mmc) Ltd. It has extensive experience working with those involved in the emergency sector and publishes Emergency Services Times and the Emergency Services Times Who’s Who Directory. It is also the organiser of the new Emergency Scotland 2011 exhibition.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Ambition 2011 – 22-23 June – Telford International Centre London Trauma Conference 2011 – 22-24 June – Royal Geographic Centre, London Emergency Planning Society Resilience Symposium 2011 – 4-6 July, SECC, Glasgow Emergency Scotland 2011 – 5-6 July – SECC, Glasgow AMBULEX – 6-7 July – Fire Service College NAPFM 2011 – 6-7 September, Peterborough Health Protection 2011 – 13-14 September – Warwick University Wildfire 2011 – 14-15 September – Buxton, Derbyshire UKRO Challenge 2011 – 22-24 September – Excel, London ALSAR Conference 2011 – 30 September – 2 October – De Vere’s Harben venue, Milton Keynes The Emergency Services Show 2011 – 23-24 November – Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire

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Emergency Services Times May 2011

EXERCISE WATERMARK | 13

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The largest civil protection exercise in over 60 years More than 11,000 people from over 300 organisations participated during early March in a variety of extremely challenging scenarios, based on severe weather conditions including flooding from the sea, rivers, surface water and reservoirs. Part of a four-month programme, the core national exercise, which ran for a week, was a command post exercise with over 50 command teams across England and Wales. Every level of government, from the National Security Council operating out of COBR down, worked together in real time to deal with the unfolding disaster. A third of the UK’s entire response structure was actively involved in the core exercise with most of the rest involved in bolt-on exercises and community events.

The starting point for Exercise Watermark was the independent Pitt Review published after the 2007 floods, with Recommendation 49 calling for ‘a national flooding exercise to test the new arrangements put into place to deal with flooding and infrastructure emergencies’.

General view of Exercise Watermark EXCON. Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

Nothing on this scale had been attempted before and Exercise Watermark was the first to involve all levels of response across every region of England and Wales. It was a huge success, achieving all of its national objectives and has also succeeded in setting new standards for national exercising.

Exercise Watermark formed part of the Flood Emergencies Programme in Defra and the National Capability Programme led by the Civil Contingencies Secretariat in the Cabinet Office.

Exercise Watermark facts and figures • • • • • • • •

Over 200,000 properties flooded ½ million people flooded out of homes 400,000 people self-evacuated 135,000 people requiring assisted evacuation Over 17,000 people needing water rescue 18,000 people sheltering above flood waters Over 3,000 casualties 391 fatalities

The Environment Agency was asked to plan and deliver it on behalf of Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government.

“A national flooding exercise should take place at the earliest opportunity in order to test the new arrangements which central government departments are putting into place to deal with flooding and infrastructure emergencies.”

Boat teams from HM Coastguard, HM Armed Forces, RNLI, police forces and fire and rescue services performed live rescue drills.

Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

learned from the four month programme will be invaluable when we next face severe inundation on our coasts and flood plains.

Sir Michael Pitt, independent chair of The Pitt Review Organisations seriously challenged The Environment Agency has recently reported that one in six properties in the UK are at risk of flooding. Caroline Spelman, the Environment Secretary, acknowledged in February that the risk of flooding is rising because of climate change, but has imposed a year-on-year cut of over 20 percent on flood defence spending. It is becoming increasingly clear that with a reduction in flood defence spending, it is even more likely that our response structures will be put to the test, emphasising the importance of what has been learnt from Exercise Watermark.

The total project has cost around £1.8m, which is on a par with other major exercises internationally – yet for a similar investment we have managed to achieve something on a far greater scale, involving many more of the UK’s responders. The lessons

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Flood barriers being erected at Hawley Lake, Surrey.

Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

The exercise scenario was intentionally set on the very edge of that with which the United Kingdom might be capable of coping. Michael Brown, exHead of FEMA during Hurricane Katrina, has said publicly that it is crucially important to exercise a scenario until something breaks, or comes close to breaking. Why? Because if you are not pushing your organisations and response structures to the limit, you cannot know how they will survive during a real catastrophe.

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actively seeking additional information to build situational awareness and adapting their behaviour and actions as necessary to the battle rhythm of other players.

Commanders at all levels coordinated water rescue and evacuation efforts on a scale, which had never been seen before in the UK. Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

It is fair to say that all the players in Exercise Watermark found their organisations to be seriously challenged, but the exercise succeeded in generating an honest assessment of the UK’s flood response arrangements and will enable the wider response community to improve the UK’s flood resilience even further.

‘Tens of thousands of injects were fired into the exercise, many hundreds of which were written live during the exercise.’

Driving role of EXCON A substantial team of almost 60 people operated Exercise Control (EXCON) and ensured that Exercise Watermark ran smoothly. The team was constructed from Defra, the Environment Agency, the Welsh Assembly Government and regional LRFs, as well as key staff from the three private project partners – Capita Symonds, VectorCommand and Halcrow.

This team was responsible for managing the delivery of all the inject material and all of the simulated players. Its role included ensuring that real world resource limitations were reflected in the exercise play, further adding to the realistic nature of the exercise.

Technical rescue teams took part in live tests of their ability to rescue members of the public from floodwater.

Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

Credible scenario One of the fundamental objectives of Exercise Watermark – as with any exercise – was to secure the active participation of all the players. This was achieved by making the scenario completely realistic and based on the hazards drawn from the National Risk Register with impacts as per UK planning assumptions. Although the core exercise took place in March, the scenario was set in November 2011, so that credible weather systems could be used to create realistic inland and coastal flooding.

The very realistic numbers affected by the flooding make for uncomfortable reading. By the end of the scenario, over 200,000 properties had been flooded with half a million people forced out of their homes, 135,000 of which required assistance and 17,000 needed water rescue. There were more than 3000 casualties and 391 fatalities.

Players were encouraged to react to incoming information as they would during a real incident,

The four days core command post exercise formed part of a four-month programme of planning and activity.

Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

What was achieved • Tested plan activation arrangements • Tested the response to a wide-area flooding emergency from Government down to local strategic level • Tested national flood rescue arrangements • Tested communication arrangements at all levels • Tested media management at all levels • Tested business continuity of essential service providers and critical infrastructure operators • Tested mutual aid across local, regional and devolved administration boundaries • Tested mass evacuation and sheltering arrangements • Tested implementation of other relevant Pitt recommendations various flooding scenarios used in the exercise.

VectorCommand provided experts on exercise design and delivery, and used its Training & Exercising System software to manage the delivery of the exercise and to fire the many thousands of injects.

“Our project partners brought invaluable experience in designing and delivering successful exercises locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.”

Peter Midgley MBE, Environment Agency and Exercise Watermark Project Executive

Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury (L) and Robbie Williams, Exercise Watermark National Programme Manager at EXCON. Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

Key management messages were issued via local umpires and the team had to assess continually the wider impacts of ‘real’ incidents on exercise conduct. One of the great challenges of running a command post exercise on this scale is that it is virtually impossible to pause the exercise, or adjust the scenario impacts, to meet the needs of any individual player – but this then reflects the realities of life. At the end of each day’s play, a hot debrief and evaluation session was held to ensure all EXCON staff were fully briefed.

Training & Exercising System Many months of planning and preparation took place before StartEx was called on Monday 7 March. By EndEx on the afternoon of Thursday 10 March, tens of thousands of injects had been fired into the exercise, many hundreds of which were written live during the exercise.

The private partners were essential to the successful planning and delivery of Exercise Watermark. Capita Symonds led the coalition of partners supporting the Environment Agency, providing project management and support, as well as flood modelling expertise. Halcrow’s knowledge and expertise supported the construction of the

Emergency Services Times May 2011

A series of pre-recorded and live news broadcasts were issued to players, providing updated information, which would affect their decisionmaking. One of the key criteria of the exercise was that information should be fed in during the exercise over the means by which the players would normally expect to receive it during a real response.

These methods included: e-mail, SMS, fax, phone calls and web pages.

The dedicated exercise website (www.exercisewatermark.co.uk) was the central

Tens of thousands of media injects were fired into the exercise using the Training & Exercising System software.

Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

EXERCISE WATERMARK | 15

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react to players’ actions. But the Training & Exercising System is not limited to large-scale exercises – it can be operated by just one person with limited training for a smaller scale exercise, whether that is on a regional or international basis.

The other benefit of using an automated exercise delivery system is an important financial one. All of the injects are stored within the system so the same exercise could be delivered again next month or next year for no additional cost. Alternatively additional injects can be created to change the fundamental nature of the exercise should a different set of objectives need to be met.

More than 300 agencies were involved in the core command post exercise in March 2011.

Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

point for information throughout and a secure area of the site contained simulated news information (TV, radio and print media) as well as weather updates, flood warnings, transport information and social media feeds. It was updated in real time to reflect scenario and player decisions and actions; players then had to review their decisions and adjust them as necessary.

“Exercise Watermark successfully demonstrated the ability of departments, emergency services, local authorities, communities and voluntary organisations to work together to deal with a range of devastating flooding scenarios.”

Peter Midgley MBE, Environment Agency and Exercise Watermark Project Executive.

Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

Peter Midgley MBE, Environment Agency and Exercise Watermark Project Executive

VectorCommand’s Command Support System software was used to maintain situational awareness of the national response.

Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

Post Exercise Debrief Conference What’s next? Each of the playing agencies is currently collating its own report, as are local multiagency groups. The central Exercise Watermark management team is drafting a post exercise report, which will be presented at the Debrief Conference on 13 July 2011. After that, a period of consultation will result in a final Exercise Watermark Report with a series of recommended implementation action plans for wider consumption. www.exercisewatermark.co.uk

Rod Stafford (L), Director of Command Development for VectorCommand, in the Exercise Watermark EXCON. Photo: Rob Munro/stewartcomms.com

“We have just concluded the largest civil protection exercise in over 60 years, which tested the preparedness of the United Kingdom to deal with a major wide-area flooding event. The command post exercise lasted for four days and involved more than 11,000 people from over 300 organisations around the country, which in itself is an astonishing feat.

“Flooding and other natural disasters are becoming increasingly frequent events, and the devastation and loss of life in the recent New Zealand and Japan earthquakes and tsunami have really brought home the importance of what we have been doing.

Richard Benyon MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Natural Environment and Fisheries

“Exercise Watermark is an exciting and ambitious project, which has undoubtedly set a new standard for national exercising.”

An exercise on this scale could never have been delivered without the use of the automated exercise delivery system, which facilitated the developing scenario and allowed EXCON to adapt to players’ actions and decisions. It is likely that a traditionally run exercise would require an Exercise Control team of more than 300 people, which in itself brings a huge amount of logistical and management problems. And it would be far more difficult to run a ‘fluid’ exercise, which was able to

Project Executive’s view

Author: Rod Stafford, Director of Command Development for VectorCommand, is a member of the Watermark Management Team and acted as Excon Chief of Staff during the exercise delivery.

E-mail: rod.stafford@vectorcommand.com

Emergency Services Times May 2011

“Exercise Watermark is an exciting and ambitious project, which has undoubtedly set a new standard for national exercising. We have worked hand in hand throughout with our partners from the Capita Symonds/ VectorCommand/Halcrow team throughout the project, all of whom brought invaluable experience in designing and delivering successful exercises locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

“The sheer scale of the exercise would not have been possible without VectorCommand’s Training & Exercising System software, an offthe-shelf IT solution, which was used to deliver many thousands of media injects into the scenario as it developed. Their Command Support System software was also used by Exercise Control to maintain situational awareness of the responses by the players.

“We are now compiling the initial exercise report, which will be presented at the debrief conference in July, and look forward to implementing the recommendations which come out of the report. There is no doubt that the success of the Watermark project will have an impact on national and international exercising for many years to come.”

Peter Midgley, Exercise Watermark Project Executive for the Environment Agency, led the Exercise Watermark Management Team and acted as Exercise Director during the exercise delivery.

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Tough, affordable and versatile safety boats New to UK shores are Whaly Boats, Dutch-built polyethylene boats that are manufactured by one of the most imitative and modern factories in Europe specialising in rotational moulded boats.

Manufactured from a single piece of 100 percent UV-protected polyethylene, these boats are already becoming immensely popular within the rescue and emergency services as well as numerous commercial applications both on inland waters and offshore throughout the world.

The boats feature a double skin, which gives them enormous strength, stability and buoyancy, and an incredible 8mm impact resistant surface, which means they are also extremely durable and robust – easily standing up to the knocks and scrapes it would no doubt encounter through inland floods and coastal rescues with debris and submerged sharp obstructions.

As well as being totally 100 percent recyclable, this virtually maintenance free boat is manufactured in a range of five sizes, the most popular with the rescue and commercial sector being the 3.70m and 4.35m, which are the two larger sized Whaly boats. These are available in a choice of five colour-fast colours – the orange and red being the most popular within this sector.

The 3.70m boat has a Category C Code for carrying six people or Category D for eight people and its big brother, the 4.35m, is Coded C for carrying eight people and Coded D for a remarkable 12 people. The 4.35m’s unique lateral seating runs either side of the boat, from the bow to the stern, which gives the boat its extraordinary large internal space and, at the same time, helps maximise the internal deck area. This makes it extremely practical and safe for multiple persons rescue and frees up a large free board, enabling the crew to carry large payloads as well as stretchers and safety equipment.

The Whaly 3.70m and the 4.35m will take long shaft tiller engines or can be rigged with centre steering console and optional centre seating modules, which can also double up as removable first aid and equipment storage.

Zego Marine (UK) Ltd is the appointed Whaly Boats UK and Ireland national distributor, and is in the process of developing a bespoke flood response launch and recovery trailer unit for quick and easy deployment of up to three Whaly craft, which will also double up as a space saving boat storage unit. www.zego-boats.com

New venture provides crisis communications for Watermark Exercise Watermark saw the first venture for the new company launched by former COI crisis communications specialist Bob Wade. His team provided TV news broadcasts, print media reports, a continuous social media feed and radio broadcasts and interviews in English and Welsh, throughout the four-day exercise. Government Ministers and officials were interviewed in Whitehall, edited into TV news bulletins and played back to the Government’s national emergency committee – COBR – and streamed to exercise participants throughout the country via the exercise’s website.

Bob Wade Media Ltd worked in conjunction with Ian Cameron Media and Communications Ltd – Ian Cameron spent 35 years with the BBC in

all broadcasting sectors, and is now an international communications consultant.

Rising to the challenge Bob Wade pulled together a 10-strong team of former BBC and COI employees to run the operation from Exercise Watermark’s control centre in Fareham, Hampshire, with a second team in Whitehall. He said, “It was quite daunting that the first contract my new company won turned out to be the biggest exercise ever held. But we rose to the challenge, even if there were a few ‘Apollo 13’ moments on the technical side, along the way.

“For the mock TV news bulletins, we use green screen technology, which keeps costs down and makes our product offer very competitive.”

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Mr Wade, a former journalist, worked for COI for 14 years and was involved in front line PR for various government departments on most national disasters and crises since 1996, from air crashes to the Swine Flu outbreak. He also developed media tools for emergency exercises, working mainly for the army, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Environment Agency.

Bob formed his company in December, after being made redundant in November when COI cut staff numbers by 40 percent. Bob Wade Media Ltd has already provided media training for Warwickshire County Council, while the next project is Exercise Eris, an operation to test the emergency services in Wolverhampton. www.exercisewatermark.co.uk

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ALY WH ONLY T 0m us VA 7 .

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Zego Marine (UK) Ltd Unit 28 Llantarnam Trade Park, Cwmbran, South Wales NP44 3AX

Freephone: 0800 9173454 info@whalyboats.co.uk

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Designed and manufactured in Holland.

Whaly boats are double-hulled roto-molded polyethylene making it extremely strong impact-resistant & virtually maintenance free.

Exceptional safe and stable with large on board space.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

COLLABORATION | 19

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Even greater multi-agency collaboration is needed to improve resilience The closure of the southern end of the M1 following a scrapyard fire in April has highlighted the potential vulnerability of the UK’s major road and rail routes. Tough questions are being asked about the resilience of our roads; and whether British companies are serious about business continuity management. At the same time, blue light services are being urged to look again at closer collaboration. The reality is that both sectors could benefit from far greater multi-agency collaboration as a means of improving resilience as well as securing much welcomed economies.

The M1 fire, thought to have been started deliberately, resulted in the closure of the motorway for several days at the start of the Easter holiday.

Thousands of motorists faced lengthy delays as firefighters worked to prevent the blaze spreading to gas cylinders stored nearby. But traffic was then held up for several more days as highways engineers assessed the damage to the elevated section of the motorway, which passed directly over the scrapyard.

Steel props were brought in to strengthen the roadway when it became clear that the fire had severely damaged the concrete supports.

It’s impossible to assess the true cost of an incident of this kind. Not surprisingly the media focused on the disruption caused to football fans travelling to Wembley for the two FA Cup semifinals that were being held that weekend; as well as the inconvenience to many of the 36,000 runners due to take part in the London Marathon. But the newspaper assessments failed to acknowledge the enormous costs to UK businesses as a result of delays and lengthy detours.

Doubts raised Inevitably some press coverage concentrated on the time taken to reopen the road. The Daily Mail compared the time taken with the speed at which a Japanese company rebuilt a section of motorway severely damaged by the earthquake in March.

The Independent took a more balanced view: ‘It was no one’s fault that the football brought to Wembley four teams from the North; no one’s fault that a scrapyard fire broke out where it did, close to a key stretch of the M1, and no one’s fault that the road had to be closed. Not every inconvenience can be put down to overzealous enforcement of ‘health and safety’.’

But the paper went on to raise doubts about the resilience of the UK’s critical national infrastructure: ‘But the conjunction of circumstances that led to the complete closure of the M1 into and out of London serves to highlight some critical deficiencies in the infrastructure in one of the most densely populated parts of the country. That a fire could endanger a vital motorway to the extent that a bridge has to be built beneath it for reinforcement casts worrying doubt on its resilience to start with. That so many people drive into London shows up the continuing insufficiency of the rail network (especially at weekends), while the resulting traffic jams point to the inadequacy of alternative routes. If anyone doubted that our infrastructure is perilously overstretched, the sight of a car-less M1 between Brent Cross and Elstree supplied the proof’.

Government concern So concerned is the Government about the consequences of the M1 shutdown that Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, has asked for a national audit of road and rail routes that might be vulnerable to similar industrial accidents.

Checks will take place at business premises sited beneath or alongside motorways and main rail routes. In some cases it may be possible that the owners will be told their business activity is no longer compatible with a site so close to a major economic asset.

Counting the cost Behind the review is the recognition that the impact of a relatively small fire in Mill Hill ripples outwards affecting businesses across the south east and, indeed, the UK. For Terry Mizon, the owner of Apex Metal Recycling (the scrapyard destroyed by the fire) it’s a devastating blow. He told his local newspaper that the fire has cost him £40,000.

“We’ll have to start from scratch but stuff like this doesn’t get me down, you’ve just got to keep going,” said Mr Mizon.

A combined effect – a new approach to resilience A joint paper by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and Serco, one of the UK’s leading service companies, suggests a new approach to planning for, and responding to, emergencies.

‘Combined Effect – a new approach to resilience’ encourages a consequence-based approach to resilience, arguing that at present, emergency planning, training and exercising all tend to focus on the cause of the incident. Such an approach distracts from thinking holistically about the full consequences, hampers knowledge transfer and makes sharing experience difficult.

The paper goes on to urge a more collective approach in order to save money and improve efficiency: ‘Shared knowledge will save money through eliminating duplication of research, sharing experience and resources, and supporting a more effective private sector contribution to security and resilience.

Combined Effect will help all resilience stakeholders to work together in a more compatible, efficient and effective way’.

That Serco jointly promotes this new approach should come as no surprise to those who have closely followed the company’s development in recent years. In 2010 Serco took over the running of the Emergency Planning College on behalf of the Cabinet Office. The college is the UK’s leading provider of training in emergency planning and crisis management. Building on the college’s international reputation as a centre of expertise, Serco is developing a range of new training programmes and services to further enhance UK resilience.

Emergency service managers who want to explore the thinking behind Combined Effect can link to the paper through the Emergency Planning College website. The site also encourages feedback and/or expressions of interest in being involved. http://epcollege.com

Emergency Services Times May 2011

20 | COLLABORATION But Mr Mizon’s losses are only a tiny fraction of the total bill. The fire may not have damaged neighbouring businesses but they were forced to close for several days. Ali Rehman, manager of a car-breaking business, told reporters, “We’re not getting as many customers as usual and we don’t know how long this will go on for. We’ve been here for over 20 years and we’ve never heard of anything like this before.”

The ripple effect How do you assess the cost of thousands of delayed deliveries? Set aside the financial costs and consider too the reputational impact of missed delivery deadlines and broken promises. For some small businesses it could conceivably have been the final straw.

The M1 fire was not a one-off incident. In 2006, King’s Cross station in London was closed after a fire at a nearby building site raised concerns that four gas cylinders on the site could explode. This brought wide-scale disruption to the East Coast main line through to Peterborough; First Capital Connect trains between King’s Cross and Cambridge and Sandy were suspended. Trains as far as Hull were also affected. There have been other similar incidents.

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Businesses had been warned only four months ago of the possibilities of such disruption. Last winter, routes across the UK and Europe were severely disrupted by some of the worst December weather for 50 years. One of Britain’s biggest companies, BA, estimated that flight delays and disruption cost them £50m. Retailers saw a sharp drop in Christmas sales figures, and UK insurance companies paid out more than £1.4 billion in claims resulting from the big freeze.

And yet the latest evidence suggests that many businesses are ill prepared to deal with emergencies.

Businesses ill prepared An annual survey conducted by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) indicates that only around half the organisations questioned (58 percent) had business continuity plans. This, despite the fact that 93 percent of those organisations had experienced significant disruption during the severe winter weather at the start and end of 2010.

Severe weather Last winter’s severe weather and the traffic disruption caused by the M1 fire served only to underline the importance of business continuity planning and exercising. From this spring the Emergency Planning College will be offering an independent review of your BCM arrangements to determine if they are fit for purpose.

More details of this new service can be found on the college’s website. http://epcollege.com

Indeed the report says that severe winter weather is still the most commonly reported source of business disruption ahead of the loss of IT. The survey highlights weaknesses in business continuity planning and their ability to respond and recover effectively from emergencies. Among many smaller organisations, business continuity planning is virtually unknown. While almost three quarters of large organisations have business continuity plans in place, that figure falls to around half of SMEs with fewer than 50 employees. More worryingly still, less than a quarter of sole traders have drawn up plans.

There are also extensive differences between industry sectors. For example, only one in four organisations within the construction industry have made BCM arrangements compared to 83 percent of those in finance and insurance. Significantly, it was the construction industry that reported being hardest hit by the winter weather with over 50 percent reporting significant disruption.

In recent years legislation has forced public sector organisations to address the challenges of business continuity. The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) requires them to have plans in place and, according to the survey, almost three quarters of these organisations say they now comply with the requirements of the Act. PLCs have been almost as successful in creating a BCM culture and more than half of charities and non-profit organisations have put plans in place. But it’s private companies that are lagging behind.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

In 2004 the Civil Contingencies Act placed new responsibilities on local authorities to promote Business Continuity Management (BCM) among local businesses, charities and down their supply chains. But the degree to which this has been welcomed and has succeeded in all areas of business is open to question. Faced with the current squeeze in public spending it must be questionable whether they will be able to give BCM promotion the attention it deserves.

Among those companies who invest in planning, the vast majority of managers agree that activating the plan makes a serious contribution to reducing disruption, whatever the cause – and yet the message about the importance of exercising is still not getting through. Around a quarter of those who took part in the survey reported that their plans were never rehearsed.

Encouraging trends Commenting on the survey, Stuart Sterling, Assistant Director (Corporate Resilience) of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat, noted some encouraging trends, but emphasised that we must not be complacent. He said, “Cyber security was included in this year’s survey with a third of all organisations reporting their IT systems being infected, by a virus or malicious software, in the past 12 months. This shows clearly what an important area this is for businesses to be taking steps to reduce vulnerability.”

In addition, economic pressures will mean that businesses of all sizes also need to consider carefully their investment in security and resilience. BCM remains a cost effective approach, particularly when allied to better-informed risk assessments. Over three quarters of the managers surveyed agree the cost of developing BCM is justified by the benefit it brings to their organisations.

The hazards and threats that create the need for business continuity planning are dynamic and continuously evolving. Their severity and immediacy underline the need for all organisations to take BCM seriously. Although this year saw a slight increase in BCM planning activity compared to 2010, organisations must not rest on their laurels.

Once a plan is in place, it must be widely communicated and regularly exercised and rehearsed to ensure its relevance, its effectiveness and its critical value. In doing so, organisations must also consider the inter-dependency of their BCM plans in relation to the organisations, customers and communities that depend upon them, as well as those they depend upon. http://epcollege.com

Author: Nigel Kay, Associate Lecturer at the Emergency Planning College and former BBC journalist now specialising in crisis communication training.

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Emergency Scotland 2011 comes to Glasgow The Scottish Government published separate consultations in February on the futures of both the police service and fire and rescue service in Scotland. Responses to these consultations are due as this article is being written, with the possible consequences being organisational reform and the possible reduction of these emergency services in Scotland to perhaps three or four services, or even single national services. The Government’s reports on the findings of these consultations are expected by the end of June.

Add to these consultations the challenges of the high winds that battered Scotland and northern England recently, the threat of disruption from another Icelandic ash cloud and the recent spate of wildfires across the UK, notably in the Highlands, plus the anticipation of what this summer might have in store – droughts, flooding and further wildfires, perhaps – and there can be no doubt that emergency services in Scotland are in a period of considerable change, both from an organisational and an operational perspective.

This change is happening in the shadow of the Government’s spending cuts. However, these spending cuts do not mean a cut in the operational needs of emergency services, which still require the best equipment in order to carry out their response to incidents. Spending cuts does not mean a cut to all spending; huge sums of money are still being spent on operational equipment and services in the emergency services sector.

What’s more, the buyers and specifiers of this equipment need to be smarter with their budgets in order to justify every penny of public money spent.

This can only be achieved if those buyers and specifiers of kit and services are in complete possession of the specialist product knowledge required to make informed buying decisions.

Free to attend The team behind The Emergency Services Show, which returns to Stoneleigh Park from 23-24 November 2011, have identified that the annual UK show might, in the face of the spending cuts, be a trip too far for the emergency services in Scotland and the northern parts of England and Wales and Northern Ireland. As such, they’ve launched a new and free to attend Exhibition for emergency services personnel in Scotland – Emergency Scotland 2011.

The Emergency Scotland 2011 Exhibition will take place alongside the annual Emergency Planning Society (EPS) Resilience Symposium 2011 from Tuesday 5 to Wednesday 6 July at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC), Glasgow. This exclusive event will feature some 120 exhibitors and aims to bring together colleagues, contemporaries and suppliers.

As well as showcasing the latest equipment, Emergency Scotland 2011 will help share

information and good practice between emergency responders and industry and provide a platform to consider innovative and creative ways of working together in the future. It will also provide the perfect opportunity for personnel to research methods of ‘doing more with less’ funds. Visitors will also be able to speak to exhibitors about how they might achieve better ways to operate, thereby making efficiency savings.

Discuss collaboration David Brown, Show Organiser, Emergency Services (mmc) Ltd, said, “As well as allowing exhibitors to showcase their latest products and services, the Exhibition provides an ideal way for responders to discuss collaboration, ideas and initiatives and learn from each other in preparation for major events taking place over the coming years.”

The Exhibition is open to emergency and resilience professionals and is considered crucial for those with a role in operations, procurement, training, recruitment, emergency planning and business continuity. The types of products on show from exhibitors includes: Communications and IT, First Response Equipment, PPE, Station Equipment, Training and Education, Vehicles and Vehicle Equipment, Business Continuity and Outsourcing.

Emergency Response Zone This is also your opportunity to see what equipment other emergency services use. Visit the

Emergency Services Times May 2011

show’s Emergency Response Zone, where some 30 Category 1 and Category 2 Responders, partner agencies and voluntary teams will be showcasing some of their current initiatives. This offers you and your colleagues the opportunity to familiarise yourselves with all other emergency sectors – building relationships and understanding in nonemergency situations will only improve response during an incident.

“Spending cuts do not mean a cut in the operational needs of emergency services, who still require the best equipment in order to carry out their response to incidents.”

The event has full support of Scottish Resilience, Scottish FBU, Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, Strathclyde Police, Scottish Ambulance Service and the Fire & Rescue Scotland Procurement Team.

Register to receive your free visitor badge at the Emergency Scotland 2011 website. www.emergencyscotland2011.com

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The Emergency Planning Society Resilience Symposium 2011 in conjunction with Emergency Scotland 2011: 5-6 JULY | The SECC Glasgow The past few months alone have tested resilience professionals across the world, as well as closer to home: the dreadful flooding in Cornwall, severe winter weather across the UK and the student riots in London. Further afield we witnessed the catastrophic flooding and cyclone in Australia, the Chilean miners rescue, the mudslides in Brazil and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. These events are now all too commonplace and enough to make you pencil in 5-6 July in your diary in order to make sure you attend the most comprehensive, professional symposium in the UK. The Emergency Planning Society has joined forces with the organisers of the Emergency Services Show who will be running the Emergency Scotland 2011 Exhibition – Scotland’s only exhibition for anyone involved in emergency planning, response or recovery – alongside the Symposium. The partnership allows a comprehensive Symposium and Exhibition to take place side-by-side, bringing together resilience professionals under one roof.

The Glen Abbot Ltd stand at last year’s EPS Conference. Glen Abbot Ltd is one of the sponsors of this year’s Symposium Dinner and The Emergency Planning Society Resilience Awards 2011.

This year’s Symposium theme is: CONDITION CRITICAL: A SYMPOSIUM FOR RESILIENCE PROFESSIONALS. The Symposium offers a range of subjects with over 20 sessions aimed at tackling the most important issues in our profession, including: case studies, (lessons identified from the past 12 months), expert insights, master classes, energising practitioner skills and, importantly, offers an opportunity to horizon scan and gain insight into future risks and the environments we face.

Creative approach This year sees an innovative and creative approach to what was previously conference; a fresh, exciting programme providing members with a myriad of choice and topics aligned to national risks, dynamic and topical and at the forefront of the resilience profession highlighting the most important issues, including: Critical National Infrastructure, ‘Economic, Social and Political Wellbeing of the UK’, Exposed to the Elements, ‘Nature the Adversary’, National Security Framework ‘The Emerging World’ and Health – It’s Not All About Flu.

Marc Beveridge, Chair of the EPS.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Academic sessions will also be facilitated, helping to bridge the gap between academics and the profession.

Chair of the EPS, Marc Beveridge, said, “The resilience profession faces a number of key challenges in a world of uncertainty. The road ahead is a rocky one; the need for innovation and creativity ‘doing more with less’, developing our knowledge and skills, ensuring that we are at the forefront and cutting edge of our profession has never been so critical.”

Two-day fee includes accommodation For the first time the EPS is offering delegates a fee that includes one night B&B accommodation, on the evening of 5 July to delegates who are booking onto the two-day Symposium (5 and 6 July 2011) only. Daily delegate bookings are not entitled to this one night’s free accommodation.

Accommodation will be booked at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (the official Symposium hotel located adjacent to The SECC). Once rooms have been sold out at this hotel, accommodation will be booked at alternative Glasgow hotels near to the Symposium venue.

To book your place visit: www.epsconference.org or www.epsresiliencesymposium2011.org, or call the EPS on Tel: 0845 600 9587 for more information.

EPS upgrade fees will be waived for members attending the Symposium. But should you need any more motivation and information to attend please read on:

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• Listen and learn from high profile speakers from leading and cutting edge organisations discussing the issues that matter to you • Participate in the debate • Visit the Learning and Development Zone and find out about professional development • Gain up to six CPD points

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• Celebrate excellence in resilience management at The Emergency Planning Awards 2011 • Enjoy the Symposium Dinner with your peers and colleagues.

A spokeswoman for Scottish Resilience, said, “An event such as the EPS Resilience Symposium helps to boost the professional standing of resilience practitioners, which is something we in Scottish Government also regard as being extremely important.

“A multi-agency approach to planning for and responding to emergencies is the key to effective resilience and an event like this – which brings together practitioners and others from the responder community and beyond – can only help cement that further.

“Learning and development, along with sharing ideas and best practice, will always be important especially in times of financial constraint.”

For more information including a full Symposium programme, or to book your place, visit: www.epsresiliencesymposium2011.org or for further information regarding Emergency Scotland 2011 please visit www.emergencyscotland.com or Tel: 01273 453033.

• Exploit the opportunity to network with your professional peers from the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland • Visit the dynamic and comprehensive exhibition that is being organised by the experts behind the immensely popular Emergency Services Show, this year

www.epsresiliencesymposium2011.org

The Emergency Planning Society – the organisation for resilience professionals The Emergency Planning Society (EPS) is the UK’s leading professional body for all those involved in any form of resilience, emergency planning, crisis and disaster management and all related disciplines.

Members come from central and local government, the emergency services, the health services, commerce, industries, utilities, transport industry and voluntary organisations; what they have in common is that in a time of civil emergency, they are in the front line.

The EPS was formed in 1993 through the merger of the Emergency Planning Association and the County Emergency Planning Officers Society. The society, its branches and its various groups organise conferences, workshops, working parties, studies and seminars to examine emergency planning practice and experience, and to develop advice on good practice. Information and reports are disseminated throughout the emergency planning community.

What is an EPS member?

A member of the Emergency Planning Society demonstrates the expertise needed to plan and manage generalist or specialist resilience roles.

Combining professional knowledge, skill and insights with an understanding of risk management and mitigation within an organisation’s context and structure, creating and delivering integrated resilience planning in any of the following areas: • Running most or all of the resilience functions in a small organisation

• Leading or supporting a team in a larger concern • Delivering consultancy services • Working as a generalist resilience professional • Specialising in one or more areas of resilience, such as business continuity or response • Handling resilience for organisations in a UK or international context.

Membership positively acknowledges professionalism and capability, signifying: • Someone who has been assessed, by peer review, against stringent professional membership criteria • Someone who has demonstrated that they have already applied their skill, knowledge and understanding to manage resilience activities successfully • Someone who has a rounded skill set as described in EPS Core Competences Framework • Someone who is enhancing his or her professionalism through planned Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

A Member can use the post-nominal MEPS (Member of the Emergency Planning Society), or FEPS (Fellow of the Emergency Planning Society).

What’s in it for me?

• Established Core Competences Framework • Recognised Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Scheme • Access to knowledge, skills and guidance documents

• • • • • • •

Professional credibility, eg expert witness Learning and development opportunities Academic and educational links Specialist and social media networking Mentorship and peer support Student forums and placements Recognition and engagement at Government level to influence legislation and national planning • Links to employer organisations and recruiters • International partnerships • Discounts at a range of training events • Use of recognised post-nominal MEPS or FEPS. For more information on joining the EPS contact the Head Office on Tel: 0845 600 9587 or visit: www.the-eps.org Don’t forget to visit the website dedicated to the EPS annual Symposium, which is being held at the SECC, Glasgow, from 5-6 July 2011: www.epsresiliencesymposium2011.org www.the-eps.org

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Delivering frontline care across Scotland

See Draeger’s new chemical protection suits

I am delighted that the Emergency Scotland 2011 show will bring together professionals from all those involved in achieving resilience in our communities across the country. It is a unique opportunity to share knowledge and best practice, and in so doing, strengthen relationships with partners for the benefit of our patients.

As a result of working closely with customers to continue to understand their needs, Draeger has developed the CPS 7900, a gas-tight chemical protection suit. Even when being dragged along the ground or any other abrasive surface in a rescue situation, this reusable suit maintains wearer protection from hazardous substances. Should an outer layer be damaged, the wearer is kept safe by the use of a new tear-proof, five-layer, laminated DMex material, which protects against chemical effects, bursts of flames and toxic and cryogenic substances.

For additional safety the wearer’s arms remain in the suit sleeves at all times, ready to respond through the inclusion of a pressure gauge holder in the field of view.

Freedom of movement and full awareness of the environment are vital to ensure a quick reaction.

These are assured by the comfortable, ergonomic design and an almost natural field of vision through the anti-fogging visor. The ability to operate in a broad range of environments is essential; the D-Mex material is safe to use in potentially explosive environments and also offers protection from contact with extreme temperatures as low as -80°C. Faster recovery in man down situations can be aided by the Draeger-Connect system, allowing the rescuer to grip the suit of the wearer. Hands can also be kept free as this same system can be used to carry tools and equipment into an incident.

Offering a lifetime cost reduction because of the 15-year suit life, further savings in both time and cost can be achieved by reduced stock variables. For example, correct glove selection and fitting is fast and easy with the quick change patented cuff lock.

An integral height adjuster allows pace length to be adjusted to suit the wearer and means that fewer sizes need to be stocked to suit the requirements of a diverse workforce. The selection of different boots for different tasks is also made safe and easy by the inclusion of gas-tight socks.

Allowing easy integration with existing equipment, the suit is compatible with other forms of PPE such as helmets and face masks; it can also be connected to an external source of air for long duration work. In addition, when working in hot and humid conditions, the wearer can be supplied with cool air to ensure maximum comfort and performance.

Meeting European and International standards such as EN 943-2 and the SOLAS convention, the Draeger CPS 7900 answers the requirements for emergency teams from the fire and rescue services as well as industry. Draeger has been developing and producing chemical protection suits for over 50 years and the CPS 7900 is the culmination of this experience in a range, which also includes the new lightweight Draeger CPS 5900 for single-exposure applications.

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) covers a greater, and more varied, area of geography than any other ambulance service in Europe. Our staff treat patients in highly populated urban environments as well as remote and rural countryside and island communities.

We continue to develop the highest standards of clinical care for the people of Scotland and have achieved year-on-year improvements in the way that care is delivered.

Every year we reach more patients with life threatening illnesses or injuries faster, deliver more Patient Transport Service users to hospital in time for their appointment and treat more patients at the scene of the incident, rather than take them to hospital.

Life threatening calls Last year, the service responded to life threatening calls in an average time of 6.9 minutes across all of the country, an improvement from 7.2 minutes in the previous year.

Emergency teams answered over 800,000 calls and responded to more than 600,000 incidents. All 999 calls are prioritised so that the most serious conditions benefit from the fastest response and our crews reached 78.5 percent of cardiac arrest patients within eight minutes, which contributes to a recognised high survival rate.

Our Patient Transport Service undertakes over 1.5 million journeys every year ensuring that those with a medical need for transport were able to attend outpatient appointments at hospitals across the country.

The SAS Air Wing is the only publicly funded air ambulance service in the UK. The fleet of two helicopters and two fixed wing aircraft deliver a vital lifeline to people in remote and island communities, as well as providing essential support to serious emergencies on the mainland. Last year our aircraft flew over 4000 air missions, including emergency responses and planned transfers to hospital.

Our progress is the result of the high standards of professionalism and commitment of our staff, who respond to patients day and night in often very challenging conditions. Earlier this year our staff demonstrated their high level of commitment, struggling through the most severe winter conditions, often at risk to their own safety, to reach patients and save lives.

Continued development Our strategy is focused on the continued development of clinical skills and this year a major component of our skills strategy was achieved with the development of a new dedicated training academy at Glasgow Caledonian University.

The new facility will provides first class opportunities for learning in an environment that is purpose built for modern adult education, with the flexibility to meet the current and future needs of SAS staff.

The SAS has developed three Special Operations Response Teams (SORT) in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, comprising 106 specially trained paramedics and ambulance technicians. The teams are now trained and equipped to work inside the inner cordon alongside police and fire and rescue services at large scale hazardous incidents and the recent completion of the national rollout of Airwave means that ambulance crews can communicate securely with partner agencies.

We look forward to sharing our knowledge and achievements with our partners at Emergency Scotland and building on our work together to continuously develop and improve services. www.scottishambulance.com

Visit Scottish Ambulance Service at Emergency Scotland 2011 on Stand E166.

Author: Pauline Howie, Chief Executive, Scottish Ambulance Service

Emergency Services Times May 2011

www.draeger.com

Visit Draeger at Emergency Scotland 2011 on Stand 64.

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Exhibitor profile: The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland (MRC of S) is the representative and liaison organisation for mountain rescue services in Scotland. Operational (voting) member organisations include 23 civilian voluntary mountain rescue teams, three police teams, two RAF Teams, two search dog associations, and one cave rescue team. Non-operational (non-voting) organisations include the Association of Chief Police Officers, all Scottish police forces, RAF, RN and coastguard search and rescue helicopters, the Aeronautical Rescue Control Centre Kinloss, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Scottish Ambulance Service, Chief Fire Officers’ Association, Mountaineering Council of Scotland and Sportscotland.

The MRC of S maintains contact with sister organisations in the British Isles through reciprocal representation on Mountain Rescue (England & Wales), the Irish Mountain Rescue Association, as well as the Northern Ireland Mountain and Cave Rescue Committee. The MRC of S also has links with international mountain rescue services through independent membership of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue.

“There is always scope for improvement in coordination, communication and contact between the services.”

The MRC of S organises a range of specialist training courses, as well as an annual seminar, arranges Grant Aid for affiliated voluntary organisations with the support of the Scottish Government, as well as vehicle and base provision thanks to the generosity of the Order of St John.

The committee is a registered Scottish Charity (SC 015257), produces its own in-house magazine ‘Casbag’ and, as with all operational voluntary member organisations, is funded entirely by voluntary contributions.

Photo: MRCof S – Ian Dawson

Photo: MRCof S – Ian Dawson

Funding Although a large percentage of the funding required by the teams to enable operations is from contributions from members of the public, annual grant assistance of £300,000 for revenue costs has been received from the Scottish Government since 2004. This amount is distributed to voluntary member organisations via a formula, which takes into account the number of incidents a team has attended over a five-year period, man-hours involved, vehicle costs and other relevant factors.

It can cost up to £50,000 per annum in annual revenue costs for a busier team, on top of which there will be capital expenditure, so the assistance of the Scottish Government in this respect is of considerable assistance to member teams. To date teams in England and Wales have not had the benefit of such support. However, although details are not yet known, our compatriots south of the border will warmly applaud the recent announcement by the UK Government with regard to the provision of support to mountain rescue.

A serious challenge Nevertheless, despite these welcome government initiatives, consistent and sustainable long-term funding for the voluntary civilian teams remains a high priority and a serious challenge for teams, and

Emergency Services Times May 2011

as such most mountain rescue personnel are regularly involved in a wide range of fundraising activities to ensure that the teams have sufficient finance to continue to provide the high level of service routinely provided, which nowadays extends well beyond the primary role of assisting mountaineers, hill-walkers, and other recreational or professional outdoor users. Indeed the proportion of non-mountaineering incidents in Scotland rose in 2010 to 36 percent, which is the highest ever recorded, with about one third of these incidents being searches for vulnerable people reported missing. Other activities in this category include community support and resilience, such as assisting the authorities during severe weather, rail or air accidents, and other major incidents.

Mountain Rescue in Scotland attends some 500 plus incidents annually, which on average provides assistance to over 600 persons. The number of hours expended in the provision of these ‘call outs’ is annually in the region of 26.6 hours, a remarkable figure considering every one of the civilian team members is an unpaid volunteer who freely gives of his time at a moment’s notice to provide assistance to those in need of help.

Genuine commitment Availability of personnel is of course another of the challenges for a volunteer service, as pressure on people’s time becomes ever greater due to work or home requirements, and ensuring availability of the personnel required to attend a particular incident is addressed by teams having sufficient numbers on their ‘call out list’ in order that there is sufficient allowance for immediate non-availability of a few of the team’s members.

Persons ‘interested’ in involvement in mountain rescue are seldom in short supply. However, once the demands of personal commitment, with regard to time, training, availability, and all the other requirements are realised, the ‘interest’ can sometimes quickly fade. Nevertheless, for those

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A UK-wide approach to ambulance service resilience Photo: MRCof S – Ian Dawson

with genuine commitment, once all the hard work of going from a trainee to a full team member becomes a reality, the satisfaction of being part of a team dedicated to assisting others in difficulty is very rewarding.

Spread the word So it is obvious that spreading the word about mountain rescue, the work it does, how it does it, how it is financed, and how an individual can be part of the service, whether it is in an operational, support, or other role, is very important. In addition to which it is equally important that the other emergency services are aware of mountain rescue, what it can offer, and where it fits in to the overall benefit of the individual or community.

Photo: MRCof S – Ian Dawson

There is always scope for improvement in coordination, communication and contact between the services. The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland is therefore delighted to take the opportunity enhance these vital components through presence and exposure at Emergency Scotland 2011 and congratulates Emergency Services Times for its outstanding initiative in establishing this event in Scotland. www.mrc-scotland.org.uk www.mrcofs.org

Visit The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland at Emergency Scotland 2011 on Stand E169.

Author: Alfie Ingram, Chair, Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland.

While the police service has ACPO (the Association of Chief Police Officers) and the fire and rescue service has CFOA (the Chief Fire Officers’ Association), the ambulance service has no immediate equivalent. Nationally the ambulance service is managed by an association of the chief executives of all English ambulance trusts (the NHS Ambulance Chief Executives Group), led by Peter Bradley, the Chief Executive of London Ambulance Service. Beneath this are two groupings to manage and coordinate affairs across the country: the National Director of Operations Group and the National Ambulance Resilience Board.

It is of note that while there is tacit acknowledgement of the primacy of the devolved governments or assemblies, all three groups include representatives from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to better plan for any possible crossborder mutual aid or support and to better plan for major incidents that might involve the wider United Kingdom.

The National Director of Operations Group (Chaired by Bob Williams of North West Ambulance Service) has led planning on flu pandemics, and provides guidance and a certain degree of standardisation to ambulance trusts across the country to better respond to day-to-day events. What is not widely known to the emergency service community or indeed the public is that the ambulance service works at 98 percent capacity every day of the year. Additionally, the Government sets a target for ambulance crews to reach 75 percent of all Category 1 patients within eight minutes of the call arriving in the control room; responding to this sort of workload while maintaining training and exercising is a never ending challenge.

Four workstreams The National Ambulance Resilience Board (Chaired by Anthony Marsh of West Midlands Ambulance Service) is structured around four workstreams: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery (all brought together by Mark Norbury, the National Ambulance Resilience Coordinator). A Steering Group, which coordinates all of this national work to support the National Risk Assessment, oversees these workstreams and the work of the other emergency services, as well as local responders. In addition, the board has the emergency preparedness and wider resilience experts to undertake national planning when so required. An example would be the planning of a response to the unforeseen shooting events in Cumbria (Derrick Bird) and Northumberland (Raoul Moat) which highlighted the need for a nationally agreed response that firstly recognises the primary need to attend and treat any patient and then, secondly, the need for a Duty of Care by trusts to look after their ambulance staff who can’t and shouldn’t necessarily be required to wear restrictive

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Peter Bradley (left) and Anthony Marsh at the opening of a new HART base in the West Midlands.

equipment in their normal roles as carers, to people who need their emergency medical skills.

Emergency preparedness The ambulance service commissioned an audit of its emergency preparedness in 2007 and this was followed-up by a peer-review audit in 2010. This audit reviewed all English trusts against their preparedness in 2007 and how far they had evolved since then. The key drivers for the audit were compliance with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the regionalisation of ambulance services in 2007 and also recognising that much progress has been made nationally in terms of National Occupational Standards, Lessons Identified Debrief©, Mutual Aid and a National Ambulance Coordination Centre.

The ambulance service has made some huge leaps in terms of the organisation and resilience of trusts around the country. The service is now regionalised with just 11 trusts covering mainland England with another operating on the Isle of Wight. This reduction in the number of trusts brought its own problems in terms of the unification of administrative departments, coordination of command and control functions and standardisation of policies, plans and procedures but working with all staff across the country these hurdles have largely been overcome. www.ambulanceleadershipforum.org

To find out more, the NHS Ambulance Chief Executives Group will be exhibiting at Emergency Scotland 2011 at the SECC from 5-6 July (Stand E182).

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Ensuring a greater strategic and collaborative approach to procurement The UK Government has said much about how procurement can help to cut the deficit. In particular, Sir Philip Green’s Efficiency Review exposed a number of concerns about Whitehall spending. Some of his findings – that there is a lack of data on spending, a failure to make the most of purchasing power, and wildly varying prices paid by departments – are familiar to those in public procurement in Scotland and echo the conclusions of the McClelland Report.

Conveners’ Forum. The board ensures the implementation of a governance and performance management regime, which shall evidence measurable efficiency gains.

The centre has also built upon existing links with various Chief Fire Officers’ (Scotland) Working Groups most notably, the Technical Advisory Group (TAG).

Fire & Rescue Scotland ensures a greater strategic and collaborative approach to the procurement of operational equipment and vehicles, with all services recognising the opportunity that nationally agreed frameworks and contracts offer. These benefits include the increased standardisation of product range based upon operational risk profiling, interoperability and user needs, thereby contributing to national resilience along with opportunities to share resources.

The McClelland Report concluded that urgent action was needed across the Scottish public sector to improve the purchasing of goods and services, and made 82 recommendations aimed at raising purchasing standards and making savings, while also maintaining high quality services. It commented that, ‘There is a fragmented approach to procurement and undoubtedly lost opportunity to better utilise scarce skills and take financial advantage of a ‘corporate’ approach by delivering economies from combined purchasing power....

Collaboration within organisations and across the sector… has not been completely effective and must be improved. Also, best practice, although often recognised and disseminated, is not extensively adopted so that exemplar organisations tend to remain ‘islands of excellence’….’

Procurement Centres of Expertise One of the key recommendations of the Report was the establishment of Procurement Centres of Expertise, which in turn would lead to greater collaborative procurement. The McClelland Report highlighted this as being one of ‘the most significant opportunities’ offered by the Public Procurement Reform Programme that emerged from the review process. Four areas of immediate benefit were identified: • Better utilisation of scarce procurement resources/skills • Aggregation of spend to create greater purchasing power resulting in improved cost savings • A more efficient/less complex interface to suppliers • Spread of best practice including sharing of market intelligence.

The Scottish fire and rescue services have a history of successful collaboration in procurement, largely driven through the CFOA (Scotland) Procurement Group. All services have benefited from this collaboration, which has delivered savings, increased quality and improved service levels from suppliers across a range of commodities.

Nonetheless, collaboration between the Scottish

fire and rescue services had concentrated on tendering activity and had been conducted on an informal basis. While successful, the collaborative activities have had a narrow focus that did not address all the requirements of the Reform Programme.

Fire & Rescue Scotland The establishment of Fire & Rescue Scotland (FRS), the Procurement Centre of Expertise for the Scottish fire and rescue sector, ensures that the full benefits of collaboration as identified by the McClelland Report are realised.

FRS was established in 2010, on a shared service basis and utilises existing procurement staff and infrastructure within each of the eight individual Scottish fire and rescue services. The activities of the centre are governed and undertaken by the following bodies: CoE Governance Board; CoE Operating Board; CoE Business Streams; and User Intelligence Groups (UIG).

The Governance Board includes senior management representation from all Scottish services, together with representation from the Fire

Stimulating the marketplace All Scottish fire and rescue services have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that commits them to utilising the national frameworks and contracts established by FRS. Fire & Rescue Scotland also ensures greater consistency in the coordination of supplier engagement, thereby stimulating the marketplace with a diverse range of suppliers, including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and those from the voluntary and community sectors. This approach assists in ensuring the sustainability of the fire and rescue market.

“Fire & Rescue Scotland also ensures greater consistency in the coordination of supplier engagement, thereby stimulating the marketplace with a diverse range of suppliers.”

Full membership of Fire & Rescue Scotland is limited to the Scottish fire and rescue services.

However, Associate Membership, which enables access to the frameworks and contracts established

by FRS, is available to other public sector bodies. www.efirescotland.org

Visit Fire & Rescue Scotland at Emergency Scotland 2011 on Stand E162.

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Scotland at the cutting edge of advanced emergency management Scottish emergency services have become enthusiastic adopters of mobile satellite broadband and wireless communications, with fire and ambulance services leading the way and police interest growing.

Emergency services in Scotland have become enthusiastic users of mobile satellite broadband and wireless video and communications for improving emergency response across a wide variety of risks.

While fire and ambulance services have been taking lead roles, police forces are also now expressing growing interest, as understanding of the many benefits of these powerful technologies becomes more widespread.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Major Incident Command Unit, equipped by Excelerate Technology.

Driving the acquisition of all this new technology have been command objectives such as the clearly identified need for emergency service personnel to receive maximum command and communications support for doing their life saving work efficiently, for personnel to be deployed using safe systems of work, and for the establishment and sharing of a Common Operational Picture across a joined-up, digital incident ground, for both single and multiagency incidents.

Improved communications and interoperability Scottish fire and rescue services (FRSs), such as Fife FRS, Dumfries and Galloway FRS and Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, have been quick to see the benefits of using satellite broadband and wireless solutions to improve incident command communications and multi-agency interoperability.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, with one of the largest, most diverse and challenging areas in the UK (11,500 sq km including many islands, a major city and rural areas, with 2.5 million people), has been an early adopter and a leading user of mobile satellite broadband throughout its fleet of command vehicles since 2004. The service has three Forward Command Units (FCUs), a Major Incident Command Unit (MICU) and an Environmental Protection Unit (EPU), all equipped with satellite broadband and other wireless communications solutions supplied by Excelerate Technology. The video communications suite includes rapidly deployable dual thermal cameras mounted on high reach aerial platforms, delivering vastly improved visual monitoring for incident commanders.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue’s staff has been thoroughly trained in the use of the satellite and wireless solutions featured on these vehicles. “It’s something that has grown over the years,” says Kenny Fraser, Firelink Project Manager at Strathclyde Fire and Rescue. “All personnel at operational stations at which the vehicles are located are trained in the use of the equipment.

The station personnel themselves are very mature users of the solution, and we quite regularly have other organisations coming in – for Gold/Silver/Bronze training, for example. To replicate incidents on a command ground we use the MICU. Our personnel are now very regular, confident and competent users and they are keen to embrace new concepts.”

“What is also driving Excelerate is the understanding that personnel operating our technology are fire officers, paramedics and police officers, not specialist IT personnel.”

David Savage, founder and CEO, Excelerate Technology

Wider use of MESH communications One new concept that is being explored is the wider use of MESH communications across incident grounds. “Scotland is looking at extending the use of MESH within the fire service. The fire service is better placed than most to accommodate this. When we assign a number of vehicles to an incident ground they can be placed to form a network, prior to an FCU arriving. If an incident gets larger, and an FCU is deployed, then it can then pick up the pre-existing network.”

The Ambulance Service in Scotland is also an enthusiastic user of mobile satellite broadband and wireless solutions. Its SORT (Special Operations Response Teams) use Forward Command Vehicles very similar in specification to the very powerful Hazard Area Response Team (HART) vehicles used throughout the rest of the UK. Excelerate Technology, the UK market leader, in conjunction with the NHS and the ambulance services, developed, prototyped, integrated and continues to support the 18 HART Forward Command Vehicles in England (15 sets of vehicles built so far, with a

Emergency Services Times May 2011

further three being built this year) and one in Wales.

The SORT Forward Command Vehicles feature integrated communications, data, voice and video technologies, providing command teams with the optimum combination of rapidly deployable communications, data access and live video infrastructure where none previously exists (or if existing infrastructure has been compromised and requires additional resilience).

Internal vehicle layout and positioning of screens, communications systems and computers were all trialled to achieve the best possible use of space for command vehicle crews and commanders working under high pressure. Where required, technology was specifically developed and integrated for operational requirements, such as the interoperable ECMS (Excelerate Communications Management Suite) connecting different types of communications devices seamlessly, and simple yet effective communications and monitoring of onboard systems.

Only effective solution Satellite broadband is one of the key technologies at the heart of this approach to improving single and multi-agency emergency management. It is the only effective type of solution available for delivering enough guaranteed bandwidth anywhere to run an increasing number of voice, data and video applications. With competitively priced packages negotiated by Excelerate, costs are also substantially lower than expected and beat commercial 3G on both cost and reliability

The Scottish Ambulance Service uses mobile satellite broadband and wireless solutions in its SORT (Special Operations Response) Team Forward Command Vehicles.

grounds.

RapidNet Private GSM is also available for maintaining communications with field-based personnel when service from the main network providers is unavailable. The solution provides full, stand-alone backup GSM telecoms capacity, thereby eliminating the risk of a repetition of the communications problems experienced following the 7/7 bombings in London, when networks overloaded by public usage collapsed.

Private GSM enables secure and private access

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“What is also driving away from normal terrestrial Excelerate is the networks, eliminating problems understanding that caused by congestion, security personnel operating our breaches and unavailability. For technology are fire officers, added resilience the units also paramedics and police have 3G Failover, to cover any officers, not specialist IT eventuality should any of the personnel. Using SORT and systems fail.

HART as the benchmark of When SORT vehicles are sophistication (but avoiding positioned together they can unnecessary complexity), we create a wireless MESH network set about developing for enhanced communications, different ways of helping which can then be extended operational personnel with Excelerate’s wireless nodes, understand exactly what giving field personnel the ability technology was at their to operate using ruggedised disposal – how to operate it laptops and other wireless in the easiest way possible, devices within a secure area. how to understand when and COFDM body-worn cameras how it was working, or not, can also be deployed by SORT and then, if there was a personnel, allowing real time, The Scottish Ambulance Service’s SORT Forward Command Vehicles feature integrated satellite broadband communications and problem, how to support on-the-spot video streams of an world leading data, voice and video technologies. them with minimum human incident (even within building intervention or expertise at their end. collapses and tunnel and underground incidents) to Ryder Cup security Police services are always dealing with “At the same time, it was essential that we took be viewed by commanders in the Forward challenging incidents, such as the Pope’s visit to measures to minimise downtime and free up Command Vehicle and on hand-held devices, as operators to do the things they were really at the well as being streamed back to the control room via Scotland and major traffic disruption caused by bad weather. Another key test for this new and incident to do. This Excelerate development we call satellite broadband. more advanced approach to incident command our DDMI (or Digital Dashboard Management vehicle technology, seen in a police context, was Interface), and it is now ready to be launched and Gwent Police’s security management for the 2010 integrated as the brain of the integrated systems we Ryder Cup (involving up to 45,000 spectators each provide, although we can incorporate other day, plus VIPs, over a wide area and at a time of technologies and applications that we have not high security alert). This was done with a relatively supplied as it is infinitely scalable and customisable modest force of 150 officers coordinated through by us.” two mobile incident command units supplied and supported by Excelerate.

Proven, cost-effective solutions Bicycle-mounted officers wearing body-mounted The proven success of Excelerate’s unique video cameras, linked wirelessly to the command combination of communications solutions Powerful combination vehicles, provided commanders with live on-the(including the remarkable Sherpa climbing With this powerful combination of spot coverage of any potential incidents. Gwent camera), along with technical and training support, communications, data, video and incident Police were able to develop new ways of ensuring is generating growing interest within police forces management technologies, SORT crews and the event security, preparing for any eventuality, and and fire and rescue services throughout Scotland.

Scottish population they serve, can be reassured obtaining the most cost-effective deployments of Emergency services are under huge pressure to cut that they are at the cutting edge of advanced their officers over a wide area. manpower and other costs. But they are also under emergency management – worldwide. pressure to ensure that they can still respond Of the three Scottish SORT teams (in Edinburgh, effectively on a multi-agency basis to a wide range Glasgow and Aberdeen), Edinburgh and Glasgow of emergencies and civil resilience incidents. This currently have satellite broadband-enabled FCVs, remains a high priority with the public, politicians and it is planned that Aberdeen will receive one and the media. sometime in the future. Excelerate supplied Scotland’s SORT Forward Command Vehicles after a strong business case had been presented and approved, with extensive testing undertaken prior to implementation.

“The IT on them is phenomenal,” says Brian Brian Hunter, of the Scottish Ambulance Service Hunter, of the Scottish Ambulance Service. “For Kenny Fraser, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue instance, I was at a chemical incident a few months ago and we were looking to see where the plume Poor performance and excuses are no longer was going to blow. The weather forecast people considered acceptable, especially when proven, costDavid Savage, founder and CEO of Excelerate were saying it was going this way, but because of effective solutions are now available to help Technology, said, “The Scottish SORT and English the little weather station in the vehicle we could see overcome the common communications problems HART vehicles were spawned on the back of our what the wind was actually doing on the site. We which can impede emergency response – clutter experience and partnerships with early adopter put the big camera up and we could see the leak. and confusion, the overwhelming of radio and customers such as Strathclyde Fire and Rescue.

“All the other emergency services that have seen public GSM networks, lack of a clear, commonly They represent the current pinnacle of what can be these vehicles have been very envious of what they shared visual and operational picture, and multiple achieved with the right degree of time, imagination can do. We used one at the Pope’s visit last year, in layers of command within agencies and between and budget. They were developed to address all the conjunction with the police and the fire services. agencies. pitfalls of working in situations, wherever they may We set it up in the park and the police used it to be, when reliance on any one single or public www.excelerate.info monitor the crowds. Although it is an ambulance infrastructure represents a significant risk, as service vehicle, it’s actually a multi-partner, multihighlighted at major events such as New York’s Author: Stephen Prendergast agency vehicle as far as we are concerned.”

9/11 and London’s 7/7 terrorist incidents.

“Our personnel are now very regular, confident and competent users and they are keen to embrace new concepts.”

Emergency Services Times May 2011

“The IT on them is phenomenal.”

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Ruth Lee Ltd

E P Barrus Ltd

– Stand 6

– Stand 103

A-Z of Exhibitors A W Hainsworth – Stand 60 Hainsworth® award-winning outershell fabrics – Hainsworth® TITAN, ATLAS and Hainsworth® Hainsworth® METIS – are breathable, comfortable fabrics designed to minimise the effects of heat stress while being robust enough to withstand the rigours of modern day fire fighting, and come complete with Hainsworth’s durable Hainsworth® REPEL+ Fire finish offering protection against hazardous chemicals. For further details, please visit the company on Stand 60. www.hainsworth.co.uk

Air Liquide Medical – Stand 136

Ruth Lee Ltd has been designing and manufacturing rescue training dummies at its factory in North Wales for 30 years. The company is recognised as the leading manufacturer of rescue dummies in Europe and, increasingly, around the world, with a product range of 20+ different dummy models.

For effective rescue training you need a dummy that realistically simulates the feel of a real person with body weighting that is anatomically correct. The dummy must be tough enough to place in hazardous situations too dangerous for live volunteers and, crucially, the dummy design must not expose the rescuer to any risk of personal injury during its handling. Ruth Lee has achieved this objective – its dummies feature: • Anatomically correct weighting that simulates the body weight distribution of a real casualty • Uncannily realistic life-like soft feel • No hard limb-joints, which means no pinch welts for trainees • Specific models designed for different rescue scenarios • Designed to withstand heavy objects laid on them for realistic and challenging rescue training • Very durable construction that will ensure years of use.

A selection of manikins including the bariatric manikin will be available to see at Emergency Scotland 2011. www.ruthlee.co.uk

The Special Products Division at E P Barrus Ltd is a dedicated team set up to design and develop custom-built engines and accessories to meet the specific operational requirements of its professional customers. Barrus has developed close relationships with many of its major customers working as consultants and suppliers.

These include organisations such as the RNLI, UK MoD, US DoD, HM Coastguard, overseas government forces, local authorities, police and fire service search and rescue units.

Mariner and Mercury are the leaders in outboard engine technology with the most advanced and broadest range of two and four-stroke outboards available. Barrus supplies Mariner and Mercury two-stroke commercial outboard engines from 5hp to 250hp for numerous specialist

rescue and commercial applications.

The innovative, Post Immersion Restart rescue outboards enable a 50hp outboard motor to be totally immersed yet ready for action within just 15 seconds after resurfacing.

A comprehensive range of accessories has also been designed and developed by Barrus including outboard propeller guards, twin-engine single tiller and engine transit frames.

Other water rescue equipment supplied by the company includes: a Yanmar diesel-powered pump for salvage, fire fighting and general pumping; and SeaSearch, a range of heavy-duty inflatables, which can be powered by Mariner or Mercury outboards and are ideal for rescue teams where more space and strength are required. www.barrus.co.uk

PBI Performance Products PBI is one of the world’s leading inherently flame resistant and thermally stable fibres for outer shell fabric, combining flame resistance and thermal protection with the highest levels of comfort, durability and protection available today.

The company’s specialised fabrics are widely recognised as the premium products in outer shell and hood protection for fire fighting gear. PBI Matrix raises the performance bar delivering the highest level of protection for firefighters today. A durable matrix of high strength aramid filaments is woven into PBI Gold fabric to enhance its resistance to wear and tear, while at the same time retaining superior flame and heat protection.

The result is a fabric that is lightweight but incredibly strong and resists dangerous chemicals and acids. PBI

– Stand 50 Matrix provides maximum protection and comfort at a minimum weight.

The new fabric has been developed to complement an existing range of proven products that continues to deliver high levels of protection. PBI Gold is recognised across the world for its incredible performance and continues to be the choice of many brigades.

In the UK PBI has been chosen by 80 percent of the fire and rescue services and around the world the fabric has recently been specified by fire and rescue services in Hong Kong, Scandinavia, Australia, Berlin and USA. PBI is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, maintains a manufacturing facility located in Rock Hill, South Carolina and global sales offices in Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

www.airliquide.com

Airwave Solutions Ltd – Stand 94 www.airwavesolutions.co.uk

Anderson Fire & Rescue Products Ltd – Stand 68 www.andeng.co.uk

Angloco Ltd – Stand 32 www.angloco.co.uk

Anteon (UK) Ltd – Stand 4 www.anteonuk.com

Armadillo Merino – Stand 98 Armadillo Merino™ specialises in next to skin personal protective clothing that utilises the unique properties of superfine merino wool to provide superior protection, performance and comfort. Come and handle these soft and strong merino wool fabrics and learn how merino clothing can provide better protection for your team. www.armadillomerino.com

AS Training Ltd – Stand 7 Through its collaboration with Fire Service Training College, AS Training is able to rationalise training provision to all Scottish fire and rescue services thus ensuring that most courses are operating at capacity. By training personnel through to Instructor status the organisation is helping the FRSs to move towards self-sufficiency in their water training provision. www.as-training.biz

Avon Inflatables Ltd – Stand 20 Avon Inflatables is able to provide a full service and maintenance programme for older inflatable rescue craft; this allows rescue organisations

36 | EMERGENCY SCOTLAND 2011 to extend the serviceable life of the craft, thus reducing overall costs compared to purchasing a new craft.

This service is only available for Avon or Zodiac crafts, and is carried out at the Avon UK production facilities.

Geargrid

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Intellitec MV Ltd

– Stand 23

www.avoninflatables.co.uk

Bauer Kompressoren UK Ltd – Stand 132 www.bauer.uk.com

Bluecher UK Ltd – Stand 3 www.bluecher.com

Bristol Uniforms Ltd – Stand 25 Bristol offers protective clothing solutions for the fire and rescue, police and ambulance services. A range of PPE covers structural, wildland and USAR garments for firefighters; police public order/crowd control (POCC) protection and HART technical rescue kit for ambulance crews operating within the inner cordon. The company’s integrated managed services provide lifetime garment care. www.bristoluniforms.com

CFM Services – Stand 62 www.cfmservices.co.uk

Cosalt PLC – Stand 15 www.cosalt.com

Crompton Mouldings Ltd – Stand 148 www.cromptonmouldings.co.uk

Designs Signage Solutions – Stand 152 www.designs.uk.net

Draeger Safety UK Ltd – Stand 64 www.draeger.com/UK/en

Emergency Planning College – Stand 81 epcollege.com

Enera Ltd – Stand 108 www.enera.com

EP Barrus Ltd – Stand 6

There are rare instances when you immediately see a product and know it will do the job! This is certainly the case with Geargrid storage systems – specifically developed for use by the emergency services.

Almost 20 years’ experience, gained from listening to the needs of professionals, has been applied to the design of the strongest and most practical PPE, cylinder, hose and kit-bag storage lockers in the business. Lockers can either be wall-mounted, floor-mounted or in the form of mobile units.

The versatility of Geargrid allows for multiple purpose storage in the same unit by using the appropriate shelving.

The strength of Geargrid is derived from the use of 1¼in tubular steel to provide the framework to support an open grid ¼in wire frame. This patented design promotes maximum air movement, minimising odour build-up and allowing damp items to

policy.

Intellitec designs and manufactures products such as the Battery Guard 3000 system used by the UK fire and rescue services as the power management system for their on board mobile data terminals. The BG3000 is also offered as a stand-alone battery power protection system that can be installed at the OEM/bodybuilder stage or is easily retrofitted to any in range of storage equipment at Emergency Scotland 2011, together with the new ‘Slinger’ workbench. www.geargrid.co.uk

Armadillo Merino™ Armadillo Merino™ is a new generation of soft body armour for professional risk takers. The garments are designed and constructed for demanding work environments using the latest generation of merino performance fabrics with contoured styling for greater next to skin comfort.

Merino wool delivers protection and comfort to wearers. Merino has natural breathability helping to reduce over-heating while providing warmth when worn as an insulating layer. In addition, merino wool doesn’t generate odour so a garment can be worn for days.

www.barrus.co.uk

Emergency Planning Society – Stand No. 84 The Emergency Planning Society (EPS) is the leading professional body for all those professionals involved in emergency planning, crisis and disaster management, resilience and related disciplines. EPS members are practitioners, emergency responders, policy makers, academics and students from public, private, academic and voluntary sectors in the UK, Republic of Ireland

dry faster.

The economics of Geargrid are simple – better storage provides longer life of PPE, less damage to equipment, better health and safety, and a cleaner environment.

Since the introduction of Geargrid to the UK market, just over two years ago, it has quickly established itself, and has been installed in several locations in Scotland.

Geargrid will be showing a whole

Wool is naturally flame retardant with a high ignition temperature of between 570°C and 600°C. By combining superfine merino with innovative knitting techniques, Armadillo Merino™ can offer customers some

– Stand 61 As a well-established supplier for many years to the UK emergency services vehicle sector, Intellitec MV Ltd is at the forefront of vehicle battery power management and task management switching systems. Over the years Intellitec has built up a reputation for offering quality products with a service backup that is second to none, combined with a competitive pricing

– Stand 98

The Battery Guard 3000 system is used by the UK fire and rescue services as the power management system for their on board mobile data terminals.

of the world’s most technical performance fabrics.

Andy Caughey comments, “We recognise the importance of protection, performance and comfort for professional risk takers so our role at Armadillo Merino™ is to develop garment styles that help meet the demands of your team of professionals in maximising their operational effectiveness. We work closely with companies to develop tailor-made solutions using merino fabrics that best meet your specific requirements.”

Armadillo Merino™ is an annually renewable fibre. These are easy care garments that are simple to clean and repair and at the end of the garment’s useful life can be disposed of safely, decomposing within 12 months. www.armadillomerino.com

service vehicle.

An exciting new launch at Emergency Scotland 2011 will be the company’s new Intellitec Programmable Logic Controller (IPLC). The IPLC system is a compact and powerful all in one task management control and switching system with built in battery power management. The system can be programmed to carry out all task management functions including RunLock, 999, Arrive at Scene plus programmable dual battery charging.

The vehicle CAN interface option also allows for control of environmental/ green issue functions such as excessive idle control and the interface of on-board and remote datalogging facilities.

Intellitec has also tied up with some key partner supplier companies such as Victron, Xantrex and Blue Sea Systems enabling it to offer a comprehensive range of high quality inverters, battery chargers, batteries and electrical installation products. www.intellitecmv.com

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Air Liquide Medical – Stand 136

Air Liquide Medical is the UK based subsidiary of Air Liquide Group, the European leader for medical gases and associated equipment.

The company offers a range of innovative solutions to aid emergency services personnel including its twolitre lightweight, aluminium, high capacity Oxygen and Equanox cylinders featuring integrated regulators, which are portable and ready for immediate use. Integrated regulators are built in to the cylinder and have considerable benefits for end users, including negating the costs of regulator purchase and repair. Other cylinder features include precise twostage pressure regulating technology, a built-in constant contents display gauge, and valve guard with carry handle.

The new OXYFIRST portable emergency response bag, complete with resuscitation kit, optional defibrillator and two-litre lightweight aluminium cylinder facilitates rapid initial treatment of a casualty by providing instant access to life saving equipment.

OXYFIRST from Air Liquide Medical is designed according to manual handling regulations and includes a shoulder strap, carry handles, storage pockets and is made of robust wipe clean material with high visibility strips. OXYFIRST promotes minimal patient contact, which reduces the

Ilasco with Keela Ilasco with Keela are specialists in the design, development and manufacture of protective clothing solutions for emergency services, rescue services and tactical forces.

and overseas.

– Stand 75

quality construction provides the ultimate protection for the wearer.

Uncompromising kit for uncompromising individuals Want to know more? Come and visit Ilasco with Keela on Stand 75 and take part in a competition to win £500 worth of outdoor kit. www.keela.co.uk

Intensive research and development combined with constant user interaction and feedback ensures the company’s technical kit meets and surpasses user requirements. Innovation, exceptional performance and

Innogistic

through customisable permission levels.

This means that the solution can also be configured differently depending on the role of the individual user and can provide different tools to different users depending on their specific job requirements.

Accompanying the move to a webbased architecture, CFRMIS 5 also includes advanced new capabilities including a powerful workflow engine, which makes it easy to customise and to automate tasks, which in other solutions are manual processes.

The solution also has embedded web-based GIS and map viewing facilities as well as full integration with Innogistic’s mobile fire safety inspection data gathering and management tool, CFRMIS Mobile. www.innogistic.co.uk

Lion Apparel

risk of infection.

Air Liquide Medical also offers advice on gas management, conservation, asset management tracking systems, on site risk assessments and comprehensive medical gases safety training covering handling, storage and hazards of medical gas cylinders.

Emergency Services Times – Stand No. 36 Emergency Services Times (EST) magazine, published by Emergency Services (mmc) Limited, the organisers of Emergency Scotland 2011, is sent free of charge to some 7000 buyers and specifiers of equipment and services within the UK emergency services sector. EST is published five times a year and is read by all organisations involved in emergency planning, response and recovery, from the police, fire and rescue and ambulance services, to coastguard and government departments, and the voluntary sector. www.emergencyservicestimes.com

– Stand 130

This year Innogistic proudly announces the launch of CFRMIS 5, the next generation of fire risk management solutions. CFRMIS 5 is the culmination of a collaborative three-year project, which has seen CFRMIS 5 developed in partnership with the company’s fire and rescue service customers.

Being web based, CFRMIS 5 removes the need for resident software on each user’s terminal, thereby greatly reducing system management overheads. Staff can simply log-on to a central server, resident at the brigade’s own data centre or hosted on the cloud, using their web browser. The remote accessing capability of CFRMIS 5 opens up possibilities for home and partnership working.

The system administrator retains control on users and grants access

www.the-eps.org

– Stand 13 Lion Apparel is one of the world’s A commitment to innovation is at largest providers of PPE solutions for the core of Lion’s research and develthe emergency services and military. opment team, which has developed The company provides a number of some of the highest-performing firedifferent and uniquely flexible systems fighter PPE available in the world for the supply and management of today. Lion combines a detailed underPPE, working in partnership with standing of technical fabrics and physeach of its customers to create the iology with expertise in design that solution that best suits their own results in solutions that meet the speneeds, from basic direct sales through cific challenges of modern day fire to fully managed services. fighting.

The company’s Pro-Tek range delivLion’s TotalCare™ system assumes ers a choice of three options of struc- the responsibility for the management tural fire fighting kit: Pro-Tek, Pro-Tek and maintenance of all the PPE equipPlus and Pro-Tek Max, each with its ment supplied, including repair, washing own unique features. The assemblies and replacement. Each contract is incorporate the latest design with unique to every brigade, designed in functionality that is at the cutting edge partnership from the outset, and is of innovation in the market. subject to an independent risk assess-

www.airliquide.com Emergency Services Times May 2011

Emergency Services Show 2011 – Stand No. 36 Visit the Emergency Services Show stand to reserve your space for next year’s event, being held once again at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire from 23-24 November 2011. www.emergencyuk.com

Excelerate Technology – Stand 28 Excelerate Technology is showcasing three vehicles, including a Scottish Ambulance Service Special Operations Response Team command vehicle, a Strathclyde Fire & Rescue command vehicle and a Mercedes Vito-based mobile police command vehicle. Solutions will include rapidly deployable wireless and body-worn cameras, interoperable communications and the Sherpa climbing camera. www.excelerate.info

Fenland Laundries Ltd – Firepower – Stand 17 Firepower from Fenland Laundries Ltd offers the UK fire market a unique one-stop shop facility for procurement of PPE and station wear.

Registered to ISO 9000, Fenland’s widely acclaimed specialist laundry service then provides full aftercare, inspection and maintenance services, to ensure PPE is compliant and fit for purpose. www.fenlandlaundries.co.uk

Fire Magazine – Stand 101 FIRE magazine has been the voice of fire fighting and fire prevention since 1908, bringing you all the latest news, views, technological, legal and policy developments to affect the fire and rescue service. FIRE divides its coverage to ensure every facet of fire

40 | EMERGENCY SCOTLAND 2011 sector duty is covered comprehensively, including operational, professional development, community resilience and fire protection. FIRE’s integral approach, developing what works by including the best from every stakeholder, ensures it will continue to set the benchmark for media coverage for years to come. www.fire-magazine.com

Fire Times – Stand No. 36 Published six times a year, Fire Times is the leading trade publication for the fire and rescue sector and is required reading for operational firefighters with purchasing or specifying responsibilities such as a Training Officers, Communications Officers, Brigade Engineers or HazMat Officers.

The editorial content of the magazine reflects the broader role the fire and rescue service has taken on over the past 50 years, beyond its traditional fire fighting role.

Avon Inflatables Avon will be showing the latest in the new Zodiac range of inflatable rescue craft, with the latest design and innovations in inflatable boat technology. Avon/ Zodiac have built up a close working relationship with emergency rescue services around the world, and this has given the company a deep understanding of the needs and expectations of the end users. Visitors to the company’s stand will consequently have a valuable opportunity to see how these ideas have been applied to the latest boats

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tms support solutions ltd

– Stand 20

in the range.

The familiar Avon range is also now incorporated within the Zodiac range, giving users access to a wider range of products, that each carry the name that has become synonymous with the most accomplished inflatable

– Stand 151 tms support solutions ltd is a Lincolnshire-based, family-run organisation specialising in technical documentation, training and software.

The company has been very successful in the last 19 years of trading, acquiring vast experience in developing bespoke products to suit individual clients’ needs. tms has a large product range including database portals, asset management and market management systems, all of which can be tailor made to individual client specification.

www.mmcpublications.co.uk

Geargrid Ltd – Stand 23 Geargrid is firmly established as a world leader in providing strong and practical PPE and equipment storage solutions. The financial benefits of investing in purpose designed PPE lockers, cylinder, hose and kit-bag storage units are immediately obvious.

Tempus Developments Ltd

– Stand 48

www.geargrid.co.uk

Haagen Fire Training Products – Stand 88 www.haagen.eu

Halfords Ltd – Stand 51 Halfords has worked with over 60 percent of UK emergency services, supplying and servicing bikes to provide tailored cycle fleet packages.

The role for emergency services bikes is growing and the company fully understands their importance in forming part of a fleet. Halfords has a dedicated Account Manager, specialising in ensuring your organisation receives all the professional support it needs. www.halfordsb2b.co.uk

Holmatro UK Ltd – Stand 14 www.holmatro.com

Innogistic Software – Stand 130 For 18 years, Innogistic has been providing emergency services with innovative geospatial and data management solutions, all designed to help improve safety, drive efficiency and provide real return on investment.

Maybe this is why the company’s fire risk management solutions are work-

Tempus Developments Ltd is a leading UK supplier of in-vehicle mobile data solutions, which for over 20 years has been designing and building robust, secure, user-friendly systems.

The company has installed solutions for utility companies, the military, police, fire and rescue, security, ambulance and mountain rescue services across the world. Many worldwide organisations use Tempus products – the company works with market leading partners to provide its customers with top quality mobile solutions on land, air and at sea. In addition, its marine products use conformably coated electrical components to withstand salt-spray conditions and the range of Tempus military products are tested to the

highest standard.

The company’s latest offering for the emergency services is an integrated Tempus docking unit for the Panasonic CF-19 Toughbook, which positions the device in the glove box of the latest police-specification Vauxhall Astra estate. This facilitates fully functional ‘computing-on-the-move’ while still adhering to Vauxhall’s stringent safety and build standards. In addition, there is the option to install Tempus’ new dashboard-integrated remote 8.4in XGA Touch Screen.

A selection of tms solutions: • ELVIS was developed to solve a growing problem where engineers were being given more and more laptops to do their job. With ELVIS you only need one, cutting down on laptops and cutting down on cost.

• Trapper is a management system developed by tms to carry out complete equipment checks faster and more efficiently. The system consists of two main elements: data capture on a hand-held device and an innovative asset browser based management system.

• Scarab is an equipment management system for monitoring the issue of restricted access, sensitive or high value items and equipment.

Administration for Scarab can be viewed locally or remotely via a web-based interface; offering greater control, security and efficiency across multiple sites.

• EPL (Electronics Parts List) was developed to avoid costly transcription errors when ordering new items. Customers can now re-order stock quickly and confidently knowing the right part will be delivered.

• Bizaar is the 21st Century’s answer to market management. It is a twopart system designed to assist in the management of markets, with a management system allowing customers to add or edit data across all aspects of a market. The mobile hand-held device provides cash collection and receipting functions as well as gathering data on various aspects of the market. www.tmsss.com

Emergency Services Times May 2011

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Jones & Bartlett Halfords Learning – Stand 96

Jones & Bartlett Learning produces books and training resources for emergency services personnel. Its bestselling books include Nancy Caroline’s Emergency Care in the Streets, which has become the standard text for paramedic courses across the

ing hard at more than 50 percent of the UK’s fire and rescue services.

– Stand 51

Halfords’ experienced Business Services team appreciates that the role for bikes within emergency services is growing rapidly, and fully understands the importance of bikes forming part of the fleet in today’s community. To support this the company has a dedicated Account Manager, specialising in ensuring that Halfords can offer emergency services organisations all the professional support they need in this area.

The benefits of bikes for your organization include: high visibility patrols restore reassurance within the community; proven to reduce call out costs; response times rapidly reduced; cost saving alternative to motor vehicles; fantastic results for arson prevention; council targets exceeded on deliberate fire hazards; excellent crime

UK. Covering emergency medical services, fire and rescue, and police and criminal justice, all visitors should find something of interest on the Jones and Bartlett stand. This year the company will be presenting its newly published books in emergency medical services on Critical Care Paramedic Training and Special Events Medical prevention and detection tool; promotes healthier journeys; prove useful as a defensive weapon; rural or difficult to reach areas more accessible.

Land Rover

www.innogistic.co.uk

Why choose Halfords?

• The company is a one-stop solution for all your needs • Award winning, high quality, high specification bikes • Great savings for the emergency services • Tailor-made packages to suit your budget and specification • High visibility bespoke decals to support existing fleet image • Finance options available for larger fleets • Free assembly, pre-delivery inspection and six-week first service on all bikes • Great choice of servicing packages • Network of over 460 stores nationwide • Open seven days a week, weekdays till 8pm for maximum convenience • Peace of mind from working with a trusted company • Experienced dedicated Account Manager. www.halfordsb2b.co.uk

– Stand 8

Designed to face some of the planet’s most unforgiving environments and situations, the Land Rover range is built to deliver a service that can be trusted.

Service.

Members of the Standby CPD team will also be on the stand to discuss this highly acclaimed new CPD product for paramedics and other ambulance staff. Designed to provide CPD on the go while on standby, visit the stand to find out more.

Jones & Bartlett Learning will also be displaying its range of books for fire professionals including new complete packages on Live Fire Training and Fire Investigation.

If you have an idea for a book or training product come to Stand 96 to speak with the company’s emergency services project specialists.

Over 60 years supporting vital services From the moment the company unveiled its first Land Rover back in 1948, Land Rover has been dedicated to building a relationship with the emergency services, MoD, military and utility companies.

These services go above and beyond their call of duty every day to ensure the safety of the public. It is therefore essential to have a vehicle that is responsive, reliable and can assist them with the demands of the modern world.

Built to ensure confidence, Land Rover is capable of helping all organ-

isations cope with a variety of emergencies, in all sorts of environments, especially where other 4x4 vehicles can’t reach. And the company is delighted to have been accepted as sponsors of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Land Rover vehicles simply are fit for purpose. Their capabilities on tricky terrains, as well as the breadth of technology and its commanding driving position makes Land Rover the ideal choice to aid the emergency services.

See the future with a vehicle you can trust. Land Rover.

www.jblearning.com Emergency Services Times May 2011

42 | EMERGENCY SCOTLAND 2011 Intavent Direct – Stand 73 Intavent Direct offers innovative products including the LMA® Airway range for airway management which has been used in over 300 million patients worldwide. The product range includes the Intubating Laryngeal Mask (ILMA®), the LMA Supreme® with an integrated drain tube, and the MAD® Mucosal Atomisation Devices for Topical Application Management.

A S Training

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– Stand 7

www.intaventdirect.co.uk

Intellitec MV Ltd – Stand 61 www.intellitecmv.com

Interspiro Ltd – Stand 133 Interspiro has over 70 years’ experience as a groundbreaking innovator of respiratory protection equipment.

It develops, manufactures and markets respiratory protection and auxiliary equipment. Interspiro provides management of through life support and costs – its Total Care contracts take the burden of maintenance away from the user and provide a simple flat fee annual spend to meet the needs of today’s fire and rescue services. www.interspiro.com

Jones & Bartlett Publishers Int – Stand 96 Jones & Bartlett Learning produces books and training resources for emergency services providers. The company’s bestselling books include Nancy Caroline’s Emergency Care in the Streets, which has become the standard text for paramedic courses across the UK. Covering emergency medical services, fire and rescue, and police and criminal justice, all visitors should find something of interest on the Jones & Bartlett stand.

A S Training is based in Aviemore, within the Cairngorms National Park where the company shares premises and resources with its sister company, Adventure Scotland Ltd.

A S Training is currently the largest provider of swiftwater and flood rescue training in Scotland and is proud to be under contract to the Scottish Government to provide swiftwater rescue and swiftwater rescue boat operator training to all eight Scottish fire and rescue services through the Fire Service Training College at Gullane. The company provides similar training to a number of other emergency services, including Scottish Ambulance Service, RNLI and moun-

Masimo

tain rescue teams. It also provides health and safety training for a number of environmental organisations, which need to deploy personnel into potentially hazardous natural environments.

The company has a number of established training sites throughout Scotland, the main ones being at Grandtully on the River Tay from where most of the swiftwater and flood rescue training is delivered. A S Training also has an established site at Connel, near Oban, which is an excellent tidal location for the delivery of swiftwater rescue boat operator training.

A S Training is an accredited provider of Rescue 3 International courses and Managing Director Dave Horrocks was recently awarded the Rescue 3 Europe ‘Ambassador of the Year’ award at the company’s Teesside conference.

The company is also a member of the Inland Water Rescue Stakeholder Group that has recently provided advice to the Scottish Government on the implementation of recommendations in the Paddy Tomkins Review.

– Stand 74

www.jblearning.com

Keela/Ilasco – Stand 75 Budgets being slashed? Save money, reduce waste, help the environment, support British industry and keep staff happy in good quality technical kit. Make the sensible choice by visiting Ilasco/Keela on Stand 75 at Emergency Scotland. www.keela.co.uk

Kermel – Stand 19 Kermel®-based products are used all over the world due to their inherent non-flammability, comfort and durability. Emergency services, firefighters, military, police and industry professionals choose Kermel for total protection. The company has many solutions for gas, petroleum, electric utility, welding, high-visibility, railways, automotive etc and are all non-flamm a b l e

The world’s most versatile, portable handheld oximeter features fullyupgradable Masimo Rainbow SET® technology for accurate real-time non-invasive measurements of haemoglobin (SpHb®), oxygen con-

tent (SpOC™), carboxyhaemoglobin (SpCO®), methaemoglobin (SpMet®), Pleth Variability Index (PVI®), oxyhaemoglobin (SpO2), perfusion index (PI), and pulse rate in just seconds.

Masimo is a global medical technology company that develops and manufactures innovative non-invasive technologies, including portable, handheld medical devices that may enable quick and easy detection of lifethreatening conditions. By simply slipping a non-invasive sensor on the patient’s finger and pressing a button, first responders can check carbon monoxide, methaemoglobin, and oxygen saturation levels in the blood, as well as pulse rate on the scene in just seconds.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Excelerate Technology – Stand 28

Emergency service personnel in Scotland will have the opportunity to see the world’s most advanced emergency command and communications vehicles on display inside (Stand 28) and outside at the Emergency Scotland 2011 show in July. Leading mobile satellite broadband and wireless communications integrator Excelerate Technology is showcasing three vehicles and the various support technologies they contain – one of the Scottish Ambulance Service’s Special Operations Response Team command vehicles, a Strathclyde Fire & Rescue command vehicle, and a Mercedes Vito-based command vehicle equipped for mobile police command operations.

All these vehicles feature cutting edge command communications solutions, such as high bandwidth satellite broadband. Other solutions on display will include rapidly deployable wireless and body-worn cameras, interoperable communications and easy-to-use systems management (through the Digital Dashboard Management Interface) and the remarkable Sherpa climbing camera and communications platform. A lightweight, ‘fly away’ satellite dish will also be demonstrated.

All of these technologies have been used recently in highly demanding emergency or public safety operations.

Wildfires have been managed in Berkshire using both fire and ambulance command vehicles deploying systems provided by Excelerate; UK International Search and Rescue teams operating in New Zealand and Japan after the earthquakes and tsunami used portable satellite dishes to maintain critical communications back to the UK, with US rescue teams, and to gather key mapping and other data; and Gwent Police used two Excelerate-equipped command vehicles plus officers wearing body-worn cameras to manage the Ryder Cup, where crowds of tens of thousands of spectators were safely managed under high security conditions. www.excelerate.info

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South Yorkshire 1:48 scale hand made or kit

32 cata page £6.0 logue 3rd 0 NEW edit ion

120mm hand painted F/F

London Merceded Atego 1:50 scale. £44

9” tall F/F in BA with large axe, Painted or in cold-cast bronze

1:48 Ambulances, hand made or kit

Paul Slade, 15 Grennell Close Sutton, Surrey SM1 3LU, England Tel 020 8644 8730 Fax: 020 8286 1152 E-mail: firebrigademodels.@aol.com www.firebrigademodels.net

Emergency Services Times May 2011

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Fenland Laundries Ltd

SP Services (UK) Ltd

(forever). www.kermel.com

– Stand 86

Land Rover – Stand 8 The emergency services go above and beyond their call of duty every day to ensure the safety of the public.

It is therefore essential to have a vehicle that is responsive, reliable and can assist them with the demands of the modern world. Land Rover vehicles are simply fit for purpose and makes are the ideal choice to aid the emergency services.

– Stand 17 Firepower from Fenland Laundries Ltd offers the UK fire and PPE market a unique one-stop-shop facility for procurement of PPE and station wear. Registered to ISO 9000, Fenland’s widely acclaimed specialist laundry service then provides full aftercare, inspection and maintenance services, to ensure PPE is compliant and fit for purpose.

www.landrover.com

learnPro Ltd – Stand 122

Already supplying services to over 30 UK airports, many brigades and corporate fire fighting services, Fenland has recently also been awarded a seven-year contract for County FRS aftercare and maintenance provision.

Rail contracts for aftercare and maintenance of PPE/high visibility clothing are now part of the company’s portfolio as standard.

Immobilisation is an essential part of pre-hospital treatment where medical or rescue personnel believe that there is a possibility of a spinal injury.

Spineboards, or longboards as they are sometimes called, have become a common piece of equipment among pre-hospital care professionals such as paramedics, and other providers of emergency care in situations from road traffic collisions to fires and water based rescue.

Even without injuries, patients strapped to an unpadded or poorly strapped spineboard can suffer injury and pain when their shoulder blades, hip bones and other bony prominences lose circulation. That’s where the new RescuePad stands apart from other spineboards.

Offering the ultimate in first responder ergonomics and engineered for patient comfort and safety, the RescuePad’s unique integrated padding reduces pressure and increases comfort for an immobilised patient. The sealed, seamless design and rigidity provided by the double concave cross section creates a solid and reliable product, fit for purpose.

SP Services (UK) Ltd is a supplier of medical, first aid, ambulance, paramedic and emergency rescue equipment. If you have any questions regarding the RescuePad or would like a no obligation demonstration, the company’s friendly customer services team will be happy to help. www.spservices.co.uk

LINK Associates International

Why waste money on disposable PPE when Fenland can offer services that extend the life and ensure kit fit for purpose? New for 2011 Firepower is launching its exclusive Universal ‘Micronclean’ PPE cleaner/sanitizer for gloves, boots and helmets.

This unique product has taken the industry by storm and after extensive trials across the UK the company is now ready to launch this product at Emergency Scotland 2011.

To see what a difference Firepower’s PPE clean and repair service can make, ask about a free trial. www.fenlandlaundries.co.uk

LINK Associates International (LINK) is a professional training and consultancy provider with over 25 years’ experience. The organisation’s business model focuses on delivering your business the knowledge, competence and capability so that you are prepared for the future. LINK helps your business to mitigate its risk, specialising in diverse areas such as health and safety, business continuity, crisis management, managing major emergencies, corporate communications and media training.

The company’s reputation has been built on developing long-term strategic partnerships with its customers, enabling high quality training to streamline the business process. Its high calibre associates, who come from a variety of industry backgrounds including industry and commerce, the armed forces and the emergency services, willingly share their practical knowledge and experience with customers.

LINK offers a service for every budget, from personalised bespoke packages adapted to reflect your

– Stand 85

www.learnpro.co.uk

Link Associates International – Stand 85 LINK Associates International is a professional training and consultancy provider with over 25 years of experience. Its business model focuses on delivering your business the knowledge, competence and capability so that you are prepared for the future.

LINK specialises in managing major emergencies, business continuity, crisis management and media training. www.linkassociates.com

Lion Apparel Systems Ltd – Stand 13 Lion Apparel is one of the world’s largest providers of PPE solutions for the emergency services. The company provides a number of uniquely flexible systems for the supply and management of PPE, working in partnership with customers to create the solution that best suits their own needs, from direct sales to fully managed services. www.lionprotects.com

working practices to generic open courses held at your organisation’s premises or at LINK’s training centre in Derby. The company’s unique five in one simulation suite training facility has allowed it to be acknowledged as a leading provider of simulation exercises and competency training.

LINK’s team has the management skills and practical experience to analyse your organisation and recommend the perfect solution. Delegates leave the company’s courses better prepared for the unexpected and with the confidence and knowledge needed to protect their organisation and the people working within it.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Masimo – Stand 74 Masimo is a global medical technology company that develops and manufactures innovative, non-invasive technologies including portable, handheld medical devices that may enable quick and easy detection of lifethreatening conditions. By simply slipping a non-invasive sensor on the patient’s finger and pressing a button, first responders can check carbon monoxide, methaemoglobin, and oxygen saturation levels in the blood, as well as pulse rate on the scene in just seconds. www.masimo.com

Met Office – Stand 128 www.metoffice.gov.uk

MSA (Britain) Ltd – Stand 22 www.msabritain.co.uk

46 | EMERGENCY SCOTLAND 2011 NBC Group – Stand 118 NBC is proud of its range of products and services and the company welcomes the opportunity to showcase them once again – this time at Emergency Scotland! NBC Group will be displaying just two of its extensive SafeFrame® range of shelters: SF3 – one man/VIP decontamination unit; and the SFL – the lightweight general usage shelter, both which have been manufactured with materials of the highest quality. www.nbcgroupinternational.com

North Fire – Rosenbauer Equipment – Stand 112 www.north-fire.com

YDS Boots

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– Stand 87

www.ndiver.com

Octo Ltd – Stand 129

PageOne Communications Ltd – Stand 102

Scott Safety, expert in the design, manufacture and supply of respiratory protective equipment (RPE), will be exhibiting at Emergency Scotland 2011. Along with a range of new products, visitors to the stand will be able to find out more about Scott Safety’s new brand, which reflects the company’s position as a global leader combining innovation, resourcefulness and experience to deliver safety protection equipment

YDS Boots will be exhibiting its full range of operational footwear suitable for fire and police personnel. These include the pull-on fire boot Firepro GTX available in antistatic and insulative versions, and which feature dual density rubber sole technology and a quality GORE-TEX waterproof membrane. High volume pumping/USAR GORE-TEX safety boots will also be on display.

Northern Diver – Stand 59 Northern Diver is the most experienced designer and manufacturer of drysuits and associated equipment in the UK. Customers include UK Ministry of Defence for the Navy and Special Forces, Royal Navy Search and Rescue for their helicopter teams and a vast number of the UK’s fire brigades and water rescue teams.

www.octo.uk.com

Scott Safety

– Stand 1

In the police category, the Initiator GTX dog handler/search boot and

www.pageone.co.uk

CFM Services

Panorama Antennas Ltd – Stand 115

CFM Services has been supplying the emergency services with high quality equipment for the last 10 years.

Control public order boot will be on show, both of which have been received well into the police market.

And YDS Boots will be demonstrating one of the rigorous flexing tests that are carried out on GORE-TEX material to illustrate its incredible durability.

Join YDS Boots on Stand 1 (right by the entrance) to see how its footwear can make a difference to your team. www.goliath.co.uk

– Stand 62

www.panorama.co.uk

rechargeable area scene and spotlight, which can be deployed in less than a minute, is perfect for rapid response applications when area lighting is urgently needed. The Eflare LED safety beacons can be used to quickly provide a highly visible warning zone

PBI Performance Products Inc – Stand 50 PBI is one of the world’s leading inherently flame resistant and thermally stable fibres for outer shell fabric that delivers superior levels of comfort, durability, and protection.

PBI Matrix and PBI Gold fabrics continue to set the highest standards for personal protection and are worn by firefighters all over the world. www.pbiproducts.com

Peli Products Division – Stand 114 Peli Area Lighting Systems offer portable, emergency lighting where mains power is not available. The new 9440 system will be on display at the show along with the 9410 LED hand lamp, a tough new addition to Peli’s high quality, professional torches.

Peli watertight, crushproof cases will also be on Stand 114. www.peliproducts.co.uk

The company’s products are designed specifically for emergency response and search and rescue. For instance, the piercing beam from its Lighthawk LED searchlight easily cuts through smoke or fog making it invaluable to firefighters, as well as rescue teams working in poor conditions. The CREE LED Nomad 3600

or an emergency helicopter landing strip.

CFM’s products are used throughout the UK by fire and rescue, coastguard, police forces, mountain rescue, ambulance services, plus utilities and other professional end users.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Alert ATS.

and solutions.

Scott Safety currently provides products to a number of Scottish fire and rescue services, including Central Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway, Tayside and Grampian. Scott’s newest product for the fire and rescue market, the Alert ATS, will be available to view on the stand and members of the Scott team will be on hand to provide more information about the Alert ATS and other products in its range.

Working with its customers, Scott Safety has created the Alert ATS, which marks a significant development in advanced fire fighting electronics and telemetry, offering fire brigades the opportunity to create a system which meets their exact requirements.

The Alert ATS has been very well received; offering firefighters a simple to use system that gives clear status information and provides the ultimate evacuation control system.

Scott will also be showcasing its Vision AMS facemask – a versatile, dual use facemask that can operate in a true negative pressure mode for use with filters and powered air systems or as a positive pressure mask for use with breathing apparatus.

This allows fire brigades to use one mask in a variety of applications and situations, effectively offering two

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Slideandtilt.com learnPro – Stand 83

Slideandtilt.com has announced the start of production for its new slide and tilt system. The company will be offering a system that fits all of the requirements of the modern day fire and rescue vehicle while also being interchangeable with customers’ existing systems for older appliances.

The system is manufactured at Slideandtilt.com’s modern UK factory using the latest plastic technology to give the product superb performance and reliability.

Slideandtilt.com is now also taking orders for the new ‘easy assemble click together’ Drawer Front Slam Lock assembly which offers customers a superior quality product that removes all the hassle of assembling their own drawer systems. Take a look at the company’s website for further information.

Furthermore, the company is delighted to announce that it has entered into an distribution agreement with Widney Manufacturing Limited to allow Slideandtilt.com to complete its range of drawer solution products.

The company will be offering Widney’s range of telescopic slides exclusively to the UK fire and rescue build market. www.slideandtilt.com

CPDme

– Stand 122

learnPro, the ultimate elearning platform and Learning Content Management System (LCMS) for workplace development, comes with a comprehensive range of elearning material and a powerful editing suite to allow you to create and add your own elearning. learnPro is designed to work at a local level in any workplace. learnPro is used within the fire and rescue services, NHS trusts/boards, councils and police forces to enable learners to address their Personal Development Plans (PDPs) through the delivery and recording of learning events. It gives learning and development departments the ability to pass learning down to the individuals, the teams and the line managers.

Key business and efficiency savings include: • Prior learning – students can now study before attending a training

Bristol Uniforms Bristol is a world leader in the design and manufacture of specialist protective clothing for the emergency services.

A range of PPE is available to meet the varied needs of firefighters, police and specialist ambulance crews.

Using design skills and manufacturing experience built up over 50 years, Bristol now supplies the structural protective garments for two out of every five municipal firefighters in the UK, as well as municipal and industrial firefighters in 110 countries worldwide.

New wildland and USAR garments, developed during the past decade, are increasingly used by UK and European fire and rescue services.

session by using learnPro to undertake prior learning, to reduce and complement classroom work, making the classroom sessions more efficient • Cut travel and classroom costs – using learnPro as a tool for prior learning also leads to savings on travel and training costs • Electronic reporting – learnPro gives you the ability to report electronically rather than using paper, which cuts the procedure by a minimum of 50 percent • Flexibility – learnPro™ is flexible and allows you to deal with fulltime and part-time personnel in the way that you want to.

engagements within their developing professions. The CPDme website can now assist both military and volunteer medics in their transition into professional civilian medical care.

CPDme feels that it is important for staff to get the support they deserve in order to maintain and encourage development, therefore keeping their skills and knowledge up-to-date, ensuring a professional understanding of current practice. The online forms, and infor-

www.physio-control.com

Professional Protection Systems (PPS) – Stand 104 UK manufacturer PPS is striving in 2011 to expand its product portfolio supplying emergency services in the UK and the growing export markets.

A growing range of decontamination showers and shelters based on R&D and market research coupled with a fresh strategy on PPE sees PPS into its 63rd year. www.ppsgb.com

Promove UK Ltd – Stand 97 – Stand 25

Bristol has led the development of innovative USAR PPE for the fire and rescue service and, more recently, technical rescue garments for ambulance Hazardous Area Response Teams (HARTs). As a Department of Health Approved Contractor, Bristol now supplies the technical rescue garments for the Scottish Ambulance Service, every HART in England and a number of air ambulances.

The company’s in-house inspection, washing, repair, decontamination and condition coding capability helps users to reduce costs and improve procurement budgeting. www.bristoluniforms.com

– Stand E131

CPDme was formed in 2009, starting as a Masters degree project and quickly becoming an international venture.

A group of academic paramedic, military, volunteer, nursing and social work consultants concentrate their time on keeping the website up to date with current legislation, educational podcasts and news items, as well as managing memberships and promoting CPDme to potential members.

CPDme.com enables staff from health and social care professions, keep an online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) log, and create and expand personal portfolios in order to meet standards set by health governing bodies, as well as prepare for interviews, reviews, and future

Physio-Control (Medtronic) Ltd – Stand 27 Physio-Control is a world leader in defibrillation technology. The company is delighted to be a key supporter of Emergency Scotland 2011. The team hopes that you will join them at Stand 27 to discuss this dynamic and exciting time in emergency care. Physio-Control shares one passion with its customers: saving more lives.

www.promove.uk.com

Radio Telecom Services Ltd – Stand 138 Radio Telecom Services Ltd is one of the UK’s largest mobile communications companies dedicated to designing, building and maintaining today’s complex wireless communications systems. Its nationwide network of installation and maintenance teams allows local delivery, fast response and reliable maintenance. Vehicle and personal tracking and location systems supplied and installed. www.radio-telecom.com

Ruth Lee Ltd – Stand 103 With Ruth Lee you are dealing directly with the manufacturer/designer, giving a consistent, reliable and prompt service; the directors of the company are always available by phone, fax or e-mail. The company keeps good stocks of most training dummy models and can usually offer next day delivery. Even with this level of quality and service the prices are still competitive. Ruth Lee believes the prices for its training dummies are among, if not the most competitive in this field. www.ruthlee.co.uk

Scott Safety – Stand 87 www.scottsafety.com

mation within the members section of the website, plus the support of the consultants, help to produce a portfolio personal to each member and aims to help further reinforce the importance of development and performance utilising reflective processes, online

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Slide and Tilt.com – Stand 83 Slideandtilt.com is launching its new range of vehicle drawer systems at this year’s Emergency Scotland show.

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Scottish Resilience Development Service – Stand E174

How prepared are you? Would your agency and staff be effective in a multi-agency response to an emergency? Whether it is severe winter weather, terrorism, pandemic flu or volcanic ash, Scotland needs to be prepared and able to respond and recover from a wide range of emergencies. We do this best by working together.

ScoRDS (Scottish Resilience Development Service) is a Scottish Government team, which is dedicated to multi-agency learning and development. Working with the resilience community it provides learning and development programmes to enhance the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for effective multi-agency emergency planning, response and recovery.

ScoRDS does this by: developing and managing a range of learning programmes in partnership with the resilience community; providing professional development activities for those who work in the resilience profession; managing the National Exercise Programme for Scotland and supporting local exercises; encouraging the sharing and application of good practice and lessons; continually reviewing and improving what we do; and assisting the Scottish Government to prepare for its role in supporting the response to emergencies.

The service’s programmes are for any person working in key agencies who has a role in responding to and recovering from emergencies (Category 1 and 2 responders); any person from voluntary sector agencies who performs an emergency role working alongside Category 1 and 2 responders; and all resilience professionals.

A prospectus is available outlining what ScoRDS can offer and more information is available on the team’s

A-Z: Emergency Response Zone

The Emergency Medical Retrieval Service – Stand E173 The Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (EMRS) provides patients with life-threatening conditions in remote and rural areas of Scotland, with rapid access to the skills of a consultant in emergency or intensive care medicine.

The consultants are ready to respond to requests for help from rural colleagues, by helicopter or plane, within minutes.

Following an initial pilot period in 2008-9, the EMRS was reviewed as providing a high value service. Funding from the Scottish Government Health Directorates (SGHD) was then approved and the service was extended to cover the whole of remote and rural Scotland using two teams of consultants and assistants available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

By bringing the skills and equipment found in the largest urban hospitals, the sickest patients in remote Scotland

The Automobile Association – Stand E179 www.theaa.com

BASICS Scotland – Stand E183 www.basics-scotland.org.uk

can receive intensive care level treatment at the earliest opportunity, maximising their chance of a successful recovery.

The EMRS will have a stand at the Emergency Scotland 2011 exhibition with team members on hand to explain about the service, its role in healthcare provision for Scotland, and a chance to see some of the team’s specialist equipment. www.emrs.scot.nhs.uk

British Red Cross – Stand E143 The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. It is part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies.

The organisation helps vulnerable people in the UK and abroad prepare for, withstand and recover from emergencies in their own communities. www.redcross.org.uk

The Health Protection Agency The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is an independent specialist organisation dedicated to protecting people’s health in the United Kingdom and delivering high quality integrated services. The organisation combines public health and scientific expertise, research and emergency planning, and provides both impartial advice and authoritative information to the public, professionals and government.

The HPA provides rapid response to health protection emergencies including deliberate or accidental release of biological, chemical, poisons or radioactive substances. In preparing for threats, it delivers the national emergency programme on behalf of the UK Department of Health at international, national, regional and local levels.

The HPA Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (CRCE) carries out work on ionising and non-ionising radiations and offers a range of services to emergency response personnel including: • Radiation Protection Advisory (RPA) Service – CRCE employs more than 35 Radiation Protection

– Stand E172

Carbon Monoxide Awareness – Stand E146 Carbon Monoxide Awareness is a registered charity run completely by unpaid volunteers. It supports those poisoned by carbon monoxide. While trying to raise awareness about the dangers of this silent killer to those working within the medical profession and among members of the general public, Carbon Monoxide Awareness wants to work with those working in the emergency services to try and raise awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide, with the aim of trying and find out the true statistics for carbon monoxide injuries and deaths. www.covictim.org

Advisers (RPAs) throughout the UK providing authoritative advice and radiation safety training to over 700 customers, including the emergency services. Training courses are run from both HPA and customers’ premises.

• Instrument Testing Service – Emergency services need to detect and measure ionising radiations using equipment that is tested regularly to the highest standards.

CRCE tests radiation dose rate and contamination monitors and electronic personal dosemeters (EPDs). CRCE provides a quick turn-around, carries out a range of repairs and even sends you a reminder when your next test is due. www.hpa.org.uk

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Casualties Union – Stand E180 Casualties Union was founded by Eric Claxton in 1942. It is a registered charity which exists to advance, for the public benefit, education and training in first aid, the treatment of illness, nursing, rescue, accident prevention, care in the community and similar activities, particularly through casualty simulation. www.casualtiesunion.org.uk

Civil Contingencies Secretariat – Stand E81 www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/ civil-contingencies-secretariat

Civil Defence Scotland – Stand E5 www.civildefencescotland.org.uk

52 | EMERGENCY SCOTLAND 2011 College of Paramedics – Stand E139 The College of Paramedics is the professional body for the paramedic profession. It provides members with a range of member benefits, a free telephone advice line, representation at many national forums and also runs CPD events. Visit the stand to find out how signing up for membership can support you in your practice.

WRVS

– Stand E155

www.collegeofparamedics.co.uk

Cotag 4 x 4 Response – Stand E156 www.cotag.net

CPDme – Stand E131 www.cpdme.com

Edinburgh Airport Fire Training Centre – Stand E171 www.eaftc.co.uk

Emergency Medical Retrieval Service – Stand E173 www.emrs.scot.nhs.uk

Fire & Rescue Scotland – Stand E162 www.efirescotland.org

Fire Brigades Union Scotland – Stand E177 www.fbuscotland.org

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WRVS delivers practical support through the power of volunteering.

All the services it provides, from meals on wheels to good neighbours projects, from emergency support to help in hospitals, are aimed at keeping people in touch with each other and building stronger more resilient communities and are provided by some 45,000 trained volunteers and 2100 paid staff.

In the home the service helps older and housebound people remain independent, when their health or mobility

declines, and to lead full and active lives.

In the community WRVS alleviates loneliness and helps older people to get out and about, providing places to meet up, make and stay in touch with friends.

In hospitals WRVS shops, cafes and trolleys serve patients, staff and visitors – and raise funds for much needed equipment.

In emergencies and disasters the service gives professional support to the statutory authorities and the public at time of emergency and in the recovery stage WRVS is able to use its experience in providing services to the community to help those affected return to normality.

WRVS also uses its expertise gained over the past 73 years to provide training in rest centre management and related subjects to local authorities and other organisations.

The service works with local authorities, the NHS, blue light services, utilities and transport organisations – is WRVS working with you?

St Andrew’s First Aid – Stand E153

St Andrew’s First Aid provides first aid training and supplies for the workplace. Its courses range from the HSE-approved First Aid at Work to

www.wrvs.org.uk

Edinburgh Airport Fire Training Centre – Stand E171

The Fire Officers’ Association – Stand E181 The Fire Officers’ Association is a fire and rescue service trade union with the primary aim of representing managers in relation to employment matters and service development.

Membership is open to staff at any level in professions associated with fire and rescue activities.

moving and handling, and AED training.

As Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity, St Andrew’s First Aid trains over 20,000 people across Scotland every year, while also providing first aid supplies including training equipment and consumables, for companies large and small. The charity’s volunteers use these products on duties every day so it knows they

www.fireofficers.org.uk

FIRESA – Stand E120 FIRESA is the UK trade association representing suppliers of products and services to the fire and rescue sector, acting as the established concerted industry voice on a range of legislative, regulatory and technical issues affecting its members. firesa.org.uk

Health Protection Agency – Stand E172 The Health Protection Agency’s Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards carries out the agency’s work on ionising and non-ionising radiations. It offers a range of high quality, good value for money services to the emergency services including radiation protection advice, training and instrument testing.

As a leading UK airport company, Edinburgh Airport’s Fire and Rescue Service already leads the industry in competency-based training and assessment of skills. Its personnel are trained to the highest possible standard to ensure the safety of all passengers and staff at Scotland’s capital airport, and the service is proud to be able to utilise and share the skills of its personnel within its newly established Fire Training Centre.

Edinburgh Airport Fire Training Centre is supported by a professional and experienced instructional team, all of whom are operational firefighters at Edinburgh and have the necessary trainer and assessor qualifications (D32/33, A1, L10/11, PTLLS).

The centre’s Commercial Training Programme incorporates a wide range of courses, all of which are

compliant with the relevant legislation and governing bodies. Plans for the training centre for 2011 include a project to expand the current facility to include new classrooms, briefing rooms and welfare facilities to enable the airport fire and rescue service to deliver multiple courses running simultaneously. Likewise it is in the process of rolling out a new website, which will enable customers to view the facilities, range of courses and customer feedback.

The fire training centre’s course portfolio is ever evolving, offering courses for 2011 in: Breathing Apparatus Wearer, Refresher and Instructor Courses; First Aid; Manual Handling; EU Ops Cabin Crew Training; as well as Initial Firefighter and Compartment Fire Behaviour Courses. www.eaftc.co.uk

can be relied upon in all situations.

Reasons to choose St Andrew’s First Aid: experience – St Andrew’s has been teaching first aid for over a century; reputation – St Andrew’s consistently delivers the highest standards in training and many of its customers have been working with the charity for decades; knowledge – St Andrew’s is known as one of the leading authorities in first aid in the UK; charity – when you buy from St Andrew’s, profits go towards supporting its work in the community. www.firstaid.org.uk

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Rural Development Initiatives – Stand E175

Spring 2011 saw some of the most serious and costly wildfires in recent years in the UK. But with climate change, increased public access and changing land management practices this could be just a taste of the future.

Rural Development Initiatives (RDI) is the UK’s leading provider of wildfire project management services. It provides facilitation for wildfire groups, trains land managers, organises the biennial Wildfire conference and undertakes consultancy work relating to wildfire prevention and response.

Wildfire 2011 will take place in Buxton, Derbyshire from 14-15 September and will feature a range of presentations, seminars, demonstrations and field trips plus the all important networking opportunities.

Bookings for Wildfire 2011 will be taken at Emergency Scotland and there will have an exclusive discount for show attendees! Come and see RDI at the show to discuss how it might be able to assist you in reducing the risks and costs of wildfire.

RDI has also extended its wildfire group model to community flood partnerships – come and see how the company is working with partners to help rural communities prepare for flooding. www.ruraldevelopment.org.uk

The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland – Stand E169 The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland (MRC of S) is the representative and liaison organisation for the mountain rescue services in Scotland.

Operational (voting) member organisations include 23 civilian voluntary mountain rescue teams, three police teams, two RAF teams, two search dog associations, and one cave rescue team. Non-operational (non-voting) member organisations include the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland, all Scottish police forces, RAF, RN and coastguard search and rescue helicopter flights, the Aeronautical Rescue Coordinating Centre Kinloss, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Scottish Ambulance Service, Chief Fire Officers’ Association, Mountaineering Council of Scotland, and sportScotland.

The MRC of S maintains contact with sister organisations in the British Isles through reciprocal representation on Mountain Rescue (England & Wales), the Irish Mountain Rescue Association, and Northern Ireland Mountain and Cave Rescue Committee. The MRC of S also has links with international mountain rescue services through independent membership of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue.

Mountain Rescue in Scotland attends

Scot-Train

International Rescue Corps – Stand E141 www.intrescue.org

Mines Rescue Service Ltd – Stand E154 www.minesrescue.co.uk

more than 450 incidents annually, which on average provides assistance to over 500 persons. In addition mountain rescue operates in conjunction with other emergency services at times of civil emergency such as rail or air accidents, severe weather, or other major incidents. Mountain rescue also has considerable involvement in the search and recovery of vulnerable, or otherwise infirm members of the community.

The mountain rescue service is provided completely free of charge.

Team members in all 26 voluntary civilian member organisations, some 900 in total, are unpaid volunteers.

The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland is registered Scottish charity (SC 015257). www.mrcofs.org www.mrc-scotland.org.uk

– Stand E178

Scot-Train is an established and recognised provider of quality safety training throughout a number of industrial sectors. In particular, the company leads the way in providing training solutions for the rail industry and organisations whose activities may involve accessing and working on railway orientated environments.

A range of standard training programmes and courses are available, and can be supplemented by the supply of bespoke events designed to satisfy the needs of a particular client.

Overall, Scot-Train is keen to ensure its proven track record, ability and experience provides tangible added value to potential clients, their businesses, and company’s safety and performance across their range of activities.

One area where a need has been identified was regarding the attendance of emergency services at incidents and accidents on and/or within the railway boundaries. With this in mind, basic course content encompasses the following areas: personal safety; obvious dangers from rail

www.hpa.org.uk

traffic movements (together with attendance and recovery at site); vehicle access travelling, parking; electrical supply types and hazards; dangers from cargos, loads and rolling stock (wagons coaches etc).

Scot-Train can tailor courses to suit each emergency service, highlighting the issues staff will face while carrying out their work in such a challenging and often dangerous setting. Safety is at the core of what the company teaches, along with sharing the theory required to ensure that emergency responses can be serviced quickly and effectively.

Courses cover elements from classroom based workshops and presentations through to site visits focused on issues attached to working on platforms, operational lines with live train movements along with challenges associated with overhead line electrification and access to rolling stock yards and sidings. www.sw-gr.com/scot-train.php

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland – Stand E169 Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland greatly assists the statute emergency services to make the most of their limited budgets by providing personnel highly trained in all terrain, all weather search and rescue, fully equipped with an inventory of all necessary equipment and transportation without charge, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. www.mrc-scotland.org.uk

National Urban Search & Rescue Dog Group – Stand E145 NHS Ambulance Chief Executive Group – Stand E182 Rural Development Initiatives Ltd – Stand E175 Wildfire is a significant cost to many fire and rescue services and in many cases a cost that can be greatly reduced with the correct approach to prevention, response and suppression. Rural Development Initiatives is the UK’s leading provider of wildfire project management services.

The organisation provides facilitation for wildfire groups, trains land managers, organises the biennial Wildfire conference and undertakes consultancy work relating to wildfire prevention and response. www.ruraldevelopment.org.uk

Scottish Ambulance Service – Stand E166 www.scottishambulance.com

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) – Stand E184 www.sepa.org.uk

Scottish Resilience – Stand E174 www.scords.gov.uk

Scot-Train Ltd – Stand E178 Scot-Train is an established and recognised provider of quality safety training throughout a number of industrial sectors. The company has a wide and varied client base and

54 | EMERGENCY SCOTLAND 2011 industry contacts which it is actively using to promote the Emergency Scotland exhibition and services. It has arranged for marketing e-blasts and continual updates of the event and services to circulated during the run up to the exhibition. www.sw-gr.com/scot-train.php

Shelterbox – Stand E142 www.shelterbox.org

St Andrew’s First Aid – Stand E153 St Andrew’s First Aid provides a range of courses for the workplace, including HSE Approved ‘First Aid at Work’. The company trains over 20,000 people across Scotland every year and provides first aid supplies including training equipment and consumables, for companies large and small. www.firstaid.org.uk

Stop Hate UK – Stand E168 Stop Hate UK is a leading voluntary sector organisation challenging hate crime and discrimination throughout the UK. It works independently but within a strategic partnership approach to provide support to victims and agencies via its 24-hour independent reporting services, training and consultancy, scrutiny panel administration and community consultation. www.stophateuk.org

Strathclyde Fire & Rescue – Stand E163 Strathclyde Fire & Rescue is one of the largest services in Europe covering 13,625sqkm of some of the UK’s most developed urban areas as well as some of its wildest and most remote. Whether in the centre of Glasgow or in the crofts of Argyll, the 2.2 million people of Strathclyde can expect to receive a fire and rescue service that is, quite simply, second to none... making our communities safe places to live, work and visit.

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AA Specialist Operations It’s almost three years since the AA stepped seriously into the flood response arena with the establishment of its Special Operations Response Team (AA SORT).

Operating nationally, the team is trained and equipped to undertake vehicle recovery in flood zones. All crewmembers are Level 3 trained (Rescue 3 UK) and additionally have RoSPA-certified training for off road driving using the dedicated Land Rover Defenders. These vehicles are adapted for in-water use and equipped with front and back winches and kinetic ropes, enabling vehicles to be recovered from water, silt, grass, mud and snow.

National Manager for Special Operations at the AA, John Seymour, says, “We learnt the lessons at Gloucester and Tewkesbury. The old approach of just ‘having a go’ doesn’t wash in today’s world. In addition, we identified a need for someone who could com-

– Stand E179

– Stand E180

bine water rescue skills with a professional vehicle recovery capability.

Cumbria in 2009, and the snow of the last two winters, proved our point for us.”

AA SORT team members all have day jobs, but are deployed to Special Operations duties when the need arises. Two thirds of the team are AA roadside patrols, with the remaining team members made up of indoor staff. With crews and vehicles based from Lancashire and Yorkshire in the north, down to Somerset and London in the south, most areas of the country can be reached within a few

The Fire Officers’ Association The Fire Officers’ Association (FOA) is a trade union formed in 1994 to represent managers within the UK fire and rescue service. However, membership is open to all fire and rescue staff. The association provides representation in employment matters backed by a first class national employment law firm.

The FOA believes that the interests of its members are best served through consultation and negotiation.

In this way the association aims to play a constructive role in developing a service that meets the current and future needs of both staff and com-

– Stand E181

munities through open and honest dialogue, coupled with robust decisionmaking processes.

As an organisation representing managers, the FOA understands the need to create an environment in which managers are empowered to do the right things for the right reasons. It also recognises the crucial role that managers play in delivering national and local service objectives and the association strives to ensure that this is also understood and recognised at all levels of the fire and rescue service and government. www.fireofficers.org.uk

www.strathclydefire.org

Strathclyde Police – Stand E158 www.strathclyde.police.uk

Transport Scotland – Stand E176 www.transportscotland.gov.uk

WRVS – Stand E155 WRVS – positive about age, practical about life. All the services provided – from meals on wheels to good neighbours projects, from emergency support to help in hospitals – are aimed at keeping people in touch with others, and building stronger local communities.

Casualties Union

Casualties Union was formed in 1942 to provide realistic first aid, rescue and trauma training in the form of casualties trained in make up and acting.

During that Wartime period many people had been thrust into the role of rescuer and carer. Those charged with their training were therefore required to develop very short realistic training courses. Today the role of Casualties Union remains the same – the clients, however, are now able to deliver more structured training and augment it with realistic assessments or challenges.

Current users of the services of Casualties Union are numerous.

Requests for casualties are varied, from the traditional ‘exercises’ and training days to formal – usually medical assessments in physical and mental health; pre-hospital care: challenges for people management skills – such as victims of crime, identification of deceased, or people with special needs in emergency situations.

The organisation has grown and currently has members in the UK, Ireland, Holland, The Channel Islands and Malta. Members of the group who cover Scotland will be manning the stand at Emergency Scotland 2011. They will be delighted to answer questions, negotiate contact for providing services, not to mention advertising some previous work. In addition, there will be several demonstrations throughout the two days of how the charity can act and/or use make-up to enhance training in this ever-expanding arena. www.casualtiesunion.org.uk

British Red Cross The British Red Cross helps vulnerable people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. Throughout the UK, its members support the police, ambulance, fire and rescue services, local authorities and health authorities by providing practical help and emotional support to people affected by emergencies.

When emergencies occur, the British Red Cross can provide a local point of contact through which emergency responders can access local, regional, national and, where appropriate, international support. And with thousands of fully trained volunteers

– Stand E143

throughout the UK ready to respond at a moment’s notice, the organisation can quickly be on hand to help people in crisis, whether at a smallscale emergency or a major incident.

At the Red Cross, the focus is on helping the emergency services and statutory authorities in any way it can to meet the needs of those affected.

The organisation regularly works closely with statutory and other voluntary sector bodies, and has a broad range of capabilities specially developed to ensure that it can offer the best possible support.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

British Red Cross volunteers are trained to offer emotional and practical support and first aid. Wheelchair and transport assistance for individuals affected can also be provided. In the wake of major incidents, it can supply bedding, clothing and refreshments, and help to set up, register and support attendees at rest, reception and humanitarian assistance centres.

The Red Cross can also set up telephone support lines, help to restore family links, provide interpreters and, if necessary, launch and manage a disaster appeal. www.redcross.org.uk

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56 | CONTRACTS & PEOPLE

In brief . . .

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has ordered more than 700 Peli 1930 Zone 0 LED torches, which will be used on firefighters’ helmets. Weighing just 30g, these compact torches will be used for close-up work including checking gauges on BA sets.

The LED offers greater battery efficiency meaning it is an environmentally friendly option. The Zone 0 rating means it can be used in all hazardous areas. www.peliproducts.co.uk

Former Managing Director of Debenhams department store group, Peter Carr, has been appointed as the new non-executive Chairman of Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust (GWAS) until 31 March 2015. He takes over from Tony FitzSimons. GWAS Interim Chief Executive Martin Flaherty OBE, said, “Peter’s arrival is at a time of further major changes within the organisation, including the aim to becoming a foundation trust. I am sure that the leadership he will bring coupled with his considerable executive level experience across many organisations will be of huge benefit to the trust.” www.gwas.nhs.uk

Airwave has acquired Kelvin Connect, developer of mobile information systems, as part of its ongoing investment in critical communications for the emergency services. Investing in Kelvin Connect demonstrates Airwave’s commitment to delivering savings and efficiencies using mobile technology at a time when budgets are tight. Kelvin Connect’s software provides frontline staff with secure access to the Police National Computer, reducing the time spent filling out paperwork. The company will provide mobile data and associated information management for Airwave with responsibility for sales, development, testing and delivery, and support. www.airwavesolutions.co.uk

Vimpex has announced that Essex Fire and Rescue Service’s Technical Rescue Team has chosen Pegaso Safety Glasses as their preferred protective eyewear. Designed and manufactured in Spain, the Pegaso Glasses range is ‘Designed to Perform’. The Pegaso F1 models are stylishly designed, extremely comfortable and incorporate an innovative neoprene eye protector, which prevents dust, water spray and other particles from entering the eyes.

As the UK supplier of Pegaso safety glasses, Vimpex is using its knowledge of the UK rescue sector to introduce Pegaso’s F1 Safety Glasses to the market. www.rescue-tools.co.uk

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Cleveland and Durham collaborate to save money Cleveland Police and Durham Constabulary have launched the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, a collaborative project, which it is hoped will increase efficiency and see joint working in many areas such as roads policing and firearms operations and training.

The project was set up last year after the two police authorities saw the cost benefits of a joint service.

The benefits include: • A single management structure, reducing costs • Harmonisation of policies, procedures and training • Interoperability of staff between the two force areas • Seamless cross-border deployment, with officers working on the same radio channels.

The unit will make approximately £300,000 – £400,000 of savings in its first year. There will be two headquarters; one in Wynyard for Cleveland and one in Spennymoor for

(From L to R): Chair of Cleveland Police Authority Mr Dave McLuckie and Chief Constable of Cleveland Police Sean Price, Durham Constabulary’s Chief Constable Jon Stoddart and Chair of Durham Police Authority Mr Peter Thompson.

Durham.

Chief Constable of Cleveland Police Sean Price said, “The benefits of collaboration are clear to see – costeffective policing while delivering a seamless service to members of the public.”

Two forces sign up for rugged computer technology More and more forces are seeing the benefit of using computer technology on the move and two have signed up to deploy Panasonic Toughbooks.

Hampshire Police has deployed 170 Toughbook CF-19s in its vehicles in order to improve efficiency. The ruggedised notebooks will give officers instant access to databases while on the road; allow them to complete paperwork on the move, reducing unnecessary journeys back to the police station; capture witness statements and victim reports at the scene; and reduce bureaucracy by completing work processes in the field, enabling the patrols to stay out in the community longer.

“We are continuously looking at ways to use mobile technology to improve the efficiencies and service we can provide as a public service,” said Chief Inspector Cleave Faulkner of Hampshire Police. “It was clear we required a mobile computing device that could be used by officers both in and outside the vehicle that was hard-wearing and reliable.”

Avon and Somerset Constabulary is using Panasonic Toughbooks as part of a three-month trial to prove the benefits of using electronic witness statements (EWS). The trial, which is fully supported by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) and

Durham Chief Constable Jon Stoddart added, “This unique unit is a good example of preserving frontline policing in a cost-effective way. Collaboration between forces is seen as the key to maintaining an efficient policing service which is also value for

Head of joint transport unit appointed

the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), will also use e-forms application Form Patrol from HeliMedia.

By using Form Patrol with a Toughbook, police officers can take statements and capture signatures using the touch screen and stylus. The information is then transferred for processing using the HSPDA modem.

Inspector Kevin McCarthy, from the NPIA Digital Evidence Programme, said, “The EWS pilot is intended to demonstrate radical improvements to the justice process.

The typed documents will be easier to read, and accessible instantly via a desktop computer or laptop. It is vital that the adopted system will ensure complete integrity of the statement while improving data quality and streamlining the whole process.”

A single head of transport services for both Kent Police and Essex Police has been appointed. John Gorton, Head of Transport for Essex Police, will now be in charge of Kent Police aswell, with the aim of creating a single department serving both forces.

Mr Gorton will bring together both departments promoting service improvements as well as efficiency and cost savings.

He said, “Bringing the two operations together will provide opportunities for standardisation and consolidation. There is considerable talent at all levels within the departments and this is an ideal opportunity to deliver the very best from both.”

Mr Gorton’s first job will be to develop the new structure for the senior management team. He is also in charge of leading a collaborative mini-tender process on behalf of 18 police and fire authorities for the procurement of vehicles and spare parts.

www.toughbook.eu

www.essex.police.uk

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CONTRACTS & PEOPLE | 57

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Auxquimia supplies London Fire Brigade with foams Spanish manufacturer Auxquimia will be supplying London Fire Brigade with its firefighting and training foams for the next two and a half years.

Auxquimia won the contract after a Firebuy mini tender process. The company will supply London Fire Brigade with its award winning POLYFOAM 3/3 AFFF foam for use on front line pumping units, and SF-60 High Expansion and TF-136 training foam, both fluorine free foam concentrates.

London Fire Brigade was looking for a foam solution that would extinguish both class A and class B fires, as well as to reduce its environmental impact. Auxquimia’s foams scored highly on both of these counts and

Javier Castro (Auxquimia), AC James Knighton (London Fire Brigade), Antonio Acuna (Auxquimia) and Ray Dawber (Auxquimia)

because of the training foam’s low COD and BOD levels it means that London Fire Brigade are allowed to

train with foams on several sites, something that has not been allowed for a number of years.

St John listed on framework agreement West Mercia St John Ambulance has been awarded appoints new a contract to deliver ambulance services across the east of England. The Chief Constable first aid charity is the only voluntary ambulance service to be selected on the approved providers list by the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST).

The list is a framework agreement covering quality standards, costs and other aspects of operations. St John will be used when additional ambulances and trained staff are needed in times of extra pressure, such as natural disasters and severe weather.

The contract will cover Suffolk, Norfolk, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Essex.

West Mercia Police has appointed a new Chief Constable following the announcement of Paul West’s retirement. Deputy Chief David Shaw will take over the role on 1 August 2011.

West Mercia Police Authority Chairman, Sheila Blagg, said, “David will continue to be a great asset to the force. He is an outstanding candidate and his record with West Mercia has been exemplary. He has headed our current restructuring process to deliver savings and will now be advising the authority on the possibility of delivering a strategic alliance with Warwickshire Police which is hoped will enable further efficiency savings t o be realised.”

David commented, “This force faces considerable challenges in light of the financial situation. However I’m sure that together with the excellent team we have in West Mercia and working with the police authority we can continue to maintain West Mercia as one of the safest places in the country in which to live and

Simon Dunn, Head of Service Delivery at St John Ambulance, said, “Being on this framework will enable us to continue to provide vital support to the trust. Any profits from this contract will contribute directly to our charitable work, helping us to be the difference between life and death in communities across the nation.” www.sja.org.uk

New comms technology will improve Healthrow Air Ambulance efficiency InTechnology will be supplying Heathrow Air Ambulance Service (HAAS) with its Instant Communications service, helping it to respond to medical emergencies more quickly and efficiently.

HAAS needed to replace its ageing two-way UHF service as its limited coverage sometimes made it difficult for the control room team to locate its crew members. Now the PCbased control interface, the Instant Communications Manager Client, allows control room staff to instantly locate and communicate with the crew and allocate paramedics to an incident.

The Instant Communications system will also give HAAS access to Push to Talk technology on a GSM mobile phone which uses 2G over a number of networks to ensure reliable connectivity.

Colin Walker-White, Operations Manager, HAAS control centre, said, “The speed at which I can now locate and talk to my crews can make the difference between life and death to the people we’re helping.

“Using one device, a ruggedised BB3G handset to access the service instead of having to carry round a walkie-talkie and mobile phone allows our crews to contact hospitals and other services as soon as they need with the touch of a button.” www.instant-communications.co.uk

Emergency Services Times May 2011

In brief . . .

Lancashire Constabulary has appointed a new Director of Resources to its senior team. Ian Cosh, who takes over from David Brindle who has retired, will oversee the force’s finance, IT, estates and administration. Mr Cosh said, “While I am joining at a time of challenge, I know that we have very good people who will rise to the challenges and make sure that the force remains a top performing organisation.” Mr Cosh will also continue as his role as a treasurer to Lancashire Police Authority. He added, “There is a lot of overlap in the roles so I should be able to combine both roles and make sure that we have continuity in the transitional period leading to the election of the Police and Crime Commissioner in 2012.” www.lancashire.police.uk

Wiltshire Police has selected Cadcorp to deliver location-based information in many areas in the force.

The new software will provide sophisticated modelling and analytical capabilities for crime and intelligence analysis; deliver live locational data to the command and control system; be used for tracking both personnel and vehicles in the Automatic Resource Location System (ARLS); be used in the emergency communications centre for logging and displaying the location of 999 calls and their response and track the location of non-emergency calls in the contact centre. www.wiltshire.police.uk www.cadcorp.com

Steve Garvey has been appointed lead paramedic at Cornwall Air Ambulance. He takes over from Neil Lentern, who has become a clinical tutor for the South Western Ambulance Service Trust (SWAST).

Mr Garvey, who has worked on the aircraft for two years delivering prehospital care, will now be responsible for leading the crew and will be the first point of contact for SWAST and Bond Air Services to help ensure the smooth running of the operations.

Steve said, “This is probably the finest moment in my career with the ambulance service. I work on the best aircraft in the country, and now my new role involves stepping into the management team to help continue our commitment to delivering the very best pre-hospital care to our patients.” www.helimed181.co.uk

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In brief . . .

The UK Government’s shift towards cloud computing is gathering pace thanks to government-wide agreed terms with Huddle, the leader in cloud collaboration and content management. Already working with more than 60 percent of central government departments, the commercial proposition has been jointly developed by Huddle and a working group led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in support of the Government Cloud Programme. With the agreement, Huddle becomes the first cloud supplier to recognise government as a single ICT customer, actively working together to deliver increased value for money. www.huddle.com

General Dynamics Itronix has announced the immediate availability of the rugged, ergonomically designed GD3070 tablet PC. Larger than a personal digital assistant (PDA) and smaller than a fully rugged notebook, the GD3070 delivers business-critical computing performance with a daylight-viewable screen and extended battery life for mobile workers throughout Europe and the Middle East. The GD3070 comprises an 18cm, high-resolution touch-screen display enabling users to easily pinpoint information on maps or view imagery in bright sunlight. Equipped with an Intel® Z530P low-power processor, 120GB hard-drive, large memory and lightweight dual battery pack, mobile workers can manage large data files as well as process complex computing operations quickly and efficiently for up to 10 hours. www.gditronix.eu

German company Imtradex has invented a unique system, which allows multiple communication headsets with PTT (Push-to-talk) operation to be connected to the same computer using a USB interface. Each headset has its own serial number, meaning the computer can recognise each headset separately. The system can also be used to connect hand microphones/receivers or table microphones, depending on each control centre’s demand. Up to seven different devices can be connected to one computer, meaning users can save money by not having to invest in new computers when new systems are implanted. www.imtradex.com/uk

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Control room demo at BAPCO

With the recent demise of FireControl and the Home Secretary’s call for cuts to manpower and requests for rationalisation within the police forces, the emergency services are under considerable pressure to find ways to be more efficient and effective and still deliver the quality of public safety services for which they are renowned.

Any fire and rescue service or police force reviewing its operational infrastructure is likely to address its procurement processes and look for ways to get more out of its IT and control room investment and services.

And, in some instances, this may involve exploring shared resources and enabling more of its control room functionality to be accessed or added to by officers in the field.

At the recent BAPCO exhibition, Frequentis presented technology and delivery options in a Demonstration Suite that focused on the control room as well as the officer in the field.

A total of five Frequentis demo pods demonstrated the company’s latest solutions, which acknowledge

the operational challenges faced by emergency services. These were: ergonomically designed operator support technology that eases call handling and dispatch operations and maximises investment in ICT; situational awareness intelligence that can help inform the dispatch decision, including a technology demonstrator which uses an iPhone as a mobile interface to the Automatic Personal Location System; improvements to the effectivity of field based resources through better access to control room and HQ information in the mobile environment using a diverse set of devices for two-way information exchange; the Future Working Position where the operator is empowered to concentrate on the job rather than the tools and demonstrates workflow during a multi-agency ‘incident’ using a scalable integrated platform; and how the flexibility demanded by the emergency services is being addressed in terms of ownership options and funding profiles for ICT investment while protecting service delivery. www.frequentis.com

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service invests in emergency call network Firefighters and staff at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service are benefiting from a super-fast, resilient, PSN-compliant network from Virgin Media Business to respond to incoming 999 calls and use bandwidth hungry applications such as Voice over IP and video conferencing. Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service also plans to use the network to share services with other councils and fire and rescue services across the country, including Kent Fire and Rescue Service, in the coming months.

The Wide Area Network (WAN) has been procured over the HPSN2, a shared framework agreement launched in 2009, powered by Virgin Media Business’ nationwide, fibre

optic network. The WAN connects 52 sites, including 51 fire stations and the headquarters in Eastleigh. Wider connections include another 16 partners including Hampshire County Council, Southampton City Council, Portsmouth City Council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Almost 2000 staff at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service will have access to the network operating at speeds of up to 100Mbps including 810 wholetime firefighters, 755 retained firefighters and 370 support staff.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has signed a six-year contract with Virgin Media Business.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Benchmark consistently for best value through SPRINT ii Confusion continues amidst ICT buyers and CITHS (Commoditised IT Hardware and Software) suppliers regarding the Government’s mandate directing police forces to bypass the Buying Solutions’ CITHS framework in favour of SPRINT ii.

CITHS came into effect in March 2010 with 20 suppliers passing the seven-month tender process to get onto the final agreement, which included three Lots: PCs, IT Infrastructure and Software. SPRINT ii, which has one authorised supplier, SCC, went live in April 2010.

The Home Office has stated that the framework decision has been taken on the back of benchmarking conducted by the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA), which has deemed the framework offers best value for money.

Al Nagar, Head of Benchmarking at Mercato, said, “Understanding what margin a supplier is proposing before purchase gives power and reassurance that unlocks better buying decisions.

A change of framework could be a positive move as long as forces have total assurance they are getting the same value as achieved through CITHS and the mini-competition process.

This assurance is perhaps at the heart of current concerns. To that end, the only way to police this new relationship is with best practice benchmarking technology that informs buyers of a true benchmark price, that is to say, a genuine qualified trade guide price.

“Negotiation with that knowledge can be very quick, efficient and transparent. That demands user friendly, automated comparison technology that reduces the benchmarking process to a matter of clicks from previously unstructured activity.”

Police forces using Mercato’s ITelligence are driving down the cost of buying ICT by as much as 24 percent on product purchase price and process time, says the company. Buyers simply input their preferred supplier product lists or spot checks online, which are automatically compared to trade guide price and stock levels of more than 150,000 products from over 2500 manufacturers within the UK IT supply chain.

Over 30 percent of police forces have already adopted this technology. www.mercatosolutions.com

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TRL and the emergency services TRL, the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory, undertakes a wide variety of high quality scientific research and consultancy across the whole transport sector. The organisation has a long history of working with both government and industry to make vehicles safer through the investigation of real world accidents, the development of new technologies, test and assessment methods and the development of national and international vehicle regulations.

In recent years TRL has increasingly found itself being asked to apply this knowledge to help the operators of vehicle fleets of all shapes and sizes to meet their ‘duty of care’ obligations under health and safety legislation, by helping them to specify vehicles that not only perform their primary task well but also offer high levels of protection to their employees, their customers and other road users.

This kind of consideration has proved to be of particular interest for fleets of specialist vehicles such as the emergency services, Highways Agency Traffic Officers (HATOs) and recovery services. In this type of operation the base vehicle can often be exempt from some elements of the type approval legislation applicable to comparable road vehicles and they are often subject to modification and unusual loading patterns after initial registration.

This can bring a range of concerns such as: • Size of load and distribution of weight – the weight of equipment permanently installed in the vehicle or carried on specific journeys and, even more importantly, where that weight is carried can have a significant effect on the braking and handling performance of vehicles, with risks in terms of brake fade or rollover stability. A particular concern under blue light conditions.

• Vehicle safety technologies – a range of new technologies are available, many given variable and cryptic three or four letter acronyms, SRS, ABS, ESC, VDC, EVSC, FCW, LDW, AEBS the list goes on. What are they? What do they do?

How effective are they? How important are they for your particular operations?

• Occupant protection – in emergency response driving conditions occupants can be subject to significant forces and movements, even when properly restrained in a seat. These forces and movements are greatly exacerbated when a crash occurs. Wearing seat belts is clearly the most important occupant protection measure that can be taken but there is much more to be considered. The mounting arrangement of equipment is often chosen for functional reasons and it is surprising the number of times hard and/or pointed items are found within the space that a restrained occupant’s head might move into in a severe manoeuvre or a crash. The same equipment is often mounted using fastenings that

Course attendees are provided with the knowledge needed to investigate and interpret an incident scene, and to reach factual conclusions on the basis of firm evidence.

are more than adequate to hold it in place during normal driving but completely inadequate to restrain it in a crash.

Rigorous accident investigation is the first step towards understanding the causes and consequences and developing new solutions to prevent re-occurrence.

TRL can offer information advice and testing services that will inform your vehicle specification choices in all of these areas and more. Sadly, even when all of the above are considered, it is unlikely that the risk of crashes will be eliminated altogether.

When the worst does happen, it is important to show that you learn from the accident. Rigorous accident investigation is the first step towards understanding the causes and consequences and developing new solutions to prevent re-occurrence.

With nearly 30,000 people killed or seriously injured on the UK’s roads each year and an estimated 30 percent of these incidents involving work related driving; when an accident occurs it is important to understand what has gone wrong, and how to fix it.

Accidents are physically and financially traumatic for all parties, in many cases resulting in criminal or civil litigation. Large numbers of slight injury accidents also result in stress, lost productivity and

Emergency Services Times May 2011

legal claims. Understanding the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of vehicle accidents, whether on-site or on-road, is key to defining the right policies, products or training to improve the safety of drivers and vehicles.

Two-day training course TRL has designed a two-day vehicle accident investigation training course to equip health and safety, fleet and operation managers with the fundamental skills necessary to investigate and understand vehicle incidents, thereby enabling these professionals to base vehicle safety policy, investment and actions on facts.

The training course will help managers identify the causal and contributory factors behind accidents and set a firm basis to deliver best value from safety and training budgets, thereby ensuring that organisations are able to learn the right lessons.

By undertaking non-invasive inspections of involved vehicles, attending the incident site and identifying and recording relevant evidence, course attendees are provided with the knowledge needed to investigate and interpret an incident scene, and to reach factual conclusions on the basis of firm evidence.

Highly experienced Neil Harrison of the South East Coast Ambulance Service Foundation Trust recently attended a course and found it delivered. He said, “We were provided with the key skills needed to investigate accidents, enabling lessons to be learnt and future accidents and associated costs, in terms of both human and equipment, to be reduced.”

The course is delivered by TRL’s team of highly experienced accident investigators at the company’s offices in Berkshire, or at client sites as necessary. www.trl.co.uk

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ACPO develops ITS One Box Concept The Association of Chief Police Officers Intelligent Transport Systems Working Group (ACPO ITS), supported by Home Office – Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST), (formerly the Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB)) has led a public private partnership, including the Police Federation of England & Wales, to develop the One Box Single Vehicle Architecture (SVA) and Driver and Vehicle Data Management System (DVDMS) concept and functional requirements.

The One Box Concept is more than just technology; it is a criterion set, owned by CAST, which aims to standardise the architecture, fitment and functionality of all equipment fitted to police vehicles and additionally develop a DVDMS device to replace current incident/journey data recorders to better manage both drivers and vehicles. The SVA is transferable across all the emergency services, but also into any vehicles that contain additional technology, beyond that fitted by the manufacturer.

The main areas that the SVA lays down are: power management, cabling, controls and switches, wired LAN for data transfer around and off the vehicle, and Human Machine Interface (HMI).

‘One vehicle manufacturer has suggested that savings of £250-600 per vehicle across the vehicle life are achievable by fitting SVA.’ The introduction of an Emergency Services Controller Area Network (esCAN), and allowing it to link directly to the vehicle’s own controller area network (CAN) systems (with support from the vehicle manufacturers) maintains functionality but allows for seamless integration of future technology.

The vehicle pre SVA.

Integration of technology It should be stated from the outset that ‘One Box’ is a concept name only and does not intend that all the functionality be fitted into one box. The key to the project is in the integration of technology into the architecture of police vehicles of today and into the future.

The SVA also forms an integral part of the work on police vehicle standardisation being developed

by ACPO. The project began in 2008 and comprises two phases of work: Phase one (Single Vehicle Architecture) was launched at the NAPFM show in September 2010 with working continuing into 2011. Phase two (Driver and Vehicle Data Management System) began in at the end of 2010 and also continues into 2011.

Phase one – Single Vehicle Architecture (SVA) criteria The SVA is a criteria set owned by CAST. It describes the integrated vehicle technology architecture for the equipment fitted to emergency service vehicles, which has been designed to work and integrate with the equipment installed by the vehicle manufacturers.

The SVA provides a standardised specification for all vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to adhere to. This is an enabler to a true ‘plug and play’ solution, thereby reducing the time required to equip and decommission vehicles, while at the same time increasing reliability and reducing cost through the reduction of wiring complexity.

The vehicle post SVA.

The Human Machine Interface (HMI) between the driver and the vehicle’s additional equipment, in line with the EU guiding principles of HMI, includes fully integrated screens, to ensure the driver is able to work in the vehicle in the safest and least distracting environment. It also includes a panel of five of the most commonly used switches relating to emergency equipment. These switches are fitted in the same general area and in the same order in every vehicle and were agreed with the users, to ensure commonality across vehicle types and forces in the UK. The SVA does not include specifying the functionality of the additional equipment fitted to the vehicle such as ANPR and mobile data

Emergency Services Times May 2011

terminals because this is dealt with in separate documents and standards.

One vehicle manufacturer has suggested that savings of £250-600 per vehicle across the vehicle life are achievable by fitting SVA. At the HOSDB Exhibition in March 2011, Vauxhall demonstrated an Insignia, the first SVA-compliant vehicle to be produced by a manufacturer. The ACPO ITS team is continuing to work with other vehicle manufacturers towards SVA compliance. A recent meeting in Paris has generated significant interest within the French Police, who are keen to adopt SVA for their vehicles and ACPO ITS is working closely with them to ensure that they fully understand the concept and criteria.

Phase 2 – Driver and Vehicle Data Management System (DVDMS) criteria The DVDMS user requirement has been written to define a system that manages both drivers and vehicles, in a supportive way, to improve safety and driving standards, together with the potential for significant cost savings in the future. The system, once fully developed, will pro-actively monitor police drivers, providing automated feedback, via simple to understand reports to drivers, police supervisors and fleet managers to improve safety, driving standards, vehicle utilisation and maintenance.

The aim of the concept is to provide automatic information (as opposed to data) reports, which are simple to understand and tailored to individual roles in order to better manage police drivers and vehicle fleets, as well as allowing comparisons to be drawn between fleets.

The latest phase of the project has involved working with aftermarket suppliers and vehicle manufacturers to fully brief them on the police requirement and better understand how far their current systems can be developed to: 1. Access vehicle CAN data 2. Interpret the data 3. Translate the data into simply understood information and reports.

Initial findings are very positive and the ACPO ITS Working Group’s intention, subject to funding, is to take this work forward with a number of pilots across the UK to establish, firstly, a benchmark for these systems and, secondly, to write a criteria, for such systems to be independently tested against.

The ACPO ITS Working Group is dedicated to making police vehicles a safer place to work, assisting in the cost effective measures that need to implemented across the UK and supporting all police employees through technological advances to achieve the maximum performance possible. www.acpo.police.uk

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Putting interoperability in the picture As part of an ongoing desire to look at improving crisis management, in compliance with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the improvement of interoperability across the Category 1 and 2 Responder community is still a major issue.

Where there are just one or two response agencies involved in an incident, the lines of communication are relatively straightforward. The incident management technology that is used in a complex, multi-agency scenario, however, needs to enable the flow of critical information to and from different tiers of command, multiple agencies, and at regional, national and international levels.

This capability to collect and share multidimensional information will facilitate collaborative planning and the provision of enhanced situational awareness, enabling Commanders to make timely and informed decisions.

The practicalities of delivering a Common Operational Picture (COP) are very much reliant on integrating many sources of information onto networks including satellite technology. As a leading provider of mobile satellite and secure Wi-Fi, Primetech was invited to participate in the Radiance Integrated System Demonstration (RISCD) earlier this year at the Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) exhibition. We were commissioned to simulate a Silver Command Unit, providing the control unit, the Wi-Fi meshed network, integration to a private 3G base station, and a simulated satellite link to the Gold Command HQ. Working with the other technologies in the project enabled us to develop our current systems.

“ …It is practical to use Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) equipment to create a truly interoperable network using existing equipment, with satellite as the backhaul media.”

Resilient solution Satellite has few boundaries and is not dependant on the local terrestrial or mobile network; it enables communication with the outside world from the incident ground to be set up even when there is no

Photophone XT software is a unique encrypted, interactive image and data communications application.

of the incident to be produced post incident.

Civil emergency commanders rely on information that adds substantially to their understanding of the situation. This includes information on who’s doing what; information about the physical landscape, such as building plans and maps; and information about known risks, such as types of hazards. The capability for every Commander, at every level to be able to contribute to, and see the COP is crucial.

Hence the need for integrating technologies to aid situational awareness is vital.

Primetech was invited to participate in the Radiance Integrated System Demonstration (RISCD) at the HOSDB 2011 exhibition.

conventional service. As a backup to satellite, meshed networks can be deployed to back haul as a resilient solution. For guaranteed privacy and service, implementing a private 3G network is possible to give an overlay network.

An example is ‘Tactical Connect’ from Roke Manor Research, a small form 3G system (combined base station and stand-alone core network), which delivers voice communications and live video streaming and can be connected to the internet via the satellite or other broadband link. Should first responders using Wi-Fi enabled devices wander outside of normal Wi-Fi range, this 3G expands the range of coverage up to 40km, acting as a bearer to pick up all data and video transmissions, allowing data rates of up to 7.2Mb/s to be achieved at speeds of 120km/h.

Aside from the benefits of being able to deploy rapidly, it has the added advantage of reliability and interoperability through the use of well-proven open cellular standards. Roke’s software defined solution provides access across the entire communications stack and is easily customised.

Enhanced interoperability Communications applications on the network can enhance interoperability between multi-agency responders. EARL (Emergency Area Radio Link), a communication system developed by ARL Communications, is a secure, rapidly deployable, cost effective Voice and Radio over IP (VoIP and RoIP) system. It interconnects legacy radio systems from across the UK and abroad to produce a resilient communication system over any bearer.

Simon Land, Business Development Director at ARL Communications, said, “By utilising quickly deployable, portable gateways, the system can link to the internet via satellite or 3G – no need to change over existing equipment or build a new network. EARL can use current networks to create a network of networks that can be rolled out quickly and provide video and recordable voice and text communications for Incident Commanders.”

An integrated logging tool allows a complete record

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Interactive application Photophone XT software, a unique encrypted, interactive image and data communications application, allows the dynamic capture, transmission and receipt of multimedia intelligence between Bronze, Silver and Gold Commands. The objective of the system is to enhance and speed up the relevant information flow provided to

‘Tactical Connect’ from Roke Manor Research delivers voice communications and live video streaming and can be connected to the internet via the satellite or other broadband link.

Commanders, without saturating them.

First-on-scene officers can use the camera on their portable device such as a BlackBerry smartphone, Android device or Windows Mobile PDA to capture an image or video, adding voice over or text over notes. These images and files can then be transmitted to the Command suites and to the rest of the team on the ground, who may be equipped with rugged tablets, laptops and desktop PCs. The system is a bi-directional tool, which means that additional data (eg floorplans of buildings) can be captured and transmitted from Gold or Silver Commands and sent down the line to the first responders.

Technology is being advanced all the time, but similarly, exercises such as the RISCD are showing that it is practical to use Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) equipment to create a truly interoperable network using existing equipment, with satellite as the backhaul media.

Author: Henry Walker, Director of Primetech (UK) Ltd.

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Excelerate’s mobile satellite broadband supports UK ISAR teams in Japan ‘Invaluable’ is the verdict of Group Commander Paul Burnham when asked to describe the contribution made by the BGAN mobile satellite terminal taken by the UK International Search and Rescue (UK ISAR) teams to Japan in the wake of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

Sixty-three members of the UK International Search and Rescue Team were deployed to Japan immediately after returning from helping support New Zealand USAR teams in Christchurch following that city’s major earthquake in February.

The situation they encountered in Japan, in the area around the port of Ofunato, was chaotic. The BGAN mobile satellite broadband terminal they had brought with them, loaned to them by Excelerate Technology, became critical to their search and rescue activities and their command communications.

In the area being searched the mobile phone network wasn’t functioning and the landline infrastructure was severely affected. Satellite broadband enabled the UK ISAR team to communicate with the UK and the rest of the world.

Photo: Matt Dunham BGAN mobile satellite broadband terminal of the type supplied by Excelerate Technology to the West Midlands Fire Service ISAR team for use in Japan.

“Where we were the mobile phone network wasn’t functioning and the landline infrastructure was severely affected. So it enabled us to communicate with the rest of the world,” says Paul Burnham, Group Commander for emergency response for West Midlands Fire Service and leader of red team in the West Midlands UK ISAR group. “We could talk back to the UK and the UK government. It enabled us to communicate with the rest of the world.”

Improved effectiveness Communicating back to base wasn’t the only benefit, however. Having mobile satellite broadband communications enabled the group to improve the

effectiveness of their search and rescue activities.

Paul said, “We could go on the internet and download maps and imagery, weather forecasts and situational information which enabled us to prepare comprehensive search patterns and brief crews.

West Midlands Fire Service sent 12 personnel; six of our team were part of the search and rescue team, and six provided the command and control team, using the satellite broadband.

“The satellite broadband also enabled us to talk to our American colleagues – we had a joint evacuation plan because of the problems at the Fukushima nuclear plant, in case the situation deteriorated. So we were using it for all types of communications.

“Ordinarily we use our own BGAN terminal, but we had only just returned from the earthquake in

Christchurch New Zealand – I had been there for three weeks – and the dish was still in transit back to the UK. Martin Saunders (co-founder and Sales Director) from Excelerate Technology very kindly phoned and offered us the use of another BGAN dish.”

David Savage, fellow co-founder and CEO of Excelerate Technology, said, “The last few years have seen a lot of our growth being spawned on the back of major catastrophes, originating with 9/11 and, closer to home, 7/7. Since then there have been environmental disasters, particularly the bush fires, followed by flooding, in Australia, the earthquake in New Zealand, and the Tsunami in Japan.

“All these events demonstrate, in the worst possible way, how fallible the terrestrial and public infrastructure can be and how important it is to have alternative solutions that allow various countries’ emergency services to manage these events more effectively, with the absolute priority being to minimise loss of life. We are very proud of the difference our solutions are making in achieving this important objective and we are very glad we were able to assist and support a very valuable client in an extremely critical mission.”

Asked to comment on the role of satellite broadband in international search and rescue operations, Paul Burnham said, “It’s a capability that is imperative for us as a team, because we never know where we are going to or what we will be tasked with.” www.excelerate.info

Sixty-three members of the UK International Search and Rescue Team were deployed to Japan, working in the area around the port of Ofunato .

Photo: Matt Dunham

Emergency Services Times May 2011

Author: Stephen Prendergast

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Introducing HITS – High Integrity Telecommunications System In our normal daily lives, we depend more than ever before on efficient and reliable telecommunications. In a time of national emergency, or any kind of major crisis, the need for a secure and resilient communications network is much greater. HITS is designed to meet this need. It is a secure and resilient satellite-based telecommunications system, provided and funded by the Cabinet Office, for use by the emergency services in any kind of major emergency, crisis or time of stress. As such, it’s a unique and crucially important national asset.

Maximum ease of use In an emergency or crisis of any kind, it’s critical that HITS should perform efficiently, so the system has been designed for maximum ease of use.

Authorised personnel at your site can quickly train new users and there is also an online user directory.

You can use HITS to make phone calls or access the internet, with guaranteed bandwidth to ensure optimum online performance. If you should experience problems of any kind, help is always at hand via The Paradigm Customer Contact Centre (PCCC), which is available 24 hours a day.

Superseding the now obsolete Emergency Communications Network (ECN), HITS is an independent system that will continue to function when conventional landline and mobile telecoms are unavailable or degraded. Based on the advanced military Skynet 5 satellite network, it is available to police and other emergency services personnel at fixed sites located across the UK, with further transportable units enabling HITS to be deployed wherever and whenever the need arises.

Allowing both voice and data transmission, as well as access to the internet, HITS will play a critical role in enabling uninterrupted communication between regional and national levels of crisis coordination during any kind of disruptive event.

Initially working alongside PSTN, HITS will continue to work when all other systems fail. Its most obvious value and importance, therefore, will be in helping to cope in a major disaster or emergency situation.

HITS and the National Resilience Extranet (NRE) HITS has been designed to fully inter-operate with the National Resilience Extranet (NRE). This provides the UK resilience community with a common system for the efficient and secure communication and exchange of information – allowing users to work together on routine planning, share best practice, and store documentation for others to access. HITS means that even if your regular network or internet connection is down, the NRE and internet will still be available.

Flexibility and resistance To add another layer of flexibility and resilience, rapid response Transportable Terminals can quickly deploy the system anywhere in the UK. During an emergency response or as part of a pre-planned event, secure communications can quickly be provided by one of three Transportable Terminals.

They will usually be driven to the relevant location, though they can also be carried by boat or helicopter. Operated by HITS supplier Paradigm, the Transportables are on call 24/7. They can be on the road within six hours of an emergency call out by the Cabinet Office, and can operate fully autonomously for up to seven days. To request a Transportable Terminal call the Transportable – Emergency Point of Contact (EPOC) numbers which are listed in the HITS online directory.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

A free service The High Integrity Telecommunications System is funded and provided free of charge to Police SCCs as well as the Devolved Administrations’ Crisis Management Centres by the Civil Contingencies Secretariat of the Cabinet Office, supported by the Ministry of Defence. The supplier is Paradigm Secure Communications Ltd. We hope this article has given you a clear understanding of what HITS is, how the system works and why it has such a vitally important part to play in safeguarding our national security. www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/HITS

Author: Charles Raynor, HITS Project Coordinator, Resilient Telecommunications, Civil Contingencies Secretariat – Cabinet Office.

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Do more with less – it is possible...

Tough financial times are nothing new for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS). The supposedly good times for public services in the last decade seemed to pass the service by. Overall across the last decade, we at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), had to find over £11m savings from a core budget of about £70m, mainly due to the net impact of the pensions funding changes, as well as being on the floor for grant increases in the previous spending review.

It’s hard to believe that a decade on, Merseyside is safer than it has ever been – the headline figures say it all: • 37 percent reduction in accidental dwelling fires • 37 percent reduction in injuries in those fires from 2002/03 • 61 percent reduction in anti-social behaviour fires • 54 percent reduction in deliberate fires • 53 percent reduction in tragic deaths, with last year again matching our lowest ever total.

These reductions are significantly higher than those across the UK and are directly related to a range of ‘Community Fire Service’ activities including: youth intervention; joint Fire/Police ASB and arson teams; fireworks team and embedded firefighters in schools.

“A fundamental rethink of the vision for our service needed a fundamentally new way of using emerging technologies to make Merseyside safer.”

We also look very different to a decade ago, having expanded the range of services we offer including: new Marine Rescue Service; extensive water skills; rope access skills; search and rescue and fire investigation dogs; small fires units; motorbikes; and improved rehabilitation services for firefighters.

All this wasn’t at the expense of training and safety though. Our independent operations assessment highlighted a strong emphasis on training and ensuring operational competency, allowing a 63 percent reduction in firefighter injuries.

So how did we find the resources to achieve this?

Independent research from the Audit Commission has identified MFRS as delivering some, if not the greatest level of efficiency savings in the country: • 40 percent reduction in firefighter numbers while maintaining response more efficiently • Innovative changes to shift patterns • Self-rostering introduced and rolled out • Staff were given opportunities to earn more from their core professional skills • Investment in a range of preventative staff

delivering frontline services targeting skills based on risk.

Right across the board we have improved and expanded the service…. it is possible to do more with less.

Where does ICT fit in?

MFRS initially decided to test the market for outsourcing its ICT Infrastructure Service Provision in 2000. A fundamental rethink of the vision for our service needed a fundamentally new way of using emerging technologies to make Merseyside safer; we needed to reengineer the business and required a better ICT function to help us to do that.

In 2001 we outsourced ICT to telent – a leading technology services company offering unique scale alongside communications expertise across the public and private sector. It was initially a threeyear contract with options to extend to seven years, with an approximate value of £2m per year. telent invested significant resource in developing the service and worked with us on a number of milestone projects including a comprehensive ICT strategy to deliver service improvements, alongside some variations to incentivise cost savings in the contract.

In 2008 we retendered our ICT Infrastructure Service Provision requirement, which, among other things, reduced risks for our suppliers and brought in much keener prices. telent was once again successfully delivering savings of about £0.4m per annum despite the fact that the scale of ICT usage and its importance to the business had changed dramatically. For example in 2002 we had less than 863 ICT users – this had nearly doubled by 2010.

How did outsourced ICT help?

First and foremost, telent led a number of projects, which delivered significant in-house service improvements for everyone within MFRS. It introduced a 24-hour service desk, with telent service desk staff resolving 75 percent of incidents first time. The desk dealt with around 8000 incidents per annum and a structured way of identifying bigger faults and improvements was introduced.

We upgraded our network, replacing a high callcharge ISDN2 based network with one that is more flexible and scalable to meet the current and future needs of MFRS. This delivered significant revenue savings in call costs and line rentals as well as allowing us to deploy higher bandwidth services to all of our station and headquarter sites.

Having seen the success of the network project, we moved to introduce a Mitel integrated digital telephony solution using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Voice traffic is now carried over the data network with greatly reduced call charges.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

telent also significantly improved our network security with a whole range of measures put in place. One figure that always staggers me is that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service receive 4.8 million e-mails per year of which 2.8 million are spam and blocked/stopped by our security measures – if we assume just five seconds per email that saves us over £60,000 per year in wasted staff time!

Alongside that, telent also: • Reduced risks – by embracing ITIL standard processes to improve the way we manage ICT • Improved procurement processes – including the way we manage assets and software across the full lifecycle • Incentivised efficiency – through introducing a joint development plan to the contract.

Technology has also been critical to MFRS delivering over 100,000 Home Fire Safety Checks. telent assisted by, among other things, developing technology for collecting risk data from such huge numbers of household visits on handheld devices (ruggedised laptops) – the knowledge accumulated from doing that work in a structured way means that Merseyside continues to be acknowledged for its remarkable knowledge of its region and of the risks among some of the most deprived communities. telent also set up the first fire and rescue service specific call centre by helping us develop Fire Service Direct – for both outbound and inbound calls – to book Home Fire Safety Checks when people want them. telent delivered the project for mobilising technology for our Low Level of Activity and Risk (LLAR) stations – a duty system which now saves Merseyside over £2m per annum. While not new technology, it was important we got it right first time. The company also enable us to update our HR systems and processes to reflect a modern fire and rescue service with wide ranging ways of working and duty patterns.

Our experience of an outsourced ICT Infrastructure Service Provision in Merseyside has been an excellent one and there is no doubt that telent has played a critical role in helping make Merseyside as safe from fire as it ever has been.

While you can’t underestimate the commitment required managing such a relationship to everyone’s advantage, it can, if used properly, help deliver significantly improved services, technological innovation and, I would say most important of all, cash savings. www.telent.com www.merseyfire.gov.uk

Author: Kieran Timmins, Assistant Chief Executive at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.

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Pre-planning is the key to a supportive cohesive response The increase in the numbers and the physical size of bariatric patients is having a profound effect on ambulance staff and trust working practices within the East of England. The ability to adapt current skills and equipment to effectively manage this patient group is being challenged on an increasingly frequent basis. An innovative multi-agency approach is becoming a necessity to ensure that as a trust we can treat these patients in a safe and dignified manner.

Medical knowledge and equipment also needs adapting, and ambulance staff given specific training on how to assess and treat a group of patients that have anatomical and physiological differences as unique as a paediatric or maternity patient.

In the East of England the transport of bariatric patients is subcontracted to specialist providers due to the weight limit on the service’s stretchers and the cost of purchasing bespoke units for currently limited demand. This ensures a number of suitable ambulances and the complementary equipment is available to transport the patient to hospital. In the vast majority of cases this is a resilient system used effectively by front line crews. There is room for improvement in the system to increase the speed with which these units are available, which can be of huge importance in time critical patients.

Pre-planning of specific scenarios would allow for a safe system of working to be created, misconceptions to be dispelled, and risks to be analysed then minimised in a non-time critical situation.

The difficulties that still occur in moving the patient from the first to ground floor and in some circumstances moving them through tight turns and doorframes are also an issue. This regularly requires additional equipment and skills not held within the ambulance service.

FRS assistance In support of front line ambulance crews fire and rescue services have often attended to assist with the moving of these patients. This is a great assistance given manpower requirements, equipment challenges and technical skills that may be required.

It is not uncommon for patients to be removed using a ladder platform, or using rope rescue skills in what, due to the patient’s size, is potentially a complex technical rescue.

With the advent of ambulance HART and fire

A problem shared…

USAR teams another avenue of assistance is now available to front line colleagues. HART can provide a comparatively large number of clinical staff (six) with limited additional equipment such as the Mibbs stretcher and bariatric intra osseous access (using the Ez IO drill), without having a negative impact on response performance. Familiarity and PPE for rope work and using ladder platforms also has its advantages in certain scenarios with the most complex extrications.

Services are limited While some may see HART and fire USAR as the answer, these services are limited and need to be used effectively. For example, within the East of England there is currently one HART team covering six counties and as such there will be occasions when HART are either not available to provide support, or are not able to reach the scene quickly enough.

The use of any additional resources builds in a potentially significant delay waiting for it to arrive.

This has to be balanced against the risk of moving patients using suboptimal techniques and equipment, while maintaining the patient’s dignity in times of great stress.

Intra professional working has created its own challenges. Different agencies have their own understanding of how to best resolve a given situation, this when exacerbated by policy restrictions and health and safety limitations and unrealistic inter-agency expectations can create a fractious environment. The best way to mitigate this is by pre-planning. A clear understanding of the capabilities and limitations of different organisations helps prevent misconceptions and provide a supportive cohesive response to the public we all strive to serve.

Pre-planning of specific scenarios would allow for a safe system of working to be created, misconceptions to be dispelled, and risks to be analysed then minimised in a non-time critical situation.

Formalised plans and risk assessments could then be drawn up and circulated to the key users to ensure that a comprehensive baseline for collaborative working is available.

Hopefully there will continue to be an increasing recognition on the need for collaborative inter professional working and pre-emptive management ensuring a robust, safe and effective response to this challenging patient group to enable a seamless level of care, no matter what the differences are.

Author: David Sexby, HART EMT, East of England Ambulance Service.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

The Promove® sling is one of the safest ways to lift and move an incapacitated individual whatever their size, in most situations. With growing demands on the emergency services to rescue bariatric individuals and legal cases resulting from injuries to clients and operatives, the Promove® sling was taken as the basis to develop the Bari-Kit™, done in collaboration with manual handling specialists in the fire and rescue and ambulance services.

The Promove® sling is placed behind and under the bariatric individual, without rolling or lifting, to move them from the most awkward or restrictive of locations. Technician Robert Bugg, from 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.”

The Bari-Kit™ contains regular, large and extra large slings, designed, produced and tested to CE standards. The regular size sling has a safe working load of 45 stone (290kg), while the large and extra large sizes have a rating of 63 stone (400kg). The Bari-Kit™ also includes specially designed straps and belts for positioning and supporting the individual, extension handles and a large tubular slide sheet, all packaged in a custom made bag.

The ergonomic designs of the component parts of the Bari-Kit™ substantially reduce the risk of bruising, skin shearing or respiratory failure for the bariatric individual, while at the same time reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injury for the operatives. Strategically placed handles allow as many operatives as necessary to share the load.

The Bari-Kit™ will be on display on the Promove stands at Ambition 2011, Telford, 22-23 June and Emergency Scotland, Glasgow, 5-6 July 2011. www.promove.uk.com

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New training option to weigh-up A Welsh company has created a unique 28-stone dummy to enable the emergency services to train personnel on how to lift and move obese people safely. The dummy, made by Ruth Lee Fire & Rescue Equipment from Corwen, is the only one of its kind on the market and requires six people to lift it effectively – and is generating tremendous interest.

Lawrence Lee, a Director of the family-run business, says the dummy was developed in direct response to

demand from fire and rescue services – reflecting the fact that people in developed nations are becoming increasingly larger. He explained that a rescue dummy of this kind has to be carefully designed with specific characteristics in place.

He said, “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 top designer Sarah Hughes 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.

In addition to manufacturing fire and rescue dummies, Ruth Lee also

supplies a range of other products, such as resuscitation dummies, aiming to become a one-stop-shop for this kind of equipment. www.ruthlee.co.uk

Bariatric stretcher According to government reports, the UK population is facing a significant increase in the proportion of bariatric (clinically obese) patients. It follows that those requiring transport or evacuation result in a rising challenge facing the emergency services.

Abtech Safety developed the SLIX100XL, in consultation with the West Midlands Fire Service Technical Rescue Unit, to help cope with the larger patient/casualty from areas where a rigid stretcher is unsuitable.

The stretcher is designed to be lifted either horizontally or vertically using reinforced haul points. It may be carried or dragged by handles positioned around the stretcher.

The colour-coded closure straps and hauling points make the stretcher very user friendly and helps ensure a quick and safe extraction of a casualty Made from the same material as the stretcher skin the extenders add 200mm to each side and fit over the existing straps, giving an overall width of 1600mm. The extenders may be left in place or added/removed as

Emergency Services Times May 2011

required.

The single foot loop also allows better foot retention but still allows the user to support a single foot if necessary. The foot loop is twisted into a loop and located over the casualties’ legs/leg.

The evacuation and transport of bariatric casualties is a skill that should be trained for and practised before an operation is undertaken. www.abtechsafety.com

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WH Bence wins contract to build West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Technical Rescue Vehicle

Through WH Bence’s recent inclusion in Firebuy’s specialist vehicle framework, the company was awarded the contract to build a Technical Rescue Vehicle (TRV) for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The unit was designed around a Volvo FM 18-tonne chassis cab, providing sufficient weight capacity to carry all USAR equipment.

The vehicle was designed around a fire appliance type vehicle body design, providing sufficient internal slide and tilt shelves with an uprated weight capacity to be able to carry the heavier rescue equipment.

Images showing the internal slide and tilt shelving mechanisms for the rescue equipment.

The design and development also took into consideration cab and personnel stowage with a specially designed storage compartment system within the Volvo chassis cab providing adequate space for all fire personnel belongings.

Throughout the design of the shelving system WH Bence worked hand in hand with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to provide the best working environment for its fire personnel, and to allow a safe working environment for all that use the on-board equipment.

Peter Coughlan, of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said, “We worked closely with WH Bence Coachworks to design and build our Technical Rescue Vehicle to exact specifications. From the design process right through to the final vehicle inspection, the Bence team were professionals and always on hand to help. We are absolutely delighted with our new vehicle and are looking forward to starting training with it this month.” www.whbence.co.uk

WH Bence converts Avon and Somerset Constabulary Dive Team Command Unit This year, WH Bence was successful in obtaining the contract for the conversion of an existing Avon and Somerset Constabulary vehicle, converting it into the new Dive Team Welfare/Command unit.

WH Bence has a long history in the design and alteration of existing vehicles to help increase the longevity of the vehicle’s purchase.

The Avon Dive Team had particular requirements, with the specialist nature of their operations, to provide sufficient space for not only their equipment, but also providing welfare for the staff during their on-site search and rescue incidents.

Richard Fearn, Design Director at WH Bence, worked alongside key members of the Avon Dive Team, including Sgt Mac McGregor, to provide a layout that would suit all of the team’s current

requirements. Sgt McGregor said, “The old truck leaked whenever it rained, and there was no water heater. Facing the prospect of having to go in and dive during cold weather when you were already bitterly cold was not a pleasing thought – but thanks to our ‘new’ vehicle, it is a thing of the past!”

Extensive overhaul The vehicle went through an extensive overhaul, including lowering the overall height and length of the vehicle to produce a more usable operationfriendly facility for the Avon Dive Team to use.

WH Bence provided all the necessary facilities, including storage for wet and dry equipment, additional air cylinders and breathing apparatus and on-board basic catering and toilet facilities.

Paul Richards, Chief Inspector of Avon and

Somerset Constabulary, said, “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with WH Bence. They provided a swift and professional service enabling us to re-role a vehicle they had originally built, offering us a considerable saving over the price of a new vehicle. This has facilitated the provision of a vehicle where no compromises needed to be made on operational effectiveness to deliver a truly first class service to the communities of Avon and Somerset.”

The specialist nature of WH Bence’s design and development work allows the company to be able to provide each customer with their necessary requirements, whether it is on a new build or helping to refurbish existing vehicles. www.whbence.co.uk

The Avon and Somerset Constabulary Welfare Unit/Command Centre vehicle before and after its conversion.

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Highly experienced SAR professionals keep a low profile Over 250,000 people go missing every year in the UK. The majority of these people will return home without coming to any harm. However, in some of the most extreme cases, people can go missing because of mental health problems such as dementia, depression, schizophrenia, or learning disabilities such as Autism or Down Syndrome. For these cases, the police are able to call in the experts in vulnerable missing person search, a group of highly trained operational search and rescue volunteers, called ALSAR. ALSAR is made up of 20 units across England and Ireland, with over 900 members who are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to assist their police forces in searches for vulnerable missing

people. Over the past year, ALSAR units assisted with over 500 vulnerable missing person searches.

Many units assist neighbouring ALSAR units, mountain rescue teams and HM Coastguard teams during search and rescue operations. This coordinated response means that, like other volunteer search and rescue organisations, ALSAR is a vital part of the emergency services initial response and a valuable asset they could not manage without.

Working in partnership ALSAR units can only be called out through the police, and so work in partnership with local police forces on search and rescue calls. The police search advisor, who would then call the ALSAR unit to coordinate the search on the ground, would usually initiate a search. ALSAR searches are based on statistics of where people have previously been found, and start from the place the person was last seen, working outwards along routes and paths to search likely points of interest, or ‘reflectors’, such as local beauty spots, or places the missing person has strong ties to, such as a childhood home.

ALSAR members undertake extensive training in specialist search techniques for vulnerable missing people. The initial training course is over a full weekend, and covers the basic search techniques,

Emergency Services Times May 2011

however, there are many further courses and training evenings provided, which cover tracking, missing person behaviour, mental health first aid, casualty care, team leading, search management and navigation. Some of these courses are nationally recognised academic qualifications, and take months to complete, others are simply covered by mid-week training evenings, and there are also further weekend courses offered around the country.

To join ALSAR, a person must have the right attitude and motivation. ALSAR is made up of hundreds of people who are willing to commit a vast amount of their time towards helping their local communities, including getting up in the middle of the night, to search for a stranger in the cold, wind and rain, then to go straight to work in the morning for their day job. ALSAR volunteers receive no payment or remuneration for their services, and the units do not charge police services for their work.

As a result of ALSAR’s involvement over the last 15 years, many people have been returned to their families. ALSAR has been involved in several high profile missing person cases, but due to the professionalism of the members, who do not seek recognition in the press, this is little known. www.alsar.org.uk

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Structural fire Phase change – warming and USAR and cooling solutions helmet Jackson Technical Solutions is continuing its push into the future with the introduction of two new products, to enhance its existing range of phase change products.

The first is a hybrid cool vest, utilising not only phase change technology but also the company’s innovative polymer-embedded fabric from its evaporation vest. This vest allows the flexibility to use either of the technologies on their own, or both together for maximum cooling duration. It is a close fitting vest, which can be worn under any protective equipment or clothing and can provide over eight-hours of cooling.

The second vest is a ground breaking warming vest, providing heat on demand. It uses argon gas to provide the insulation and is light, non-bulky and flexible. It is an easy vest to use, simply attach the small canister to the vest, click the switch and the vest fills with the gas. One fill from a canister can last up to a week in the vest. The gas is virtually weightless, so it won’t weigh wearers down. It is an inert gas, which is safe to use in almost any environment.

Both vests are safe and easy to use and maintain, providing budget friendly warming and cooling solutions for everyone.

www.jacksontechnical.co.uk

Pacific Helmets is introducing new ‘head-to-toe’ structural fire and rescue solutions in 2011, including the next-generation F10 structural fire and USAR helmet.

The company recently announced the introduction of its newest helmet, the dual-certified next generation F10 with internally retracting ‘bubble-style’ face shield and the patented internal One-Touch™ Eye Guard.

This ground breaking warming vest provides heat on demand.

The cooling vest can provide over eight-hours of cooling.

Versatile protection – the Vision AMS dual use facemask The F10 is the ideal lightweight solution for fire and rescue operations in confined spaces. With superior air circulation, excellent balance and a low centre of gravity it is ideal for both structural fire and USAR personnel.

In the interest of providing practical supply solutions, Pacific also offers a ‘head-to-toe’ solution for firefighters. In addition to the helmet, this includes fire suits, gloves and boots, all certified to the relevant EN standards: • F10 fire helmet: EN443: 2008 • Fire suit: EN469: 2005 • Gloves: EN659: 2009 • Boots: EN15090: 2006 and EN ISO 20345: 2004 Pacific will also introduce a new range of water and mountain rescue helmets. These innovative multi-purpose helmets are specifically designed with USAR personnel in mind. www.pacifichelmets.com

Scott Safety, an expert in the design, manufacture and supply of respiratory protective equipment, has built its reputation through a collaborative approach to product development and design and prides itself on its customer led product evolution.

Constantly striving to improve the performance, comfort and usability of its products, Scott has recently developed the Vision AMS facemask – a versatile, dual use facemask which can operate in a true negative pressure mode for use with filters and powered air systems or as a positive pressure mask for use with breathing apparatus.

Emergency Services Times May 2011

This allows fire and rescue services to use one mask in a variety of applications and situations, such as fire fighting and damping down.

The more comfortable negative pressure application means that the mask can be worn for longer periods in protection levels that are not so extreme.

The use of one mask for different applications also reduces the amount of fit testing required, which is fundamental to the performance of the mask but can prove time consuming and expensive. www.scottsafety.com

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Professional footwear for the Elite

The MAGNUM brand has long since been the leader in uniform footwear and the company has tremendous experience designing products specifically for uniformed professionals whose livelihoods and, in many cases lives, depend on their footwear. MAGNUM boots are designed to be lightweight and comfortable, full of crucial features and the latest technologies, without compromising safety, durability and support.

The company has selected the highest-quality stitching thread, first-class full grain leather and ballistic heavy duty Nylon for its Stealth Force boots, all of which have been tested and certified to either European standard EN 20347 for occupational footwear, or EN 20345 for the

composite toe and plate versions. Both the Elite Force 8.0 WPi, one of MAGNUM’s flagship products, and various styles in the company’s Stealth Force range also feature the next-generation of hydro-management technology, ion-mask, which repels water and all kinds of other liquids, including blood borne pathogens.

Bristol Uniforms has it covered Ensuring the highest levels of personal safety for emergency services personnel on the front line is no longer limited to providing the best protective garments. For those employers who take their Health & Safety at Work obligations seriously, it’s all about ensuring that the protective clothing (PPE) supplied is always fit for purpose and that the original protective qualities are maintained throughout its service life.

Since 2000, responsibility for the care and maintenance of PPE has increasingly passed to manufacturing suppliers whose intimate knowledge of technical performance places them in a unique position to routinely inspect protective clothing, assess the need for repairs, cleaning and decontamination, carry out remedial processes and condition code each item.

This ‘managed care’, as it is commonly known, was first outsourced by early adopters in the fire and rescue service at the end of the 1990s and is, today, undertaken by manufacturers for over 80 percent of fire and rescue services.

For essential police and paramedic footwear, boots in the MAGNUM Professional range provide the long-lasting, top-of-the-range, head-to-toe protection your feet need. www.magnumboots.com

Drysuit developments Namron Ltd has been around since 1966 and there’s very little the company doesn’t know about drysuits or the manufacture of neoprene products.

It constantly listens to its customers and provides products exactly to their requirements and understands how important its products are for safety, protection and comfort.

Namron will develop a drysuit that meets its customer’s exact needs and not just a standard one from its range. In developing a suit, it means customers don’t pay for features they don’t require and it’s only after its customers are happy that the drysuit will go into production.

As a manufacturer of drysuits, Namron is well

equipped to offer a comprehensive repair and alteration service. The company can work on all makes of suit and is very competitive with price and turnaround. Servicing contracts can also be built around a customer’s requirements and budget, ensuring that they can have confidence in the care of their suits.

Namron realises how important value of service is, so the company aims to provide equipment at the right price and maintain it at an even better price.

More recently, as technical garments have become widely used by both the police and ambulance services, managed care is increasingly used across the emergency services. For the police service this involves their public order/crowd control PPE (POCC) and for the ambulance services for their HARTs (Hazardous Area Response Teams) and SORTs (Special Operations Response Teams).

For the police, maintenance of their protective garments has become a cost effective option to premature disposal, as well as a growing recognition of the importance of personnel safety, particularly after PPE has been exposed to projectile damage, petrol and flames during public order situations. Northamptonshire Police adopted Bristol’s managed service in 2008.

For England’s ambulance services, HARTs have opted to use Bristol’s green technical rescue PPE and the North West, West Midlands, East of England, Great Western and HART Defence CBRN Winterbourne Gunner are now regular users of the seven-day turnaround collect and deliver care service.

www.namronuk.com

www.bristoluniforms.com

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Directional clothing offers improved comfort

Páramo Directional Clothing Systems is now the performance clothing choice for many police, rescue and fire services. The company’s use of simple but very clever Nikwax Directional Textiles that ‘direct’ water to where you need it, guarantees wearers stay comfortable, whatever their work in the outdoors. Páramo keeps the weather out but also shifts perspiration more effectively so wearers don’t feel wet and cold when they stop moving. It performs even in high humidity (when conventional waterproofs give up) and is soft, supple and rustle-free while remaining as tough as traditional systems.

Designed to be worn comfortably for more of the time – efficient ventilation means you don’t have to take layers on and off – and with no membranes or coatings to break down or puncture, Páramo offers waterproofing, which is renewable indefinitely with Nikwax aftercare. The company can also undertake bespoke alterations for individual teams at a reasonable cost.

What’s more, with Páramo’s ethical manufacturing and environmental commitment wearers won’t have to compromise on any aspect to be more comfortable in their outdoor work. www.paramo.co.uk

Launderable PPE versus dissolvable disposables

xtreme head protection

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service became the first UK fire and rescue service to issue every firefighter with maximum protection in the form of the Rosenbauer HEROS-xtreme in January 2008.

Over three years on and the Rosenbauer helmet now protect the heads of over 25,000 firefighters in the UK throughout 25 fire and rescue services.

The processing properties specific to OREX polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) make the whole concept of ‘single-use’ programmes technically and economically viable for the nuclear industry and other industry sectors where this is an alternative to conventional woven laundry-wear.

600lb (272kg) of used PVA coveralls, lab-coats, scrubs, headwear, bootcovers, overshoes, sheeting, wipes, waste bags etc, are loaded into the top of the OREX processor unit.

OREX has created a proven, protective clothing technology that provides both superior performance and the elimination of waste.

Primarily used in nuclear stations across the US, the OREX coverall provides exceptional, proven protection. Its single-use is appealing to workers over a previously worn, and likely contaminated, laundered garment.

All OREX products are manufactured from a special, degradable polymer that is environmentally friendly. Following use, products can be treated using a proprietary process that converts the product into a biodegradable organic solution from which any radioactive contaminants can be removed, resulting in notable radiation waste volume reduction.

The process Considered a ‘decontamination’ process, firstly used OREX products are dissolved, converting them from a solid to a liquid form. Next, a filtration stage removes the radioactive contaminants. Finally, the resulting solution is sampled and released to the environment in accordance with regulatory criteria.

The released liquid is organic and biodegradable, and eventually broken down to, primarily, carbon dioxide and water. www.orex.com

“The continued success of the helmet is testament to the professionalism of our brigades here in UK,” said Oliver North, Managing Director, North Fire Limited. “During all associated trials and testing on various different brands of helmet, each fire and rescue service who have opted for the HEROSxtreme have made optimum protection for their troops a necessity, and ignoring shiny gimmicks, bells and whistles will undoubtedly prove to be a life-saving decision to many of our world-class firefighters here in the UK over time.” www.north-fire.com

A few hours later… nothing but zippers and non-compatibles remain!

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Special forces intervention suit Paramedic survey calls for with integrated chemical protection user-friendly body protection A six-month survey of UK based paramedics by PPSS Group claims the majority (72.8 percent) feel that stab vests should be issued to all paramedics.

This contradicts many internal surveys, conducted by the UK’s ambulance trusts, which concluded that stab vests are not wanted by their frontline staff.

Robert Kaiser, CEO of PPSS Group, strongly believes this is simply due to ‘technical and design misperceptions’ of body armour. He said, “We have conducted a six-month survey, questioning a number of paramedics within the UK how they feel about stab vests, and the result is absolutely clear. Of course, there will be people doubting the efficiency of our survey. Nevertheless, we strongly believe this survey shows once again, professionals require user friendly protection.”

Based on the PPSS survey, 87.7 percent also confirmed that ‘paramedics should be issued with their own individual stab vest’ while 55.6 percent mentioned they were not aware of the latest available advances in covert stab vests, eg thickness, weight, concealability and wearability.

“Many of these professionals still believe stab vests are 6kg heavy, one inch thick, bulky, uncomfortable, restrictive and confrontational looking. But this is now far away from the truth,” said Mr Kaiser.

PPSS Group delivered a public presentation on 10 April demonstrating the capabilities of the company’s recently developed body armour, stab vests and slash resistant clothing. Aiming to clarify the common misperceptions of body armour, Mr Kaiser himself demonstrated the effectiveness and capabilities of the equipment during two live demonstrations.

PPSS Group is a UK based manufacturer of UK Home Office certified stab vests and the company behind Cut-Tex® PRO. www.ppss-group.com

GSG 9 is the anti-terror unit of the German Federal Police. The unit’s primary deployment role is to combat complex and/or dangerous situations such as hostage taking, kidnapping or extortion/blackmail, which can also frequently involve forced entry counter terror operations. This requires CBRN protective, flame-retardant clothing particularly in cases of terrorist attack. Perfect freedom of movement and a good fit allowing for uncompromised action in even the most dynamic situations are an absolute must, as well as flawless integration of the suit with a very wide range of ancillary communications, weapons, ballistic protective and other equipment usually deployed.

The SARATOGA® special forces intervention suit with integrated chemical protection from Blüecher was developed as a coverall together with GSG 9. The protective performance of this onepiece protective suit has seen an improvement over the earlier generation of GSG 9 suit by an adapted choice of material and a newly-developed SARATOGA® filter generation, which has led to a weight reduction by more than 25 percent with comparable equipment. An ergonomic cut, numerous details and a wide variety of sizes guarantee a perfect fit and a high degree of freedom of movement.

Flame-resistant The outer fabric of the suit and all sewing yarns are inherently flame-resistant by the use of Nomex®.

All Velcro® fasteners, cords and zip fasteners are FR equipped.

Both the shell and filter material are selected to meet the individual requirements of the customer. Only an ideal combination of the relevant properties of the shell and filter material ensure the perfect protective function of this SARATOGA® suit: 24-hour protection against 10g/m² liquid HD, GD, minimum six-hour protection against 4000mg min/m³ gaseous HD. The suit meets the requirements of 45 days wear time, can be stored in the original packaging for up to 10-years and be washed up to six times at 40°C without diminishing the protective effect.

The burden on the wearer is considerably reduced by low weight, improved wearing properties and an ergonomic cut.

The Hohenstein Institute in Germany has defined comfort classifications, in particular for the water vapour permeability of textiles. According to this classification air permeable material of this coverall is placed in the comfort category ‘good’ to ‘very good’. Other thermo-physiological testing taken by well-respected international institutes have also confirmed the favourable wearing properties of this protective suit.

To enable ‘off the shelf’ compatibility with a range of several current respirator/face mask combinations, a separate balaclava with a collar has been developed, which can be combined with the detachable suit hood. This solution assures a variable system, which is adaptable to various equipment and deployment situations. Alternatively a suit with an integral hood is also available. www.bluecher.com

Pacific Helmets chooses Vimpex as UK partner Vimpex has announced its partnership with Pacific Helmets to strengthen the manufacturer’s presence in the UK fire, rescue and emergency service sector.

Pacific’s products have become the helmet of choice among the UK ambulance services and now Vimpex is building on that success by launching the new F11 Structural Fire Fighting Helmet to the UK fire and rescue sector.

Featuring a unique One-Touch™ internal visor, Kevlar construction and a modern JetStyle design, the F11 is already creating significant interest thanks to high levels of comfort, great balance and low mass.

As well as ambulance and fire helmets Vimpex supplies head protection suitable for rescue, marine fire fighting, police public order and water rescue.

The Pacific helmet line combines with Vimpex’s

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popular Pegaso protective glasses and the company’s own range of rescue gloves to complete a carefully considered range of PPE products and accessories. www.rescue-tools.co.uk

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Superior head to toe protection Since Lion Apparel first introduced its TotalCare managed service revolution to the UK in 1998, the company has been at the forefront of some of the most significant developments in PPE for emergency responders.

In that time the concept of a ‘head to toe’ fully managed service for PPE has become accepted practice for many emergency services, who recognise the long-term value and efficiency of a system that ensures PPE is always fit for purpose.

Lion’s research and development team has developed some of the highest performing PPE available in the world today. The team combines a detailed understanding of technical fabrics and physiology with expertise in design that results in solutions that meet the specific challenges of modern day emergency responders.

Latest fabric technology The best-known exponent of that design expertise is Lion’s Pro-Tek Max structural fire suit. The suit combines the latest fabric technology with innovative design to create the ultimate combination of protection and comfort.

Pro-Tek Max incorporates PBI® matrix 205g outer fabric, achieving extremely high mechanical and thermal properties and a waterproof, breathable, Crosstech® Fireblocker® moisture barrier. The garment also uses a new proprietary lining system, developed by Lion, which uses special wicking technology to remove moisture and heat from the body.

Lion’s Technical Rescue garment was the first to comply with EN469 Performance Level 1, which means that it can be worn as an alternative to structural kit for all appropriate non-structural or non-compartmental fire and rescue requirements, subject to an appropriate dynamic risk assessment.

Care and maintenance Lion has always been at the forefront of care and maintenance of kit. Lion was the first to introduce an Ozone cleaning system that delivers unrivalled levels of cleanliness and decontamination in PPE garments. This means that even with the most heavily contaminated garments, only one wash is required, which results in faster turnaround times. The system is environmentally conscious, consuming 75 percent less detergent and allowing washing to be undertaken at lower temperatures.

The company operates a bespoke audit system, which means that garments can be tracked and traced throughout their lifetime, allowing brigades to manage their PPE needs efficiently and effectively.

The design team at Uxbridge has recently been strengthened with the addition of a new product design manager and the company is working on new design concepts for the next generation of PPE, protecting emergency responders around the world for many years to come. www.lionapparel.com

Dependable clothing in the extreme

Montane® is worn by some of the leading outdoor professionals and expedition personnel across the world. The company recognises that personnel working hard to guide, protect, rescue and undertake scientific field observations in extreme and changeable weather conditions need clothing and equipment that will both perform and be dependable when it matters most.

The original Commando sock was designed to NATO standards and is a core product in HJ Hall’s heavy wool-based sock range.

The Commando II was also developed through the company’s work with the MoD. This new sock uses the latest yarn technology and is made up of 60 percent Coolmax – a yarn specifically designed to transport any moisture (sweat) from inside the sock to the outside, where it evaporates.

This innovative feature, combined with the use of quality cotton and cushioning, ensures ultimate comfort all day long.

www.montane.co.uk

www.hjhall.co.uk

Montane® is a British outdoor clothing company created over 18 years ago. Founded by a young passionate engineer who in between venturing out to explore the remote and wild places of this earth began sewing garments for friends and fellow mountain enthusiasts.

Innovation was the start. The first super packable and lightweight windshirt, the first extreme conditions one layering system. The focus was and always will be on pushing the limits of garment design in order that those who are attracted to wild places can raise the limits of endurance and adventure in the mountains.

Photo: Martin Moran

Photo: Catlin Arctic Survey

NATO standard socks

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INTRAMARK LTD

is the leading Emergency Services Supplier in the UK of rank structure in metal, textiles, cap badges, hand embroidered insignia, caps, buttons and clothing such as polo shirts, Tee Shirts, Sweat Shirts and Fleeces all with machine embroidered logos.

56 Windsor Street, Burbage, Leicestershire LE10 2EF

Tel: 01455 612400 Fax: 01455 612483 Email: enquiries@intramarkuk.com Website: intramarkuk.com

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Lion wins first contracts for new care centre

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Respiratory protection without compromise

Leading PPE clothing specialist, Lion Apparel, will open its new regional TotalCare™ service centre in Scotland in June with contracts from Scottish fire and rescue services.

Lion has already secured contracts with Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service and Strathclyde Fire & Rescue and is in discussions with a number of others who are expected to take advantage of the service in the near future.

The new 4700 square foot facility is located at Houston Industrial Estate, which offers excellent access to major transport routes for Scotland and the north of England.

It has been specially equipped to provide a high quality laundering, decontamination and repair service for firefighter garments. Lion’s unique audit system means that garments can be tracked and traced throughout their lifetime, allowing brigades to manage their PPE needs efficiently and effectively.

Alex McAllister, Product Development Manager, Lion Apparel, said, “We are delighted that Central Scotland and Strathclyde fire and rescue services have chosen Lion and expect to announce further contracts very soon.

Interspiro has over 70 years of experience as a groundbreaking innovator of respiratory protection for non-breathable environments. It develops, manufactures and markets respiratory and auxiliary equipment for fire fighting, work in hazardous environments and professional diving.

Respiratory protection from Interspiro has an outstanding reputation for reliability and performance. This is accomplished with innovative technical solutions and by applying the highest standards of quality to all parts of the value chain.

Interspiro’s innovation pedigree includes many technology milestones now considered to be standards in the industry.

The company is a supplier of respiratory protection to defence military organisations, fire and rescue services, industries, utilities, shipping and diving companies around the world. Interspiro brand names include Spiromatic, QS-system, Spiroscape, Spirolite, Divator, Oxydive and IS-Mix. In addition to the breathing apparatus (SCBA/BA/SCUBA) product programmes, of the company’s own design and manufacturing, the product portfolio is complemented with a selection of quality trading products.

Interspiro is an Ocenco Group company. The Ocenco Group ranks among the world’s largest respiratory protection companies. www.interspiro.com

“Fire and rescue services in Scotland and the north of England will benefit from a dedicated team in Livingston, committed to delivering consistently high standards of customer care.

The quality and performance of PPE equipment is vitally important to every brigade and the service that backs that up is equally critical when it comes to ensuring that firefighters have the best protection available. Our customers have peace of mind that Lion’s attention to detail offers an absolute and independent guarantee that PPE meets the necessary performance standards.”

The new centre will also offer improved resilience, with pooled stocks of PPE to ensure that additional equipment is available to customers in the event of a major incident. Lion’s own emergency call out service can supply loan stock at short notice for situations such as major flooding, or other types of large-scale incidents. www.lionapparel.com

PPE supply, storage and maintenance UniTech is a world leader in PPE and radiological and asbestos laundering and protective clothing sales and programmes. With a strategically located, fully licensed facility in Crumlin, South Wales, supported by a dedicated fleet of vehicles, the company provides the dependability and high standards its customers demand. Bespoke projects can be supported with garments, respiratory and specialist items.

With a UniTech leasing programme, the company manages garment inventory, storage and maintenance. What’s more, customers will reduce their costs for peak-need reserves, storage, inventory, maintenance and capital financing.

UniTech can provide protective clothing shipping, storage and delivery services, as well as accessories, from glove liners to launderable tarpaulins,

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respirators, PPE, HP, asbestos and specialty products, sourced worldwide. Taking advantage of the company’s international procurement expertise, UniTech offers a sourcing solution for all PPE, asbestos and radiological consumables.

The company’s latest offering is the flame retardant Weld+ suit with overshoes. It is designed for protection against flames, liquid metal droplets (front) and thermal impact. Lighter, more breathable material on the back ensures better wearing comfort and higher breathability. The garment is also fully launderable and is currently being used by power stations and metal decontamination sites. www.unitecheu.com

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Clothing solution stretches to suit HAIX boot offers superior bending comfort Kermel of France, a manufacturer of protective clothing, has developed Stretch Kermel® to meet the needs of military and police personnel. This elastic, thermostable textile base provides the right balance between comfort, safety and aesthetics, while offering a high level of mechanical and technical performance.

Clothing requirements in the military and the police have evolved. Uniforms are now worn for much longer periods of times and are expected to fully optimise mobility during interventions. The elastic quality of the Stretch Kermel® solution facilitates ease of movement and significantly reduces the friction sound that can be produced by more static fabrics.

Stretch Kermel® can be printed on, in order to meet the requirements of any type of camouflage,

The HAIX® Airpower X1 is the ideal boot for the emergency services. Developed specifically for the typical movements in emergency incidents and for rescue services, it provides superb comfort and stability when the workers continuously change between kneeling down and walking firmly.

Even when worn at the station the instep and heel bends protect against friction and unpleasant pressure points. The sophisticated closing technique makes it possible to adjust the boot to the individual shape of the foot. Once pre-laced, only the zip has to be closed, and the boot with its 18cm high shaft will fit perfectly. Even though the boots can be put on extremely fast, a strong foothold and readiness to do the job reliably and quickly is guaranteed.

Anatomical design The anatomical design relieves strain on all body parts involved in walking. A new type of last with a wider forefoot zone provides more freedom for the toes and balls of the feet to move and prevents premature tiring or cramping. The heel and joint area is fitted and therefore gives more guidance and stability. The robust street/terrain tread of the TPU/PU sole offers superior bending comfort, wear resistance and non-slip traction – even in cold weather.

Furthermore, the HAIX® Airpower X1 is: watertight; breathable, thanks to the HAIX® climate system; and resistant to bacteria and chemicals, thanks to the Crosstech® membrane.

HAIX® is the world’s leading manufacturer of functional footwear for fire and rescue services, law enforcement, rescue, and military task forces and has also increased its presence in the forestry and leisure/outdoor sector. The specialist for innovative footwear located in Mainburg, Germany employs over 800 people worldwide and in 2010 produced around 625,000 pairs of shoes. www.haix.com

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and is highly resistant to abrasion, thus preserving performance in terms of infrared reflection. The specialist fabric can be used to create an entire item of clothing, or simply parts thereof. www.kermel.com

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Reduce your risk from steam burns

DuPont launches Nomex® website DuPont has developed a website dedicated to firefighters detailing the latest information about Nomex® – the renowned heat and flame resistant fibre. The site discusses the key benefits of using Nomex® and includes an interactive video of Nomex® in action. The website is targeted to the needs of firefighters and has been developed following extensive research conducted across Europe that, among other things, identified the ongoing support that firefighters wanted from organisations such as DuPont.

You’ve been issued with new fire kit, which is considered to be the most advanced in the world.

However, if your kit is not dry, its protection may be greatly reduced, increasing the risk of steam burns on the fire ground.

TOP TROCK warm air drying systems enable fast and gentle drying of jackets, trousers, boots, gloves, flash hoods and helmets. The highly efficient drying method uses warm air, conducted through continuous stainless steel tubes and emerging via nozzles directly onto the inside of the clothing. This automatic process is controlled electronically and requires approximately fourhours drying time.

The quick drying ensures fire gear is constantly dry, removing the risk of steam burns and allowing the station to remain ‘on the run’.

TOP TROCK drying systems can reduce CO2 emissions and help meet carbon reduction targets.

In addition, installing TOP TROCK drying systems in new build projects can help improve the BREEAM rating as they count towards credits within the assessment.

The company’s systems are installed at The Fire Service College, as well as USAR and BA training centres, Essex and Isle of Man fire and rescue services.

Following the roll out of the new Pro-Tek Max fire fighting kit by Lion Apparel to South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, TOP TROCK is currently undertaking the installation of 40 drying systems to ensure that fire kit is dried as per the manufacturer’s requirements. The freestanding systems are ideally suited to retained stations where space is limited and the systems can be positioned within the appliance bay. www.toptrock.com

Safety in hand Now available to qualifying organisations to purchase through the Northumbria Police National Framework Agreement, Bennett Safetywear’s Sentinel™-C (V2428-C) is the latest slash-resistant leather uniform glove in its BEATSAFE® range for the police and security industries.

The Sentinel-C offers enhanced levels of protection, including Level 5 cut-resistance (EN 388), Level 4 burning behaviour and Level 1 contact heat (EN 407), and is fully certified to BS 7971-7:2003 (including the top level for ergonomics).

Improvements have also been made to Bennett Safetywear’s AJAX® range of public order gloves, with the new AJAX® Pro-Fit™-C offering high levels of protection against the mechanical, thermal and chemical hazards associated with public order policing combined with a genuine ergonomic

Nomex®, the fibre that reacts in a crisis.

The research involved over 130 individual respondents from different fire brigades and organisations across Germany, France and the UK. Respondents were asked which turnout gear outershell brands they were aware of – 79 percent mentioned Nomex® materials or the Nomex® brand without prompting, while 99 percent recognised the Nomex® brand when comparing a list of similar brands. Those questioned stated that the ideal heat and flame protective garment should be safe under all conditions such as heat, flames, explosions; very light weight; very comfortable and functional; breathable but highly durable; be easy to maintain and of course be good value for money.

The research also revealed that firefighters today see themselves as a multi-purpose rescue service, with a diversified range of tasks to rescue people in all kinds of situations and environments. It identified that fire rescue is only a minor portion of all incidents – firefighters need to cover all kinds of technical assistance in an emergency and they need to work in teams to be trained for various risks and ‘always be able to improvise’.

design. This glove is available through the West Yorkshire Police National Framework Agreement for public order equipment.

For structural fire fighting the BLAZEMASTER® Pro-Fit™ MK1-RP gloves, Certified to EN 659:2003 and available through the North West Region Framework Agreement, continues to offer excellent value, combined with exceptional dexterity and flexibility, making it additionally suitable as a general purpose fire glove.

A new range of CBRN protective gloves is currently in development.

More specialised The survey also found that the future of the fire and rescue service is expected to change and firefighters look set to become more specialised and this may include working in different teams according to the emergency. Fire intervention might then only be for a special task force.

However, the protection needs for the turnout gear are said to remain a key requirement and some developments are predictable, such as improved visibility and reduced weight, inclusion of nano-technology to treat the surface of the material, overall comfort improvements ‘to avoid fatigue’ and the possible integration of sensors to produce an ‘intelligent garment’ that could monitor risk by indicating the heat.

www.bennettsafetywear.co.uk

www2.dupont.com/Public_Sector_ER/en_GB/index.html

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Gore guarantees quality standards Advances in protective clothing over the last 10 years have resulted in many more suppliers promoting a huge range of different textiles designed for a variety of end uses.

Promises of quality and performance are one thing, but proof is another. Untested, low cost garments that are manufactured in uncontrolled conditions can compromise performance and result in injury.

As the manufacturer of the famous high performance waterproof, breathable, durable GORE-TEX® fabrics for the emergency services, Gore operates a comprehensive quality assurance programme. That process starts in-house with product testing and extends throughout the supply chain to ensure that garments manufactured with Gore fabrics meet stringent performance standards.

Unique to industry Starting with the promise that the garment must be ‘Fit for Use’, the company uses an integrated development chain, which is unique in the industry, to ensure that its products live up to their performance promise.

Gore’s own test labs are comparable to those used in many of the independent institutes and in many cases the company has developed specific test methods where previously no standardised tests existed.

In any garment the weakest point for entry of water is the seam. Even the highest performing products, such as GORE-TEX® fabrics cannot guarantee that the wearer will remain dry if critical points, like the seams, are ignored. Gore has developed its own proprietary GORE-SEAM® tapes and seam sealing technology to ensure the integrity of the garment.

Gore has developed unique climate chambers and rain towers to simulate a variety of environmental conditions.

Only manufacturers licensed by Gore can use the seam sealing technology and they must complete the necessary competency certifications before manufacturing commences.

Manufacturing standards Companies that make Gore products must comply with Gore Manufacturing Standards. These standards require the manufacturer to comply with specific quality levels for machinery used in the manufacturing process.

Every Gore product has to satisfy a stringent

Public order boots offer protection, comfort and affordability

testing regime before it is made available to the market. Gore has developed unique climate chambers and rain towers to simulate a variety of environmental conditions.

When it comes to specifying protective clothing for first responders there should never be any compromise on performance or quality. Gore’s stringent process for quality assurance ensures that buyers who specify GORE-TEX® fabrics can have absolute confidence in the integrity of the garment and that it is completely fit for purpose. www.gore.com

Managing cell fires

Mitre Blue Light is the market leader in public order footwear with its boots in use in the majority of the UK’s police forces across the UK. But the boots are not just for police – they are proving popular with all the emergency services for the combination of protection, comfort and affordability.

The Intervention, GP, Rapid Reaction and Legion boots are all BS7971-5 Type 2 Level 3 certified and feature a steel toe cap, steel midsole and fire resistant stitching as standard.

Worn with the flame retardant socks the firm also supplies, which are made with 50 percent Kermel, Mitre boots can be trusted in situations where violence is expected, proving their mettle time after time.

A vital part of the uniform for anyone in the emergency services, Mitre boots are tried, tested and trusted across the UK. Mitre Blue Light’s goal is to offer the emergency services added protection and safety for every possible situation, while providing unbeatable customer service along with the comfort that officers need in order to perform at their best.

A key challenge facing prison officers is dealing with emergencies arising from fires. ‘In-cell’ fires present prison officers with a particularly dangerous situation – having to extinguish the fire while at the same time removing the occupant to a safe area through a confined exit.

Following a thorough assessment and tendering process, the HEAD 15 Cell Snatch Rescue Equipment (CSRE) from UK engineering company, Semmco, was chosen by both the UK and Irish prison services. Manufactured entirely in the UK, the unique HEAD 15 CSRE chemical oxygen set is an easy to don, one-size-fits-all model.

The working set, known within the prison service as CSRE, gives prison staff 15-minutes of respiratory protection when dealing with cell fires.

The lightweight, hooded oxygen set replaces the short duration breathing apparatus (SDBA), which has been used across the prison services for the past 15 years. The training requirements for the HEAD 15 CSRE are less complex than those of the SDBA, making the product easier to use. Furthermore, the HEAD 15 CSRE working/rescue set can be stored for up to six years without maintenance, making it a cost-effective option in the long term.

www.mitrebluelight.co.uk

www.semmco.com

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Lifejackets offer safety and comfort in equal measure

Dial up for footwear comfort

Bates Footwear’s Individual Comfort System is a genuine breakthrough in advanced comfort technology, giving the wearer the freedom to customise the comfort of their footwear. By using the ‘dial’ technology, individuals can choose the comfort zone that’s right for them.

Everyone’s foot comfort needs are unique.

The adjustable comfort system from Bates can be adjusted for each individual’s unique comfort tastes and requirements. Developed by the Bates Product Design Team and wear-tested by actual customers, the innovative ‘dial’ technology offers a truly effective way for consumers to define all-day comfort on their own terms.

The comfort system is not only highly flexible, but is easily customised. The adjustable comfort dial is built directly into the midsole of the shoe and is easily rotated to rest at one of four zones: • Firm zone: increases energy return and maximises all-day support • Outward zone: reduces outward tilt and encourages natural walking motion and stability • Cushion zone: increases heel cushioning and maximises shock absorption • Inward zone: reduces inward tilt and encourages natural walking motion and stability.

Each zone satisfies different comfort needs and allows the user to put comfort where they want it.

Focusing on end-users who typically spend much of the day on their feet, this footwear is designed specifically for law enforcement personnel with future strategic applications for the military.

Committed to service and product excellence, Bates Footwear is a division of Wolverine World Wide Inc, one of the world’s leading marketers of branded casual, active lifestyle, work, outdoor sport and uniform footwear and apparel. www.batesfootwear.com

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Baltic supplies a specialist range of lifejackets to the emergency services, which are optimised primarily for safety, yet take into account comfort and practicality for use in a range of emergency situations.

The special lifejacket has two inspection windows: one to check the status of the lifejacket; and the other to see when the next service is due, allowing instant status update without the lifejacket being opened. There are three models available: fire and rescue, police and medical, all available in 275N. The customised lifejacket, which comes with a two-year guarantee with annual service, has been tailored with input from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. The outer, strengthened cover has retro-reflective Battenberg patches and is available in different colours to differentiate the various services: blue and yellow for the police; red and yellow for the fire and rescue service; and green and yellow for medics. The jackets have retro-reflective patches on the bladder, which increases visibility when inflated.

Based in Sweden, for over 30 years, Baltic Lifejackets is the largest manufacturer of lifejackets in Europe. www.baltic.se

Laundry solutions to suit Sunlight is the UK’s leading provider of workwear rental, laundering and management services.

The company has developed a flexible range of services designed to specifically suit each of the emergency services. These include: • PPE cleaning and infection control – Sunlight’s developed programmes and processes ensure effective cleaning that maintains the integrity and operational performance of the garment.

Any disinfection is achieved using thermal and/or chemical methods.

• Facilities for dealing with contaminated garments – all of the company’s sites that care for fire fighting PPE are also able to deal with contaminated laundry.

• Site audits – experienced in all tasks required by the PPE regulations 1992, Sunlight’s dedicated teams can visit operational locations and

undertake marking and inspection of all PPE items, including helmets, boots, gloves and highvisibility clothing.

• Emergency cover – Sunlight’s national network of sites means that, in the event of an emergency, services can be seamlessly moved to nearby sites ensuring continuity of service. www.sunlight.co.uk

Temperature-controlled garments A new concept garment from APT Fabrics combines Aclimatise® technology with Fibretronics HEATwear™ technology, offering the full benefits of thermo-regulating technology with the boosted benefits of a remote-controlled battery-operated heating system.

Aclimatise® garments have been independently tested in various environments and have been proven to work in temperatures varying from as low as -30°C up to +30°C. HEATwear technology is a new heating system for apparel. It is a very soft, fully breathable, patent-pending fabric based heating technology, delivering warmth to the wearer at the

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press of a switch. Combining these two marketleading technologies creates the ultimate in temperature-controlled garments.

All the laminated ‘fabrics’ incorporated in Aclimatise® garments have been independently tested to industrial standards hence ensuring the highest level of performance.

Aclimatise® has been developed by Northern Ireland based company APT Fabrics, which has over 20 years’ experience in the development of technical breathable waterproof fabrics for the manufacture of clothing for the forces and emergency services. www.aptfabrics.co.uk

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Cosalt focuses on fire Cosalt is one of the UK’s leading providers of protective clothing and equipment to the emergency services, military, transport and construction industries. For many years, it has been one of the main suppliers of structural fire fighting and rescue kit to the majority of UK fire and rescue services.

Last year Cosalt secured major contracts with both the North West and South East & Eastern Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) consortiums, to add to its ever-growing list of satisfied customers in the fire industry.

In the South East & Eastern regions the new framework agreement includes fire tunics and overtrousers, hoods, helmets, boots and gloves.

At the heart of this agreement is the option to choose Cosalt’s fully managed service. This 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.

In the North West, Cosalt won a contract to supply a new firecoat and overtrousers ensemble to nearly 8000 firefighters across six FRSs. Both garments have a para-aramid outer fabric to impart excellent inherent mechanical strength and feature ergonomic design enhancements to deliver increased performance and comfort over existing kit.

Underpinning Cosalt’s success and longevity in the market is the company’s focus on producing garments that are not only fit for purpose but also surpass legislative requirements without compromising on wearer comfort and fit. The company works closely with the brigades at both a commercial and technical level; investing time designing and developing, testing and trialling new garments to meet a specific need, rather than supplying a standard product range, off the shelf.

Indeed, the customer relationship is central to Cosalt’s whole design process, as are its relationships with component suppliers and its key partnership with independent test house BTTG. Through a clear programme of testing new assemblies and in-service garments, Cosalt is able to select materials that offer the optimum combination of weight and protection.

Recent innovations from Cosalt’s design team include its award-winning Technical Rescue Suit.

Available as a one-piece or jacket and trouser

HVP two-piece Cosalt has also launched a new High Volume Pump (HVP) two-piece suit called the Hydra.

Designed specifically for use with HVP vehicles, where flame retardancy is not necessarily a requirement, the Hydra offers optimum protection against wet and adverse weather conditions while remaining lightweight and breathable. It features a durable three-layer GORE-TEX® shell jacket and over trouser with a detachable body liner and ergonomic design for unrestricted movement and greater flexibility.

But Cosalt’s strengths run deeper than its ability to design and develop market-leading products. The company’s managed service option is a turnkey solution that takes safety to a new level. Cosalt will take on the responsibility for laundering and maintaining the garments and making sure they are fit for purpose and comply with health and safety standards. The company will maintain the exacting quality control and product management procedures that allow every garment to be tracked and traced and finally decommissioned.

In the South East & Eastern regions the new framework agreement includes fire tunics and overtrousers, hoods, helmets, boots and gloves.

combination, the Rescue Suit has a durable fire resistant (FR) outer shell with the option to attach a waterproof Crosstech liner. The design provides maximum protection and ease of movement.

Worn without the liner, the lightweight and flexible construction means it is particularly suitable for dealing with wildland fire fighting, urban rescue missions and road traffic collisions. The product picked up a Blue Light crown in the Company Clothing Awards in recognition of the garment’s outstanding design and quality.

Fully managed service Cosalt’s fully managed service began life nearly 10 years ago when it was first developed for the Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex FRSs. Continually improved and updated, today’s service is impressive and Cosalt’s proven track record gives the company a competitive edge in the market. Most importantly, Cosalt can provide the service at a realistic cost that is viable for the FRSs. As part of this managed service offering, Cosalt has spent in excess of £800,000 on IT since 2008 to create an advanced paperless system that can integrate seamlessly with a customer’s own enterprise, resource and planning systems. This provides access to real time information on procurement requests, orders placed, ongoing support issues, invoices, payments and key performance indicator reports. Customers are able to take decisions based on clear, concise up-to-date information. The system is helping to improve safety, increase efficiency and drive down overhead costs. www.cosalt.com

Comprehensive test and certification for PPE Ensuring that all types of personal protective equipment (PPE) – including respiratory protective equipment (RPE) – meet the stringent mandatory requirements for CE marking is now a straightforward task, thanks to the full range of examination, testing and guidance offered by BSI. The organisation has extensive expertise in the PPE field, providing invaluable advice and guidance, and also operates its own well-equipped test facilities covering virtually every aspect of PPE and RPE testing. In addition, BSI holds Notified Body status for CE marking, allowing it to carry out type examinations in line with the requirements of EU directives.

BSI also offers an integrated testing and certification package for products that combine a

respiratory device with headwear, eyewear or hearing protection. Furthermore, for testing equipment that incorporates electronic devices, BSI has fully equipped electrical safety laboratories, allowing it to provide a convenient one-stop service.

Among the many tests that BSI can carry out on PPE and, in particular RPE, are breathing resistance, filter penetration, total inward leakage, CO2 build-up, flammability, dust clogging, field of vision, mechanical strength testing and practical performance testing. Customised tests and test sequences can also be formulated to meet specific client requirements. Technical file evaluation and guidance on the certification process are also available from the technical experts at BSI. www.bsigroup.com

Emergency Services Times May 2011

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PPE – HEAD TO TOE PROTECTION | 91

Framework offers savings on uniform budgets

Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd, a UK market leader in fire and rescue service uniform, now facilitates the supply of uniform and footwear of all types for 21 UK fire and rescue authorities (FRAs), through a UK framework contract.

The contract is let by Oxfordshire County Council and incorporates Scottish, Welsh and English FRAs. It allows for managed service or bulk purchase and there is a wide variety of products from which to choose. Hunter’s web-based managed service has proven to be particularly advantageous to FRAs seeking to improve transparency while reducing costs.

Simon Hunter, MD of Hunter Apparel, said, “This framework has been successful because it delivers savings for every FRA who joins. Savings of approximately 30 percent on current uniform and footwear spend are quite normal.

“During this recession it is possible to join this contract, make technical improvements to current service and product ranges and still save significant amounts of money.” www.hunterapparelsolutions.com

Emergency Services Times May 2011

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Emerging technologies aid lighting specialist With over 20 years’ experience (ISO 9001:2008), NightSearcher is a market leader in designing and supplying portable lighting solutions to the police, fire and rescue, MoD, utility groups, rail infrastructure as well as many other customers where performance, safety and reliability are paramount.

As a customer and solutions-led company, NightSearcher manufactures high quality professional products designed to give many years’ service, such as rechargeable floodlights (mains voltage also available), searchlights, head-torches and flashlights. The company is driven to develop safe, environmentally friendly products that minimise its impact on the environment and this is achieved by identifying new emerging technologies that best complement its range.

Reliability, durability, safety NightSearcher’s newly designed Solaris head has enabled it to

increase LED light output: first to 3000 lumens, and now to 6000! This unrivalled light source means the company is now in a position to offer the emergency services a true alternative to using 500W halogen floodlights operating from a generator without sacrificing power. The ability to operate them from a battery rather than a generator can have a major impact in vastly reducing carbon emissions while offering a more reliable floodlight in terms of durability and safety.

Nightsearcher’s unique combination of high power LEDs and optics allows the beam of light to cover more distance and, even while performing at 6000 lumens, this gives an extended running time, making it ideal for a range of applications.

The overall design of the range is focused on longevity and the Solaris is made from robust materials, such as ABS and polycarbonate.

Portability is also key: with no hazardous trailing leads. The Solaris Lite weighs less than 10kg and has a shoulder strap to keep the user’s hands free. It is able to operate while in this state rather like a highpowered torch, adding to its versatility. The whole range is also safe, cool to touch, and generates no glare or noise.

Panther searchlight The company’s Panther LED is the new version of the Panther searchlight. It uses nine CREE® XP-C LEDs, which produce a very impressive 1500 lumens of light, and a powerful 750m beam. It has

Emergency Services Times May 2011

four modes: high power (five-hours running time), low power (12-hours running time), flash and strobe.

By using LEDs instead of conventional bulbs, the running time is greatly increased and they have a 100,000-hour life.

The latest range of LED flashlights include the Magnum (1080 lumens) and the Commander (700 lumens). The Zoom spot-to-flood is a small yet robust focusable flashlight and will operate for up to 65 hours on three standard AAA batteries.

Nightsearcher believes in forming a strong relationship with customers and is always willing to consider the modification of existing products or the development of specific equipment to suit individual requirements. Also, the company is working harder than ever to achieve requirements for low carbon alternatives to existing lighting products. www.nightsearcher.co.uk

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Personal safety device

stantly maintaining the first 45 seconds of video in a ‘first in, first out’ buffer.

This means there is always 45 seconds of video available of what happened before the unit is turned on. www.ioptec.com

Endotrachael tube introducers Skyguard launched the UK’s smallest personal safety and tracking device at the recent Health and Safety Expo at the NEC in Birmingham. The MySOS key-fob sized product is certified to the code of practice for the provision of lone worker devices (BS8484).

The device uses GPS and GPRS to transmit its location to Skyguard’s Incident Management Centre (IMC) in seconds, where trained controllers will decide what action to take in an emergency: contacting emergency services, individuals within their organisation, or summoning Skyguard’s 1000-vehicle strong national response service. The MySOS also features a two-way radio, and can be used as a mobile phone, calling a pre-programmed emergency number at the touch of a button. www.skyguardgroup.com

High definition evidence recorder

PRODUCT INFORMATION | 93 the opportunity to minimise the amount of materials necessary to deliver the RSP-100 to customers in good working order. This will have a significant effect on our carbon footprint by substantially reducing our distribution requirements as the reduced packaging means fewer pallets are required to deliver large numbers of RSP-100s to Geonovo’s distributors.

www.bott-group.com

Radio repeater

www.geonovo.com

Wireless outdoor bridge

PROACT Medical has launched its Premium range of single use endotrachael tube introducers (bougies) and intubation stylets with the needs and budgets of clinicians in mind. The new range offers further benefits including unique memory retention to allow shaping to individual preferences and needs. Laryngeal inlet entry and exit guidance is improved because of the addition of extra tip graduations. The new bougie also includes a barium tip for x-ray guidance and utilises a high visibility colour for improved positioning in poor light.

The range comes in a variety of sizes, with or without angled tips. The single use items eliminate the cost of cleaning and reprocessing while minimising the risk of cross-contamination. www.proactmedical.co.uk

MEL Secure Systems has released a new generation of outdoor bridges designed for streaming HD video and data in a wide range of security and IT applications. Using the latest MiMo technology with transmission rates of up to 300Mbps, it allows use of the new generation HD IP cameras.

The bridge uses the latest IEEE 802.11n 5GHz technology to give a range of up to 10km. The high transmission rate means operators can use more cameras and use bandwidth-hungry applications such as VoIP and video conferences to run simultaneously. www.melsecuresystems.co.uk

Geonovo has redesigned the packaging for its Romad RSP-100 lone worker protection device as part of the company’s aim to reduce its carbon footprint. “The weight of the packaging is 39 percent less than it was previously,” said Chief Executive Peter Lusty. “The packaging is recyclable but we have nevertheless taken

Suffolk company Fern Communications Ltd has developed a waterproof two-way radio repeater that works underground and around high-rise buildings. Recent trials of the FRW-1 in Taiwan have seen significantly improved radio communications in areas such as subsea corridors, mountain road tunnels, high rise buildings and power plants. The FRW-1 eliminates black spots that wreak havoc with radio signals, and also extends radio transmission range by ‘bending’ the radio signal around solid structures. www.FernCom.com

New RSG website

In-vehicle storage

Environmentally friendly packaging

The P-313 Body-worn Evidence Recorder from iOptec is small and compact but can be clipped onto an officer’s uniform using the standard Klick Fast system. It records in the highest HD resolution of 1920x1080p at 30 frames per second for up to 10 hours on one charge. It records video at the press of a button meaning every critical moment is captured.

However as soon as the unit is turned on it begins recording con-

provide generous storage space and quick access to tools and equipment.

Vehicle enhancement specialist bott has launched bott vario, a lightweight in-vehicle storage system. bott vario is suitable for any vehicle type and uses a combination of anodised aluminium, powder-coated steel and high-grade plastic, reducing weight by 20 to 30 percent and giving the unit a sleek appearance. Load security has been improved with the unit’s drawers, containers, boxes and shelving units which can all be locked securely into place with user-friendly latching systems. Underfloor modules

Emergency Services Times May 2011

RSG Engineering, a specialist in automotive products and telematic devices, has launched its new e-commerce website. The design of the new site followed several months of consulting with customers, staff and web experts. The option to be able to purchase products was obvious, but essential facts, figures and information were also key ingredients along with the site being presented in an easy to access, dynamic way. The site contains a wide range of products for sale, latest company and industry news, improved navigation and usability and secure online ordering facilities.

The new site has already seen a substantial increase in visitors and sales. www.rsg-ontop.com

94 | PRODUCT INFORMATION

Power save timer

The new Power Save Timer, introduced by Kussmaul Electronics, is a timer for block heaters that limits the duty cycle of an AC load to one hour on and one hour off. The Power Save Timer reduces the on time to 50 percent thus cutting power consumption from your 110V block heater in half.

A bypass switch may be installed to permit full time operation when full power operation is desired. The Power Save Timer comes with a three-year warranty and saves power consumption and money. www.kussmaul.com

Four rotor quadcopter

Digital hand microphone

Imtradex, the specialist in Hear and Speak solutions, has developed the Aurelis Series of hand microphones which have been specially developed to comply with the high demands of digital radio standard. The Aurelis series addresses the various requirements from users and many different versions can be tailored to customers’ needs. Features include a transmit button, microphone, high-quality speakers, an emergency call button, three-level volume control and a programmable LED. The Aurelis series features a rugged plastic housing which is water resistant and protects from dust. They can be used reliably in a temperature range of -30 to +70 degrees celsius. www.imtradex.com

Paediatric patient simulator

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CBRN attack scanning software

Hygie-Tech, the innovative CFD software company, now has the capability to scan outdoor spaces as well as buildings in order to develop comprehensive response and detection plans for chemical and biological attacks. Market demand has led Hygie-Tech to develop extended capability to cover open spaces, as security professionals need to plan for all eventualities when organising large outdoor gatherings such as international sporting events. The HG_Flow.Protect software uses a mathematical CFD model to rapidly generate visualisations of air flows, gas flows and/or particles from 3D laser scans of an area.

the UK and Eire. These kits provide the customer with continued Eberspacher reliability by using genuine spare parts. www.eberspacher.com/dealers

Smart torch

Nextorch, the designer and manufacturer of China’s police flashlights, is launching the world’s first ‘smart torch’. As well as powerful high quality Cree LEDs and durable build quality, the myTorch also allows the user to programme their own settings using the Smart Torch Technology (STT) software provided. With room for infinite settings including SOS and strobe it is ideal for many personal a n d professional applications. www.nextorch.com

Book launch

www.hygie-tech.ch

Bonningtons has released a fourrotor quadcopter, which has the potential to offer massive savings to police forces. The MD4-1000 Microdrone can be attached to various items of equipment with a maximum payload of approximately 1kg. Standard equipment is the Olympus Pen EP-2 which records HD 720p video and 12mp stills photographs while other equipment can include infrared or thermal imaging cameras. The MD4-1000 downlinks to a base station with real time video, whether or not the camera is recording, to provide continuous live imagery of activity on the ground. Applications include traffic control, rescue operations, general surveillance, surveillance of property prior to raids, road traffic accident recording and searches.

Paediatric emergency care is a demanding field which presents health care professionals with unique challenges as well as potentially lethal events. Laerdal Medical Ltd has launched SimJunior, an interactive paediatric patient simulator, which provides realistic training situations.

Representing a six-year-old child, SimJunior can simulate a wide range of conditions from a healthy, talking child to an unresponsive critical patient with no vital signs. The SimJunior scaleable format allows instructors to tailor the training to their needs – using the scenario editor, instructors can create basic to advanced scenarios and the use of Trends and Handlers enables multiple physiological changes in the simulation. Pre-programmed and validated scenarios are available for download from another recent Laerdal innovation, SimStore.

www.bonningtonsaerialsurveys.co.uk

www.laerdal.com

Service kits

Eberspacher UK has launched a new range of service kits. These contain all the parts for a recommended service in one easy package, avoiding the need to hold multiple stock lines.

Kits are available for its range of Airtronic, Hydronic heaters and the full range of climate control, air conditioning and refrigeration systems.

These are available from Eberspacher UK’s network of 95 dealers covering

Emergency Services Times May 2011

John Clarke, a Staffordshire Community Paramedic Officer and aviator extraordinaire recently launched his first book, Dunge Buttom: Tales Of An Unconventional Aviator. The humorous read is packed full of tales of past hang gliding and microlight antics. The semi auto-biographical book features a series of adventures, tales of eccentric characters and a few bumps, bruises and broken bones along the way! John has worked in the ambulance service since 1999 and achieved paramedic status in 2004. John said, “In my spare time I still enjoy microlighting, although the equipment is a little more sophisticated nowadays. I have also begun to scribe my second book, as I had far too many stories to fit in the first publication.” The book is available in paperback and can be bought for Kindle and other e-readers. www.crookedhatpublishing.com

CLASSIFIED | 95

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96 | LAST WORDS

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Acetylene cylinder fires – what’s going on?

Like all closed metal containers, gas cylinders present explosion risks if exposed to fire. Fire and rescue services (FRS) are aware of this and have safe methods for dealing with cylinders involved in fires. Clearly if the contained gas is flammable, or is oxygen, this can considerably increase fire loads. But dissolved acetylene (DA) has distinct properties, which require special precautions.

The direct heat of a fire may initiate decomposition of acetylene. This is an exothermic (heat creating) reaction, which can cause a DA cylinder to reheat after the fire is extinguished. The FRS protocol for dealing with DA has, only since 2003 and initially only in the UK, involved cooling the cylinders for 24 hours.

An initial hazard zone of 200m is supposed to be reduced once the facts have been established, but often the 200m zone is maintained for the whole 24 hours. While very safe, this can lead to major disruption, which may in turn prejudice safety away from the incident. The UK protocol has been at odds with what previously operated safely in the UK prior to 2003 and still operates safely in other countries.

DA is the most flexible oxy-fuel gas and is used across multiple welding and metal cutting applications. Put simply, there is no replacement for it and when handled, stored and transported correctly, acetylene is perfectly safe and has been invaluable to industry for over 150 years.

“As at April 2011, the fire and rescue service is incorporating this new way into a broader revision to HazMat guidance, which brigades should receive later in May/June as new best practice guidance.”

What could be done about the disruption?

In 2006 the BCGA joined senior representatives from the fire and rescue service, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Department for Transport (DfT), Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), Highways Agency, police, Network Rail, Transport for London (TFL) and others, to form a National Stakeholder Group (NSG) to work together on the issue.

BCGA (British Compressed Gases Association) members offered various initiatives to help: an advice leaflet has been prepared for DA users – BCGA Leaflet L6; and special retro-reflective marking tape is being applied to DA cylinders, to help the FRS identify DA more easily.

The UK’s DSEAR (Dangerous Substances Explosive Atmospheres) Regulations require users to undertake a comprehensive risk assessment that mandates the use of flashback arrestors (it is not

Special retro-reflective marking tape is being applied to DA cylinders, to help the FRS identify DA more easily.

clear that all users are fully aware of DSEAR).

BCGA fully endorses the mandatory use of flashback arrestors.

BCGA has made agreement with the trading website eBay to ban the sale of DA cylinders through its site as a way of restricting access to the product by untrained and unskilled individuals.

The association is also helping the fire and rescue service through training and provision of training material to hazmat officers within the FRS. In addition, BCGA members offer the emergency services expert help at incidents through our Competent Person Scheme and we have also advised on the potential effects of mechanical impact to DA cylinders, which will help police and Highways Agency staff when dealing with road traffic incidents.

In summary, cold impact alone to an acetylene cylinder cannot initiate decomposition.

Research Five Stakeholder parties, namely BCGA, the Department for Transport (DfT), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Transport for London (TFL) and, latterly, the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) co-funded major research conducted over a period from 2008 to 2010, by BAM, the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing. BAM is world renowned in acetylene science and research.

Their task was to find out, with certainty, after how many hours of realistic cooling can we be sure that no decomposition can be ongoing and therefore that it is safe to close out an incident completely?

The results from the BAM phase I/II work were reported to the NSG in December 08 and may be summarised as follows: • Mechanical impact alone cannot initiate acetylene decomposition • A robust combination of heat transfer experimentation and computer modelling has produced a model, which can be questioned for

Emergency Services Times May 2011

various ‘what if?’ scenarios, eg cooling rates etc • Porous mass type variations make no difference, their effect being swamped by the effect of heat capacity of the solvent.

• Decomposition of acetylene cannot be initiated until at least 350°C, meaning that only a cylinder that has been exposed to direct flame impingement can be at any risk.

• Polymerisation reactions of acetylene can occur at temperatures below 300°C, but these are pressure-reducing reactions and therefore not of concern, as gaseous acetylene turns to liquid and then solid species.

Indications from the BAM work also support global empirical evidence that the 24-hour precautionary cooling period might be significantly excessive.

Further research work, Phase III, entailed full scale filled DA cylinders bonfire tests, to further validate the model given here and hopefully give the FRS confidence to alter existing procedures.

The scope and validity of the Phase III work was discussed extensively with the fire and rescue service and with DCLG’s expert panel of consultant Professors – the results of which were presented in September 2010.

In summary In summary, the BAM science indicated that the UK protocol could be changed to something that would be safe but far less disruptive. A recommendation was accepted that just one hour cooling followed by a further one hour monitoring precaution would be prudent. It is no coincidence that the findings of the BAM research agreed exactly with the empirical evidence found at real incidents and best monitored by London Fire Brigade. (The Executive Summary report on BAM’s work and BAM’s opinion on the proposed 1+1 hour protocol can be viewed on the BCGA website – www.bcga.co.uk) As at April 2011, the fire and rescue service is incorporating this new way into a broader revision to HazMat guidance, which brigades should receive later in May/June as new best practice guidance.

While the BAM work was going on, London Fire Brigade were also doing their own research, going back over six years worth of cylinder incidents to see what could be learned. LFB were also supporting trials with robotics, which can help with some incidents. LFB summarised their work in both areas in a report dated March 2009.

The findings of the BAM Research is of global significance to both fire and rescue services and others alike and we trust that the new UK protocol may be adopted in other countries too and thereby mitigate needless disruption. www.bcga.co.uk

Author: Doug Thornton, Chief Executive, British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA)

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Can gaming technology help emergency services teams to work smarter and act faster?

Be it terrorism, fire, vandalism or floods, as threats to our towns and cities appear to increase, the pressure is on to make planning and response for such emergencies more sophisticated. Combined GI (geospatial information), building information modelling (BIM) and artificial intelligence has the potential to help both emergency planning and emergency response.

At present, 2D Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are already widely used by fire and rescue, police and ambulance crews for in-cab navigation.

Yet, as building footprints rapidly increase with the arrival of many more multiplexes and US-style shopping malls, it has become increasingly difficult for planners and the emergency services to deal with emergencies without detailed, accurate and current information.

“Autodesk is actively looking to partner with emergency services and emergency planning teams.”

Once they get inside a large building, crews could be seriously hampered by not having the right data at their fingertips. At present, this building will appear on a 2D GIS map as simply a large block and, while there is still clearly a role for these navigation systems to get crews to the building, 3D could play a vital role in taking crews into that building, using the latest 3D CAD tools.

Highly accurate information There are multiple ways in which the crew could be directed, which might include the command and control centre using radios or voice technology to guide a fire crew with limited visibility, or guiding an ambulance crew around. The highly accurate information contained within the building information model would be extremely advantageous where visibility is limited because of smoke, or darkness – which could mean the difference between life and death.

Similarly, if someone collapses in a shopping centre and the location is given as being outside a

particular shop, a building information model could give the exact location of the shop and enable crews to take the fastest possible route to the site of the emergency, possibly using a hand-held device for greater access and a faster response time.

Although not something that is widely spoken about, the Ministry of Defence has been using elements of 3D data and gaming technology in a highly sophisticated way for several years. Yet as time progresses and 3D and AI evolve, the technology could play an increasingly important role for the emergency services and planning teams in preparing for – and dealing with – modern threats such as terrorism, riots and extreme weather.

Artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence is particularly useful in planning for festivals and other large events.

Today’s 3D digital technology enables the creation of intelligent 3D models based on real geographic data, which is therefore totally accurate and reliable.

These plans still do not, however, take into account the crucial reactions of people in these scenarios. This is where artificial intelligence can be combined with existing real-life statistical data and patterns of behaviour to model crowds and show how human reactions would impact on different eventualities.

Autodesk is in a unique position in that it can

Emergency Services Times May 2011

draw upon and bring together GI, BIM and gaming capability. In the company’s recent work with a city authority in piloting planning an annual festival, for instance, Autodesk used 3D modelling and gaming to consider all kinds of behaviours, using the model to create a realistic picture of all kinds of scenarios and programming different characters in the crowd accordingly. These included, ‘what would happen if you removed this barrier’ or ‘if it rains and people flock to take cover under trees, will this lead to overcrowding?’ – in turn helping to plan and prevent potentially catastrophic crushing. The city festival project also involved working with a partner organisation that already had experience in working with the military to create these types of models.

Partnership opportunities At present, there is no single solution that could be used and getting these models and 3D plans in place involves a real mix of design, gaming and GI mapping technology. Moving forward, Autodesk is actively looking to partner with emergency services and emergency planning teams in the same way on pilot projects to create partnerships and develop single, highly intelligent models that will facilitate faster and more efficient working. http://usa.autodesk.com

Author: Tracey Stone, Emerging Businesses Sales Manager, Autodesk.